Throughout most of my life, I never thought of a specific mission or goal I wanted to achieve. This was mainly because I never saw myself as a college student and working in a stable job to provide for my family. Instead, I see myself working in difficult jobs and struggling to pay for basic needs. I developed these doubtful thoughts and mindset because of my financial situation and past experiences. I was raised by a single mother who did not finish high school. My biological father showed more interest in buying beer than providing me with necessities like diapers. My mother also suffered from neglect and endured domestic violence for many years until we eventually left him. The situation was so dire that my mother and I had to sleep in a cramped closet. I had to seek therapy because I developed anger issues due to the absence of my "father". Thankfully, my mother met my stepfather, a Guatemalan immigrant. Since then, my parents have worked tirelessly to pay off substantial debts. I recall accompanying my mother to her workplace for long hours because she couldn't find a babysitter. I also remember not seeing my stepfather in the mornings as he would start work at four in the morning and return late in the evening after long, exhausting hours. It was distressing to witness both my parents struggling to meet our basic needs. I vividly remember a time when my mother scrounged for change because we couldn't afford dinner until she finally found forty dollars. Numerous demoralizing factors slowly lowered my hope for a better future. None of my family members, including my father and both sets of grandparents, completed high school and attended. My older cousins either dropped out of high school or never pursued college education. We all lived in challenging circumstances that prohibited us from taking a break from our demanding work. Studies show that individuals from low-income and first-generation backgrounds are less likely to pursue higher education due to similar living situations. As a result, I performed poorly in elementary and middle school because I had resigned myself to the belief that I was destined never to attend college. But all of this changed as I found motivation within myself, my friends, and my family. I realized that there was no time to be stuck in the same cycle over and over again, but to break that generational cycle. I made that my main mission and goal I wanted to achieve. I began putting more effort into my studies and became a straight-A student who is part of the top 9% in my class. I got accepted into my dream school and am currently looking for financial help. My main goal in my life is to become a Virtual Christian Missionary to help spread the Gospel to areas where it may seem impossible. I also want to share my story as a first-generation and low-income student to motivate others to keep thriving and pursuing their dreams despite their situation. I want to help others see their limitations as milestones to cross, just as I did. I believe that this scholarship will help me get closer to achieving that goal.

A mother's love is such a beautiful feeling. It is unconditional and follows you wherever you go. This is the same love that my mother showed me, which impacted me throughout my life. My mom is a hardworking person who is always ready to provide for and protect her family, even when we face critical situations. When my mother was 16, she dropped out of high school and gave birth to me. Unfortunately, my biological father neglected and abused both of us for years until we both ran away. During those years, my mother and I were forced to live in a small closet sleeping on a thin blanket. Under his care, my biological father would use his money for a 16-pack of beer rather than a box of diapers for me, which led to me spending most of my days with a full diaper. Because of this trauma, I had to go to therapy After we left my biological dad, my mom met my stepfather who took better care of us. My stepfather had to look for construction-related jobs on the streets due to his lack of education. Unfortunately, my grandparents stopped supporting my mother, and we had to be self-sufficient. Due to many factors that I found discouraging, I lost faith in a better future. All my slightly older cousins dropped out of high school or never started college, and we all lived in challenging circumstances that made it impossible for us to take a break from hard work. Research has shown that low-income and first-generation students are unlikely to attend college due to similar living situations. As a result, I did not excel in elementary and middle school because I believed that college was not meant for me. My mother encouraged me to put more effort into school, even when I felt hopeless. My mom shared how everyone in our family has had to work in physically demanding construction jobs for low pay, which has unfortunately been the case for us. My dad has been unable to work for almost three years due to an injury that occurred on the job, which left him with permanent physical damage and led to him losing his job. Now, my mother has become the head of the household. My parents promised me that if I could achieve good grades and attend college, I would be able to avoid the same struggles as everyone else in our family. Knowing that I had to change, not just for me but also for my family and future generations, I began studying and putting more effort into school. Although I felt pressured to succeed in my education, I turned that pressure into motivation. My grades improved, and I became a straight-A student and part of the top 9% in high school. I joined extracurricular activities such as the Academic Decathlon, Gear Up's Peer Mentor's Club as Vice President, ASB, guitar ensemble, and softball as the manager. Through all of these activities, I was able to develop leadership and collaboration skills, learn more about first-generation opportunities, discover hidden talents, and gain hope. Throughout this whole journey, my mother was always there to support me. And thankfully, she still is. Her display of kindness and love helped push me forward and pursue my dreams. And I truly believe that this scholarship will help me as well.

