My passion is for storytelling, especially visually storytelling. There is wonderful power in it for helping people heal, gain understand, and grow in insight. Art can help people find truth and closure. To me, art is life made clear. Art does not reproduce what we see. It makes us see. I began writing and illustrating at the age of twelve and became very passionate about it, even though everyone in my life doubted my ability to keep it up. My family is poor and no one had pursued a career in art or higher education at all. I was unsupported in my aspirations. My father expressed disappointment in my choices. But ten years later, I'm still pursuing my goal to tell stories through art, stories that could help and inspire people. My father now says he's proud of me. I'm going to college to study art because I want to pursue excellence. I want to have abilities I'm proud of, abilities to create without limitation. I'm also passionate about teaching and hope to teach art to children and inspire them. Coming from a poor family, it is a struggle to pay for college. I don't just want this education for myself and my dreams to be an artist, writer, and teacher. I also want to begin a tradition of higher education for my children and provide them with the opportunity if they so choose. This scholarship would greatly improve my ability to do so.