Growing up in Southern California, I’ve always been passionate about creating a safe and inclusive space for youth. Perhaps it was the “big sister nature” that's been ingrained in me to look out for everyone younger. Unfortunately, due to my heart condition called SVT (supraventricular tachycardia), I was very limited in what I could do physically. So, I made do with what I was capable of. I often hung around during recesses as a kid to assist in the lower-grade classes. I’ve tutored people all my life, babysat, etc. I may not have been able to extensive physical activity that sometimes may come with traditional community service, but I did my best with what I could do, which led me to the part-time job I have now as an art teacher! As I enter a new chapter of my life and look toward higher education, the financial constraints I have pose a challenge. I’ve by no means ever been “fortunate”. My parents have always worked, and I lost my childhood home to a house fire; my heart condition also tended to burn a hole in my parents’ wallets. Everything really tanked after my father passed in August of 2024, leaving my mother as my only caretaker. She's a strong, resilient woman whom I admire, so I did get a part-time job in hopes of helping my family financially. But the games remain considerable. Receiving this scholarship would be a huge contribution to alleviating my financial stress, allowing me to pursue my dreams that would otherwise be “paywalled” by a hefty tuition. The physical and emotional safety of children is something that is very important to me. As a child who was frequently made fun of, it is the absolute last thing I ever want to happen to anyone else. Being a sick kid meant I spent a lot of time at home, which led to a brief period of helping people who were being bullied online. I was a member of a set of forums that were infiltrated by people who had nothing better to do than to send death threats and insults to kids on the internet, so I worked hard to keep them off and make sure that the proper people dealt with them. It was a bit ambitious to take on as a middle schooler, but I don’t regret it. It made me feel good to know that I was able to help someone on the other side of my screen stay safe. Kindness really costs nothing, so I think it’s incredibly vital that we look out for each other in all spaces. A while ago, my family had found out that my younger brother was being relentlessly bullied by a set of kids at his school for what he wore. With the passing of our father, my brother took a lot of his clothes, which, of course, were quite big on him. He said that kids at school frequently made fun of him for wearing clothes “10 sizes too big”, but it was his way of keeping my father’s memory with him. The whole situation infuriated me, so I personally had a long conversation with my brother about how these kids typically just don't understand or don't care. I later was also present during meetings and conferences at his school to ensure these things would never happen again, to my brother or any other child. Despite my limitations and constraints, I have consistently done my absolute best to contribute to my community and the safety of our youth, as they are our future.

Georgia O’Keeffe said, “I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn’t say any other way – things I had no words for.” I’ve always been rather quiet, I most enjoy people watching and listening. However, through my art I was able to express things I may never be able to find words for. My name is Kiyoko and it’s an honor and a privilege to write to you. I myself come from a very artistic background, my father did a lot of drawing and frequently did sketches of my siblings and I as a way of “tracking” our growth as we grew up. He used to gift my mother drawings for special occasions and always said it was the most organic way to preserve memory. My grandfather was a painter and sculptor, his late wife (who I was named after) was his biggest fan. Supporting his work and motivating him through national competitions. Even after losing her and developing dementia, his art was the one thing he never forgot. My cousin is an extremely talented music composer and sketch artist, they have been someone I’ve admired ever since I was little. My parents both were fond of having tattoos and showcasing what they loved most on their skin and expressed themselves through their style. Being surrounded by so much art influenced me heavily as a young child which evolved into what I dream of pursuing. I have always believed the act of illustrating someone (fictional or not) through any medium of art to be the most beautiful and intimate process a person can experience. I always find myself getting carried away when doing portraits or studies of people. Admiring each and every imperfection in their skin, the way their nose arches, the softness or sunkenness in their eyes, etc. Though creating an individual completely from your imagination is special… It always reminded me of the ancient Greek myth that humans were carefully sculpted with clay by Prometheus before Athena blew life into them. The beauty of the human existence is completely unique to any other form of life. Each and every person, with their every difference and imperfection is something I cannot help but be drawn to. To admire someone with an angular nose or soft cheeks and to think of how lovingly and gently they would have been sculpted and crafted by divinity. Which is why things like bullying and discrimination by appearance has never made sense to me. How can you not admire someone's freckles from the sun, the way their fingers are shaped and bend with each act, the gap between their teeth when they light up with laughter. There is truly nothing I love more than the human existence. We exist right now, just as we are, with the people around us, only once. That much is beyond special and beautiful. Art has seen its unique evolution through every individual time and time again. For as long as humans have existed we have expressed ourselves through song, dance, and art. Across all cultures, and all timelines, art is what connects us all. They say art is for the artist and while I agree, I want nothing more than to create something that someone will truly feel for. Whether it be a character, an environment, or set of props. I want someone to look at them and feel excited, interested. I want them to want more. There have been works of art I’ve seen and been lost in, movies I grew up with that carved me as a person, paintings at museums I gawked at in wonder, characters in books that made me feel seen. I want to further pursue the path of creativity, passion, imagination, and humanity. While I have been through my own trials and tribulations, it never has and it never will stop me from creating. Making stories, characters, and scenes that not just feel real or captivating, but create a spark in your mind. I dream of someone growing up with my work or seeing it on display and just standing there to look at each and every detail. I want to share my passion and love with the world. I want people to fall in love with art just as I have, to bring back emotion and expression. To encourage imagination and creativity beyond the bounds of being strictly for profit or performance. I hope to see an era in my lifetime where art is truly cherished just as it was centuries ago. As George Bernard Shaw brilliantly stated, “Without art, the crudeness of reality would make the world unbearable.”