I’m a big fan of Wicked because it reimagines a familiar story in a way that feels real and complex. Instead of casting Elphaba as simply "wicked," it dives into her life and shows how her intentions and circumstances make her much more than that. This idea really resonates with me because it reminds me that people are never just one thing. We all have layers, stories, and struggles that shape who we are, and first impressions rarely capture the full picture. One of my favorite parts of Wicked is the friendship between Elphaba and Glinda. Their relationship goes through so many phases—rivalry, understanding, loyalty—and feels authentic and relatable. It shows how even the most unlikely friendships can teach us something and shape who we become. I see this in my own life too, where friendships with people very different from me have challenged me and made me better. Elphaba and Glinda’s bond captures the idea that real friendship isn’t about being the same but about growing together, even when it’s hard. The music and staging bring everything to life and make Wicked unforgettable. Songs like “Defying Gravity” and “For Good” are more than just great tunes—they’re full of meaning, capturing the show's messages of resilience, individuality, and gratitude. "For Good" is particularly special to me because it captures how people, even if they’re only in our lives for a short time, can leave lasting impacts that change us. In the end, Wicked isn’t just a musical to me—it’s a reminder to look beyond appearances, appreciate differences, and value what makes each of us unique.

If you were to ask me what the most important skill is to become successful, I would say is to be financially literate. Financial literacy to me is one of the most fundamental skills to succeed in society and many individuals of undermined communities lack these necessary skills. Now this isn’t because they choose not to be financially literate, it is more because these communities lack the resources to obtain such skills. Research shows that many of your minority communities, specifically African Americans, demonstrate a low financial literacy rate. As a proud African American who was raised in a household that valued the importance of financial literacy, and to see my peers lack such necessary skills drives me to take matters into my own hands and decrease the financial literacy gap in not only the African American community but every undermined community as well. It is my long-term goal to start a non-profit that targets the youth in undermined communities and to teach them financial literacy. I believe obtaining such knowledge at a young age, will provide these individuals the proper foundation to build on top of. One of the people I look up to the most is my mother, and she has always instilled the mindset of financial literacy into me from a very young age, especially being a financial advisor herself. I too, want to follow in her footsteps and share the word of financial literacy, but with my spin on it. I’ve witnessed my peers not even know what a “share” is, let alone know the importance of investing or the different types of ways to save money other than a savings account. It’s been a virtue to be raised by financially literate parents who can help guide me in my career, but what about those who aren’t receiving the same advantages as me? Do they not deserve to receive the same benefits as me? Financial literacy is a right, and everyone deserves the right to have basic financial knowledge. In the future, I envision expanding my efforts to address the financial literacy gap by organizing workshops and seminars in schools and community centers. Partnering with local organizations and leveraging my network, I hope to create a nonprofit that empowers young people with the knowledge and tools they need to manage their finances effectively. Through these efforts, I aspire to foster a generation of financially literate and empowered individuals who can break the cycle of poverty and build a brighter future for themselves and their communities.

If you were to ask me what the most important skill is to become successful, I would say is to be financially literate. Financial literacy to me is one of the most fundamental skills to succeed in society and many individuals of undermined communities lack these necessary skills. Now this isn’t because they choose not to be financially literate, it is more because these communities lack the resources to obtain such skills. Research shows that many of your minority communities, specifically African Americans, demonstrate a low financial literacy rate. As a proud African American and Filipino woman who was raised in a household that valued the importance of financial literacy, and to see my peers lack such necessary skills drives me to take matters into my own hands and decrease the financial literacy gap not only the African American community but every undermined community as well. It is my long-term goal to start a non-profit that targets the youth in undermined communities and to teach them financial literacy. I believe obtaining such knowledge at a young age, will provide these individuals the proper foundation to build on top of. One of the people I look up to the most is my mother, as a Filipino immigrant, she has always instilled the mindset of financial literacy into me from a very young age, especially being a financial advisor herself. I too, want to follow in her footsteps and share the word of financial literacy, but with my spin on it. I’ve witnessed my peers not even know what a “share” is, let alone know the importance of investing or the different types of ways to save money other than a savings account. It’s been a virtue to be raised by financially literate parents who can help guide me in my career, but what about those who aren’t receiving the same advantages as me? Do they not deserve to receive the same benefits as me? To me, to be Filipina means to be proud of my heritage and to always be the best version of myself. One of the biggest lessons my mom has taught me, outside of finance, is to "leave something better than it was before". With that said, I hope to leave an everlasting impact on my community to help future generations.

