It’s always great to hear from CEWD graduates with updates about their educational, employment and personal lives. This week’s letter comes from someone who graduated from the CUNY Young Adult Program in 2010:

Good Morning,

Tearah Chesnut via LinkedIn

My name is Tearah Chesnut and I attended the CYAP back in 2010. When I first came across this program I didn’t know what I was getting into. I am happy to say that I did complete it and went on to starting classes as a full time student at Kingsborough just a few months later. I continued on with Culinary Arts up until I got pregnant in 2012. I was just about a few credits shy, but never continued. Since then I’ve worked in a few kitchens, but never really knew if that’s where I wanted to be. I was laid off recently from a charter school working as a cafeteria supervisor. From there I really didn’t want to go back into a kitchen, let alone find another job.

A few weeks after the layoff I decided to start my own business making soap! When people ask me what made me want to start making soap I could never really find an answer. When I think about it now, looking back, while I was in the kitchen, I always wondered how ingredients can be used in other ways (other than eating them). That’s when I started researching the benefits of fruits on your skin and other various foods in the kitchen.

I can honestly say that it all started from the kitchen and without Kingsborough offering that CYAP, or you choosing me to participate in this program, I’m not sure if I really would’ve took an interest in making soap. So I say Thank You! Even though I did not finish or graduate from Kingsborough, it was still a door that I needed to walk through to understand what I wanted to do with my life.

Best,
Tearah Chesnut

P.S. My company name is Nakedness and I have a website up and running. You can take a look www.thenakedness.com