Could you tell me a little more about yourself?

Sure, but I’m pretty shy and private so please be gracious with me.

• I’m a non-traditional student — I’m 32 years old and live in Eugene, Oregon.

• I’m from a big family, I have 6 siblings and many nieces and nephews who I adore. My family and friends are very important to me.

• My resilience lies in my creativity, humor, and love of play. Dance is my medicine and my love for movement spans styles and various genres of music. I find my creative outlets–like painting, photography, and sewing–to be deeply healing and empowering. I’m grateful for any opportunity to bring these elements into my daily practice.

• I grew up speaking English but I have a lifelong love of languages. I studied Spanish, Italian, Chinese, and Arabic in school. The focus of my studies was less on language fluency and more on cultural exploration and relationship building. At some point, I discovered that languages hold cultural lessons, perspectives, and knowledge. Throughout my studies, I was lucky enough to meet generous people who shared their language and perspectives with me. I’ve been deeply shaped by these relationships and find that my perspective on the world–my reality–is more colorful thanks to them.

• More recently, I also identify as a queer woman and someone with ADHD. I’m thankful for the opportunities I’ve had for self-reflection, compassion, and acceptance that have led to this self-knowledge and I look forward to the next chapter of my life where I can live more fully and proudly in myself.