One year ago, I lay defeated on my bed, thinking about what I should have said or done during an argument with a close friend. I was frankly disappointed and disgusted at my level of cowardice, and even astonished at the cost of my silence. I had allowed myself to be brutally reprimanded by someone that I held dear to me, and not once did I advocate for myself - not once. I had lost a friend as a consequence of my silence, and not having the ability to explain my side of things. I didn’t want to hurt or lose anyone else in my life, and I decided that speaking up was the only way I would survive in this world. The termination of a friendship had catalyzed the end of my silence. I wanted to change. I was never very good at standing up for myself. For someone like me who has struggled with anxiety all my life, and for someone who is naturally an extremely reserved person, I knew this was going to be hard to overcome. However, I started reading about Mahatma Gandhi, a renowned historical figure who contributed significantly to India’s independence from British rule. Growing up, Gandhi was extremely shy and quiet. Books became his companions rather than other people. But when Gandhi saw that his people were suffering under British rule, he decided to terminate his silence, and fight for freedom in a revolutionary way, adhering to a non-violent methodology. Like Gandhi, I am still a very shy person. I try my best to avoid conversation at all times and find comfort in the voice of books. However, I am well aware of the perils of silence. I want to be able to advocate for those without a voice. I want to advocate for marginalized populations that do not have the privileges that I do. I want to be a great friend, daughter, and relative with my voice. And ultimately, I want to eradicate the crippling fear of inconveniencing people with my needs or thoughts. These thoughts motivated me to speak up, and slowly but surely, I began speaking up. During the summer of 2022, when another argument broke out with a different friend, I made sure to establish my thoughts and advocate for myself. I was extremely proud of myself for being able to do this because I have never been able to do this in my life. Even my friend was surprised I had spoken up, and she applauded me for doing so. Confrontation is something I have never liked, but it is a necessary aspect of life and interacting with others, and I feel I have developed some new skills in handling some contentious situations. I believe that this last year, which was full of conflicting circumstances, has taught me how to articulate myself calmly and professionally without becoming emotional. My communication abilities have significantly improved as a result, and I genuinely feel stronger than before. I want to encourage other individuals to stand up for themselves and be confident in their voices. Many people growing up were taught to remain silent, but silence is a common enemy that may do more harm than good. I have learned that silence is a form of fear. Fear can overtake one’s personality, essentially causing someone not to be their authentic selves. If you are leading through fear, you are no longer leading through who you are.

A lost Ikea piece from a desk set became my greatest friend. I was five years old, in Miami, Florida, when I initiated my educational journey in elementary school, and a small and shiny cylinder-shaped metal object- deemed useless by the IKEA instruction manual, became my greatest friend. I named him Fellow. He resided in my pocket - I took him everywhere. I loved that I could bring him with me to school, where I felt most anxious. I was born to two Hispanic parents. Spanish was the official household language, and English was seldom spoken within the house. I dreaded going to school solely because I was constantly ridiculed by my peers for not knowing a word of English. Fellow would calm me down from the constant feelings of inferiority I felt from not knowing English. I felt that he understood me more than anyone. While my teachers were very supportive in my burdensome journey of learning English, working extra hard to ensure that I learn the language adequately, Fellow was the center of my imaginative worlds and my ultimate companion in the real world. With Fellow’s guiding spirit, I motivated myself to push through the adversity and work extra hard to master the English Language. Eventually, I became one of the best writers in my class; learning English has allowed me to believe in myself, be resilient, and challenge myself for personalized growth. As a first-generation American, I reckon the challenges that my parents have faced. My parents immigrated to the US with intentions of raising my sister and I to be responsible Americans and to honor our civic duties. My dad was drafted into the army in his 20s in Spain. His family was in Florida at the time, and while he wanted to move, the draft unexpectedly complicated those plans. At that point, he had earned his college degree and knew that he wanted to continue with higher education - he grew up in a working-class family, and the value of education, in his mind and in his life, never lost its meaning. My mother grew up in Venezuela and experienced the highs and lows of being a Venezuelan citizen - seeing her country and people peak, and then severely and disastrously plummet. My mother witnessed her country turn from a democracy to a dictatorship. They both came to this country to build a stable future and life. To build a family with hope. My parents faced various hardships as immigrants in the United States. They had to learn a completely new language, struggled to find jobs, and faced xenophobia on a daily basis. Like my parents, I struggled to learn English as well, but my parents never had the support of anyone to learn the language. Thanks to my parent’s sacrifices, I have been given a high-quality education that has precipitated a plethora of opportunities for me. They have taught me the value of education, hard work, and the value of being an open-minded