In a small coastal city in São Paulo, Brazil, my life changed dramatically at eight when I witnessed my mother get beaten by her boyfriend. Helpless and screaming for assistance, it seemed that no one cared. Living in fear, I, a mere child, had to adapt to the harsh reality of constant change, moving from city to city. Throughout school, I faced bullying for being shy. In 2019, I discovered painting as a therapeutic passion. Growing up in a less affluent neighborhood, art became my cure for negative thoughts. I share my story for empowerment, using my art to help others while embracing my cultural heritage in the future. Even after years, my family and I still struggle to afford school and support my education. This financial challenge caught us by surprise as a first-generation student, and we weren't prepared. A scholarship would enable me to continue pursuing my dreams. Unfortunately, I'm currently burdened with debts from my semester abroad, and my job doesn't cover it. I'm seeking assistance to overcome these financial challenges. With the assistance of this scholarship, I could cover my educational expenses and set aside funds for my upcoming semesters at Ursinus College.

My existence revolves around films; I was raised immersed in the cinematic experience, captivated by a world where anything is possible. Within the realm of cinema, I could shed tears, burst into laughter, experience empathy, and establish connections with friends and family in ways that are typically unattainable. Films unite individuals, prompting them to discover shared experiences and common passions. I have a personal appreciation for science fiction and thriller films. They compel me to concentrate on the narrative, preventing me from even blinking for a moment to ensure I don't miss anything. Movies of that nature cause my heart to race. I appreciate how the storyline consistently keeps me guessing until its conclusion. Yet, within comedic films, I discover myself savoring the moment with laughter. That's when I experience a challenging day and simply need to give my mind a break without delving into deep thoughts. On the contrary, drama films are the ones that consistently evoke tears and stir me emotionally. Numerous dramatic films have had a profound impact on my life, but one that is etched in my memory is “La Vita e Bella” / “Life is Beautiful.” The narrative revolves around a Jewish family brought to concentration camps during the Holocaust, and their relentless efforts to remain united as a family until the very end. This 1997 film made me recognize the beauty of life and the importance of cherishing every moment. Life is swift, racing like light speed – imperceptible until you realize that ten, twenty, thirty years have swiftly passed. If I were to select only one film to watch for the remainder of my life, my choice would be “Life is Beautiful” as it holds a special place in my heart, being one of the initial dramatic movies I experienced as a child. My mom introduced me to it, and within a few minutes into the film, I could sense the profound essence of family. This film made me realize there is malice in the world. Despite evoking sadness, this movie instilled in me a sense of hope, as I held onto the belief that the central family could reunite once more. This film instilled in me the belief in advocating for love, as it holds greater significance. That's the film that resonates with my mom and me; we both empathize with the characters, shed tears for their struggles, and share the collective hope that they reach a positive conclusion. It's a film that, despite its melancholic narrative, exemplifies compassion and fosters empathy for others. Regardless of how many times I watch this film, it unfailingly stirs emotions and brings tears to my eyes.

On the coast of São Paulo, in a small city in Brazil, I was eight years old when my life changed. In a scene that I had never imagined occurring before, my mother got beat by her boyfriend. My brother and I watched helplessly. Screaming and trying to get help, it seems that no one cared. Living with fear, I was only a kid who had to adapt to a cruel world. My life was always changing, always different as I moved from city to city. In sixth grade, I was bullied by classmates for being overly shy. Throughout the ninth grade, they continued to ridicule me, calling me snobby, selfish, and arrogant. As a result, I didn't have friends. In 2019 I experienced painting for the first time and then art became my passion. The mixture of colors, the texture, is unbelievable how it keeps me remarkably focused. Painting converted into my therapy, which gives me a sensation of freedom to open my feelings. I grew up in a less wealthy neighborhood and under less favorable circumstances in Brazil. I've had to go through a lot since I was a child. Art was my cure, my healing. It was what saved me from the negative thoughts that were filling my mind. Reflecting on my history sometimes helps me fully comprehend myself, and I feel comfortable to share this since I'm certain I might be able to encourage someone with similar experiences. I choose to use my story as a way of empowerment to be my inspiration although it should make me grieve for many. In the future, my artistic dream is to be able to help people using my art while embracing my cultural heritage. My primary goal in life as an art major is to make a difference. Art is what draws people together and adds color to a dark world. In the future, I hope to open a studio in impoverished areas where individuals of all ages and conditions may come and paint for free. That way, they could spend their time expressing themselves. Because most underserved groups are silenced and marginalized, I plan to utilize this to encourage them to turn to art rather than violence. With donations from other groups and organizations, the studio would provide free food and clothing to individuals in need. I intend to serve as a resource for those in crisis. When I paint, I always make an attempt to portray my feelings and convey a message to the audience. I will support causes in which I believe, and I will utilize my voice and artistic ability to stand up for those who cannot. The capacity to utilize art constructively and to bring people together is what motivates me to pursue art. In addition, as a psychology minor, I would like to use my skills to assist others. Using art therapy can assist those who have experienced trauma in understanding and expressing their feelings and thoughts. A lot of people don't consider art as something important in society, however art is part of history. Through painting, I can release all those awful feelings and sentiments I felt because of my past. I understood that we should not ignore our sadness and instead use our sorrow to rise.

