Starting out, art was the one constant I had growing up. I moved between houses, couches, trailers, and nothing I knew ever stayed put, except for the drawings in my sketchbook. Art has been a companion to me throughout my whole life, and to be able to commit to something like that is something beautiful and poetic. Art gives me the opportunity to not just express the way I feel and see my own feelings, but it's a way to connect with others. Being a first generation college student, and exceedingly underprivileged, not only was my home community skeptical of this outlandish ideal of being an artist, but as I came into the world of other artists expecting them to understand where I come from, I realized that the art I wanted to explore, covering topics with being poor and homeless, were topics that other art communities had little understanding of, and even often times backed away from. I think there's a lot of misconception around being born into an underprivileged family, and a lot of that has to do with its limited, and oftentimes overtly negative coverage in art and media. I'm passionate about publicizing these experiences, and artistry in the world of being underprivileged. It isn't something you should hide to be seen as an equal to other artists, it is an essential part of how I ended up being the person that I am, and while there are times when those experiences will be uncomfortable, creating awareness will ultimately encourage the humanity and empathy in other people, and create a stronger community. This scholarship would support my goal in being the first person in my family to go to college, achieve my dreams, and have it known that people who come from similar backgrounds can too.