#ElCaminoTravel Community, have you met our creative intern Sloane?!? She joined us in June and has been helping us up our social media game to a T. We love her positive energy and her drive. She is up for any challenge, willing to get her hands dirty, and is always helping us think outside the box. In short she is truly embodies the hustler mentality and thus the El Camino mentality. Learn more about some of her favorite travel memories and her overall experience working at El Camino!
Who are you and what’s your story?
I’m Sloane Dakota Tucker (the full name is important to me), I was born in Florida and am currently living in DC, an area I’ve been residing in for about 13 years now. I’m a student, attending the George Washington Uni. Corcoran School of Art & Design, where I’m getting my BFA in photography. Portraits are my passion. My family has ingrained a passion for travel within me since I can remember. Study abroad is non-negotiable, and every year we go somewhere new. In the past five years, I’ve visited Belgium, Florence, Paris, London, Singapore, and the next upcoming trip is South Africa as well as the west coast of Ireland. If I have an opportunity to get away, I’m taking it. Simultaneously, I’m gradually expanding my freelance work as a photographer.
What do you do as an #elcaminotravel intern?
I’m the social media/creative intern, and since we at El Camino have a very active Instagram presence, I’m on board to help out with those operations, including scheduling posts for curating the feeds. On the creative side, sometimes I execute photography projects and other creative to-dos for El Camino features and stories.
Why were you interested in interning at El Camino?
El Camino is one of those popular DC names, so I’ve been hearing about it from other people I’ve met throughout the city, including one of the travel photographers Emma McAlary. Since then, I’ve been obsessed with the photography aspect and became interested in learning more about another successful creative enterprise that’s home based in the district.
What has been the best and the worst thing that you have experienced in this internship so far?
The best part is working one on one with a strong female founder and CEO. The creative job world isn’t all fun and games, it’s still a business. While I’m honing in on my creative skills, watching Katalina do business right is a great learning experience as I inch closer and closer to full-time creative professionalism. She’s making me a better photographer even if I don’t work that much photography for El Camino. However, the best part is also the worst part. Let’s remember, I’m working for a woman who started a company from the ground up, and did it WELL, and now I’m a part of that team, so certain standards are in place to keep that success going. As an artist, you’re your own worst critic so I want to make sure my work for Katalina is 100.
What is one thing you have learned about working in a start-up environment?
Things can change in the blink of an eye for a start-up, so you gotta stay on your toes and be ready to start a whole new set of tasks whenever they come up.
What’s your favorite travel moment?
On a family trip to Belgium, we met some awesome people through the event we were in town to attend. One night, about seven of us decided to do a bar crawl throughout Ghent, and by the end of the night our group size doubled or tripled, maybe. But walking from spot to spot, we just met people and asked if they wanted to tag along. It was one of the first times I was doing something on a trip with people that weren’t my family. It was one of those experiences that wasn’t super special, but it was spontaneous and unique and exactly the way travel should be.
What do you do to get inspired?
I try to spend a lot of time with other creative people in DC. We’re all very supportive of each other. One friend of mine took my head shots, another helped me with my site design, and I’m always looking to help my fellow artists in any way that I can do so. A good friend started interactions throughout the city via photo walks, and every time I go my creative energy is recharged. These creative exchanges are a huge inspiration for me.
How do you take your coffee?
Cream, no sugar. On a day when I have a couple extra bucks in my bank account, I’ll sit down and get a latte for cappuccino to stay. Otherwise, McDonald’s has a pretty spectacular drip.
Favorite words to live by.
“Do your squats, eat your vegetables, wear red lipstick, and don’t let boys be mean to you.” (I don’t know who said it, so I’ll just tag #ladyboss)