"Be the reason someone believes in the goodness of people"- Karen Salmansohn. Since I was a kid, I have used that quote as a model for my life. Years later, I have experienced the hardships of life and realize why that quote is even more critical as an adult. I use my experience with mental health as a guide to my personal beliefs, relationships, and career aspirations by incorporating kindness every step of the way. Beliefs When I was younger, I was bullied up until middle school. Kids would make fun of my skin color, the texture of my hair, and my English accent. I did not understand how kids as young as six and seven years old could be so cruel. I realized that the majority of the bullies came from unstable and angry households. I was young when I began to understand how emotions impact actions, and I vowed to be a changing force within society, invoking confidence and kindness in others. This experience planted a seed that set the foundation for my development. In middle school, I aimed to be the friend to others that I needed when I was younger. I would go out of my way to be kind. For example, I would try to sit next to students who were alone, so they did not feel out of place. If I saw students without enough money to buy lunch, I would often share my food with them. As time continued, I became good at reading body language and different tones. It was not until I was in college that I realized the true impact of my actions. Relationships During my Junior year in college, I experienced the most traumatic moment of my life. I lost my mom to an aggressive battle with cancer. My mom had been sick for eight months before passing away. However, nothing could have prepared me for living in a world without her. Her name was Yolanda Vargas, and she will forever be my superhero. I learned how to be fearless yet compassionate from her. After she passed away, my mental health plummeted. I sank into a deep depression and lost my desire to live. As someone who advocates for kindness, I felt empty inside. I also hid the depth of my grief from my friends because I was afraid of looking weak. After speaking to a friend, I realized that I am not the only one feeling this way, and I wanted to find a way to connect with others who were equally going through hardship. Therefore I started a club for students who have experienced the death of a loved one, called "Gator Grieving Club." We would meet every other week and talk about our grieving process. It was surreal to meet other students similar to me. Suddenly, the world did not feel as small. I found a healthy outlet for my depression and developed new relationships. Overall, I wish none of us had to join the club, but I am glad to create positivity in an impossible situation. The "Gator Grieving Club" is just one of many examples of how my experience with my mental health positively impacted building new relationships. Career Aspirations As someone who battled with mental health, I have been conditioned to be more empathetic and compassionate, as you never know what others are going through. Specifically, my leadership style gives me an advantage in psychology-driven fields, such as Marketing and Human Resource. During my sophomore summer in college, I did a District Manager internship at ALDI, where I was in charge of revamping the company's training program. After weeks of researching, I finally had an answer to explain why its managers' ratings have been on a downward spiral in the recent months: lack of emotional intelligence. I analyzed surveys and used my own experience with mental health to determine that the employees were feeling underappreciated and excluded from relationships, similar to how I felt as a kid. I realized that their workforce just needed a sprinkle of kindness and empathy, just like when I was younger. Therefore, I developed a new training program that incorporated emotional intelligence workshops and taught managers to be more compassionate leaders. I was proud of my accomplishments as I used my own experience with mental health to impact management styles and have a division-wide impact. As I look for post-graduate opportunities, I remember the same beliefs rooted during my childhood: the want to do more for others by being kind. In this case, I want to work for a company that values my voice and mental health. My experience with mental health has influenced me to look for a company that values my mental sanity and understands that I produce better work when I feel supported. As an aspiring Latina working in a corporate setting, it becomes even more critical to feeling valued. Every day, I wake up and aim to "be the reason someone believes in the goodness of people." My experiences with mental health affect my beliefs, relationships, and career aspirations by developing me into an empathetic and compassionate leader who aims to make a difference. This world can be full of negativity and darkness; however, it only takes one ray of sunshine to bring the light back. My mom was my reason I believed in the goodness of others, and now I want to continue her legacy and provide the same impact for others.

Like many others, I experienced hardship during the pandemic. My mother, my sole confider, lost her battle to cancer after an aggressive eight-month fight. However, this essay is about the positives of the pandemic; therefore, here is how I turned the most challenging moments of my life into aspirations to keep going. To truly understand me, you first have to understand my mom. Her name was Yolanda Vargas. The most fearless yet loving individual who filled every room with positivity. She came from the Dominican Republic at 19 years old with little money but big dreams. She taught me what it meant to work hard for your dreams even when life feels unbearable. After my mom's passing, I focused on how I could continue to make my mom proud and dedicated my energy to ramping up my small candle business- "Scented Therapy." I taught myself everything from product development to marketing and more. Starting my own business allowed me to beat depression by focusing on my aspirations and feeling closer to my mom. The pandemic brought a lot of pain to the world, but it also came with some positives, and for me, it was the motivation to keep persevering.

