For as long as I could hold up a book, I’ve had a passion for reading and writing. The thrill of being engulfed in an entirely new world with characters who had their own emotions and desires was so alluring to me. From subway cars to hiding under my blankets with a flashlight, I was always spotted with a book in my hand. Fast forward to today, I am now a seventeen year old senior with the same passion and a new longing to contribute to the world of publishing. Growing up, I never read about people who looked like me. There was never a Black or Latina main character with a dorky personality and drive like I had. I realized when I was thirteen years old that I wanted to be a book editor for a successful publishing house and it was only when I started researching, that everything started to make sense. The publishing industry isn’t as diverse as the average person would expect and it is reflected in the numbers; 72.5% of U.S. publishing are white as stated in the Publishing Perspective article “Diversity in US Publishing: The New Lee & Low Report” by Porter Anderson. As I did more and more research, I realized how underrepresented people of color as well as women and people a part of the LGBTQIA+ community are, not only in books but in real life and I wish to change that. My long-time goal then became to open my own publishing house to give voices to underrepresented communities, whether that be the author of the book, editor, publisher, or marketer. It is so important for little girls and boys to feel represented by the books that they read and have someone like them to look up to. Books inspire the future generations and what they consume greatly affects the way they go about life. Recently, I committed to Susquehanna University for a dual degree in Publishing & Editing and Creative Writing. I am both willing and excited to dive head-first into the unknown to get closer to reaching my goal. While so many people are not successful within their business endeavors, I know I will be because of my pure drive and hard work to attain my objective. People often get demotivated by setbacks, however, I live by the motto "rejection is merely redirection." The publishing industry is a very competitive space with a lot of rejection, but that only motivates me more to work harder and pursue my passion. With a set foundation majoring in Publishing & Editing and Creative Writing, I will have more tools at my fingertips that I will take advantage of in a heartbeat. As a woman of color, I grew up with the mentality that I'd have to work twice as hard to get half as far, but I wouldn't let that hinder my drive and dream. I shine my light by being outspoken, and where my words fall short, I let my appearance speak for me. I let my big curly hair down most of the time with my winged eyeliner as long as the end of my eyebrows go. My appearance says, "Look at me. I'm not going to hide for your own comfort. I'm going to take up my rightful space." I am the Editor in Chief at my school's Yearbook and speak up for the needs and wants of my fellow classmates. I take initiative with getting things done, all while looking amazing. That is the legacy I want to leave behind. That is the change I want to create.

"What if it's not everything I dreamed it would be?" "It will be." "And what if it is? What do I do then?" "Well that's the good part, I guess. You get to go find a new dream." I don't inherently remember seeing Tangled when it first came out in theaters, November of 2010. I do, however, vividly remember watching it over and over again on the thousand pound unit that was my grandparents' old box tv soon after. For as long as I can remember, Tangled has always been my favorite movie. It was just a simple fact all of my family members knew. Whenever a gift giving holiday came around, my uncles would bring me different Rapunzel dolls because they knew it was all I wanted. I wore a Rapunzel dress for my fifth birthday, although I didn't enjoy that Rapunzel's face was on a button near my chest, I wanted to be Rapunzel, not be a walking ad for her. I was gifted a Rapunzel headband-braid that looked awkward against my textured dark hair, but I didn't mind. I could recite most of the movie before I could even read, and funnily enough, owning a Tangled book (which was basically just the plot of the movie in picture-book format) kickstarted my reading journey because of how passionate my love for Rapunzel's story was. I like to consider that a butterfly effect because my love for reading a writing has led me down the path of pursuing a career within publishing. I was around four when my mother gifted me a "LeapPad" which was like a tablet for younger children with games purely for education. I immediately gravitated to the Tangled game, which came as a shock to no one. Through this game, I learned how to spell and pay attention to small details throughout multiple mini games scattered within the story mode. There was one that had the player spell words from scratch through organizing lanterns with letters on them, one where the player had to fix words by replacing the letters with correct ones to get away from villains, another one where the player had to drag words to their respective picture while Rapunzel explored the forest, and one where the player had to rearrange letters to the correct word to braid Rapunzel's hair. Because of this game, I excelled in class, being at a reading level higher than the rest of my classmates. I fell in love with grammar and writing stories at a young age and had to be assigned more advanced books to accommodate my skill. As I get older, I return to watch Tangled at least once a year and understand things better. The concept of growing up and leaping out of your comfort zone hits closer to home than ever before. Though Rapunzel and I lead very different lives, at its core, we want the same things. Freedom, experience, happiness. Despite my obsession calming down over the sixteen years I've loved this movie, traces of it remain in my room through a figurine on my vanity, a Funko Pop on my bookshelf, and a Sundrop flower I crocheted hung up on my wall. As I creep closer to eighteen, the age Rapunzel turned in Tangled, I find myself more emotional towards it. I can't help but think of how a simple movie about a girl with seventy foot long hair going on a journey to watch a lantern show truly put me on the trajectory for the rest of my life. I wouldn't ever trade it for the world.

