Sri Lankan-Japanese Fashion Model at Harvard | Minori Ito

In Episode 3, we meet Minori Ito, a Master’s Candidate in Human Development and Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Minori shares how navigating multiple cultures and working as a fashion model have influenced her sense of self, and how these experiences continue to shape her commitment to education.

Beyond Harvard is a platform that highlights the voices, stories, and ideas of the Harvard University community, identifying who they are at Harvard and beyond. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

I didn't realize I was a person of color until I moved back to Los Angeles. Even in modeling which I know we'll touch upon later, I always get to cast as the East Asian girl, never the brown girl, and that really makes me so sad. I've never been more challenged in my life in a way that was nothing but uplifting. Um I think even applying to Harvard, I wouldn't be able to do that 10 years ago. You're not split. You know, you're very much a full person. Because I think the only thing that limits us really is ourselves.

SPEAKER_02 0:27

Welcome to the Beyond Harmon Podcast. I'm your host, Rashana Rearsenga, and on today's episode, we meet Menori Ito. Menori is a master's candidate studying human development and education here at Harvard University. Take a listen as we have an honest conversation about cultures, classrooms, and careers. Enjoy Minori, thank you very much for coming on Beyond Harvard. Thank you for having me. I am so excited to have you, Minori, and I want to jump right in. So you're you're Japanese, Sri Lankan American. You grew up between Massachusetts, California, and New York. You studied economics at Columbia. You're a model, you're signed with Wilhelmina models. And now you're a master's candid. Yes. Key mean development and education here at Harvard. Yes. I there's so much to unpack, and I'm so excited. But I'd I'd love to start Minori with your background. You have a great multicultural background. Talk to me a little bit about what it was growing up in a Japanese Sri Lankan household and maybe how those values show up in your life.

SPEAKER_01 1:47

Oh. So I grew up in Newton, which is right outside of Boston, Harvard, all this area we're in now. So it's good to be back. I would say I grew up in a very predominantly white area, and that almost emphasized the necessity to establish a culture in our household. So wherever the Japanese food was, no matter how far we would go and get it, my mom would cook Sri Lankan food at home. And so, you know, you kind of have to have those, those assets in your in your house. And what's exciting is being able to share it with people who've never had those those things before. So I would say it kind of made us a little bit more um directed towards having building that uh within our own household and keeping traditions alive. Uh, for example, also, I know you know this, but Sri Lanka um you boil the milk for New Year's. Yeah. And we do that every year, no matter where we live. So uh and then in terms of values, wow. Um I would say there's a lot of, I would say, I mean, anywhere outside of America, there's a big emphasis on collectivism. And so it's shown in our family, um, beyond our family and within our family. And it's it's it's something that's very important to us. Um and also again, just maintaining close relationships with everyone generationally. Um, all of our family was back in California. So just keeping close contact with this was very, very important.

SPEAKER_02 3:12

But I'd I'd love to maybe tap into that uh a little bit, Minori, because I think I see the multiplicity of you know your ethnicities, but also the fact that you grew up between coasts, actually. Yes. What was that like? I want to hear your take on East Coast versus West Coast and maybe what it was like growing up.

SPEAKER_01 3:31

There's so much to say. Well, I was born in Los Angeles and then moved to Newton in 2001 when I was three. Okay. And then moved back to Los Angeles at 16, right before senior year of high school. And now I'm back here. So yeah, there's the outlet. Just jumping back and forth. Yeah. I would say, wow. It's so interesting. I actually, if I'm being honest, I always said I didn't realize I was a person of color until I moved back to Los Angeles. I don't know if it was an age thing or if it was just where I was. I think growing up in Newton, I kind of I honestly felt like I was just another white person. I don't know. I didn't really feel othered. And I think that that speaks to a bunch of privilege I had growing up. Um, in Los Angeles, obviously it's extremely diverse. I would say though, especially where I was, the diversity was a little bit more pocketed in that kind of people kind of stayed within their own communities. But at least you had the opportunity to kind of mix and, you know, get to know each other a little bit more. But I would say I found a lot of who I am now in Los Angeles. But I'm every day grateful for being brought up here.