"Because of your weight, you're on the verge of becoming prediabetic". These are the words that my doctor said to me during my yearly physical check. This brought fear into me because I knew about the consequences and dangers of diabetes. My doctor told me that I needed to eat healthier and start exercising. Unfortunately, I was overweight because of my unhealthy habits because of my past. Growing up, I was raised by a single mother who dropped out of high school to provide for me. As a result of the neglect and mistreatment of my biological father, I faced trauma and developed anger issues that led me to therapy. Under his care, I spent most of my days with an unchanged diaper and most of my nights in a small closet with a blanket I would call a bed. Fortunately, my mom met my stepfather who took better care of us after we left my biological dad. Due to his lack of education, my stepfather had to look for construction-related jobs on the streets. Unfortunately, my grandparents stopped supporting my mother, and we were on our own. We all lived in challenging circumstances that made it impossible for us to take a break from hard work. Because of my past trauma, I developed an unhealthy coping mechanism which was through comfort foods. What made it even worse was my parents are used to cooking high-calorie meals. This coping system turned into a bad habit which led to many health issues. My family has a history of family members who were diagnosed with diabetes. This included my mom, grandmom, aunts, uncles, one of my great-aunts, and great-grandfathers. Unfortunately, my great-grandfather lost his vision after being diagnosed with diabetes. My grand-aunt was warned that she would not see her kids grow up because of her developing diabetes. After hearing these stories, I knew I had to change my unhealthy habits. I needed to stop gaining weight because I had big dreams I wanted to accomplish. For me to fulfill these dreams and experience their outcome, I needed to live long enough. Which meant that I needed to lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle. So, I started reducing both my calorie and sugar intake. This meant that I limited the amount of sugary drinks, sweets, and food I'd consume. I also started exercising more every week. After the experiences of transitioning from an unhealthy to a healthier lifestyle, I developed discipline and gained more physical strength. I also gained more faith in fulfilling my dream, which is to enroll in my dream university and inspire others who are in a similar situation as I am. I truly believe that this scholarship will help me fulfill that dream!

"Yo dude, you got a minute? I got something that I gotta tell you, it's been hurting me a lot" These were the words he told me on a Tuesday night during COVID quarantine season. My poor friend lived in terrible family circumstances which poorly affected his mental health. We both lost all of our other friends and only depended on each other. Because of the social distance and isolation, we both felt depressed but grew closer as best friends. It all got worse when he got into a heated argument with his girlfriend, now ex. This caused him to go into a state of desperation for her love as self-hatred slowly consumed him. This greatly concerned me and I knew I had to motivate him. Day and night, we would talk for hours while playing video games or through voice calls. I listened to him tell me about the situation and his feelings toward it. Whenever the mood went down, we would use comedy to make fun of our problems. And, I would also give helpful advice and motivation to keep him going. Everything went well until his girlfriend decided to cheat on him and falsely accuse him of multiple acts. This overwhelmed him with self-hatred and suicidal thoughts, which alarmed me. Luckily, I was on my way to church, so I asked the youth group to pray for him. And so we did, we all gathered in a circle and prayed for him to overcome his situation. Afterward, I kept praying for him and gave him advice and motivation till he got better and moved on. I faced a similar situation myself which I overcame. Throughout my life, I was consumed by my doubt of a better life because of my past. As a child, I grew up in a struggling lifestyle. My mother and I lived in a tiny closet due to domestic violence and neglect from my dad. This left me with anger issues that were directed towards my mother, and I was sent to therapy. However, things started to look up when my mother met my stepfather, who worked hard to provide for our family. But, money was always an issue. Since no one in my family had attended college, my parents had to work long hours with little pay, and we were barely getting by. I'll never forget the time when my mother found $40 worth of change, which was a lifesaver for us since we didn't have any money for food. Growing up in such a difficult environment left me with a fixed mindset, believing that I was destined to