Often when people tell their story, they talk about their strengths and resiliency. It's really about their determination and their aspiration to survive and live.

It's really hard when you read literature in a language that's not your own. There are all these cultural references you have to be born into that particular language to get.

Everything around you can use. It's like your tools and your material. Whether it's in performing arts like dance, or visual arts, or poetry, a lot of those elements can come and help you, can trigger your creativity. But you have to be open, be aware, and you have to be ready to look.

For me, the more I understand the story of others, the greater I am able to learn and help other people.

I liked museums but I wanted to be a dancer, I wanted to go into performing arts, or be a writer.

A lot of my work is process-oriented. I delve into my work and sit alone in silence and work with the material and process it, like talking to yourself.

I am a community social psychologist and a lot of my work deals with social work and helping people overcoming addiction and trauma.