Growing up as a first-generation Mexican-American, I’ve lived a life shaped by sacrifice, survival, and the relentless pursuit of justice. My mother, a single parent who immigrated from Mexico, gave up her dreams of a professional career to raise me. She worked long hours in physically demanding jobs, often in silence, never complaining. Whenever I was faced with trouble, she did everything she could to raise me up. Her sacrifices were the foundation of my future, she traded her ambitions so I could have the freedom to chase mine. Her strength became my blueprint. But life tested that strength in ways I never imagined. As a young woman, I found myself in an abusive relationship that left me emotionally shattered and questioning my worth. Escaping that situation was one of the hardest things I have ever done, especially as a single mother trying to protect my child. It wasn’t just about leaving, it was about reclaiming my identity and rebuilding a life from the ashes of trauma (my mother often compares me to a phoenix). Tragedy struck again when I lost two of my brothers to gun violence. Their deaths were sudden, senseless, and devastating. They were young men with dreams, laughter, and love to give (one of them leaving behind my nephew) but they became statistics in a system that too often fails communities like mine. The grief was unbearable, but it also lit a fire in me. I could not sit back and accept that this was the reality for people who look like us, live like us, and struggle like us. These experiences have led me to pursue a career in criminal justice. I want to be part of the change. I want to advocate for victims, challenge systemic failures, and help build safer communities. My journey isn’t just academic, it is deeply personal. Every class I take, every paper I write, is fueled by the memory of my mother’s sacrifices, my own survival, my daughter and the lives of my brothers. Being a single mother in college isn’t easy. Balancing parenting, working, studying, and healing takes everything I have. But I carry the strength of generations, my mother’s resilience, my own determination, my daughters well-being and future, and the legacy of my brothers. I am not just pursuing a degree, I am pursuing justice. Not only for my own family, but for all the people who live and suffer in silence. I am committed to breaking cycles of violence and inequality, and to building a future where stories like mine are no longer common, but extraordinary.