My childhood was shaped by Neopets, Maplestory, Gaia Online, Myspace, Tumblr, Youtube, Deviantart. I found my sense of belonging in online massive multiplayer communities.
I started playing Neopets in 2005 and it taught me how to use GIMP and code with HTML and CSS. I started creating Myspace and Youtube layouts for friends, and subsequently posting them and sharing them on DeviantArt. I skinned my Windows Vista OS with WinAMP.
Too many hours were spent on Maplestory and the online Maplestory community. I’ve made Maplestory themed music videos with Sony Vegas 8.0 Pro. I grew up on this game and befriended people my age from all over the world. It was my first exposure to a world outside of the banal suburbs of Claremont, California. I sometimes wonder where my internet friends are and how they’re doing.
I knew I loved making and creating, and was involved with many creative communities in middle and high school, such as Yearbook. In high school I was the captain of the Math and Science team, where I led our team to 1st place in our local robotics competition.
Berkeley challenged me with Computer Science courses and the new Jacobs institute for design innovation. I deepened my interest in speculating the relationship we form with technology.
The process of creating and making continues to fascinate me, and it is the way through which I understand more about myself and the world. I feel most myself when I can do everything from code, to design, to film, to storytelling, to critical inquiry alongside others.