My name is Escarlet Romo, and as the eldest of two siblings and a biological twin, I take great pride in my role within my family. Currently, I am a senior at Westfield High School in Houston, Texas, where I am honored to rank in the top 20% of my class. My high school journey has been marked by a proactive commitment to academic excellence, evidenced by my enrollment in dual credit and Advanced Placement (AP) courses. As I envision my future, I am unwaveringly dedicated to advancing my education and pursuing a career in immigration law. Recognizing the importance of strategic and cost-effective decisions, I plan to earn my associate's degree from Lone Star College. This pathway will allow me to seamlessly transfer my credits to Texas A&M University, paving the way for a successful journey to law school. My passion for making a meaningful difference in the field of immigration law drives my ambition. I am determined to advocate for those in need, offering unwavering support and empathy. My personal experiences have equipped me with a deep understanding of their struggles, and I am committed to providing the reassurance that comes from having someone by their side who truly understands their challenges. Growing up in the United States was easier for my sister and me, but it posed significant challenges for our parents, who moved from Mexico. They made the heart-wrenching decision to leave their hometown for the sake of their four daughters. Upon arriving in Texas, we faced language barriers, as our first language is Spanish. While my sisters and I quickly adapted to English and my dad worked hard to learn it too, my mom continues to struggle with fluency. A pivotal moment for our family came when my dad lost his job in a family business, and our relatives turned their backs on him during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the mental toll it took on him, which he never vocalized, I witnessed his resilience as he fought to secure a new job, and he later did. To help support our family and tuition, I took a part-time position at Chick-fil-A, beginning to save for the future. My seven-year involvement in the law pathway throughout middle and high school has profoundly shaped my career aspirations. It was during my junior year that I came to a clear realization about my passion. On the day I entered Law 2, my teacher announced that a public speaker, a lawyer, would be sharing her journey with us. I approached the presentation with low expectations, but as she spoke, I felt an immediate connection and burgeoning interest. My motivation extends far beyond financial gain; it lies in the opportunity to practice various areas of law while advocating for others. This deeply resonates with me, as I have long grappled with the feeling that my voice was diminished in many spaces. And my senior year only solidified my commitment to this field. I have attended family, criminal, and juvenile court sessions and became a certified 911 dispatcher under the guidance of Dr. Parks. These experiences have enriched my understanding of the community I aim to serve. As I continue to evolve, I am learning the invaluable lesson of humility. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to share my story with the scholarship committee and hope to inspire others through my journey.

My name is Escarlet M. Romo, and I am proud to soon become a first-generation college student. As the oldest of three siblings, I feel an even stronger responsibility to lead by example in pursuing higher education. My overall goal is to become an immigration attorney, mainly to give that sense of relief to those in my community that others like them can have a second and better chance at life. I will be graduating from Westfield High School in Houston, TX, as part of the class of 2025. I currently rank in the top 20% of my class and am among the 28% who have at least taken one AP course in my high school. Planning to attend Lone Star College and transferring later on to Texas A&M University and onto their law school is the long-term career goal I have set. I come from a low-income family, a working-class family, and the past few years, especially since 2020, have brought serious financial challenges. These struggles affected my family deeply and made it very difficult for my father and me to save for my college tuition. I knew early on that if I wanted to pursue my dream of becoming an attorney, I would need to find a way to contribute financially. That's when I decided to get a part-time job at Chick-fil-A, balancing school and work to save money. Unfortunately, the pay I earn, while helpful, is not enough to cover even a single semester of college. Money has always been one of my biggest concerns. Growing up, I constantly worried whether we had enough. I still carry that worry today. But if there's ever a way I can help my parents, I would do so in a heartbeat. That mindset, to fight for what hard work earns you, is something I learned from my biggest role model: my dad. My father was born and raised in Guadalajara, Jalisco, and the United States. He grew up in a middle-income family, not wealthy, but stable. For my mom, my three sisters, and me, he has always stepped up as the provider so that one parent could stay at home and be present. I’ve always admired his dedication and strength. Even during difficult times, he kept going. Then came 2020, a year that tested us all, but especially him. He lost his job, and for nearly half a year, he struggled to find work. I could see how hard it hit him mentally. He looked tired and defeated, but even at his lowest, he didn’t give up. He always says, “My family is my motivation,” and those aren’t just words. He proved it by getting back up and doing everything he could to support us again. He taught me to keep pushing, no matter how hard life gets. He’s the reason I started stepping out of my comfort zone in junior year. I learned to speak up more, take on new challenges, and grow from my mistakes. I only wish I had done that earlier in high school. Still, I’ve become the kind of person who doesn’t run from failure...I reflect, adjust, and grow from it. I carry those lessons with me as I prepare for college and a future career dedicated to helping others. Receiving this scholarship wouldn’t just help me financially, it would also be a powerful encouragement to keep moving forward. It would be a reminder that my efforts and my family’s sacrifices matter. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to tell my story and for your time in reading it. Thank you.

