Jack Terry's story inspires me to share my story. I may not have gone through a similar experience as him, however, I grew up in a religious household where it’s been extremely hard for me to express my identity as a part of the LGBTQ community. When I was around eleven, my mother and I started going to church and I became fully aware of how conservative it could be. In middle school, I discovered more about my identity and how it didn't quite fit the Christian values I grew up with. It was very hard for me to fit in the box that my mother forced me into and as I got older, I slowly wedged myself out. My sophomore year of high school, I came out to my mother and in the wake of our argument, everything I thought would last began to unravel. My mother went so far as to make people at church pray for me during Sunday service as well as force me to have a conversation with a Sister from church. I was told I would never be fulfilled and that I’m going against God. These events made my mental health go into disarray and I had no one to turn to because my mother didn't believe in therapy. She has gone through her own traumas and has never truly dealt with them. It's one of the many generational curses we have in our family and one of the ones I intend to break. My experience has taught me that people have the right to believe in what they want but it shouldn't come to the point where someone is being emotionally scarred. Despite this, it also has helped me become a more open person. Some may go through similar experiences and become sheltered but it helped me face how the real world is. It made me realize that everyone thinks differently and that reality makes me strive to be a person that isn't judgemental and loves endlessly. I've also had to teach myself that it wasn't God who hurt me and I'm still rekindling the relationship I have with Him. Even though my mother won't accept me for who I am, I realized that people are raised in different ways and unlike them, I will be accepting of every culture, gender and idea anyone has. My perspective is quite unique and I think I can be of help to others by sharing my experience and knowledge. I want to prove that despite the trials and tribulations, you can live through them and learn from those challenges.

I grew up in a religious household where it’s been extremely hard for me to express my identity as a part of the LGBTQ community. When I was around eleven, my mother and I started going to church and I became fully aware of how conservative it could be. In middle school, I discovered more about my identity and how it didn't quite fit the Christian values I grew up with. It was very hard for me to fit in the box that my mother forced me into and as I got older, I slowly wedged myself out. My sophomore year of high school, I came out to my mother and in the wake of our argument, everything I thought would last began to unravel. My mother went so far as to make people at church pray for me during Sunday service as well as force me to have a conversation with a Sister from church. I was told I would never be fulfilled and that I’m going against God. These events made my mental health go into disarray and I had no one to turn to because my mother didn't believe in therapy. She has gone through her own traumas and has never truly dealt with them. It's one of the many generational curses we have in our family and one of the ones I intend to break. My experience has taught me that people have the right to believe in what they want but it shouldn't come to the point where someone is being emotionally scarred. Despite this, it also has helped me become a more open person. Some may go through similar experiences and become sheltered but it helped me face how the real world is. It made me realize that everyone thinks differently and that reality makes me strive to be a person that isn't judgemental and loves endlessly. I've also had to teach myself that it wasn't God who hurt me and I'm still rekindling the relationship I have with Him. Even though my mother won't accept me for who I am, I realized that people are raised in different ways and unlike them, I will be accepting of every culture, gender and idea anyone has. My perspective is quite unique and I think I can be of help to others by sharing my experience and knowledge. I want to prove that despite the trials and tribulations, you can live through them and learn from those challenges. Studying in Psychology or Social Work would further my career in becoming a Mental Health Therapist. I have lived in an environment where mental health was not a common topic at the dinner table. When I would try to express my opinion, my mother would get defensive and not take it seriously. In elementary school, I witnessed my mother struggle with mental health and substance abuse. It was one of the hardest things to comprehend because I was so young and never knew how to help. During my high school years, especially sophomore and junior year, I struggled a lot with anxiety and depression. I never had anyone to turn to because my family never believed in therapy. I firmly believe I am capable of helping others. I want to be a helpful source for people who feel like they have no one to go to.

