From an early age, I remember how my mother was struggling with money, whether that was where we were able to live or who would take care of me when she was working. These memories are especially memorable when we first moved to Texas. All through my childhood, I remember us hopping from one home to the next and driving in one car to the next as well. There were two times we lived in a homeless shelter. I don't remember when we first did but the second time was in my second or third grade. My mother did her best to make my childhood as regular as everyone else. I remember her doing her best to give whatever my heart desired all on her own since my father didn't contribute much. My mom would talk about her own stories as a child, about how my grandmother was in poverty, but did her best to provide all that my mother needed. What's funny is that we have very rich family members, however, they treat us poorly; as mom will call it, we're the 'black sheep' of the family since we've always been poor. There were times they did help us, but then just stopped and said that we should have the money to do so and so. My mom has done and continues to do her best when it comes to raising me in a stable, healthy, and happy environment. Now in days, we've been a lot better. Still poorer when it comes to others around me like my classmates. I don't have my own room, we don't have a house, no garage, dining room, and so but we're much more stable than we were in the past. I'm happy with our studio apartment, I have a TV, internet, and a cellphone, and with my mother's new job, I get to see her and spent a lot more time with her than I did as a kid. Throughout my childhood experiences, my mindset has been shaped to be grateful for what I have and to even help others where I can. Since I have a job now, I help my mother with gas money due to the high prices. With my friends, I like to treat them to food or if they're in need of money, I help in any way I can. Even to people I don't particularly care for or kids, I don't know, I can't just turn a side eye when I know I can help. Even if they reject me, as long as I offer, I can make a difference in someone's life. My mom set this example for me, when she could, she'd freely give her helping hand to her co-workers or kids that we're friends of mine. Others would always say that I'm too kind or sweet, however to me, I just want to help whenever and where ever I can. It's that just the normal and right thing to do? I believe I'm not sweet, It's just normal. From an early age, I remember the struggles my mom and I went through when it came to being poor and homeless, and due to this, I strive to help others in anyway that I can, whether I'm poor or rich.

I thought I was a typical kid growing up and had no difficulties when it came to school or my social interactions. It wasn't until I reached High School that my childhood delusions came to light like understanding a joke after a whole day of processing. It's funny when I think about it, I even joke about it with others. In second and third grade, Vega Elementary, I was in this program where I had a buddy. She would help me with my school work such as math, reading, writing, science, and projects however, she didn't really do too much since I understood and did well in my classes. Instead, I'd make her play chess with me every day and all day! I'm sure she thought 'What's wrong with this kid? Why does she want to play chess again?!' I remember she ask me( more like insisted) to play another game. We'd sometimes play battleship if we or if I playing with someone else, didn't play chess. It wasn't until I reach High School that I learned that there are special classes for special kids who need extra help when it came to learning, and I happened to be in that program way back. I laugh about it all the time when I came to this realization, but honestly, I should have known. I remember being HORRIBLE in math but slowly, I was ahead of my classmates and began to take advanced math lessons. Then there was English...we never truly became friends until the eighth grade. I failed and I mean failed, every English STAAR from the first, up to the eighth grade, when I was finally able to pass one, even if it was barely. I remember the words of my third-grade teacher, saying she believed in me, and my work in class and not my grade in the STAAR. Then there was fifth grade when I had to retake the STAAR. Then in middle school, in seventh and eighth grade, I was required to take an extra English course since I failed the last year. Sometime during the eighth grade, I actually started to read more, enjoying it in my free time and not just for school. Even my grades started to improve not just for English but for my strong subjects like Algebra and Science. That carried onto High School and I truly did try to excel in school, with the mindset of the 80s and 90s and not just thinking about the 70s. Even during the year of Covid, I did my best to keep up with my grades and keep excelling in school even if I wasn't physically at school. Here now, with my 3.4 GPA and in my senior year, I want to keep going and continue my education in college. Since money is tight, I plan on attending a community college that's nearby, however, I'm going to push on and keep going and excel in college too, doing my best and never giving up. I've always known that I struggle in school and I expressed this to my mother and I understood why I do. However, from what I learned over all these years when I understand my own weaknesses, and by pushing through them or working around them, I know I can make it far in life.

