Education is important to me because it has opened doors that otherwise would have stayed closed. I have learned so much not just in the classroom but outside as well. In high school I was a shy person who could not stand the thought of speaking to others, especially people with authority. Due to this I missed out on many opportunities. I lacked the initiative to seek opportunities that I knew either benefited me or I had the skills to peruse. I was filled with self-doubt and at the time I thought the worst thing in the world was being rejected. Growing up I thought going to college was going to be much like high school, and while there are similarities, it is different. Different in the sense that everyone on campus is there because they want to and not because they're forced to. This causes students to interact with like-minded individuals, while at the same time having many differences. This exposure opens up your world. I never realized how sheltered I was from the world because of the community I grew up in. The high school I attended was primarily white. This caused me to doubt my identity because unfortunately for me, my peers disliked me. It was my sexual identity and the color of my skin that set a barrier between me and my peers. While many still spoke and interacted with me, the disdain from others was always atop of my shoulders. Once I attended my community college, I realized that my self-doubt came from the lack of support and fear that came from my high school experience. To avoid a similar experience, I sought out people with similar experiences as me. It is through this that I found small communities within my college that helped me build up my confidence in my self-identity. Through my education and interest in business, I found the Associated Student Organization (ASO), a student government club at my community college. Through ASO I learned the importance of making connections and neutering those connections. I started the club as a senator, a position that did not include much of a leadership role but that did not limit my experience. In this club, as a group, we conducted meetings, spoke to decision makers within campus, and conducted events that would help students interact with one another and get any help they would need. I learned how to effectively work as a team and through these new skills I was able to obtain a position of leadership within a year. This club has brought me value through confidence and comfortability in speaking publicly and being myself without the fear of rejection. I have become confident in my words and in my actions, and this was all possible because I sought out a higher education.

I've known my best friend for about 7 years now, and it is because of this that I developed a high regard for my friendships. To me, friendships are more than just companionship; they're about understanding boundaries, accepting people's flaws, communicating, and learning the language of this new person. While it might take a lot to form a real and concrete friendship, I think the end result is always worth it. It's invaluable to be able to talk to someone who not only cares about you but also understands why you feel the way you do.I know a lot of friendships are not like this. For some, friendship is about having a companion, but I think it can become much more with the proper mindset. My view of friendship has led me to still have connections with people I have not seen in years. While it has been some time since I last spoke, let alone seen, some of my friends, that does not erase our time together and my desire for them to achieve the dreams they spoke about during our time together. In short, I think friendship is about acceptance, understanding, and love.

I am a first-generation Latina who is making the best of the little that I have. Coming from a low-income family, I knew since I was young that I would need to work hard to obtain the education I knew I deserved. One passion I have had since I was young was reading. In a way, reading became an adventure for me. I was so easily consumed by the different worlds I read about and the different lives people lived within books. In hopes of one day opening a bookstore, I plan to obtain my Bachelor's Degree in Business. I think books can have a great impact on people, especially children. I want my bookstore to be a place where young people can come and not only be able to freely express themselves but also find books and literature that showcase their interests. It was through books that I felt more connected to the world around me. Reading about characters who were either like me or felt the same way I did and were still able to achieve their goals gave me hope for myself. It was these same books that shaped my goal of owning a place where children like me can buy books that can also give them that same feeling of not only hope but of being accepted. 

When my sister, Rita, was first hospitalized, she was closed off. She would hardly talk to her therapist let alone her parents. Whenever she spoke to me she would only talk about her day and not about her mental health. She was also essentially a guinea pig because my mother would treat her medication as more of a suggestion than an obligation. She struggled a lot in the beginning because she felt like no one was willing to listen to her, never mind care. I decided to move back in with my mother because I wanted to help my sister in any way I could. While I struggled with anxiety and depression, I worried more about Rita, for she had taken a path I never have, which is self harming. Once I was around Rita more I came to realize that she would only talk to those she trusted and respected. It had been more than three years since I last lived with Rita, I knew that it would take time to regain her trust. I waited until she was ready to talk to me. I made myself available to her by respecting her boundaries. The person who did all the work was Rita herself. I was the person who listened to her and encouraged her to do what was best for her. It was my openness, patience and support that gave my sister the willingness to try to get better. Watching Rita struggle was what made me become more patient with others. I know it's impossible to help all of those who cannot speak on their mental health due to difficult family members, however, I can help those who I am close to. Over the years I have put myself in a position where my family members and friends knew they could come to me when they just wanted to speak about their struggles, mental or otherwise. I am no therapist by any means but I have learned that just being there and offering support to those who need it makes a difference.