Today we’d like to introduce you to Kinza Hussain.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I attended Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) as a pre-med major. I always knew I wanted to become a physician one day and MCPHS University had the right opportunities for me to reach my goals. I volunteered up the street at Boston Children’s Hospital, which opened doors to research. During my second year, I held two clinical research positions with two different doctors. Recently, our scientific papers were published; one in the Journal of Pediatrics and the other in the Journal of Critical Care Medicine. My research experiences opened up the opportunity to do bench lab research at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). I began as an intern at MGH as a part of their Summer Digestive Disease Program. I enjoyed the infectious research I did so much that I stayed during the fall and spring semesters of my fourth year. I graduated from MCPHS University in May 2018 and have been studying for the MCAT exam. I am in the process of submitting my secondary essays for medical school and will take the MCAT in September. Aside from my academic pursuits, I have always loved to paint. I enjoy acrylic and watercolor mediums and mostly paint landscapes. My interest in painting was influenced by my mother. She has several beautiful oil paintings dispersed throughout our home, and I hope to become as skilled as her one day. One of my closest friends asked for a canvas painting with her favorite quote on it, “For you, a thousand times over.” This quote is from our favorite book, The Kite Runner. I decided to start “kinzART”, a small business of canvas quote paintings for others who wanted personalized art to hang in their apartment or dorm bedrooms. My website includes projects I have completed for people, watercolors for sale, and a blog page for my personal paintings.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
There will always be a struggle in anything you pursue; nothing is easy. For us to reach our goals we have to be persistent and confident in our abilities. Persistence is a key quality that I have learned during my four years of college. I could not have accomplished certain things without working for them. I held several extra-curricular activities while balancing an 18-credit semester every year. While babysitting, tutoring, researching at three different locations, managing kinzART, and balancing my school workload, I started the journey of becoming a beauty and style influencer on Instagram. I have always enjoyed shopping and putting together a look from affordable clothing stores. My advice to young women who are also starting their journey is to find time for you. If you hate what you do, then at least bring about change by finding a hobby that you enjoy. The biggest excuse I used to make for myself was that I did not have time for other things because only school mattered. But my perspective began to change when I reached the stage of burning out. Daily persistence and hard work is the key towards reaching your goals, but when you reach difficult obstacles along your journey, you must have a way of taking care of yourself.
Please tell us about kinzART.
My infectious disease research at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) studies the role of Cholera in the human body’s memory response system. Cholera is an acute diarrheal illness caused by an infection in the small intestine by the bacteria. It is found in food and water sources contaminated by feces from infected persons. Cholera is most prevalent in Africa, Southeast Asia, and Haiti with a recent outbreak in Yemen. Annually, there are 3-5 million cases and over 100,000 deaths caused by this disease. The cholera vaccine keeps the body immune to the disease for 6 months to a year. However, this prevention method is not effective due to the large numbers of people susceptible to this disease. If you are infected by cholera and survive, you would be immune for the next ten years against the bacteria. There is a stark difference in our body’s immune response to the vaccine versus live infection, so our research entails conducting several cell culture assays where we infect macrophage cells with variants of Cholera to study its elicited immune response. Alongside my professor and mentor, Dr. Crystal Ellis, I have helped discover the role of Cathepsin B, a proteasome, in Interleukin-23 regulation. This proteasome may play an important role in the memory B cell response of our innate immune system. I particularly enjoy this research because I have an interest in infectious disease. I find it intriguing how the smallest intruders can take over our bodies and ultimately cause death. Aside from my research, I am a beauty and style influencer. I started this work across social media platforms to share my fashion looks and beauty tips. I promote self-care, exercise, and positive thinking in order to motivate my followers to pursue their goals and look great while doing so. What sets me apart from most other influencer pages is my combination of work ethic with style. I share my journey as a medical school applicant and hope to inspire others to remain persistent along this difficult journey to become a healthcare provider. Above all, let’s reach our dreams in cute clothes and glowing skin together. My business, kinzART is my hobby turned into a passion to make art for other people. My website, www.kinzart.design has a layout of all my completed projects and paintings for sale. My prices range from $5-$200. You can contact me through the website if you are interested in a personalized canvas for yourself or as a gift for someone special. I work closely with you to produce exactly what you envision, and I give an estimated price before I start the project.
Often it feels as if the media, by and large, is only focused on the obstacles faced by women, but we feel it’s important to also look for the opportunities. In your view, are there opportunities that you see that women are particularly well positioned for?
I believe women are well positioned for any opportunity. There is nothing the female cannot do. I am a strong advocate for women’s rights and equality. Feminism is not about taking away from the man but becoming equal to him. The media coverage is focused on the challenges women face in terms of equal pay, moving up the social ladder, and becoming leaders in their respected companies. However, there are more female entrepreneurs today than ever before. Women are taking the lead and creating their own businesses. As a woman in science, I have faced challenges in the research field, however, I was determined to get the credit I deserved for the work I produced and stood up for myself. Women who face similar struggles must always defend themselves in their respected fields and display their strength in every situation.
Pricing:
- Watercolor paintings: $10
- Acrylic canvas quote paintings start at: $30
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kinzart.design
- Email: kinza.canvasart@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kinzane/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kinza.hussain.73
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/kinzane
Image Credit:
Raafay Hussain
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