As the daughter of a disabled military veteran, I've had my fair share of traveling. But no country connected with me the way that Japan did. I was stunned to see how well Japanese people preserved their environment. From separating their plastics from papers to their ocean water being clear, Japan was a breath of fresh air. I quickly became infatuated with the routine of picking up trash whenever I saw it, even if it wasn’t mine. I was so captivated by their efforts that when we eventually returned to America after three years, it was a culture shock. Going from being able to see the stars at night to not being able to see the clouds in the day because of the pollution, I was appalled. This culture shock was the start of my journey. As I went from neighbor to neighbor, I shared my experiences and tried to convince them to start separating their trash. I physically went out and collected discarded trash littering the streets. While I was able to clear the trash that covered my neighborhood, there’s only so much I could do. I knew that something had to change, or our green Earth would soon turn brown. That’s why I decided to create a club called “Japan to America” so that my peers and I could work together to fix our environment. We started handing out flyers on instructions to separate trash, went to several fast food chains to replace their plastic straws with paper ones, and so on. My experience in Japan was a real eye-opener and the start of my advocacy to replicate a healthy environment like the one I was previously blessed to experience. I wanted my community to experience a clean environment in their hometown like I was able to in Japan. Along with other extracurriculars such as volleyball and drama that I also participated in, “Japan to America” has to be my favorite one. Even though, in drama class I am able to express who I am and share my creativity with my community, this club has been able to connect me with childhood Alexsia. Living in Japan was an amazing time in my life and being in this club has reminded me to appreciate little things and not focus on the superficial. I want this club to spread throughout schools in my community so that everyone can be enlightened on clean environment habits. If everyone in my community can work together towards this goal then I am positive that America will be as fresh as Japan. No matter how long it takes, I will work to ensure America also becomes a breath of fresh air.

Having to practically raise your siblings as a teenager wasn’t the most enjoyable thing. On November 16th, 2018 Julian and Natalia Tarquinii were born. It was the best day of my life. Getting to hold my new baby siblings in my arms for the first time was a surreal feeling, but a feeling I always wanted to have. I was not aware that my life would be turned on its head in a short period of time. My parents had been very busy with their jobs so they weren’t able to care for the babies on their own. As the big sister, I had to step up. Diaper to diaper, bottles to bottles, it was a never-ending cycle of attention - attention that I didn’t have the energy to give. I was juggling my time between AP history and several clubs. At first, it was pretty simple tasks, such as changing diapers or washing bottles. However, the tasks began to gradually increase over time. I went from occasionally “taking over” to going as far as sleeping with the babies every night. It was incredibly tiring. They decided to find a nanny to support us. Despite the extra help, it didn’t save me. We went from nanny to nanny but none of them were able to care for the babies without my assistance. I felt trapped, like I wasn’t a teen anymore. There was no escape. Although I love the babies with all my heart, I was still a teen and wanted to actually be one. I endured through it but lost a lot of friends in the process. I also missed out on a lot of experiences that most teenagers have. Despite all of the negativity, I was still me and so I sought to find a solution. I trained myself to change my perspective and be grateful for this life barrier as a teaching opportunity, instead of resenting my parents for it. I realized that I could be happy that I was given the chance to see my siblings' first steps, hear their first words, and see them grow into magnificent people. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I realized how precious life is. I saw that I should be grateful for the moments I have with my siblings, as I never know when it could be the last. I developed a new attitude. I found joy in teaching them the ABCs and being a significant person in their lives. This new perspective taught me that they won’t always be so young and I won’t always be able to cradle them when they cry. I learned to not take these moments for granted and be thankful for the gift that the situation gave me. This opportunity allowed me to mature and take responsibility for people beyond myself. It strengthened my relationship and trust with my parents as they put their faith in me to care for their babies. Now I have finished school, I have just a few friends. But because I can focus my time with them rather than spread it across many, we are a close-knit group. I go out whenever I want because I have a car. When life delivers us challenges, we can’t always have a say in what gets put in our lap. However, we can decide how we perceive the situation. It can be a gift or a curse, but we get to decide which through our attitude. If I wasn’t given the task of raising my siblings, I wouldn't be where I am today. For that, I am forever grateful.

