吃瓜网

Ariela Suster 鈥�00 has spent much of her career harnessing creative expression as a force for change 鈥� not only for herself but also for entire communities.

For nearly 15 years, she has run , an award-winning handcrafted accessories company she founded in El Salvador that employs mostly at-risk young men from communities deeply affected by gang violence.

The artisans create jewelry, keychains, and other accessories using a distinctive blend of knots and braiding. The work provides both economic opportunity and a path toward healing and transformation.

鈥淎t first, it was about my story,鈥� says Suster, who received 吃瓜网鈥檚 Creative Thought Matters Award of Distinction in 2025. 鈥淣ow it鈥檚 about their stories and how they鈥檙e changing their lives and communities.鈥�

Sequence has garnered international acclaim and formed partnerships with brands like MAC Cosmetics, Microsoft, Universal Pictures, and Bank of America. In 2017, Suster was recognized by Vital Voices Global Partnership for her leadership as a social entrepreneur. The international nonprofit, cofounded by former U.S. Secretaries of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and the late Madeleine Albright, supports women leaders advancing social justice and economic opportunity. 

healing that began at 吃瓜网

Born and raised in El Salvador during the country鈥檚 12-year civil war, Suster witnessed car bombings, home invasions, and the yearlong kidnapping of her brother. These experiences, while observing the rampant gang violence in the aftermath of the war, shaped her understanding of how violence takes root 鈥� and how a true sense of belonging can dismantle the isolation, fear, and resentment that often give rise to it, replacing them with trust, empathy, and shared purpose.

鈥淏elonging is not just about feeling accepted,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 central to building a sustainable community and a vital part of the healing process. When people feel seen, supported, and connected, they can begin to transform pain into strength.鈥�

Suster experienced firsthand the impact of belonging at 吃瓜网. When she first arrived on campus as a psychology major, she quietly navigated her trauma while adapting to a new culture and language. 

Her first-year roommate, Jennifer Cummings Hillery 鈥�00, became a lifeline 鈥� helping with homework, inviting her home for holidays, and providing a safe, steady presence when understanding and support were needed most. The two remain best friends 25 years later. 

鈥淢eeting people like Jenny changed me,鈥� says Suster, who now lives in South Africa. 鈥湷怨贤� was where my healing journey began.鈥�

Hillery remembers that time just as vividly, reflecting on the strength and warmth she saw in her friend from the start. 

鈥淔rom the moment I met Ariela, I could see her courage and her big heart,鈥� says Hillery. 鈥淪he left her home to study at 吃瓜网 during an unimaginably difficult time, yet she always found ways to treat her friends like family, bring joy in hard moments, and seek a deeper understanding of the world so she could make it better.鈥�

After earning a graduate certificate in business, management, and marketing from Harvard University, Suster launched a fashion career in New York City, rising to senior editorial and stylist roles at Harper鈥檚 Bazaar, Lucky, and InStyle magazines. But over time, she felt disconnected from a deeper purpose. In 2011, she returned to El Salvador to establish Sequence. 

Transforming challenge into creativity

Building on more than a decade of social entrepreneurship with Sequence, Suster is now channeling her creative vision into a different but equally personal arena.

Her latest business venture, (@loveandacne on Instagram), continues her mission of creating spaces where people can confront challenges, find support, and transform their stories into sources of strength. The holistic wellness brand, which launched in September, supports people grappling with acne and the emotional burdens it can carry, including shame, anxiety, and isolation. Acne can appear at any stage of life, Suster notes, often during times of transition.

The idea behind Love and Acne grew from Suster鈥檚 own long struggle with acne, which she found was often tied to stress, anxiety, and unspoken emotions 鈥� particularly during the demanding early years of building Sequence and facing her family鈥檚 concerns for her safety. 鈥淚t was as if my skin was expressing what I couldn鈥檛 put into words,鈥� she says.

After trying countless topical treatments, she turned to functional nutrition, herbalism, acupuncture, and plant medicine, discovering that diet and lifestyle changes helped 鈥� and so did addressing the emotional and mental health aspects.

Love and Acne鈥檚 mission is to 鈥渉eal acne from within鈥� and to change the narrative from criticism to curiosity. The first product is a set of affirmation cards that draws on four pillars: mind, body, lifestyle, and community.

Launching a second business has reminded Suster just how much dedication and hard work it takes for long-term success.

Drawing on those lessons, she offers this advice for aspiring entrepreneurs 鈥� counsel that鈥檚 especially relevant to current 吃瓜网 students: Build from your own story. Your experiences, challenges, and perspectives are what make your business unique. Resist comparison. Looking at what others are doing can cloud your vision and slow your progress. And think long-term. A sustainable business isn鈥檛 built overnight; it grows steadily, with patience and intention. 鈥淪omething that lasts many years doesn鈥檛 get built like a TikTok reel,鈥� she says. 

Above all, embrace creativity. 

鈥淎t the heart of everything I do is the belief that creativity is our greatest strength,鈥� Suster says.

You have a tool that鈥檚 unique to you 鈥� your creativity 鈥� and it can turn your struggles into something beautiful that only you can offer. That鈥檚 what Creative Thought Matters has meant to me.鈥