Genesis McGowan is a 10th-grader at DREAM Charter School. Genesis has been at DREAM since kindergarten when she joined Harlem RBI as a participant. Born and raised in the South Bronx, she grew up watching her Dominican-American grandmother turn humble ingredients into vibrant meals, sparking a conviction that “culinary is an art—you can start with nothing and make something.” Today she is channeling that inspiration into classes, internships, and home experiments aimed at a future as a head or sous-chef, while also exploring cosmetology as another avenue for creative expression.