My name is Mahima Kolar, and I am a rising 8th grader at Lakeside School in Shoreline. I have always nurtured a love for storytelling, from fiction to poetry to journalism, and I have self-published two poetry anthologies to that end. I also wrote for my school newspaper for three years, and spent two of those years as a section editor. My passion for writing is just one of the many reasons why I am so excited about the opportunity to write for Greet West Bellevue. When I moved to Bellevue five years ago, one of the things I loved most about this area was the wonderful people in it. I am thrilled to have an opportunity to share their incredible stories with the readers of this magazine. 

Outside of writing, I am a practitioner of a traditional Indian artform called Madhubani, and my work has been displayed in galleries across the Seattle area since the age of 6. As an avid public speaker, I have competed in debate tournaments and Model United Nations competitions since the age of 11, and I delivered a TEDx talk on the power of active curiosity in 2024. I am also an ardent music lover – I have been playing piano for 8 years, and recently, I have been experimenting with songwriting as a means of uniting my interests in music and poetry. I can’t wait to tap into my love for my community and begin my journey as a writer for this magazine!