For as long as I could hold up a book, I’ve had a passion for reading and writing. The thrill of being engulfed in an entirely new world with characters who had their own emotions and desires was so alluring to me. From subway cars to hiding under my blankets with a flashlight, I was always spotted with a book in my hand. Fast forward to today, I am now a seventeen year old senior with the same passion and a new longing to contribute to the world of publishing. Growing up, I never read about people who looked like me. There was never a Black or Latina main character with a dorky personality and drive like I had. I realized when I was thirteen that I wanted to be a book editor for a successful publishing house, and it was only when I started researching, that everything clicked. The publishing industry isn’t as diverse as anyone would expect and it's reflected in the numbers; 72.5% of U.S. publishing are white as stated in the Publishing Perspective article “Diversity in US Publishing: The New Lee & Low Report” by Porter Anderson. As I did more and more research, I realized how underrepresented people of color, women, and people a part of the LGBTQIA+ community are, not only in books but in real life and I wish to change that. My long-term goal then became to open my own publishing house to give voices to underrepresented communities. Books inspire the future generations and what they consume greatly affects the way they go about life. As a woman of color, I grew up with the mentality that I'd have to work twice as hard to get half as far, but I wouldn't let that hinder my drive and dream. When I was fifteen, I suffered the first big loss I'd ever had in my entire life thus far. My grandfather, who I referred to as "Papa" passed away due to a very rare and severe cancer. It took everyone by surprise, just how sudden the dip in his health was. He was a young grandfather, fit, happy. He was the type of person that left a long lasting affect on everyone he met and genuinely brought life to every room he stepped in whether they liked it or not. With this loss came a terrible affect on my mental health, and that was seen through my dip in grades. If felt as though nothing I did mattered anymore because he was gone. However, that mentality slowly changed as I found my passion for writing once again, delving into poetry. I began to feel closer to those around me through seeking connection and releasing the grief, which I now recognize as love without an outlet, in my writing. I started to feel more grounded and grateful, my grades getting better once again, though it took me a year to get to that point. Every time I feel a loss of motivation, I remember what Papa wanted for me; success, love, and security. He would've supported me throughout this journey, so the least I could do was support myself. Recently, I committed to Susquehanna University for a dual degree in Publishing & Editing and Creative Writing. I am both willing and genuinely excited to dive head-first into the unknown in order to get closer to reaching my goal. With a set foundation in these majors, and a scholarship to support me through this journey, I will have more tools at my fingertips that I will take advantage of in a heartbeat.

For as long as I could hold up a book, I’ve had a passion for reading and writing. The thrill of being engulfed in an entirely new world with characters who had their own emotions and desires was so alluring to me. From subway cars to hiding under my blankets with a flashlight, I was always spotted with a book in my hand. Fast forward to today, I am now a seventeen year old senior with the same passion and a new longing to contribute to the world of publishing. Growing up, I never read about people who looked like me. There was never a Black or Latina main character with a dorky personality and drive like I had. I realized when I was thirteen years old that I wanted to be a book editor for a successful publishing house and it was only when I started researching, that everything started to make sense. The publishing industry isn’t as diverse as the average person would expect and it is reflected in the numbers; 72.5% of U.S. publishing are white as stated in the Publishing Perspective article “Diversity in US Publishing: The New Lee & Low Report” by Porter Anderson. As I did more and more research, I realized how underrepresented people of color as well as women and people a part of the LGBTQIA+ community are, not only in books but in real life and I wish to change that. My long-time goal then became to open my own publishing house to give voices to underrepresented communities, whether that be the author of the book, editor, publisher, or marketer. It is so important for little girls and boys to feel represented by the books that they read and have someone like them to look up to. Books inspire the future generations and what they consume greatly affects the way they go about life. Recently, I committed to Susquehanna University for a dual degree in Publishing & Editing and Creative Writing. I am both willing and genuinely excited to dive head-first into the unknown in order to get closer to reaching my goal. While so many people are not successful within their business endeavors, I know I will be because of my pure drive and hard work to attain my objective. People often get demotivated by setbacks, however, I live by the motto "rejection is merely redirection." The publishing industry is a very competitive space with a lot of rejection, but that only motivates me more to work harder and pursue my passion. With a set foundation majoring in Publishing & Editing and Creative Writing, and a scholarship to support me through this journey, I will have more tools at my fingertips that I will take advantage of in a heartbeat. As a woman of color, I grew up with the mentality that I'd have to work twice as hard to get half as far, but I wouldn't let that hinder my drive and dream to be an entrepreneur. I will achieve this mission.

