I have been enthralled with music ever since I can remember. Always listening to my parents music, air guitaring and drumming on furniture along with the songs playing. It was not until elementary school, did i start to want to play the instruments themselves. I learned the drums and violin by the time i was around 10. Then moved to guitar and piano in High School. Now I am a Music Major with my main instrument being Guitar and MIDI (digital music). I think a huge part of how music captivates me is the messages I can send. Music can be a platform for venting frustrations with the world, yelling about your heartbreaks or singing about the best moments of your life. I used to make poems as a kid, which quickly transitioned into melodies and lyrics for songs that would never be sung. Never be heard by the world. That did upset me as a kid but I continued to write and sing to myself. While my family was supportive of me writing and learning music, it was not always easy for them. Specifically due to financial troubles. My music tutoring was off and on, and often times stopped for months because we could not afford any more. Choosing between food or music has one right option. I do not want other kids who have my same aspirations to grow up how I did. To have to stop music classes because your family did not have any money for it, to have to rent instruments and only be able to practice 30 minutes every few days with instructors. It is not any way for a kid to grow or to experience their hobbies and future passions. One of my biggest goals has always been to help these kids, especially those who grew up in lower income areas like I did. It would be an organization that would give kids chances to experiment and practice their musical skills. Low-Free of charge for the parents, their kids would be able to not only have a safe space to explore their interests, but allow for the parents to work and not worry about finding a baby sitter. This organization would help remove the newer generations from the grasp gang culture and allow them to freely express themselves through creative endeavors. This has been done by people such as Jay-Z but i truly believe in order to make great change, we need more than one organization to be helping these kids, and in turn help the working class parents. It would also allow them to be able to get their message out to the world, to express their thoughts and to share the experiences of impoverished kids in these areas. We need to do better for the new generations, and that starts by helping them succeed.

I’m Damian Hernandez, and I’m focusing on music creation. Music has always been a huge part of my life. Since I was young, I’ve been surrounded by it—whether through my family, friends, or just the neighborhood I grew up in. This constant exposure became an obsession that turned into a passion that I wanted to pursue for the rest of my life. I learned the drums and violin by the time I was around 10 years old. Then I moved to guitar and piano in High School. In college I discovered digital music production, which changed so much for me. I could freely make sounds that I heard in my head that I could not create out loud. Now, I focus mostly on producing music digitally, and I continue to study and improve my skills every day. I believe that music and art in general is incredibly important to society because they are a great form of therapy and a way of connection. They give us a way to share what we're going through without always having to use words, because sometimes we can't find them or they simply aren't enough. It allows us to speak our minds without needing to open our mouths at all. To write, sing and play our troubles away and to share them, to have people listen, makes everything easier. It is a powerful tool for emotional vulnerability and connection. Along with this, music can make the listener less alone. When we listen to a song that we relate to, it can feel as if the artist themselves are talking to us. It’s comforting to know that someone else has felt the same way or experienced similar issues, and that they are still here. That they lived. This connection can make the struggles of life and tough times a little easier to handle, because you will realize you’re not the only one going through it. Music is also a tool to bring people together. Going beyond language, culture and background. Anyone can connect and relate to any music. Music is created for shared experiences. Music is a source of strength, familiarity and relatability. Music is not just for entertainment, they can help us feel understood, supported, and connected to others. Music is one of the most important things to the world. Whether you're the artist or the listener, we all need music in our lives. So we can feel less alone, more connected and get more off our chest.

I’ve never had great mental health. When I was younger, I often had dark thoughts, like thinking about hurting myself, and sometimes I actually did hurt myself. Growing up, I didn’t feel like I could talk about any of this because mental health was never discussed in my family. At this point I had already spent years struggling alone. However, once I was in my late teenage years things started to improve in my life. I started taking care of myself and developed a support system of friends who I could rely on, and who could rely on me. They, quite frankly, saved me. My experience with my mental health has really shaped who I am for my friends. The biggest things I’ve learned in life, was how important it is to be there for other people. Since I know what it feels like to be alone in those tough times, I always try to be there for my friends when they need someone to talk to. I try to make it clear that they can always reach out to me even if there was no signs of struggle, because I also showed very little signs. I’ve realized that a lot of people hide their struggles with mental health. It’s easy to pretend everything is fine when you’re going through something difficult, especially because there’s still so much stigma around mental health. I’ve also pushed my friends to get help, whether that’s talking to someone they trust or even seeing a therapist. I want people to know that it’s okay to ask for help when things get hard. A lot of people think mental health problems are something to be ashamed of or afraid of, but they’re actually just part of being human. Struggling with something doesnt make you weak or any less worthy of respect. All it means is that you're going though something. Thats normal. To me, asking for help is a sign of strength. I really want us to be more open about mental health. If we can talk about it more, we can make it less of a taboo and create a space where everyone feels comfortable asking for support when they need it. Because of everything I’ve gone through, I’ve become more understanding and empathetic. It’s changed how I see my relationships with others, and how I want to live my life. I want to create a world where people don’t feel ashamed to talk about their mental health and can always find support when they need it. I know from experience that having someone there can make a huge difference.

