Roberto A. Rodriguez Memorial Scholarship

My passion for law enforcement is something that scared me in the beginning. Being raised in what is called the "ghetto", as a black woman I was scared of the very police that roved around in their patrol cars seemingly hungry to catch me doing something bad. I was scared of the very thing that was supposed to protect me. But as I grew up, I outgrew my child-like mindset of "police = bad" and I began to understand and respect those very people that I was afraid of. I'm sort of a junkie when it comes to crime shows such as NCIS and criminal minds, its my guilty pleasure. I know that tv shows like those are not what it's really like to be out on the streets fighting crime, but I do know that those every day an officer puts their uniform on, they are honoring their community and their family, risking their lives everyday to keep other safe. If that isn't a here, then I don't know what is. But my ambition and drive to become a law enforcement officer didn't start until August 26th, 2019, this day will stay with me forever. August 26th 2019, My close family friend was shot point-blank by his cousin while in his own home. I had just saw him earlier that morning, we were doing a summer prep program before our freshman year of high school. To go from seeing him smiling hours earlier, to getting a phone call that he was shot and later dead. It was truly threw me through a loop. I told myself from that day onward, I would try my absolute best to stop that from happening to another family. To stop the violence. I promised Xavier, the day of his funeral, that I would live a good and meaningful life, not just for him, But for the kids in every community who is struggling and living in a world full of gun violence. I WILL one day become a great law enforcement officer and no matter what it takes I will save anyone I can from the devastation of gun violence. My passion and drive will take me as far as I believe that I can go and the sky is the limit, I only wish to help those around me in whatever way that I can and I believe that I can make a great impact as a next generation law enforcement officer. This scholarship would mean so much to me and my future career. Thank you.