Spotted at: Potrero Hill, SF
Occupation: Money Laundering Combater For Airbnb, DJ
What are you up to today?
I'm going on my post-lunch walk.
Is that a regular routine for you?
Every day. I walk up this big-ass hill. If you look at it, I walk all the way to the top.
How long does it usually take?
It's about 30 minutes—it's a mile and a half.
What started the routine?
I usually like to work out a lot, but I just don't have the time . . . and I don't want to [laughs]. So right after lunch—I work at Airbnb down the street—I just come out and take a walk.
What's your occupation?
I work in the legal department of Airbnb. I work in anti-money laundering compliance—trying to make sure nobody tries to launder money through Airbnb. We haven't caught anyone yet, because it's actually a very ineffective way to launder money. Because if you want to launder money, you want to launder millions. And that would take forever to do in Airbnb. Haven't caught any yet but I've seen some crazy fraud stories.
So what drew you to that field?
It was totally by chance. I went to college in Oregon, then after that I decided to move to New York, but I didn't have a job. So I started out temping and it was the first work that I got, so I stuck with it. And it's quite exciting!
What made you decide to move from New York to the Bay Area?
I mean, look at the weather! It's winter and it's sunny and beautiful—you can have bare legs. New York is like 20 degrees right now. And it's just more pleasant here. The people are nicer, there's great food, there's the outdoors, and I just needed a change.
What are some of your favorite things to do in the area?
I'm trying to get more into nature. Like going on hikes, and do some wine tasting. I love wine tasting.
Have you found a favorite winery so far?
Yes, Chandon—because I love champagne, and they make the good stuff [laughs].
Do you have family/friends out here in the area?
I have a lot of friends in the Bay Area, but my parents are actually Nigerian, so I grew up in Nigeria, then I moved to Oregon when I was 17.
Was that a major transition?
It was, but I was young enough that I didn't think about it. I just started living life, basically.
Do you miss anything from New York or Oregon?
New York—I miss the variety of things. New York is the kind of place where, regardless of what you're into, you're going to find an outlet for that and people who are into the same thing. I find it's not really the same here. So I miss that.
What's something that you've currently been into?
I really have only one hobby, which is music. I like to DJ. I'm an amateur DJ and I recently found out about the Red Bull Music Academy in Paris. They actually do it in different cities, and every year they gather 30 musicians. You apply and then they accept you and then you do a month of sessions, training, and collaborations. So I've been obsessed with getting material ready to apply for it.
What kind of material are you working on?
That's the thing! I have to find the thing that really, really represents me, so I don't even know. I know that I like Brazilian music a lot so I'm going to put a lot of that in it. I'm going to try to put some Nigerian music in it too, and a lot of electro.
Who are your favorite music influences?
Stevie Wonder without a doubt. I like hip hop a lot too—there's this artist J Dilla who's a great influence. Flying Lotus and Amy Winehouse, too.
How would you describe your personal style?
Eclectic. I can go from sporty to more classic, to girly to kind of punk-rockish so it just depends on how I'm feeling for the day. I don't spend too much money on clothes. I'm really a bargain hunter.
I also wanted to ask you about what you're wearing today!
The sweater and the dress are from ASOS, the earrings are from Ashby Flea Market, and the shoes I got in Amsterdam.