I’ve never had great mental health. When I was younger, I often had dark thoughts, like thinking about hurting myself, and sometimes I actually did hurt myself. Once I was in my late teenage years things started to improve in my life. I started taking care of myself and developed a support system of friends who I could rely on, and who could rely on me. They, quite frankly, saved me. My experience with my mental health has really shaped who I am. The biggest things I’ve learned in life, was how important it is to be there for other people. Since I know what it feels like to be alone in those tough times, I always try to be there for my friends when they need someone to talk to. I try to make it clear that they can always reach out to me even if there was no signs of struggle, because I also showed very little signs. I’ve realized that a lot of people hide their struggles with mental health. It’s easy to pretend everything is fine when you’re going through something difficult, especially because there’s still so much stigma around mental health. I’ve also pushed my friends to get help, whether that’s talking to someone they trust or even seeing a therapist. I want people to know that it’s okay to ask for help when things get hard. A lot of people think mental health problems are something to be ashamed of or afraid of, but they’re actually just part of being human. Struggling with something doesnt make you weak or any less worthy of respect. All it means is that you're going though something. Thats normal. To me, asking for help is a sign of strength. I really want us to be more open about mental health. If we can talk about it more, we can make it less of a taboo and create a space where everyone feels comfortable asking for support when they need it. Because of everything I’ve gone through, I’ve become more understanding and empathetic. It’s changed how I see my relationships with others, and how I want to live my life. I want to create a world where people don’t feel ashamed to talk about their mental health and can always find support when they need it. I know from experience that having someone there can make a huge difference.

I’ve never had great mental health. When I was younger, I often had dark thoughts, like thinking about hurting myself, and sometimes I actually did hurt myself. Growing up, I didn’t feel like I could talk about any of this because mental health was never discussed in my family. At this point I had already spent years struggling alone. However, once I was in my late teenage years things started to improve in my life. I started taking care of myself and developed a support system of friends who I could rely on, and who could rely on me. They, quite frankly, saved me. My experience with my mental health has really shaped who I am for my friends. The biggest things I’ve learned in life, was how important it is to be there for other people. Since I know what it feels like to be alone in those tough times, I always try to be there for my friends when they need someone to talk to. I try to make it clear that they can always reach out to me even if there was no signs of struggle, because I also showed very little signs. I’ve realized that a lot of people hide their struggles with mental health. It’s easy to pretend everything is fine when you’re going through something difficult, especially because there’s still so much stigma around mental health. I’ve also pushed my friends to get help, whether that’s talking to someone they trust or even seeing a therapist. I want people to know that it’s okay to ask for help when things get hard. A lot of people think mental health problems are something to be ashamed of or afraid of, but they’re actually just part of being human. Struggling with something doesnt make you weak or any less worthy of respect. All it means is that you're going though something. Thats normal. To me, asking for help is a sign of strength. I really want us to be more open about mental health. If we can talk about it more, we can make it less of a taboo and create a space where everyone feels comfortable asking for support when they need it. Because of everything I’ve gone through, I’ve become more understanding and empathetic. It’s changed how I see my relationships with others, and how I want to live my life. I want to create a world where people don’t feel ashamed to talk about their mental health and can always find support when they need it. I know from experience that having someone there can make a huge difference.

