I would consider myself a comic nerd as well as a huge fan of Spider-Man – I particularly love Miles Morales as he is a staple in the culture of Generation Z and gives representation to several groups, so I was beyond delighted to see him get his time on the big screen in the Spider-Verse movies. Spider-Verse’s art style is one of the greatest love letters, not just to the Spider-Man mythos, but to comics as a whole. It achieves this status not through just one style, but an infinite amount of art styles which reflect each and every single character; not only do the main characters all are drawn in different styles, but even all of the background Spider-Men are drawn differently in respective to their own comic book styles. While one character is watercolor, another is “scrapbook-esque,” and another is “vintage paper,” and another is live-action; there are even popsicle, plushie, and lego Spider-Men. No Spider-Man variant is excluded, and it is especially an absolute joy to see all of the different variants of Spider-Man from the comics are brought to life once more. Along with this, Spider-Verse includes many classic comic books illustration & animation techniques, such as the Ben-Day dots, text boxes, line hatching, and animating on "twos" and "threes". The Spider-Verse series' blend of 2-D art styles and 3-D CGI character models, dubbed "stylized 3-D" or "2.5-D" has been so influential to the animation industry, a large amount of modern animated movies have now adopted this art style, such as "Entergalactic", "Puss in Boots: The Last Wish", and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem". This movie is a comic book nerd like me’s childhood dream come to life. Growing up with the comics and Into The Spider-Verse, Miles Morales, like I, was learning what it means to grow up, but now, Miles and I are focusing on college, forced familial expectations, and coming to terms with a world which is not in favor of us. Along with this, I greatly relate to Miles due to our struggles in relation to great pressure put upon us from our Hispanic relatives; I remember especially feeling a sting from a familiar place when Miles’ mom told him “It’s not your life, it’s mine. And your father’s. And your abuelos y abuelas who put you in this spot that I’d give anything to be in,” a sentiment which reminded me of my Hispanic father’s pressure on me to live a better life in honor of him and our ancestors who fought so hard for their place in America. Seeing Miles come to terms with his uncertain future and fight for his right to exist in Across the Spider-Verse gave me great solace in such a scary time, as well as a will to fight for my own individualism and ideals in a world that wishes to put me in a box. In a way, Miles Morales grew up with his audience, it me. In saying “Everyone keeps telling me how my story is supposed to go. Nah... I'ma do my own thing,” he gave me the desire to fight for my rightful place in the world as well. It gave me the same hope which I had while reading the Spider-Man comics as a kid. Spider-Verse is the greatest love letter to the comic book medium, perfectly portraying the message of Spider-Man: Anyone can be behind the mask, with great power comes great responsibility, and that you can overcome any hardships life throws your way.

Over time, I have begun to realize the great importance of mental health in the LGBT community. The prioritization of health and wellness is especially important to me as a lesbian, as the LGBT community notoriously deal with much more mental health issues than others; our suicide rates 3.5 times higher than straight people, our drug abuse chances are higher, and the vast majority of LGBT people deal with mental illness. These issues are generally caused by the ostracization we face from our communities, be it disownment by our loved ones, denouncement from our religions, increasing risk of hate crimes, fear mongering due to subjects like AIDS, and essentially being society’s scapegoat; to put it frankly, the odds are against us. Along with this, it is nearly impossible for us to get any proper resources to deal with our mental health, as therapy and counseling has become greatly expensive, and conversion therapy is not only insanely harmful but sadly forced upon us to this day. With a world that hates us and wishes us gone, we need to take care of ourselves and our wellbeing better, because if we don’t put in the effort to take care of ourselves, nobody else in this world will, as sad as it is to say that. I personally experience great trouble with my mental health on a daily basis, often dealing with a poor sense of self, depression, unstable relationships, and copious amounts of stress. I first noticed these symptoms early on in the sixth grade: It started with learning that I was gay, and as the years went on, I began to learn what being gay (among other marginalized categories) truly meant for my life and relationships with others. These issues became greatly prevalent in my life once I started high school after quarantine, as I had a grand buildup of these issues and no outlet for so long. I turned to unhealthy coping mechanisms because they were still better than just thinking about my problems. I remember on April 25, 2023, I woke up to a text from my cousin which told me that my our friend, Chris, had passed away; he hung himself, unable to cope with the fact that his boyfriend also hung himself just months before. I remember having to check up on all of my friends who knew him, trying to hold it together until at least the end of the day. When the end of the day came, and I got into my mother’s car to head home, I broke the news to her, and after telling her the cause of death, shockingly – but not surprisingly – she became cold. She began to belittle his death, and when I calmly told her to stop as I still needed time to process everything, she yelled at me, scolding me for simply giving a damn about my dear friend’s passing. I remember later on during a vulnerable moment in my room, my mother barely tried to comfort me, halfheartedly saying, “Don’t cry. Don’t let it affect you.” It was at that very moment where I realized just how greatly ignored LGBT youth's mental health is in our current society, because if LGBT mental health wasn't so greatly stigmatized, I would have never had this heartbreaking conversation with my mother, I would've never gotten that fateful text, I would've never had to cry that day, because my dear friend would still be alive. LGBT youth's mental health is not something to ignore, we are human and deserve to be treated as human too.

If I were to change one thing about the world, I would change its treatment of LGBT youth and their mental health. The prioritization of health and wellness is especially important to me as a lesbian, as the LGBT community notoriously deal with much more mental health issues than others; our suicide rates 3.5 times higher than straight people, our drug abuse chances are higher, and the vast majority of LGBT people deal with mental illness. These issues are generally caused by the ostracization we face from our communities, be it disownment by our loved ones, denouncement from our religions, increasing risk of hate crimes, fear mongering due to subjects like AIDS, and essentially being society’s scapegoat; to put it frankly, the odds are against us. Along with this, it is nearly impossible for us to get any proper resources to deal with our mental health, as therapy and counseling has become greatly expensive, and conversion therapy is not only insanely harmful but sadly forced upon us to this day. With a world that hates us and wishes us gone, we need to take care of ourselves and our wellbeing better, because if we don’t put in the effort to take care of ourselves, nobody else in this world will, as sad as it is to say that. I personally experience great trouble with my mental health on a daily basis, often dealing with a poor sense of self, depression, unstable relationships, and copious amounts of stress. I first noticed these symptoms early on in the sixth grade: It started with learning that I was gay, and as the years went on, I began to learn what being gay (among other marginalized categories) truly meant for my life and relationships with others. These issues became greatly prevalent in my life once I started high school after quarantine, as I had a grand buildup of these issues and no outlet for so long. I turned to unhealthy coping mechanisms because they were still better than just thinking about my problems. I remember on April 25, 2023, I woke up to a text from my cousin which told me that my our friend, Chris, had passed away; he hung himself, unable to cope with the fact that his boyfriend also hung himself just months before. I remember having to check up on all of my friends who knew him, trying to hold it together until at least the end of the day. When the end of the day came, and I got into my mother’s car to head home, I broke the news to her, and after telling her the cause of death, shockingly – but not surprisingly – she became cold. She began to belittle his death, and when I calmly told her to stop as I still needed time to process everything, she yelled at me, scolding me for simply giving a damn about my dear friend’s passing. I remember later on during a vulnerable moment in my room, my mother barely tried to comfort me, halfheartedly saying, “Don’t cry. Don’t let it affect you.” It was at that very moment where I realized just how greatly ignored LGBT youth's mental health is in our current society, because if LGBT mental health wasn't so greatly stigmatized, I would have never had this heartbreaking conversation with my mother, I would've never gotten that fateful text, I would've never had to cry that day, because my dear friend would still be alive. LGBT youth's mental health is not something to ignore, we are human and deserve to be treated as human too.