SPEAKER_02 4:41

That is awesome. I I clift how maybe learn a little bit more about that, especially when you talk about it in the context of being multiracial. Do you see yourself as 50% Japanese and 50% Sri Lankan, or do you see it yourself as 100% goat? Ooh, that's such a good question.

SPEAKER_01 4:59

Um, I always say, so my mom is the Sri Lankan one, my dad's Japanese, and um even Modeli, which I know we'll touch upon later, I always get to cast as the East Asian girl, never the brown girl. And that really makes me so sad. Um, and so I would say for most of my life, I felt like I was 75% Japanese, 25% Sri Lankan, but I am a lot more um connected with my Sri Lankan family because they are in California. This we both speak English. So I do actually identify more as a brown girl. I really do. Um, but as I've become more of an adult, I realize that I'm really just American, um, which is a whole other thing. But I think it just kind of fluctuates, honestly.

SPEAKER_02 5:43

It's fascinating that you said that Minorly, because you and I have bonded so much over Sri Lanka. And I am so impressed by how much you know about the culture and how would she really leaned into it, despite the fact that your your mom is Sri Lanka. And so um it's interesting how you kind of talk about the differences in terms of like what you're perceived as on set, for instance, by how internally maybe you connect to one coast. So that that's fascinating. I'd love to maybe talk a little bit more to um what kind of brought you back to the East Coast. You studied economics since at Columbia. Um talk to us a little bit about why economics, why New York, uh, and maybe any of you know, I know in economics, for instance, we talk a lot about short-term and long-term trends. How does that show up, maybe in how you Oh boy.

SPEAKER_01 6:36

Let's see. So I moved to New York City actually before Columbia. Uh this was I was just talking to my dad about this January 31st, 2020. Oh that was the night I actually flew to New York. I submitted my USC application. That was that the way I broke in my apartment. Um, and from there I was full-time modeling hardcore because Fashion Read was coming up. And then for you know it, this thing called COVID was in the news. And so and so that is what brought me back to California. Um, but I always knew I wanted to be back on the East Coast. There's again, there's just like this poll. I think growing up here, it's it's always stays with you. Um, so during the pandemic, one of my pandemic projects was transferring to Columbia, applying and transferring. So that's what brought me back to New York. I think having lived there before school, I realized New York is such a special place. It's the only place in America I find you can be individualistic, but also collectivist. You're part of a huge ecosystem, but you have to really fight for yourself and you have to really mind your own business. But if someone needs help, you help them. Um, I think New York gets really bad rep, but I love that. I really do. Um, so that's what brought me back to New York. And then in terms of economics, and I read this at my my paper to Columbia, I find that economics is very much metaphorical to life. You know, a lot of things are cyclical. You have your ups and downs, even in terms of indifference curves, you can calculate your happiness. And I just feel there's a lot of um reflection between life and an econ. Um, and I love math, but that was a thing until way later in life. Um, so that's why econ. And then in terms of you asked me about economics in or long-term and short term. Yeah. Oh God, that's everything, right? So even right now in HDE, the human development education program here, I you have to think of everything in short-term, long-term, actually, because in short term, it's how to mitigate something in the moment, which is important, but how to sustain it is a whole other thought process that is very difficult because you can't always um consider what might happen down the line, things that you don't expect, right? So there's just a lot going on uh in that in that realm. But I think I personally am always thinking of short term and long term. Um just because it is what saves you now, what saves you in the future.

SPEAKER_02 8:59

But and there's so much is like so much to discuss there. Um, maybe if we could backtrack a little bit, I I think you touched on this. You you mentioned you were working on your transfer application to to Columbia. Could you talk to us a little bit about what that process was like and maybe any stigmas around community college or the transfer process that you would want to? Oh yes.