One of the biggest influences on how I became an ally and advocate has been my mom. She’s always stood up for the LGBTQIA+ community, and as a bisexual woman, she taught me to always stand up for what’s right, no matter what others say. She often quoted Captain America, saying, "This nation was founded on one principle above all else: the requirement that we stand up for what we believe, no matter the odds or the consequences.." Growing up, I watched her attend protests for things like same-sex marriage rights, AIDS awareness, and transgender rights. These weren’t just events for her to go to, these were acts to support people like her. Through her, I learned that respecting others, no matter their sexual orientation or gender identity, is not just a nice thing to do, but something everyone deserves. She also taught me that true activism is about helping others, even when it’s uncomfortable, and it’s not about getting credit, it’s about doing what’s right. Her bravery has inspired me to live with purpose and responsibility for others. I’ve learned that fighting for justice isn’t a one time thing; it’s a lifelong journey that requires dedication. From a young age, I understood that these issues were real and not just abstract ideas. I remember learning about the LGBTQIA+ community’s fight for equality and feeling both angry and motivated to help. I admired my mom’s dedication and the courage of those fighting for their rights. She also taught me that standing up for any marginalized group wasn't just about changing laws, it’s about creating a world where everyone can be themselves, without the fear of discrimination or violence, possibly death. She said that just because the laws say they can be themselves, it doesnt mean the public will let them As I got older, I began to be more involved with activism. I joined protests supporting trans youth rights and general LGBTQIA+ rights. I’ve also joined protests for other causes, like Black Lives Matter and Pro-Choice/Me Too. To me, these issues are all connected because they come from the same desire for equality and justice. Being an ally to the LGBTQIA+ community isn’t just about supporting them when it’s easy, it’s about standing with them, even when it’s hard, for their rights, dignity, and fairness. The way my mom’s activism has shaped me continues to guide my plans for the future. I know that being an advocate for equal rights means speaking up when it’s tough, and standing by others in their fight for freedom. It’s not just a cause, it’s a lifelong commitment to creating a more inclusive and respectful world for everyone.

I’m Damian Hernandez, and I’m focusing on music creation. Music has always been a huge part of my life. Since I was young, I’ve been surrounded by it—whether through my family, friends, or just the neighborhood I grew up in. This constant exposure became an obsession that turned into a passion that I wanted to pursue for the rest of my life. I learned the drums and violin by the time I was around 10 years old. Then I moved to guitar and piano in High School. Eventually, I discovered digital music production, which changed so much for me. I could freely make sounds that I heard in my head that I could not create out loud. Now, I focus mostly on producing music digitally, and I continue to study and improve my skills every day. For my future I have 3 main goals. The first is to make music that connects with people. I want to create songs that people can relate to and find comfort in. Music has always been a way for me to express my emotions and to share my experiences, and I want my songs to do the same for others. I hope my music can be a source of comfort or even just a soundtrack for someone’s life. Another goal I have is to start a business that can represent smaller artists. Many talented musicians are overlooked by the industry or don't know how to navigate it. I want to offer my support and guidance. To give them tools to get their music recorded, published, and heard. I want to be the pillar that they go to, for promotion, booking, studio time and anything an artist may need. I want to make it easier for independent artists to succeed. My final, and one of my biggest goals has always been to help these kids, especially those who grew up in lower income areas like I did. It would be an organization that would give kids chances to experiment and practice their musical skills. Low-Free of charge for the parents, their kids would be able to not only have a safe space to explore their interests, but allow for the parents to work and not worry about finding a babysitter. This organization would help remove the newer generations from the grasp of gang culture and allow them to freely express themselves through creative endeavors. This has been done by people such as Jay-Z but i truly believe in order to make great change, we need more than one organization to be helping these kids, and in turn help the working class parents. It would also allow them to be able to get their message out to the world, to express their thoughts and to share the experiences of impoverished kids in these areas. We need to do better for the new generations, and that starts by helping them succeed. In the end, music is more than just something I do—it’s my way of connecting with others and making a difference. Through the music I create, the artists I help, and the kids I teach, I hope to make the world a little bit better, one song at a time.

I have been enthralled with music ever since I can remember. Always listening to my parents music, air guitaring and drumming on furniture along with the songs playing. It was not until elementary school, did i start to want to play the instruments themselves. I learned the drums and violin by the time i was around 10. Then moved to guitar and piano in High School. Now I am a Music Major with my main instrument being Guitar and MIDI (digital music). I think a huge part of how music captivates me is the messages I can send. Music can be a platform for venting frustrations with the world, yelling about your heartbreaks or singing about the best moments of your life. I used to make poems as a kid, which quickly transitioned into melodies and lyrics for songs that would never be sung. Never be heard by the world. That did upset me as a kid but I continued to write and sing to myself. While my family was supportive of me writing and learning music, it was not always easy for them. Specifically due to financial troubles. My music tutoring was off and on, and often times stopped for months because we could not afford any more. Choosing between food or music has one right option. I do not want other kids who have my same aspirations to grow up how I did. To have to stop music classes because your family did not have any money for it, to have to rent instruments and only be able to practice 30 minutes every few days with instructors. It is not any way for a kid to grow or to experience their hobbies and future passions. One of my biggest goals has always been to help these kids, especially those who grew up in lower income areas like I did. It would be an organization that would give kids chances to experiment and practice their musical skills. Low-Free of charge for the parents, their kids would be able to not only have a safe space to explore their interests, but allow for the parents to work and not worry about finding a baby sitter. This organization would help remove the newer generations from the grasp gang culture and allow them to freely express themselves through creative endeavors. This has been done by people such as Jay-Z but i truly believe in order to make great change, we need more than one organization to be helping these kids, and in turn help the working class parents. It would also allow them to be able to get their message out to the world, to express their thoughts and to share the experiences of impoverished kids in these areas. We need to do better for the new generations, and that starts by helping them succeed.

