Selflessness is the lifeblood of love. The willingness to extend ourselves for the wellbeing or growth of someone else or our communitiy is my defintion of love. I feel that I embody selflessness, as I embody love, at my core. I am dedicated to a life of service for those around me. Uplifting my community also uplifts me. Our collective joy and success is shared and should be celebrated. Interdependence is such a beautiful way to live life and show up for other people. I have always been a person that others can rely on and trust with their stories. From a young age I have burned to make a positive change in my community. When I was sixteen I became passionate about social justice issues and became very politically and socially engaged. I have been an activist ever since. During my time as an undergraduate student I founded a grassroots student advocacy group for survivors of sexual assault on my campus. I was the president of the group for two years and gave the coalition everything that I possibly could. I was a trusted friend, and a fierce leader. People would tell me their stories, and I would help them with the resources I had access to off campus at the time. It was a rewarding experience, seeing how I was able to make changes in peoples lives, and keep survivors on campus during their healing process. I was able to also empower others through artwork and joint community spaces. I was a student advocate for our campus survivors. I would meet weekly with members of our administration in efforts to implement positive changes on our campus. Together, we revitalized our education curriculum around sexual and realtionship violence and health, as well as anti-rape culture training. We strengthened univeristy resources as well as increased transparency between the administration and the students. This role was everything to me, and made me realize that I want to dedicate the rest of my life to service. Today, I am sitting in a classroom in Vienna learning how to further become the change that I want to see in the world. I am pursuing a masters in Applied Human Rights and learning more about the ways in which I can continue to make an impact. Global impacts start at an individual level, and I am so grateful for the human connections I have made, the communities I have helped sustain and the world I invision from this standpoint of selflessness and love.

Helping others is the cornerstone of living a fulfilling life. Similar to Dr. Alexandria K. Lane, I see myself as a person who values being of service to my community and giving back. I am very grateful for my experiences in life and the opportunities I have had to connect with others. It is important to help others because when we show care and appreciation for those around us we strengthen our communities. I have been helping people and being helped by other people throughout my entire life. Nobody can move through and navigate this world alone, we all need each other. It is important to know that we can depend on others, learn from others, and grow together. Being interdependent can feel challenging in a society where individuals struggle to ask for and access help, which is why showing up is essential. When others reach out, and we can reach back, we should extend as much of ourselves as possible for that other individual's growth. These spaces allow us to evolve, for learning how to love and care for others nourishes our souls. When we help others we can also learn a lot about ourselves. Throughout my time as a student, I have remained dedicated to helping those in my communities. I find it important to connect not only with people of all different walks of life. For example, this past year I had the rewarding opportunity to work with older adults in Syracuse. When I applied for a job at InterFaith Works, I was expecting to work in refugee resettlement. At first, I admit I was disappointed that I was assigned to the Senior Services team, but after some time I realized my hesitation to work in that department, is exactly why I needed to be there. I gained a lot from that experience and made beautiful connections with an overlooked fraction of our society. I was addressing the needs of individuals in my community that had not crossed my mind before. And now, since I have worked with the aging population, I see that no group of people deserves to be overlooked, or taken for granted. Our value as people is not measured purely in what we contribute to our communities, but also in how we treat others, listen to each other and care about people's needs as well as their feelings. This work experience I had is just one example of how my outlook on life has changed since being of service to new parts of my community. Helping others, from all walks of life, is what makes us better people. It shapes our morals and gives us the beautiful opportunity to connect with others and share our time. My experiences with helping others have shaped me as a person, they have changed and challenged me. I have dedicated my life to helping others as it is my dream to work in the field of human rights. Living a life of service is personally fulfilling and socially beneficial.

This is such a challengeing question as each of the characters have their own unique strengths that contribtue to their successes in battling the monsters of the Upside Down. But alas, I must pick! My first pick is definitely Eleven because she has superpowers and will also probably have great snacks (eggo waffles). My next pick would be Eddie "The Freak" Munson because he has electrifying guitar skills and can serve as the comedic relief of the group. My third and final pick would have to be Joyce Byers because she will do anything to protect the people that she loves and is also quite creative. I feel like I would step in as the ultamate "nerd" of the group because, similar to Will, Dustin, Mike and Lucas, I am a DND finatic and have a passion for physics and science. I feel like with this crew we could easily take down Vecna. Eddie would be shredding on his guitar, Joyce would be playing with lights, I would be rolling dice and eating eggos and Eleven would be her superhero self and save the day. I am not sure how we would hold up in a fight but I know it would make for some capitvating cinema. *An honorable mention to Steve "The Hair" Harrington who just missed the cut off for being on the squad. His ice cream scooping ability is honorable, but he is best as a babysitter.