SPEAKER_01 9:21

What take a stab at. Absolutely. I'm so glad you asked. Um, boy, okay. So the transfer process was grueling. I think anyone who has ever applied to school knows how difficult, how truly, like to this day, tr applications are you can't even say the word. Like it's hard, we have to pay for this. Firstly, yeah. Secondly, it's really difficult to, I mean, every element, right? Like asking someone to write you a letter recommendation, it's it's stressful sometimes because it's like, hi, please write me a paper on how great I am. Like it's stressful by this deadline. Yeah. And then a paper talking about yourself and who you are and what you want when sometimes when you're very young, you don't even know what that is, and you got to figure that out and stay true to yourself, but also trying to impress other people. Transferring any application is hard, but especially transferring, I think, is really difficult because I carried the weight of a community college, and that's not something I thought every college would want. I don't know. I mean, again, this goes to the stigma. Um, community colleges do not have a good reputation, I feel like for the most part, in this country. Um honestly, even when I so I went to Santa Monica College, and that is truly one of the best moments of my whole life. I was there for five years modeling and doing community college. And I went to the school initially with a very um closed-minded um um feeling, just because I always thought community college was a place where, you know, you're not really like driven or it's it's it's not as challenging, but that's it's I I got proved wrong immediately. I've I've never been more challenged in my life, but in a way that was nothing but uplifting. And I always said if Santa Monica College was a four-year institution, I would have stayed. It's really, really lovely. Um, and so unfortunately, there is a really big stigma, but I would say Santa Monica College is the reason that I got into Berkeley, I got into UCLA, got into USC and Columbia. Um and a lot of people don't know this, but there are a lot of community college transfers at Columbia, and also a lot from Santa Monica College as well. So yeah, I was very lucky.

SPEAKER_02 11:33

And I think what I'm hearing, Minerie, is that you really just embraced the opportunity, what it means to pursue education. Absolutely. Right. And it's looking less as at the name tags and the fancy, shiny titles, but more so where how do you find a belonging? How do you find the right program? Absolutely. But I think that that's where the emphasis needs to be on. Um and so now you're at Columbia, you studied economics, and and now you're here and you're studying human development education. I'd love to learn a little bit more about Minori. What brought you to the program here, why education, why human human development. Talk us to through that.

SPEAKER_01 12:14

I so in a nutshell, I always say that I'm here. I initially came here because I wanted to teach high school calculus and I still do, but since I know not ever. But as I'm here, I realize so many more opportunities that I'm able to do that do pique my interest. So I definitely am keeping an open mind from here till graduation and beyond.

SPEAKER_00 12:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 12:35

But I would say human development to me is so important because we never stop growing, we never stop learning. There is a big emphasis on childhood, but also what about when you're an adult? You stop learning? No. And even it's it, what what are you learning? It's not necessarily what's in a textbook or what's in, you know, just any assignment. It's it's more life skills that I think are what shape us ultimately. So I am here really advocating for social emotional learning in adolescence specifically. Um why? How did you well? It's a good question. I uh during high school, I had um a few difficult situations. Um, well, a few of my friends in high school committed suicide, and it was something, thank you. And that is actually what led me to California um when I was in high school, but it also is a huge reason as to why I'm here because I feel like high school kids need a lot of support, especially when you are in a high-achieving um school like I have been in, or even you know, low SES area, they also like everyone, every high school kid needs support. What that support looks like does vary based off of social, um socioeconomic status, but also in terms of where we are now and with technology, AI, social media, kids are faced with a huge, huge um pressure that I don't think I personally had growing up. Fundamentally, I did find that we are really the same, but they are struggling on different levels. So I think it's just really important to have that opportunity for them in high schools. I believe that what we don't always learn at home and may not be the best idea to learn from peers, it's the responsibility of schools to take care of their kids.

SPEAKER_02 14:18

And so it's kind of bringing humanity back into education, but also within the space itself, how do we meet the humans exactly where they are? Yeah, exactly. Oh, I I want to get into, and I know you brought it up a little bit, modeling it and how that shows up in this because I I know when you were at Columbia human modeling and you're you're continuing it now. And so one I'm just curious to know because when I think about someone who's uh you've attended or attending two Ivy League institutions, you're you're in the world of fashion. I think what I see there is this thread at exclusivity. Right. I think both of those industries, just by nature and by the barriers to entry, they're they're seen as exclusive. And so maybe could you start by speaking to us a little bit about how how did you come into the space of modeling? Um, and maybe what brought you to the space to be?