Physical and mental health is paramount to one’s life because it is the number one factor in one’s future, whether one realizes it or not; your physical health directly affects your mental health, as when you do not properly take care of your body, your mind is affected as well, as we often forget that the brain is also a part of the body. The prioritization of health and wellness is especially important to me as a lesbian, as the LGBT community notoriously deal with much more mental health issues than the rest of the world; our suicide rates are 3.5 times that of our straight peers, our drug abuse chances are higher, and generally speaking, the vast majority of LGBT people deal with some form of mental illness. These issues are generally caused by the overwhelming amount of ostracization we face from our communities, be it denial by our families and loved ones, harassment by our peers, denouncement from our religions, increasing risk of hate crimes, fear mongering due to subjects such as AIDS (especially towards the transgender community), and essentially being society’s scapegoat; to put it frankly, the odds are against us. We deal with so much trauma and pressure on a daily basis, of course it will begin to take a toll on us as a collective. Along with this, it is nearly impossible for us to get any proper resources to deal with our mental health, as therapy and counseling has become greatly expensive, and conversion therapy is not only insanely harmful but sadly forced upon us in some regions of the United States to this day. With a world that hates us and wishes us gone, we need to take care of ourselves and our wellbeing better, because if we don’t put in the effort to take care of ourselves, nobody else in this world will, as sad as it is to say that. I personally experience great trouble with my mental health on a daily basis, as I often deal with anxiety, a poor sense of self, depression, unstable relationships, and copious amounts of stress, among other things. I first noticed these symptoms early on in the sixth grade: It started with learning that I was gay, and as the years went on, I began to learn what being gay (among other marginalized categories) truly meant for my life and relationships with others, and just how much the odds were against me. Not being able to cope with my newfound feelings, I initially turned to self harm via thumb tacks, tracing their small yet piercing edges across my arms so small in order to ensure that only my eyes could see. These issues became greatly prevalent in my life once I started high school after quarantine, as I had a grand buildup of mental issues and no outlet for so long. Around this time, I turned to edibles, numbing my brain with them because anything was better than thinking about everything in the universe. I turned to these unhealthy coping mechanisms because they were still better alternatives than simply just thinking about my problems. I coped with these methods for a long time because I was too afraid to ask for help, and when I caved in during senior year and confided in my counselor, it was at that moment when I realized I needed to go clean. By talking to my counselor, I learned healthy coping mechanisms, as well as learning that as humans, we need help, and it is okay to not have everything figured out, to ask for assistance. I'm glad to say I am clean from both self harm and edibles for over a year and a half. I remember on April 25, 2023, I had woke up from a nap in-class to a text from my dear cousin which told me that my good friend from middle school, Chris, had passed away; my cousin and I both knew him, however my cousin knew the more recent him due to being around him and his then-boyfriend more often than I. My cousin told me that he had hung himself, unable to cope with the fact that his boyfriend had ironically also hung himself just months before. I remember having to check up on all of my friends who knew him, having to announce the heartbreaking news to many people who knew him mutually, trying to hold it together until at least the end of the day. When the end of the day came, and I got into my mother’s car to head home, I broke the news to her, and after telling her the cause of death, shockingly – but not surprisingly – she became cold. She began to belittle his death, and when I calmly told her to stop as I still needed time to process everything, she yelled at me, scolding me for simply giving a damn about my dear friend’s passing. I remember later on during a vulnerable moment in my room, my mother barely tried to comfort me, halfheartedly saying, “Don’t cry. Don’t let it affect you.” It was at that very moment where I realized just how greatly ignored LGBT youth's mental health is in our current society, because if LGBT mental health wasn't so greatly stigmatized, I would have never had this heartbreaking conversation with my mother, I would've never gotten that fateful text, I would've never had to cry that day, because my dear friend would still be alive. LGBT youth's mental health is not something to ignore, we are human and deserve to be treated as human too.

Empowerment to me means that I am widely seen and recognized for my strengths and unlimited potential. For this reason, I am planning to attend college in order to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in order to expand my career options; however, my primary goal is to enter the marketing field as a Media Buyer/Planner. I want to enter the business world in order to aid in closing the gender gap in the business field. I am a woman, queer, Hispanic, and non-binary – you don’t see many people like me, if any, in high-ranking positions in any industry, and even less so in the business world with its hyper-masculinity. Gaining a Bachelor’s Degree will help me get a step closer to breaking the odds and leveling the playing field in the business world, as well as possibly empowering many people just like me to enter said world; I would love to be a role model for such underrepresented demographics, as I needed a role model like me growing up dealing with the trials of being “different.” Through many thoughtful discussions with my non-white peers, however, I have learned that though my struggles with my identity are valid, I still have advantages due to my pale complexion; I've learned that my non-white peers essentially need to be conscious at all times of much more seemingly "insignificant" matters, matters I never even considered issues until they were brought to my attention. Through these insightful discussions, my non-white companions have taught me true empathy, and have shown me that I can use my societal advantages to give voice to their ideas for them, hence why I want to go into the business world and make the environment even just a little bit better in honor of them. I am essentially working to help raise awareness towards marginalized voices of all kinds in the business industry, be it nonwhite, non-straight, non-male, etc, and even towards communities I am not a part of, because while I may not understand others' communities struggles fully and said communities' issues may not directly affect me, it doesn't mean I don't have to have empathy towards them and want to help raise awareness to their causes, because when you think first about helping aid disadvantaged groups of all kinds, you eventually end up helping everyone. I have met so many amazing people of all walks of life, all different cultures, lifestyles, and beliefs, and by simply just listening to their experiences and takeaways from said experiences, I have become a more empathetic person who is very eager to help these different communities wherever I am able to. For these reasons, empowerment constantly affects my life, as I strive every day to become someone that others can be inspired by, along with striving to make a name for myself in a world with many odds against me. Empowerment means everything to me because empowerment is something I strive for.

I am planning to attend college in order to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in order to expand my career options; however, my primary goal is to enter the marketing field as a Media Buyer/Planner. I want to enter the business world in order to aid in closing the gender gap in the business field. I am a woman, queer, Hispanic, and non-binary – you don’t see many people like me, if any, in high-ranking positions in any industry, and even less so in the business world with its hyper-masculinity. Gaining a Bachelor’s Degree will help me get a step closer to breaking the odds and leveling the playing field in the business world, as well as possibly inspiring many people just like me to enter said world; I would love to be a role model for such underrepresented demographics, as I needed a role model like me growing up dealing with the trials of being “different.” Through many thoughtful discussions with my non-white Hispanic peers, however, I have learned that though my struggles with my identity are valid, I still have advantages due to my pale complexion; I've learned that my non-white peers essentially need to be conscious at all times of much more seemingly "insignificant" matters, matters I never even considered issues until they were brought to my attention. Through these insightful discussions, my non-white companions have taught me true empathy, and have shown me that I can use my societal advantages to give voice to their ideas for them, hence why I want to go into the business world and make the environment even just a little bit better in honor of them. I am essentially working to help raise awareness towards marginalized voices of all kinds in the business industry, be it nonwhite, non-straight, non-male, etc, and even towards communities I am not a part of, because while I may not understand others' communities struggles fully and said communities' issues may not directly affect me, it doesn't mean I don't have to have empathy towards them and want to help raise awareness to their causes, because when you think first about helping aid disadvantaged groups of all kinds, you eventually end up helping everyone. I have met so many amazing people of all walks of life, all different cultures, lifestyles, and beliefs, and by simply just listening to their experiences and takeaways from said experiences, I have become a more empathetic person who is very eager to help these different communities wherever I am able to.

I am planning to attend college in order to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in order to expand my career options; however, my primary goal is to enter the marketing field as a Media Buyer/Planner. I want to enter the business world in order to aid in closing the gender gap in the business field. I am a woman, queer, Hispanic, and non-binary – you don’t see many people like me, if any, in high-ranking positions in any industry, and even less so in the business world with its hyper-masculinity. Gaining a Bachelor’s Degree will help me get a step closer to breaking the odds and leveling the playing field in the business world, as well as possibly inspiring many people just like me to enter said world; I would love to be a role model for such underrepresented demographics, as I needed a role model like me growing up dealing with the trials of being “different.” Through many thoughtful discussions with my non-white Hispanic peers, however, I have learned that though my struggles with my identity are valid, I still have advantages due to my pale complexion; I've learned that my non-white peers essentially need to be conscious at all times of much more seemingly "insignificant" matters, matters I never even considered issues until they were brought to my attention. Through these insightful discussions, my non-white companions have taught me true empathy, and have shown me that I can use my societal advantages to give voice to their ideas for them, hence why I want to go into the business world and make the environment even just a little bit better in honor of them. I am essentially working to help raise awareness towards marginalized voices of all kinds in the business industry, be it nonwhite, non-straight, non-male, etc, and even towards communities I am not a part of, because while I may not understand others' communities struggles fully and said communities' issues may not directly affect me, it doesn't mean I don't have to have empathy towards them and want to help raise awareness to their causes, because when you think first about helping aid disadvantaged groups of all kinds, you eventually end up helping everyone. I have met so many amazing people of all walks of life, all different cultures, lifestyles, and beliefs, and by simply just listening to their experiences and takeaways from said experiences, I have become a more empathetic person who is very eager to help these different communities wherever I am able to.

