Maya Angelou once said, “I have learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” This resonates with me from witnessing the impact of community through involvement in my Haitian church and my dedication to reform- justice and immigration. Growing up in a Haitian household, with both of my parents from Haiti, I have always felt connected to my roots and community. My father is a pastor, so I was surrounded by hard-working Haitian Christians who regard their community highly. Due to this upbringing, the importance of community and a support system is very valuable to me. Within my church, I have helped organize many events and banquets that unite the Haitian community in the Dacula/Lawrenceville area. Our biggest event is a Christian retreat. Many people from our church go, and we all drive together from Georgia to the Pennsylvania mountains. It is called the Blue Mountain Christian Retreat, and we have been going since I was 4. We worship, eat, talk, and fellowship together for a week. It is a week of baptisms, miracles, and joy. Haitians come from all over: New York, Rhode Island, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. I play the keyboard during each worship service, and the presence of the Lord can be felt. Organizing events at my church and participating at Blue Mountain Christian Retreat have allowed me to foster a stronger, more inclusive community by bringing people together and creating a space where everyone feels valued. My major in college is political science, and I have plans to be a lawyer. As a black woman in America, I see and feel the unjust treatment of black people. So when I become a lawyer, I am leaning in between criminal law and immigration law. Criminal law has always had a hold on me. I know that the prison system and the justice system are unfair and ultimately fail so many people, but I want to play a role in setting it right. After learning about the Central Park Five, I wanted to help free innocent black people in jail. As a woman, I also want to help convict rapists, especially those who have money and influence and would usually get away with it. However, nowadays I am leaning more towards immigration law. Both of my parents are immigrants from Haiti, and I know how long the immigration process is. It can take forever, and some people may not have that time due to their home situation. My mom and her siblings were in Haiti while my grandma came to America and dealt with more paperwork to bring her children over. I want to make the situation less stressful, show families a friendly face, and provide a helping hand. My goal is to continue to help people cross the border safely and legally. This shift from aspiring criminal lawyer to focusing on immigration law reflects my growing awareness of systemic issues. Addressing injustices faced by people of color has sharpened my resolve to advocate for both equity and social justice. These experiences have profoundly shaped my perspective and growth. They have instilled in me a commitment to drive positive change and prepared me to approach my future career purposefully. My efforts have taught me that making a real impact involves understanding and addressing the needs of diverse communities, guiding me toward a career dedicated to justice and advocacy.

Maya Angelou once said, “I have learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” This resonates with me from witnessing the impact of community through involvement in my Haitian church and my dedication to reform- justice and immigration. Growing up in a Haitian household, with both of my parents from Haiti, I have always felt connected to my roots and community. My father is a pastor, so I was surrounded by hard-working Haitian Christians who regard their community highly. Due to this upbringing, the importance of community and a support system is very valuable to me. Within my church, I have helped organize many events and banquets that unite the Haitian community in the Dacula/Lawrenceville area. Our biggest event is a Christian retreat. Many people from our church go, and we all drive together from Georgia to the Pennsylvania mountains. It is called the Blue Mountain Christian Retreat, and we have been going since I was 4. We worship, eat, talk, and fellowship together for a week. It is a week of baptisms, miracles, and joy. Haitians come from all over: New York, Rhode Island, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. I play the keyboard during each worship service, and the presence of the Lord can be felt. Organizing events at my church and participating at Blue Mountain Christian Retreat have allowed me to foster a stronger, more inclusive community by bringing people together and creating a space where everyone feels valued. My major in college is political science, and I have plans to be a lawyer. As a black woman in America, I see and feel the unjust treatment of black people. So when I become a lawyer, I am leaning in between criminal law and immigration law. Criminal law has always had a hold on me. I know that the prison system and the justice system are unfair and ultimately fail so many people, but I want to play a role in setting it right. After learning about the Central Park Five, I wanted to help free innocent black people in jail. As a woman, I also want to help convict rapists, especially those who have money and influence and would usually get away with it. However, nowadays I am leaning more towards immigration law. Both of my parents are immigrants from Haiti, and I know how long the immigration process is. It can take forever, and some people may not have that time due to their home situation. My mom and her siblings were in Haiti while my grandma came to America and dealt with more paperwork to bring her children over. I want to make the situation less stressful, show families a friendly face, and provide a helping hand. My goal is to continue to help people cross the border safely and legally. This shift from aspiring criminal lawyer to focusing on immigration law reflects my growing awareness of systemic issues. Addressing injustices faced by people of color has sharpened my resolve to advocate for both equity and social justice. These experiences have profoundly shaped my perspective and growth. They have instilled in me a commitment to drive positive change and prepared me to approach my future career purposefully. My efforts have taught me that making a real impact involves understanding and addressing the needs of diverse communities, guiding me toward a career dedicated to justice and advocacy.

