I’m a total foodie, and love a variety of different cuisines, including Ramen, Ethiopian, Thai, Vietnamese, and Japanese. When I eat, I like to pick apart the flavors and figure out what ingredients went into making the dish. If there’s something unfamiliar, I’m always curious to learn more about it. I’m not a vegetarian, but I love trying unusual vegetables. For example, when I traveled to China, I tasted wild, hybrid vegetables grown in local gardens—vegetables so unique that even the locals didn’t have a name for them. For me, good food is about discovery as much as taste.

When it comes to jazz, I have three priorities. First, I like layered and complex music—old school, like Parliament Funkadelic, really hits that mark. Second, I prefer improvisational jazz, the kind where the music unfolds naturally, like a jam session, but with the precision and standards of musicians like Dave Brubeck and Thelonious Monk. And finally, it has to be live. There’s nothing like the vibe, the ambiance, and the intimacy of hearing it in a club, where you can feel every note in the moment.

I started showing an aptitude for art as early as preschool. In grade school, one of my teachers told my parents I should pursue formal training, and by the time I was ten, I was working with one of the most challenging mediums—oil on canvas. I even learned how to stretch the canvas myself. I’ve always been drawn to portraiture—painting people allows me to tell stories and explore emotions through color, expression, and form. During grad school, I even considered pursuing art as a career. Now, painting is my creative outlet, usually done at home with music playing, where I can get lost in the process. Each portrait I create feels like a conversation with the future, which makes the act of painting that much more meaningful​.

I’ve been dancing for as long as I can remember, starting with dance recitals as a kid, moving to the pom pom squad in high school, and eventually joining competitive dance teams in college. Those teams were all about synchronized performances—jumps, splits, and formations mixed with music. These days, I’ve found myself drawn to Latin dance styles like salsa, bachata, merengue, and cumbia. There’s something about the rhythm and energy that makes it impossible not to get up and move.

I love being outside—whether it’s walking, hiking, or just taking in the scenery. And there are some places I keep going back to, like Sedona, Arizona. The sky there is this amazing electric blue, with clouds that look like perfectly painted puffs. The rock formations stretch as far as you can see, with vivid, striking patterns—almost like a Wile E. Coyote cartoon come to life. It’s unreal. Being in landscapes like that brings me so much joy.