My favorite thing about Disney is that it is ever-changing. The world of Disney stories has grown so much over the years and I feel it is reflective of how Disney fans too. When I was seven years old my favorite Disney film was Sleeping Beauty, and I was excited that when I got older there was a spin-off film, Maleficent which allowed a new perspective to the story's characters. Another example is how the live-action version of the Little Mermaid allowed the story to connect with a certain audience on a different level. Seeing representation in films, and finding new meaning and appreciation for the "villains" adds depth to the stories Disney fans have known and loved for years. The live-action version of The Beauty and The Beast remains one of my favorite movies of all time. It is that same story, but there are small changes and new additions that make it feel refreshing and like you are experiencing the whole story from the very start. Disney keeps their ideas fresh and they are constantly expanding to reach new audiences and tell more stories. This connects back to my point about telling the untold stories of the "villains". It blurs the line we have created between "good" and "bad" and it gives the viewer more perspective and a greater understanding of the world Disney is bringing us into. And Disney doesn't just do fairytales and good vs. evil, but they have created timeless pieces of work that are now known as classics. These are films I watched on repeat growing up like Freaky Friday, or Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen. I was truly living through a cultural moment of the Y2K era. Now watching those films it feels like opening a time capsule and there is something so nostalgic and sweet about that. These are all films that I have learned valuable lessons from, laughed at, sang along to, enjoyed with friends and family and have overall provided a sense of comfort. I am a person who was raised on Disney, I have visited Disneyland twice in my life and I truly cannot wait to go back. I have a very special place in my heart for the Disney Pixar movies and have not yet gotten the chance to experience that in an immersive way. My favorite Pixar film was "Ratatouille". I loved the message it sent to the audience, "Anyone can cook". To me, it was saying, "Treat all living beings with kindness and respect", for we can learn unexpected things from others and we all have the right to be here. I appreciate all the things Disney has brought into my life. It has shown me beautiful stories of family, love and friendship and exposed me to wonderful music, art and animation as well. Disney means the world to me and I hope you can see that too!

My name is Carla Soares Guariglia I am twenty-one years old and I am a survivor of SA. I come from a low-income, single-parent household, where my mother raised me and my two siblings. When I was fifteen years old, my girlhood was taken from me. After experiencing abuse I had a difficult time with loving myself and building healthy relationships. I was always a good student and maintained a high GPA throughout high school, but I lacked a strong sense of identity. When I was nineteen years old I was battling depression and anorexia from the isolation of my college dorm room at Syracuse University. I found comfort in teaching myself how to play the guitar, but I had not yet found what felt like my calling or purpose. I was lost, so I would spend days withering away and losing myself in my music. When I was twenty years old I was healing from the illness I had experienced the year prior, and was beginning to unpack the trauma I had experienced during my childhood. That year, I focused my studies in Political Science and Women and Gender Studies and finally felt I had found my place. I was inspired by my courses and empowered by my peers. I became more comfortable with myself and felt the urge to fight against the social issue that initially broke my spirit. So, I started a grassroots student advocacy group to combat rape culture on our campus, called Be With Survivors at Syracuse University. In doing this, I made myself incredibly visible as a survivor. I took risks with my vulnerability and was able to make progress within my institution. While I was grateful to be of service to my community, this role I assumed came with an enormous amount of pressure and responsibility. I felt as if I was bearing the weight of this social disease on my shoulders and I needed an escape. I feel it is also important to note that I worked part-time during my entire undergraduate experience, compensating for the majority of the costs of my education. This was only adding to the stress I was feeling on campus at the time. I was exhausted and lived in constant anxiety. When I was nineteen I realized I never really had the chance to just be a student; to just worry about my grades and have a social life. So, I chose to apply for some scholarships and study abroad. I truly flourished that semester in London. I had the space to live in an environment that didn't previously hurt me, and the energy to focus on my studies. When I came back to the Syracuse campus my senior year, I burned again for the experience of just being a student. Today, I am set to start a new chapter at the University of Applied Arts Vienna, pursuing a Master's in Applied Human Rights. And I want that life I had in London back. During that time, I was able to truly focus on taking care of myself. I had the opportunity to make meaningful contributions to my field of study and create meaningful relationships with others. Essentially, I would use the funds from this scholarship to reclaim the years I have lost facing abuse and fighting back. I want the chance to experience this new city and revive this past version of myself that I am clinging to. I want to use this scholarship to give myself the opportunity to enjoy being a student again.

