When I tell people my sister lives in Kosovo, I usually get one response: “Where is that?” A country so close to my family yet unfamiliar to many—and I can’t blame them. Four years ago, I had no idea what Kosovo was, where it was, or anything about its history. But I’m so glad that’s no longer the case. Over the past four years, I’ve had the incredible opportunity to learn about this country and its unique, inspiring story firsthand. It’s a story filled with tragedy, yet also boundless hope and resilience. With the support of the Lumos Travel Award, I will design an exhibition to share this story with my local community in Nashville. The exhibition will debut at Gallery 121 in the Leu Center for Visual Arts in October 2025.
GEM Kosovo is an organization dedicated to mentoring the next generation of youth in Kosovo. With 65% of the population under the age of 30, this young country holds a unique opportunity for its youth to shape the nation’s future. With the guidance of local leaders Nora and Pitajim Smolica, I’ll investigate how this generation is shaping their identities and envision their future, hoping to inspire hope and resilience in my own community back home.
My college journey was far from straightforward. I began my education as a Biochemistry major on a Pre-Med path. After working in the industry as a CNA and Pharmacy Technician, I discovered my true passion: telling the stories of others and using the growing landscape of technology to create platforms for sharing them. Now, as a recent graduate of Belmont University’s Experiential Design program, I aim to further refine my skills in exhibition design and interactive storytelling as I advance my career in the experiential design industry.
Follow along with my journey to see how I bring this meaningful project to life!