SPEAKER_01 15:17

You know, I think being mixed, I always felt like I wasn't, I didn't really fit the mold of many things. I mean, I have always found myself to be very non-traditional. Um, I feel like I've had to juggle a lot of things. And so I think being in the space of modeling, I kind of brought that with me. I do take a lot of pride sometimes being non-traditional in exclusive spaces. Um, and in modeling, I think it's really empowering because they do honor that um very highly. So, with modeling, I mean, I've wanted to model since I was in elementary school. Oh, I stopped growing in the fifth grade. So after that, I'm like, can I still? But then when I moved to Los Angeles, I was scouted by my first agency. Um, you know, I was 16 in high school. And so, yeah, so upon graduating high school, you know, mentally, I wasn't really, I didn't really want to go to a four-year institution and my modeling career was taking off. So that's how I found my community college and modeling. And so being able to do both was really empowering. I think it is so important to find balance in everything you do. Cause I don't think anyone fits just one size. I don't think anyone fits one mold. Um so even a lot of my friends in New York City who are in finance, they have to find themselves doing more creative outlets. Like you really need to have that balance.

SPEAKER_00 16:26

Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 16:27

So modeling was a big one for me. Um, because it forces you to be so creative and analytical at the same time. Um yeah, that's that's basically how I found my path there. And I worked really hard. I've been doing it for 12 years now. And yeah. Um, it's been the biggest joy of my life. And um, yeah, I love it so much.

SPEAKER_02 16:48

That I I loved your your take on that. And it reminded me because I mean, you and I are both in a statistics class where we talk about linear regression models. So very different, um very different from fashion modeling. But the reason I bring it up and something that struck me, I had this aha moment in class was when we talk about modeling both in the statistical sense and in fashion, it's modeling is a snapshot of a dynamic process in a specific moment. Absolutely. Right. And I think what what you alluded to as well is you're a student and you have all these other identities and modeling is an extension. And you're almost allowed to you're allowed to kind of lean into what it needs to be a model and and how that kind of extends your your interests as a person and and who you are and and the values you want to embody. So I'm curious to know, kind of uh, you know, how do you, as a model, how do you think about the values and how you how you choose to show up as a law?

SPEAKER_01 17:54

Something I really love about modeling, especially at a young age, is it did raise me ultimately. Um, I really feel that way. I is that because of the the amount of time you spent in the industry or what you've learned? Both. I was Okay, because I did spend a lot of time as a kid there, um, or a young adult, and you learn skills like how to work with people and time management and how to self-soothe. And, you know, if you're having a panic attack and you don't really know where the you know studio is, it's like you have to like really ground yourself. And that's like critical thinking still. Exactly. And that's and what I mean with learning, you know, it's not just learning how to find like, you know, the slope under a curve or whatever, area under the curb. It's it's it's it's so much more than that. It's really, you know, how do you deal with flying for 12 hours and going straight to set and with a good attitude? And how do you pick yourself up after you don't book something and that you really wanted to? Because that is actually the majority of the shump a lot of times. And it's yeah, it's all of those things that you have to learn, but there's so much honestly, pride and honor in in being able to do that on on the spot. And they're not easy lessons to learn, but they are things that will carry you forever.

SPEAKER_02 19:08

And what are some of those lessons that you think you're you're taking?

SPEAKER_01 19:12

Resilience is a big one. Um, you know, you can really you could really push hard to do everything right. But you know what? If a client doesn't want to book you, it's nothing personal. This is a job. It's not a personal thing. I think another thing in mod in modeling is it feel everything feels really personal because it's it's you, right? Yeah. How you look, it's your body. But the more you can distance yourself from that, the more I feel like you can be successful because the more you can detach yourself from your image, the more you can kind of come back to yourself and treat your profession as a profession. It's a job at the end of the day. Um, but yeah, so resilience is a big one. Again, time management, especially modeling and being at Columbia. I had to juggle a lot of things. I had the privilege of doing both during COVID. Um, so I remember, you know, being able to shoot a campaign in Miami while being in my econometrics class or just so casually, by the way.