If you were to ask me what the most important skill needed to become successful, I would say it is financial literacy. To me, this skill is foundational to succeed in society, yet unfortunately, many individuals in underserved communities lack access to it, not out of ignorance, but as a result of limited resources in these communities. As a proud African American woman who was raised in a household that valued the importance of financial literacy, seeing my peers lack such necessary skills drives me to take matters into my own hands and help decrease the financial literacy gap in undermined communities. Seeing this need in my community creates a drive in me to develop a nonprofit focusing on underserved youth. At school, I always felt different because I grew up in a household that prioritized financial literacy, which is uncommon in my community. My upbringing has given me a unique perspective and a deep understanding of financial principles from an early age. I leverage this uniqueness by actively sharing my knowledge and experiences to help others, especially African American youth, navigate their financial journeys. To be a leader means to inspire and guide others, and I believe one effective way to do this is by actively participating in your community. Witnessing the impacts of the Black wealth gap in my neighborhood has motivated me to get involved. I’ve witnessed my peers not even know what a “share” is, let alone know the importance of investing or the different types of ways to save money other than a savings account. It’s been a virtue to be raised by financially literate parents who can help guide me in my career, but what about those who aren’t receiving the same advantages as me? Do they not deserve to receive the same benefits as me? Financial literacy is a right, and everyone deserves the right to have basic financial knowledge. As a proud African American woman raised in a household that prioritized financial literacy, seeing my peers struggle with these essential skills compels me to address the financial literacy gap in underserved communities. This passion has driven me to give back to the youth in my community, guiding them through life's challenges. I recall volunteering at Girls Inc. this summer, where I was deeply moved by the diverse backgrounds of the girls, many with parents who had no college experience. They reached out to me, a college student, for guidance in becoming the first in their families to seek higher education. Moments like these build a community and make a difference in someone's life. Sometimes, you don't need to host large events to make a difference; impacting those around you can have a greater effect than you might assume, even when you have no idea who is watching you.

As a girl in her 20s, trying to find love for herself, my favorite song on "Brat" is "Everything is Romantic." As I go through my journey of learning what love is and trying to find it myself, this track shows Charli XCX's talent for mixing catchy pop melodies with deep lyrics. The song talks about the many sides of romance. It captures both the dreamy and hard parts of love. The vibrant sound and lively beats make a sound that is both nostalgic and fresh. What truly sets "Everything is Romantic" apart from the rest of the album is its emotional depth. The lyrics are relatable, touching on love's universal highs and lows, making me, as the listener, feel seen and understood. When listening to Brat for the first time, this song stood out to me the most as you can feel the love she is describing from the very beginning of the song. It describes love as a journey, describing it as a trip down " winding roads, [in] manual drive". It's a track that resonates on multiple levels—whether you're dancing to its infectious rhythm or contemplating its deep message. This duality makes the song so compelling and why it stands out to me on the album. This summer, I had the opportunity to intern in New York City, which is where I listened to Charli XCX's album "Brat" for the first time. Picture me walking through Times Square, headphones on full blast, while listening to an electronic album with a neon green album cover with the word "brat" dead center of it. I was immediately in a trance, starstruck even. How could someone make such a good album that is under an hour? Charli XCX's music has not only broadened my taste from just R&B and rap but has inspired me throughout this summer with its different sounds and fearless exploration of emotions. I'm not usually one to say that music can teach lessons, but this album has helped me embrace my individuality and resonates deeply with my journey of self-discovery and growth. Songs like "Everything is Romantic" capture the complexities of love and relationships, reminding me that it's okay to embrace both the highs and the lows in life.