individual, always eager to learn new things. One thing in particular that I am thankful my parents have taught me is having an openness to other cultures. I have learned so much about cultures from all continents (except Antarctica) which has helped me understand the world a lot better. Learning about other cultures has shaped my mind in a way that not only eliminates harmful stereotypes towards cultures, but also enhances my social competence, increases my ability to meet new people, opens me up to new experiences, and much more. This mindset has influenced my cultural experiences in the United States significantly, by expanding my cuisine, practicing other cultures that are not American culture, learning about the history of other countries, learning languages besides English and Spanish, and much more. After a couple of years, my internal worlds began to transform. Instead of IKEA pieces, music became my avenue of exploration. This transition was catalyzed in the 6th grade when I was introduced to piano classes at school. Initially, I was reluctant to take this risk. The thought of having to perform in front of a large audience made me want to not take the class at all. But the moment I began playing, I felt as if I was giving life to a lifeless set of keys. I was sharing its story. And this story didn’t need words or pictures. It is storytelling through the articulation of pitches, rhythms, tempo, dynamics, and meter. I loved the feeling that music made me feel, and the minute I started playing the piano, I knew that composing and producing for others would be my dream profession, especially working at the intersection of music and activism for low-socioeconomic minority communities, and empowering musicians from my own community to develop and express their voice and unique sound. The community I feel to this day while producing and composing for others is something that has stayed with me and continues to inspire me to share the infinite stories of music with others. Music, at its core, is a canvas of emotions and a display of the complexities of the human experience. Music allowed me to feel emotions that I had never felt before. I see music as untamed creativity and curiosity in a world of structure. My passion and my purpose in this life is music. I am pursuing a degree in music and business so that my goal of working in the music industry can be obtained. I want to facilitate connection and community through music, and with hard work, dedication, and drive, I believe anything is possible.

The Heart of the Game is an exemplary film that portrays a basketball team, known as the Roughriders, and their star player, Darnellia Russell. The documentary presents the challenges that Darnellia faced for pursuing “heart,”; Darnellia had to overcome challenges such as racism, subpar academic qualifications, and personal issues, to become an excellent basketball player. With hard work, dedication, a strong mindset, and support, Darnellia combatted the obstacles in her way and earned the title of a star player, and became an inspiration to many. Like Darnellia, I must overcome the challenges that I face to pursue my heart. It has always been a dream of mine to pursue a job in the music industry, especially becoming a producer for other artists and working within the business side of the industry simultaneously. Breaking your name into the music industry is extremely rigorous, and much is expected of you. Today, women only make up 21.7 percent of artists, 12.3 percent of songwriters, and 2.1 percent of producers. Knowing that I want to become a producer, I must work very hard and break the gender barrier; I must break the stereotypes that are harmful to women and additionally empower other women who want to seek a career in the male-dominated industry. Furthermore, authenticity is scarce in the music industry; in other words, many artists act in an ingenious way to get what they desire. My entire life, I have struggled with being myself with others. If I want to make an impact on the music industry I must learn how to be myself publicly, and stop leading through fear, because fear is what pilfers one’s authenticity. Desiring a job as a music producer who will also work within the business side, I have various goals I want to accomplish. My professional goals include working towards making the music industry more sustainable, working at the intersection of music and activism for low-socioeconomic communities, and empowering musicians from within my own community to develop and express their voice and unique sound. I believe these goals may be possible to attain with a college education, the highest level of education being a Master’s Degree Program. Double Majoring in Business and Music Business will educate me on how to successfully administrate a business, produce music professionally, network, plan, perform advanced calculations, and much more. Taking electives such as public speaking will allow me to learn how to form professional arguments on the spot and hence prepare me for situations where I must advocate for people like minorities in the music industry. Other opportunities offered to me by a college education are internship and research opportunities, which are very valuable towards seeking a career in the music industry. Pursuing my heart in this life is not simple; I must combat personal and societal challenges daily. But fear is the worst enemy that one could have. Fear can overtake creativity, essentially causing someone to not be their authentic selves. If you are leading through fear you are no longer leading through who you are. Without fear, we have the ability to tap into creativity. We have more ability to be led by creativity, instead of fear. I am pursuing my heart by fighting the voice inside my head that tells me not to step into my uncomfortable zone. I am pursuing my heart by taking risks and being the person that society does not want me to be. I am pursuing my heart by working hard. And lastly, I am pursuing my heart by challenging myself in academic settings.

