In January 2010, my parents divorced, forever changing my life. As a former "daddy's girl," I was attached to his hip – mowing lawns with him and cooking Jamaican food. However, the divorce at age three shattered the life I knew. Growing up, I assumed everyone’s family was like mine, where their dad barely visited, and they lived with their mom. I realized not everyone lacked a father during my preschool’s Parents' Day, when others had both parents beside them. However, I adapted to having one parent at events and in the audience on Honors day. In addition to the emotional impact of the divorce, I grappled with feeling outcasted due to my heritage. I wanted a mom born in the US, not in Trinidad. Her accent, food, and music clashed with those of my classmates. Despite attempting to assimilate, I never belonged, always considered "too different" by my peers. As I got older, I adopted the persona of “the smart kid,” burying myself in schoolwork. I remained at the top of my class every year, however, my self-confidence was still in the trenches. The “popular” kids only talked to me when they needed help with homework, and my wild ringlets stood out in a classroom full of pin-straight hair. The minor flaws I found in myself snowballed into a giant whirlwind of insecurities. I suffered depressive episodes during my sophomore and junior years and battled an eating disorder as well. This sparked a new self-consciousness in me – I thought I was not beautiful, undeserving, and unworthy. The turning point came in high school, specifically in my junior year, when my mother showed me an email about joining GRACE Club, our school’s diversity club. Becoming an active GRACE club member was the preliminary step of overcoming my crippling desire to fit in. However, after numerous meetings, I noticed that the sole item on the agenda for each meeting seemed to be complaining. Instead of abandoning the club altogether, I took it upon myself to reinvent GRACE Club, surveying students, creating flyers, and spreading the word about the rebrand. By the end of junior year, I became the club's president, reshaping its mission and initiatives. The rebrand and our new goals were monumental successes, including a prom dress drive, a canned food drive, and even a field trip for members. Attendance tripled in size and has maintained its numbers even after I graduated. GRACE club not only served as an opportunity to demonstrate my leadership, but it also gave me the chance to practice my marketing skills and was instrumental in my personal development and in growing my confidence. Participating in the GRACE Club transformed me into a confident leader, secure in my unique features and my ability to make a positive impact on my community. The support from friends, mentors, and my mother allowed me to overcome my insecurities and the challenges I faced. I owe GRACE club everything, for without that club, I would be the hollow shell of the person that I am today: confident, motivated, and ambitious. I’ve changed drastically since January 2010. Fifteen years later, I am not that insecure girl who felt undeserving of anything good. I appreciate my self-worth and that I have earned any award, recognition, or everything else that I have worked for. I realize now that my father’s departure does not define me. Through friends, mentors, and the support of my mother, I now realize everything happens for a reason, and no matter what, it is essential that I remain confident and sure of my beauty, value, and importance. As I entered college, I relentlessly ensured that I maintained my newfound confidence. By surrounding myself with people who value me for who I really am, taking time for myself, and maintaining consistent contact with my family and mentors back home, I have succeeded in keeping my mental health at an all time high. Trips to the beach, doing my own nails, and laughing with my friends have kept me grounded through copious amounts of school, friend, and home drama. As I get older, I realize more and more the importance of prioritizing myself and taking care of my mental health.

In January 2010, my parents divorced, forever changing my life. As a former "daddy's girl," I was attached to his hip – mowing lawns with him and cooking Jamaican food. However, the divorce at age three shattered the life I knew. Growing up, I assumed everyone’s family was like mine, where their dad barely visited, and they lived with their mom. I realized not everyone lacked a father during my preschool’s Parents' Day, when others had both parents beside them. However, I adapted to having one parent at events and in the audience on Honors day. In addition to the emotional impact of the divorce, I grappled with feeling outcasted due to my heritage. I wanted a mom born in the US, not in Trinidad. Her accent, food, and music clashed with those of my classmates. Despite attempting to assimilate, I never belonged, always considered "too different" by my peers. The turning point came in high school, specifically in my junior year, when my mother showed me an email about joining GRACE Club, our school’s diversity club. Becoming an active GRACE club member was the preliminary step of overcoming my crippling desire to fit in. However, after numerous meetings, I noticed that the sole item on the agenda for each meeting seemed to be complaining. Instead of abandoning the club altogether, I took it upon myself to reinvent GRACE Club, surveying students, creating flyers, and spreading the word about the rebrand. By the end of junior year, I became the club's president, reshaping its mission and initiatives. The rebrand and our new goals were monumental successes, including a prom dress drive, a canned food drive, and even a field trip for members. Attendance tripled in size and has maintained its numbers even after I graduated. GRACE club not only served as an opportunity to demonstrate my leadership, but it also gave me the chance to practice my marketing skills and was instrumental in my personal development and in growing my confidence. Participating in the GRACE Club transformed me into a confident leader, secure in my unique features and my ability to make a positive impact on my community. The support from friends, mentors, and my mother allowed me to overcome my insecurities and the challenges I faced. I owe GRACE club everything, for without that club, I would be the hollow shell of the person that I am today: confident, motivated, and ambitious. Leading GRACE club and growing up in America with cultural insecurities made me appreciate the power of representation and inclusive media. Through my personal transformation, from longing to fit in to embracing my cultural background, I discovered the strength of my potential for positive change. A career in marketing allows me to be that force for change; creating inclusive media and increasing representation leads to a world where people feel valued. As I continue onto this next chapter of my life and as I continue to pursue my passion for marketing and media, I am determined to be a driving force for change, striving to create a world where everyone feels represented, heard, and valued.