Watching the stars and wondering about the nature of these astronomical enigmas, I found my passion through my curiosity. I had so many questions then, and as I have grown older, I have only more. I know that my future lies in me jumping through a wormhole to bend the fabric of time and space—finding the truth of what exists within our universe. As an avid reader and storyteller, some of the universes I often immerse myself within are those of fantasy fiction, educational narratives, or graphical novels. When I open the cover of a book, I open a wormhole to another world of wonder and imagination. Most often, the world I find myself revisiting are the ones crafted by Dostoevsky. I am captured by every sentence and word, intent to pick out the threads of symbolism he laces into his carefully constructed sentences. And when I fatigue from his chthonic narrators, I cross another universe to live in the shoes of Austen's bold women who remain headstrong among a patriarchal society, in a similar way that minorities have remained strong in the STEM field. Although stationery on the page, words are alive in my head; they transform into the seas in Moby Dick or the destitute streets of Ketterdam. My curiosity for the ending of a story encourages me to turn the page, just as I hope to turn the page of my own story, even if it is difficult. Gaining access to STEM opportunities has not been easy for me; as a low-income and first-generation student, education is a high privilege for my family that is not always affordable. In the Midwest, access to explore my science and astronomy passion has been limited by the small amount of science classes and communities at my school. I aim to make a difference in the world by cultivating my love for astronomy through undergraduate research and learning. I am excited to take advantage of the opportunities available to me at my future institution and eventually create more for others. I look forward to starting a Minorities in STEM organization, an open space for LGBTQIA+ individuals, women, and people of color to connect and collaborate on a shared love for science. In such a competitive and male-dominated field, I aim for open-minded people to embrace the diversity of scientists, engineers, and researchers. Additionally, I am eager to participate in hands-on research and experiments through my future school’s laboratory classes or research opportunities. Whether at the local observatory or abroad in another country, I will always be looking up at the stars. Ignite Arts and STEM allows me to attain my dream of receiving higher education and creating a difference in the world one community at a time. My experiences during my undergraduate years will shape my passion, determination, and most importantly, my curiosity. It is this curiosity that will lead to my postgraduate pursual of a Master's degree, and ultimately, a PhD. I aim to delve into intricate research with other like-minded individuals, discovering something new about the world. I know that I will be exposed to many different experiences and people who change my perspective and grant me the privilege to learn new things. In these years, I hope to gain many STEM-related internships, truly allowing me to conduct my own research and collaborate with others. The celestial bodies of our universe are so abundant, yet unclear, and it is exactly why I pursue our cosmos. I wish to study astronomy so that I can understand the vast complexity that is our universe and apply what I learn towards future scientific discoveries. I possess interminable curiosity to challenge and question the ways of our world, and I intend to answer the many unsolved mysteries within it. Being able to attend college and graduate school opens a realm of possibilities for my future; with the education and experience I receive, I will continue to reach for the stars and contribute to groundbreaking discoveries about our own universe and the many beyond.