“I just need to be alone, I just need to be at home” - Me Myself & I by G-Eazy and Hasley. The first time I listened to ‘Me, Myself and I’ was when I was eleven years old. Only when I was fifteen did I actually understand the meaning. I was able to connect to it on a personal level. In the song, G-Eazy explains that he lives a life of luxury and fame, but ultimately all he needs is himself - everything else is materialistic. Rap music has also got me through difficult times. The first time I listened to it for comfort was in 2020 when Hovid Povid, the first project I had acted in, was released. I didn’t get the accolades and validation that I was expecting. As a result, I fell into a dark hole and found it difficult to move on. The only person who got me out of that hole was G-Eazy. His lyrics of purpose allowed me to recognize that I'm not alone. Through his positive message, I overcame the depression I had found myself in. Rap music motivates me. It makes me feel sane. Rappers have always been there for me. They listened to me when I was down and knew exactly what to say to lift me back up. Listening to certain lyrics, phrases, and beats sends adrenaline through my body that can drive me to reach my goals or overcome obstacles like nothing else.

Having to practically raise your siblings as a teenager wasn’t the most enjoyable thing. On November 16th, 2018 Julian and Natalia Tarquinii were born. It was the best day of my life. Getting to hold my new baby siblings in my arms for the first time was a surreal feeling, but a feeling I always wanted to have. During this time, I was at an in-person school. I had lots of friends and I went out all the time. I was not aware that my life would be turned on its head in a short period of time. As the big sister, I had to step up. Diaper to diaper, bottles to bottles, it was a never-ending cycle of attention - attention that I didn’t have the energy to give. I was juggling my time between AP history and several clubs. At first, it was pretty simple tasks, such as changing diapers or washing bottles. However, the tasks began to gradually increase over time. It was incredibly tiring. I wanted to go out and have fun with my friends, but I wasn’t able to because of the guilt and the scolding I would get for leaving the babies. Burnout was almost inevitable and my parents finally started to see this. They decided to find a nanny to support us. Despite the extra help, it didn’t save me. We went from nanny to nanny but none of them were able to care for the babies without my assistance. I felt trapped, like I wasn’t a teen anymore. There was no escape. Although I love the babies with all my heart, I was still a teen and wanted to actually be one. I endured through it but lost a lot of friends in the process. I also missed out on a lot of experiences that most teenagers have. I balanced this loss with knowing that my parents needed my help. Ultimately, I wanted nothing more than to help them out. I shifted from in-person schooling to homeschooling because of COVID-19, but also so I could give my parents even more assistance. Due to this transition, I went from having lots of friends to only 2. I also went from going out all the time to practically quarantining from society. The change was challenging and I felt as though I was losing all of my social skills. The few times that I did go out, I was too socially scared to ask for extra napkins or ketchup. I felt my personality slowly deteriorating. I lived through social media and the lives of my old friends. I was mad and jealous that I wasn’t able to be a teen. I wasn’t able to ask a teacher for help if I needed assistance on an assignment. While I was able to maintain my good grades, I could feel the light inside had faded. I had no motivation to do anything. Despite all of the negativity, I was still me and so I sought to find a solution. I trained myself to change my perspective and be grateful for this life barrier as a teaching opportunity, instead of resenting my parents for it. I realized that I could be happy that I was given the chance to see my siblings' first steps, hear their first words, and see them grow into magnificent people. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I realized how precious life is. I saw that I should be grateful for the moments I have with my siblings, as I never know when it could be the last. I developed a new attitude. I found joy in teaching them the ABCs and being a significant person in their lives. This new perspective taught me that they won’t always be so young and I won’t always be able to cradle them when they cry. I learned to not take these moments for granted and be thankful for the gift that the situation gave me. This opportunity allowed me to mature and take responsibility for people beyond myself. It strengthened my relationship and trust with my parents as they put their faith in me to care for their babies. Now I have finished school, I have just a few friends. But because I can focus my time with them rather than spread it across many, we are a close-knit group. I go out whenever I want because I have a car. When life delivers us challenges, we can’t always have a say in what gets put in our lap. However, we can decide how we perceive the situation. It can be a gift or a curse, but we get to decide which through our attitude. If I wasn’t given the task of raising my siblings, I wouldn't be where I am today. For that, I am forever grateful.

