My biggest failure in life is not being true to my identity. I have struggled all my life in financial hardships, my mental health and identity issues. I believe that this scholarship will help me achieve my academic and career goals. My ancestry, identity, culture and obstacles molded me and my values. My sexuality is something that I hold dearly. Nevertheless, it conflicts with my identity as a Christian, gay Latino merely by being seen as shameful in my culture. My religion shuns homosexuals because people who adhere to my religion believe it is a lustful, adulterous act caused by the flesh. But, my sexuality isn’t perverted. It is romantic, intimate, loving, and natural. As different as it looks to some, I see my sexuality just like I see nature: it is colorful, joyous, peaceful, and sacred, but fragile. My relationships, too, felt capricious, and heavily impacted by my surroundings. They could last a lifetime or they too could be erased away by prejudiced beliefs. Personal adversity, as I have come to learn, has a way of festering, of growing from a single issue and expanding, wickedly, to other parts of our lives. The seed of my troubles is homophobia. I decided to keep my sexuality away from my parents instead of facing their harsh criticism. Knowing that their religious convictions would add to the problem of isolation that I already felt. Keeping my parents in the dark for all that time had a deleterious effect. They eventually found out, which put me at a high risk of homelessness unless I "prayed the gay away." After this conflict erupted, I became less motivated and more anxious and depressed as a result. My family, with detractors and supporters, mirrored the wider world: many will not understand why I have chosen to express my identity over their prescriptive role of a stereotypical Latino. Others will question my actions. Some may look upon me with eyes of disgust. Many embrace my facade but do not embrace me. I understand the risks involved with pursuing my identity. There would be unfair consequences once my family found out: everyone I have known and grown to love would reject me, all because of verses in a Bible that they preach but do not live. Eventually, I learned that I am worthy of being myself instead of selecting between whom I am told to be and who I truly am. All my life, I have had to choose which parts of my identity to destroy or suppress for my family's sake. However, school was always my safe space. My friends and teachers have always supported me in my life. At home, I was never allowed to be myself. At school, there were clubs, staff, and a community of scholars whom I connected with and grew among. This past year, I searched for where I fit. I am Christian, Latino, Guatemalan, and gay. I want to explore my oppressed identity at Cornell, by joining clubs with students from all walks of life or supporting fellow students along the process. It is hard for me to say the three essential words that most teens my age can say. One day, I will say them to my family, and perhaps to a family of my own.

My biggest failure in life is not being true to my identity. I have struggled all my life in financial hardships, my mental health and identity issues. I believe that this scholarship will help me achieve my academic and career goals. My ancestry, identity, culture and obstacles molded me and my values. My sexuality is something that I hold dearly. Nevertheless, it conflicts with my identity as a Christian, gay Latino merely by being seen as shameful in my culture. My religion shuns homosexuals because people who adhere to my religion believe it is a lustful, adulterous act caused by the flesh. But, my sexuality isn’t perverted. It is romantic, intimate, loving, and natural. As different as it looks to some, I see my sexuality just like I see nature: it is colorful, joyous, peaceful, and sacred, but fragile. My relationships, too, felt capricious, and heavily impacted by my surroundings. They could last a lifetime or they too could be erased away by prejudiced beliefs. Personal adversity, as I have come to learn, has a way of festering, of growing from a single issue and expanding, wickedly, to other parts of our lives. The seed of my troubles is homophobia. I decided to keep my sexuality away from my parents instead of facing their harsh criticism. Knowing that their religious convictions would add to the problem of isolation that I already felt. Keeping my parents in the dark for all that time had a deleterious effect. They eventually found out, which put me at a high risk of homelessness unless I "prayed the gay away." After this conflict erupted, I became less motivated and more anxious and depressed as a result. My family, with detractors and supporters, mirrored the wider world: many will not understand why I have chosen to express my identity over their prescriptive role of a stereotypical Latino. Others will question my actions. Some may look upon me with eyes of disgust. Many embrace my facade but do not embrace me. I understand the risks involved with pursuing my identity. There would be unfair consequences once my family found out: everyone I have known and grown to love would reject me, all because of verses in a Bible that they preach but do not live. Eventually, I learned that I am worthy of being myself instead of selecting between whom I am told to be and who I truly am. All my life, I have had to choose which parts of my identity to destroy or suppress for my family's sake. However, school was always my safe space. My friends and teachers have always supported me in my life. At home, I was never allowed to be myself. At school, there were clubs, staff, and a community of scholars whom I connected with and grew among. This past year, I searched for where I fit. I am Christian, Latino, Guatemalan, and gay. I want to explore my oppressed identity at Cornell, by joining clubs with students from all walks of life or supporting fellow students along the process. It is hard for me to say the three essential words that most teens my age can say. One day, I will say them to my family, and perhaps to a family of my own.