It was February 18 of 2008, when I witnessed my mother crying hysterically on the floor after my dad had told her some life-changing events; my dad was diagnosed with a brain tumor, and the doctors were particularly perturbed about its rapid formation. Following that day, my household precipitated feelings of utter gloom. I observed my parent’s faces carefully; their eyes, eyebrows, and mouths were drawn downwards, and not a word was spoken from them. It was as if the existence of my parents was sucked out of them. Moments later, my aunt had arrived at my house. She would be taking care of both my sister and me for various weeks while my mother would accompany my father to the Jackson Memorial Hospital. Being five years old at the time, I was addled. I was not comprehending the situation. I was mostly disturbed by the fact that I wasn’t going to spend time with my parents for multiple weeks, and I was devastated. To help take care of me, my grandpa also arrived at my house. I noticed something peculiar as he walked past the front door; he held a large brown package in his arms. “I brought you something you might enjoy!” said my grandpa. I loved surprises, and his kind actions brought me at ease from the current situation. I unboxed the package on my own, and I realized he had bought me a small Yamaha Keyboard. I had absolutely no idea how to play the piano, but regardless, I set up the keyboard, plugged in the cable, and started playing random tunes on the piano. Despite having zero musical background, I was able to figure out the notes to popular songs at the time from artists like Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, and Britney Spears. It made me happy. A few weeks later I was allowed to visit my father at the hospital. I was exhilarated to see him and my mother. I saw my father for the first time in two weeks, and I noticed his hair was gone. I ignored that small detail, and I gave him a massive hug. My father said that he was very happy; he had the support from the family he loved most, but listening to music had helped him significantly. I saw the effect music had on him - he had a completely different mood from when I saw him several weeks ago. He was a hopeful, jubilant man now. Fortunately, after a couple of months of chemotherapy, listening to music, and spending time with us, my father was healed, and he became an official cancer survivor. It was that moment when I realized the significance that music had on his life. To this day, he claims that he would not have made it without music. Music became his big support system, and it became mine too. A few years later, I decided I wanted to learn the piano. Initially, I was reluctant. The thought of having to perform in front of a large audience made me not want to learn it at all. But the moment I began playing, I felt as if I was giving life to a lifeless set of keys. I was sharing its story. And this story didn’t need words or pictures. It is storytelling through the articulation of pitches, rhythms, tempo, dynamics, and meter. I finally understood the feeling that music made my dad feel. Music became the way I communicated with others because words often fail me. The community I feel while playing is something that has stayed with me and continues to inspire me to share the infinite stories of music with others. My professional goals in the music industry include working at the intersection of music and activism for low-socioeconomic communities, empowering musicians from within my own community to develop and express their voice and unique sound, produce for renowned artists, and save the lives of people through music, just like how music saved my dad’s life. I believe these goals will be attainable with a postsecondary education, as I will learn about the rapidly changing industry and the business behind it, while simultaneously learn how to produce professionally.

