In 2018, I traveled to Los Angeles with my family for the first time. We walked the streets of Santa Monica together, and I was fascinated. I told my dad that one day I would live there.
Five years later, I became Favorited’s first intern and the only Latino at the company.
Favorited is a livestreaming app. It’s part of HF0, the most prestigious startup accelerator in San Francisco. It has over two million users and is growing fast.
During my internship, I stayed in a mansion the company rented in Marina del Rey, one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in Los Angeles.
That experience felt like a movie. I couldn’t believe it, and I felt so grateful. My dream had come true.
At first, it was intimidating to be the youngest person there and the only Latino. So all I did was work. I told myself that if I worked as hard as I could, things would turn out well.
That proved true. My four-week contract was extended to eight, then to twelve. As time went on, I started to feel more comfortable and made more friends. I love working at Favorited because of the people who are part of it.
When the summer ended, I had to return to school to complete general education courses I hadn’t taken in Peru, like yoga. The company allowed me to work remotely until November, when I returned to Los Angeles to work full time.
That summer opened my eyes. I saw what success looks like, and I knew it was possible.