b'BUILDING BETTER FUTURESTHE ART OF BEGINNING AGAIN: DANAKAS JOURNEYBy Chyana Marie SageTheres no perfect age to start overonly the courage to take the leap. For Mtis artist Danaka Stromberg, that moment came at 29, when she decided to walk away from a stable career in business and return to the classroom to pursue the art that had always lived inside her. Strombergs story is a powerful reminder that its never too late to invest in yourself, to chase the dreams that keep tugging at your heart, even when the world tells you to play it safe. In this candid conversation with national bestselling author, writer, and storyteller Chyana Marie Sage, Stromberg reflects on the risk she took, the community she found, and the creative fire that continues to guide her forward.Id love to hear, in your own words, a bit about yourself and your educational journey.Right out of high school, it was one of those things where your parents say you have to get a degree. It doesnt really matter what it is, but youve got to get something. I didnt really know what I wanted to do, but I thought I might want to own my own business one day and have autonomy. So I went into business, got a commerce degree, and did that for seven or eight years. I can crunch numbers; Im good at that. It doesnt mean I love doing it.I got to a job where I didnt like my manager. It was a little scary because I was 29 turning 30, but I decided to pivot, go back to school, and get my BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts). Id still love to be a full-time artist, but while in school, all my profes-sors [were] full-time artists, right? Its really hard, especially right now in our economy; people dont have dispos-able income for anything.I was only ever self-taught and taught out of high school in terms of 42indspiration2025'