I was anxiously pacing around my basement, struggling to find the words for my YouTube intro, “Hey y’all- Hey guys it’s Alexsia back today with another- ugh no”, when my parents had finally had enough and enrolled me into a theater group. They decided theater classes would be the best way for me to express my energy. “You need to find your voice,” said my mom. She was right. I wanted to find my voice by posting covers on YouTube.  However, the pressure was too overbearing, making it almost impossible for me to film a good video. I felt like ‘James P. Sullivan’ in “Monsters, Inc.” Like him, I couldn’t figure out why things weren’t working. It wasn’t until I was on set for the first time, when I finally felt at ease.  “Quiet on set!” My heart skipped a beat as I felt all eyes on me. I felt something I've never felt before. I felt like myself. The jitters in my stomach from reciting my lines in front of twenty people, quickly became overshadowed by the significance I felt.  Is this it? I realized that this was my scene, the part when ‘James P. Sullivan’ figures it out. I had finally found my purpose, acting. While focusing on my acting career I still sought to push myself even further to find more ways to express my energy.  As I explored new arts, I discovered my deep love for screenwriting. This led me to write several screenplays with the intention of producing and starring in them one day. Furthermore I went on to push myself beyond my limit by taking intensive improv and acting courses.  Thanks to my devotion to my career whilst juggling between acting and screenwriting, I caught the eye of Connor Weil, who willingly mentored me and honed my acting skills. Eventually, I made my way to star in films like “Everything Matters”, as well as co-writing and co-directing “The Other Side Of Life”. These experiences nurtured my development and prepared me to embark on a new journey. On my journey and vision into becoming a successful actress, I’ve taken several acting and improv classes to hone my skills. No one is ever a finished piece of work and I know there is no limit to the knowledge I can acquire in this field. However, the journey toward this is what captivates me. I look forward to discovering more ways of deciphering films beyond the screen, analyzing the different characters that are created solely with a pen and paper, as well as strengthening my abilities as an actress.

Being the daughter of a disabled military veteran with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), I've had my fair share of traveling. Some might think it must’ve been difficult to have to change schools all the time as a child, and others might think I’m the luckiest person alive. What do I think? I think that if I wasn’t introduced to all the cultures I was introduced to as a kid, then I wouldn't be who I am today.  In first grade my family and I moved to Japan. We befriended our neighbors, the Hirokosums, who I came to consider my Japanese grandparents. They introduced me to different foods, and traditions. It wasn’t until I met the Hirokosums when I truly became immersed into Japanese culture.  I was seven when I had a field trip to a traditional Japanese school. I was stunned to see Japanese students sit on their knees, unlike Americans who sat on desks. Witnessing first-hand the significant difference in schooling between the American and the Japanese school systems made me reflect on our traditions that other countries might not have. This solidified my acting mission to spread awareness through my platform and give the kids the resources they need to have a successful education. A year later, I went on a field trip to Hiroshima. I studied the buildings that were hit by the A-bomb as I heard the documentaries play in the background. However, without noticing, I found myself spacing out from the rough dry history facts and fantasizing about the lives and emotions of people who lived through these moments in history. Looking back on my stay in Japan, I managed to transform what could've been considered an academic barrier into one of the most enjoyable life experiences. All the aspects of my life in Japan, from taking karate to learning how to write my name in Japanese (アレクシア) make me immensely grateful for this study abroad opportunity that my mother offered me at such a young age. Sincerely アレクシア 

Having to practically raise your siblings as a teenager wasn’t the most enjoyable thing. On November 16th, 2018 Julian and Natalia Tarquinii were born. It was the best day of my life. Getting to hold my new baby siblings in my arms for the first time was a surreal feeling, but a feeling I always wanted to have. My parents had been very busy with their jobs so they weren’t able to care for the babies on their own. As the big sister, I had to step up. It was a never-ending cycle of attention - attention that I didn’t have the energy to give. I was juggling my time between AP history and several clubs. At first, it was pretty simple tasks, such as changing diapers or washing bottles. It was incredibly tiring. Burnout was almost inevitable and my parents finally started to see this. They decided to find a nanny to support us. Despite the extra help, it didn’t save me. I felt trapped, like I wasn’t a teen anymore. There was no escape. Although I love the babies with all my heart, I was still a teen and wanted to actually be one. I endured through it but lost a lot of friends in the process. I shifted from in-person schooling to homeschooling because of COVID-19, but also so I could give my parents even more assistance. Due to this transition, I went from having lots of friends to only 2. I also went from going out all the time to practically quarantining from society. The change was challenging and I felt as though I was losing all of my social skills. I felt my personality slowly deteriorating. I lived through social media and the lives of my old friends.While I was able to maintain my good grades, I could feel the light inside had faded. I had no motivation to do anything. Despite all of the negativity, I was still me and so I sought to find a solution. I trained myself to change my perspective and be grateful for this life barrier as a teaching opportunity, instead of resenting my parents for it. I realized that I could be happy that I was given the chance to see my siblings' first steps, hear their first words, and see them grow into magnificent people. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I realized how precious life is. I saw that I should be grateful for the moments I have with my siblings, as I never know when it could be the last. I developed a new attitude. I found joy in teaching them the ABCs and being a significant person in their lives. This new perspective taught me that they won’t always be so young and I won’t always be able to cradle them when they cry. I learned to not take these moments for granted and be thankful for the gift that the situation gave me. This opportunity allowed me to mature and take responsibility for people beyond myself. It strengthened my relationship and trust with my parents as they put their faith in me to care for their babies. Now I have finished school, I have just a few friends. When life delivers us challenges, we can’t always have a say in what gets put in our lap. However, we can decide how we perceive the situation. It can be a gift or a curse, but we get to decide which through our attitude. If I wasn’t given the task of raising my siblings, I wouldn't be where I am today. For that, I am forever grateful.

