PALOMA // Zero Waste Advocate & Future Surgeon
You are vegan and passionate about zero waste, tell us a little about your philosophy and how you manage to do your part:
I want to be in complete control of what goes on and inside of my body. By creating my own hygiene products and buying all natural ingredients, I feel so healthy and incredibly empowered. Of course, the zero waste transition is a bit slower because I am the youngest of my family. I am hoping to lead by example and have my family also commit to limiting what we throw away.
You grew up in the Seattle area, how has living in LA changed you?
Living in LA has helped me understand what I want to do, but more importantly how to achieve it. I am way more motivated and passionate about how I affect others and how to increase my print on the world by reducing my carbon print.
What inspired you to want to be a trauma or neurosurgeon?
I have always been fascinated by how science approaches and answers questions about how the world is and how it came to be. I have come to know myself more as I decided I want to enter the scientific medical field, and reducing my potential fields by knowing what I am good at and most importantly bad at. Trauma and neuro fields are where I would most benefit from because of the qualities you must possess to succeed at the job.
How do you feel your creativity as a photographer and artist plays into surgery?
Submerging myself completely in art and science is something that isn’t quite understood until I explain it. For me, art and science both are on two polar ends of the spectrum of expression and problem-solving. In trauma and neuro fields, they require an acute sense of direction in an almost artistic fashion to approach difficult puzzles of how injury affects the body.
What words do you have for young girls who are interested in the field of medicine?
Ask yourself why you want to go into that field. If your immediate answer is to help people, then that isn’t quite it. You have to really dig deep down and ask yourself what it means to help people, how to do it, and really dive deep in the world of science, literature, and art. You can do it. You are a powerful and much needed human in the vessel of protecting humankind and spreading wisdom and treating those who need assistance. You can do it.
What is your favorite part about creating and designing costumes for your school plays?
This is really a form of stress relief for me. I love working on time period pieces where I can create character’s looks based on how they feel. I love having an organized tight ship which allows the characters to use the tools I have given them to express their character on stage.
Do you see fashion and self-expression as playing a role for you in the future?
Fashion, not so much. Self-expression, always. The way I express myself is what defines me as an individual and by using my individuality, I can stand out against competitors in my field, and focus on being my best self.
Who is the most bad ass woman you know and how does she influence and inspire you?
The most bad ass woman I know is my best friend, Lily. She kicks ass. She is the most resilient and powerful girl I know and I feel so grateful to have gotten to know her in my life. I’m biased, of course, because to me she is the image of perfection, but I am so in love with her and all of her her work as a human on this planet.
Describe your personal style:
My style is quite dynamic. When I wake up in the morning, I wake up to a new day, new emotion, and new intentions. I am working towards having a more sustainable, versatile, and minimal closet. My style changes every day based on how I feel. This way, I can express myself freely without having mass amounts of objects. I own less, but I really take care for what I do own.
What is your biggest pet peeve? Idon’t really have any pet peeves I can think of.
What is your favorite dirty word? Fuckboy. For sure.
What are you listening to these days?
I will listen to anything. Right now, its mostly stuff produced in the 1960s-2005. I love music that I can groove to, like the Modern Lovers, or something I can just absorb, like Lou Reed, but I love listening through albums of artists I am familiar of and learning about them and their history and (if applicable) political activism through music.
Do you have a favorite saying?
“Honey, you don’t put a bumper sticker on a Bentley.” –my best friend, Lily.
If you could travel anywhere right now, where would it be?
I would like to travel to Russia. I would have to learn a lot more before going, but I want to visit Lenin’s body.
What has been your biggest challenge in life so far?
Going to Cambodia. I went through a program I am a part of last summer. This was the hardest trip I have ever taken. Physically and emotionally exhausting, it was still by far the most rewarding experience I have ever partaken in. Bill Murray once said to go to places that are hard to go to and hard to come home from. I truly believe those are what make life worthwhile, to follow by that idea of difficulty and receive the most inspiring and life changing experiences
What is the best compliment you’ve received?
I was complemented on my dexterity a while back. I can’t say I have ever been complimented on it before, and I may not ever again, but there was some sort of pride that I have carried with me since in my motivation to practice taxidermy and other activities relating to my life goals.
If you could collaborate with any artist who would it be and why?
I would either collaborate with Colin Christian or Robert Mapplethorpe. Both are warped artists who create dark and (sometimes) disturbing pieces of work, but they constantly push the boundaries of their artistic realm, which is something I have always admired.
What is your favorite zenzee style?
I love love love the Bite Me style. They match my favorite pair of pants!
@palom.a
PHOTOGRAPHY @suzieQstrong // suzannestrong.la
HAIR & MAKE UP @jencmakeup // jencastelo.com