I've been a fan of Zendaya for as long as I remember; I’ve looked up to her ever since I was young, as she's shown great promise throughout her extensive acting career that she has the potential to be a very versatile and iconic actress, a staple figure in 2010s-2020s Hollywood. I remember as a young child watching Zendaya play the confident and outgoing Rocky Blue from Disney Channel’s Shake It Up, seeing her continue her Disney Channel career as the clever and sarcastic K.C. Cooper in K.C. Undercover in my adolescence, watching her in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Spider-Man trilogy as the eccentric and mysterious MJ in my early teens. Everyone knows Zendaya from her Disney channel performances, however, her role as Rue Bennett in HBO’s Euphoria was earth-shattering, by far the facet of her career that has touched my very soul. A stark contrast from her other squeaky-clean Disney roles, Rue Bennett is a bipolar drug addicted lesbian who is coping with crippling mental illness, drug rehabilitation, leaving a highly toxic relationship, and the death of her father. Zendaya’s performance as Rue is as raw and real as the character itself is, as everyone either knows or is someone whose life is just as messy and chaotic. Zendaya never fails to send chills down my spine every time Rue monologues, Zendaya singlehandedly has shown that she has mastered her craft at acting with just this singular role. Frankly put, Zendaya’s portrayal of Rue put into words what I'd been experiencing throughout my life that I could never seem to describe. I personally experience great trouble with my mental health on a daily basis, often dealing with anxiety, poor sense of self, depression, unstable relationships, and copious amounts of stress, among other things. I first noticed these symptoms early on in the sixth grade: It started with learning that I was gay, and as the years went on, I began to learn what being gay (among other marginalized categories) truly meant for my life and relationships with the world around me. I turned to edibles to cope with these feelings, numbing my brain with them because anything was better than thinking about just how much the odds were against me in life. Funnily enough, just one quote from Rue Bennett was enough to open my eyes to the damage I was doing to myself: “Drugs are kind of cool. I mean, they’re cool before they wreck your skin, and your life, and your family. That’s when they get uncool. It’s actually a very narrow window of cool.” It was at that moment, watching Rue’s winding road to sobriety, that I realized that if I didn’t stop myself while I was ahead I could end up never coming back to sobriety. Rue’s journey to finally become sober again, and by extension happy again, made me feel seen as a lesbian with similar issues, showing me that there is always a way out even for the most “hopeless” of people; I realized I needed to go clean. By talking to my counselor, I learned healthy coping mechanisms, as well as learning that as humans, we need help, and it is okay to not have everything figured out, to ask for assistance. I'm glad to say I have been clean from edibles for over a year and a half, and life has gotten better for me the way life got better for Rue, and for that reason, I will forever hail Zendaya’s performance in Euphoria as her finest work.

I have been greatly affected by all three subjects: mental health, suicide, and the trials and tribulations of the gay experience. However, my most harrowing experience with these subjects primarily deals with the death of my dear friend. I remember on April 25, 2023. I had woke up from a nap in-class to a text from my dear cousin which told me that my good friend from middle school, Chris, a bisexual man, had passed away; my cousin and I both knew him, however my cousin knew the more recent him due to being around him and his then-boyfriend more often than I. My cousin told me that he had hung himself, unable to cope with the fact that his boyfriend had ironically also hung himself just months before. I remember having to check up on all of my friends who knew him, having to announce the heartbreaking news to many people who knew him mutually, trying to hold it together until at least the end of the day. When the end of the day came, and I got into my mother’s car to head home, I broke the news to her, and after telling her the cause of death, shockingly – but not surprisingly – she became cold. She began to belittle his death, and when I calmly told her to stop as I still needed time to process everything, she yelled at me, scolding me for simply giving a damn about my dear friend’s passing. I remember later on during a vulnerable moment in my room, my mother barely tried to comfort me, halfheartedly saying, “Don’t cry. Don’t let it affect you.” This was the moment when it became most apparent to me the inherent lack of care towards LGBT youth in America. The prioritization of health and wellness is especially important to me as a lesbian, as the LGBT community notoriously deals with much more mental health issues than the rest of the world; our suicide rates are 3.5 times that of our straight peers, our drug abuse chances are higher, and generally speaking, the vast majority of LGBT people deal with some form of mental illness. These issues are generally caused by the overwhelming amount of stigmatization we face from our communities, be it denial by our families and loved ones, harassment by our peers, denouncement from our religions, increasing risk of hate crimes, fear mongering due to subjects such as AIDS (especially towards the transgender community), and essentially being society’s scapegoat; to put it frankly, the odds are against us. We deal with so much trauma and pressure on a daily basis, of course it will begin to take a toll on us as a collective. Along with this, it is nearly impossible for us to get any proper resources to deal with our mental health, as therapy and counseling has become greatly expensive, and conversion therapy is not only insanely harmful but sadly forced upon us in some regions of the United States to this day. With a world that hates us and wishes us gone, we need to take care of ourselves and our well being better, because if we don’t put in the effort to take care of ourselves, nobody else in this world will, as sad as it is to say that.

I personally experience great trouble with my mental health on a daily basis, as I often deal with anxiety, a poor sense of self, depression, unstable relationships, and copious amounts of stress, among other things. I first noticed these symptoms early on in the sixth grade: It started with learning that I was gay, and as the years went on, I began to learn what being gay (among other marginalized categories) truly meant for my life and relationships with others, and just how much the odds were against me. Not being able to cope with my newfound feelings, I initially turned to self harm via thumb tacks, tracing their small yet piercing edges across my arms so small in order to ensure that only my eyes could see. These issues became greatly prevalent in my life once I started high school after quarantine, as I had a grand buildup of mental issues and no outlet for so long. Around this time, I turned to edibles, numbing my brain with them because anything was better than thinking about everything in the universe. I turned to these unhealthy coping mechanisms because they were still better alternatives than simply just thinking about my problems. I coped with these methods for a long time because I was too afraid to ask for help, and when I caved in during senior year and confided in counselor, it was at that moment when I realized I needed to go clean. By talking to my counselor, I learned healthy coping mechanisms, as well as learning that as humans, we need help, and it is okay to not have everything figured out, to ask for assistance. I'm glad to say I am clean from both self harm and edibles for over a year and a half. I have found that especially as of recent these mental health issues are beginning to arise in much smaller yet still hindering ways in my life. Though I no longer actively harm myself or my body, I have found that I often times have trouble starting and completing tasks, especially in my academic life. I usually find it very challenging to stay engaged in my academics, as I face burnout along with general apathy towards what is left of my high school career. I've found that I am often too focused on too far in the future, which causes said apathy towards the present and even the near future, often neglecting my mental and physical needs in the present. Physical and mental health is paramount to one’s life because it is the number one factor in one’s future, whether one realizes it or not; your physical health directly affects your mental health, as when you do not properly take care of your body, your mind is affected as well, as we often forget that the brain is also a part of the body. I have found that meditation has become the number one factor in my success, as I now set aside time before bed when my house is quiet to meditate and ponder on the events of my day, along with my future. I am now working towards managing my overthinking by writing down my thoughts in a journal, focusing on taking things day by day and simply completing today's tasks and preparing for tomorrow's events yet to come. By managing my racing brain, my journal creates a controlled chaos which has made my chronic overthinking and unhealthy focus on the future, helping to take a large amount of emotional weight off my back. After all, knowing is half the battle.