live the same life as my parents. I had no hope for my future and, as a result, didn't do well in school. I was convinced that I was going to be a high school dropout because I couldn't afford college. The constant bullying and negativity from others only added to my doubts. I remember asking myself questions like, "Is school worth it if I can't afford to go to college?", "Am I cursed to remain uneducated like my parents?", and "Is this the best I can do?". These thoughts left me feeling anxious and hopeless about my future. Unfortunately, my dad has been suffering from permanent physical damage for three years after an unfortunate accident at work, which caused him to lose his job. Because of this, my mom is now the only source of income for my family But, with the support and motivation from my parents, teachers, and friends, I realized the need to push past my doubts and achieve my goals. I studied tirelessly day and night to maintain my grades and discovered financial aid opportunities. My hard work paid off as I became a straight-A student ranked in the top 9% of my high school and became involved in multiple extracurricular activities. Despite facing obstacles, I never gave up and used these challenges as motivation to keep pushing forward. I got accepted into my dream school, which boosted my motivation even further My dream of earning a degree in Computer Science will soon become a reality, and I hope to inspire others with my story. No limitations can keep you from pursuing your dreams. With hard work and determination, you can break through those barriers and achieve goals you never thought of earning. This is my advice to future students who struggle with similar situations as I faced.

The biggest adversary I faced growing up was my doubt. This doubt kept feeding me lies about not being able to afford college because of my background and financial situation. Looking back, I acknowledge all of the challenges I faced growing up as a low-income and first-generation student. My mother, a single woman who left high school, raised me. My biological father so neglected me that he would much rather buy a 12-pack of liquor than buy me any diapers. Before we moved away from him, my mother endured years of abuse and neglect. Due to these terrible circumstances, my mother and I were forced to sleep in a small closet. Unfortunately, my missing "father" caused me to develop anger issues, which is why I was sent to therapy. Fortunately, my mother got to know my stepfather, an immigrant from Guatemala. My parents have been working long hours ever since to pay off outrageous debts. I remember the long hours my mother used to drive me to her job since she was having trouble finding a babysitter. My dad used to get up at four in the morning and work long, exhausting hours till he came home later in the evening, so I don't remember seeing him every morning. Seeing how hard it is for both of my parents to provide for us upset me. We didn't have enough money for dinner one night, so my mom anxiously searched for change until she discovered forty dollars. Our struggling lifestyle caused me to allow my doubts about not having a brighter future to overpower me. I had a fixed mindset, thinking I would always have to live the same life my parents had. I did not think or have much hope for the future, and I struggled in elementary and middle school. After all, I knew that being unable to pay for college would force me to drop out of high school. The doubt increased daily as I was tormented and demoralized. Concerning questions such as "Is this the best I can do?", "Am I cursed to remain uneducated like my parents?" and "Is school worth it if I can't afford to go to college?" overflowed in my brain as I tried to maintain the little hope I had. Unfortunately, my dad has been suffering from permanent physical damage for three years after an unfortunate accident at work, which caused him to lose his job. Because of this, my mom is now the only source of income for my family. However, I converted my doubts into desire after receiving some encouragement from my parents, instructors, and friends. I resisted my doubts and realized that I had to turn things around to prove it wrong. I discovered that students who were having financial difficulties may qualify for financial aid. So, to maintain my grades, I studied through long nights and exhausting days. I'm attending high school with straight As and am in the top 9% of my senior class. I participated in the Academic Decathlon, ASB, guitar ensemble, Peer Mentor's Club at Gear Up as Vice President, and softball as manager. Thankfully, I was accepted to my dream university and was greeted by the community when I visited the campus. I believe this scholarship will help me achieve my dream of earning a degree in Computer Science and inspire others with my accomplishments acquired by conquering my limitations and adversaries set by my doubts and surrounding circumstances in my life.