My biggest failure in life is not being true to my identity. I have struggled all my life in financial hardships, my mental health and identity issues. I believe that this scholarship will help me achieve my academic and career goals. My ancestry, identity, culture and obstacles molded me and my values. My sexuality is something that I hold dearly. Nevertheless, it conflicts with my identity as a Christian, gay Latino merely by being seen as shameful in my culture. My religion shuns homosexuals because people who adhere to my religion believe it is a lustful, adulterous act caused by the flesh. But, my sexuality isn’t perverted. It is romantic, intimate, loving, and natural. As different as it looks to some, I see my sexuality just like I see nature: it is colorful, joyous, peaceful, and sacred, but fragile. My relationships, too, felt capricious, and heavily impacted by my surroundings. They could last a lifetime or they too could be erased away by prejudiced beliefs. Personal adversity, as I have come to learn, has a way of festering, of growing from a single issue and expanding, wickedly, to other parts of our lives. The seed of my troubles is homophobia. I decided to keep my sexuality away from my parents instead of facing their harsh criticism. Knowing that their religious convictions would add to the problem of isolation that I already felt. Keeping my parents in the dark for all that time had a deleterious effect. They eventually found out, which put me at a high risk of homelessness unless I "prayed the gay away." After this conflict erupted, I became less motivated and more anxious and depressed as a result. My family, with detractors and supporters, mirrored the wider world: many will not understand why I have chosen to express my identity over their prescriptive role of a stereotypical Latino. Others will question my actions. Some may look upon me with eyes of disgust. Many embrace my facade but do not embrace me. I understand the risks involved with pursuing my identity. There would be unfair consequences once my family found out: everyone I have known and grown to love would reject me, all because of verses in a Bible that they preach but do not live. Eventually, I learned that I am worthy of being myself instead of selecting between whom I am told to be and who I truly am. All my life, I have had to choose which parts of my identity to destroy or suppress for my family's sake. However, school was always my safe space. My friends and teachers have always supported me in my life. At home, I was never allowed to be myself. At school, there were clubs, staff, and a community of scholars whom I connected with and grew among. This past year, I searched for where I fit. I am Christian, Latino, Guatemalan, and gay. I want to explore my oppressed identity at Cornell, by joining clubs with students from all walks of life or supporting fellow students along the process. It is hard for me to say the three essential words that most teens my age can say. One day, I will say them to my family, and perhaps to a family of my own.

My biggest failure in life is not being true to my identity. I have struggled all my life in financial hardships, my mental health and identity issues. I believe that this scholarship will help me achieve my academic and career goals. My ancestry, identity, culture and obstacles molded me and my values. My sexuality is something that I hold dearly. Nevertheless, it conflicts with my identity as a Christian, gay Latino merely by being seen as shameful in my culture. My religion shuns homosexuals because people who adhere to my religion believe it is a lustful, adulterous act caused by the flesh. But, my sexuality isn’t perverted. It is romantic, intimate, loving, and natural. As different as it looks to some, I see my sexuality just like I see nature: it is colorful, joyous, peaceful, and sacred, but fragile. My relationships, too, felt capricious, and heavily impacted by my surroundings. They could last a lifetime or they too could be erased away by prejudiced beliefs. Personal adversity, as I have come to learn, has a way of festering, of growing from a single issue and expanding, wickedly, to other parts of our lives. The seed of my troubles is homophobia. I decided to keep my sexuality away from my parents instead of facing their harsh criticism. Knowing that their religious convictions would add to the problem of isolation that I already felt. Keeping my parents in the dark for all that time had a deleterious effect. They eventually found out, which put me at a high risk of homelessness unless I "prayed the gay away." After this conflict erupted, I became less motivated and more anxious and depressed as a result. My family, with detractors and supporters, mirrored the wider world: many will not understand why I have chosen to express my identity over their prescriptive role of a stereotypical Latino. Others will question my actions. Some may look upon me with eyes of disgust. Many embrace my facade but do not embrace me. I understand the risks involved with pursuing my identity. There would be unfair consequences once my family found out: everyone I have known and grown to love would reject me, all because of verses in a Bible that they preach but do not live. Eventually, I learned that I am worthy of being myself instead of selecting between whom I am told to be and who I truly am. All my life, I have had to choose which parts of my identity to destroy or suppress for my family's sake. However, school was always my safe space. My friends and teachers have always supported me in my life. At home, I was never allowed to be myself. At school, there were clubs, staff, and a community of scholars whom I connected with and grew among. This past year, I searched for where I fit. I am Christian, Latino, Guatemalan, and gay. I want to explore my oppressed identity at Cornell, by joining clubs with students from all walks of life or supporting fellow students along the process. It is hard for me to say the three essential words that most teens my age can say. One day, I will say them to my family, and perhaps to a family of my own.

