Who? Mae, 23
What do you do? I am currently in the second year of my Ph.D. program in Materials Science and Engineering, where I am researching new materials for biomedical devices. On the side, I maintain the Natural Chica blog, which is dedicated to providing information on caring for natural hair, presenting interviews with businesses catered to natural chicas and those interested in natural beauty products and showcasing the gifts and talents of other naturalistas. In conjunction with the blog, I also have a YouTube channel that provides tutorials on how I care for my newly natural hair (Just reached the 6 month mark!) and also gives a glimpse into some of my other passions, like singing, playing the bass guitar and photography. Upon completing my Ph.D., I would love to be able to give back by teaching in the university setting for a while, but it is also my dream to have my own photography company and gallery. I love photography because it is all about how you interpret and capture the moment. My goal is to seek out the essence of the moment and share that with others (I’ll hopefully be coming out with an online photo gallery soon!).
What inspires you? The power of creativity inspires me. Whether it is an amazing new development in science, a masterfully composed piece of music, or a breathtaking image, the mere ability of the human mind to create new things out of what is presented before them inspires me to not limit myself when I am faced with a new task at hand.Why are you fly? I’m fly because I know I can’t develop as an individual if I don’t have God’s guidance or the courage to step forward into new territory. I know that not being afraid to step outside of my comfort zone is the key to opening the door to endless possibilities.
Advice: If you are interested in pursuing a certain area that interests you, find out all you can about others who are currently doing what you aim to do. Learn what they did to get to where they are and then take that to the next level! But most importantly, don’t limit yourself or sell yourself short! Don’t ever give up on your dreams : )