SPEAKER_00 20:08

Like casually shooting a campaign in Miami and casually I was lucky so dumb.

SPEAKER_01 20:14

No, I was lucky because I had Zoom. Yeah, I had Zoom. And so if I was in person, oh, that'd be rough. Um but and yes, right. So resilience, time management. Um, I think also celebrating the small wins is a big one. That's something I didn't understand for a long time. You know, even if you don't book and if you make the callback, that's a that's still a really big deal. Um, that's not something I I yeah, I was ever accustomed to. Um, and also finding this is gonna sound very like tried, but just finding the good in like everyone because when you're on set, especially with a ton of people or even with a small group for hours, it can be really difficult, but you really bond and you make these connections and the networking is so lovely, they can last a whole lifetime. And I think just maintaining those relationships are so important.

SPEAKER_02 21:03

Um, God, there's just so many lessons you learn how to fill out a W-2, like I love what you're touching on, Minor, in terms of like the professional side of modeling, right? And you mentioned the importance just as person kind of detaching from like the personal side of it. But I think, you know, when I think of modeling, in many ways it's entrepreneurship personified because you are you are sort of rank, you are the sales, you're the marketing, and that's in social media, right?

SPEAKER_01 21:35

Exactly.

SPEAKER_02 21:35

And so in a creative capacity, you are really embodying what it means to to be an entrepreneur. Um and I'm curious to know the lessons maybe, or just if there's specific experiences that you would want to touch on in terms of how being a model has informed how you choose to show up professionally.

SPEAKER_01 21:55

Ooh. So I always said back when I started social media. With modeling was not really a thing. Um Instagram was around, but it it it it wasn't the space it is today. Um, it wasn't as businessy. I think cultivating a healthy relationship with social media is really important, especially when so many everything depends on your numbers and engagement and all these analytics, all these things. And so again, it can really detriment someone's, you know, view of themselves when their numbers don't hit or they don't get the reception that they expected. You know, it can be difficult. So, in terms of being your own brand, you have to remember that again, as it's having those separations. I think also another thing, generally speaking, with social media is what you're seeing is extremely fabricated. It is exactly what that person wants you to see for the sake of usually money um or status or or whatever it is. But it can be definitely a very difficult thing to do. I think also limiting what you see on social media. Like I have a separate Instagram account that no one follows, and it's literally just a food account. All like on my feed, it's just foodie. It's like that's all I want to see. And like I've that way I choose what I what I what I literally what I engage with, like I tailor my own, yeah, my own feed. And it's it is, you know, a form of agency that I really love. So I think those are some big ones um regarding being a business in in social media.

SPEAKER_02 23:23

Yeah. And I'm I'm curious to know as well, because you mentioned you've been in the industry in Apatolbeers, uh, who grew up in this space. So much of modeling is predicated with plot year. And I think about other industries where they celebrate tenure. Yes. How do you think about longevity in mom?

SPEAKER_01 23:42

I would say also, again, back when I started, the shelf life of a female of a woman in modeling was very limited. Um, I would say most people say that you retire when you're in your late 20s or like maybe early 30s. That's not the case anymore. And I think it's really lovely that the longevity in modeling is actually almost encouraged because I think more people want to see not necessarily everyday people, but the people who can embrace themselves and can be confident and again be a brand. Um, I think even in terms of getting signed as a model, which is a question I get multiple times a week, um it's not what it was back in you know 2010s and you know, all before that, it's it's different. So I think I think the longevity is is very much celebrated, even in terms, so I'm researching like adolescence. Recently, a study was shown that adolescence actually is a much broader span of of time than we thought it was. It actually like ends in uh the age 32. Um and so I think just owning that is important. A lot of my friends are turning 30. I'm like, there isn't an end 20s. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 24:50

Um, you mentioned being a model and and being a sign model is a question we get quite often. And as a student here at Harvard, I'm curious to know, Minori, how you straddle the identities of being a model and a student student. I know we've talked about how, especially in spaces at happy team years, especially here in Boston too, sometimes it can feel quite foreign.

