“I went to cosmetology school my junior year of high school, but then I dropped out because I was going to college. The agreement with my parents was: 'You can go to cosmetology school, but you still have to go to college.' After I got my associate’s degree, I took a semester off and went full time to finish cosmetology school. Then, I was enrolled at Cal State Fullerton and I remember the first week of class [thinking], this isn’t for me. Something in my spirit told me to withdraw, and I ended up relocating to D.C."