At fifteen, a routine traffic stop revealed a stark reality: the system meant to protect me often fails marginalized communities. This experience, coupled with the impact of George Floyd’s death and my own family’s struggles as Haitian immigrants, ignited my passion for justice. Determined to address systemic racism and advocate for immigrants, I am driven to pursue a career in law to fight for those whose voices are often overlooked. Learning about the world and the hardships that black people, specifically black men, have to face was a hard pill to swallow. So, in high school, I was determined to become a criminal lawyer to defend black men like the Central Park Five, who did nothing wrong but were unfairly punished. I also wanted to convict those who committed heinous acts against women but got away with it due to their status and skin color. These injustices motivated me to strive for my goal of being a lawyer. During the summer of 2020, George Floyd’s death pushed the Black Lives Matter movement to the forefront of the world. I had begged my parents to let me go down to Atlanta to join the protesters and fight against the injustices. They refused due to COVID-19, but that was one of the first times I felt like I could do something, especially since I was only 15. Not long after that, my dad, my sister, and I got pulled over by a police officer, and I was the most scared I had ever been in my life. Everyone was safe, and no one got hurt at that time, but my fear of the authority that was meant to help me brought more perspective to the horrifying truth of racism. Although I will forever fight for human rights, recently immigration law has struck me hard. Both of my parents are immigrants, born in Haiti, and their struggle has recently begun to sit in the back of my mind. The immigration process in the USA is not great. It can take people years to become citizens and cross the border legally, which is why so many people enter the country illegally; they may not have time to wait for papers. I want to take a step to change that. My mom’s immigration story is that she came to America when she was young; however, it was not easy. Her mother got papers to go to America first and did not see her children for 5 years while waiting for the documents to allow my mother and her siblings to arrive too. This process separates families and breaks hearts, but I want to provide support and aid to these families that need to immigrate. I have family in Haiti that I have never met and that my parents haven’t seen in a very long time. The immigration restrictions and the heartbreak of the process have led me towards immigration law.

At fifteen, a routine traffic stop revealed a stark reality: the system meant to protect me often fails marginalized communities. This experience, coupled with the impact of George Floyd’s death and my own family’s struggles as Haitian immigrants, ignited my passion for justice. Determined to address systemic racism and advocate for immigrants, I am driven to pursue a career in law to fight for those whose voices are often overlooked. Learning about the world and the hardships that black people, specifically black men, have to face was a hard pill to swallow. So, in high school, I was determined to become a criminal lawyer to defend black men like the Central Park Five, who did nothing wrong but were unfairly punished. I also wanted to convict those who committed heinous acts against women but got away with it due to their status and skin color. These injustices motivated me to strive for my goal of being a lawyer. During the summer of 2020, George Floyd’s death pushed the Black Lives Matter movement to the forefront of the world. I had begged my parents to let me go down to Atlanta to join the protesters and fight against the injustices. They refused due to COVID-19, but that was one of the first times I felt like I could do something, especially since I was only 15. Not long after that, my dad, my sister, and I got pulled over by a police officer, and I was the most scared I had ever been in my life. Everyone was safe, and no one got hurt at that time, but my fear of the authority that was meant to help me brought more perspective to the horrifying truth of racism. Although I will forever fight for human rights, recently immigration law has struck me hard. Both of my parents are immigrants, born in Haiti, and their struggle has recently begun to sit in the back of my mind. The immigration process in the USA is not great. It can take people years to become citizens and cross the border legally, which is why so many people enter the country illegally; they may not have time to wait for papers. I want to take a step to change that. My mom’s immigration story is that she came to America when she was young; however, it was not easy. Her mother got papers to go to America first and did not see her children for 5 years while waiting for the documents to allow my mother and her siblings to arrive too. This process separates families and breaks hearts, but I want to provide support and aid to these families that need to immigrate. I have family in Haiti that I have never met and that my parents haven’t seen in a very long time. The immigration restrictions and the heartbreak of the process have led me towards immigration law.

Maya Angelou once said, “I have learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” This resonates with me from witnessing the impact of community through involvement in my Haitian church and my dedication to reform- justice and immigration. Growing up in a Haitian household, with both of my parents from Haiti, I have always felt connected to my roots and community. My father is a pastor, so I was surrounded by hard-working Haitian Christians who regard their community highly. Due to this upbringing, the importance of community and a support system is very valuable to me. Within my church, I have helped organize many events and banquets that unite the Haitian community in the Dacula/Lawrenceville area. Our biggest event is a Christian retreat. Many people from our church go, and we all drive together from Georgia to the Pennsylvania mountains. It is called the Blue Mountain Christian Retreat, and we have been going since I was 4. We worship, eat, talk, and fellowship together for a week. It is a week of baptisms, miracles, and joy. Haitians come from all over: New York, Rhode Island, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. I play the keyboard during each worship service hold, and the presence of the Lord can be felt. My major in college is political science, and I have plans to be a lawyer. As a black woman in America, I see and feel the unjust treatment of black people. So when I become a lawyer, I am leaning in between criminal law and immigration law. Criminal law has always had a hold on me. I know that the prison system and the justice system are unfair and ultimately fail so many people, but I want to be able to play a role in setting it right. After learning about the Central Park Five, I wanted to help free innocent black people in jail. As a woman, I also want to help convict rapists, especially those who have money and influence and would usually get away with it. However, nowadays I am leaning more towards immigration law. Both of my parents are immigrants from Haiti, and I know how long the immigration process is. It can take forever, and some people may not have that time due to their home situation. My mom and her siblings were in Haiti while my grandma came to America and dealt with more paperwork to bring her children over. I want to make the situation less stressful, show families a friendly face, and provide a helping hand. So many Haitians were able to come to America because of President Joe Biden, and in the future, my goal is to continue to help people cross the border safely and legally. The state of Haiti right now is not great—the political climate as well as the gang violence in the streets—so aiding people in their journey is a dream of mine.