I am pursuing architecture because, in many ways, it found me long before I ever knew it could become a career. Growing up, housing was never something I took for granted. My family experienced homelessness and housing instability, so from a young age, I understood what it meant for a house to be more than walls and a roof. It represented security, hope, and the possibility of a better future. As a child, I would jokingly imagine my dream home, imagining every room and every detail. What started as a game slowly became an escape, a creative outlet born from necessity. Designing spaces allowed me to imagine a life that felt safe and stable, even when my own circumstances were uncertain. As I got older, that imagination expanded. I spent countless hours playing The Sims, not because I cared about the gameplay, but because I loved designing homes, neighborhoods, and communities. For the first time, I could bring my ideas to life in a way that felt tangible. I realized I wasn't just decorating houses, I was thinking about how people lived, moved through spaces, and found comfort in them. That curiosity led me to architecture. I discovered that the buildings I admired, especially the work of Antoni Gaudí, were not simply beautiful structures. They reflected culture, inspired emotion, and served generations of people. I realized architecture was where creativity, problem solving, history, and service could all exist together. Today, I pursue architecture because I want to create spaces that outlive me. Buildings are not monuments to the architect, they are places where people build memories, find shelter, learn, heal, and create community. They become part of a city's history and shape its future. My goal is to design spaces that are beautiful, sustainable, and accessible, especially for people who have experienced the kinds of housing challenges that shaped my own childhood. Architecture gave me a way to dream when I needed it most. Now, I want to use it to give others something even greater: places that make them feel safe, valued, and at home. If you had met me as a kid, you probably would have found me rearranging furniture that wasn't mine, critiquing houses every time we drove through a neighborhood, or pointing out things I thought I could design better. Even now, I can't help myself. I'll walk into a building and immediately notice the lighting, the ceiling height, the flow of the space, or wonder why someone decided to put a door in such an inconvenient place. My friends and family have gotten used to me giving unsolicited architectural commentary wherever we go. At this point, I don't think architecture is just something I study, it's the way I see the world. Every city feels like a classroom, every building has a story to tell, and every space makes me wonder how it could better serve the people who use it.

When I was younger, I wore black-rimmed glasses with rectangular frames that were too big for my face. I needed them because my eyesight was severely poor. Despite this, whenever I traveled downtown or on major highways, I could clearly see hundreds of homeless people. As I grew older, I noticed everyone around me pretending to be blind them, ignoring them as they drove past day after day. I began closing my eyes to them too. It seemed like there was nothing else I could do, but occasionally I caught glimpses of their hungry hands and searching eyes. By fourth grade, my single mother and three siblings were evicted from our townhome, and I became homeless. Sometimes, we begged for food. People around me acted as if I didn't exist. I soon began fantasizing about the design of 'My Family’s Dream Home', I imagined large ceilings, indoor water parks, and other child-like unrealistic spaces. I created a house when we were without a home. Though it was just a dream then, my ability to design opened endless possibilities. My passion for creating and design started in that moment. I finally settled into a small house, but my fascination with architecture grew larger. With closed eyes, I envisioned redesigning our home from memory, breaking down walls, expanding closets, and adding arched windows for light. My imagination was just a hint of something more. Everywhere I went, I would walk into buildings and leave another, one I had created. I soon reached a sense of clarity. A life goal of mine has been to build homes for the homeless, motivated by my own experiences. I understand the significance of having a safe place to call home and wish to replicate that feeling for those who may never know my name.I am determined to use my architecture degree to build shelters or start a business dedicated to housing people, so I can forever see clearly and never turn a blind eye again.