SPEAKER_03 25:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 25:15

So how do how do you embrace those identities and talk us through that a little bit?

SPEAKER_01 25:21

You know, when I was at Columbia at least, like it was um, it was difficult finding who I was. Because like at school, I felt less of an academic because everyone knew I was a model, or if I wasn't in school because of a shoot, I wouldn't feel a part of the the Columbia community. And then on set, I'd be doing homework and I feel like I wouldn't be taken seriously as a model. So you're a student on snack. Yeah. It was it kind of felt like an evil hand one tanda situation. But I would say I think again, just being older now and having a greater sense of self, you're not split. You know, you're very much a whole person. And that's something I do remind myself a lot because we are pulled, I feel like, in a lot of different directions. We're constantly having to think about so many different things, how we can fit in certain spaces. Um, so I would say that you have to just remember that that you are you are really just a whole person. You are not necessarily a student or a model or whatever. Like you were just you. Um, you show up, you exist, and and yeah, you you choose the experiences that are given to you. And um yeah, I think I think again, yeah, just seeing yourself as as complete.

SPEAKER_02 26:32

I I think what I find most empowering about that, that that take on it, Minori, is I think as humans, we are multidimensional. So I think we're not meant to just wear one hat. We're not meant to just be as a norther just, you know, be a model. And I think what you've done a really great job is leaning into that multidimensionality. And I think, you know, modeling is it can be deeply empowering, very expressive. And it's in many ways just a celebration of femininity and woman. Okay. But I do think we are perhaps in spaces or in a time where sometimes there are social implications that are attached and there are stigmas sometimes that are attached to modeling. Yeah. Could you talk to us a little bit about how you navigated that?

SPEAKER_01 27:17

I think because I've always felt very non-traditional, I kind of rejected all kinds of stigmas. Um I yeah, I think that has been both a challenge and a huge reward growing up is just rejecting stigmas. I think honestly, also going to community college really um underscored that necessity to have. And the beautiful thing about rejecting stigmas is that so many more doors are open for you once you're able to do that. Um, because I think the only thing that limits us really is ourselves. And stigmas are a part of that. They're a huge part of that. Um, I think even applying to Harvard, I think I I wouldn't be able to do that 10 years ago because I'm like, oh, I wouldn't get in, like, not good enough. But it's just something what if you try? Like you might not get in, but what if you try? You know, I think once you're able to remove barriers yourself, then the world is an open place.

SPEAKER_02 28:11

Yeah. And and maybe before we kind of segue into your your future and kind of aspirations, I'd love to maybe hit on as someone who's been in the industry for some time and worked in spaces and worked across the coast as it relates to modeling. Can you talk to a little bit about uh beauty? I think sometimes beauty is uh only sees like surface level time. And I think when I think of beauty, for instance, I think about it's about embodying beautiful values and about seeing the beauty adders. Oh well, what does what does beauty mean to you?

SPEAKER_01 28:48

Path that you asked this because I actually just spoke to middle school about this. They like literally two days ago.

unknown 28:52

No way. Okay, perfect time.

SPEAKER_01 28:54

He did he did a lesson on body image, which I love. I'm like, yeah. I was telling the teacher, I'm like, I was so happy you guys are we I had this when I was 12. Yeah. Um, and it's something that needs to be talked about more because it's in our faces every day. Before it was just magazines and TV shows, and now it's you know on ads and on your phone. Yeah. I would say, and it's so interesting thinking about this, because I actually, every time I pass by Sephora, I see the campaigns that they that they have because they are like the makeup store, right? Like they they kind of show us what they think beauty is, and I've seen it evolve um to a lot more inclusive um space. And I think that's really beautiful. I really do think, and again, this is so trite, but like beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and like it is really what you make of it. Um I I agree with you in that beauty extends so much further than just a superficial layer of what we see. Um I think that beauty is really found through things that you might not have seen before in different ways. I think beauty can be learned, actually. Like what you might not value at, you know, at first glance, you actually might make meaning of later down the line. I think it beauty is ever-changing. Um, it's beauty can be timeless, you know, like you know, anything Coco Chanel or whatever, but like there's that beauty forever. Um but I think it's it's become so much more than that. Yeah. Yeah, I really do. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 30:28

Um I'd love to learn a little bit more, Minori, as you think about yourself as you know, a model and a student here and and soon to be graduate. Um what is on the horizon for you? What are you thinking about? What's next for you both kind of professionally as a model and then also within the species of the back of the Dick?

