We met through mutual friends at a gathering one night. We eye’d one another from across the room all night until Ihsaisha mustered up the courage to ask Hakeem for his Snapchat. For months, we’d continue see each other at gatherings and get to know one another as friends via Snapchat. Our curiosity and interest for each other led us to embrace how well we complimented one another in our beliefs, aspirations and interests. We went out for ice cream one day and have been inseparable ever since.

Although we both grew up in the Washington State, we experienced very different upbringings while being raised on opposite sides of the state. Our favorite memory together is the moment Hakeem got to drive Ihsaisha around Moses Lake, WA. We drove around for hours reminiscing about our childhoods and exploring significant places from Hakeem’s childhood. The amount of enthusiasm and excitement we had for learning from and exploring with one another made the concept of time disappear completely.

Hakeem and I would love to use the prize as a foundation to advance to the next stage of our relationship. As much as we love our little one bedroom apartment in Seattle, we’re working hard to move into a bigger space and eventually get married. We are in no rush while enjoying every moment we have together, but we’re confident in starting a family together one day. This would serve as our foundation for establishing the next chapters of our story together.