My mom came from the Dominican Republic when she was just 19— full of dreams and the courage to strive for a better life. Her name is Yolanda Vargas, the fearless woman who painted my wings so I could fly. Like many immigrant parents, she taught me what it means to sacrifice for a better life. Her American Dream of becoming a business owner came true when she opened up “ Mi Sol”. A Dominican restaurant known for its refreshing Cuban coffee and peaceful atmosphere, all thanks to my mom. I watched her wake up at 6 am every day and be Mi Sol’s chef, accountant, cashier, manager, and all. She ran the entire business by herself and, without a college degree, she solely learned along the way. She did that for 11 years, and she earned the love and respect of everyone within the community, but especially mine. She quickly became my role model and I aimed to learn from her inspirational ways. However, a heartbreaking event occurred. My mom’s American dream was cut short after a brutal fight with cancer in 2020. Despite every reason to quit, I keep going in order to honor my mom and all her sacrifices along the way. Today I mirror my mom’s hard work by being a kind, resilient, and aspiring young Latinx professional determined to succeed. Since I was a kid, I have had a heart for creativity and communication; therefore, I knew it was a perfect match when I learned about marketing. I am proud to say that soon I will be a Marketing graduate from the University of Florida and begin my career as a Marketing Analyst at PepsiCo. As a first-generation student, I challenge myself because I know it is within me. I come from generations of strong Latinx men and women who worked hard for future aspirations. I love the quote, “I come as one, but stand as 10,000" from Maya Angelou because it helps demonstrate my inspirations. To be a child of an immigrant means to bear the intensified pressure to succeed in school, and every day I work hard to be the change for my family. Besides marketing, I also aim to open up a dance studio in the Dominican Republic to provide a center for Arts and academics. I love dancing bachata and want to live a life full of learning while helping local communities flourish. Also, as the child of an immigrant, I quickly learned the importance of being independent; therefore, I have been working on creating my own small business specializing in soy vegan candles. My parents taught me the value of hard work and the importance of striving for new goals while giving back to those around me. Therefore, I love having different skill sets such as marketing, dancing, and candle-making because they all offer a different spark while practicing universal skills such as leadership and communication. Overall, this scholarship would open up many opportunities that are currently not possible due to financial hardship. After my mom passed away, I became financially responsible for my sister and me. I would love to devote more time to involvement or academics, but I cannot due to the extensive pressure to work full-time. Regardless, if I were chosen for the Amplify Immigrants Students Scholarship, an immense financial weight would be lifted from my shoulders, and I would be supported to keep prospering and make my immigrant roots proud. Thank you.

Whether in the community, the country or the world, I want to see more intentional kindness spread around. Community: I spent the past 11 years working alongside my Mom at her small business. She owned a Latin food shop on the corner of Yukon and Waters, famously known in the neighborhood as "Mi Sol." Mi Sol was the heart of the community. Everyone knew that when you walked into the peace welcomed you. Along with smells of pressed Cuban sandwiches and Cafe con Leche, the Dominican merengue music immediately makes you want to dance and the sight of bright yellow walls that paint hope. The restaurant was located in a low-income area with high homelessness rates, and my Mom did everything possible to leave an impact. During rainy days, she would welcome all the homeless people inside to take shelter, and during the cold ones, she would do the same while offering hot chocolate, socks, and hats. These are just a few of many examples, but I would want the community to mimic my Mom's kind acts and treat homeless people with more respect. Locally, I always carry "blessing bags" with human essentials such as toothpaste, deodorant, and socks, as you never know when you find someone in need. It is not fair for homeless people to be degraded and disrespected in our society over decisions that we are not aware of. When I see a homeless person I just see a person in need and I help in any way I can; I learned that from my mom and would hope others could follow. The Country: The United States of America drastically needs immigration reform. My Mom has been applying since 1992 to become a U.S. citizen. She has spent thousands of dollars on this process. I remember being afraid to leave my mother's side to go to school because I was terrified that I.C.E. would take her by the time I got home. The fear of losing your family due to deportation is an unfortunate reality that thousands of children, mothers, and fathers face every day. It saddens me that many choose to turn a blind eye to these injustices and "forget" that immigrants founded America. Immigrants have brought an abundance of technological advances, medicine, and overall investments to America, yet they continue to be racially profiled, threatened, and silenced. Due to all the injustices that my Mom went through, I feel the need to help other immigrants and families similar to mine. Locally I teach other immigrants English since the language barrier can often serve as a significant disadvantage. I first started teaching English to my mom when I was in Elementary school. Years later, I realize the power of education and helping others. I now teach English to three other individuals at no cost to them. I do it on my off time and just ask them to be willing to learn. From experience, I know what it is like to not know a language and be belittled; therefore, I help minimize those negative feelings. The World: The world is our home. Nevertheless, rising sea levels, extreme pollution, and growing poverty rates are plaguing our home. Many refuse to change their lifestyles as they fail to see the more significant impact, but I disagree. Overall, the world is lacking kindness. It is full of ignorance and greed. I want to be the change that I want to see in the world. As a 21-year-old, I might not have as much influence as others, but it only takes one person. My family is originally from the Dominican Republic. They live in a poor community within the capital, Santo Domingo. When I travel from the U.S.A. to the D.R., I am reminded how privileged I live by being an American citizen. I do my part by holding donation events at my college to fundraise food, clothes, and other resources. Another example of me giving back is by planning a "Hope for Haiti'' fundraiser after Haiti was hit with a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in August 2021. As the Dominican Student Association president, I joined forces with our Club Creole and five other organizations to take photos for Students' First Day of School in exchange for donations. Ultimately, we raised more than $1,500! These are just two examples of how I do my part locally to have a more significant impact worldwide; it just takes one person to make a difference. In this case, the differences leave an everlasting impression.