Growing up in the inner city has taught me many things such as facing challenges, overcoming them, and turning them into life lessons. Most immigrants settle in cities because of available jobs and affordable housing, an example of this is my parents. Growing up in a Hispanic household with immigrant parents has not been easy for me as for millions of others as well. I have overcome and learned so much from having to translate government documents for my parents at a young age, to helping my parents apply for jobs in order to stay afloat. Many first-generation children have had to grow up fast and learn to live in a fast-paced world while their parents try to do the same. Inner-city residents all fall victim to a term called redlining. “Redlining is the discriminatory and unethical practice of systematic denial of providing services, particularly financial services, to residents of certain neighborhoods or communities associated with a certain racial or ethnic group” (Hayes, Adam. “What Is Redlining?” Investopedia, Investopedia, 7 Mar. 2022,). The impacts of redlining continue to this today and drastically affect residents in ways such as crime rates within the city, the health of residents, income, and educational/economic opportunity within these inner cities. Redlining is rooted in systematic racism within America and infiltrates education in inner cities tremendously. The majority of inner cities in America are populated by minorities, and it is widely known that schools within these cities are underfunded unlike schools in suburban areas that are mainly populated by white residents. As I keep on growing up and face the reality of life, I realize that I enjoy helping others and would like to keep on educating not only myself but others on important issues within the world. Some global issues that I’d like to learn and teach others about are poverty, inequality, violence, and most importantly child labor and trafficking. I know a few classmates that have dropped out of school because of financial and personal issues at home. “Many students gave personal reasons for leaving school, which included the need to get a job, parenthood, or having to care for family members. Nearly half (45 percent) noted that earlier schooling had poorly prepared them for high school” (Azzam, Amy M. “Special Report / Why Students Drop Out.” ASCD). It is truly heartbreaking to see how much of a toll systematic racism takes on others I know, especially knowing that just my words of encouragement are not enough to help them. I can not wait for the day that I am viewed as a role model for inner-city kids and other first-generation students like me. They will be able to see that they can achieve as much as I hope to achieve in the near future. Winning this scholarship would help me tremendously in my journey to fulfilling my goals. I know that with hard work, determination, and the right support system around me that I will be able to achieve anything my heart desires.