Success can mean different things to different people, but for me, it's all about achieving a dream that's highly valued by the individual. However, it's common for people to lose hope and give up on pursuing success when they face difficult and overwhelming circumstances. To inspire those individuals to keep pursuing their dreams despite the challenges, I want to set an example as a low-income, first-generation student. Growing up, I was raised by a single mother who dropped out of high school to provide for me. As a result of the neglect and mistreatment of my biological father, I faced trauma and developed anger issues that led me to therapy. Under his care, I spent most of my days with an unchanged diaper and most of my nights in a small closet with a blanket I would call a bed. Fortunately, my mom met my stepfather who took better care of us after we left my biological dad. Due to his lack of education, my stepfather had to look for construction-related jobs on the streets. Unfortunately, my grandparents stopped supporting my mother, and we were on our own. As the years passed, I witnessed my parents' struggles, and my hope for success began to fade. Many unmotivating factors slowly made me lose faith in a better future. All my slightly older cousins either dropped out of high school or never started college. We all lived in challenging circumstances that made it impossible for us to take a break from hard work. Even researchers believe that low-income and first-generation students are unlikely to attend college due to similar living situations. Therefore, I performed poorly in elementary and middle school because I believed that I was doomed to never attend college. However, my family encouraged me to put more effort into school, they believed there was still hope for me. My dad shared how everyone in our family has had to work in physically demanding construction jobs for low pay, and unfortunately, that's been the case. He's been unable to work for almost three years due to an injury that occurred on the job, which left him with permanent physical damage and led to him losing his job. Now, my mother has become the head of the household. My parents promised me that if I could achieve good grades and attend college, I would be able to avoid the same struggles as everyone else in our family. With all of this in mind, I knew that I had to change not just for me but also for my family and my future bloodline. I began studying and put more effort into school. Even though I felt pressured to succeed in my education, I turned that pressure into motivation. My grades improved, and I became a straight-A student and part of the top 9% in high school. I got involved in extracurricular activities such as the Academic Decathlon, Gear Up's Peer Mentor's Club as Vice President, ASB, guitar ensemble, and softball as the manager. Through all of these activities, I was able to develop leadership and collaboration skills, learn more about first-generation opportunities, discover hidden talents, and gain hope. My experiences have taught me the importance of resilience and perseverance, and I'm grateful for the love and support of my family. Watching my parents work tirelessly to provide for our family has instilled in me a strong work ethic and determination to succeed. I'm inspired by their sacrifices and motivated to create a better future for myself. I plan on studying computer science and working in a Christian company to spread the word of God and motivate others in difficult circumstances. This scholarship will help me succeed in my dream of showing others that they can experience success through hard work and perseverance, despite their circumstances.

