When I was younger, I would go to my mom’s workplace, Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, to help her with her grant program, Athletes with Autism (AwA). As a peer model in AwA, I befriended hundreds of kids with developmental disorders like autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disabilities. I learned firsthand how different the world can be when you are not born “normal.” That said, my perception of my relationships with the kids quickly became “normal.” This thing that I did, that we did, it must be common…unexceptional…”normal.” However, as I’ve gotten older—and more aware—I’ve realized that nothing about my childhood experience was “normal.” The kids in AwA were from schools in the heart of Detroit (a historically underserved community) with limited funds, staff, and educational opportunities. For most, AwA was the only time each week they were physically active in an educational environment. It was my time with that community that, from an early age, defined what service truly looks like to me. Working with kids like that gives you instant perspective. You see how to celebrate sport and time with those like yourself. But it also gives you instant gratification because you see that what you do can have a positive impact on another’s life. My time spent in AWA has shaped how I interact in social spaces and with others. I had to learn how to communicate and interact with others who experience the world much differently than I did. Those experiences as a child made me a better communicator who is prepared to change my manner or method of messaging to more effectively get the idea across. No matter how different I am from the person I’m talking with, I know that we share a point of commonality from which we can build a relationship. As I entered my junior year, I was once again offered the opportunity to use my time to better the lives of others. Alongside three of my classmates, I founded the Argyle Chapter of the Dear Future Foundation. This educational non-profit is dedicated to the distribution of educational materials such as writing implements, books, and other forms of educational infrastructure in sub-Saharan African countries. Over four months, my teammates and I raised north of $5,000 to outfit numerous all-girls schools in Uganda with textbooks, desks, and salaries for teachers. But once again, I wasn't enthralled with satisfaction because we raised some money. The true joy came a few weeks later when we were able to read letters from the students that we could read because of the English textbooks we paid for. It came a month later when we were able to call these kids and see the smiles on their faces when they talked about the feeling of excitement that writing on crisp, clean paper can give you. It is through these formative experiences that I see my career plans form. I have continued to use my time and labor to advocate for universal access to an equitable and quality education. I want to pursue an education in political science, government, and public policy so that I can use my legal expertise to ensure that millions of Americans are receiving the aid and resources that the government is required by law to provide them. I hope to ensure that every American has access to the education that society promises them. My community has assuredly served me; it's time to return the favor.