My favorite piece of art is a mural painted by Eduardo Kobra, for the 2016 Olympics in Sao Paul, Brazil. My mother and I immigrated to the United States and moved to South Florida. Here the neighborhoods are often decorated with art made by local artists and it is the same in Brazil, especially Sao Paul. My mother would show me art from the area she grew up and tell me stories of watching the artists paint them from her window. We both always loved the colorful art, the ones that spoke a story, and the ones that meant something. The piece painted by Kobra was a commentary on the rainforest of Brazil and the deforestation happening. It is of a native child dressed in beautiful jewelry and decorated with the bright colors of the rainforest. This same artist recreated the works in Miami, Florida for an exhibit at Wind Wood walls. When he came, I was able to witness his painting and it reminded me so much of the stories my mother told me. While the pieces he created in Florida were not the same as his original work in Brazil the message, colors, and artistry were the same. I was able to view the artwork in both my homes and in viewing them, see my best memories and passion for activism represented in the two places I’ve ever called home.

When you’ve worked the longest day of your life, practically crawl home from exhaustion, barely change out of your uniform, and finally lay in your bed, that feeling of finally being home, of being supported, and the calmness that comes with it - that is what friendship means to me. Life can be so hectic and so much is out of your control, but the friendships you make are ones you choose for yourself. My friends could tell me the same story a dozen times, ramble on about math I haven’t begun to understand, and question me on every part of my childhood, and I would still come back home to be in their company every time. Diversity is something that I value so much in my friends. They give me a variety of opinions and commentaries on my life and help provide me with new perspectives on everything from myself to the world around me. They’ve pushed me to pursue my interests further, to experience new things, and have always supported me no matter what decision is facing me. I’ve grown personally and professionally from knowing them and they in turn have also grown with me. Friendship truly means everything to me and I know that the friends I’ve made will be a home for wherever I go and whatever I’m going through.

When I imagine joy, I think about the weather right before it rains and of jumping into the ocean on the hottest day of the year. For me, joy feels like this refreshing sense of freedom and calmness. Joy really means everything to me. Growing up, I really struggled to find it anywhere in my life and in the people around me. I lived in a neighborhood of immigrants in South Florida and it felt like everyone around me was struggling to survive and living just to live. I wanted joy so badly. I would bury myself in books, games, videos, and sports desperately trying just to catch a glimpse of it. Growing up, I’ve reflected on this a lot and I realized that you can’t search for joy. It doesn’t sit still and you’ll never find it waiting for you in the next book or game. Joy is continuously moving, running, and journeying through life and I now know that it is something you create and carry with you. I surround myself with friends, mentors, and opportunities that create joy in me. Joy surrounds my daily life because I surround myself with friends who are committed to creating it too. I find joy in my daily life by diving deep into topics that interest me and share them with others. I share in others’ joy when I listen to their interests and hear all of the things they love, enjoy, or put feeling into that make up them. Finding the joy in others’ lives and seeing how they create their own has brought me more happiness than any book or game could.

How I keep a growth mindset has developed alongside me, especially so since I began studying Social Work and Psychology. When I was young, I was motivated to be the first and to prove myself to others; this drove me to finish high school and go to college. I wanted to prove to Upward Bound that I was not a waste of their time and that I could live up to their expectations no matter the obstacles in my way. That drive pushed me to get good grades, apply and attend college, and pursue a Psychology degree, but even then, I knew that I could go farther. My decision to study Social Work was wholly for me. My mindset of doing things for others changed and I become motivated most by proving to myself that I could. And now, I strive to excel in all I do and pursue personal growth for myself. I grow as a person because I want to and because I feel comfortable that the people in my life only care that I’m happy. I’ve given myself the space to take interesting classes that challenge my beliefs and grow my understanding of myself and the world. I would have never given myself this opportunity without finding my own drive and pursuing my own interests in my field. I keep this mindset every day in all that I do because I know that it inspires me and brings me joy. I know that the path to my best self starts with my happiest self, and I know that I’m making progress to it.

First-generation is a term that was followed me all my life. Not only would I be the first to go to school in the United States I would be the first to go to college and the first to Graduate. My parents immigrated from Brazil to the United States shortly after me and my sister were born. I graduated high school as the second only in my family and now I am the first graduating from college. I attended the University of Alabama and will be graduating in May 2022 with a minor in Social Work and a BA in Psychology. While I’ve been completing my degree, I have consistently worked three jobs, including being a residential Advisor for my community. Here I have been able to work with my community and expand my leadership experience in creative and challenging ways. These Jobs have allowed me to make payments monthly and continue to pay for the semester after my initial loan. While still having a place to stay while completing my degree. I have even taken on several leadership roles on campus and have had the opportunity to present information on the War on Drugs and several mental health-related topics. While in college, I further worked as an ambassador and worked as a peer mentor for students on campus diagnosed with autism. I also completed research through the psychology honors program with a mentor and through this program, I wrote a master's level thesis and presented it during URCA or The Universities research conference. I was also able to take some of the first classes in nonprofit management offered and received documentation and certification in areas of nonprofit management. I have been heavily involved in my community and have used my time here to work with two major nonprofits before and during my time at the University of Alabama. I worked with The United Way both in persona and online throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to provide access to resources and information about what the United way does, who they help, and how volunteers can get involved. I helped format and rework their website and have created flyers for upcoming community events. I also worked for the Red Cross as a Blood Donor Ambassador. I regularly attend blood drives to educate donors on blood donation and community resources. I also helped them in advocacy education and community outreach. These experiences have pushed my love for nonprofit and volunteer work as well as encouraged me to research non-profit management. My career and life goals are to work as a social worker and focus on substance abuse and mental health in the nonprofit sector. I hope to eventually go into nonprofit management, even hopefully starting one of my own in the area of substance abuse. Using this scholarship to pay off my student loans will help me further my aspirations, my career goals, and my personal goals. This would lower my stress and allow me to pay off other areas of need, like medical bills. Finally, getting this scholarship would also help me pursue an MSW degree; I have already been accepted to the University of Alabama MSW program for social work and this would help make the dream of paying for it on my own possible.