I am worth the dreams I aspire to achieve because those dreams are not rooted in fantasy or entitlement. They are rooted from passion, intention, and a deep desire to grow into the best version of myself. Every dream I carry is tied to a purpose, a vision of how I can contribute to the world, elevate others, and live a life of meaning. I am not chasing dreams for the sake of status or validation, but because they represent a reflection of my values, my potential, and the life I believe I am capable of building through effort, resilience, and faith. Worth is often misunderstood. It's not about being perfect or having all the answers from the start. My worth lies in my willingness to try, to commit, and to learn from failure. I don't expect my dreams to fall into my lap. I show up for them daily and consistently, even when the path is unclear. I am willing to take risks, to be uncomfortable, and to put in the work that many people shy away from. That mindset, that grit, is what makes me worthy of what I seek. I am worthy of my dreams because I respect the journey. I know success does not happen overnight, and I embrace the slow progress, the setbacks, and the long hours it takes to grow. It's in those quiet, unseen moments when I push past doubt, when I choose discipline over ease, that I prove to myself that I am worthy. My ability to endure, to adapt, and to keep moving forward despite obstacles reinforces that I am not dreaming, and that I am becoming. Beyond personal achievement, I am also driven by a desire to serve others. My dreams often include creating impact, whether by inspiring, helping, teaching, or simply being an example of what's possible when you believe in yourself. That sense of purpose gives my dreams deeper meaning. They aren't just for me; they are for the people I may one day influence or support. That alone makes them worth pursuing, and makes me worth achieving them. Lastly, I am worth my dreams because I've grown through pain, through failure, through experiences that have shaped me into someone who no longer runs from discomfort. I've developed the strength to face reality while holding onto hope. I've learned how to stay grounded while still reaching high. That balance, the ability to dream big while staying rooted in action, is a powerful indicator of my readiness.

I have chosen to pursue law school because I believe in the power of the law to create meaningful change. From a young age, I was aware that systems often feel inaccessible to people without the knowledge or resources to navigate them. As I grew older, I began to understand how legal professionals can interpret the law, challenge injustices, and advocate for those who are overlooked. That realization inspired me to pursue a path where I could use the law to empower others, give back to my community, and help make institutions more equitable and accountable. As a first-generation student, the path to law school has not been linear or easy. I didn't have family members to turn to for guidance on applications, networking, or even understanding what a legal career truly entailed. Instead, I took the initiative to seek out mentors, join pre-law organizations, attend panels and workshops, and ask lots of questions. I interned in environments that exposed me to legal work, whether through nonprofit advocacy, government policy, or shadowing attorneys. These experiences helped me better understand the demands of the field and the kind of lawyer I hope to become: someone who is deeply grounded in service and empathy, but also sharp, prepared, and unafraid to lead. In addition to building relevant experience, I've also worked hard to strengthen the academic and personal skills that law school will require, such as critical reading, persuasive writing, logical analysis, and public speaking. But more than that, I've developed persistence, self-discipline, and grit. Navigating higher education without a roadmap forced me to become independent and resilient-traits I believe will serve me well in law school and the legal profession. Ultimately, I see law school not just as the next academic step, but as a transformational journey. I want to be someone who understands the law deeply enough to challenge it when necessary, apply it when just, and use it as a means to uplift others. That's why I am pursuing this path, and why I feel ready for it. I have lived through struggles in life and defeated all the odds. There is nothing that can stop me from achieving my goals. The path to higher education is the only path I can see in my future. A scholarship to help me with tuition would be life-changing, and I would be ever so grateful. As a first-generation student in my family, I have tuned out any negative comments and made sure to have a successful future.