Physical and mental health is paramount to one’s life because it is the number one factor in one’s future, whether one realizes it or not; your physical health directly affects your mental health, as when you do not properly take care of your body, your mind is affected as well, as we often forget that the brain is also a part of the body. The prioritization of health and wellness is especially important to me as a lesbian, as the LGBT community notoriously deals with much more mental health issues than our peers; our suicide rates are 3.5 times that of our straight peers, our drug abuse chances are higher, and generally speaking, the vast majority of LGBT people deal with some form of mental illness. These issues are generally caused by the overwhelming amount of stigmatization we face from our communities, be it denial by our families/loved ones, religious denouncement, increasing risk of harassment and hate crimes, fear mongering due to subjects like AIDS (especially towards the transgender community), and essentially being society’s scapegoat; to put it frankly, the odds are against us. We deal with so much trauma and pressure on a daily basis which has taken a toll on us as a collective. Along with this, it's nearly impossible for us to get any proper resources to cope with our mental health, as therapy and counseling has become greatly expensive, and conversion therapy is not only insanely harmful but sadly forced upon us in some regions of America to this day. With a world that hates us and wishes us gone, we need to take care of ourselves and our well being better, because if we don’t put in the effort to take care of ourselves, nobody else in this world will, as sad as it is to say. I personally experience great trouble with my mental health on a daily basis, as I often deal with anxiety, a poor sense of self, depression, unstable relationships, and copious amounts of stress, among other things. I first noticed these symptoms early on in the sixth grade: It started with learning that I was gay, and as the years went on, I began to learn what being gay (among other marginalized categories) truly meant for my life and relationships with others, and just how much the odds were against me. Not being able to cope with my newfound feelings, I initially turned to self harm via thumb tacks, tracing their small yet piercing edges across my arms so small in order to ensure that only my eyes could see. These issues became greatly prevalent in my life once I started high school after quarantine, as I had a grand buildup of mental issues and no outlet for so long. Around this time, I turned to edibles, numbing my brain with them because anything was better than thinking about everything in the universe. I turned to these unhealthy coping mechanisms because they were still better alternatives than simply just thinking about my problems. I coped with these methods for a long time because I was too afraid to ask for help, and when I caved in during senior year and confided in counselor, it was at that moment when I realized I needed to go clean. By talking to my counselor, I learned healthy coping mechanisms, as well as learning that as humans, we need help, and it is okay to not have everything figured out, to ask for assistance. I'm glad to say I am clean from both self harm and edibles for over a year and a half.

I would consider myself a “film buff” – I greatly enjoy all kinds of movies, and I love Netflix's ever-changing catalog; however, my favorite recurring Netflix movie is Across the Spider-Verse. Spider-Verse’s art style is one of the greatest love letters, not just to the Spider-Man mythos, but to comics as a whole. It achieves this status not through just one style, but an infinite amount of art styles which reflect each and every single character; not only do the main characters all are drawn in different styles, but even all of the background Spider-Men are drawn differently in respective to their own comic book styles. While one character is watercolor, another is “scrapbook-esque,” and another is “vintage paper,” and another is live-action; there are even popsicle, plushie, and lego Spider-Men. No Spider-Man variant is excluded, and it is especially an absolute joy to see all of the different variants of Spider-Man from my childhood are brought to life once more. This movie is a comic book nerd like me’s childhood dream come to life. But not only does this movie pertain to my childhood, it also heavily relates to my personal life in the present as well. This movie came out at a time of great tragedy in my life – I was in the late stages of junior year 2023; I had just gone through a breakup with an emotionally abusive partner, my dear friend had committed suicide, tearing me and my relatives who knew him apart, and I had recently cut ties with my very best friend, as I had found out she was a pedophile who had manipulated me for five years. Needless to say, my life had greatly changed over such a short period of time; I had lost my very best friends in multiple, vastly different yet equally impactful ways. Along with this, I was beginning to worry about college, the uncertainty of my future, and the uncertainty of the world around me as well. Growing up with Into The Spider-Verse, Miles Morales, like I, was learning what it means to grow up, but now, Miles and I are focusing on college, forced familial expectations, and coming to terms with a world which is not in favor of us. Along with this, I greatly relate to Miles due to our struggles in relation to great pressure put upon us from our Hispanic relatives; I remember especially feeling a sting from a familiar place when Miles’ mom told him “It’s not your life, it’s mine. And your father’s. And your abuelos y abuelas who put you in this spot that I’d give anything to be in,” a sentiment which reminded me of my Hispanic father’s pressure on me to live a better life in honor of him and our ancestors who fought so hard for their place in America. Seeing Miles come to terms with his uncertain future and fight for his autonomy and right to exist in Across the Spider-Verse gave me great solace in such a scary time, as well as a will to fight for my own individualism and ideals in a world that wishes to put me in a box. In a way, Miles Morales grew up with his audience, Miles grew up alongside me. In saying “Everyone keeps telling me how my story is supposed to go. Nah... I'ma do my own thing,” he gave me the desire to fight for my rightful place in the world as well.

I am planning to attend college in order to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in order to expand my career options; however, my primary goal is to enter the marketing field as a Media Buyer/Planner. I want to enter the business world in order to aid in closing the gender gap in the business field. I am a woman, queer, Hispanic, and non-binary – you don’t see many people like me, if any, in high-ranking positions in any industry, and even less so in the business world with its hyper-masculinity. Gaining a Bachelor’s Degree will help me get a step closer to breaking the odds and leveling the playing field in the business world, as well as possibly inspiring many people just like me to enter said world; I would love to be a role model for such underrepresented demographics, as I needed a role model like me growing up dealing with the trials of being “different.” Through many thoughtful discussions with my non-white Hispanic peers, however, I have learned that though my struggles with my identity are valid, I still have advantages due to my pale complexion; I've learned that my non-white peers essentially need to be conscious at all times of much more seemingly "insignificant" matters, matters I never even considered issues until they were brought to my attention. Through these insightful discussions, my non-white companions have taught me true empathy, and have shown me that I can use my societal advantages to give voice to their ideas for them, hence why I want to go into the business world and make the environment even just a little bit better in honor of them. I am essentially working to help raise awareness towards marginalized voices of all kinds in the business industry, be it nonwhite, non-straight, non-male, etc, and even towards communities I am not a part of, because while I may not understand others' communities struggles fully and said communities' issues may not directly affect me, it doesn't mean I don't have to have empathy towards them and want to help raise awareness to their causes, because when you think first about helping aid disadvantaged groups of all kinds, you eventually end up helping everyone. I have met so many amazing people of all walks of life, all different cultures, lifestyles, and beliefs, and by simply just listening to their experiences and takeaways from said experiences, I have become a more empathetic person who is very eager to help these different communities wherever I am able to.

I am planning to attend college in order to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in order to expand my career options; however, my primary goal is to enter the marketing field as a Media Buyer/Planner. I want to enter the business world in order to aid in closing the gender gap in the business field. I am a woman, queer, Hispanic, and non-binary – you don’t see many people like me, if any, in high-ranking positions in any industry, and even less so in the business world with its hyper-masculinity. Gaining a Bachelor’s Degree will help me get a step closer to breaking the odds and leveling the playing field in the business world, as well as possibly inspiring many people just like me to enter said world; I would love to be a role model for such underrepresented demographics, as I needed a role model like me growing up dealing with the trials of being “different.” Through many thoughtful discussions with my non-white Hispanic peers, however, I have learned that though my struggles with my identity are valid, I still have advantages due to my pale complexion; I've learned that my non-white peers essentially need to be conscious at all times of much more seemingly "insignificant" matters, matters I never even considered issues until they were brought to my attention. Through these insightful discussions, my non-white companions have taught me true empathy, and have shown me that I can use my societal advantages to give voice to their ideas for them, hence why I want to go into the business world and make the environment even just a little bit better in honor of them. I am essentially working to help raise awareness towards marginalized voices of all kinds in the business industry, be it nonwhite, non-straight, non-male, etc, and even towards communities I am not a part of, because while I may not understand others' communities struggles fully and said communities' issues may not directly affect me, it doesn't mean I don't have to have empathy towards them and want to help raise awareness to their causes, because when you think first about helping aid disadvantaged groups of all kinds, you eventually end up helping everyone. I have met so many amazing people of all walks of life, all different cultures, lifestyles, and beliefs, and by simply just listening to their experiences and takeaways from said experiences, I have become a more empathetic person who is very eager to help these different communities wherever I am able to.