We live in a world where the lives of the innocent are constantly taken from them; stolen. Corrupt governments starve their own people to death, the selfishness and covetousness of mankind prowl throughout the land and rob the people of their lives and their home, parental figures betray their role and abuse their children, terminal illnesses devour the hope of an individual and their family, and many more unimaginable, dreadful events occur daily. As an avid member of the Roman-Catholic church, I have been lectured from a very young age about Jesus Christ and his mission on Earth. I was instructed on the perils of sin, and how no one is innocent in the sense of being sinless; we were all born with the Original sin. However, one lecture that truly captured my attention was how your own sinning affects others. Most people sin thinking it will only negatively affect themselves, but the reality is it can affect everyone else around you. As I began to mature, I realized that as horrifying as it may seem, children suffer from other people’s sins. They may be abused by their own parents, taken advantage of by the world for their naivety, be maleducated by their parents, and much more. While it is distressing to see the world suffer, it is particularly anguishing to see a child suffer, as they are the most innocent people in the world. A child will have a hard time defending themselves from the cruel world that we live in, due to their righteousness and naivety. Because of the valuable lectures I have had from a young age, and the countless epiphanies I have encountered, I have learned that I must advocate for those who do not have a voice, who cannot defend themselves, and for those who are suffering significantly. The unborn is a group of people that I especially advocate for. Their health, their life, and their conditions are solely dependent on their maternal figure. If the mother does not make the wisest decisions, the child will be affected by her decisions, and possibly even killed. Unfortunately, abortion is very common, and the reasons it is performed varies. According to the Population Reference Bureau, 25% of pregnancies ends in abortions worldwide. God is in charge of life and death. We cannot decide death for a person. Killing an unborn baby is equally as evil as killing a born person. Every life is precious, and that is something many people forget when they choose to get an abortion. Children are a gift from the Lord, and those who hurt them, are rejecting God’s blessing. While abortion is a controversial topic that most people avoid, I make my position very clear to everyone, and advocate for human life. I raise awareness about the dangers of abortion on the media, and while I recieve a plethora of hateful messages, I remind myself that I must stand strong and protect the innocent. I have also assisted in the collection of diapers, for the strong and brave women who despite their difficult circumstances, trusted in The Lord and kept their baby. I am very thankful to have been educated on the meaning of life from a young age; I will always defend human life no matter what.

A lost Ikea piece from a desk set became my greatest friend. I was five years old, in Miami, Florida, when I initiated my educational journey in elementary school, and a small and shiny cylinder-shaped metal object- deemed useless by the IKEA instruction manual, became my greatest friend. I named him Fellow. He resided in my pocket - I took him everywhere. I loved that I could bring him with me to school, where I felt most anxious. I was born to two Hispanic parents. Spanish was the official household language, and English was seldom spoken within the house. I dreaded going to school solely because I was constantly ridiculed by my peers for not knowing a word of English. Fellow would calm me down from the constant feelings of inferiority I felt from not knowing English. I felt that he understood me more than anyone. While my teachers were very supportive in my burdensome journey of learning English, working extra hard to ensure that I learn the language adequately, Fellow was the center of my imaginative worlds and my ultimate companion in the real world. With Fellow’s guiding spirit, I motivated myself to push through the adversity and work extra hard to master the English Language. Eventually, I became one of the best writers in my class; learning English has allowed me to believe in myself, be resilient, and challenge myself for personalized growth. My internal worlds began to transform. Instead of IKEA pieces, music became my avenue of exploration. This transition was catalyzed in the 6th grade, when I was introduced to piano classes at school. Initially, I was reluctant to take this risk. The thought of having to perform in front of a large audience made me want to not take the class at all. But the moment I began playing, I felt as if I was giving life to a lifeless set of keys. I was sharing its story. And this story didn’t need words or pictures. It is storytelling through the articulation of pitches, rhythms, tempo, dynamics and meter. I loved the feeling that music made me feel, and the minute I started playing the piano, I knew that composing and producing for others would be my dream profession, especially working at the intersection of music and activism for low-socioeconomic communities, and empowering musicians from my own community to develop and express their voice and unique sound. The community I feel to this day while producing and composing for others is something that has stayed with me and continues to inspire me to share the infinite stories of music with others. Music, at its core, is a canvas of emotions and a display of the complexities of the human experience. Music allowed me to feel emotions that I had never felt before, and view music as untamed creativity and curiosity in a world of structure. I want to facilitate connection and community through music.