Can you start with your name and age?
My name is Ashlin. I’m 17.

Where is your hometown?
I was born in Guatemala, and my hometown is there because that’s where I grew up. I lived there for eight years, and I’ve been in L.A. for nine years.

What school do you go to? Do you enjoy it?
USC Hybrid High School. I do like it. They have a lot of clubs, and [they encourage us] to make our own [clubs]. If you want to start a club, they let you. [My school] also has a lot of sports. 

Are you in any clubs at school?
Last year, I was in the psychology club. I’m doing it again this year. I also want to [join] a singing club because I love singing and music clubs. Right now, I’m the current president of the club I’m in, which is the National Dance Honor Society. I’m in charge of attendance and adding more students to the club to make it big.

What do you guys do in that club?
In dance, we have events, [such as] homecoming. Events are a big thing with a lot of people. For the first meeting, we will have a Just Dance competition, and everybody will play Just Dance so we can feel comfortable. The vision is to make everyone feel safe, as if [no one] is being judged. We all have different styles, and that’s why I tell everybody, “We are all different in our own ways, so nobody is going to be judged by the way they move because we all have different dance backgrounds.”

You said you like music. Is there a specific genre of music you like? 
I love dancing and music, especially Hispanic music. I also like rap. I could never, ever do rap — I talk too slow — but I like listening to it. I also love to listen to calm music and love songs. They’re really inspiring.

Is there anything you do outside of school, like hobbies or anything else you’re interested in?
I love painting. I just did some paintings about two weeks ago for a program I was in that had just finished. I had to do a zine — create an inspirational painting for people who do drugs. I did two sides, one side bright and the other red and black. [For the writing], I talked positively about what you can achieve [without] taking drugs. For the other one, I spoke about the effects, where they live in a crazy world where they literally don’t care about anything. It was inspiring, and [the program organizer] loved it. I was looking at it and thought, I love how it came out.

What kind of painting do you like to do? 
I like watercolor. I love combining colors and fading, like when you start from dark to bright colors. It’s so interesting and satisfying. I enjoy painting mountains or hearts. I made one big heart with some trees in the middle. I like writing words in [my paintings], like inspirational quotes.

What’s your favorite childhood memory? 
When I was 7 years old, I would go with my cousins to this park with mango trees and a tree with fruit called jocote (Spanish plum). They’re so good. We would climb the tree and pick the mangos and jocotes; some were green and sour. We would [place them] in a big bucket and put lemon and flavor in them. It was so good.

Have you traveled anywhere?
[I went to] New York for my uncle’s wedding. It was nice. In New York, it was funny because we were walking on the street, and out of nowhere, a big rat passed through our feet. I was like, “Oh no, this is not okay!” We were laughing, and I was thinking, Oh my God, how could this happen here? There are a lot of people there. When I got off the train with my mom and family, oh my God, there were so many people!

Do you work or live in Koreatown?
I’m thinking of working to help out my parents. I live far away. Do you know the Coliseum? [I live] right by there.

What are your thoughts on Koreatown? 
Koreatown is supportive. I started a program there last year, and we did a lot of activities. Koreatown is nice and supportive, and [the community members] love helping others and providing resources. That’s big.

Do you have a significant memory in Koreatown?
My most significant memory is of just walking around the parks in Koreatown. I live really [far away]. I like walking around K-Town, but I don’t have a specific place I like to go.

What languages do you know how to speak?
My first language is Spanish, and my second one is English. I want to learn French, German, and Italian.