I am a proud member of the Hispanic community. Although I am not 100% Hispanic, I identify as full-blooded Mexican. Growing up, I have had a light skin complexion due to having a Caucasian father and a Mexican mother. I have experienced both sides of the spectrum throughout my life. I have been called things such as "half-breed," "fake Mexican," and others that may be too vulgar to put into this essay. I have also experienced first-hand the white privilege that many individuals do when it comes to law enforcement if you do not have dark-colored skin. I chose to go to school for Marketing and Business Development to learn how to grow and manage a successful business. It is my dream to open up my own marketing business to help those in the Hispanic and other marginalized communities grow their businesses to be successful. I have always adored those in my culture that have opened their own taquerias, food trucks, and supermarkets even though they do not receive the same support from the public that many other businesses do. Growing up in a small town with a dense population belonging to the Hispanic culture, I saw the hardships of friends and family attempting to run a successful business when other well-known chains were popping up around the corner. I learned to support small businesses from an early age, and from that early age is when I knew I wanted to help those who do not have the same access to business resources as others. I want to make a difference in the lives of those in my culture and provide assistance and expertise to grow their businesses to be as successful as the companies run by someone who is not a part of a marginalized community. I want individuals who feel like getting their business idea heard is just a dream to realize that it can become a reality when someone who believes in them and has the education to bring it to fruition is standing in their corner. I believe that there are so many "would-be" entrepreneurs out there that belong to many marginalized communities that experience the difficulty of attempting to open and run their business and give up when they feel like the system is set up to run against them. I truly believe with my educational background and my drive, I can assist those who are passionate about providing resources for those in their communities.

The meaning of life is simply to fulfill our own expectations. This means that the meaning of life is different for everybody. No meaning of life is the same. If you ask your best friend what the meaning of life is, chances are that their answer is different than yours. I think the meaning of life, for me, is to live life to the fullest of my own expectations of what I think I can achieve. Fulfilling my expectations would include what I do every day to work towards achieving those expectations. I wake up every day with the mindset of working to provide a life for myself and those I love around me. I want to ensure that my family is financially secure, well-traveled, and most importantly happy. The meaning of life isn't defined by the amount of money you have but defined by the number of experiences you have had throughout your lifetime. Every individual person has their own expectations for what they want their life to be. I am actively working towards that expectation for myself to ensure I can provide the highest quality of life for those who have helped shape me into the man I am today.

The only reason I am enrolled in school is to continue to help those in my community. I hope to further my education by attending law school to continue to assist families in need. I currently am a paralegal for an Elder Law and Estate Planning Law Firm, and it is my duty to assist families during what may be the most difficult time in their lives. Whether it is because they just lost a loved one, are needing assistance with a diagnosis they didn't anticipate, or are looking to secure the future for their family, they come to me to help them. I plan to continue my education journey by obtaining my degree in Marketing & Business Development so that I can one day have a law firm of my own. Obtaining this degree will allow me to educate myself on how to effectively run and market a business that is needed by many families. Once I obtain my degree, I want to further my education by attending law school. There I can learn even more about the ever-changing laws and study how I can help those throughout my community who need it most. It is a dream to open my own law firm to provide support to those who are less fortunate and may not be able to afford the luxury of having an attorney to guide them through the aging process to ensure they are not taken advantage of.

Have you ever been left with nothing? Being left without anything but the clothes on your back is the quickest way to humble yourself. Every morning I wake up, I think of where I was the day before and thank God for allowing me the opportunity to work towards a better future for myself and my family. As a kid, I didn’t have much growing up. When we lost everything in a house fire, we were left without a place to call home for a long while since no family lived close. As we started accumulating things to get back on our feet, we were taught to be appreciative of everything you have in that exact moment. I have been left with nothing. I came from nothing. Being humbled by experiencing what it is like to come from nothing taught me how to appreciate every little thing I have in life and be grateful for the opportunities that come before me today. I was never in the position that I am in today, and for that I am grateful.