My biggest failure in life is not being true to my identity. I have struggled all my life in financial hardships, my mental health and identity issues. I believe that this scholarship will help me achieve my academic and career goals. My ancestry, identity, culture and obstacles molded me and my values. My sexuality is something that I hold dearly. Nevertheless, it conflicts with my identity as a Christian, gay Latino merely by being seen as shameful in my culture. My religion shuns homosexuals because people who adhere to my religion believe it is a lustful, adulterous act caused by the flesh. But, my sexuality isn’t perverted. It is romantic, intimate, loving, and natural. As different as it looks to some, I see my sexuality just like I see nature: it is colorful, joyous, peaceful, and sacred, but fragile. My relationships, too, felt capricious, and heavily impacted by my surroundings. They could last a lifetime or they too could be erased away by prejudiced beliefs. Personal adversity, as I have come to learn, has a way of festering, of growing from a single issue and expanding, wickedly, to other parts of our lives. The seed of my troubles is homophobia. I decided to keep my sexuality away from my parents instead of facing their harsh criticism. Knowing that their religious convictions would add to the problem of isolation that I already felt. Keeping my parents in the dark for all that time had a deleterious effect. They eventually found out, which put me at a high risk of homelessness unless I "prayed the gay away." After this conflict erupted, I became less motivated and more anxious and depressed as a result. My family, with detractors and supporters, mirrored the wider world: many will not understand why I have chosen to express my identity over their prescriptive role of a stereotypical Latino. Others will question my actions. Some may look upon me with eyes of disgust. Many embrace my facade but do not embrace me. I understand the risks involved with pursuing my identity. There would be unfair consequences once my family found out: everyone I have known and grown to love would reject me, all because of verses in a Bible that they preach but do not live. Eventually, I learned that I am worthy of being myself instead of selecting between whom I am told to be and who I truly am. All my life, I have had to choose which parts of my identity to destroy or suppress for my family's sake. However, school was always my safe space. My friends and teachers have always supported me in my life. At home, I was never allowed to be myself. At school, there were clubs, staff, and a community of scholars whom I connected with and grew among. This past year, I searched for where I fit. I am Christian, Latino, Guatemalan, and gay. I want to explore my oppressed identity at Cornell, by joining clubs with students from all walks of life or supporting fellow students along the process. It is hard for me to say the three essential words that most teens my age can say. One day, I will say them to my family, and perhaps to a family of my own.

My biggest failure in life is not being true to my identity. I have struggled all my life in financial hardships, my mental health and identity issues. I believe that this scholarship will help me achieve my academic and career goals. My ancestry, identity, culture and obstacles molded me and my values. My sexuality is something that I hold dearly. Nevertheless, it conflicts with my identity as a Christian, gay Latino merely by being seen as shameful in my culture. My religion shuns homosexuals because people who adhere to my religion believe it is a lustful, adulterous act caused by the flesh. But, my sexuality isn’t perverted. It is romantic, intimate, loving, and natural. As different as it looks to some, I see my sexuality just like I see nature: it is colorful, joyous, peaceful, and sacred, but fragile. My relationships, too, felt capricious, and heavily impacted by my surroundings. They could last a lifetime or they too could be erased away by prejudiced beliefs. Personal adversity, as I have come to learn, has a way of festering, of growing from a single issue and expanding, wickedly, to other parts of our lives. The seed of my troubles is homophobia. I decided to keep my sexuality away from my parents instead of facing their harsh criticism. Knowing that their religious convictions would add to the problem of isolation that I already felt. Keeping my parents in the dark for all that time had a deleterious effect. They eventually found out, which put me at a high risk of homelessness unless I "prayed the gay away." After this conflict erupted, I became less motivated and more anxious and depressed as a result. My family, with detractors and supporters, mirrored the wider world: many will not understand why I have chosen to express my identity over their prescriptive role of a stereotypical Latino. Others will question my actions. Some may look upon me with eyes of disgust. Many embrace my facade but do not embrace me. I understand the risks involved with pursuing my identity. There would be unfair consequences once my family found out: everyone I have known and grown to love would reject me, all because of verses in a Bible that they preach but do not live. Eventually, I learned that I am worthy of being myself instead of selecting between whom I am told to be and who I truly am. All my life, I have had to choose which parts of my identity to destroy or suppress for my family's sake. However, school was always my safe space. My friends and teachers have always supported me in my life. At home, I was never allowed to be myself. At school, there were clubs, staff, and a community of scholars whom I connected with and grew among. This past year, I searched for where I fit. I am Christian, Latino, Guatemalan, and gay. I want to explore my oppressed identity at Cornell, by joining clubs with students from all walks of life or supporting fellow students along the process. It is hard for me to say the three essential words that most teens my age can say. One day, I will say them to my family, and perhaps to a family of my own.