I have learned that I enjoy leading others and changing people's lives for the better. I have become more conscious of how much I want to help people who are struggling with mental health and/or family issues. Therefore, I am interested in a career as a social worker or a mental health therapist. I understand the feeling of not being heard. I was raised in a family where mental health was not discussed. I want to support someone who has gone through a similar struggle as I have, or perhaps help someone feel less alone in the world.After receiving my bachelor's degree, I want to continue my education and earn my master's degree in social work with a minor in psychology. Master's degrees are necessary in social work to apply for a license. When I am granted my LCSW to become a clinical social worker, I will be able to diagnose and treat patients. If possible, I would like to pursue a doctorate degree, depending on my financial status. Studying psychology or social science would further my career as a mental health therapist. I have lived in an environment where mental health was not a common topic at the dinner table. When I would try to express my opinion, my mother would get defensive and not take it seriously. In elementary school, I witnessed my mother struggle with mental health and substance abuse. It was one of the hardest things to comprehend because I was so young and never knew how to help. During my high school years, especially my sophomore and junior years, I struggled a lot with anxiety and depression. I never had anyone to turn to because my family never believed in therapy. I firmly believe I am capable of helping others. I want to be a helpful source for people who feel like they have no one to go to. Widowed when I was just two years old, and my mom became the primary income provider for the family. My mother has always worked hard-working jobs, such as working for Frito Lay. She worked there for about 25 years until she got into a motorcycle accident with my father, resulting in surgery being needed on her leg. Additionally, she had two knee replacement surgeries and suffered from a crooked spine. Due to this, she is disabled and hasn't been able to work so we live on social security disability benefits. We are classified as having low income; my mom earns around $16,000 annually. This would make it difficult for me to afford textbooks or materials to be successful in college.

Generational curses seem to be common in my family, and one that recurs is the challenge of growing up without a father. This has led to a repetitive cycle of emotional and psychological trauma among some of my family members. I grew up without a father, whom I lost at a young age, and I never met his family because his father died when he was a young boy. Although my mother did have parental figures growing up, they were rarely present. Because of this, my mother was a cook, a babysitter, a housecleaner, and everything in between by the ripe age of eleven. After graduating from high school, she was then thrust into the world without any preparation, so she worked hard. —Perhaps because of my father’s absence and the fact that neither of my parents attended college, I knew I wanted to pursue a degree in higher education. Since the beginning of highschool i've been interested in find a career that would allow me to help people,so I enrolled in my high school's law enforcement program and developed a passion for psychology Being in the program, I have learned that I enjoy leading others and changing people's lives for the better. I have become more conscious of how much I want to help people who are struggling with mental health and/or family issues. Therefore, I am interested in a career as a social worker or a mental health therapist. I understand the feeling of not being heard, I was raised in a family where mental health was not discussed. I want to support someone who has gone through a similar struggle as I have or perhaps help someone feel less alone in the world. My family held me to a high standard, expecting me to excel academically, maintain perfect attendance, never make a mistake, and also manage the issues that come with being a teenager. The pressure of those expectations kept me primarily focused on grades but prevented me from ever considering my true ambitions. Despite having those expectations, I have found a balance between my education and my authenticity. Because of my family background, I am a strong person who has slowly become aware of how capable I am. I have cultivated my independence, and I want to show my mother that I can overcome generational curses by succeeding in both my senior year of high school and the rest of my education. With my inner strength, I know I can stand up for what I believe in and achieve what I want in my life. I want to graduate from high school and prove to my family—including myself—that I am deserving of not only success, but achieving my mother’s and I’s dreams.

Generational curses seem to be fairly common in my family and a constant reminder that I live with is growing up without a father. This has led to a generational cycle of emotional and psychological trauma among some of my family members. Losing my father at an early age has taken away the opportunity to get to know his side of the family because he didn't know his family well either. Although my mother did have parental figures growing up, they were rarely present. My mother was a cook, a babysitter, a housecleaner, and everything in between by the ripe age of eleven. I have developed a strong sense of perseverance from watching my mother fight so hard for everything she has. It was, however, very challenging for me to grow up without a father, particularly in elementary school. Elementary school seems to be full of special occasions, often focused around family such as attending father-daughter dances or constructing Father’s Day cards. I struggled with these occasions because I could not dance with my father or give him cards, and this left me isolated and sad. Even though I am his daughter, most of my family has felt a true connection to him, a connection I will never have. What keeps him close to my heart are the stories about him and how similar my mother thinks we are. I will be the first in my family to attend college and be an example to younger family members that they too can go to college. I have known that I want to do my part in being there for others since the beginning of high school. I was interested in finding a career that would allow me to help people, so I enrolled in my high school's law enforcement program and developed a passion for psychology. I have learned from the program that I enjoy leading others and changing people's lives for the better. I have always loved psychology and I am becoming more conscious of how much I want to help people who are struggling with mental health and/or family issues. I am interested in a career as either a Social Worker or a Mental Health Therapist. I understand the feeling of not being heard because I was raised in a family where mental health was not discussed. I want to support someone who is going through a similar struggle as I have experienced or perhaps help someone feel less alone in the world.