For as long as I could hold up a book, I’ve had a passion for reading and writing. The thrill of being engulfed in an entirely new world with characters who had their own emotions and desires was so alluring to me. From subway cars to hiding under my blankets with a flashlight, I was always spotted with a book in my hand. Fast forward to today, I am now a seventeen year old senior with the same passion and a new longing to contribute to the world of publishing. Growing up, I never read about people who looked like me. There was never a Black, Latina, or Bisexual main character with a dorky personality and drive like I had. I realized when I was thirteen years old that I wanted to be a book editor for a successful publishing house and it was only when I started researching, that everything started to make sense. The publishing industry isn’t as diverse as the average person would expect and it is reflected in the numbers; 72.5% of U.S. publishing are white as stated in the Publishing Perspective article “Diversity in US Publishing: The New Lee & Low Report” by Porter Anderson. As I did more and more research, I realized how underrepresented people of color as well as women and people a part of the LGBTQIA+ community are, not only in books but in real life and I wish to change that. My long-time goal then became to open my own publishing house to give voices to underrepresented communities, whether that be the author of the book, editor, publisher, or marketer. It is so important for little girls and boys to feel represented by the books that they read and have someone like them to look up to. This leads me to my overall plan; I'm going to double major in Publishing & Editing and Creative Writing at Susquehanna University, building my knowledge to first become a book editor and published author. During those four years, I hope to be an intern for a publishing house such as Penguin Random House or Simon & Schuster to get my foot in the door. After college, I’ll get a job in book editing and build my portfolio before becoming a freelance book editor and working to open my own publishing house. Receiving this scholarship would benefit me greatly, especially as a low-income student because it would help me on my first step on this journey ahead.

No. For as long as I could hold up a book, I’ve had a passion for reading and writing. The thrill of being engulfed in an entirely new world with characters who had their own emotions and desires was so alluring to me. From subway cars to hiding under my blankets with a flashlight, I was always spotted with a book in my hand. Fast forward to today, I am now a seventeen year old senior with the same passion and a new longing to contribute to the world of publishing. Growing up, I never read about people who looked like me. There was never a Black or Latina main character with a dorky personality and drive like I had. I realized when I was thirteen years old that I wanted to be a book editor for a successful publishing house and it was only when I started researching, that everything started to make sense. The publishing industry isn’t as diverse as the average person would expect and it is reflected in the numbers; 72.5% of U.S. publishing are white as stated in the Publishing Perspective article “Diversity in US Publishing: The New Lee & Low Report” by Porter Anderson. As I did more and more research, I realized how underrepresented people of color as well as women and people a part of the LGBTQIA+ community are, not only in books but in real life and I wish to change that. My long-time goal then became to open my own publishing house to give voices to underrepresented communities, whether that be the author of the book, editor, publisher, or marketer. It is so important for little girls and boys to feel represented by the books that they read and have someone like them to look up to. This leads me to my overall plan; I'm going to double major in Publishing & Editing and Creative Writing at Susquehanna University, building my knowledge to first become a book editor. During those four years, I hope to be an intern for a publishing house such as Penguin Random House or Simon & Schuster to get my foot in the door. After college, I’ll get a job in book editing and build my portfolio before becoming a freelance book editor and working to open my own publishing house in New York City. Receiving this scholarship would benefit me greatly, especially as a low-income student because it would help me on my first step on this journey ahead.

