I am that person that is always carrying a notebook, pen, and a camera at any given moment, determined to capture the moment in any way I can. In my nearly 27 years of life, I have realized the value in slowing down, and the act of creating art has aided me in the practice.

The photo, an objective form, and my words, the subjective. Both art forms are a way to meditate. I have found taking photographs incredibly helpful in grounding me to the moment and to the place. It allows me to appreciate how beautiful the world is. The act takes me out of my thoughts.

Writing allows me to notice my surroundings, but honor my feelings attached to them. I don’t get carried away in anxious thoughts, instead, I write them down, releasing them.

My connection to my art, to my writing, has always been a form of therapy for me. These are things I know I can always turn to for clarity. I don’t just write because it's pleasurable, I write because it is necessary.

On a slower day, I create collages from bits and pieces of memories I’ve saved just so they can be immortalized. Around this tactile and physical art form, I lace in my words, use my photographs to hopefully create a more visceral memory when I open these books that can be used as weapons in a few years time. I use my sentimentality as a superpower, allowing it to keep me grateful for where I am and where I’ve come from.

I get a lot of my energy from people—a day where I’m feeling tired and down can pretty quicky turn around with a good friend who will let me talk their ear off with the well of random facts I’ve picked up from God knows where at this point.

I’m reading has always been an escape for me. I love to fall into fictional problems to find brief respite from my own.

I love sociology and social commentary, fashion and interior design. I love learning about history and linguistics, and being around the people I care about. I am a big advocate for mental health and accessible care and doing our best to wipe out stigma or other misunderstandings. I love (badly) singing along to my massive Spotify playlist that is over twenty-four hours long. Bonus points for having the windows down on a sunny and mild summer day. For someone who is easily prone to sensory overload and panic attacks, I am obsessed with seeing my favorite bands play live. If I don’t have at least one on the docket I deflate a bit.

All of these preferences, all of these experiences, inform who I am and how I write. They are the reason why I write.

If you would be so inclined, I’d love to have you along on my journey. Whether as a bystander or a more active participant, I appreciate your courtesies and cooperations.