Ever since I can remember, I’ve known that being a creative person is an essential part of who I am. It has made me anxious about the future so many times in my life, since I was afraid that I would have to give up my passions for a stable, secure lifestyle. That is why my dreams for becoming a painter died, I was afraid of committing myself fully to something I only did as a hobby. A few years later I turned to acting, and instantly fell in love with the intensity and dedication of it. I realized I had, yet again, fallen for something that isn’t known for being a stable job from the get-go. During the first wave of the pandemic, I was able to reflect as to why I had this itch that acting is the career I should pursue… and then I realized what part of it was. Part of me wanted to be a role model, an example, an icon, representation. I wanted to be among the few famous Latina women in the acting industry. I remember often the impact Marvel’s Black Panther had on the acting industry and how positively it impacted social media. It gave the Black community the representation they deserve. Over the years, we have been seeing more diverse main characters and more representation of different ethnicities and cultures. It is my goal to be apart of the impact, to open doors for the Latino community and to take up space in a place where we deserve to be seen. I wouldn’t be honest if I said that deciding to commit to acting doesn’t make me a little nervous. As a first generation student, I’ve felt the need to be an example for my sister and pursue something that will bring me a stable income, but that would defeat the purpose of who I am and what college is for. Yes, people go to college to get better jobs for themselves, an amazing opportunity and privilege I have been given. Despite the fears and anxieties I get from time to time, I know in my gut that I am doing the right thing for pursuing what I am genuinely passionate for. I don’t regret becoming a theatre major with a focus on performance, I’m proud that I did. I am staying true to my essence and I will continue to work for the goal of becoming one the Latino community can look up to.

I would use the $1,000 to pay next semester’s expenses. As the description states, it is becoming challenging to enjoy college when you have bills to worry about. I personally have to commute 45 minutes to an hour to my university every day because I can’t afford to live on campus. Despite how stressful, draining, and overwhelming it is to have to make sure I drive safely every day early morning to get to class, I’m grateful I get to go to college in the first place. As I am the first to graduate high school/attend college, I feel the responsibility that I have to keep pushing forward for my family. I am grateful for all I have been given, and hopefully will be able to achieve more for not just my family, my people, or my set goals, but for myself as well; to make myself proud of all of the hard work I am putting in for my studies every day.

Selflessness tends to be something I think about from time to time. What does it take to be selfless? How do we know we are? Would one be truly happy if they’re one hundred percent selfless? Giving and giving back is one of the most important things we can do as human beings, although it is important to have before you can give. It’s important to be a little bit selfish and to take care of oneself before going out to help others. Once that small act of selfishness is complete, we are able to give more than what we could’ve before to the world. For me, I like to provide a helping hand for those struggling. Whether it be at work, at school, or at home, I find it to be in my nature to want to give a helping hand. Although because of my ethnicity, gender, and economic standing the world doesn’t offer me much, I want to be able to provide help for those who are like me when I’m older. Acting is my portal to do that. Not only do I want to give inspiration to the Latine community, I want to be able to fund their ambitions and encourage them to take up space in environments we may be seen to not fit or belong in. For now though, I lend a hand when I can on small tasks or projects that I see someone struggle with.

We underestimate what we have all the time. At least when we don’t stop and think of all the beauty that’s around us. When I find myself to be overwhelmed, or am overthinking about whatever it is that has to be done, I like to find a moment when I can pause. For me, when I find this moment, I draw. Drawing for some isn’t a simple thing in life, that could be their job or they might participate in projects that require their artistic ability. I’ve decided that art is something I do for myself, and when I give myself the time to pick up a pencil I feel so much more relaxed and my worries ease even if it’s for a while. It doesn’t matter how big or small my art project is, they all allow me to sit back and appreciate the beauty, complexity, or simplicity of the world. Without art, I could still enjoy the smaller things in life, but I wouldn’t be able to express my gratitude and appreciation the same.