Generational curses seem to be fairly common in my family, and one that recurs is the challenge of growing up without a father. This has led to a repetitive cycle of emotional and psychological trauma among some of my family members. I grew up without a father, whom I lost at a young age, and I never met his family because his father died when he was a young boy. Although my mother did have parental figures growing up, they were rarely present. Because of this, my mother was a cook, a babysitter, a housecleaner, and everything in between by the ripe age of eleven. After graduating from high school, she was thrust into the world without any preparation, so she worked hard. I have developed a strong sense of perseverance from watching my mother fight so hard for everything she has. It was, however, very challenging for me to grow up without a father, particularly in elementary school. Elementary school seems to be full of special occasions, often focused around family such as attending father-daughter dances or constructing Father’s Day cards. I struggled with these occasions; I could not dance with my father or give him cards, and this left me isolated. Unlike most of my family—I never met him and only heard stories about him. Even though I am his daughter, I have never been able to feel a true connection to him. Perhaps because of my father’s absence and the fact that neither of my parents attended college, I knew I wanted to pursue a degree in higher education. I have known that I want to do my part in being there for others since the beginning of high school. I was interested in finding a career that would allow me to help people, so I enrolled in my high school's law enforcement program and developed a passion for psychology. I have learned from the program that I enjoy leading others and changing people's lives for the better. I have always loved psychology, and as my time in high school comes to an end, I am becoming more conscious of how much I want to help people who are struggling with mental health and/or family issues. Therefore, I'm interested in a career as either a social worker or a mental health therapist. I understand the feeling of not being heard because I was raised in a family where mental health was not discussed. I want to support someone who is going through a similar struggle as I have experienced or perhaps help someone feel less alone in the world. My family held me to a high standard, expecting me to excel academically, maintain perfect attendance, never make a mistake, and manage the issues that come with being a teenager. The pressure of those expectations kept me primarily focused on grades but prevented me from ever considering my true ambitions. Despite having those expectations placed on me, I have learned to find a balance between my education and my authenticity. Because of my family background and health issues, I am a strong person who has slowly become aware of how capable I am. I have cultivated my independence, and I want to show my mother that I can break generational curses by succeeding in both my senior year of high school and the rest of my education. With my inner strength, I know I can stand up for what I believe in and achieve what I want in my life. I want to graduate from high school and prove to my family—including myself—that I am deserving of success.

Generational curses seem to be fairly common in my family, and one that recurs is the challenge of growing up without a father. This has led to a repetitive cycle of emotional and psychological trauma among some of my family members. Growing up without a father, whom I lost at a young age, I never met his family because his father died when he was a young boy. Although my mother did have parental figures growing up, they were rarely present. Because of this, my mother was a cook, a babysitter, a housecleaner, and everything in between by the ripe age of eleven. After graduating from high school, she was thrust into the world without any preparation, so she worked hard. I have developed a strong sense of perseverance from watching my mother fight so hard for everything she has. It was, however, very challenging for me to grow up without a father, particularly in elementary school. Elementary school seems to be full of special occasions, often focused around family such as attending father-daughter dances or constructing Father’s Day cards. I struggled with these occasions; I could not dance with my father or give him cards, and this left me isolated. Unlike most of my family—I never met him and only heard stories about him. Even though I am his daughter, I have never been able to feel a true connection to him. What keeps him close to my heart, though, are the stories about him. —Perhaps because of my father’s absence and the fact that neither of my parents attended college, I knew I wanted to pursue a degree in higher education. I have known that I want to do my part in being there for others since the beginning of high school. I was interested in finding a career that would allow me to help people, so I enrolled in my high school's law enforcement program and developed a passion for psychology. I have learned that I enjoy leading others and changing people's lives for the better. As my time in high school comes to an end, I am becoming more conscious of how much I want to help people who are struggling with mental health and/or family issues. Therefore, I am interested in a career as either a social worker or a mental health therapist. I understand the feeling of not being heard because I was raised in a family where mental health was not discussed. I want to support someone who is going through a similar struggle as I have experienced and,/or perhaps help someone feel less alone in the world. My family held me to a high standard, expecting me to excel academically, maintain perfect attendance, never make a mistake, and manage the issues that come with being a teenager. The pressure of those expectations kept me primarily focused on grades but prevented me from ever considering my true ambitions. Despite having those expectations placed on me, I have learned to find a balance between my education and my authenticity. Because of my family background, I am a strong person who has slowly become aware of how capable I am. I have cultivated my independence, and I want to show my mother that I can break generational curses by succeeding in both my senior year of high school and the rest of my education. With my inner strength, I know I can stand up for what I believe in and achieve what I want in life. I want to graduate from high school and prove to my family—including myself—that I am deserving of success.

