Khaleef comes to Welder Underground from Brooklyn as a complete beginner — and he owns it. He's never made anything before, and he's not coming in with a rigid plan. What drew him to the program was simple: the team here does cool, crafty things, and he wants to be part of that.

What he does bring is the right mindset. He describes learning something new like a roller coaster — you go up, and you figure it out as you go. For Khaleef, the hands-on nature of the program is exactly the environment he needs to grow. He's open, he's ready, and he's here to make something for the first time.