It’s easy to say who is your greatest inspiration in life and who drives you, but I found myself looking at the blank screen, picking at my brain to find out what inspires me and what drives me. But after biting my nails raw and taking constant breaks to get the brain juices flowing, I finally realized what my inspiration is. It all clicked when I took my last break from thinking about how to answer the question. I was getting frustrated so I went straight to Spotify, clicked on a random playlist, and that's when it hit me. Music is fit for every mood. Do you need to focus on schoolwork? Chill music is there as background noise so that you’re not too stressed. Do you have a big game coming up? Hype music exists to pump up the adrenaline. Every type of music is out there and it is there to inspire, as well as entertain. There have been many studies that have proven that music can help ease stress, reduce anxiety, improve brain functions, and much more. When I need inspiration, I turn to music. Of course, the people in my life are an inspiration, but I have to figure out how to take on the world on my own, learn how to fail and succeed, and become the person I am hoping to be. Music is a link to my inner self. It brings out only the best of me. One of the genres that really pulls at my heartstrings and drives me to become the first lawyer in my family is Mariachi/Rancheras. Not only do I enjoy the lyrics and the beautiful crescendos and decrescendos that the various instruments make, but it also reminds me so much of my grandfather. Still living in Mexico, I would go every year to visit my grandparents, and he always played his favorite songs when we were there. In one particular conversation when he was asking me what my plans were for my future, he said three words that I always associate with any song within the Mariachi/Ranchera genre of music. Those three words were “Nunca te rajes” (Never give up). Listening to that type of music always centers me back to my ultimate goal. Whenever I feel like I’m not smart enough to take an advanced class, or if I feel like my dream of becoming a lawyer is too hard or that I won’t be able to make it, I press play on my Mariachi/Ranchera playlist and every negative thought starts melting away. I start to envision myself as a lawyer, I start to actually feel like one. Being a first-generation Mexican-American woman, I know that the path I want to take was not necessarily built for me. But, if I can build it for other girls like me who want to pursue their dream of becoming a lawyer, then I will be that person.

I find myself staring at the stars for hours, trying to see if I could find every constellation. That’s almost impossible for me because I always forget how much smog there is where I live. Still, that doesn’t stop me from turning off the lights in my bedroom and going to my window to count them. As a kid, I frequently went to a summer camp that taught me to have confidence and be more outgoing. One particular summer that I had gone on changed the way I saw my future and myself. A camp counselor had brought our group to the middle of a field; it was already dark outside, so he told us to sit and look up at the sky. The beauty was mesmerizing, and it was, in fact, the very first time I had ever seen the stars so clear and so bright. While he was pointing out the different constellations and telling us the story behind each of them, I found myself feeling bittersweet. At that time, I didn’t know how much those 30 minutes would impact me for the years to come. As a first-generation student and the youngest daughter of Mexican parents, I found myself striving to accomplish what they couldn’t. My mother and older sister were always supportive of me. Still, my father, who is very connected to old Mexican values, was emotionally absent and extremely strict. Instead of supporting me and giving me the confidence to believe in myself, he repeatedly tore me down and pushed me beyond my limits. I was not the only one he did this to; he also did this to my mom and older sister. Over time, however, I grew determined to improve the quality of life for my mom, older sister, and myself. Without a true father figure to guide me through life, I had to rely on myself to gain that sense of self-worth and confidence that I never had. Although I could look to my mom and older sister for advice, I knew they were figuring out how to gain those qualities themselves. I learned how to apply and look for jobs, fill out government paperwork for my mother, who does not understand English and even help my older sister with her math assignments that she didn’t comprehend. I also applied myself to my academics, working hard to understand the material and receiving consecutive A’s. I was hoping to be more involved in my school; however, I was restricted to stay out after 4 pm, a rule set by my father. Most of the clubs I wanted to join had a set time of the meeting, and I couldn’t participate because of my restrictions. However, that did not stop me from picking up hobbies like learning a new language, learning to code, and restarting my passion for reading. What I felt in that brief moment in time at camp pushed me to start valuing myself and becoming the person I am today. And I believe that I still have growing in terms of becoming as independent as I can to truly become successful under any circumstances. What I taught myself helped me step out of my comfort zone, and little by little, I began to be as involved as I could with my community. I volunteered to tutor kids my Junior year, and I also took up an internship during the summer. Although I haven’t done as much as my fellow companions, I am proud that I didn’t let my father’s restrictions stop me from helping my community and becoming more independent. I have so much more to accomplish in the years to come. Somewhere in me, I know that I will come out successful because that moment in camp reassured me that I am much more than my father’s daughter and that I am someone worthy of living their own life.