Growing up, I watched Disney icons like Selena Gomez and Miley Cyrus. While it may be unexpected, they fundamentally shaped the way I lived my life; a profound impact that continues to this day. As a child, I would put tons of gel into my hair to try to flatten my curls to make my hair look straighter. I would put tape on my nose to make it look smaller. I would even tell people that my heritage was only Italian because I was embarrassed of my color. Although I have grown up with inspiring role models, I wish more of them could have looked like me. If I had seen that representation at a young age, I wouldn’t have been ashamed of who I was. In the film industry, I envision being a role model for people of color. The more I immersed myself into film culture, the more I started accepting who I am. I noticed the way my curls compliment my brown eyes, and the way the sun beams across my melanin. By representing my culture and motivating people to follow their dreams, I can demonstrate to them that anything is possible if you commit to it - seeing me on that screen will prove that to them.  I envision myself bringing further creativity to the new generation of feminism which is power in self. Not external influences. It's through that internal awareness and my community of head held high type of females that I have truly blossomed into myself. Ever since I was a child, I’ve been writing down the unusual dreams that I’ve had. I have always had the aspiration that one day these dreams could be the cornerstones of great scripts or for building emotional connections with characters that I may have to embody in the future. As cinema evolves and new artists are introduced, viewers are constantly seeking new ideas. As a result of collating these unique ideas, I know I already have a bank of innovative thoughts to contribute to the film industry. I am eager to share these ideas with my fellow feminist and collaboratively bring them to life. With the film and television program specifically being so broad, I am excited by the prospect of my feminist ideas being incorporated on campus in different ways.  On my journey and vision into becoming a strong female successful actress, I’ve taken several acting and improv classes to hone my skills. No one is ever a finished piece of work and I know there is no limit to the knowledge I can acquire in this field. However, the journey toward this is what captivates me about your prestigious institution. In this program, I look forward to discovering more ways of deciphering films beyond the screen, analyzing the different characters that are created solely with a pen and paper, as well as strengthening my abilities as an actress. With the collaboration of my distinctive ideas and the resources provided to me with this program, I am nervously excited about the magic we can create. Having comprehensively reviewed the program, I am convinced it can guide me toward my new career as I support others to do the same.

Being the daughter of a disabled military veteran, I've had my fair share of traveling. Some might think it must’ve been difficult to have to change schools all the time as a child, and others might think I’m the luckiest person alive. What do I think? I think that if I wasn’t introduced to all the cultures I was introduced to as a kid, then I wouldn't be who I am today.  In first grade my family and I moved to Japan. We befriended our neighbors, the Hirokosums, who I came to consider my Japanese grandparents. They introduced me to different foods, and traditions. It wasn’t until I met the Hirokosums when I truly became immersed into Japanese culture.  I was seven when I had a field trip to a traditional Japanese school. I was stunned to see Japanese students sit on their knees, unlike Americans who sat on desks. Witnessing first-hand the significant difference in schooling between the American and the Japanese school systems made me reflect on our traditions that other countries might not have. This solidified my acting mission to spread awareness through my platform and give the kids the resources they need to have a successful education. A year later, I went on a field trip to Hiroshima. I studied the buildings that were hit by the A-bomb as I heard the documentaries play in the background. However, without noticing, I found myself spacing out from the rough dry history facts and fantasizing about the lives and emotions of people who lived through these moments in history. Looking back on my stay in Japan, I managed to transform what could've been considered an academic barrier into one of the most enjoyable life experiences. All the aspects of my life in Japan, from taking karate to learning how to write my name in Japanese (アレクシア) make me immensely grateful for this study abroad opportunity that my mother offered me at such a young age. Sincerely アレクシア 