Doubt: a feeling of uncertainty or lack of conviction, also an emotion that can become dangerous and overwhelming to the person. The same doubt that almost prevented me from reaching my goals. As a low-income, first-generation, Hispanic student, I faced an overwhelming doubt that nearly consumed me with thoughts of failure. I grew up with the fear of struggling in the future like my family did. My childhood was spent in a poor household with my single mother who had dropped out of high school. Due to neglect and domestic violence from my dad, my mother and I were forced to sleep in a small closet. As a result, I developed anger issues and directed them towards my mom, which led to me being sent to therapy. Fortunately, my mother later met my immigrant stepfather who worked tirelessly to provide for our family. However, the lack of money remained a critical issue. Since no one in my family had attended college, my parents had to work long hours with little pay. The situation became so dire that we would have starved if my mother hadn't found $40 worth of change. Because of our struggling lifestyle, I let the doubt of not having a better future consume me. I had a fixed mindset where I believed that I was going to be stuck living the same life my parents lived. I didn't have much hope or thought about my future and did poorly in elementary and middle school. After all, I knew I would become a high school dropout because I couldn't afford college. Day after day, the doubt grew bigger as I was bullied and brought down. I'd ask myself questions like, "Is school worth it if I can't afford to go to college?", "Am I cursed to remain uneducated like my parents?" and "Is this the best I can do?". These questions left me anxious about my future, as I slowly lost hope. But after some motivation from my parents, teachers, and friends, I turned that doubt into motivation. I fought against that doubt and realized I needed to change and prove that doubt wrong. I learned that there were financial aid opportunities available for financially struggling students. So I spent tiring days and endless nights studying to keep my grades up. As the years went by, I turned it up to 11 and greatly improved my academic studies. I became a straight-A student and part of the top 9% in high school. I was involved in the Academic Decathlon, Gear Up's Peer Mentor's Club as Vice President, ASB, guitar ensemble, and softball as the manager. By going beyond my limits, I accomplished many goals that I'd never imagined doing. My dad has been injured for almost three years due to a work-related accident. He ended up losing his job because he suffered permanent physical damage. My mother is now the only income source to provide for my family. Instead of letting this bring me down, I used it as motivation to keep striving forward to prove my doubts wrong and achieve higher education. Thankfully, I was accepted to my dream university and was greeted by the community when I visited the campus. I believe that this scholarship will help me achieve my dream of earning a degree in Computer Science and inspire others with my accomplishments acquired going above and beyond despite my limitations and obstacles set by my doubts.

Growing up, I feared living in a struggle in the future like my family. As a first-generation, low-income, and Hispanic student, I grew up in a poor home led by my single mother who was a high school dropout. Before leaving my dad, my mother and I faced neglect and domestic violence and were forced to sleep in a small closet. Later on, I was sent to therapy as I developed anger issues and directed my anger toward my mom. My mom then met my immigrant stepfather who worked long and tiring hours to provide for my family. The lack of money became a critical issue. Since no one in my family attended college, my parents had to work long hours just to be paid poorly. The situation was so bad that we would've starved if my mom didn't find $40 worth of change. Despite the negative effects, I was able to develop skills due to the limitations. I learned how to live off the limited resources I had. Whether it was food, money, or other necessary resources. Later on, I lost hope about my future and did poorly in elementary and middle school. After all, I knew that I was going to become a high school dropout because I knew that I wouldn't be able to afford college. This frustrated me because I did not want to follow the same struggling lifestyle and wanted to make a change. I wanted to break that cycle that followed that same lifestyle for generations. Despite the statistics and situation, my parents encouraged me to strive. They believe that I can break the cycle and have a better future. All I had to do was study enough and earn scholarships to pay off college. That fear slowly faded away as my teachers told me the same thing. I prayed to God and he gave me motivation and encouragement to keep going. Thanks to all the encouragement and motivation, I improved my grades and put a lot more effort into school. I learned to make good things out of bad situations. I turned all the pressure into motivation to strive and prove my parents right. Later on, I became part of the top 95 as a straight-A student in high school and became involved in extracurriculars such as the Academic Decathlon, Associated Student Body, Gear Up's Peer Mentor's Club as the Vice President, softball as the manager, and guitar ensemble. Through all of these experiences in life, I truly felt that I've matured and gotten farther than I would have ever imagined. But then, my dad suffered permanent physical damage from a work accident, which made him lose his job and ability to work. This greatly affected our financial situation and made me doubt my ability to pay for college. And unfortunately, my little sister shows signs of ADHD and autism, which led to paying for her therapy. Now I seek help from scholarships to help me pursue higher education and inspire others.