In order to defeat the villains in Stranger Things, I only have three characters in mind who I believe are capable of such a harrowing and impossible task: My choices are Eleven, Vecna, and Chief Hopper. Firstly, we have Chief Hopper in charge of the more human enemies, as he has survived a Russian concentration camp, a laser beam, and of course his many years of experience as Chief of Police; he knows a lot about dealing with the more "governmental" side of the Stranger Things adversaries, and is the perfect candidate to handle them. Second, we have Eleven: Eleven is by far one of the most powerful characters in the show, as she has the ability to both open and close the gate to an entire universe (in reference to the Upside Down), has defeated both the Demogorgon and the Mind Flayer, and is shown to be an insanely interdimensionally powerful telekinetic. Finally, I have Vecna himself: his power rivals Eleven's, as he is a deadly telekinetic, as well as the main villain of whose origins are the Upside Down, and what better way to defeat the show's monsters than to team up with the Upside Down's head honcho?

ring my sophomore year of high school, I was a member of the 1-semester San Pedro High School Surf Team. During my junior year of high school, I was a member of the San Pedro High School Wrestling Team for one semester, and afterward, I volunteered to assist in the organization and setup of sporting events. I am a founding member as well as the historian of the San Pedro High School Adulting 101 Club, where I work on the photography and social media management of the club. I am also a founding member and Vice President of the San Pedro High School Tea Time Club, where I assist the president with ideas for club activities, as well as planning future fundraisers. Outside of school, I have currently been a frequent volunteer at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium since July 2023, where I assist the employees with workplace event organization and cleanup, management of the Summer Docent volunteers, assist in animal husbandry at the Aquatic Nursery, assist in Customer Service and tour guides, assist in social media marketing and filing, and assist in office paperwork. Essentially, I assist the employees in all aspects of the facility with any tasks the employees see fit. I try to serve my school as well as my community whenever I can, whether it be raising awareness to local issues, to volunteering at local events in my beach town in Los Angeles county. I do all that I do in the name of helping others, because when you help someone, you help everyone. I want to attend college in order to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in order to expand my career options; however, my primary goal is to enter the marketing field as a Media Buyer/Planner. I want to enter the business world in order to aid in closing the gender gap in the business field. I am a woman, queer, Hispanic, and non-binary – you don’t see many people like me, if any, in high-ranking positions in any industry, and even less so in the business world with its hyper-masculinity. Gaining a Bachelor’s Degree will help me get a step closer to breaking the odds and leveling the playing field in the business world, as well as possibly inspiring many people just like me to enter said world; I would love to be a role model for such underrepresented demographics, as I needed a role model like me growing up dealing with the trials of being “different.” Through many thoughtful discussions with my non-white Hispanic peers, however, I have learned that though my struggles with my identity are valid, I still have advantages due to my pale complexion; I've learned that my non-white peers essentially need to be conscious at all times of much more seemingly "insignificant" matters, matters I never even considered issues until they were brought to my attention. Through these insightful discussions, my non-white companions have taught me true empathy, and have shown me that I can use my societal advantages to give voice to their ideas for them, hence why I want to go into the business world and make the environment even just a little bit better in honor of them.

I remember during my greatest time of hardship, my support system was my best friend Jermanie. I met Jermanie through a mutual friend at Knott’s Berry Farm and already he had proven to be a kind soul, paying for some of my souvenirs and assisting me with carrying my things. Though intimidated by him at first due to my reserved nature, I quickly learned that he was the furthest thing from a threat, but rather the closest thing I have to a brother. Jermanie is and always has been a wonderful person. He has gone through so much: His mother is chronically ill so he’s had to take care of her since he was young, his emotionally abusive sister takes advantage of that fact, he has struggled with alcoholism in the past, and along with being chronically mentally ill – he has been through seven lifetimes all in one life. But never has he ever even considered giving up an option. Sure, he has lost hope – but never thrown in the towel. Day in and day out he is always working, always providing for those in which he holds dear, always working towards his own dreams of a better life for himself, always moving forward even when he has lost hope. He manages to deal with his own traumas, and though he is not fully healed just yet, he still is greatly emotionally intelligent beyond compare as well as wise beyond his years. I remember one specific time of need being in April-May of 2023; I had just gone through a breakup with an emotionally abusive partner, my friend had committed suicide, and I had recently cut ties with my very best friend, having found out she was a pedophile who had manipulated and groomed me for five years. Needless to say, my life had greatly changed over such a short period of time; I had lost my very best friends in multiple, vastly different yet equally impactful ways. One thing that never changed, however, was Jermanie’s unwavering support for me. Though he may have grown tiresome of my constant ramblings of the same traumas I had gone through, Jermanie still listened to my every word, guiding me through lessons he learned via his own personal issues, and simply being there for me when I needed something – or someone – stable. In a time of great negative change, he was a positive constant. But I think what I love most about Jermanie is that he is never afraid to tell me the truth about my errors while simultaneously showing respect to me no matter my errors’ severity. I find that oftentimes he understands me and my situations better than I do, approaching them with a more understanding, empathetic point of view in stark contrast to my typically harsh, cynical worldview; he is the perfect foil to me, which helps me see things in ways I had never thought of before. Jermanie has given me the utmost respect; not once has he put me down and treated me like an emotional punching bag, but rather calmly and clearly explains situations to me and advises me as a friend whom he wishes nothing but the best for. Jermanie knows absolutely everything there is to know about me; he has never once judged me nor abandoned me during my great times of need. Not only has Jermanie been there for me when I am hurt, he is also there for me when I hurt others (and oftentimes myself), offering me different perspectives on my trials and tribulations and always willing to teach me. Though I rarely see him in person anymore Jermanie is one of my best friends and I will always look up to him as my greatest role model.

My greatest personal achievement was learning to become a kinder, empathetic person. I have had many emotional turmoils in my life, but my greatest period of struggles was in April-May of 2023; I had just gone through a breakup with an emotionally abusive partner, my dear friend had committed suicide, tearing me and my relatives who knew him apart, and I had recently cut ties with my very best friend, as I had found out she was a pedophile who had manipulated me for five years. Needless to say, my life had greatly changed over such a short period of time; I had lost my very best friends in multiple, vastly different yet equally impactful ways. However, I was not going to let myself fall under such weight on my shoulders; I knew I couldn't properly heal alone, so I confided in my counselor as a way to cope, as well as get a different perspective on my internal battles during this time. Through these talks with my counselor, I am now a more empathetic, understanding person who has helped prevent others from going down similar paths; I helped many people through situations where they were groomed as I was, I have aided others through their own troubling relationships, and I stopped another dear friend from committing suicide, as well as aiding him in his own personal journey to self-betterment. I like to think all the pain I went through during this time was worthwhile because it meant that I saved a life in more ways than one; Not only did I save my friend's life, I also helped him turn from a generally selfish person into a respectful, considerate man who now looks out for others as well through my shared pain with him and the lessons I learned from this harrowing time in my life; and through these experiences, I saved myself from giving up on hope, as I internalized these lessons and taught myself that I am worth more than my struggles, and that there is nothing in this life you can't overcome. In regards to any advice I would give to someone who is facing similar circumstances, I would advise that you never give up, find a healthy coping mechanism during the time you face hardship, and keep moving forward no matter how much you don't want to. I hope that my story can help others feel seen, as well as give guidance to those with the odds against them like they were for me.

My name is Kendall Nelson. I am Hispanic, lesbian, non-binary, and looking to become a first-generation college student. I am from California, and I am looking to get a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration in order to get a job in the marketing field. My father's parents came to the United States from Latin America, and my father became a manager at Union Pacific while not even being a high school graduate. My mother comes from a single-parent household and entered the workforce at 16 to aid in providing for her 2 twin siblings. I will be a first-generation college student, and though my parents are lucky enough to make a good living, we still live paycheck to paycheck due to California's expensive cost of living. On top of this, after high school, I will have no familial guidance to help me navigate post secondary life. Due to personal reasons, I may be the only one funding my education in the future after my high school graduation. I want to attend college in order to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in order to expand my career options; however, my primary goal is to enter the marketing field as a Media Buyer/Planner. I want to enter the business world in order to aid in closing the gender gap in the business field. I am a woman, queer, Hispanic, and non-binary – you don’t see many people like me, if any, in high-ranking positions in any industry, and even less so in the business world with its hyper-masculinity. Gaining a Bachelor’s Degree will help me get a step closer to breaking the odds and leveling the playing field in the business world, as well as possibly inspiring many people just like me to enter said world; I would love to be a role model for such underrepresented demographics, as I needed a role model like me growing up dealing with the trials of being “different.” Through many thoughtful discussions with my non-white Hispanic peers, however, I have learned that though my struggles with my identity are valid, I still have advantages due to my pale complexion; I've learned that my non-white peers essentially need to be conscious at all times of much more seemingly "insignificant" matters, matters I never even considered issues until they were brought to my attention. Through these insightful discussions, my non-white companions have taught me true empathy, and have shown me that I can use my societal advantages to give voice to their ideas for them, hence why I want to go into the business world and make the environment even just a little bit better in honor of them.