SPEAKER_01 30:48

That's a good question. I I feel like a lot of people won't like this answer, but I I kind of I'm I'm letting life literally guide me. I'm so lucky to have the life I've had and to be here at Harvard to meet the people I've had. Like I've I've bet like yourself. And you I again with limitations, I have goals, but I'm also not gonna limit myself. You know, I do eventually want to go back to New York. However, if there's an opportunity in London that comes up, then I want to be in London. You know, if I always want to move to Japan, like there's so many things out there. I think I feel FOMO all the time. And so I'm haley open to so many things because my life has not been linear at all. And I have been so lucky with everything I've ever had. So I really do like to trust the process. But the more satisfying answer would be working with adolescents, with social emotional learning. Um, I do want to get into research as well. Um, there's so many things I want to do. I still want to go into teaching. Um, I love Massachusetts, but I really do love New York. And oh man, I just in terms of modeling, that's something I always want to have with me. Um, because again, it's it's raised me and and my life would not be the same without it. Um, and I don't see a world in which I stop. I really don't. And yeah, I want to travel more. I just I want to just keep living. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 32:12

I'm so excited to see what's next. Right, so excited to decide it for you too. Thanks, Manoi. Okay, are you ready for a little rapid-fired Rashad Sands? Okay, so it's saying um I have to ask. A mono or sorry?

SPEAKER_01 32:25

Sorry, a hundred percent. Monos make you, they suffocate you. They're beautiful, they're so beautiful, but it it's it's hard to walk in. Sorry's all the way. Uh all the way.

SPEAKER_02 32:36

There wasn't right answer this. Um matcha or salon tilma tea.

SPEAKER_01 32:43

Oh god, that's so hard. I do have to say matcha. You're gonna go with matcha. Yeah, I love me a matcha. I have matcha every day. But so here's the thing, right? I do need actually as if both are are required every day. I have a matcha in the morning and then for tea time, always black tea with some milk. Always. I always see a milk tea. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 33:01

Okay. So you do both. You're like actually I literally do both. Yeah. Mark and also like literally, I have to have both.

SPEAKER_03 33:09

Love it. Um, it's your favorite Sri Lanka dish. I know you love to cook and I know you can easily so I want to know your hoppers.

SPEAKER_01 33:17

I make it at home. I love hoppa, like egg hoppers, normal hoppers, jug, like with the juggerate, like all of the hoppers. So good. Yeah. I eat it with, I want to eat with everything.

SPEAKER_03 33:27

I completely agree with you. I'm a big fan of hoppers. Could you take a stab at explaining what a hopper is?

SPEAKER_01 33:33

So yes, absolutely. It is a yeasted, so it comes from a yeasted um batter. And so it's a fermented batter with um it the base is coconut milk and rice flour. And actually, I think Sri Lankan food's gonna get trendy because it's naturally gluten-free for the most part. Because a lot of it is like, yeah, it's it's like either lentil flour or rice flour. Um, there's very little dairy in it. Um, there was a lot of it is coconut milk base, and it's gonna, yeah, a lot of it can be vegetarian, like a lot of vegetables, so many vegetable curries. Exactly, it's gonna be on the up-up, I swear.

SPEAKER_00 34:03

Yeah. Kissy too, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 34:08

I I I completely agree. Um, okay, East Coast or West.

SPEAKER_01 34:12

Oh God, I'm gonna get heat from both, from both sides of my life. Um can um, I would say East Coast for being young, West Coast for being older, but I would say it's like when you're young, yeah. Okay, but I would say East Coast. I I'm sorry. I really because we have four seasons, you know what I mean? Like, like West Coast has one and it's beautiful. Yeah, but I I just I think the East Coast is so special. I feel like it's the way humans are supposed to be. And like we're supposed to be in the cold, the hawks, the rain, like that's kind of like miserable in the winter.