“Looking forward to meeting you, Sahar!” - Kit Connor I zoomed into Twitter to see Kit Connor’s latest tweet, ‘Heartstopper Season 2, Open Casting Call for Sahar Zahid’.  ‘Heartstopper’ is one of my favorite TV shows. I was thrilled. I quickly read the submission guidelines when my smile turned blue. My heart shattered as I read the description, “UK talent only”. A second ago I had a life changing opportunity, and the next, it was gone.  Still showing my support, I commented, wishing everyone who applied the best of luck. "Ding! Ding!" erupted my phone as I received over 2,000 new Twitter notifications. "Could you please help me," asked one of the anxious commenters. My comment had gone viral. Days passed and I was still mentoring hundreds of people. Therefore, I created a group called “Future Sahar Zahid’s”, where I oversaw the collaboration of many aspiring actors in a tolerant, nonjudgmental environment. Through this group, I shared casting calls, guided actors, and helped maintain their mental health. Future Sahar Zahid’s was a small group for people who needed help with their ‘Heartstopper’ auditions but it quickly turned into something bigger. It became a global community where actors from diverse backgrounds could join to help each other. This experience opened my eyes to the immense joy and satisfaction I feel when helping people. The astonishing feeling I get from helping others is more significant than any feeling I could ever get from booking a role for myself.  Did you know that the movie, ‘The Shining’ by Stephen King was based off of a dream? Like Stephen I have rather unusual dreams, dreams that I tend to remember. Some good, some bad. Still, I always take those dreams and jot them down on a piece of paper. I always have this feeling and aspiration that maybe one day, these dreams can be the cornerstones for great scripts, or for building emotional connections with characters that I may have to embody in the future. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been frequently visiting doctors' offices, as my parents constantly tried to find a “cure” for my sleepwalking. I would talk, fall down the stairs, eat food, and sometimes even go outside. Moved by their fear for my safety, my parents decided to put a lock on my door and a gate on the stairs. This did stop me from leaving my room. However, the suppression of my dreams turned them into something worse. Not being able to release my creativity pushed the ideas in my mind to go insane, turning my little whispers into screams that would frighten the whole neighborhood.  My parents assumed that it was my affection for horror that was the reason for my riling up, so they stopped me from watching horror films, yet the sleepwalking continued. It wasn’t until I got into screenwriting and acting that my sleepwalking finally stopped. All my mind needed was a creative outlet for me to connect my dreams with. I’m not sure if it was when I won 3rd place in the ‘short film’ screenwriting contest, at Mosaic Theater, for my first short “Don’t Look” about killer clowns, or when I screamed “Bloody Murder” for my role in ‘The Curse Of Bloody Mary’ as ‘Samantha Moore’, when I realized that I have a gift for taking pieces of my dreams and transforming them into art.  Now, I watch horror films every night before I go to sleep, but instead of sleepwalking, I have extraordinary dreams that will one day be Stephen King worthy pieces of art.

I stay true to myself by keeping my morals. What i mean by this is i make sure that i dont switch up in front of anyone, that im honest, that im being myself, and that i stick up for myself. Life has thrown me so many ups and downs and its been rough, staying true to myself has always been a struggle and challenge for me since im such a soft person. I always say in advance that i wont let my past influence what i do or that i will change but i always end up repeating the same mistakes and letting others bring me down. I know my worth, i do, i know i do. But sadly when im in the influence of family and friends i tend to forget my worth and believe what they say of me and let them make a fool out of me. It makes me hate myself so much because i try so hard to stay true to myself, i really do i just always get caught up in the moment and freeze. Staying true to myself is not something ive always been able to do but im working on it. Ive taken space away from people and social media to revert back to my old happy self and to find me again and recognize my worth. Its been hard it really has, but im getting better and im learning now to truly stay true to myself.

To be independent it means to b strong, brave, to not have to rely on others or seek validation, to be confident enough in yourself that the help or opinion that others have on you doesn't matter. Being independent has a VERY BIG impact on me because it effects how i act, what i do, and my mood. On most days i like to feel independent but im still working on it because im such a people person that everything i do is practically for others. So being independent is a goal in my eyes, its a accomplishment that im trying to reach. I want to get to the point where i dont have to depend on people anymore, where my friends opinions dont matter to me anymore, where i do things for me and not for others, where i dont feel lonely and can be happy just being myself. So being independent has such a big impact on me because to me its what i strive to be, because i know when i can finally truly say that im independent i can finally heal from all the pain because i wont be insecure anymore, i will feel confident enough to be myself, and i will actually be able to live MY life.