Some may argue that money is everything, but does it genuinely provide happiness? or simply the pleasure of obtaining new things? because having millions and living in a gray world is pointless. My primary goal in life as an art major is to make a difference. Art is what draws people together and adds color to a dark world. In the future, I hope to open a studio in impoverished areas where individuals of all ages and conditions may come and paint for free. That way, they could spend their time expressing themselves. Because most underserved groups are silenced and marginalized, I plan to utilize this to encourage them to turn to art rather than violence. With donations from other groups and organizations, the studio would provide free food and clothing to individuals in need. I intend to serve as a resource for those in crisis. When I paint, I always attempt to portray my feelings and convey a message to the audience. I will support causes in which I believe, and I will utilize my voice and artistic ability to stand up for those who cannot. The capacity to utilize art constructively and to bring people together is what motivates me to pursue art. I grew up in a less wealthy neighborhood and under less favorable circumstances in Brazil. I've had to go through a lot since I was a child. Art was my cure, my healing. It was what saved me from the negative thoughts that were filling my mind. Reflecting on my history sometimes helps me fully comprehend myself, and I feel comfortable sharing this since I'm certain I might be able to encourage someone with similar experiences. I choose to use my story as a way of empowerment to be my inspiration although it should make me grieve for many. In the future, my artistic dream is to be able to help people using my art while embracing my cultural heritage. In addition, as a psychology minor, I would like to use my skills to assist others. Using art therapy can assist those who have experienced trauma in understanding and expressing their feelings and thoughts. A lot of people don't consider art as something important in society, however, art is part of history. Through painting, I can release all those awful feelings and sentiments I felt because of my past. I understood that we should not ignore our sadness and instead use our sorrow to rise.

Some may argue that money is everything, but does it genuinely provide happiness? or simply the pleasure of obtaining new things? because having millions and living in a gray world is pointless. My primary goal in life as an art major is to make a difference. Art is what draws people together and adds color to a dark world. In the future, I hope to open a studio in impoverished areas where individuals of all ages and conditions may come and paint for free. That way, they could spend their time expressing themselves. Because most underserved groups are silenced and marginalized, I plan to utilize this to encourage them to turn to art rather than violence. With donations from other groups and organizations, the studio would provide free food and clothing to individuals in need. I intend to serve as a resource for those in crisis. When I paint, I always attempt to portray my feelings and convey a message to the audience. I will support causes in which I believe, and I will utilize my voice and artistic ability to stand up for those who cannot. The capacity to utilize art constructively and to bring people together is what motivates me to pursue art. I grew up in a less wealthy neighborhood and under less favorable circumstances in Brazil. I've had to go through a lot since I was a child. Art was my cure, my healing. It was what saved me from the negative thoughts that were filling my mind. Reflecting on my history sometimes helps me fully comprehend myself, and I feel comfortable sharing this since I'm certain I might be able to encourage someone with similar experiences. I choose to use my story as a way of empowerment to be my inspiration although it should make me grieve for many. In the future, my artistic dream is to be able to help people using my art while embracing my cultural heritage. In addition, as a psychology minor, I would like to use my skills to assist others. Using art therapy can assist those who have experienced trauma in understanding and expressing their feelings and thoughts. A lot of people don't consider art as something important in society, however, art is part of history. Through painting, I can release all those awful feelings and sentiments I felt because of my past. I understood that we should not ignore our sadness and instead use our sorrow to rise.

On the coast of São Paulo, in a small city in Brazil, I was eight years old when my life changed. In a scene that I had never imagined occurring before, my mother got beat by her boyfriend. My brother and I watched helplessly. Screaming and trying to get help, it seems that no one cared. Living with fear, I was only a kid who had to adapt to a cruel world. My life was always changing, always different as I moved from city to city. In sixth grade, I was bullied by classmates for being overly shy. Throughout the ninth grade, they continued to ridicule me, calling me snobby, selfish, and arrogant. As a result, I didn't have friends. In 2019 I experienced painting for the first time and then art became my passion. The mixture of colors, the texture, is unbelievable how it keeps me remarkably focused. Painting converted into my therapy, which gives me a sensation of freedom to open my feelings. The ability to use art positively, and to bring humanity together is what drives me to pursue art. Reflecting on my history sometimes helps me fully understand myself, and I do feel free to share this since I realize I might be able to encourage someone with a similar story. I choose to use my story as a way of empowerment to be my inspiration although it should make me grieve for many. In the future, my artistic dream is to be able to help people using my art while embracing my cultural heritage. In this current day, I acknowledge that the past is a massive portion of the future and affects everything. I learned that we should not neglect the sadness and be happy all the time, but instead use our sorrow to rise.

Happiness is the one thing that since the beginning of time everyone has searched for. But what truly makes someone happy? Well, my happiness comes from simple things such as making someone smile and helping others. However, what keeps me living and gives me the joy to wake up every day is painting. My true happiness came from art, I cannot think enough words to explain how I feel when I paint. The mixture of colors, the texture, is unbelievable how it keeps me remarkably focused. Painting converted into my therapy, which gives me a sensation of freedom to open my feelings. Through painting, I can release all those awful feelings and sentiments I felt because of my past. My happiness is more than only mine, my happiness contributes also to other's happiness, I like to paint because adds colors to a dark world, because it produces creativity, and it brings humanity. Some people can say that money is everything but it truly gives happiness? or just the satisfaction of having new things? because there is no worth in having million and living and a grey world. My love for art increases every day and my happiness will extend to become someone else's happiness. Using art is my way to color the world and make people smile and this is "what makes me happy."