For as long as I could hold up a book, I’ve had a passion for reading and writing. The thrill of being engulfed in an entirely new world with characters who had their own emotions and desires was so alluring to me. From subway cars to hiding under my blankets with a flashlight, I was always spotted with a book in my hand. Fast forward to today, I am now a seventeen year old senior with the same passion and a new longing to contribute to the world of publishing. Growing up, I never read about people who looked like me. There was never a Black or Latina main character with a dorky personality and drive like I had. I realized when I was thirteen years old that I wanted to be a book editor for a successful publishing house and it was only when I started researching, that everything started to make sense. The publishing industry isn’t as diverse as the average person would expect and it is reflected in the numbers; 72.5% of U.S. publishing are white as stated in the Publishing Perspective article “Diversity in US Publishing: The New Lee & Low Report” by Porter Anderson. As I did more and more research, I realized how underrepresented people of color as well as women and people a part of the LGBTQIA+ community are, not only in books but in real life and I wish to change that. My long-time goal then became to open my own publishing house to give voices to underrepresented communities, whether that be the author of the book, editor, publisher, or marketer. It is so important for little girls and boys to feel represented by the books that they read and have someone like them to look up to. This leads me to my overall plan; I'm going to double major in Publishing & Editing and Creative Writing at Susquehanna University, building my knowledge to first become a book editor. During those four years, I hope to be an intern for a publishing house such as Penguin Random House or Simon & Schuster to get my foot in the door. After college, I’ll get a job in book editing and build my portfolio before becoming a freelance book editor and working to open my own publishing house. Receiving this scholarship would benefit me greatly, especially as a low-income student because it would help me on my first step on this journey ahead. Not having to endure financial burdens through receiving this scholarship would prevent any hindering to this goal.

Finally. Here I was, standing at the entrance of the Broadway show I’d been begging to see for months. Whenever the commercial advertising Wicked was on my television showing off Elphaba’s riff during “Defying Gravity”, I would look at my mom with puppy-dog eyes and ask her to go. Something about Elphaba’s long cloak and confident stage presence enticed me. Now I was there with my family, wearing a glittery emerald green tutu and a headband with a little witch hat to match Elphaba’s. It was my seventh birthday and I was ecstatic, twirling in my skirt as my mother took pictures of me by the iconic poster. Even though this was nearly ten years ago, I still hold very vivid, fond memories of this day and Wicked has been my favorite Broadway show since then. I remember watching the show, fully immersed in the story of Glinda and Elphaba. I remember laughing when Elphaba and Fiyero first met, him almost running her over because, in his words, she looked like a green light. However, the “Popular” scene stood out to me most at the time, and for weeks following seeing the show, I went on YouTube and watched what felt like a hundred different performances done by different actresses, noting my favorite acting choices. I fantasized about playing Glinda and being able to perform my version of “Popular”, incorporating my favorite choices. One thing I remember not understanding about the musical was why most of my family was tearing up toward the end of it. Being so young, I couldn’t grasp how emotional the circumstances were surrounding Elphaba and Glinda, which is why when I heard Wicked was being adapted into a movie, I was nervous, yet excited to get the chance to see it again being older now. Seeing the movie was a rollercoaster of feelings. As an opinionated Black teenage girl who came into her own identity since the last time she saw the musical, I resonated with Elphaba more than ever. Watching her willingness to stand by underprivileged minorities despite being one herself and putting her reputation on the line genuinely felt like I was peering into a mirror. The scene that stood out to me this time around was the Ozdust Ballroom scene. When Elphaba showed up to the party, masking her nerves and insecurity by dancing alone in the middle of the room. The scene in the movie was much longer than it was in the musical, which made it so much more emotional for me to watch. I interpreted the dance she performed as a metaphor for who she is as a person; someone who puts up walls to make it through life confidently despite being judged constantly. I swallowed back a sob as Glinda joined her in solidarity, a silent tear traveled down my cheek just as Elphaba’s did. We both felt seen. A few weeks after watching the movie, I entered my musical theater class, ready to work on a song from a different musical for our Spring Sing performance. However, as fate would have it, no one could find the sheet music, so I was forced to choose a different song to work on. I scrolled through numerous soundtracks desperately, looking for anything to stand out. That was until I decided to go through the Wicked soundtrack. The title “Popular” seemed to stare at me and as soon as I saw it, I knew that it was meant to be. Now I am working on my performance for “Popular”, having the opportunity to live out a childhood fantasy of mine.