"Be the change that you wish to see in the world," a famous quote by Mahatma Gandhi. My name is Escarlet Marinot Romo, or as others say, "Scarlet" because they would never expect an "E" in front of the S. I am a biologically identical twin sister, oldest of three others, striving to see actual change and hope in the world ever since such recent catastrophes have unfolded like COVID-19. But medicine isn't my target reach for the future; becoming an attorney is, to be exact, an immigration attorney. "But why not a Lawyer?" because if given the chance, I would love to represent my client myself, to provide them with the comfort that someone of the same community is there to support them, to grant them a second chance at life, and that i'll not only fight for them but also for their family. I grew up in a middle-income household with many peers thinking I had everything, which wasn't true. Although I thankfully had all the basics, everyone has some struggles, and reaching my High School year, these struggles were raised. My father lost his job in 2020 and found it hard to get a new job and acquire enough money for bills. Because of this, he couldn't save money for my college tuition or my sisters, but even so, he always tried and did his best to provide for us as much as he could. Eventually, he did find a job, almost entering 2021, that is. This event greatly impacted my family, so to start funding for my future, I began working part-time at Chick-fil-A, but even that isn't enough. However, these events helped me build better character and realize that nothing is truly free - you must work hard to get what you want. In 12th grade, my motivation to pursue this future was raised not only by being in the law pathway but also by my teacher: Dr.Parks. I had the opportunity to go on multiple trips, during which I learned how the court systems work, look, and even had the opportunity to meet the judges in my county and speak to one! Yet, this was just one of the few experiences, from law firm conferences to even getting state-certified as a 911 dispatcher, my aspirations to become an immigration attorney kept growing. While I may not have extraordinary achievements such as being an officer of an honors club or creating a non-profit organization, I learned from the mistakes or missed opportunities that I should've taken in which I'll take into account in the future and entering my first year of college. With recent unfolding events concerning our president, this eagerness to pursue this future career grows, and I hope that not only will I be part of the small percentage of Latinas becoming attorneys, but that I'll be another person who'll be benefiting the community positively. And if I were to not win this scholarship, I would still be grateful that you took time to read my essay to share my aspiration with someone else apart from family, and with this opportunity, no door closes, but if not multiple open to slowly shape me into the person I am to become.

La Chona Jalisco- my favorite small town in Mexico, Guadalajara. I vividly remember my last visit in 2018. We used to go once a year, and when December came, it was always my favorite time. I learned about where my parents grew up, stepping into their homes filled with memories. At 13, I began to understand the daily struggles of life in that small town-“it's much more different than that of America.” While it was beautiful, I also saw the hardship my parents faced, and I understood why they left for a better future in the U.S. But even in the U.S., life wasn't easy. In 2020, my dad lost his job, forcing my parents to start over. Yet, their resilience never wavered. They worked tirelessly to rebuild, showing me what it means to be strong, hardworking, and determined. My Mexican heritage has shaped me-it has taught me to embrace who I am, take pride in my identity, and fight for what is right. Now, as a 2025 senior, I see how much those experiences have influenced my goals. For over six years, I've been on the Law pathway, solidifying my passion for law. I plan to major in political science, attend law school, and become an immigration attorney. Too many in my community have been stripped of opportunities or lack legal resources. I want to be the attorney they can turn to not just because I understand the law, but because I understand their struggles. I won't just advocate for them- I'll stand with them. However, financing my education is a challenge. My parents’ sacrifices have gotten me this far, but the cost of higher education is overwhelming. Having my mother who was fortunate enough to gain residency makes me grateful for those who helped her. This scholarship would ease the financial burden on my family and allow me to continue my education without barriers. More than that, it would help me achieve my dream of giving back to my community and ensuring no one feels alone in their fight for a better future. Para la Familia.

"Law class is impossible, too complicated, overwhelming, and beyond my abilities." Doubts clouded my mind about whether I would pass the first semester of 6th grade law, I wasn't familiar with it and was forcefully put into it due to the lack of people. I'll never forget my first-ever exam from that class. I got a 40; 30 points away from passing - I was the only one who failed it. This made me hate Law. I had in mind that I wasn't planning on pursuing anything in that field, instead, I would be a veterinarian. I tried studying the notes given in law class but lacked the knowledge of how to retain so much information in my mind at that time. However, I luckily had a great teacher "Mr.Idlebird". He made law class seem fun and easy but while I struggled to grasp basic concepts, everybody else already knew them. He noticed and saw my struggles, willing to help me improve and reach my goals. Spanish being my first language didn't make things easier, but he encouraged me to do better and to try for myself. And in doing so; I earned my first 100 in that class, being proud of myself and where my interest began to spark and grow. In High School, my interest in becoming an immigrant attorney sprouted. After seeing the major impact our 45th president left on those undocumented and just searching for a better life in America, I felt empathy and the need to help and do something. Additionally, as a Latina myself I also felt personally impacted. Having family members such as my aunt and her kids who could be at risk makes me eager to finish high school and begin my journey to become an immigrant attorney. I've put in mind that such a journey won't be easy but because wanting to give others like my family the chance of a better life in the United States for them and their kids; I would like to allow them to do so. Although I might've not had flashy positions such as being president of a club or starting a movement, I stayed active, engaged, and involved in school. I joined the National Technical Honors Society program in which I help others and my community by raising fundraisers and giving back to my community. Because money would also be tight at times, I couldn't enter many clubs because they all needed to be entered with a certain deposit or down payment. However, I have engaged in multiple community service events in which I have also accumulated numerous hours and have gotten a better understanding of people and how they are. Whenever I enter college I plan on pursuing political science as my major and pre-law as a minor to help me gain greater insights for my future career. Additionally, not only will this scholarship help me with the start of my financial help to reach my future dreams but it'll allow me to give others a second chance, help make changes in the future, and be part of the 5.8% Latinas in Law.