I was raised by my grandmother, Billie, but to me, she was always just Mom. She signed my birth certificate and took care of me on her own. My birth mother was never around, and my dad died in prison when I was five. I still remember her taking me to visit him. I didn’t fully understand what was going on at the time, but I knew it wasn’t normal. That memory stuck with me. Mom worked at Whirlpool for 30 years. After she retired, we got by on her retirement check and food stamps. We didn’t have extra, but we had what we needed. She made sure of that. I didn’t have the type of mom you see on TV. She wasn’t always sweet, and she wasn’t the type to say “I love you” all the time. But she was tough, and she did what needed to be done no matter how hard it was. She raised me when no one else would, and for that, I’ll always respect her. She passed away in 2017. Toward the end, I remember her telling me not to let the world make me bitter like it did her. That really hit me. Life wasn’t kind to her, and she carried a lot of anger because of it. But she didn’t let that stop her from showing up for me. She could be hard on me, but I know she wanted me to be strong enough to survive on my own. Looking back, I realize now how much she sacrificed to make sure I had a chance. Growing up with a single mom taught me how to take care of myself early. I had to figure things out fast and learn how to keep going even when things felt heavy. It wasn’t always easy, but it made me who I am. I’m more independent, more aware, and more determined because of it. I have learned not to expect things to be handed to me. I know I have to work for what I want, and I’m ready to do that. This scholarship would give me a real chance to move forward and continue building a life I know my mom would have wanted for me, even if she never said it out loud. I want to take everything I’ve been through and use it to make something better. I want to be the kind of person who doesn’t give up, even when life isn’t fair. Just like she didn’t.