For a while, I did not think I was good enough. I thought sure, acting, music, writing, etc. might be the things I enjoy but I could never actually do them. My family was never supportive of my artistic aspirations. They always believed I should be practical and make money. They thought it would be best for me to go to school to become a doctor, a lawyer, anything but an artist. It is not their fault though, pursuing the arts truly is a luxury. It is a luxury my mother nor I ever thought possible coming from a long line of hard-working but small dreamers who were only thinking of how they were going to keep the roof over their heads. As a first-generation, the pressure to succeed in school while going through the typical unfortunate series of events of being a young Latina girl in America with a complicated family dynamic was intense. All that to say, I did dream of making more of myself despite the small dream gene in my DNA. Despite not feeling good enough and being told I shouldn't, that those dreams weren't mine to have, I took a risk. In my senior year of high school, I felt lost. I knew what in my heart made me happy, but if I were to follow the parameters set by my family I would be settling to major in something I knew was not for me. Nonetheless, I applied to every DC and Virginia school as a Business Undecided major. I was playing it safe. Until one day, the thought occurred to me that more was out there. NYU. A dream school I thought was only possible for a selective few. I applied on a whim thinking that fairytale endings might be possible, not if you listen to my family, and that it would not hurt to try. Without telling my family, I worked hard after school after finishing assignments in the shower, in bed before I went to sleep, and on the walk to school. I practiced as much as I could. I asked my Theatre teacher, my English teacher, and my college counselor for help. I sat down and poured my heart into an essay. Then, I got in. My family still was not supportive. And yet, I decided this is what I would do. It was what felt right in my heart and so I committed to the school and committed myself to finding as many scholarships as I could. Now, I'm here and I couldn't be happier with my decision. I recognize it is not all happily ever after just because I made it here. That is why to actually make the career for myself that I truly desire, I have been absorbing as much information as I can, working hard, and expanding my interests. I would say I have become a multi-hyphenated artist and will continue to add to that list. I believe that is how I will achieve the career of my dreams and prove I was right to defect and become a big dreamer.

Generational wealth means freedom. A freedom and a luxury my ancestors have never been afforded. My mother has always pushed me to go the practical route with my career for that reason. Instead, I decided to chase after the things that inspire me and fuel my soul, the arts. However, this has not been easy whatsoever. It would be practically impossible for me without scholarships. Obtaining generational wealth would mean I would be the change for my family. I would break the cycle of dreaming and living small. I would give the future of my family tree a chance to do much more, to never feel limited by money like myself and my family have. How do I plan to break this cycle while remaining true to my roots you may ask? I plan to continue to work hard like my family always has but take opportunities they just did not know were possible or have access to. I got into my dream school, and thanks to scholarships I was able to attend. This is the chance of a lifetime. Since arriving at NYU, my goals to truly take advantage of my education here and to make it for myself and future generations have been to completely dedicate myself to getting the most out of my academic as well as my art classes, having a job to ground myself, putting myself in rooms I never thought possible, constantly networking when possible, and collaborating and creating all the art I always wanted to make. I plan to continue working hard and not taking the spaces I'm in for granted. I plan to continue getting comfortable with being uncomfortable as I have already faced that and grown as a result. I plan to reach for every opportunity and not wait for one to be handed to me. I plan to make my own opportunities as a multi-hyphenated artist. I say all this, but I know it won't be easy. The difference is that I know how worth it it will be. It will be worth it when I see the smiles on the faces of my mother, brother, future children, and grandchildren. It will be worth it when I can feel my ancestors smiling down on me from Heaven. It will be worth it when the worries and shame surrounding my relationship with money are a thing in my rearview mirror. It will be worth it when I can not only help those of my bloodline, but also those who will need help like I once did.

Society has for a long time put women at a disadvantage and while infuriating, it is also empowering to know our generation can make even the smallest difference in this. I believe that, in the last few years, so much for women has changed for the better but there is still much work to be done. Society can most effectively empower women by finally and genuinely listening and taking action on grievances heard, holding people accountable while leaving room for growth, and being united in the fight for change. One thing that is incredibly important for change to occur in order to effectively empower women is for society to listen and when I say listen, I mean really listen. We all can get much more out of conversations when we actually listen to what another person is saying, in a way to get an understanding of their situation, and I think that applies here as well. To listen without judgement or preconceived notions or assumptions of what you think someone else's experience is is so important. Social media has played such a crucial role in having voices heard and educating others so it is already a step in the right direction. We can also take action ourselves and educate others in our everyday lives. Although, there's only so much educating can do and we must also urge politicians to vote against the passing of laws that try to strip women of their rights. Another thing society can do to effectively empower women is to hold accountable those who commit crimes against women or spew misogynistic ignorance in everyday life or on social media. Some may even have internalized misogny and in those cases, it would be on them to unlearn their hatred which can be done. I would like to believe there is always room for people to unlearn these thoughts or behaviors when they first identify their belief-system needs improvement, and then actively decide to make an effort and unlearn. The last key thing society can do to effectively empower women is to be united in making a difference. Where there is unity, there is so much potential for change to happen. If women, men, and self-identifying individuals are a united front, our voices have to be heard. When this happens, anything is possible and it will be worth it. In conclusion, listening and taking action, holding individuals accountable and leaving them room to grow or learn, and being a united front in our demands are only a few ways society can most effectively empower women. Even if change does not immediately occur, it is an amazing start and is bound to make even the smallest difference. Whether that difference is in changing a teenager's or even an elder's mind about what they had previously thought to be true in an effort to empower and empathize with women, but also in the grander scheme of things becoming a better person. I believe this and so many other changes to be possible and that we have the power to restructure our society for it to be a better one for our kids, grandkids, and so on.