Spring 2025 Class
Juliana Broste
Travel
Juliana Broste, “TravelingJules,” is a 12x Heartland Emmy award-winning travel video journalist, producer, shooter, writer, editor and host. Whether you spot her in front of the camera or behind the lens, you’ll recognize this fierce filmmaker sporting pink lipstick and an armful of camera gear! She showcases adventures around the world with signature style, creating content for travel brands, media outlets and her vlog. Broste is also a Canon Co-Lab ambassador.
Colby Holiday
Travel
Colby Holiday is a Houston-based travel writer, photographer, and award-winning creator behind World of a Wanderer, a travel and lifestyle platform. As a Black LGBTQIA+ traveler, her mission is to reshape the way we experience the world by creating content that reflects true diversity, authenticity, and purpose-driven exploration. Colby has partnered with brands like Procter & Gamble, Expedia, and Mazda, as well as tourism boards worldwide to help tell their stories. Her work has been featured in Travel + Leisure, AFAR Magazine, Essence, Fodor’s Travel, and more.
Eileen Ivette
Travel
Eileen Ivette is an Afro-Colombian digital storyteller, travel influencer, and award-winning video producer on a mission to inspire and empower others to explore the world while celebrating cultural diversity. As the Founder of Black Latin History and an Afro-Latina traveler, she shares cinematic videos and immersive travel guides illuminating Black history, events, and businesses across Latin America and the Caribbean. Eileen has collaborated with brands like Tripadvisor, Visit Brasil, and Nike. She's currently based in New York City..
Krista Linares
Food
Krista Linares is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist specializing in Latin American food culture. Krista is passionate about incorporating traditional Latin foods and flavors into a healthy lifestyle and advocating for Latino culture. She is the founder of Nutrition con Sabor, a food culture and wellness digital zine for Latinas. Krista holds a Master of Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Relle Lum
Food
Relle is a native Hawaiian, wife, mom of two, and full-time nurse practitioner based in Hawai‘i. She is the creator of Keeping It Relle, a blog dedicated to sharing family-friendly Hawaiian and local recipes that bring the flavors of the islands to home kitchens. With deep roots in her culture and a passion for cooking, Relle offers a blend of traditional dishes and modern twists, making island-style cooking accessible and enjoyable for everyone.
Hali Mo
Food
Hali Mo is the baker and founder of Hali Home Bakes and Halicopter Away. She started her career in management consulting and product management, and baking was "just a hobby." But in the midnights and 5ams before work, she was obsessing over all things pastry. In 2024, she took a leap of faith and moved to Paris to study at Ferrandi, one of France's leading pastry schools. She now lives in New York City, pursuing her passion for baking full-time.
Alexa Moore
Travel
Alexa Moore is an award-winning travel creator and an occasional freelance travel writer, with work featured in publications like Matador Network and Lonely Planet. Born and raised in the Washington, D.C. metro area, she still proudly calls it home. Her content centers on solo travel, cultural exploration, and elevated experiences—but ultimately, her goal is to encourage people to wiggle out of their comfort zones and explore the world.
Marissa Strang
Travel
Marissa Strang is the travel and lifestyle creator behind Marissa Daily - a platform dedicated to exploring the world one thoughtful itinerary at a time. From Thailand to the Caribbean to weekend getaways in the U.S., she shares info-packed destination guides, cultural highlights, and local gems that go deeper than the brochure. Her content is all about meaningful travel - spotlighting Black-owned businesses, storytelling with heart, and practical tips to help you explore with curiosity, context, and a solid plan.
Meena Thiruvengadam
Travel
Meena Thiruvengadam is a travel journalist and media entrepreneur helping curious travelers discover the world through multimedia storytelling. She is the founder of the travel site TravelwithMeena.com, a contributor to publications including Condé Nast Traveler and Travel+Leisure and a Lonely Planet guidebook author. Meena focuses on creating actionable, educational and entertaining content informed by her travels, her background in journalism and a lifetime of adventures. Her goal is to help readers see, understand and appreciate the world around them.
Viviana Vazquez
Finance
Viviana Vazquez is the founder of First-Gen Wealth, LLC and the creator behind OverGenPoverty, a financial education platform empowering first-gens to build wealth and confidence with money. With a following of over 120K on Instagram, Viviana blends cultural insight with practical financial strategies to help her community break cycles of poverty & scarcity, and build generational wealth. Her content includes budgeting, investing, and career growth — all tailored for those navigating finances as the first in their families to do so.
Art by Nichole Washington