I consider myself a “film buff” – I greatly enjoy all kinds of movies, from animated to stop motion to live action. Many movies have greatly moved me and shaped my worldview, but by far the film that has had the greatest impact on me has been Across the Spider-Verse. Spider-Verse’s art style is one of the greatest love letters, not just to the Spider-Man mythos, but to comics as a whole. It achieves this status not through just one style, but an infinite amount of art styles which reflect each and every single character; not only do the main characters all are drawn in different styles, but even all of the background Spider-Men are drawn differently in respective to their own comic book styles. While one character is watercolor, another is “scrapbook-esque,” and another is live-action; there are even popsicle, plushie, and lego Spider-Men. No Spider-Man variant is excluded, and it is especially an absolute joy to see all of the different variants of Spider-Man from my childhood are brought to life once more. This movie is a comic book nerd like me’s childhood dream come to life. But not only does this movie pertain to my childhood, it also heavily relates to my personal life in the present as well. This movie came out at a time of great tragedy in my life – I was in the late stages of junior year 2023; I'd just gone through a breakup with an emotionally abusive partner, my dear friend had committed suicide, tearing me and my relatives who knew him apart, and I had recently cut ties with my very best friend, as I had found out she was a pedophile who had manipulated me for five years. My life had greatly changed over such a short period of time; I'd lost my very best friends in multiple, vastly different yet equally impactful ways. Along with this, I was beginning to worry about college, the uncertainty of my future, and the uncertainty of the world around me as well. Growing up with Into The Spider-Verse, Miles Morales, like I, was learning what it means to grow up, but now, Miles and I are focusing on college, forced familial expectations, and coming to terms with a world which is not in favor of us. Along with this, I greatly relate to Miles due to our struggles with great pressure put upon us from our Hispanic relatives; I remember especially feeling a sting from a familiar place when Miles’ mom told him “It’s not your life, it’s mine. And your father’s. And your abuelos y abuelas who put you in this spot that I’d give anything to be in,” a sentiment which reminded me of my Hispanic father’s pressure on me to live a better life in honor of him and our ancestors who fought so hard for their place in America. Seeing Miles come to terms with his uncertain future and fight for his autonomy and right to exist in Across the Spider-Verse gave me great solace in such a scary time, as well as a will to fight for my own individualism and ideals in a world that wishes to put me in a box. In a way, Miles Morales grew up with his audience, Miles grew up alongside me. In saying “Everyone keeps telling me how my story is supposed to go. Nah... I'ma do my own thing,” he gave me the desire to fight for my rightful place in the world as well. For these reasons, Spider-Verse is the greatest love letter to a nerd like myself.

I want to attend college in order to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in order to expand my career options; however, my primary goal is to enter the marketing field as a Media Buyer/Planner. I want to enter the business world in order to aid in closing the gender gap in the business field. I am a woman, queer, Hispanic, and non-binary – you don’t see many people like me, if any, in high-ranking positions in any industry, and even less so in the business world with its hyper-masculinity. Gaining a Bachelor’s Degree will help me get a step closer to breaking the odds and leveling the playing field in the business world, as well as possibly inspiring many people just like me to enter said world; I would love to be a role model for such underrepresented demographics, as I needed a role model like me growing up dealing with the trials of being “different.” Through many thoughtful discussions with my non-white Hispanic peers, however, I have learned that though my struggles with my identity are valid, I still have advantages due to my pale complexion; I've learned that my non-white peers essentially need to be conscious at all times of much more seemingly "insignificant" matters, matters I never even considered issues until they were brought to my attention. Through these insightful discussions, my non-white companions have taught me true empathy, and have shown me that I can use my societal advantages to give voice to their ideas for them, hence why I want to go into the business world and make the environment even just a little bit better in honor of them. Along with this, I want to pursue a career in the marketing field because I believe I could vastly improve marketing tactics catered towards a younger audience. I often find that marketing catered towards my generation greatly misunderstands what actually engages a young audience, as often outdated trends are used in order to attempt (and ultimately fail) to appeal to generation z, greatly misrepresenting what my generation actually finds appealing. I believe that this is primarily due to the marketing field mainly consisting of middle aged people, people who have just recently become out of date, and often "out of the loop" on current trends. These older people don't quite understand the intricate, absurdist humor which gen z has as well as the fast-paced nature of trends; generally, what we find interesting is constantly changing. I believe I could capture this audience due to my great connection with this audience, my understanding of gen z's humor and how it benefits marketing tactics, and generally being "in the know".

I have had many emotional turmoils in my life, but my greatest period of struggles was in April-May 2023; I went through a breakup with an emotionally abusive partner, my dear friend had committed suicide, tearing me and my relatives who knew him apart, and I cut ties with my very best friend, as I had found out she was a pedophile who had manipulated me for five years. Needless to say, my life had greatly changed over such a short period of time; I had lost my very best friends in multiple, vastly different yet equally impactful ways. However, I wasn't going to let myself fall under such weight on my shoulders; I knew I couldn't properly heal alone, so I confided in my counselor as a way to cope, as well as get a different perspective on my internal battles during this time. Through these talks with my counselor, I'm now a more empathetic, understanding person who has helped prevent others from going down similar paths; I helped many people through situations where they were groomed as I was, I have aided others through their own troubling relationships, and I stopped another dear friend from suicide, aiding him in his own personal journey to self-betterment. I like to think all the pain I went through during this time was worthwhile because it meant that I saved a life in more ways than one; Not only did I save my friend's life, I also helped him turn from a generally selfish person into a respectful, considerate man who now looks out for others as well through my shared pain with him and the lessons I learned from this harrowing time in my life; and through these experiences, I saved myself from giving up on hope, as I internalized these lessons and taught myself that I am worth more than my struggles, and that there is nothing in this life you can't overcome. I want to attend college in order to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in order to expand my career options; however, my primary goal is to enter the marketing field as a Media Buyer/Planner. I want to enter the business world in order to aid in closing the gender gap in the business field. I am a woman, queer, Hispanic, and non-binary – you don’t see many people like me, if any, in high-ranking positions in any industry, and even less so in the business world with its hyper-masculinity. Gaining a Bachelor’s Degree will help me get a step closer to breaking the odds and leveling the playing field in the business world, as well as possibly inspiring many people just like me to enter said world; I would love to be a role model for such underrepresented demographics, as I needed a role model like me growing up dealing with the trials of being “different.” Through many thoughtful discussions with my non-white Hispanic peers, however, I have learned that though my struggles with my identity are valid, I still have advantages due to my pale complexion; I've learned that my non-white peers essentially need to be conscious at all times of much more seemingly "insignificant" matters, matters I never even considered issues until they were brought to my attention. Through these insightful discussions, my non-white companions have taught me true empathy, and have shown me that I can use my societal advantages to give voice to their ideas for them, hence why I want to go into the business world and make the environment even just a little bit better in honor of them.

In my life I have not had many healthy role models, but I found one in my friend Jermanie. I met Jermanie through a mutual friend at Knott’s Berry Farm and already he had proven to be a kind soul, paying for some of my souvenirs and assisting me with carrying my things. Though intimidated by him at first due to my reserved nature, I quickly learned that he was the furthest thing from a threat, but rather the closest thing I have to a brother. Jermanie is and always has been a wonderful person. He goes through alot: His mother is chronically ill so he’s had to take care of her since he was young, his abusive sister takes advantage of that fact, he has struggled with alcoholism in the past, and along with being chronically mentally ill – he has been through seven lifetimes all in one life. But never has he considered quitting an option. Sure, he has lost hope – but never gave up. Day in and day out he works hard, providing for those in which he holds dear, always working towards his own dreams of a better life for himself, always moving forward even when he has lost hope. He manages to deal with his own traumas, and though he is not fully healed just yet, he still is greatly emotionally intelligent beyond compare as well as wise beyond his years. I remember one specific time of need being in April-May of 2023; I had just gone through a breakup with an emotionally abusive partner, my friend had committed suicide, and I had recently cut ties with my very best friend, having found out she was a pedophile who had manipulated and groomed me for five years. Needless to say, my life had greatly changed over such a short period of time; I had lost my very best friends in multiple, vastly different yet equally impactful ways. One thing that never changed, however, was Jermanie’s unwavering support for me. Though he may have grown tiresome of my constant ramblings of the same traumas I had gone through, Jermanie still listened to my every word, guiding me through lessons he learned via his own personal issues, and simply being there for me when I needed something – or someone – stable. In a time of great negative change, he was a positive constant. But I think what I love most about Jermanie is that he is never afraid to tell me the truth about my errors while simultaneously showing respect. He often understands me and my situations better than I do, approaching them with a more understanding, empathetic perspective in contrast to my harsh, cynical worldview; he is my perfect opposite, which helps me see things in ways I had never thought of before. Jermanie has given me the utmost respect; not once has he put me down and treated me like an emotional punching bag, but rather calmly and clearly explains situations to me and advises me as a friend whom he wishes nothing but the best for. Jermanie knows everything there is to know about me; he has never once judged nor abandoned me during times of need. Not only has Jermanie been there for me when I am hurt, he is also there for me when I hurt others (and oftentimes myself), offering me different perspectives on my trials and tribulations and always willing to teach me. Jermanie is one of my best friends and I will always look up to him as my greatest role model.

