My name is Ketlyne Bonne-Annee, and I am a proud first-generation college student and BIPOC student. Although I'm from New York, I was raised in a difficult environment, and I learned how to persevere. It was the same in my classroom; the values that had been guiding me through my studies in college are even more so to make a positive impact on society. Having journeyed through college with no road map, I see firsthand the trials of first-generation students and the need to pave the way for them, paved with the glass ceiling on the other side. I am currently completing my final undergraduate semester with a stellar GPA and a full plan for my future. My aspirations to combine law and international policy lie in CUNY Law, where I am pursuing a JD/MIA dual degree, an aligned option. I will specialize in human rights and global governance, fighting to empower marginalized populations and shaping policies that foster equality and justice across the globe. I was drawn to this career path because I have witnessed the systemic inequality impact a family and an individual’s community; I want to be part of the solution. My service is rooted in my experience that I have working as a part of nonprofit organizations. These can be community development programs or youth empowerment initiatives. Those experiences were my first taste of the power of an advocacy life story and solidified that law is more than a career; it is my tool for transformation, and I believe doing so is my life’s purpose, at least in terms of doing the fight for meaningful legislation. They also confirmed my resolve to put my education to use to support others and open avenues for those who were in greatest need. These are quite difficult costs, however, if not impossible. I have a hard time studying for law school because it entails large sums of money for LSAT registration, study materials, and application fees. There is no way that I, as an undergraduate without parents, am a first-generation student without a financial safety net, which so many others use, so this scholarship is a necessity for me. A scholarship would ease my strain, enabling me to concentrate on being academically brilliant and grow on the professional front, while not being forced into the same schedule that I currently have in applying to law school. In addition to providing financial support, this scholarship is a vehicle to help set me on my path for continued shattering barriers and an example for those already in my community. I appreciate your support for all of this, and I would take the next major step towards becoming a law professional who works for the sake of justice and equity. Then, I want to advocate for not only individuals but, as I see it on a personal level as well, I want to help influence policies that produce real, long-term systemic change.

The death of a parent is an experience that I would never wish on anyone. When my mother passed away, I lost everything inside of me. Overnight, I found myself playing a role far beyond my age, taking over the care, making decisions, and protecting my home like a champion. I had come to expect many things! I studied how bills were paid, I wrote money orders, and, when someone tried to illegally take our house, I had to keep track of court dates. It was a lot to bear, and all of it was like trying to breathe while I was crumpling on the pavement. The grief was unbearable. I was emotionally and mentally abused. Some of it was the desire to give up entirely. I had so much pain that I wondered if life was worth living. Depression swept me, and my thoughts often crossed the threshold of suicide, just to get away from the pain. The words hit hard, isolating and being misread. I was grieving as well, but I had to be strong for everyone else. It was a feeling, to me, that no one recognized the child in me who was suffering. There was a part of myself that resolutely refused to turn through the night. I held on to my own strength and to the dreams that my mom had for me. Slowly, I got used to fighting back not only for life, but even for a future. I learned a legal system to work within, advocated for my family, and took care of responsibilities that teenagers never face. That was another lesson in resilience. I found that with pain I could always endure and that in even the most painful cases, there is strength in determination. In retrospect, I truly am grateful that I never gave up. Looking back, I am grateful retrospectively; it never gave up, and with that moment of appreciation now, I feel. Then I think of my teenage self, the girl who cried herself to sleep at night alone in desperation, and was the little girl I felt hopeless for, all crying when she cried herself to sleep. I want to say, “We got through this, we made it.” We made it through the storm. We survived the storm. We suffered through the nights of hopelessness and the days of crushing demands and the relentless duties. At present, I am in the process of continuing my education, which felt inconceivable before. These achievements are not only for me. They are for the younger me who fought so hard just to keep going. This journey has determined my aim in life. I also understand what it feels like to be broken, to feel utterly isolated, and to have loads on your shoulders that feel insurmountable. This is why I’m putting my life at the service of others who feel the same way. Through my education, I will earn a JD/MIA dual degree and advocate for families and individuals in distress. I would like to advocate for housing rights, social justice, and policies that protect vulnerable communities. My pain has become my motivation to create change to be the voice for those who feel silenced by their circumstances.