My biggest failure in life is not being true to my identity. I have struggled all my life in financial hardships, my mental health and identity issues. I believe that this scholarship will help me achieve my academic and career goals. My ancestry, identity, culture and obstacles molded me and my values. My sexuality is something that I hold dearly. Nevertheless, it conflicts with my identity as a Christian, gay Latino merely by being seen as shameful in my culture. My religion shuns homosexuals because people who adhere to my religion believe it is a lustful, adulterous act caused by the flesh. But, my sexuality isn’t perverted. It is romantic, intimate, loving, and natural. As different as it looks to some, I see my sexuality just like I see nature: it is colorful, joyous, peaceful, and sacred, but fragile. My relationships, too, felt capricious, and heavily impacted by my surroundings. They could last a lifetime or they too could be erased away by prejudiced beliefs. Personal adversity, as I have come to learn, has a way of festering, of growing from a single issue and expanding, wickedly, to other parts of our lives. The seed of my troubles is homophobia. I decided to keep my sexuality away from my parents instead of facing their harsh criticism. Knowing that their religious convictions would add to the problem of isolation that I already felt. Keeping my parents in the dark for all that time had a deleterious effect. They eventually found out, which put me at a high risk of homelessness unless I "prayed the gay away." After this conflict erupted, I became less motivated and more anxious and depressed as a result. My family, with detractors and supporters, mirrored the wider world: many will not understand why I have chosen to express my identity over their prescriptive role of a stereotypical Latino. Others will question my actions. Some may look upon me with eyes of disgust. Many embrace my facade but do not embrace me. I understand the risks involved with pursuing my identity. There would be unfair consequences once my family found out: everyone I have known and grown to love would reject me, all because of verses in a Bible that they preach but do not live. Eventually, I learned that I am worthy of being myself instead of selecting between whom I am told to be and who I truly am. All my life, I have had to choose which parts of my identity to destroy or suppress for my family's sake. However, school was always my safe space. My friends and teachers have always supported me in my life. At home, I was never allowed to be myself. At school, there were clubs, staff, and a community of scholars whom I connected with and grew among. This past year, I searched for where I fit. I am Christian, Latino, Guatemalan, and gay. I want to explore my oppressed identity at Cornell, by joining clubs with students from all walks of life or supporting fellow students along the process. It is hard for me to say the three essential words that most teens my age can say. One day, I will say them to my family, and perhaps to a family of my own.

