People’s stories – especially the ones of everyday people who don’t usually make the headlines – have always fascinated me. I remember the people I’ve met throughout my life and travels: the Muslim family who lived next door; the joyful Chinese girl whom I met in a little coffee shop in a big Chinese city; the homeless man on the streets of New Orleans; the depressed teacher who taught English at a small school in the mountains of Jordan; the Cambodian woman who escaped the killing fields for a life of poverty in the States.
And then, there are my own stories. I’m the oldest of ten and the honorary big sister of many others. I’m a listener; a lover of words; a teacher and storyteller. Anxiety and depression have made my life a battlefield. I was a shy child, and I’m a quiet adult. I’m a disorganized perfectionist and an interdisciplinarian. As I look back over my life so far, these pieces of who I am and the stories I’ve discovered throughout my journeys are interwoven into one inspired aspiration to be someone who listens to and learns from others and shares their stories. – Mikayla
Mastering the Mastermind 