For as long as I could hold up a book, I’ve had a passion for reading and writing. The thrill of being engulfed in an entirely new world with characters who had their own emotions and desires was so alluring to me. From subway cars to hiding under my blankets with a flashlight, I was always spotted with a book in my hand. Fast forward to today, I am now a sixteen-year-old junior with the same passion and a new longing to contribute to the world of publishing. Growing up, I never read about people who looked like me. There was never a Black or Latina main character with a dorky personality and drive like I had. I realized when I was thirteen years old that I wanted to be a book editor for a successful publishing house and it was only when I started researching, that everything started to make sense. The publishing industry isn’t as diverse as the average person would expect and it is reflected in the numbers; 72.5% of U.S. publishing are white as stated in the Publishing Perspective article “Diversity in US Publishing: The New Lee & Low Report” by Porter Anderson. As I did more and more research, I realized how underrepresented people of color as well as women and people a part of the LGBTQIA+ community are, not only in books but in real life and I wish to change that. My long-time goal then became to open my own publishing house to give voices to underrepresented communities, whether that be the author of the book, editor, publisher, or marketer. It is so important for little girls and boys to feel represented by the books that they read and have someone like them to look up to. This leads me to my overall plan; my goal for college is to major in journalism and minor in communications, building my knowledge to first become a book editor. During those four years, I hope to be an intern for a publishing house such as Penguin Random House or Simon & Schuster to get my foot in the door. After college, I’ll get a job in book editing and build my portfolio before becoming a freelance book editor and working to open my own publishing house. Receiving this scholarship would benefit me greatly, especially as a low-income student because it would help me on my first step on this journey ahead.

As the end of 2019 crept up on me, my sixth-grade talent show was fast approaching and I hadn’t yet found a song I wanted to perform. I dedicated hours of my time searching on YouTube and Apple Music for the perfect song in my range, though nothing caught my eye. That was until one afternoon I came across a Karaoke version of “idontwannabeyouanymore” by Billie Eilish in a lower key. Before I had heard Billie’s voice on it, everything about this song had enticed me and I knew immediately that it was the song I wanted to perform, from the melody of the instrumental to the heart-twisting lyrics. I listened to the original on repeat, practicing in school bathrooms, my bedroom, and every time I took a shower. Eventually, the talent show happened and everyone loved my performance, especially the cool seventh-grade girls who loved Billie Eilish and had a wardrobe inspired by her style. I look back at this time so fondly, not because of the performance, but because it was able to further introduce me to one of my favorite artists now. As I get older, I can understand and feel the lyrics of “idontwannabeyouanymore” more than I ever could, and that sense of clarity is bittersweet for me to look back on. My second favorite Billie Eilish song would have to be “No Time To Die” which I discovered a few months after my 6th-grade talent show, right as quarantine started in New York due to the Covid-19 virus. With so much time on my hands, I developed a passion for writing, with music being the main inspiration for my works. I would put on my headphones, adjust my volume to the highest setting, and pace around my room for hours on end imagining scenarios to my favorite songs. “No Time To Die” was created for a James Bond movie of the same name, so it incorporated the cinematic elements that a movie like it would need, making it the perfect song for me to use as writing inspiration. As with any other Billie Eilish song, I listened to it on repeat as I typed up a story on my keyboard about a spy princess and a thief with a history, forced to fight the other. As with many others, that time in my life was a very difficult one as I struggled with depression and very low self-esteem. Writing, as well as music, was both an outlet and an escape from everything and I am so grateful for Billie Eilish’s music to help get me through it. My writing skills have since gotten better and I continue to write original stories with the help of Billie Eilish’s album “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT” as inspiration, which leads me to my final favorite Billie Eilish song: “BIRDS OF A FEATHER”. It was difficult to choose only one song from this album as my favorite because every song has a unique beauty to it, and if I could, I would’ve just said “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT” is my favorite as a whole. This song represents so much in my life as I go through the motions of being 16 years old. It represents the amazing people I have met and keep dear to my heart, but it also represents myself. After years of struggling with mental health, I am finally starting to love myself and see myself the way that other people see me and it’s truly an amazing feeling. I can finally truly say “I don’t think I could love you more” to myself again.