Hello there! My name is Charles (or Charlie) Hawthorne, I'm 21 and come from a mixed family. I was born in Jalisco, Mexico where my mother lived, but we soon moved to the United States after she married my father. My mother, who I call Moma (in reference to the New York Museum of Modern Art; because I think she fits that description), is a wonderful woman with great values and undying love. It's fun when she tells me cute stories about how Dad used to send her flowers to her work, sometimes multiple times a week. Or when he'd visit her during his vacations and they would spend time on the beach during sunset. She's a great storyteller. Unfortunately, my father was diagnosed with multiple cancers and passed away just two months later. It was really sudden, and my mom had to scramble to figure out how to move on. She didn't drive, didn't speak much English, and was very unaccustomed to life in the U.S. without Dad to guide her. I was little and didn't realize the toll this had on her. It wasn't until I grew older that I started to understand how much she went through. I still have trouble grasping how well she was able to get past it. Because we immigrated from Mexico, nearly all our family is away from us. I feel as if she is my only true role model throughout my life. Father figures have been unstable, but she has always been there for me and my brother. I try to reflect the person Moma is through my actions and hard work. She taught me well in so many aspects of my life. Even in schooling, I was told to always complete my work and I would be pretty good at it, lest I get my iPod taken away. Coworkers and friends always say how polite I am, and I can only thank my mother for teaching me. She was my only example and a very good one at that. My mother's rules eventually gave me the confidence I have to achieve my goals. It taught me discipline and endurance. Anything I am unsure about, she encourages me to try and just do it. These days, I try to spend as much time as I can with her. We love going on long car rides just to get coffee in the next town over. During these trips, I learn more about her early life and her teachings of God. It's her 'story time' hour where she talks about anything from her first boyfriend, to creepy supernatural occurrences, to simply venting about life. We began doing these trips when the Coronavirus began, and have continued ever since. It was the one good thing that came out of that period. Thank you so much for listening to my story and allowing me the opportunity to apply for this scholarship. I appreciate the Biada family for offering financial aid to struggling students; it is immensely helpful.

Hello there! My name is Charles (or Charlie) Hawthorne. Currently, I'm a senior at Seattle University studying visual arts. I come from a mixed family, with an American father and a Mexican mother. I was born in Jalisco but moved to the U.S. when I was very young. Unfortunately, my father passed away when I was 4 and my mother was left to raise us by herself. She didn't know much English and was barely getting accustomed to life in America. It was very sudden, and she had to scramble to figure out how to move on after losing him. Additionally, we were quite a lonely family. All of our relatives are in Mexico, and we only have 2 relatives from my father's side in the United States. I cannot stress how difficult this was for my mother. She struggles with deafness and severe asthma which hinders her ability to work and socialize with others. Truly, she is one of my biggest inspirations for all that she went through. My identity is strange. I look white, but I was raised in a Mexican home and it is difficult to 'fit in' to either side. I can't fit in with white Americans because I wasn't raised in an American home. And I can't fit in with Latinxs because my appearance says otherwise. However, I understand my privilege. It's not a huge issue compared to the real racism that immigrants who are people of color face. If I could walk in anyone's shoes, I think I would walk in Jean-Michel Basquiat's shoes for a day. I know that he passed away a long time ago, but I love his art and his approach to creating works. He comes from a family of immigrants too. His father immigrated from Haiti and his mother came from Puerto Rican parents. I watched a documentary about him for an art class and really enjoyed how much passion he had for creating his art. He was spontaneous and only wanted to make even more art. For someone like me, who often gets stunted in the middle of creating art, that sounds incredible! I also love the freedom and competition of graffiti art, which Basquiat was a huge part of in New York. The high-intensity battle for who can tag what sounds exciting. I would like to feel what he may have felt while meeting all the local artists and establishing his name in art history. So much so, that you can see his influence in clothing that many people are sporting nowadays. I truly appreciate the opportunity to share my story and apply for the scholarship. Thank you for what you're providing to immigrant students, it's immensely helpful for us who have to jump extra hurdles. Sincerely,

Hello! My name is Charles (or Charlie) Hawthorne. I'm a senior at Seattle University studying visual arts. I identify as a transman and bisexual, and honestly, I kind of keep it to myself. I have been bullied about my identity in the past, so it's hard for me to be open about it with others. I am transitioned and can "pass" as a cis man, so I have been able to hide that from people and try hard to keep it hidden. But recently, I've had a change of mind. I don't want the future of our generations to feel ashamed and hide their identities. I feel one way to improve our communities and have LGBTQ+ people feel safer, is to expose people to LGBTQ+ life! That way, they'll (hopefully) be more understanding of our people's culture and identities. Saying all that, I have started to be more open about myself and tell people that I have a boyfriend or that I'm trans. It feels more freeing to have that out, but sometimes I feel unsafe sharing. Maybe I'm just in Seattle, but everyone has been welcoming and friendly about it. As for my career goals, I would really like to start up my own business relating to my art. I like the idea of selling my prints and exploring different mediums. I would like to expand my work by doing sculptures, clothes, and plush animals. I know the art scene in Seattle is pretty great, and I feel I could have some success in the city and in online sales. I truly appreciate the opportunity to share my story and apply for the scholarship. Thank you for what you're providing to the LGBTQ+ community, it's immensely helpful for us who have to jump extra hurdles. Sincerely, Charlie M. H.

Hello there! My name is Charlie Hawthorne. I am a senior undergraduate studying Visual Arts at Seattle University. Honestly, it’s been a bit hard to get through my studies. Due to ongoing family issues, I had to take a break from studying because I could just not focus. In that time that I had off, I worked at Petco nearly full-time so I wouldn’t stay stagnant in my life. But from that entry-level job, I honed my social skills and could finally hold a conversation with someone! For a long time, this was extremely difficult for me to do and it affected my social life in everything that I did. I do wish I hadn’t taken that time off, but I am happy to have overcome an obstacle that was really hindering my ability to socialize with others. My long-term career goal is to start my brand where I sell my prints and create art out of everyday things. This can be hard to establish in the art world, so knowledge of entrepreneurship is essential in starting a career in this field. I will work with local artists and shops to create my work and immerse myself in the art community to establish my brand. I understand that this scholarship is for business and entrepreneurship, but I truly think it fits my area of study. After taking many art classes, I've learned that an art career is largely being your own advocate and boss, like an entrepreneur. Art is not just painting and doodling, it is about putting yourself and your art out there. I have learned that connections and networking can be immensely helpful; not only with the creation of your work, but with marketing and the opportunities they could offer you. Today, my professor brought in a local artist, Damon Brown, who has a career in the arts. He explained how he was able to quit his corporate job and pursue his own creative endeavors. Primarily, this was done through networking and getting locals to help you send out your message, art, and brand. Truly, it seems that an art career mainly consists of advocating for yourself and constantly finding new ways to attract people to your work. This scholarship would be extremely helpful to me, and I am appreciative to have the chance to apply. Over the past few years, my family has had many emergencies and we no longer have money, due to those problems. We are behind on rent, live on SNAP benefits, and are worried about the future. I am so close to graduating and I need money to pay for one last class in the summer quarter. Unfortunately, FAFSA would not cover it because it is not considered a ‘part-time’ status. Indeed, this scholarship is a fantastic opportunity and I again thank you for the chance to apply. I appreciate your time and consideration. Sincerely, Charles M. Hawthorne