Generational curses seem to be fairly common in my family, and one that recurs is the challenge of growing up without a father. This has led to a repetitive cycle of emotional and psychological trauma among some of my family members. Growing up without a father, whom I lost at a young age, I never met his family because his father died when he was a young boy. Although my mother did have parental figures growing up, they were rarely present. Because of this, my mother was a cook, a babysitter, a housecleaner, and everything in between by the ripe age of eleven. After graduating from high school, she was thrust into the world without any preparation, so she worked hard. I have developed a strong sense of perseverance from watching my mother fight so hard for everything she has. It was, however, very challenging for me to grow up without a father, particularly in elementary school. Elementary school seems to be full of special occasions, often focused around family such as attending father-daughter dances or constructing Father’s Day cards. I struggled with these occasions; I could not dance with my father or give him cards, and this left me isolated. Unlike most of my family—I never met him and only heard stories about him. Even though I am his daughter, I have never been able to feel a true connection to him. What keeps him close to my heart, though, are the stories about him. —Perhaps because of my father’s absence and the fact that neither of my parents attended college, I knew I wanted to pursue a degree in higher education. I have known that I want to do my part in being there for others since the beginning of high school. I was interested in finding a career that would allow me to help people, so I enrolled in my high school's law enforcement program and developed a passion for psychology. I have learned that I enjoy leading others and changing people's lives for the better. As my time in high school comes to an end, I am becoming more conscious of how much I want to help people who are struggling with mental health and/or family issues. Therefore, I am interested in a career as either a social worker or a mental health therapist. I understand the feeling of not being heard because I was raised in a family where mental health was not discussed. I want to support someone who is going through a similar struggle as I have experienced and,/or perhaps help someone feel less alone in the world. My family held me to a high standard, expecting me to excel academically, maintain perfect attendance, never make a mistake, and manage the issues that come with being a teenager. The pressure of those expectations kept me primarily focused on grades but prevented me from ever considering my true ambitions. Despite having those expectations placed on me, I have learned to find a balance between my education and my authenticity. Because of my family background, I am a strong person who has slowly become aware of how capable I am. I have cultivated my independence, and I want to show my mother that I can break generational curses by succeeding in both my senior year of high school and the rest of my education. With my inner strength, I know I can stand up for what I believe in and achieve what I want in life. I want to graduate from high school and prove to my family—including myself—that I am deserving of success.