SPEAKER_00 34:40

Like we're it makes us stronger. You're right. You're right. So the lesson we were supposed to like.

SPEAKER_03 34:48

You're so right. Um you have a a Harvard hot take, Minori.

SPEAKER_01 34:53

Oh god. I have a few. Oh, okay. Oh God, okay. Oh my goodness. Okay, well, okay, maybe I can't just choose one, but maybe don't take, don't only limit yourself to classes for your major. You should take classes that are completely beyond what you're studying because I feel like it keeps you sane and it helps you meet people you would have never met otherwise. Yeah. And again, we're not linear. I think we have so many interests, and you know, why not take a class at Harvard Law or at the Kennedy School? Um, one of my favorite classes this semester was deep sea biology at the FAS. And like it's just, it was so fun. Deep sea biology. Yes, it was amazing. It was actually uh but Peter Gerga's best class, really. And I got to meet all these underclass or the college kids um in studying integrated biology, and like it was it was awesome. Yeah, I loved it. Everyone should take classes outside of their major. That's a good high.

SPEAKER_02 35:57

I know um we talked a bit about modeling. Who's your favorite model and then who's your favorite raw model?

SPEAKER_00 36:02

Oh, oh, I love that. Okay. Oh my gosh. Um okay.

SPEAKER_01 36:11

Well, I oh my god, there are so that's a dime one, I know, because you have so many. Um, I would honestly, okay, so I think this is more of a situational thing because I was watching an interview recently about Namie Campbell, and like I just I'm actually so inspired by her. I know she's had some controversy, but she's also just learned a lot. She's been very unapologetically herself, um, especially as a black model in the time at which she really blossomed, like she really changed the modeling industry. Um, and she's still very much a star today. She's 55 years old, and she's just, I don't know, I'm I'm actually very inspired by her. Um, but there's so many other models. It's it's it's hard to pick. But in terms of role model, yeah, I do have two. Oh, okay. Um, and I carry these these women in my back pocket. So one of them is Michelle Obama. Oh my God. Anything this woman does says, I will do it. Like I'm actually picking up knitting because of her because she said it regulates her. And I'm like, okay, it'll regulate me too. And she's so, she's just so inspirational. I feel like she's everyone's mom and like she's amazing. Um, excuse me. But also, Eina Garten is has been my role model. Garten! Oh my god, I love her so much. Yes, since I was in the fifth grade, when I discovered who she was, I've been following her trajectory and I have every one of her cookbooks and her newest book, and like it's just she's just amazing. Um, if you haven't read her autobiography, I highly recommend it. Okay. Um, be ready when the luck happens. It's so good. The audiobook has her reading it. Um yeah, she's just she's so inspiring. She's worked in the White House and she's so smart. She's been happily married for decades, and she chose again her own path. And she cooks and she's a star, and I love her so much.

SPEAKER_03 38:05

It's not every day you meet an Ina Garten fan, especially Tent.

SPEAKER_01 38:08

I know. No, she's oh God.

SPEAKER_02 38:11

But I love the combination of Michelle Obama and I've gotten.

SPEAKER_00 38:14

I feel like it's both white and different. That is awesome. They're so great. I love them so much. Those are my role models.

SPEAKER_03 38:23

Awesome.

SPEAKER_02 38:24

Um we we've covered quite a bit of round in in this discussion, uh, Minori, and I appreciate you for sharing so much. I my last question to you is what is one takeaway you would want the audience to leave with from this conversation?

SPEAKER_01 38:39

Oh, I guess to always firstly know what your boundaries are, but secondly, be okay with pushing them, I think um is important to never limit yourself. Um I'm I'm I guess that's not one thing, but uh I guess, yeah, removing barriers that have been placed by you or someone else is very important. Um, it's not your fault for them being there, but it's it is your responsibility to remove them and it's for your own sake. So I would say that and and to not be afraid to again, yeah, just really push those potentials. It's really important.

SPEAKER_02 39:15

It's so powerful. I love it. Thank you so much for Manoa. Thank you for the droiding shots.