My abuser didn’t hold a knife to my throat. My abuser didn’t jump out of a dark alleyway at night. My abuser didn’t slip me a roofie at a nightclub. My abuser was my college boyfriend, who was also an ex-pro wrestler. He assaulted me in the convenience of his condo in Orlando, Florida. It started while I was a student at the University of Central Florida. We met at a nightclub in downtown Orlando, and everything seemed to go downhill ever since. I was a naive college student who was clueless about drugs. The abuse—both verbal and physical--was just something that happened. I didn’t tell anyone about what was happening for a long time. That was until people witnessed it. It took me years to get through the trauma. The trauma was so bad, that I moved from Orlando to South Florida shortly after. I didn’t want a three-year relationship to define my existence. I attempted to drive three hours from Fort Lauderdale to the University of Central Florida a few times a week for a semester. I just couldn’t continue to do it anymore. I wanted to be done with my life in Orlando, and never go back. But things never seemed to work out in my favor. I lived in Orlando during the opioid epidemic. It was during then that I learned what drugs could do to the people you love and trust. Drugs, specifically OxyContin, made my college boyfriend unrecognizable. I’ll never forget the day that I was forced to learn about the law. It was the night the person I “loved” spit in my face and pushed me down a flight of stairs at a nightclub. I’ve never felt so low in my entire life. That was the night everything changed. My college boyfriend went to jail that night. I knew very little about the law while I was in college. I was very hurt, physically and mentally, and when the police officer asked me if I wanted to press charges, I said yes. After that night, my college boyfriend was out of jail the next morning. This is when my nightmare began. “Love” makes you do crazy things. After endless threats, I dropped the charges. I learned something shortly after though. The state can pick up the charges. When that happened, I had to get a restraining order against him as soon as possible. My college boyfriend ended up going to prison for a long time. I was forced to start over. Moving to Fort Lauderdale was myself attempting to start over. I enrolled at Florida Atlantic University, but shortly after, I dropped out of college. I needed help badly. As I grew older, I was confronted with the fact that verbal and physical abuse was not a surreal misfortune. It’s something that too many people have experienced. Violence against women and children is a human rights violation, as well as a public health epidemic. I was drawn to an organization I discovered called Futures Without Violence. This organization was my therapy. It took me many years to get back to feeling like my true self. When I finally started to feel like myself, that’s when I figured out what my calling in life was. I was meant to be an advocate. Law school will take my advocacy to the next level. Survivors of abuse do not know where to turn to. Survivors do not know their rights. I want to be the person that advocates for survivors. Being a lawyer is being the ultimate advocate. With a JD degree, I can work with organizations like Futures Without Violence, and change the lives of people who were abused and silenced for way too long. I am a mom of two boys under the age of three, and I could never imagine myself going to law school the traditional route, especially being two hours away from the nearest law school. I am currently a realtor in Florida, which allows me to make my schedule, making the online JD program the best option for me. I am convinced my life experiences and advocacy with Futures Without Violence, as well as knowledge from my Master of Legal Studies program at Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, will allow me to be a good fit for the online JD program.

Question 1... I plan to begin law school this fall, August 2025. Question 2... The following is a list of law schools I applied to during this cycle: Southwestern Law School-Denied. Barry University School of Law-Accepted, Application withdrawn. St. Thomas University College of Law in Miami-Accepted, Deposit paid. Mitchell Hamline School of Law-Accepted, Deposit paid. Albany Law School-Denied. Cleveland State University College of Law-Accepted, Application withdrawn. Question 3... My short-term goal is to make straight A's in my 1L year. I am shooting to get on to law review/moot court/mock trial. Getting on to law review is my top choice. I want to graduate from law school Summa cum laude, or Magna cum laude at the least. My long-term goals include opening my own law firm with my best friend. I plan to be an advocate for women and children. I was a victim of an abusive relationship from my relationship in my early 20s when I was in college. Since then, my goal has been to attend law school and become the ultimate advocate. Question 4... One of the things I do to pursue learning and intellectual growth outside of formal education is engage in continuous learning through reading, courses, and discussions. I constantly read all different types of books by a range of different authors. I am always listening to podcasts and watching educational webinars on different topics. I use every opportunity I have as an opportunity to learn more. I feel that knowledge is power, and I pursue to learn as much as I can. Question 5... I am a huge advocate for women and children who have been in abusive relationships. I have gone to protests in support of battered women and children. I have spoken at rallies about my abusive relationship in college. I have received backlash because of the MeToo movement. People have accused me of being a part of the movement just because, but I have been vocal about the topic since after college in my 20s. One thing I took away from this experience is that people will always have something negative to say, regardless of the topic. I learned to tune out the noise and continue pursuing what I believe in. Question 6... If I had the resources to create a philanthropic initiative, I would support people who need financial assistance. I would create a scholarship program that would help low-income students with their tuition. Instead of having one big scholarship, I would supply multiple scholarships for multiple students. As a student currently in the cycle of applying to law school, I see the value of scholarships. I too am a low-income applicant that would benefit from scholarships. The price of tuition is high, and most students will have to take out multiple loans just to pay their way through school. The standardized test requirements for different programs can be extremely difficult and expensive, swaying people's decision to even apply to college. I want to make the process easier for students, seeing that my application process was also difficult and expensive.