Personal adversity, I have come to learn, has a way of festering, of growing from a single issue and expanding, wickedly, to other parts of our lives. The seed of my troubles is homophobia. My sexuality is something that I hold dearly. Nevertheless, it conflicts with my identity as a Christian, gay Latino merely by being seen as shameful in my culture. My religion shuns homosexuals because people who adhere to my religion believe it is a lustful, adulterous act caused by the flesh. But, my sexuality is unperverted. It is romantic, intimate, loving, and natural. As different as it looks to some, I see my sexuality just like I see nature: it is colorful, joyous, peaceful, sacred, but fragile. My relationships, too, felt capricious, and heavily impacted by my surroundings. They could last a lifetime or they too could be erased away by the beliefs of people. My interests in veterinary sciences are personal and ancestral. I was deeply impacted by all the live things I saw when I hiked to a lost Mayan city. The hike began in the cold morning of Guatemala.The journey ended with me discovering new ways to be in relation with animal life.I plan to couple my personal, pre-collegiate experiences with my veterinary degree to procure and maintain animal welfare. I educate myself by taking courses in animal science and by earning certifications that can provide me with skill sets that I can use in the future to pursue my career in Veterinary Science. It was difficult to major in Animal Science at my highschool because it is a White dominated course of study with people who owned acres of farms or prior animal handling from horseback riding. These are luxuries and blessings that I never grew up with which made it much more intimidating to pursue this course of study. Being alone and the only LGBTQ student or minority in this curriculum, I found it extremely hard to find my place or ground at this study. But after giving it a chance I found a love for animal science and animal welfare. I hope to change this and to take a role in providing for FGLI students who need resources and help. I currently take leadership positions by holding diversity lectures and events to promote education and diversity within my school. I take on leadership by conducting one-on-one meetings that help underclassmen minorities apply to college, gain college resources and notify them of personalized college resources. I learned the value of who I am from my hardships, therefore my central view on the world is broad. My morals make me a devoted, adapting and knowledgeable leader in my community. Therefore because of my experiences within my life and my identities, I believe I will be a great candidate for this scholarship. It will help me overcome my financial struggles and my situation if I ever become homeless from coming out to my family.

I have struggled all my life in financial hardships and identity issues. I believe that this scholarship will help me achieve my academic and career goals. My ancestry, identity, culture and obstacles molded me and my values. These values define my very core because my past has taught me the importance of devoting myself to new interests and to my identity. My sexuality is something that I hold dearly. Nevertheless, it conflicts with my identity as a Christian Latino merely by being seen as shameful in my culture. My religion shuns homosexuals by teaching and enforcing that it is a lustful, adulterous act caused by the flesh. But, my sexuality is unperverted. It is romantic, intimate, loving, and natural. As different as it looks to some, I see my sexuality just like the Ocean; it is colorful, joyous, peaceful, and sacred, but fragile. My relationships, too, felt capricious, and heavily impacted by my surroundings. Similarly, I value knowledge, and my interests in veterinary sciences are personal and ancestral. I was deeply impacted by all the live things I saw when I hiked to a lost Mayan city on the ocean. The hike began on a cold morning of Mexico. We trekked the village trail until we met our tour guide and continued to the lost city. The journey ended with me discovering new ways to be in relation with animal life. As we walked, our guide spoke to us about the importance and symbolism of animals. His words spoke through me and gave me an insight into the conservation that must be done now This journey exposed me to life’s possibilities and revealed more questions about who I am. I admired the tour guide because though we came from the same country and had the same skin color, we were not alike. His respect for nature and animals was passed down from his Mayan tribes. I was amazed by his people's rich culture and stories, whereas my family lost that explanation of our heritage due to Spanish conquest. Although I am no longer next to the Mayan Coast or practicing the indigenous knowledge of my homeland. I actively educate myself by taking courses in Marine science and by self-studying for certifications in marine life that can provide me with skill sets that I can use in the future for when I pursue my career in Marine Veterinary Science. It was discouraging to major in Marine Science in highschool because it is a White dominated course, being the only minority and not having access to resources made it intimidating. As a result of my highschool experience in Marine science, I intend to make the Veterinary field much more diverse and accepting of Latinos. I hope to be a lead change agent and embrace a role in providing for First Generation and Low-Income students who need resources and help. I currently facilitate diversity lectures and events to promote education and diversity within my school. I take on leadership by conducting one-on-one meetings that help minority underclassmen apply to college, gain college resources and notify them of personalized college resources. I learned the value of who I am from my hardships, and therefore find my worldview to be more accepting than my traditional culture. My deeply rooted morals make me a devoted, adaptable and knowledgeable leader in my community. Therefore because of my experiences in my life and my identity, I believe I will be a great candidate for this scholarship. It will help me overcome my financial struggles and my situation if I ever become homeless from coming out to my family.