Nintendo has been a longtime favorite gaming company for me. One of my very first memories was getting a Wii and playing games such as New Super Mario Bros. Wii and Epic Mickey with my sister. I’ve had many Nintendo consoles – The NES, the SNES, The Wii, the DS and 3DS, and most notably the Switch. I have great adoration for many franchises in the Nintendo gallery, from colorful lighthearted series such as Kirby, Splatoon and Super Mario, to Metroid and The Legend of Zelda, and even to simple lifestyle games such as Animal Crossing. But what is better than playing these games individually in my opinion – playing Super Smash Bros. Ultimate with my friends. Piggybacking off of my previous statement, if you are a fan of any of the previously aforementioned franchises, you will be pleased to find that Smash Bros. includes every single one of them and more. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s roster is huge; with 69 characters in just its base roster and 82 characters if you include the DLC, Smash Ultimate easily has the biggest roster in the entire Super Smash Bros franchise. This roster includes characters from not only well known Nintendo franchises – it also features fighters from lesser known, oftentimes much older Nintendo games, such as the Ice Climbers, Little Mac from Punch Out, Pit from Kid Icarus, the characters from Fire Emblem, and even the old NES gimmick robot R.O.B. Seeing such classic characters from all corners of the Nintendo library is a thrill to witness. But it’s not only the Nintendo characters that make this game the joyous experience that it is – the main characters that make Smash Bros. so memorable are the third party characters originating from outside gaming companies. There are characters from franchises with both kid and adult audiences, if not some of the most iconic video game characters of all time. Some characters which I believe highlight this fact best are: Ryu and Ken from Street Fighter, Megaman, Sonic, Simon and Richter from Castlevania, Cloud and Sephiroth from Final Fantasy, and most notably, Steve from Minecraft and Sora from Kingdom Hearts. My personal favorites are Ken, Richter, Steve, and Sora. I am especially fond of the latter two, as I remember after I and everyone else in the Smash Bros community’s minds were blown after Steve and especially Sora’s reveal, having waited for their arrival into the series for so long. Along with the grand selection of characters to choose from, Smash Ultimate provides both quantity and quality to back this Goliath of a roster. Just about every character, aside from echo fighters, has their very own move set, carefully crafted as homages to their real abilities in their respective games. These diverse play styles for characters along with the simple and easy to pick up general gameplay, Smash Ultimate is an incredibly easy and inviting game for anyone and everyone to pick up. Super Smash Bros Ultimate stands out as by far my favorite Nintendo game to play with friends for a myriad of reasons. As a long-time fan of the franchise, the latest installment encapsulates the essence of what makes gaming with friends so enjoyable. From its diverse roster of characters from everyone’s childhood, to its simple and dynamic gameplay mechanics, Super Smash Bros Ultimate fosters an unparalleled cooperative gaming experience that keeps players engaged and entertained for hours on end, bringing the kid out in all of us.

I have grown up with Spider-Man my entire life, growing up with all three Spider-Man movie series adaptations, as well as the comics, animated series, video game series, and my personal favorite, the Spider-Verse movies. I grew up with Tobey Maguire movies when I was young, and as I grew up I tuned in to the Tom Holland movies and later on the Andrew Garfield adaptation. I believe that on a fundamental level the Big Three Spider-Man actors are equal, Tobey Maguire being the best Peter Parker as he plays the more humble, down-to-earth, underdog, Andrew Garfield being the best Spider-Man as he plays the more sarcastic, quippy wisecracker, and Tom Holland being the perfect balance of both, bringing a youthful quality in consistency with his Spider-Man’s actual age; he feels like the only Spider-Man to actually look and act like a teenager. However, while I stand by that statement, my favorite live-action depiction of Spider-Man has to be Tom Holland. Tom Holland’s Spider-Man is the only one to accurately depict what Spider-Man would realistically be like – he’s unsure, he makes mistakes, and he wants approval from those which he sees as role models; he’s stressed, he’s reckless, and it just makes sense. Holland’s Peter Parker is only fifteen when he first appears in Civil War as Tony Stark’s lapdog. He has to juggle helping New York City, keeping his nightlife secret from his only living relative Aunt May, his relationships with MJ and Ned along with the future of said relationships, college preparations, his “Stark Internship”, saving the world as well as the universe along with the trauma that came with it, losing Aunt May, and on top of all of that he loses everyone he has ever known via memory erasure; That is only half of the things Holland’s Peter has to go through. Holland’s Spider-Man is messy and constantly has the literal weight of the world on his shoulders and he is only fifteen. Holland’s Peter is never depicted as cool like Garfield’s skateboarding, sardonic Peter Parker, nor is he depicted as the cheesy, endearing hero that Tobey Maguire portrays. He feels like a real kid one would know in their own high school, blending in with the crowd and just trying to get through the day. He’s not trying to be anything – he’s raw, he’s real, and he’s all the more relatable because of it. Anyone can see themselves as his depiction of Spider-Man, and most people have probably already felt the way he has felt in similar eras of their lives. I believe he perfectly embodies the core ideas of Spider-Man: That anyone can be behind the mask, and that no matter what life throws at you, you will always endure. Along with this, Holland’s Peter often has to face the consequences of his own actions, as he is often naive, hasty, easily manipulated, and oftentimes overestimates his capabilities. He’s inexperienced and it shows; of course he wouldn’t be ready for universal events, of course he’s not ready for Mysterio’s manipulation and exploitation of his trauma, of course he’s not ready to fix the multiverse. I remember when No Way Home came out I was in a similar position, juggling many personal issues all at once. I needed Tom Holland’s Spider-Man to show me I wasn’t the only one going through a lot, and that even if everything turns out muddled I would still end up okay no matter what. Tom Holland’s portrayal is the true definition of Spider-Man’s message and he will forever be my favorite because of that.

Created in 2009 by indie developer Markus “Notch” Peerson, Minecraft has stood the test of time due to its universal appeal; its simple, easy to grasp gameplay, its unique and iconic graphic style, its atmospheric soundtrack. But with Minecraft’s many outstanding qualities, the element of this game which shines most is and will always be its ability to construct – both building-wise and relationship-wise. At its core, Minecraft is about construction; its 8-bit 3D art style a perfect blend of new and old graphics, appealing to all types of people. Though the lack of roundness makes for builds to look “choppy”, it is this blend of 8-bit and 3D that creates a more stylized blocky texture which gives your builds character than if round models were implemented; as I often say, “limitation evokes creativity.” Not only does Minecraft evoke creativity, it also helps with global issues; For example, Minecraft adds real endangered species into the game to raise awareness on these species and encourage players to learn more about them. Minecraft is even used in schools now, with Minecraft Education Edition being implemented into classrooms in order to teach many subjects (but especially science) to children across the world in a fun and engaging manner. On a personal note, I remember Minecraft being the first video game I ever owned, after my mother had bought it for me for my sixth birthday. I remember my sister and I would usually use creative mode, as we'd often have build battles, create characters, and create great lands bouncing our ideas off each other. We built many things: Star Wars machines, statues, Japanese temples, zen gardens, and even entire lands dedicated to whatever show we were into at the time; But a staple in every world my sister and I created would be our own build of Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza somewhere on the map. We have consistently played Minecraft throughout our life ever since; not only were we making through our imagination – we were making memories. I remember during quarantine my friends and I were isolated for months, not knowing a portion of our childhoods would be taken from us; so we would play Minecraft every single day with each other, coping with realizations on the world around us as well as inside our heads. I remember after fights in our group we would hop on Minecraft the next day as means of opening a discussion and apology. During such a divisive time, we needed something to bring us all together — we needed Minecraft. Minecraft has been a core part of the vast majority of my life and has been a staple of my childhood for over a decade, acting as a creative outlet for my vivid imagination as well as a device of comfort. It’s kind of crazy to think about how just twenty five dollars could be worth an entire childhood, much less an entire universe of infinite possibilities confined in a small disc. That’s the thing about Minecraft – Not only is it a simple video game created by an indie studio, it is possibly the biggest digital creative outlet of all time, utilized by hundreds of millions across the world; it is a universe, it is unlimited in creative potential, it is a grand community builder, and it is one of the greatest games of all time. In days of joy and grief, in days of bliss and of isolation, Minecraft has shown me time and time again that it has the ability to bring everyone together and make everyone the creators we all are deep within.

