Tina Nguyen appreciates struggle, diversity, animals, opportunity and Lansing.

“I love Lansing,” she says. “I love the seasons, the small towns, but most of all, I love the people. I grew up in a diverse community, and that is something that I will always love about what this city has done for me.”

The 20-year-old Lansing Community College student, who runs her own business called Tinalooa Photography, has documented it all through the lens of her 35mm camera.

A self-described “goof” whose parents are immigrants from Vietnam, Tina is dedicated to building community and increasing opportunity in mid-Michigan. The tuition support from the Lansing Promise enables her to focus on her studies and her business.

Listen to a message from Tina:

“Entrepreneurship is what I’m all about,” she says. “Starting something from scratch, bringing an idea to life. My business is all about my passion for the community.”

A big lesson for Tina is the power of failure. She seeks to normalize it and teach others how to navigate and use failure to their advantage.

“I think if we see it as just part of progress, we can go through it fearlessly,” Tina says. “People listened to me, cared about me, invested in me. I want to be there for others and show them the way to connect to the resources that are everywhere.”

Learn more or support Tina’s photography business at: