Photography changed my life. Before discovering this creative outlet, I was a lost, misguided troublemaker searching for direction. Everything changed when I was accidentally placed in Mr. Keith Sasada’s photography class at Leilehua High School during my sophomore year — the class that would completely alter my path. Mr. Sasada saw potential in me long before I saw it in myself. His belief in me helped me realize that photography was my purpose in life. Once I decided to pursue it professionally, I turned my life around and worked tirelessly toward that dream. Fifteen years later, I’m proud to have built a successful photography career dedicated to dismantling stereotypes in Hawaiʻi and uplifting the stories of our communities.

I don’t know who or where I’d be without photography. What I do know is that it’s been my dream to help other kids like me find that same passion in life — especially in Wahiawā, the community that raised me. In 2023, Mr. Sasada decided to retire and recommended that I take his place. Teaching at the same place where I fell in love with photography has felt incredibly rewarding. It feels like a culmination of everything I’ve worked towards in my life. 

Coming from a long line of educators, I know that teaching is woven into who I am. My ancestors have carried this gift for generations, and my mother, a piano teacher and special education specialist, continues that legacy today. Knowing that I’m part of this lineage makes my teaching journey deeply meaningful and purposeful.

As an educator, I strive to build up the next generation of storytellers in Hawaiʻi by helping students discover their passion, potential, and power through photography. My goal is to inspire them to become responsible, authentic storytellers who use their voices to uplift our communities and reshape how Hawaiʻi is represented in the media. Beyond teaching photography, I hope to be the adult I needed as a kid — someone who encourages students to be unapologetically colorful, resilient, weird, and proud of who they are. Having experienced financial instability and houselessness, I am committed to empowering students from similar backgrounds and showing them that they don’t need wealth or status to achieve their dreams — only belief in their own potential. This portfolio reflects that mission, documenting my growth as an MEdT candidate and educator dedicated to building inclusive, creative, and culturally grounded learning spaces where students can thrive.

Me with Mr. Sasada at the 2013 Scholastic Art Awards