To be a "leader" means overcoming adversity, while inspiring and guiding others, and I believe one effective way to do this is by actively participating in your community. Witnessing the impacts of the Black wealth gap in my neighborhood has motivated me to get involved. As a proud African American woman raised in a household that prioritized financial literacy, seeing my peers lack these essential skills drives me to address the financial literacy gap in underserved communities. With my passion for helping close that gap, I plan to use my voice to help build a proper financial future for the youth in my community. I recall volunteering at Girls Inc. this summer, where I was deeply moved by the diverse backgrounds of the girls, many with parents who had no college experience. They reached out to me, a college student, for guidance in becoming the first in their families to seek higher education. Moments like these build a community. Sometimes, you don't need to host large events to make a difference; impacting those around you can have a greater effect than you might assume. Volunteering at Girls Inc. was a transformative experience. It allowed me to connect with young girls on a personal level, understanding their dreams and the challenges they face. These interactions underscored the importance of financial literacy and education in breaking the cycle of poverty. Many of these girls lacked basic knowledge about managing money, saving, and investing, which are critical skills for achieving financial independence and success. Moreover, I aspire to mentor young Black girls, guiding them through life's challenges. I am deeply grateful for my mentors, whose support has enabled me to attend university and pursue my passions, as well as seize opportunities like interning at JPMorgan. I believe that without proper guidance, succeeding in this challenging world is difficult. Volunteering has profoundly impacted my life, teaching me valuable lessons, especially humility. Growing up, I was somewhat indifferent to others' struggles. However, my community involvement over the years has heightened my sensitivity to others' experiences. You never know what someone else is going through. By volunteering and mentoring, I aim to provide the support and encouragement that many young people in my community need to thrive. In the future, I envision expanding my efforts to address the financial literacy gap by organizing workshops and seminars in schools and community centers. Partnering with local organizations and leveraging my network, I hope to create a nonprofit that empowers young people with the knowledge and tools they need to manage their finances effectively. Through these efforts, I aspire to foster a generation of financially literate and empowered individuals who can break the cycle of poverty and build a brighter future for themselves and their communities.

To be an "up-stander" means to inspire and guide others, and I believe one effective way to do this is by actively participating in your community. Witnessing the impacts of the Black wealth gap in my neighborhood has motivated me to get involved. As a proud African American woman raised in a household that prioritized financial literacy, seeing my peers lack these essential skills drives me to address the financial literacy gap in underserved communities. With my passion for helping close that gap, I plan to use my voice to help build a proper financial future for the youth in my community. I recall volunteering at Girls Inc. this summer, where I was deeply moved by the diverse backgrounds of the girls, many with parents who had no college experience. They reached out to me, a college student, for guidance in becoming the first in their families to seek higher education. Moments like these build a community. Sometimes, you don't need to host large events to make a difference; impacting those around you can have a greater effect than you might assume. Volunteering at Girls Inc. was a transformative experience. It allowed me to connect with young girls on a personal level, understanding their dreams and the challenges they face. These interactions underscored the importance of financial literacy and education in breaking the cycle of poverty. Many of these girls lacked basic knowledge about managing money, saving, and investing, which are critical skills for achieving financial independence and success. Moreover, I aspire to mentor young Black girls, guiding them through life's challenges. I am deeply grateful for my mentors, whose support has enabled me to attend university and pursue my passions, as well as seize opportunities like interning at JPMorgan. I believe that without proper guidance, succeeding in this challenging world is difficult. Volunteering has profoundly impacted my life, teaching me valuable lessons, especially humility. Growing up, I was somewhat indifferent to others' struggles. However, my community involvement over the years has heightened my sensitivity to others' experiences. You never know what someone else is going through. By volunteering and mentoring, I aim to provide the support and encouragement that many young people in my community need to thrive. In the future, I envision expanding my efforts to address the financial literacy gap by organizing workshops and seminars in schools and community centers. Partnering with local organizations and leveraging my network, I hope to create a nonprofit that empowers young people with the knowledge and tools they need to manage their finances effectively. Through these efforts, I aspire to foster a generation of financially literate and empowered individuals who can break the cycle of poverty and build a brighter future for themselves and their communities.