LOCALadk Magazine
Issue link: https://localadkmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1537744
LOCALadk 12 Up and Comer: Meet Jeshua Wilkinson By Jeshua Wilinson Fashion was not my first choice. In fact, if my life went even slightly in a different direction, I may have been an entirely different person now. I must say I am glad that this was the path I had to take. Anywho, if I am completely unknown to you, I am Jeshua Wilkinson. I am sixteen years old. Because of this, I am technical- ly a junior. But thanks to being homeschooled and the Genesee Community College homeschooling program, I am going to skip that last year and graduate early, be- cause why not. I have lived in New York for five or six years now, but I was born in Northern California, in a somewhat obscure but vibrant place called Grass Val- ley. Why we moved out here is a long story, but simply said, my stepfather used to live here and had family in the area. Moving to a new place is a lot for anybody. But I moved right before Covid-19 became so huge, so I very quickly lost any contact with my California friends and started homeschooling. Add to that the fact that I have gone my whole life without a cellphone. All this of course had a permanent effect on my social life. I think that is another reason why my mother had me take sewing classes. She wanted to help me find people here along with something to love. It is a shame that my lessons were private, so the only one I really connected with is my teacher, Martha. However, taking these sewing classes launched me into something that has evolved to be so much more than just a hobby. Basically, when people ask me how I got into sewing, I can just say "my mom made me." Which is true. For years my mother has been trying to help me find my "thing." Something to love and to do and make me hap- py. I did other things, too. As far as my memory goes, I can think of a few things we went through, like fencing, dance, gymnastics, basketball (although I think my dad wanted me to do that), dance again (second times the charm, I suppose), and writing. But sewing is the hobby that has really spoken to me. I only started sewing lessons at around fourteen years old. But I was young enough then to be closed minded about it due to the stereotypes we so often hear: "Sewing is a girls thing", "It's too feminine," etc. I felt reservations for even trying something that when people think about, they may imagine some old-fash-