I was always around family members who were in need, financially insecure, or were foster kids. As a young kid, the oldest of three, I was always the caregiver and always around people who were nurturing, like the aunties looking after us when our parents were working. My grandmother was a special education teacher; she was my idol. When I was a kid, on Bring Your Kid to Work Day, we would go with Grandma Donna to Menlo Avenue School, and when I first started college, I worked at the same school that she worked at for 27 years. Once I got married, we looked into fostering. Within a few years, we fostered 40 children and adopted two daughters. That's what opened my eyes to the unhoused issue and mental health issue, which is why I volunteer at a mental health facility.

I feel strongly about using my time to do something bigger than myself and my family. I pushed myself. I said, let me find top nonprofits. For Food on Foot, I do their marketing and social media for their galas, and they have a food service feeding over a hundred people. I do an event called Cuts for a Cause, where I implement all of the girls and men I've trained in the salon to cut hair for the unhoused community. I work full-time for Better Angels, a nonprofit working hard to end homelessness. I'm the volunteer engagement lead, recruiting volunteers and interns for pillar initiatives. I'm deep in this work, which is so rewarding and impactful. Luckily, my career doing hair for movies/videos allows me to follow this passion with all my heart.

Every single person can make an impact and has the opportunity to give back. There's always something that we can do to make the world a better place. I'm always thinking of ways to get the community involved. I'm aware that the kind of work that I'm doing is heart work. It has everything to do with being American and living in America, and the ultimate American dream - having the necessities: food, water, shelter, and being safe. I have that. My kids have that. Everyone deserves that.