I have been enthralled with music ever since I can remember. Always listening to my parents music, air guitaring and drumming on furniture along with the songs playing. It was not until elementary school, did i start to want to play the instruments themselves. I learned the drums and violin by the time i was around 10. Then moved to guitar and piano in High School. Now I am a Music Major with my main instrument being Guitar and MIDI (digital music). I think a huge part of how music captivates me is the messages I can send. Music can be a platform for venting frustrations with the world, yelling about your heartbreaks or singing about the best moments of your life. I used to make poems as a kid, which quickly transitioned into melodies and lyrics for songs that would never be sung. Never be heard by the world. That did upset me as a kid but I continued to write and sing to myself. While my family was supportive of me writing and learning music, it was not always easy for them. Specifically due to financial troubles. My music tutoring was off and on, and often times stopped for months because we could not afford any more. Choosing between food or music has one right option. I do not want other kids who have my same aspirations to grow up how I did. To have to stop music classes because your family did not have any money for it, to have to rent instruments and only be able to practice 30 minutes every few days with instructors. It is not any way for a kid to grow or to experience their hobbies and future passions. One of my biggest goals has always been to help these kids, especially those who grew up in lower income areas like I did. It would be an organization that would give kids chances to experiment and practice their musical skills. Low-Free of charge for the parents, their kids would be able to not only have a safe space to explore their interests, but allow for the parents to work and not worry about finding a baby sitter. This organization would help remove the newer generations from the grasp gang culture and allow them to freely express themselves through creative endeavors. This has been done by people such as Jay-Z but i truly believe in order to make great change, we need more than one organization to be helping these kids, and in turn help the working class parents. It would also allow them to be able to get their message out to the world, to express their thoughts and to share the experiences of impoverished kids in these areas. We need to do better for the new generations, and that starts by helping them succeed.

I have been enthralled with music ever since I can remember. Always listening to my parents music, air guitaring and drumming on furniture along with the songs playing. It was not until elementary school, did i start to want to play the instruments themselves. I learned the drums and violin by the time i was around 10. Then moved to guitar and piano in High School. Now I am a Music Major with my main instrument being Guitar and MIDI (digital music). I think a huge part of how music captivates me is the messages I can send. Music can be a platform for venting frustrations with the world, yelling about your heartbreaks or singing about the best moments of your life. I used to make poems as a kid, which quickly transitioned into melodies and lyrics for songs that would never be sung. Never be heard by the world. That did upset me as a kid but I continued to write and sing to myself. While my family was supportive of me writing and learning music, it was not always easy for them. Specifically due to financial troubles. My music tutoring was off and on, and often times stopped for months because we could not afford any more. Choosing between food or music has one right option. I do not want other kids who have my same aspirations to grow up how I did. To have to stop music classes because your family did not have any money for it, to have to rent instruments and only be able to practice 30 minutes every few days with instructors. It is not any way for a kid to grow or to experience their hobbies and future passions. One of my biggest goals has always been to help these kids, especially those who grew up in lower income areas like I did. It would be an organization that would give kids chances to experiment and practice their musical skills. Low-Free of charge for the parents, their kids would be able to not only have a safe space to explore their interests, but allow for the parents to work and not worry about finding a baby sitter. This organization would help remove the newer generations from the grasp gang culture and allow them to freely express themselves through creative endeavors. This has been done by people such as Jay-Z but i truly believe in order to make great change, we need more than one organization to be helping these kids, and in turn help the working class parents. It would also allow them to be able to get their message out to the world, to express their thoughts and to share the experiences of impoverished kids in these areas. We need to do better for the new generations, and that starts by helping them succeed.