When I look back on the several instances in my life where I bit my tongue and looked away, I get angry and a wave of guilt washes over me. I go to a predominantly white high school that has a very low Latinx demographic - almost nonexistent. Although I only spent four years here, it’s felt like I’ve spent an eternity because I, and many people that share the same background as me, were never seen as equal and often overlooked. It was a completely different environment than what I had experienced back in middle school, and I wasn’t prepared for it. The constant microaggressions that were spoken to me and my friends were difficult and uncomfortable to hear almost daily, but I never said anything back to defend myself. I was scared because I wanted to be seen as the others. So I kept my mouth shut and brushed the comments off. I wanted a safe space for Hispanic/Latinx students at our school to meet and talk about our experiences, eat authentic breakfast, and meet other students like us. There wasn’t a club for us and many students in the past tried to create it, but it was never approved. Thankfully, with the help of a couple of school counselors, we were finally able to create it, after three years of trying to create it with my friends. There was finally space where we could be comfortable enough to bring up the stuff that was spoken to us without the fear of judgment. A small victory, but it will last. A specific experience that not only impacted me but impacted my friend, was when she shared the discrimination event she faced in one of her classes. She told me three boys had pulled up the I.C.E page and threatened to call immigration on her and her family. It was difficult to hear what these boys had done to her and seeing how it affected my close friend angered me. I urged her to let me bring it up to the administration but she said it wasn’t going to change anything. I knew deep down it was true. It took us years to create the Latinx Unidos Club and what were they going to do anyway? Suspend them for a day and everything would go back to normal. That was the moment where I knew that I was tired of being silent. If I were to pursue a career as an immigration lawyer, I would make a meaningful and positive impact on such communities. I have come to recognize the importance of immigrants, their hard work, and their positive impact on society. They deserve chances and shouldn’t be criminalized or much less discriminated against for their status, race, or stereotypes. My goal is to aid their endeavors of seeking a better life and help them find a voice to speak up against injustice. Furthermore, understanding how to help out my community has always been a priority in my life. Watching my immigrant parents, friends, and neighbors struggle through life and the obstacles that encompass their situation has proven the grit, strength, and love families like this have. Everyone deserves an opportunity to have an enjoyable place to build their successful future.

Growing up in an area with many crimes encouraged me to serve those around me. I plan to pursue a career as an immigration lawyer to make a meaningful and positive impact on such communities. Watching my immigrant parents, friends, and neighbors struggle through life and the obstacles that encompass their situation has proven the grit, strength, and love families like this have. This helped me recognize the importance of immigrants, their hard work, and their positive impact on our society. They should not be criminalized for their status, race, or stereotypes. My goal is to aid their endeavors in seeking a better life. It ultimately comes down to providing their children with the tools to succeed and strive in a foreign country. My parents did that for me and my older sister, and I want to give that same opportunity to those with immigrant parents or those who are immigrants themselves. Everyone deserves an opportunity to become a citizen for them and or their children to seek a safe, enjoyable place to build their successful future. My neighborhood and friends whose families are immigrants have influenced my career aspirations for the future. My parents always tell me that education is key to success and to “echarle ganas” (try your all) to make something of myself to break the mold, aspire to do something more than being a janitor, and become a whole-rounded individual that can provide for myself and others. Knowing that they always believed in what I could be if I applied myself to my education, I decided to choose something that will not only break the mold of working as a janitor or as a maintenance worker but also be able to help out the community to give them hope that they will one day do the same. Although my parents have always made sure my sister and I have everything we need, some obstacles have prevented them from letting me participate in other activities in and out of school. However, I was able to gain some work experience over the summer that provides paid internships and job readiness programs that teach you how to put your best foot forward when applying and qualifying for jobs. This year, I plan to intern at a government/nonprofit program through the nonprofit organization that I interned for last year that will help me expand my career field knowledge. This internship opportunity exemplifies my initiative and interest in helping me be more involved in the community in a more professional manner with individuals who are working to make a difference in the world around us. Gaining this type of experience can help me succeed in pursuing my goals because I have experience with the struggles and the goals that many families have for them to live a better life. Since I am surrounded by the culture of reaching the American dream, I can connect to families and individuals in their pursuit of a successful life in America.