Bright lights flash on, the stage is set, the emcee begins to introduce me, my heart swells with joy, and my feet die in the six-inch heels that I've been wearing the last two hours: this is one of my bold moments. As the 2020 Miss Nevada High School America, I not only placed Top 15 in the country at Nationals, but in the Top 5 for community service as well! Though pageants can be glamorous, its impact goes way beyond that. Pageants have shown me how to give back to my community, be confident, and embrace my authentic self.

My parents once sang “Rock-a-bye baby on the tree top. When the wind blows, the cradle will rock. When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall. And down will come baby…”; however, they never needed to finish the lullaby because I would already be humming the end. Growing up surrounded by musicians, singing was a skill I could perform long before I was even able to speak or walk. As a precocious young child, I vividly remember listening in awe to the harmonies, melodies, and rhythms that surrounded me. Humming was my way of communicating before I learned how to speak and my passion for the vocal arts only grew stronger as I started to implement lyrics. Whether it be in front of my family at a karaoke party, a set of judges in a talent competition, an audience of strangers at a choir concert, or simply my shower head and shampoo bottle, I was singing every chance I could get. My parents were former musicians, so they took my fiery passion for singing and guided me towards creating harmonies, keeping a strong breath support, and understanding the meaning behind every song. Once I reached middle school, I found myself being able to sing in class everyday alongside other brilliant vocalists. Now as a senior in high school, I can proudly say that some of my fondest memories stem from being an active member in the choral program. I’ve been able to work with world-renowned conductors, carol for the less fortunate and the elderly, expand my vocal skill by being a part of one of the best Honor Choir and All-State systems in the nation, and bond with unique individuals I now consider to be my life long friends. For me, singing went far beyond reading off notes and lyrics; It became an outlet I used to communicate any feeling or thought that was running through me. High school was an unpredictable time that allowed me to focus in on who I really was; however, through every twist and turn, my vocal talent and undeniable love for music never swayed, my "everything" never swayed. The start of the COVID-19 pandemic left a lot of people lost, isolated, and unable to communicate what they were feeling. This is completely understandable, considering most of us have never experienced such a serious state of quarantine before. Just as singing, music, and writing have helped me communicate my feelings in other adversities, it's only continued to be held true when I was unable to leave home. I wrote this original piece on my cheap ukulele one night in bed when I found myself feeling as though I was in a movie-because despite the isolation of quarantine, it somehow brought me closer to loved ones...some old and one new. The song is awkward, light-hearted, and ultimately what music should be: genuine.

As a proud Filipino-American with an immigrant father, I’ve experienced first hand what it means to work hard and change the path that is laid out for you. My father was born and raised in the Queen City of the South: Cebu City, Philippines. Witnessing it firsthand, I can attest it is a destination filled with beauty, faith, hospitality, and family bonds that simply cannot be found anywhere else. At the same time, it is also a third world country; meaning, behind its beauty lies poverty, behind its faith lies doubt, behind its hospitality lies little to give, and behind its strong relationships lie abandonment. Though I’m fortunate enough to say that I have no clue what it means to be hungry or without a roof over my head, my father is unable to do the same. My father has made sacrifices for himself and our family that I cannot even begin to fathom. These sacrifices meant he never had the opportunity to receive a college education. Rather, he chose to work hard enough, so that I may have that opportunity instead. My father has been my greatest inspiration in more ways than I can even begin to recall, but if there's anything I can take away from his story and how he's raised me, it's that there's always beauty to be found within the struggle. Despite all the tragedy, poverty, and struggle surrounding Filipinos, they laugh. They give to others. They live positively. My father has shown me that that’s what being Filipino is all about. It’s about living positively in poverty, happily in hunger, and lovingly in loss. Oftentimes I’m asked, “How are you so optimistic all the time?” As a proud Filipino-American, I choose to be humble, grateful, giving, and sanguine despite any hurdle. Being Filipino has taught me that regardless of what struggle or setback I may find myself in, I will always find the beauty, intent, and gaiety of it all. I proudly proclaim that I am a female Filipino-American and a partial first generation student that is not only working hard to develop the future that I’ve always aspired for myself, but to develop a future proving that one’s background does not have to define who they become. Being the daughter of an immigrant from a third world country does not make me disadvantaged; in fact, it fuels me to work harder and more persistently than those who have never witnessed such poverty first hand. It brings me the utmost pride in my cultural community to serve as an example that young Filipino-American women can succeed, be diligent, and make a mark on this world.