Finding My Path
I grew up in Evanston, Illinois - a diverse community where I spent my elementary years in a Spanish Immersion program at Washington Elementary. I was always active: swimming, playing soccer, camping with family. But I was equally drawn to problem-solving. Give me a Rubik’s Cube, a video game puzzle, or a piece of origami paper, and I was content for hours.
Through middle school and into high school at Evanston Township, I couldn’t seem to find my passion. I tried different things, but nothing clicked. Then, second semester of junior year, I started working at West End Florist and Garden Center. Something about working with plants, helping people create green spaces, and being part of that cycle just made sense. I still go back to work there whenever I’m home.
That experience led me to take an urban agriculture class senior year, where we tended community gardens on the ETHS campus. That’s when it hit me: I could combine my love for the environment (all those camping trips as a kid) with a real purpose - feeding people. I came to LSU with this vision of “putting solar panels on tractors,” some idealistic blend of sustainability and agriculture.
The Vision Evolves
My focus has shifted since then. Now, I’m all-in on Urban Green Infrastructure - an umbrella term I use for living walls, green roofs, city parks, hydroponic setups, aquaponics, urban beekeeping, anything that brings the positive externalities of biodiversity and green space into cities.
Here’s what drives me: people trapped in urban environments don’t get enough natural beauty. They can’t love and protect the world around them if they never experience it. At the same time, too many people live in food deserts without access to fresh fruits and vegetables. These problems are solvable, and I genuinely believe we have a responsibility to solve them.
These Days
When I’m not working on school or projects, you’ll find me coding (I’ve gotten deep into building tools and solving problems with software), doing calisthenics, reading, or just learning something new. I’m drawn to challenges and problems that require creative solutions.
The future I see is one where people have access to fresh food anywhere in a city, and where natural beauty isn’t a luxury reserved for those who can escape to the suburbs or countryside. It’s about bringing life back into concrete jungles and making sure everyone can experience the connection to nature that shaped who I am.