I have always loved writing. Since I was a little kid, I have vivid memories of creating my own stories with wild characters and plots void of logic. I would write entire series with colored construction paper stapled together. As I got older, those stories turned into poetry, and writing about my feelings in a journal. Though it turned into something deeper and more "mature", my love for writing and words never diminished. This is one of the many reasons I want to pursue journalism. Words have power, and can truly make a different in the world. I believe everyone should have a voice, and Journalism is a strong outlet for it. Everyone's stories should be put out into the world, and no one should be silenced. In this day and age, it is especially important to have representation, and speak out against injustice and hate. So many minorities are struggling to get their voice out, and they are fighting against the stereotypes that are being placed upon them unrightfully. Through Journalism, I want to help people fight back. I want to create real change through my stories, and stand up for my own community as well. As a queer person, I know the struggles of feeling different and underrepresented. I want to speak about issues within the community, and bring light to the hate we face on the daily. The queer community isn't the only one facing these injustices, but too many people turned a blind eye to the struggles of others because they think it does not affect them. But hate runs rapid in streets all over the world, and inadvertently affects each and everyone of us, whether we realize it or not. It seeps into our schools, our government, our economy, our jobs, and our environment. This is another reason journalism is so important to me. Our planet is dying. It is yet another aspect of our life we ignore. The climate crisis is growing increasingly more dangerous, and it is impacting our animals and ecosystems. Without them, there is no us. I want to also use journalism to help the planet in any way I can. I want to travel the world and experience this great planet of ours, and actively help our ecosystems while doing so. Journalism is such an amazing industry with so much potential for growth. Journalist's need to use their platform to get the important stories heard, and make the change. Earth is a beautiful place we have found ourselves inhabiting, with rich cultures and wonderous environments. But when we are so riddled with injustice and oppression, we cannot appreciate what we have right in front of us. My younger self would write stories about talking animals, and cry for the creatures on the side of the roads. I want to write for that little girl, and shape the world into one that she would be proud of.

I am a undergraduate student at the University of Missouri, pursuing Journalism. Mizzou has a thriving queer community, with resource centers, clubs, and other organizations in abundance. Mizzou is not lacking in their spaces. But like every town or society, there comes a silent hate that can be seen in the cracks of representation. My identity has always been a quiet thing. I have never told anyone I am a lesbian unless it is directly brought up, and when I do it is always told by tip-toeing around the word and hinting. The little quips and comments that I hear around my school or community have instilled a need to always keep my identity to myself. The feeling deep in my stomach that I will always be different, or less than, rears it's head when I am around people who don't quiet understand the difficulty that comes with growing up queer. I used to cry myself to sleep, hoping and praying that my parents would understand. That they would get it, and not do something similar to the horror stories I would hear about. So many queer people do not have the luxury of supporting parents, and are forced to either put themselves first, which can take an extreme or live in secrecy. While my parents have supported me through and through, and I could not be more grateful, there will always be a small part of me that simply cannot talk out loud about it. I am afraid people will judge, or hate me for the part of me that I cannot change. This internalized homophobia is something I have struggled with since middle school, when I first realized there was something different. The words I hear others use only strengthen this feeling. My high school was not the best place for a queer person, with many students facing hate for simply the way they looked. It was something that was very apparent, but silently talked about. However, I do not believe it should be talked about quietly. Homophobia is something that comes in many forms, and is one of the reasons I am so passionate about writing. Writing gave me a creative outlet as a young person figuring out her self, and questioning things. I have always loved writing and the outlet it provides for me. I would write my own little stories about heroes and brave animals, something that at the time I was not. I was not brave enough to speak about what I was thinking, and I was not brave enough to admit to myself the things I knew deep down. I would write poetry about my feelings, and scribble pages and pages of thought into my journal. I have always felt a raw connection to words, and they make me feel real. They remind me that my experience's are universal, and I am not alone. Writing makes me feel free, and it holds a power not many people understand. I know that I can make a change with journalism. I want to give others the chance to speak out, something that I could not do. I want to make a real change through photography and writing, and get peoples stories into the world. The world is changing, and I believe that in this day and age, queer people must keep representing themselves. We cannot lose ourselves in the hate, and we must speak out. If people will not listen to my voice, then in the words of Alexander Hamilton, "I will write my way out."