Generational curses seem to be fairly common in my family, and one that recurs is the challenge of growing up without a father. This has led to a repetitive cycle of emotional and psychological trauma among some of my family members. Growing up without a father, whom I lost at a young age, I never met his family because his father died when he was a young boy. Although my mother did have parental figures growing up, they were rarely present. Because of this, my mother was a cook, a babysitter, a housecleaner, and everything in between by the ripe age of eleven. After graduating from high school, she was thrust into the world without any preparation, so she worked hard. I have developed a strong sense of perseverance from watching my mother fight so hard for everything she has. It was, however, very challenging for me to grow up without a father, particularly in elementary school. Elementary school seems to be full of special occasions, often focused around family such as attending father-daughter dances or constructing Father’s Day cards. I struggled with these occasions; I could not dance with my father or give him cards, and this left me isolated. Unlike most of my family—I never met him and only heard stories about him. Even though I am his daughter, I have never been able to feel a true connection to him. What keeps him close to my heart, though, are the stories about him. —Perhaps because of my father’s absence and the fact that neither of my parents attended college, I knew I wanted to pursue a degree in higher education. I have known that I want to do my part in being there for others since the beginning of high school. I was interested in finding a career that would allow me to help people, so I enrolled in my high school's law enforcement program and developed a passion for psychology. I have learned that I enjoy leading others and changing people's lives for the better. As my time in high school comes to an end, I am becoming more conscious of how much I want to help people who are struggling with mental health and/or family issues. Therefore, I am interested in a career as either a social worker or a mental health therapist. I understand the feeling of not being heard because I was raised in a family where mental health was not discussed. I want to support someone who is going through a similar struggle as I have experienced and,/or perhaps help someone feel less alone in the world. My family held me to a high standard, expecting me to excel academically, maintain perfect attendance, never make a mistake, and manage the issues that come with being a teenager. The pressure of those expectations kept me primarily focused on grades but prevented me from ever considering my true ambitions. Despite having those expectations placed on me, I have learned to find a balance between my education and my authenticity. Because of my family background, I am a strong person who has slowly become aware of how capable I am. I have cultivated my independence, and I want to show my mother that I can break generational curses by succeeding in both my senior year of high school and the rest of my education. With my inner strength, I know I can stand up for what I believe in and achieve what I want in life. I want to graduate from high school and prove to my family—including myself—that I am deserving of success.

Generational curses seem to be fairly common in my family, and one that recurs is the challenge of growing up without a father. This has led to a repetitive cycle of emotional and psychological trauma among some of my family members. I grew up without a father, whom I lost at a young age, and I never met his family because his father died when he was a young boy. Although my mother did have parental figures growing up, they were rarely present. Because of this, my mother was a cook, a babysitter, a housecleaner, and everything in between by the ripe age of eleven. After graduating from high school, she was thrust into the world without any preparation, so she worked hard. I have developed a strong sense of perseverance from watching my mother fight so hard for everything she has. It was, however, very challenging for me to grow up without a father, particularly in elementary school. Elementary school seems to be full of special occasions, often focused around family such as attending father-daughter dances or constructing Father’s Day cards. I struggled with these occasions; I could not dance with my father or give him cards, and this left me isolated. Unlike most of my family—I never met him and only heard stories about him. Even though I am his daughter, I have never been able to feel a true connection to him. What keeps him close to my heart are the stories about him. Perhaps because of my father’s absence and the fact that neither of my parents attended college, I knew I wanted to pursue a degree in higher education. I have known that I want to do my part in being there for others since the beginning of high school. I was interested in finding a career that would allow me to help people, so I enrolled in my high school's law enforcement program and developed a passion for psychology. I have learned that I enjoy leading others and changing people's lives for the better. As my time in high school comes to an end, I am becoming more conscious of how much I want to help people who are struggling with mental health and/or family issues. Therefore, I am interested in a career as either a social worker or a mental health therapist. I understand the feeling of not being heard because I was raised in a family where mental health was not discussed. I want to support someone who is going through a similar struggle as I have experienced and,/or perhaps help someone feel less alone in the world. My family held me to a high standard, expecting me to excel academically, maintain perfect attendance, never make a mistake, and manage the issues that come with being a teenager. The pressure of those expectations kept me primarily focused on grades but prevented me from ever considering my true ambitions. Despite having those expectations placed on me, I have learned to find a balance between my education and my authenticity. Due to my family background, I am a strong person who has slowly become aware of how capable I am. I have cultivated my independence, and I want to show my mother that I can break generational curses by succeeding in both my senior year of high school and the rest of my education. With my inner strength, I know I can stand up for what I believe in and achieve what I want in life. I want to graduate from high school and prove to my family—including myself—that I am deserving of success.

