1. I vividly remember August 2017. The violent winds pounded the front door as we huddled in the living room, unsure if the next sound would be shattered glass or a collapsed roof. Hurricane Harvey wasn’t just the first major natural disaster I experienced; it changed the way I saw climate change. Watching my parents scramble to protect our home while neighbors left opened my eyes to the unfairness of it all. These weren’t just random storms. They were part of a bigger problem that kept hitting low-income and minority communities like mine the hardest. Every year, it was the same. My parents rushed to find stability when a hurricane hit, hoping our house wouldn’t flood or that the power wouldn’t go out. For years, I felt helpless watching this cycle repeat itself. But in September 2020, I decided to take action and organized a citywide youth climate strike as part of the global Climate Strike Movement. Standing at rally after rally, I started asking myself how I could turn my passion into something real, something that lasted. Protesting was powerful, but I wanted to contribute solutions, not just raise awareness. That’s when I found architecture. The more I researched, the more it felt like the perfect mix of everything I cared about: design, sustainability, and community impact. When I got into Rice’s Architecture Summer Immersion, I knew this was what I wanted to do. I could make a real impact by designing sustainable, affordable, and disaster-resilient homes for communities like mine. 2.This scholarship would lift the financial weight off my shoulders. It would help me continue my private education without worrying about student loans, so after college, I can focus on building my firm instead of just finding a job to pay off debt. My goal is to design homes that can withstand hurricanes and flooding, ensuring families don’t have to go through the trauma of losing everything. I want to create communities where stability isn’t a luxury but a guarantee. With the right materials, planning, and innovation, homes can be built to survive natural disasters, and I want to make that a reality for the people who need it most. 3. I’ve always loved collecting things, and stamps have been one of my favorites. Stamps tell stories. They connect people to places, history, and culture. I’d encourage young people to collect them as a way to explore the world beyond what they see every day. Instead of just taking pictures on our phones, we could build a collection of memories through stamps like little pieces of history that can be held on forever.

I learned about design from my father. Although he had no formal education in architecture, his self-taught knowledge from books and his work as an HVAC technician shaped my understanding of design. He emphasized the importance of small details, like strategically placing AC units to make technicians’ jobs easier. Our favorite pieces were normally from observing homes during trips, especially in Mexico. In ninth grade, I joined the environmental movement. My community faced frequent hurricanes, with the hardest-hit areas often being minority and low-income neighborhoods. Witnessing people lose their homes to these disasters made me want to take action. I attended climate rallies, joined organizations, and researched climate issues, uncovering how environmental injustice disproportionately affects the Latinx/Hispanic community. In Houston, for example, residential neighborhoods are often located near power plants and waste facilities, exposing residents to serious health risks. This fueled my commitment to change. I rose to leadership roles, becoming the general coordinator for a youth-led climate organization, founding a Climate Club at my school, and serving as secretary for my local youth environmental council. Through these experiences, I realized the profound impact of safe and inclusive spaces on communities. This connection inspired me to pursue architecture, blending it with real estate and business to create spaces that uplift and empower. I aim to design affordable, sustainable housing to address housing crises and provide innovative solutions for underserved neighborhoods. My passion for architecture is deeply tied to my dedication to community service. I see architecture as more than building structures; rather, it is about creating spaces where people can belong and thrive. As a first-generation college student, I want to prove that people like me, who grew up balancing responsibilities and translating forms, can lead and innovate. I’m pursuing architecture to honor my father’s dreams and to uplift others through my designs. I want to create spaces that tell stories, honor sacrifices, and inspire hope. Looking ahead, I plan to focus on sustainability and equitable design, particularly in low-income and minority communities vulnerable to environmental hazards. I aim to prioritize projects that provide safe, affordable housing and address challenges in high-pollution areas through green building practices and policy advocacy. My dream is to build a home for my father, fulfilling the visions we once shared. Ultimately, I aspire to run an inclusive, global firm that prioritizes sustainability and creates equitable, welcoming spaces for families, especially those from underserved communities. With each design, I hope to combine environmental practices with functionality, creating lasting spaces that reflect the stories of the people who call them home.

Environmental injustice disproportionately affects the Latinx/Hispanic community, especially in Houston, where power plants and waste facilities often exist near residential neighborhoods, putting many at serious health risks. Witnessing how pollution and a lack of representation harmed my community, I felt a deep responsibility to act. In January 2022, I joined Houston Youth Climate Strike, the only youth-led environmental organization in my area, and rose to the role of general coordinator. Leading as a young person in a movement largely dominated by individuals over 40 came with its own set of challenges. It was often difficult to have our voices heard or to be taken seriously by seasoned activists and policymakers. However, my team and I turned this into an opportunity to make our unique perspective known. I led initiatives focused on bringing awareness to issues important to me and not known to the movement. We collaborated with councilwomen to address the environmental problems, directed a short film that highlighted the realities of climate anxiety in minority communities & the impact of natural disasters in our area, and used creative approaches to engage residents. Our efforts drew the attention of Univision, where I was interviewed to raise awareness about climate action and inspire other youth to step into advocacy roles. I also organized protests against Chase Bank, the largest financier of fossil fuel projects. In January 2023, we demonstrated outside a Chase building in Houston, educating people passing by on the impact of fossil fuel projects on minority communities. By combining different efforts with media outreach, we successfully brought attention to these issues, gaining coverage across multiple news platforms and amplifying our message. Looking ahead, I plan to focus my career on sustainability and equitable design, particularly in low-income and minority communities that are most vulnerable to environmental hazards. I want to prioritize projects that ensure safe and affordable housing while addressing the challenges of living in high-pollution areas. This includes integrating green building practices and advocating for policies that protect residents from environmental injustices. Through architecture, I plan to create homes that are not only resilient to environmental risks but also create healthier living conditions and opportunities for the communities I serve. My experience as a young leader has taught me that even when faced with obstacles like skepticism or inexperience, persistence, and collaboration can lead to impactful change. I will work to design spaces that prioritize sustainability and equity, ensuring that underserved populations have access to safe, sustainable environments where they can thrive.