Watching a Korean drama with my 'sisters' is what sparked my dream to be a photographer. There was a boy in the drama saying something similar along the line of ' Time never stops but by taking a picture, the moment will last forever.' That's when I knew that doing something with a camera is what I wanted to do once I got older. Ever since then, even upon entering High School, I've done any class that would have benefited me to grow into a professional photographer. I've done photojournalism, yearbook, Commercial Photography and I'm currently taking AP Art Photography. Continuing this, I plan to enroll in a community college near me and receive my associate's for Commerical Photography and get a business license to be a Freelance photographer. I want to continue to learn photography, whether it's learning new technics on how to use my camera, experimenting with different lenses or cameras, new photoshop skills, lightroom, prop setup, colors and so much more. Going to college will help me get not only the experience but also still help me get an associate for my resume, giving me more opportunities for work. To achieve my dream job, I truly believe that attending college, will enhance my knowledge to become a photographer.

Puffy, Fluffy, and Full of Pride Big Brave Bears slash an eye for an eye However I, Can’t do the same. Because I am misname. Bow in one hand and an arrow in the other I am nothing like my grandmothers. Huntress is what they are; that seek the soring birds that rule the sky I’d rather say bye For that, I buy my birds Claiming my name of a third Queens are leaders that are elegant They have quite the intelligent If I ruled a kingdom, for sure it would be in neglect. I’d rather follow than lead When I lead, I somewhat succeed However, I am no name of a Queen. Prophet of old were ones to guide I would cover myself and hide. They speak smoothly While my lips move loosely. He was suited For the name, we share I have ruined it by it being polluted. Wonderence is what I do. Would ‘Sa’ be my better debut? Cherry blossoms growing or blooming But I keep looming. Memorizing is how they are But I’m a dimming star. There’s a connection in the family tree The ‘ M’ that makes me, me. With honestly at heart, My name is a work of art. On one scorching summer night, Twenty-four hours of a long fight, An unsuited girl name was born, However, she adorns the name she was given And is driven to become what her name answers to Ma’Kiya, the one who’s slow to brew.

Being a child of a single parent is harder than what society truly thinks it is. Growing up, I didn't think much about having only one parent to rely on. Seeing how my mom worked long hours just to support us, I was often left alone to do what I ever desired to do. That would be playing video games, watching tv shows or movies, or drawing. Too many children across the world, that seems like a dream to have, however, for me, It wasn't as awesome as kids would think. I failed all of my English STAAR tests up until eighth grade, wrote horrible essays simply because I was never taught spelling formally ( in school or at home), failing history in middle school simply because I had bad study habits, as in, none at all, and much more. By the time the eighth grade was ending and high school was beginning, I had a huge reflection on myself. Little by little, I started to be more studious, getting my grades to A's and B's. My toughest subjects became one of my best, like English, and had been in advanced math for years. Currently, I'm in dual credit math, one step closer to graduating college. I know due to my circumstances that my mom couldn't always help me with school work but I remember she always did her best to help in the times she would, whether that was school work, making a midnight snack, or a foot massage. Although it's not a life I wish on anyone, being a child of a single parent isn't as bad when you have a loving mother like mine. But things such as my educational journey are much different than others since I only have my mother to rely on. Once I'm older, I'd like to help tutor or teach those who may need help with school. My dream isn't to become a teacher, but I do like children and whether it's babysitting them or working at a daycare part-time, I'd like to help those who need extra help when it comes to education. I'd also like to adopt a few children after I'm married. I want to give kids a home, family, and education life that they deserve to have, that we all deserve to have. One good thing I'd say growing up in a single-parent home is you learn to be independent, strong, and adaptable, especially when it came to my own educational journey.

My very FIRST assignment of the year. There was excitement running through my veins since it was the year after Covid and it's been a whole year since I last touched a camera. Holding and shooting with a camera is like the phrase when they say you never forget how to ride a bike. So when I picked back up the camera for the first time in a while, I had a blast with this photoshoot. During this time, Commercial Photography was the class that I was in and the concept at the time was small product advertisement. All three images were all composed in a setting that would best fit the item in question. For the two perfume images, I wanted to go for a vintage feel, the 1950s, and something that would also highlight the elegance of the perfume bottle as well. Both were photographed in a small white studio, but the subject was in different positions. For the vintage photograph, I simply just wanted the perfume bottle alone, just by itself but lying on top of the lady cap facing the camera. Then for the elegant photograph, I thought of using a prop, a mini handbag, to bring more life and feeling into the photograph. I again laid the top on the ground as well, to add more movement to the photograph. I wanted a golden feel on the photograph to showcase the elegance. Finally, for the glasses photography, I used a book to showcase what glasses can be used for. I used photoshop lighting to lighten the middle of the photo to highlight the glasses. We used glasses to read, so having the words clear in the image to represent that glasses make you able to see more clearly. Having a blue dark feel to the image to give it the rain kinda feel on a rainy day. This was my thinking process when photographing the images and editing them.