Throughout my life, I always had one thing in mind: what will my life be like in the future? I questioned myself as I reflected on the experiences I faced throughout my life. I was raised by a single mother who dropped out of high school. My biological father neglected me so much that he would rather buy a 12-pack of beer than buy diapers for me. My mother was also neglected and faced domestic violence for many years until we left him. The situation was so horrible that me and my mother had to sleep in a small closet. Unfortunately, I was taken to therapy because I developed anger issues due to my missing "father". Luckily, my mother met my step-father who is a Guatemalan immigrant. Since then, my parents worked long hours to pay off absurd debts. I remember when my mother took me to her job for long hours because she couldn't find a babysitter. I remember not seeing my dad in the mornings because he would wake up around four and work long, tiring hours until he returned home later in the evening. It hurt me to see both of my parents struggling to cover our basic necessities. Once, my mom desperately searched for change because we didn't have enough to buy dinner until she finally found forty dollars. So many unmotivating factors in my life that slowly made me lose hope of a better future. My dad, both grandpas and grandmas never finished elementary. All of my slightly older cousins either dropped out of high school or never started college. We all live in struggling lifestyles that prevented us from taking a break from all the hard work. Even researchers believe that low-income and first-generation students most likely don't attend college because of the same living situation. Because of this, I did so poorly in elementary and middle school because I accepted that I was cursed to never attend college. In those moments, my parents talked to me about my future. They encouraged me to start putting more effort into school because there is still hope for me. My father used my whole family as examples of how they pushed themselves beyond their physical abilities in construction-related jobs just to be poorly paid. And unfortunately, that is true. My dad has been injured for almost three years due to a work-related accident. He ended up losing his job because he has permanent physical damage. My mother has now taken the role of head of household. My parents told me that if I earned good grades and attended college, I would not have to suffer just like everyone else. With all of this in mind, I knew that I had to change not just for me, but also for my family and my future bloodline. I began studying and put more effort into school. Even though I felt pressured to succeed in my education, I turned that pressure into motivation. My grades improved and I became a straight-A student and part of the top 9% in high school. I got involved in the Academic Decathlon, Gear Up's Peer Mentor's Club as Vice President, ASB, guitar ensemble, and softball as the manager. Through all of these extracurricular activities, I was able to develop leadership and collaboration skills, learn more about first-generation opportunities, discover hidden talents, and gain hope. Despite my background, I strive to seek higher education. I know I can do more for my future and serve as an inspiration for others. I truly believe that anyone else can achieve their goals as well!

My name is Alex Vega. I am a first-generation student, a proud Christian, and part of the Hispanic community. Throughout my life, I always had one thing in mind: what will my life be like in the future? I questioned myself as I prepared myself for my new life after high school. I went through multiple experiences throughout my life, whether it was hardships, opportunities, and growing experiences that shaped me into the person I am today. I truly believe that college will offer me open doors to brand-new experiences and opportunities to train me for my future life and career. With this belief in mind, I aim to do whatever it takes for me to pursue higher education and a better future for myself and my family. Although we are not a rich family, we were not a very poor family either. We had enough money to sustain our family’s needs and some family wants. My father was our main provider until he had a very tragic accident at work. Due to his back injury, he was considered temporarily disabled and unfortunately lost his job. So my mother went back to the workforce and became our main provider for the family. Even though she didn’t make as much as my dad, she made enough to provide for us as a family. For almost three years, we have been slowly financially recovering and still live as a happy family. This also motivates me to pursue a career to provide for my family in the future. For many years, I was unsure of what career path I wanted to study. I thought of being a mechanical engineer, a mechanic, a video game designer, a musician, or a lawyer. But that all changed when I took a college-level computer science course offered by Stanford. During that class, I developed new skills and enjoyed that class. I was able to express my creativity through different projects which involved making websites, and designing their format and look. Thanks to that class, I was able to discover a passion for Computer Science and my future career. I now aim to be a “Christian Virtual Missionary”, a missionary who uses technology to break boundaries and make the Bible more accessible to those around the world. With the help of this scholarship, I will be able to reach my goal, of pursuing higher education and contribute to the world with the knowledge I gain from college.