My biggest failure in life is not being true to my identity. I have struggled all my life in financial hardships, my mental health and identity issues. I believe that this scholarship will help me achieve my academic and career goals. My ancestry, identity, culture and obstacles molded me and my values. My sexuality is something that I hold dearly. Nevertheless, it conflicts with my identity as a Christian, gay Latino merely by being seen as shameful in my culture. My religion shuns homosexuals because people who adhere to my religion believe it is a lustful, adulterous act caused by the flesh. But, my sexuality isn’t perverted. It is romantic, intimate, loving, and natural. As different as it looks to some, I see my sexuality just like I see nature: it is colorful, joyous, peaceful, and sacred, but fragile. My relationships, too, felt capricious, and heavily impacted by my surroundings. They could last a lifetime or they too could be erased away by prejudiced beliefs. Personal adversity, as I have come to learn, has a way of festering, of growing from a single issue and expanding, wickedly, to other parts of our lives. The seed of my troubles is homophobia. I decided to keep my sexuality away from my parents instead of facing their harsh criticism. Knowing that their religious convictions would add to the problem of isolation that I already felt. Keeping my parents in the dark for all that time had a deleterious effect. They eventually found out, which put me at a high risk of homelessness unless I "prayed the gay away." After this conflict erupted, I became less motivated and more anxious and depressed as a result. My family, with detractors and supporters, mirrored the wider world: many will not understand why I have chosen to express my identity over their prescriptive role of a stereotypical Latino. Others will question my actions. Some may look upon me with eyes of disgust. Many embrace my facade but do not embrace me. I understand the risks involved with pursuing my identity. There would be unfair consequences once my family found out: everyone I have known and grown to love would reject me, all because of verses in a Bible that they preach but do not live. Eventually, I learned that I am worthy of being myself instead of selecting between whom I am told to be and who I truly am. All my life, I have had to choose which parts of my identity to destroy or suppress for my family's sake. However, school was always my safe space. My friends and teachers have always supported me in my life. At home, I was never allowed to be myself. At school, there were clubs, staff, and a community of scholars whom I connected with and grew among. This past year, I searched for where I fit. I am Christian, Latino, Guatemalan, and gay. I want to explore my oppressed identity at Cornell, by joining clubs with students from all walks of life or supporting fellow students along the process. It is hard for me to say the three essential words that most teens my age can say. One day, I will say them to my family, and perhaps to a family of my own.

I have struggled all my life in financial hardships and identity issues. I believe that this scholarship will help me achieve my academic and career goals. My ancestry, identity, culture and obstacles molded me and my values. Three important values in my life are knowledge/education, devotion and endurance. These values define my very core because my past has taught me the importance of devoting myself to new interests and to my identity. My sexuality is something that I hold dearly. Nevertheless, it conflicts with my identity as a Christian Latino merely by being seen as shameful in my culture. My religion shuns homosexuals by teaching and enforcing that it is a lustful, adulterous act caused by the flesh. But, my sexuality is unperverted. It is romantic, intimate, loving, and natural. As different as it looks to some, I see my sexuality just like I see nature: it is colorful, joyous, peaceful, and sacred, but fragile. My relationships, too, felt capricious, and heavily impacted by my surroundings. They could last a lifetime or they too could be erased away by the beliefs of people. My identity has made me value endurance and patience because without those traits I would have found it hard to embrace my true self. Similarly, I value knowledge, my interests in veterinary sciences are personal and ancestral. I was deeply impacted by all the live things I saw when I hiked to a lost Mayan city. The hike began in the cold morning of Guatemala. We trekked the village trail until we met our tour guide and continued to the lost city of Yaxha.The journey ended with me discovering new ways to be in relation with animal life. As we walked, our guide spoke to us about the importance and symbolism of animals. He explained how the Mayans respected animals because they believed their gods took form as Quetzal birds, serpents, and Jaguars. He spoke about how saddened he was because there are no longer as many jungles or animals as there once were. These animals were used for ceremonies and were used as a representation of the human story. The Quetzal represents the promise of our creation but it is no longer found in their home. His words spoke through me and gave me insight of the conservation that must be done now This journey exposed me to life’s possibilities and revealed more questions about who I am. I admired the tour guide because though we came from the same country and had the same skin color, we were not alike. His respect for nature and animals was passed down from his Mayan tribes. I was amazed by his people's rich culture and stories, whereas my family had lost that explanation of our people due to the Spanish conquest. Although I am no longer in the jungles of Guatemala or practicing the indigenous knowledge of my homeland. I actively educate myself by taking courses in animal science and by self studying for certifications in animal behavior that can provide me with skill sets that I can use in the future for when I pursue my career in Veterinary Science. It was discouraging to major in Animal Science in highschool because it is a White dominated course with classmates who are farmers or animal handlers. Being the only minority and not having access to those resources made it much more intimidating to pursue this major. As a result of my highschool experience in Animal science, I intend to make the Veterinary field much more diverse and accepting of Latinos. I hope to be a lead change agent and embrace a role in providing for First Generation and Low Income students who need resources and help. I currently facilitate diversity lectures and events to promote education and diversity within my school. I take on leadership by conducting one-on-one meetings that help minority underclassmen apply to college, gain college resources and notify them of personalized college resources. I learned the value of who I am from my hardships, and therefore find my worldview to be more accepting than my traditional culture. My deeply rooted morals make me a devoted, adapting and knowledgeable leader in my community. Therefore because of my experiences within my life and my identities, I believe I will be a great candidate for this scholarship. It will help me overcome my financial struggles and my situation if I ever become homeless from coming out to my family.