I'll never forget the day I was forced to learn about the law. It was the night the person I "loved" spit in my face and pushed me down a flight of stairs at a nightclub. I've never felt so low in my life. That was the night everything changed. My college boyfriend went to jail that night. That is when my nightmare began. I became what I only saw on television, a victim of an abusive relationship. You never realize how much something affects you until you go through it. I was in college at the time, and ended up dropping out during my last semester because I felt like I couldn't go on. Many years later, my life changed again, significantly. A few years ago, I met someone that I thought was "the one." I had two kids with him, and years later, I ended up as a single mom of two beautiful boys. This was not the life I planned for, but I've been dealing with the cards I've been dealt ever since. I'm a realtor in Florida, and that's how I support my children. Ever since I had kids, I wanted to be a great example for them, and someone they would want to look up to. I knew being a college dropout wasn't the example I wanted to be for them. I ended up going back to college a few years ago and finishing what I started. I finished my bachelor's degree in 2021. Being the primary caregiver has shaped me in more ways than one. My kids have influenced me to be a role model, and the best super Mom I could be for them. One of the best moments in my entire life was the day I graduated. There was no better feeling than seeing the smiles on my kid's faces as they cheered me on that day. I could never imagine life without my kids. They have given me a purpose and have made me a better person. As much as I struggle in life with them, I couldn't see life being any other way. After graduation, I had this weird feeling of just not being satisfied. I wasn't exactly sure I knew what I wanted to do, but I knew I still wanted to do something. I ended up applying to graduate school. I recently got accepted to a graduate program. As hard as kids can make life, I knew being the best version of myself I could be for them would be the best move. My kids motivate me to do things I never thought I would be able to do. As the sole provider for my kids, I have no other choice but to succeed. Receiving this scholarship would help this single mom significantly. The struggle is real trying to do life as a single mom. There are months we barely get by. This scholarship would take a lot of stress away, and help me with my tuition for graduate school. School is so expensive. I'm barely able to even go to graduate school with everything I have going on, as far as work, kids, and being able to provide for them. This scholarship would help take some of the load off my back, and I would be ever so grateful.

Life didn't end up the way I planned. I never imagined having kids, and later ending up as a single mom. The last thing I wanted to do was fit the typical demographic of being a single mom. I am a single mother of two boys under the age of 3. Every day, I face struggles. I strive to be the best mother I can be. I work part-time, so I can always be available for my kids. I applied to graduate school in order to further my education, in hopes to better my living situation, and be a great example for my children. When I was younger, I never planned to have kids. I will never regret my decision. Kids are the best little blessings. I got out of a really bad relationship a few years ago. I was in an abusive relationship, and was lucky to get out alive. Years later, my whole reason for pursuing a higher education was to become an advocate and a voice for women and children that were/are in the same situation that I was in with my kids. I am pursing a degree in legal studies, specifically family law. Survivors of abuse do not know where to turn to. Survivors do not know their rights. I want to be the person that advocates for survivors. Pursing a degree in law will allow me to be the ultimate advocate. It took me many years to get back to feeling like my true self. Now that I feel like myself again, I've been working the hardest I've ever worked to achieve my goals. Applying to graduate school has not been easy. I had to take a standardized test, and study with 2 kids. I took the test twice in order to achieve a satisfying score. After writing endless essays for multiple schools, I finally received an acceptance letter. The day I received my acceptance letter, I cried. It took roughly a year of hard work, but I finally got accepted to graduate school. I cried because I was so happy, even though I must've made multiple back up plans because of the lack of confidence I had in myself. I am uniquely deserving of this reward because I have done what a very small percentage of college students have done. I went back to college after having to drop out because of my situation. Not only did I go back and graduate with kids, I also pursued graduate school without questioning how I would be able to do it with kids. I went back to school with a motivation like I've never had before in my life, and have not stopped. I will do whatever it takes to provide for my children, and be the best role model I can be for them.