I’m a Christian, and I’m proud of it. I enjoy living my life for Christ and I believe that it is essential to who I am. God has so much influence on my life and I’ve grown so much in his presence throughout my whole life. I’ve grown maturely, wiser, more empathetic, friendlier, and more helpful, turning me into a completely different person than I was before meeting Jesus Christ. Also, God helped me grow during the toughest times. Whether it was through depression, relationship problems, personal growth, and other difficult personal experiences. These tough times brought me to my lowest, and I always find a reason to blame myself for it. But God showed me otherwise, God showed me that there was hope for me and gave me the strength to lift myself back onto my feet. This strengthened my faith and I grew stronger. For a long time, I didn't know what my future would be like. I had many options of careers and universities I wanted to choose, but couldn't decide. But then God gave me a 2-part vision, my future university and career. I received mail from a university called George Fox University and unlike other universities, I saw my whole life there. God guided me as I got accepted and visited the university to experience my future life. God also guided me to pursue a degree in Computer Science and use that knowledge to serve others, just like Jesus did, and to become a Virtual Christian Missionary. The Bible instructs us to use our gifts to serve others like Jesus did when he was with us (Mathew 20:28, 1 Peter 4). I want to accomplish this goal by using modern technology to spread the gospel and send messages to people who need hope and faith during difficult times. Since technology is mostly used worldwide, I want to take advantage of this opportunity to make the Bible even more accessible to those who are restricted from its access due to many laws in multiple countries that are against the Bible, not in their language, and many other reasons. With the help of George Fox University, future colleagues, and this scholarship, I will guide others to join me on this journey and use technology to spread the gospel as a Virtual Christian missionary. I plan to work with big Christian companies such as YouVersion, a company that also uses technology to spread the gospel and help Christians grow. I want to inspire future leaders who also want to use their gifts to spread the gospel before Jesus returns because that is my dream as a future Virtual Christian Missionary.

Music has played a crucial role throughout my whole life. I have been listening to a variety of musicians who have positively impacted me through the messages they leave in their songs. These include phrases such as "never give up," "fake it 'til you make it," and "focus on yourself first." These messages serve as an effective coping mechanism and a fantastic source of inspiration, giving me hope and motivation to persevere in challenging conditions. Many artists use music to help listeners in many different ways. Some would write about their hurtful experiences in their songs to connect to listeners who may have gone through the same situation but need emotional help. Artists would write about their struggles with depression, family, relationships, loneliness, and more. I used to have depression for quite a while, and I needed motivation. I found an artist named NEFFEX and fell in love with his music. NEFFEX is an artist who makes motivational songs to inspire listeners in their everyday lives. In one of his songs, "FOYF," NEFFEX wants the listeners to prioritize themselves before everyone else. In his song, "GO!," NEFFEX says, "Even when you feel low, you can still go!". These songs gave me both hope and strength to grow as a human being. Other artists like NF, Juice WRLD, Black Label Society, MASN, Linkin Park, and many more help listeners channel their feelings and emotions through music, becoming their therapists. Even while some great artists went on to have significant influence, some artists had negative effects on the world in a variety of ways. Many well-known artists, such as Ice Spice, Eminem, Cardi B, 6ix9ine, Machine Gun Kelly, and Snoop Dogg, encourage their fans to engage in sex, alcohol consumption, and drug use. Snoop Dogg's "Ain't No Fun (If The Homies Can't Have None)," Ice Spice's "Munch (Feeling U)," Eminem's "FACK," Cardi B's "WAP," and 6ix9ine's "GUMMO" are just a few examples of songs that wrongly honor sex. Songs like "Roll the Windows Up" by Machine Gun Kelly, "Gin and Juice" by Snoop Dogg, and "Tone Deaf" by Eminem encourage the use of drugs and alcohol. All of these songs' and artists' harmful impacts on the globe demonstrate how extensive corruption exists there. Even while many artists support harmful causes, many others work to raise public awareness of a wide range of global issues. In his song "Darkness," Eminem calls attention to the issue of gun violence by narrating a tale about the thoughts that go through a mass murderer's mind. Mass of Man raises awareness about suicide in their song "Fallen Angel," which tells the tale of a guy who commits suicide after being tricked by depression. In general, many artists use their music as a way of expressing their ideas to the world. Those thoughts may either have positive or negative effects. Even though there exists much corruption, there is also much hope, and many innovative musicians have a positive impact on many listeners, including me.