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I was born in Jakarta, Indonesia, and since I was in the womb, my Mother told me that God has been looking out for me, and that there was a special purpose for my valuable life. My Mother was in a car accident when she was pregnant with me, and I was born prematurely with a heart murmur, but I grew up as strong as the ocean currents in the Pacific Ocean.
When I was five, I would read an Indonesian comic, Mimin, and I couldn't stop reading ever since. Other books, such as Pippi Longstocking, The Hardy Boys, and Tintin by Herge became my favorite past time with my older sister, Lydia. With my younger brother, Ron, we played trains and we were addicted to legos for some time, as he drew on walls and I wrote on them. We all would be in very big trouble with my Father, but nothing stopped us from being creative.
In 1987, my parents decided to move to Southern California because our paternal side of the family lived there and we were able to immigrate legally with a chance to earn a United States Citizenship. I enrolled in a local middle school in Winnetka, California and met some of the best friends who I still remained in contact today.
In 1992, during the Northridge earthquake, the home where my family and I lived was in shambles. The walls were cracked and our aquarium exploded. There was no access to water and we were displaced and left to live inside our car for over a month. This experience gave me a first taste of living rough on the streets, and I dedicated my life to helping those who have felt the tragedies in life.
I graduated from Francisco Bravo Medical Magnet High School, and later on, I earned my Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of California, Riverside. Shortly after, I matriculated with my first graduate degree, an MPH (Master in Public Health) from Loma Linda University School of Public Health. I was heavily involved in Public Health through my research in Teen Pregnancy, Homelessness, and Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health in Seattle and Los Angeles. I worked in the public health field for 7 years, but all along, I wanted to branch out to something more creative. I wrote short stories and micro-brewed on ideas for novels and began to observe the world around me.
In January 2006, my parents and I relocated to Northern Colorado and we have been here ever since. I loved Colorado and the many facets of the outdoors that it has to offer. I went back to graduate school to earn my second graduate degree, this time in Public Administration from the University of Colorado, Denver. I was immersed in the creative side of communications and journalism, and I enjoyed it. I wrote journalism features and columns for The Advocate Newspapers for The University of Colorado, Denver during my first year there.
Since 2001, I wrote short stories and articles to help alleviate poverty, and some were published in different publications, from local church organizations such as The Mennonite Journal for Immigrant Voices, Indonesian Journal, and local newspapers in Denver such as Greater Park Hill Newspapers and created website stories for non-profit organizations.
I wrote for The Denver Voice for two years from 2011-2013, capturing stories of triumphs and featured organizations who helped the impoverished. I also wrote for Denver Life Magazine to feature organizations who shaped the Denver Areas, and wrote for the Longmont Times Call, a local newspaper in Longmont, Colorado, as their editorial intern.
I will continue to write and capture stories of diverse people and children across the world, because it has been a passion of mine since childhood. Please read my blog and feel free to explore this website and my writings. Enjoy and thank you for your time!
-DK-