She knows that the one and only obstacle that could ever truly get in her way is the belief that there is such an obstacle.

Jollibee calls it Sweet-Sarap. My Lola (grandmother) says "ispageti." For me, it’s a comfort dish in which I can see myself in the shine of its glossy banana-based marinara. The delectable Pinoy-style spaghetti was born from resourceful Filipinos who made their own spin on a meal introduced to them by American visitors. Like our tangy noodles, I lived a Western life first: I was raised in a predominantly white Florida town where I grew accustomed to casual remarks about my eyes and the food I brought to school. I was ten-years-old when my parents decided it was best to move my sisters and I to the Philippines to finally know our country and family more intimately. From jeepneys, taho sellers, and next-door neighbors living in houses that shared walls, the time I spent in my parents’ home country granted me much perspective on the half of my identity that I never explored in the confines of Florida’s peninsula. Today, the American Kyla and the Filipino Kyla have blended together into their own flavorful pasta. With my knowledge of Filipino heritage and my understanding of Filipino life in the US, I have fostered a deep desire to share and inform people about what Filipino-Americans experience in this country. At New College of Florida, I’ve begun my studies in Psychology and creating my own major in Asian American Studies to propel me towards a career in counseling and therapy. This path allows me to shed light on the lack of mental health resources available in our community while also working with Asian American youth who struggle with their identity. My passion for this line of work has already pushed me to take action on my college campus through creating an Asian American club and running for Diversity Representative. I aim to graduate with the confidence and knowledge to advocate for Asian-American mental wellbeing. Filipino spaghetti nowadays is enjoyed by daring American foodies on YouTube, but my goal is to serve a version of it that could be appreciated by all through the service I will one day bring to my Filipino-American community.