My father's parents came to the United States from Latin America: his mother moved at the age of sixteen from Mexico and his father at the age of nine from Costa Rica; They moved with absolutely nothing, surviving primarily off of welfare and food stamps for a decent portion of their time in the States. These struggling times are especially reflected in my father, who was mistreated greatly and unfortunately was not strong enough to break the chains of generational trauma in our family; sadly, I have also faced the brunt of generational trauma due to my dad's mistreatment, further motivating me to strive for a better life and aim for a higher education in order to break the chain and create a safer environment for my younger relatives. I also grew up in a heavily gentrified area, making it difficult for even my middle class family to stay afloat. My area is also incredibly diverse, allowing me to be exposed to countless experiences, ideas, cultures, and problems within communities from marginalized peers, especially my Hispanic peers. I want to attend college to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration; however, my primary goal is to enter the marketing field as a Media Buyer/Planner. I would primarily like to pay for college myself, as my parents currently do not have the money to help fund me. However, through my college research and endeavors, I have found that the road to payment for college is similar to a hotel: littered with traps of extra fees for every little thing. Even the cheapest universities in this nation are riddled with mandatory fees which should not even exist. I personally do not have enough money for my brave venture, but I do have enough drive for the task. The reason why I want to enter the business world is so I can aid in closing the gap in the business field, as well as bringing forth new ideas stemming from disadvantaged communities. I am a woman, lesbian, Hispanic, and non-binary – you don’t see many people like me, if any, in high-ranking positions in any industry, and even less so in the business world with its hyper-masculinity. Gaining a Bachelor’s Degree will help me get a step closer to breaking the odds and leveling the playing field in the business world, as well as possibly inspiring many people just like me to enter said world; I would love to be a role model for such underrepresented demographics, as I needed a role model like me growing up dealing with the trials of being “different.” Through many thoughtful discussions with my non-white Hispanic peers, however, I have learned that though my struggles with my identity are valid, I still have advantages due to my pale complexion; I've learned that my non-white peers essentially need to be conscious at all times of much more seemingly "insignificant" matters, matters I never even considered issues until they were brought to my attention. Through these insightful discussions, my non-white companions have taught me true empathy, and have shown me that I can use my societal advantages to give voice to their ideas for them, hence why I want to go into the business world and make the environment even just a little bit better in honor of them. Marginalized voices are just as, if not more important in our modern day; their voices deserve to be heard, and I would like to be their honorary speaker. I will do everything in my power to create a better future for others no matter what.

I have a great idea for a crossover episode between Phineas and Ferb and Kim Possible, with the episode title being “Eye Spy ''. In this episode, the day starts normally w/ Phineas and Ferb in the backyard. During an electricity experiment a while back they lost a kite on their rooftop, and they never were able to get it down because it was on a really high part of the roof. Their discussion spirals into “how can we jump up there?”; they then get the idea to make something bouncy for them to wear. The episode then cuts to Perry doing his secret agent activities, but this mission’s different; Dr. Doofenschmirtz has a new blue lab partner: Dr. Drakken! Doof creates a “chimp-inator”, a ray that turns people into chimps, making them stupid and easy to control; Doof plots to essentially become the townspeople's "zookeeper", making them do as he says, thus controlling the Tri-State Area! Doof & Drakken argue on whether “-inator” is dumb, among other things, but despite this Drakken puts up with Doof. Wanting to use Doof to his advantage, Drakken teams up with him so that he could steal a crucial part of Doof’s “chimp-inator”, the Golden Eye, a magical device Doof found in his childhood memory box somehow; the Golden Eye is a great electrical power source capable of mass destruction, and Drakken wants it bad. Perry sees in the background a girl spying on this plot, and it is revealed to be Kim Possible! She ambushes the men in order to steal the Golden Eye but is greatly outmatched when Drakken grabs the Golden Eye and gains the upper hand in the fight. Perry jumps in, ambushing Drakken and knocking him down for a bit in one kick, giving Perry enough time to get Kim out of Doofenshmirtz Evil Inc. and to safety. Perry leads Kim to P&F’s backyard, thinking that nobody was home; to his surprise, Phineas & Ferb were building a big rubber suit which was bouncy and allowed them to jump high enough to get their kite. Candace sees Kim and Perry in the backyard, noticing that Shego was also spying on them. Shego invades the backyard, quickly stopped by Phineas after he jumps off the roof (after getting his kite) using a rubber suit. Candace sees the whole fight go down, cue the usual "You guys are SO busted!" After Candace runs off, Kim realizes the suit can stretch to fit her mold, is electricity-resistant, and can enhance her physical capabilities, so she asks the boys if she can have her own in order to fight Dr. Drakken. The boys let her, and Kim and Perry go to Doofenshmirtz Evil Inc. for a last showdown. Kim and Perry tag team and fight Drakken & Doof, break the Chimp-inator, and grab the Golden Eye to give to a local museum for safekeeping. The episode ends with Phineas and Ferb playing with their kite in the backyard while Candace drags her mom to the yard; "Mo-om! Phineas and Ferb are making a rubber suit to help a spy lady!" Of course, nothing is there as usual, and the episode ends with Candace's tantrum; "B-b-but..."

My father's parents came to the United States from Latin America: his mother moved at the age of sixteen from Mexico and his father at the age of nine from Costa Rica. They both moved to America with absolutely nothing, surviving primarily off of welfare and food stamps for a decent portion of their time in the States. These struggling times are especially reflected in my father, who was mistreated greatly and sadly was not strong enough to be the one to break the chains of generational trauma passed down from his dad, his grandfather, etc. I grew up in a place which has become heavily gentrified, making it difficult for even my middle class family to stay afloat. My area is also incredibly diverse, allowing me to be exposed to countless experiences, ideas, cultures, and problems within communities from marginalized peers, especially my Hispanic peers. I want to attend college in order to obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in order to expand my career options; however, my primary goal is to enter the marketing field as a Media Buyer/Planner. I would primarily like to pay for college myself, as my parents currently do not have the money to help fund me. However, through my college research and endeavors, I have found that the road to payment for college is similar to a hotel: littered with traps of extra fees for every little thing. Even the cheapest universities in this nation are riddled with mandatory fees which should not even exist. I personally do not have enough money for my brave venture, but I do have enough drive for the task. The reason why I want to enter the business world is that so I can aid in closing the gap in the business field, as well as bringing forth new ideas stemming from disadvantaged communities. I am a woman, queer, Hispanic, and non-binary – you don’t see many people like me, if any, in high-ranking positions in any industry, and even less so in the business world with its hyper-masculinity. Gaining a Bachelor’s Degree will help me get a step closer to breaking the odds and leveling the playing field in the business world, as well as possibly inspiring many people just like me to enter said world; I would love to be a role model for such underrepresented demographics, as I needed a role model like me growing up dealing with the trials of being “different.” Through many thoughtful discussions with my non-white Hispanic peers, however, I have learned that though my struggles with my identity are valid, I still have advantages due to my pale complexion; I've learned that my non-white peers essentially need to be conscious at all times of much more seemingly "insignificant" matters, matters I never even considered issues until they were brought to my attention. Through these insightful discussions, my non-white companions have taught me true empathy, and have shown me that I can use my societal advantages to give voice to their ideas for them, hence why I want to go into the business world and make the environment even just a little bit better in honor of them. Marginalized voices are just as, if not more important in our modern day; their voices deserve to be heard, and I would like to be their honorary speaker.