My ancestry, identity, culture and obstacles molded me and my values. My sexuality is something that I hold dearly. Nevertheless, it conflicts with my identity as a Christian, gay Latino merely by being seen as shameful in my culture. My religion shuns homosexuals because people who adhere to my religion believe it is a lustful, adulterous act caused by the flesh. But, my sexuality is unperverted. It is romantic, intimate, loving, and natural. As different as it looks to some, I see my sexuality just like I see nature: it is colorful, joyous, peaceful, and sacred, but fragile. Similarly, I value knowledge, My interests in veterinary sciences are personal and ancestral. I was deeply impacted by all the live things I saw when I hiked to a lost Mayan city. The hike began on a cold morning in Guatemala. We trekked the village trail until we met our tour guide and continued to the lost city of Yaxha. The journey ended with me discovering new ways to be in relation to animal life. Although I am no longer in the jungles of Guatemala or practicing the indigenous knowledge of my homeland. What I do now as a result of these experiences is that I do aim to help aid animal health and learn more about these topics so then I can further educate myself and the community around me. I plan to couple my personal, pre-collegiate experiences with my veterinary degree to procure and maintain animal welfare. Although I am no longer in the jungles of Guatemala or practicing the indigenous knowledge of my homeland. What I do now as a result of these experiences is that I aim to help aid animal health and learn more about these topics so then I can further educate myself and the community around me. I value knowledge and the importance of exploring the unknown. I plan to couple my personal, and pre-collegiate experiences to procure and maintain animal welfare. I educate myself by taking courses in animal science and by self-studying for certifications in animal behavior by using a diverse amount of organizations that can provide me with skill sets that I can use in the future when I pursue my career in Veterinary Science. It was discouraging to major in Animal Science in high school because it is a White dominated course of study with classmates who owned farms or prior animal handling. Being the only minority and not having access to those resources made it much more intimidating to pursue this major. As a result of my high school experience, I intend to make the Veterinary field much more diverse and accepting of Latinos. I hope to change this and take a role in providing for FGLI students who need resources and help. I currently take leadership positions by holding diversity lectures and events to promote education and diversity within my school. I take on leadership by conducting one-on-one meetings that help underclassmen minorities apply to college, gain college resources and notify them of personalized college resources. Later on, I will use my degree to get my own clinic that will allow young agriculture students and minorities the opportunity to job shadow or earn money through a job that will provide them with experience. I plan to change that along with racial inequity in the education system. I learned the value of who I am from my hardships, therefore my central view of the world is broad. My morals make me a devoted, adaptable and knowledgeable leader in my community.

My interests in veterinary sciences are personal and ancestral. I was deeply impacted by all the live things I saw when I hiked to a lost Mayan city. The hike began on a cold morning in Guatemala. We trekked the village trail until we met our tour guide and continued to the lost city of Yaxha. The journey ended with me discovering new ways to be in relation to animal life. Although I am no longer in the jungles of Guatemala or practicing the indigenous knowledge of my homeland. What I do now as a result of these experiences is that I do aim to help aid animal health and learn more about these topics so then I can further educate myself and the community around me. I plan to couple my personal, pre-collegiate experiences with my veterinary degree to procure and maintain animal welfare. Although I am no longer in the jungles of Guatemala or practicing the indigenous knowledge of my homeland. What I do now as a result of these experiences is that I aim to help aid animal health and learn more about these topics so then I can further educate myself and the community around me. I value knowledge and the importance of exploring the unknown. I plan to couple my personal, and pre-collegiate experiences to procure and maintain animal welfare. I educate myself by taking courses in animal science and by self-studying for certifications in animal behavior by using a diverse amount of organizations that can provide me with skill sets that I can use in the future when I pursue my career in Veterinary Science. It was discouraging to major in Animal Science in high school because it is a White dominated course of study with classmates who owned acres of farms or prior animal handling from horseback riding. Being the only minority and not having access to those resources made it much more intimidating to pursue this major. As a result of my high school experience in Animal science, I intend to make the Veterinary field much more diverse and accepting of Latinos. I hope to change this and take a role in providing for FGLI students who need resources and help. I currently take leadership positions by holding diversity lectures and events to promote education and diversity within my school. I take on leadership by conducting one-on-one meetings that help underclassmen minorities apply to college, gain college resources and notify them of personalized college resources. Later on, I will use my degree to get my own clinic that will allow young agriculture students and minorities the opportunity to job shadow or earn money through a job that will provide them with experience. I plan to change that along with racial inequity in the education system. I learned the value of who I am from my hardships, therefore my central view of the world is broad. My morals make me a devoted, adaptable and knowledgeable leader in my community.

