At the farmers market, I saw Asian eggplant and American eggplant side by side. They were different in size, color, and shape, but neither one was wrong. They simply grew differently. I wondered why people are not allowed the same kindness.

This was one of my proudest moments. I had crossed oceans, survived shame, and started again in a language I barely understood. By the end of 2011, I was about to become an esthetician. Beauty was no longer a mask. It was education, dignity, and a way back to myself.