If i were a highly influential figure the main thing that i would stand for would be women rights. Throughout history women have always had struggles and had to fight for rights, its always been a war on women. Its gotten worse and worse and isnt getting better at all! Its so sad because after all us women went through to get the right to vote, the right to perform, the right to basically do anything that a man can do we still have to fight for our rights. So many new laws that are so sexist are being passed from several states and no one is standing up for us or trying to help us. Texas just passed laws on the penalties for abortion which is complete bs! How can a bunch of men tell us what to do with our bodies! More or less how the heck can the penalty for rape be lesser then the penalty for abortion! Why even is there a penalty for abortion!! Litterally a dad could rape his daughter and if she wanted to abort the child she would be in jail not him, complete utter bs. Its a war on women! I talk about these problems as much i can on the small platform that i have because we need a change! So many indigenous women are being kidnapped and no one is speaking about it! Im so tired of this because it really isnt fair. So if i was a highly influential figure i would most defiantly stand for women rights!

One thing that i do to improve the lives of elderly people in my community is i offer to go out and run errands for them for free. Its hard for everyone to go out and buy groceries, or essential items that they need especially for older people. A lot of these elders dont have the money for someone to go out and buy things for them or take care of them, and a lot of them dont have family to do so whenever they need. So thats where i come in handy! I am in a community website chat with my neighborhood and they tell me what they need and i go out to get it! They give me the money to buy the things but i dont make them pay me for it because i like helping them out because i would want people to do the same for me when im older. Its always good to help out people as much as you can because you never know how much your kindness can effect someone.

My name is Alexsia Tarquinii and I am mixed, my dad is Italian and my mom is black. From what I've heard when my dad first moved here to USA with my mom he couldn't speak the language and he was broke. They were living in my grandmas basement struggling to eat. And now they have bought a house worth 1million dollars, both have very successful jobs, multiple cars, solar panels, and 5 children who have all the opportunities in the world. How could two teenagers who lived in their moms basement and fell in love be living the American dream? A lot of people used to doubt my dad and say things in English because they knew he couldn't understand. My dad had to teach himself English and learn how to survive in a forgein country practically with nothing. No matter how alone and hard it was for my dad he still tried and made it. He embraced his Italian heritage and learned how to adapt to the American culture. He got his first job as a real estate agent and sold 5 houses his first month! If my dad can do it then anyone can! My dad taught me to embrace my Italian side and not try to change for anyone, to always be myself no matter how racist people are and how hard things gets. Its been hard not being able to fit into groups of girls at school because I'm either too white or too black. Its always hard to find your crowd as a mixed person but I learned to embrace who I was like my dad did. But it is still hard for me to do what I want because all though my parents are successful they won't be able to pay for my college so I have to figure out how to do so. Its gonna be hard but like my dad I know ill be able to do it.

I hope to impact others with my mentorship in many ways! But I would hope to make sure that they always believe in themselves and never give up. I will explain to them how there will always be people trying to bring them down, or make them fail but no matter what you have to keep on pushing forward. Like for example when you cut off your split ends they don't stay cut they always grow back into a beautiful strand of hair. And that's the same with you! No matter how many people try to stop you from growing, you will always grow back into something even more beautiful. I myself have been through rough times and still am! So I will use my personal experience to impact others on how to do better and how to make sure they don't make the same mistakes I did. I love mentoring people and I feel like talking on a topic that I know about best would be the best way to do so.

Honestly this is a hard question because im a pretty amazing person but if i had to say my favorite thing about myself would be my humor. Im such a fun, goofy person who can make someone as serious as the president laugh until they snort haha! I love cracking jokes and lighting up the mood. But i will say sometimes its a curse because i say the wrong thing at the wrong time. And its hard for me to take things seriously and keep a straight face. Even if im sad i laugh like i honestly dont think ive ever had a coversation with someone where i ever didnt smile or say something stupid for us to laugh at. But like i said sometimes it is a curse because it will come off the wrong way to some people who dont understand my humor but i dont even care because i love it and if the dont laugh with me ill laugh by myself. This characteristic will definetly help me with my life journey because im trying to be a actress and the industry is a very tough one so i feel like with my light happy personality i wont get that sad when i get a no, or when someone in the industry is rude to me. I will just laugh it off. Its also helpful because people love being around fun people and im a fun person so i will deftinly attract a lot of people towards me and its always good to have friends. But not only with my career, my humor will help me in life in general. Because everyone has bad days and with my bubbliness im able to cheer people up about everything! Think of me like a beautiful flower in brown grass. You need that one beautiful flower to lighten the mood and attract more beautiful flowers even in the mist of the brown grass. The world is a big ball of brown grass and i am that one beautiful flower. No matter how nasty and unfair the world is you will always need one person to make a diffrence, and i know with my expertise in humor i will be able to blossom a whole world of beautiful flowers making the brown grass green. Thank you! Oh and like i said i have a lot of good qualities i love about myself but my humor is at the top!