Personal adversity, I have come to learn, has a way of festering, of growing from a single issue and expanding, wickedly, to other parts of our lives. The seed of my troubles is homophobia. I decided to keep my sexuality away from my parents instead of facing their harsh criticism. Knowing that their religious convictions would add to the problem of isolation that I already felt. Keeping my parents in the dark for all that time had a deleterious effect. They eventually found out, which put me at a high risk of homelessness unless I "prayed the gay away." After this conflict erupted, I became less motivated and more anxious and depressed as a result. LEDA gave me the support and wisdom that I needed to learn self-acceptance throughout this troubling time. UBMS taught me to advocate for myself, I was not allowed to get a therapist or medication without my parents. Though they thought that medication and therapy were evil. I was able to convince them that I needed help and not prayer. Before gaining the confidence to speak on my own behalf, I would have shrunk and believed that asking for help was a sign of weakness. More than anything else, I learned that this is not the case. A community that I never expected to be a part of was the LEDA Community. The events that led to me joining this community prevented me from feeling as though I would find my now closest friends. My family drove me to New Haven to catch a train to a place where I would spend several summer weeks. Through the car window, the sun gleamed across the train tracks at Union Station. It was hard to say goodbye to my parents and brother as I stepped on the train. Being alone and separated from my family was scary because it is so foreign in the culture and community I grew up in. As initially strange and scary as that new place was, I grew familiar with it and the people there. I was one of 98 students from across the country that came to this one place; and as different as we were, I found similarities in interests and the longing for free expression amongst the cohort. Eventually, my presence along with the other scholars made our community a family, not by blood but out of love. I supported my community at our lowest. We were extremely vulnerable and had overcome so many unique struggles. At LEDA we acted as though we were independent adults. I found a way to support my Latino community at LEDA by bringing our culture to life through dance, food and speech. I brought acceptance to my fellow LGBTQ+ Christians who were drawn out of church due to love. I also brought comfort when we shared our stories on the final week of our summer institute. My contributions to LEDA were symbiotic: I poured into this community and it poured into me.

My interest in veterinary sciences is personal and ancestral. I was deeply impacted by all the live things I saw when I hiked to a lost Mayan city. The hike began on a cold morning in Guatemala. We trekked the village trail until we met our tour guide and continued to the lost city of Yaxha. The journey ended with me discovering new ways to be in relation to animal life. Although I am no longer in the jungles of Guatemala or practicing the indigenous knowledge of my homeland. What I do now as a result of these experiences is that I do aim to help aid animal health and learn more about these topics so then I can further educate myself and the community around me. I plan to couple my personal, pre-collegiate experiences with my veterinary degree to procure and maintain animal welfare. I educate myself by taking courses in animal science and by self-studying for certifications in animal behavior by using a diverse amount of organizations that can provide me with skill sets that I can use in the future when I pursue my career in Veterinary Science. It was extremely hard to major in Animal Science at my high school because it is a White dominated course of study with people who owned acres of farms or prior animal handling from horseback riding. These are luxuries and blessings that I never grew up with which made it much more intimidating to pursue this course of study. Being alone and the only Latino or minority in this curriculum, I found it extremely hard to find my place or ground in this study. But after giving it a chance I found a love for animal science and animal welfare. As I have previously mentioned I will use this knowledge to help myself and my future community so then I can hope that one day people will love animals as much as I adore them. As a result of my high school experience in Animal science, I intend to make the Veterinary field much more diverse and accepting of Latinos. I will use my degree to get my own clinic so then I can allow young agriculture students and disadvantaged minorities the opportunity to job shadow or earn money through a job that will provide them with experience. Due to a lack of programs many students are unable to job shadow careers, they want to pursue. I plan to change that along with racial inequity in the education system. Therefore, once I graduate I will use my degree to further advance our society.