Generational curses are fairly common in my family. The history of those who grew up without a father tends to repeat itself in some ways for many members of my family, including myself. I grew up without a father, whom I lost at a young age, and I never met his family because his father died when he was a young boy. Although my mother did have a mother and a father figure growing up, they were rarely present. She was a cook, a babysitter, a housecleaner, and everything in between by the ripe age of eleven. She was thrust into the world without any preparation after graduating from high school, so she began working hard. I’ve developed a strong sense of perseverance from watching my mother fight so hard for everything she has. It was, however, very challenging for me to grow up without a father, particularly in elementary school. We used to have special occasions in elementary school, like father-daughter dances or making Father's Day cards. The hardest times for me as a child were those times when I could not dance with my father or give him my cards. But as I have gotten older, my perspective on growing up without a father has changed. Unlike most of my family, I have never met him and have only heard stories. Even though I am his daughter, I have never been able to feel a true connection to him. What keeps him close to my heart are the stories about him. Even though neither of my parents attended college, I knew I wanted to participate in college since I was young. I have known that I want to assist others since the beginning of high school. I was interested in finding a career that would allow me to help people, so I enrolled in my high school's law enforcement program and developed a passion for psychology. I’ve learned from the program that I enjoy leading others and changing people's lives for the better. I have always loved psychology, and as my time in high school comes to an end. I’ve become more conscious of how much I want to help people who are struggling with mental health issues. I believe that my best career choice might be as a social worker or a mental health therapist. I understand the feeling of not being heard because I was raised in a family where mental health was not discussed. I want to support someone who is going through a similar struggle as I have or perhaps help someone feel less alone in the world. Everyone in my family held me to high standards, expecting me to excel academically, maintain perfect attendance, never make a mistake, and also manage the issues that come with being a teenager. The pressure of those expectations kept me primarily focused on getting a good grade in class, preventing me from ever considering my true ambitions. Despite having those expectations placed on me, I’ve learned to find a balance between my education and my authenticity. Being independent with my schoolwork and personal health at the age of seventeen has helped me realize how capable I am. I want to show my mother that I can break generational curses by succeeding in both this final year of high school and the rest of my education. I also want to prove to myself that I am a strong individual who can stand up for what I want out of life. I want to graduate from high school and prove to my family—including myself—that I am deserving of success.

Generational curses are fairly common in my family. The history of those who grew up without a father tends to repeat itself in some ways for many members of my family, including myself. I grew up without a father, whom I lost at a young age, and I never met his family because his father died when he was a young boy. Although my mother did have a mother and a father figure growing up, they were rarely present. She was a cook, a babysitter, a housecleaner, and everything in between by the ripe age of eleven. She was thrust into the world without any preparation after graduating from high school, so she began working hard. I have developed a strong sense of perseverance from watching my mother fight so hard for everything she has. It was, however very challenging for me to grow up without a father, especially in elementary school. We used to have special occasions in elementary school, like father-daughter dances or making Father's Day cards. The hardest times for me as a child were those times when I could not dance with my father or give him my cards. But as I have gotten older, my perspective on growing up without a father has changed. Unlike most of my family, I have never met him and have only heard stories. Even though I am his daughter, I have never been able to feel a true connection to him. What keeps him close to my heart are the stories about him. Even though neither of my parents attended college, I knew I wanted to participate in college since I was a young child. I have known that I want to assist others since the beginning of high school. I was interested in finding a career that would allow me to help people, so I enrolled in my high school's law enforcement program and developed a passion for psychology. I came to a realization that I enjoy leading others and changing people's lives for the better. As my time in high school comes to an end, I am becoming more conscious of how much I want to help people who are struggling with mental health issues. I believe that my best career choice might be as a social worker or a mental health therapist. I understand the feeling of not being heard because I was raised in a family where mental health was not discussed. I want to support someone who is going through a similar struggle as I have or perhaps help someone feel less alone in the world. Everyone in my family held me to high standards, expecting me to excel academically, maintain perfect attendance, never make a mistake, and also manage the issues that come with being a teenager. The pressure of those expectations kept me primarily focused on getting a good grade in class, preventing me from ever considering my true ambitions. Despite having those expectations placed on me, I have learned to find a balance between my education and my authenticity. Being independent with my schoolwork and personal health at the age of seventeen has helped me realize how capable I am. I want to show my mother that I can break generational curses by succeeding in both this final year of high school and the rest of my education. I also want to prove to myself that I am a strong individual who can stand up for what I want out of life. I want to graduate from high school and prove to my family—including myself—that I am deserving of success.