Where did you get that hat?
It’s from Ukraine, where I’m from originally. My mom went back a few months ago and got it as a birthday gift. But I designed and made my bag!
Is that what you do for a living?
No, I work in IT for a bank. There are sixteen people in my department. I’m the only woman.
How is that?
Not bad. I get along well with guys—I have three men in my family, two boys and my husband.
How long have you had braces?
A while now. My teeth were always perfect, but about a year and a half ago, I fell riding a bicycle. My face was broken into pieces. After that, my teeth started moving, so I went to the orthodontist.
Are you self-conscious?
Yeah. Maybe it’s because I’m not a kid anymore, but when people ask me to smile in a picture, I’m like, “Um, I’m going to smile with my eyes.”
Interview by Emma Rosenblum.