When I was seven years old, I saw my father relocate across the nation on the East Coast, leaving my mother and me to care for ourselves. That incident had a profound impact on me that I was unable to fully comprehend at the time, but it also gave me a strong desire to find stability where it was lacking and become independent. Although I may be the first to pursue higher education, my family has instilled a strong work ethic and a desire for a better future, something both of my parents have told me to never lose sight of as my mom didn't attend college and my dad attended college but didn't finish to earn a degree or certificate. I have witnessed their challenges and wanted to open new opportunities through education to better myself and them when they got older. As a child, I saw my parents' unwavering dedication to supporting our family, and their perseverance motivated me to go above the constraints of our situation. They instilled in me the importance of education as a means of building a brighter future for our community and myself. My parents continued to teach me indispensable values. Having grown up with my parents separated and my father moving to the East Coast in South Carolina when I was only seven years old, due to California being too expensive for him, I knew what it was like to not have both of them close by. My mother put a lot of effort into providing for us and frequently made compromises to make sure I got what I needed. I developed a strong work ethic and the conviction that education was the route to a brighter future from witnessing her tenacity and persistence. Even though I missed having my dad around, his not being near me inspired me to go for possibilities that would improve my situation and become independent. Being the first in my family to attend college was a way for me to prove to myself that I could overcome challenges and live the life I had always dreamed of, in addition to ending a cycle. My upbringing has had a significant influence on my education and career objectives. I am drawn to the criminal justice field because it allows me to stand up for those who, like myself, may not have access to resources or help when faced with comparable difficulties. Regardless of circumstances, I want to ensure that justice is available to everyone and to be a voice for those who don't feel heard. As a first-generation student, I was and still am motivated by the prospect of breaking generational cycles and creating opportunities that didn’t exist for my family. I believed and still believe that obtaining an education could help me break free from the cycle of little opportunities and establish an abundant life. My goal in going to college was to improve my future and make a positive impact on my community and family and that is still my goal. My upbringing has shaped my professional objectives, inspiring me to work in an area that directly supports marginalized groups, as my major is criminal justice, and is consistent with my values of tenacity, diligence, and social justice. Having grown up in an environment with not as many resources as other children, I'm driven to give back. That is the reason I am motivated to become a criminal investigator; I want to speak up for people who might not have a voice and make sure that everyone, from all backgrounds, can access and receive justice.