My dream version of my future self is a creative and insightful art-activist, who is a strong and positive presence in my communities.

Having made a Wizarding World account, I was sorted into the house of Gryffindor not too long ago. While reading the novels and watching the films growing up, I felt a strong resonance between me and the charactes in Gryffindor House. Like Hermione, if have a goal in mind, nothing gets in the way of it being acheived. Also, like Hermione, I am a major bookworm! Similar to Ron, I am a dedicated friend and am a person many people come to for support or a good laugh. And of course, I see myself in Harry. Harry, like me, grew up in a household where he couldn't be himself, but he was able to find himself and his family at Hogwarts. Being the queer black sheep of my family, I was not always accepted for who I was and felt like an outcast. In queer communities we often create new families out of necessity; chosen families. Growing up, I was always so inspired by the way that Harry lit his own path, created his own safe spaces, and built beautiful realtionships with others in the Wizarding World. And, as far as character traits go, I feel that Harry and I are both very brave. I am not one to shy away from good trouble or stand up for what I believe is right. I have always been a fighter. I have courage, bravery and am definitely daring. Hermione, Ron and Harry mirrored the best parts of myself growing up, and were role models to me. The Gryffindors were adventurous throughout the series and that is exactly how I live my life. I am known for following my gut feelings and taking risks. That is what adventure is all about! Exploring the unknown and embracing it. Another part of myself that I also see in the characters of Griffidor house is stubborness. A prime example of this trait is seen in the way that Harry was never able to let go of his grudge against Snape. He refused to believe that Dumbledore's trust in him was worth something, until Snape revealed the whole story in his dying moments. This was a moment in the series that gave me the lesson to never underestimate others and, it also reminded me to be more vulnerable. Gryffindors are the best house, in my completely bias opinion, but we are not perfect. Aside from stubborness we can also be a bit self-righteous and short-tempered. But as Sirius Black once said, "We've all got light and dark inside us. What matters is the side we choose to act on. That's who we really are". I am proud to be a Gryffindor, and I acknowledge the dark parts of myself, but like the other lions, I choose to act on light.

I would have everyone in the world read All About Love by bell hooks. This book not only helped me heal my inner child, but has guided me in building healthier realtionships with others and myself. In the book, bell hooks examines the sociopolitical implications that effect love in our world and households. It made me not only invision a new way to love, but it assigned a new definition to the word entirely. I found love to be something that is completely selfless and imperfect. In the book, hooks quotes the words of Eric Fromm, proclaiming love to be, "the willingness to extend one's self for the the purpose of nurturing one's own or another's spiritual growth". This is the most beautiful definiton of love that I have ever come across. This novel made me re-evaluate the relationships in my life and the way that I choose to love. Any time I need a reminder, I pick up that book and flip to one of my favorite pages, bookmarked by yours truly. I just recently gifted that book to my mother for mother's day and hope that she finds it as enlightening as I did. I appreciate works that examine the human experience and bring new perspectives to our lives and realtionships, and not just the romatic ones. I now see and experience love in so many other ways. I find love every day in something new, and have a better understanding of it entirley. I think as a collective, we humans know love, but we do not quite understand the dynamics of it or its application into our lives. This is a book that carefully examines this, and makes you feel like you just took a breath of fresh air. It is a piece that I reccomend to all do my loved ones, and I have already read four times! So, if you are reading this and have not yet convinced yourself to pick up this book, I hope this last quote will... "Just by speaking to a stranger, acknowledging their presence on the planet, we make a connection. We can begin the process of making community by sharing a smile, a warm greeting, a bit of conversation, by doing a kind deed, or by acknowledging kindness offered us".

