From hobbyist photographer to professional educator

In high school, HATSUE was set on becoming a vet tech, having grown up around horses and their care through her dad's job at a summer camp. 

“I had special access to see some like horse surgeries and you know kind of see that world,” she told WVXU. “I thought it was really cool and also perhaps a bit prestigious, and I wanted to be an equine athlete surgeon for a while.”

But just a few months before graduation, she decided to pivot thanks to encouragement from an English teacher. 

It wasn't an easy transition, even after getting accepted into UC's College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning (DAAP). Studying communication design after years of preparing for medical courses meant navigating what she did, and did not, want to do. Hands-on learning helped her hone in on photography. 

Through building their portfolio through cooperative education experiences, HATSUE graduated with enough real-world experience under their belt to dive right into work. Since graduation, they have been a freelance photographer, gallery curator and even an adjunct instructor at DAAP. Today, they also teach at 1001 Colors (formerly ArtWorks). 

“High school me wouldn't have ever thought that current me was a possibility," they explained. "Allowing myself to give up this version of myself that I thought I wanted to be, I think, was the biggest moment of finally letting that go.”

HATSUE encourages their own students to follow their passions and try new career opportunities. 

“I feel like maybe I trusted my instinct when I was 18 — to change my name, change the career trajectory — and that has stuck with me ever since,” HATSUE said. “I think all of these pieces of advice that we pick up during our lives, are just pieces of validation … Now I have a lot of confidence in myself and my abilities.”

Hear the full story on WVXU.