I have been enthralled with music ever since I can remember. Always listening to my parents music, air guitaring and drumming on furniture along with the songs playing. It was not until elementary school that I started to want to play the instruments themselves. I learned the drums and violin by the time I was around 10. Then I moved to guitar and piano in High School. Now I am a Music Major with my main instrument being classical guitar and MIDI (digital music). Music has constantly surrounded me. Not only has it been my creative endeavor for all these years, but it has also been a form of catharsis and self-therapy. I have used song writing, composition, and performance to express myself and my emotions I feel in the moment. It allowed me to share my experiences with whoever would listen, and help me with my mental health. Along with it being a way for me to practice self-therapy, it was also a form for me to spread my thoughts that would not be heard otherwise into the world. This scholarship will allow me to not only gain more experience and knowledge of music and the musical world, but also to help others who have grown up as I have. Music was my savior, and I only pray to pass that hope and life along to others who want it, but have no means of it. One way that I will pass my love for music is through a self run organization that I have always wanted to make. It would start music programs that allow low income children and teenagers to experience the creation of music and to learn music theory. This can help these kids grow mentally and could inspire them to pursue music as an occupational path. This is inspired by artists like Jay-Z who have done similar. This allows kids to branch off and discover a love for music. This can also give them a goal to strive for instead of falling into gang life and staying in these poor areas. This can improve the quality of these neighborhoods and schools drastically. Along with this, my hope is that my own music speaks to people. I hope to influence people with my music, whether it be by making people feel better through their sadness, have people relate and not feel alone or to inspire people to stand up and make a change against an injustice, as these are how music has affected me. I want my music to reach a wide variety of people, with different cultures, locations and life stories. My music will be a channel for many to express their own emotions.

I have been enthralled with music ever since I can remember. Always listening to my parents music, air guitaring and drumming on furniture along with the songs playing. It was not until elementary school that I started to want to play the instruments themselves. I learned the drums and violin by the time I was around 10. Then I moved to guitar and piano in High School. Now I am a Music Major with my main instrument being classical guitar and MIDI (digital music). Music has constantly surrounded me. Not only has it been my creative endeavor for all these years, but it has also been a form of catharsis and self-therapy. I have used song writing, composition, and performance to express myself and my emotions I feel in the moment. It allowed me to share my experiences with whoever would listen, and help me with my mental health. Along with it being a way for me to practice self-therapy, it was also a form for me to spread my thoughts that would not be heard otherwise into the world. This scholarship will allow me to not only gain more experience and knowledge of music and the musical world, but also to help others who have grown up as I have. Music was my savior, and I only pray to pass that hope and life along to others who want it, but have no means of it. One way that I will pass my love for music is through a self run organization that I have always wanted to make. It would start music programs that allow low income children and teenagers to experience the creation of music and to learn music theory. This can help these kids grow mentally and could inspire them to pursue music as an occupational path. This is inspired by artists like Jay-Z who have done similar. This allows kids to branch off and discover a love for music. This can also give them a goal to strive for instead of falling into gang life and staying in these poor areas. This can improve the quality of these neighborhoods and schools drastically. Along with this, my hope is that my own music speaks to people. I hope to influence people with my music, whether it be by making people feel better through their sadness, have people relate and not feel alone or to inspire people to stand up and make a change against an injustice, as these are how music has affected me. I want my music to reach a wide variety of people, with different cultures, locations and life stories. My music will be a channel for many to express their own emotions.

I have been enthralled with music ever since I can remember. Always listening to my parents music, air guitaring and drumming on furniture along with the songs playing. It was not until elementary school, did i start to want to play the instruments themselves. I learned the drums and violin by the time i was around 10. Then moved to guitar and piano in High School. Now I am a Music Major with my main instrument being Guitar and MIDI (digital music). I think a huge part of how music captivates me is the messages I can send. Music can be a platform for venting frustrations with the world, yelling about your heartbreaks or singing about the best moments of your life. I used to make poems as a kid, which quickly transitioned into melodies and lyrics for songs that would never be sung. Never be heard by the world. That did upset me as a kid but I continued to write and sing to myself. While my family was supportive of me writing and learning music, it was not always easy for them. Specifically due to financial troubles. My music tutoring was off and on, and often times stopped for months because we could not afford any more. Choosing between food or music has one right option. I do not want other kids who have my same aspirations to grow up how I did. To have to stop music classes because your family did not have any money for it, to have to rent instruments and only be able to practice 30 minutes every few days with instructors. It is not any way for a kid to grow or to experience their hobbies and future passions. One of my biggest goals has always been to help these kids, especially those who grew up in lower income areas like I did. It would be an organization that would give kids chances to experiment and practice their musical skills. Low-Free of charge for the parents, their kids would be able to not only have a safe space to explore their interests, but allow for the parents to work and not worry about finding a baby sitter. This organization would help remove the newer generations from the grasp gang culture and allow them to freely express themselves through creative endeavors. This has been done by people such as Jay-Z but i truly believe in order to make great change, we need more than one organization to be helping these kids, and in turn help the working class parents. It would also allow them to be able to get their message out to the world, to express their thoughts and to share the experiences of impoverished kids in these areas. We need to do better for the new generations, and that starts by helping them succeed.