Connect Who or what is your inspiration in business?

My drive in business comes from a deeply personal place. The path I’ve walked has been a constant search for identity, shaped by challenges that tested my resolve. While I draw strength from my own experiences, I have immense respect for anyone else on that same difficult journey of self-discovery. It was enduring those specific adversities that truly molded me into the person and professional I am today. Therefore, I consider myself the inspiration that I need to keep going.

How do you stay motivated?

My commitment remains unwavering: I will not rest until my mission is fulfilled—to champion the fundamentals of art and illuminate its power as a sustainable, equitable force in our lives. We have pioneered the Bronx's first independent art school of its kind, dedicated to empowering marginalized creators sell what they create with their own hands.

What would you do with the $25,000?

Reinvest it in my nonprofit. Probably acquire a home for which the school does not have.