Who is your role model and why?

I don’t have a singular role model, I have more of a community model. The village that raised me has taught me very different things and given me different sets of skills depending on my mentor at the time. Taking note of my mother’s work ethic, my father’s knowledge and communication skills, and my grandmother’s wisdom. I have learned to pick out the parts of the puzzle that I feel like will manifest themselves in me. I have not only learned from the good, but also the bad. The epidemic of alcoholism, drug abuse, and absenteeism in my family is a part of the village I have learned from and choose not to participate in.

How do you plan to make an impact?

I plan to make an impact by being my full self unapologetically. I believe that God has gifted everyone with a set of traits and tools to impact  and heal other people, but many times we fall short because we are trying to be something that we are not. The only way I know how to make an impact is to smile from ear  to ear, speak from my heart, and speak the truth as best as I know it.

What career (or careers) are you currently interested in?

I am currently interested in becoming an entrepreneur of my own hair care line, traveling the world, and being an advocate for the plight of African Americans in the prison system and our treatment in terms of American justice, disenfranchisement, and lack of our own narrative.

What are you interested in learning more about?

I am interested in learning more about the tribe I come from in Africa and my Native American roots. I was talking to a retired history professor for the  University of California and he really inspired me to take a look at the stories I have been told and really dissect how they influence my thinking and actions. I also want to study more about the prison and poverty mindset in many black and brown communities and its origins.

Fill in the blank: I want to live in a world with no_________.

I want to live in a world with no faking who you are, what you are, why you are, and the way you are no matter your differences. From freckles to your hair type to the shape of your pinky toe, God made you just the way you are.

Fill in the blank: I want to live in a world with no ______.

I want to live in a world with no desire to shame people because of who they are.

What is your hope for your own future?

I hope to make an impact in the world and be known for something that will help others around me.

Who is your role model and why?

From a young age my mother has been my role model because of how hardworking, brave and independent she is. I can say she is the most important person in my life. She’s raised me by herself since I was 6 and her brave battle with cancer changed how I see the world. My mom has shaped me into the well-rounded, resilient, and determined person I am today.

How do you plan to make an impact?

I plan to go to college and get a degree in architecture or chemical engineering. I want to set an example for girls because in Colorado only 27% of architects are women and that’s considered high.

What is one thing you can’t stop thinking about?

My future, I really want to make my mom proud and see myself succeed.

What do you think adults can learn from younger generations?

That having an open mind to new things and different kinds of people will really benefit the connections you have with all types of people.

Who is your role model and why?

My mom is my role model because she is one of the hardest working women in my life. She always gets her work done no matter the obstacle that gets in her way. She inspires me to pursue my dreams and reach my goals.

What’s a common misconception people have about your generation?

That we prefer digital communication over face to face interaction.

What’s your hope for your future?

My hope for the future is that people will adapt and be more open to accepting change.

Fill in the blank. I want to live in a world with more _______.

I want to live in a world with more diversity in everything and companionship between all people who can communicate and get along together.

What is one thing you can’t stop thinking about?

My business is something that is always on my mind. I started my business, Duality Beadwork (IG: @Jenti.vf) less than a year ago and I learned how to bead when my mother taught me how to make a simple pair of beaded flowers. I was so intrigued that I continued to play with beads and thread. I taught myself how to design earrings, bracelets and abstract pieces. I didn’t start learning how to bead with the intention to sell anything but after making pieces and posting pictures of them to social media, I realized I had a lot of people that were interested in purchasing my work. From then on I have been beading almost everyday and shipping to customers around the U.S. and Canada, with followers from all over the world.

What can adults learn from younger generations?

In my experience, the younger generations are so full of acceptance, love, talent and passion. My advice to adults is to be willing to learn, and unlearn. The world is constantly changing and it can be scary and unsettling to look around and realize that the people that are growing up cannot relate to your lived experiences. The key to ease these feelings is to be willing to learn from and about the younger generation along with sharing about your own experiences. I think that doing so allows for a better-shared understanding and bonding over shared experiences and similarities.

What are you interested in learning more about?

Sewing and clothing design. My mother always wanted to be a fashion designer and would often make her own clothes, and later on would make the cutest outfits for younger sister and I. Lately I feel that clothing stores have been lacking in representation of all body types, and it can be difficult to find clothes that are any bigger than a medium or small. I want to learn to sew so if there is something that my sisters or I want but cannot find in a store, I would be able to make custom make it!

How do you think growing up with social media and technology has influenced you and your friends?

Oh my goodness, I could write an entire research paper about this question. With the rise of social media influencers, social media is no longer about being social, connecting with friends, posting fun things, etc. It has become a reminder of your failures and flaws.

Even if we are not confident or comfortable in our own bodies we often times fake it online since it is so easy to plan and curate what we show the world. No one wants to share the “bad” stuff anymore. It’s much easier to pretend than to face the reality of what makes us upset, unhappy, unwell in its core.

That being said, social media has allowed for so many positive things to come to fruition. Social movements can be started on social media. Without technology, people could not talk to their loved ones that are oceans away. It really boils down to how we personally use these things. We need to put our part in not using technology or social media for the wrong reasons.

What does gender and gender identity mean to you?

Gender is a spectrum. It is fluid and is different for everyone. For me, I am a cisgender woman and gender identity is not something that impacts my day-to-day life because I have privilege when it comes to my gender identity. All this means, is that in order for me to be an ally to our trans relatives, I must use my privilege in order to uplift, support, protect and pass the mic to trans people. Trans people and more specifically trans women of color are being killed at outrageous rates and cisgender people need to do a better job of stepping up and using our privilege in order to help.