Its hard to think of only one way i would try to make a positive impact on the world since there are so many messed up things happening in the world right now with, texas abortion laws, everything with Afghanistan, rasicm, global warming, etc. So with so much happening its hard trying to pick one thing when there are millions. But i would say one way i would try to make a positive impact on the world is i would protest against all the government officials in TEXAS especially that are trying to control what women do with THEIR bodies. Out of all the issues happening, this whole anti aborition thing is whats making me the most mad since litterally the penatly for rape is lesser than the penalty for abortion! THATS BS!! I hate that men think they can control women and that our guy friends arent speaking up about the problem! I only saw women posting about it, i havent seen one man try to campaign and stick up for us! Its so messed up! So i would protest and try to make a change for me and my sisters! This is a problem that needs to be fixed, this is not okay!

What does my dream life look like? Wow thats such a deep question haha. Im a go getter, there are so many things in life that i want to do and accomplish so this is a very very deep question. But i know what i want and i know what i want to do with my life. So my dream life..My dream life is the future because i know i will accomplish everything and anything i put my mind to. I will own my own penthouse, i will be a oscar award winning actress, i will be wealthy, ill have only people who i want in my life in my life, ill be with the love of my life, ill be in LA thriving, i would be able to travel anywhere i want to go, and most importantly i will be in a comfortable position to where i can genuinely say im happy. Thats what my dream life looks like. Me accomplishing everything and being able to live how i want to live and do everything i want without any worries and me being proud of myself. I also mentioned happiness..I havent truly been happy in a while. Yes i hang out with friends and i guess you can say im happy with them for a few hours but then at night when i go back in my room all alone all the thoughts and worries come in, making my world fall apart. There hasnt been a day that has gone by where i havent felt saddness. So to be honest my dream life, is a life where i am happy..actually happy. And proud of myself.

My favorite piece of art is acting. My dream is to be an actress, its what im going to do because its what i put my mind to. Acting is my favorite piece of art because its a craft, its a beautiful way to experiment with different emotions, characteristics, and personalities. It gives you a chance to step out of your comfort zone and try things you never have before. Acting is a blessing because it allows you to do what you love and get paid for it haha. I love acting so much, acting makes me feel alive. Whenever i act i feel safe like i can be myself i mean not literally because i have to be another character haha but you know what i mean. Acting is the only thing i can sit down and talk about for hours because im truly passionate about it. Its truly a amazing thing to find ones purpose, and im so lucky to have found mine at only 15 years old.

I've always dreamt about being a singer since i was a little girl, being on the stage doing what i love in front of thousands of people, changing peoples life, and using my platform to spread awareness. Music has changed my life and it made me who i am today. Music gives me a chance to say what i want to say, because sometimes i dont know how to with just words. A time in my life when music played a very important supporting role for me was when i was depressed. I know it sounds cliche but i was going through the roughest time in my life.. I felt like i was existing but not living, it seemed like everyone was so happy and they were all living their best life, i felt like a second choice, i felt like i wasn't doing enough but i was too lazy to do anything, i kept on getting in trouble, i was in so much drama, and i had to face my demons. And im not even gonna lie im still in this phase because fighting for my career while trying to balance out spending time with friends, my love life, helping out with my little siblings, school work, being able to watch netflix, and actually being able to take care of myself it is hard..really...really...hard. Honestly music has helped me through so much, i listen to music whenever im sad, happy, mad, or any kind of emotion you can stir up. Hell im listening to music right now! Every artist has their own story, their own battles, they all made it in different ways. Some easier then others, some longer than others. Ever artist has a different purpose, they all write songs and do what they do for different reasons and thats what i value. When i listen to these artists i feel like i can personally connect with them, from the lyrics in the song, to when and how the beat drops in the song, by their tone, and by what they've been through. I respect the hustle so much and i know it wasn't EASY for anyone. The point is, music is so much more to me then just music. Its a person putting their heart on the line, no matter how they do it every single song that exists comes from someones emotions and those emotions are from their heart. So whenever i listen to music i feel like im right next to the artist listening to their therapy session. Music is like a best friend to me, it was there for me when i was depressed, it was there for me when i wanted to celebrate, it was there for me when i was feeling pretty, it was always there for me, those artists were always there for me. I, Alexsia Tarquinii, a 15 year old girl from a small town in Maryland am going to be a very successful singer one day. Im going to make a difference, im going to not only be there for people like me but im going to change their lives, im going to show everyone that its okay to be sad being sad makes you stronger, im going to use my platform to spread awareness about homophobicism, racism, sexism, and any other problem you can think of. My music will not only be entertaining, and good. It will be beneficial, meaningful, and your best friend. Just wait you'll see me one day on a big stage <3.