My great-grandfather immigrated to the United States with nothing but a dream for a better life. His journey to become a U.S citizen was grueling. I know this from stories; memories passed down through generations. My great-grandfather served our country during World War II to gain citizenship status in the U.S. He fought at, and survived the Battle of Normandy. From what I have heard, the fighting was brutal and scary and tense. I cannot imagine what my great-grandfather witnessed and endured during this time, but I got a better understanding of it through the words of my grandfather. My grandfather only recently started talking about my great-grandfather's experince at war, and after. He told me that his father was never the same after Normandy. He was promised to be treated with respect, to be granted safety and care. These were things that never became a reality upon his return. He was not granted access to care, and his PTSD took a toll on the entire family. My great-grandfather, my great-grandmother and my grandfather lived in a cold water flat in Manhattan at the time. My grandfather has told me stories of my great-grandfathers nightmares, so intense that his reactions woke up the whole family. He told me about his panic attacks, his struggle with depression and substance use, and the strain his mental state had on their relationship. Every time my grandfather tells me more about his childhood and his stories I can feel his pain, and can hear the sadness in his voice. When my grandfather was 18 he was accepted to MIT, and was granted a full scholarship. His parents were uneased with him going away to a university as this was not a norm at the time in their rural homeland of Portugal. Instead, they insisted that he too serve his country. My grandfather served in the U.S airforce. He rarely talks about his experiences, and can't help but cry every time he does, even when sharing happy memories. He tells me that he saw terrible things. He lost some of his closest friends, and witnessed their last moments on this earth. My grandfather also never recieved care for his PTSD after his service to our country and suffered from panic attacks, nightmares and depression. It brings me deep sorrow that my family members heroic efforts lead to their own pain and suffering. Veterans in this country deserve nothing but the greatest respect and highest quality care. I wish my family could have had access to treatment for their PTSD. PTSD has affected my entire family. I do believe in generational traumas, as I even feel the weight of their suffering. When I was fifteen, before I knew about my great-grandfather's service in Normandy, I had a terrible vivid nightmare that I can never forget. I was fighting in a war, on a beach. I remeber running and hearing so much screaming. Later in the dream, I remeber being in a nursing home. I was sat across from what seemed to be an older, somber, version of myself. In this space I felt an overwhelming emotion of loneliness, and woke up shortly afterwards. Although I have not personally experienced PTSD that stems from service, I have felt the impact in many ways. It is my hope that with my experience, I can not only bring attention to the needs of our veterans, but also to their families. Many veterans feel they need to stuggle alone, but the support of family, and proper care, can make all the difference. We are stronger together. We can heal together.

I believe my mental health is important because being mindful, grounded and at peace allows me to stay present and focused in all aspects of life. I maintain my mental wellness by eating a healthy diet filled with fruits, vegetables and plant protein. I walk at least four miles every morning with my emotional support dog, and keep moving by doing yoga three times a week and weightlifting twice a week. I believe physical activity, and diet are imperitive to sustaining mental wellness. In addition I medidate every morning using the Headspace App. Other things I do to maintain my wellness is staying hydrated, communicating with friends and family, putting time aside for my loved ones, dancing, playing music, and spending time in the sun. During my time as an undergraduate student I served as the Director of Mental Health Advocacy for my Student Government. In this role I organized our university's mental health awareness week. This week had events from painting, to yoga, to pet therapy, to motivational speakers as well as dance events. I am passionate about mental health and advoacte for it in all my communities. I believe maintaining healthy relationships is also key to mental health, including the relationship to oneself. To keep my realtionship with myself healthy I engage in positive self talk, expressions of gratitude, journaling, group and independent therapy and setting time aside for my solitude. I maintain healthy relationships with others by establishing boundaries, showing up and creating safe spaces where both parties are able to express themselves without fear of judgement. I am a kind and supportive soul who once struggled with putting everyone else's needs before my own. It was in my own internal battles with depression, unhealthy relationships and even an eating disorder that I came to terms with imbalances in my life. Correcting this and mending my wounds took time and thoughtful energy. And on my path of healing, and self preservation I seek to share my successes with others who may be struggling. As a queer person I know how it feels to think you are alone in the world, to feel misunderstood and to lack external validation. That is why it is impertitve to find valdiation from within and surround yourself with people and activies that promote love and wellness. Removing stressors and putting your peace first opens the gateway to happiness and success. I am proud of my progress with mental health and continue to grow every single day.