My favorite book is chains by Laurie Halse. Chains is my favorite book because of the main character Ruth. Ruth is a teenage girl just like me the only difference is, she was born during the time of the revolutionary war and sadly she was a slave. Ruth and her sister had no idea what was going on as they were separated from their parents. Honestly its really hard for me to get attached to books or stay interested in them but this one book, Chains was able to keep me intrigued from the start to finish. It takes a good book to really make you reflect on yourself and think about the choices you make and the way you act. Chains made me realize how much I have and how hard some people have to work to get things. It also showed me what passion was, Ruths passion to get out and save herself and her sister no matter the consequences, her drive to live life inspired me so much. It made me change the way I act, it made me choose whose good for me and whose bad, it made me grateful. Chains is a very sad but beautiful story, I would recommend it to everyone. Its a unique story about one of the millions of slaves who unfortunately had a rough life. I love this book so much and I ensure that anyone who reads it will. Thank you.

God this is a hard question. Im a history nerd so I need to think hard for this one... Okay with a lot of long hard thinking and consideration I have picked Audrey Hepburn. I pick Audrey because my dream is to be an actress and she is to this day one of the most successful actresses in the world. I recently watched her documentary and I realized how alike we are. Audrey originally wanted to be a dancer but then she took a shot at acting, like I originally wanted to be a singer then I took a shot at acting and now I'm the happiest that I could be! I admire Audrey so much. She has had a really rough life, she attended boarding school during world war 2 which resulted in a food shortage that left the kids with malnutrition. All of her dance teachers told her that she wasn't good enough, no one helped her, her father left at a very young age so Audrey was practically left to strive on her own! Just a little girl alone in the 1900s. Audrey has the same drive I do, she is passionate and every move she makes is for herself. She knows what she wants and she fights for it. She also knows that the journey is hard but she still went for it. Audrey is my role model and I aspire to be like her. I know I'm going to make it, and Audrey is one of the reasons why <3. Thank you.

The biggest problem facing the world right now is homophobia. Homophobia is being normalized which is not okay. People are allowed to love who they want to, and be who they want to. Why is it fair that people can bully and bring down others just because of their sexual orientation!? This is the biggest problem because people are being targeted for being part of lgbtq+, people are loosing opportunities for being lgbtq+, people are being discriminated because of lgbtq+! This is not okay at all. Food chains have also started funding for homophobic organizations, like chick-fil-a. It recent came out that they fund these homophobic organizations. If restaurants get shut down for funding racist groups then so should restaurants that fund homophobic ones. People still buy from these restaurants all the time helping the homophobics! They take your money and use it for their funds! Come on now, its 2021 if we have new technology being developed then there's no reason why being lgbtq+ should be a problem! Why does it matter what other people do if it doesn't concern you, I just don't understand at all. You don't have to be part of the community to help, I am straight and not part of it but I am still helping because if you see a problem then fix it. So homophobia is the biggest issue in the world right now. Thank you.

I have many goals for my medical career! I want to be a psychiatrist, I want to study mental illnesses and help people from all over the world and in different age groups overcome their challenges. I want to change the world by bringing in new methods to cope with illness, I want to teach people how to embrace their flaws and not try to hide it. I believe that it's important to increase racial diversity in healthcare because everyone deserves to have the same access to their doctors and medicines. People tend to help people of their own race before people who aren't their own race, it's just a human thing and even though its so messed up its something that we can't help ourselves from doing. Which is why we need to increase the racial diversity in healthcare! So many people are always denied of treatments because of their race, for example in this show called All American Spencer James who is African American was shot and rushed into the emergency room and the white doctors all said that they couldn't save him, but it only took one black doctor to step in and save his life because she cared enough. She knew that he could've been her son, her brother, her cousin, anyone that she loves. This is a perfect example of why we need to prioritize the racial diversity in not only health care but in all government services because racism and stereotypes are real. It's a problem that will sadly never be fixed. The least we can do is use this negative energy and turn it into a safe system that will benefit everyone. Thank you.