Within the last couple of years, self-care has become increasingly more important and prevalent in my life. During the COVID pandemic, my mental health suffered from constant social isolation. I became very depressed and did not have much motivation. It was hard to study when all of my classes were online, and I turned to some unhealthy coping mechanisms such as stress eating. However, I was able to get through this dark time by going on long walks or runs every day, listening to music, and watching my favorite shows. I also wrote two albums' worth of songs which was extremely therapeutic since I could pour out my emotions in my lyrics. Now, even though my classes are in-person, I've continued to practice self-care because of how important it is. I often journal at night which allows me to express my thoughts, and I practice playing songs on my guitar. I also enjoy leisure reading and sketching. All of these habits have had a beneficial impact on my wellbeing such as reducing my stress level and making me happier. Going on walks allows me to think more clearly and helps me stay physically active and listening to songs that I resonate with makes me feel less alone. My improved mental and physical health due to self-care also positively affects my relationships with my friends and family and my performance in school. Despite how overwhelming circumstances can become, practicing self-care gives me hope that I can rise above life's difficult obstacles.

One of my biggest passions in life is music. I'm really passionate about music because it has a powerful influence on my emotions. When I write music, it is extremely therapeutic. I also get excited when I think about how the music I create can have a positive influence on other people as well. My potential contribution to society encourages me to continue on my journey of becoming a professional musician. The influence and contribution that my favorite musicians have made are really inspiring. For example, I really like to listen to Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Phoebe Bridgers, Lana Del Rey, and Carole King. I love watching interviews of them because they talk about their art so passionately. It reinvigorates my own passion for art and is an uplifting source when I am discouraged. I have explored my passion in music in many ways. Around the past couple of years, I have recorded some of my original songs and have released two of them: "Out of Character" and "Yellow Christmas." My dad helps me with the production, and we collaborate on them in our garage "studio." I have also created a music video for "Yellow Christmas" and play at live venues every week or two to practice my performance skills. This past summer, I visited a music intensive called Berklee's 5-Week Aspire program. I took many music classes such as theory and musicianship and earned college credit. I was also able to improve my performance abilities, make connections with like-minded and creative individuals, and explore the city of Boston. In addition, I am a songwriter at heart and have written many albums. My long-term passion project is to record my first album: "Made to Shine."

One way in which I try to have a positive impact on the world is my contribution towards the environment. I was inspired to positively impact my community after a fire broke out in my hometown and destroyed many homes. I became the secretary of the Wildfire Environmental club, and I participated in multiple acorn tree plantings to restore the trees that were burned. I attended meetings with landowners such as the Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency (COSCA) to gain permission to clear brush on the hills. We eventually raised enough funds to hire 805 Goats which is a company that uses goats to clear brush. In addition to preventing fires, the goats were a great source of joy and happiness for those who passed by the area. I have also attended climate change protests where I held up signs to spread environmental awareness. My friends and I were inspired by Greta Thunberg's "Fridays for Future" movement and had climate change protests on Fridays during lunch. During my first semester of senior year, I took two environmental classes: Environmental Literature and Environmental Science. I learned about both the scientific and social aspects behind environmental issues. The information I learned inspired me to take action in my daily life. I now have more awareness about the dark side of the factory farming industry. I am a vegetarian and will try to limit my use of dairy products. Also, as a singer-songwriter, I have incorporated more environmental-related aspects into my lyrics and will continue to make a positive mark on the world no matter how small the step may be.

One of my main sources of fuel or motivation in my life is music. Music really motivates me because it has a powerful influence on my emotions. When I write music, it is extremely therapeutic. It motivates me to think that the music I create can have a positive influence on other people as well. My potential contribution to society encourages me to continue on my journey of becoming a professional musician. The influence and contribution that my favorite musicians have made are really inspiring. For example, I really like to listen to Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Phoebe Bridgers, Lana Del Rey, and Carole King. I love watching interviews of them because they talk about their art so passionately. It reinvigorates my own passion for art and is an uplifting source when I am discouraged. Another source of motivation is my family. My family is extremely supportive of everything I do in life including my dreams in music. My dad worked hard to help me create a music video for a song I wrote called "Yellow Christmas." He also produces my songs. My mom promotes my music and truly believes in me. I have a close relationship with my grandpa, and I always go to him for advice. Whenever I have a question about something, my grandpa is very knowledgeable. When I was homesick during a Boston trip, he reminded me of how fondly I will look back on my memories when I come back to California. He turned out to be right; I still think about my experience in Boston, and it was extremely influential on my values and perception of the world.

One of my biggest passions in life is music. I'm really passionate about music because it has a powerful influence on my emotions. When I write music, it is extremely therapeutic. I also get excited when I think about how the music I create can have a positive influence on other people as well. My potential contribution to society encourages me to continue on my journey of becoming a professional musician. The influence and contribution that my favorite musicians have made are really inspiring. For example, I really like to listen to Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Phoebe Bridgers, Lana Del Rey, and Carole King. I love watching interviews of them because they talk about their art so passionately. It reinvigorates my own passion for art and is an uplifting source when I am discouraged. I have explored my passion in music in many ways. Around the past couple of years, I have recorded some of my original songs and have released two of them: "Out of Character" and "Yellow Christmas." My dad helps me with the production, and we collaborate on them in our garage "studio." I have also created a music video for "Yellow Christmas" and play at live venues every week or two to practice my performance skills. This past summer, I visited a music intensive called Berklee's 5-Week Aspire program. I took many music classes such as theory and musicianship and earned college credit. I was also able to improve my performance abilities, make connections with like-minded and creative individuals, explore the city of Boston, and collaborate with musicians my age on music projects. In addition, I am a songwriter at heart and have written many albums. My long-term passion project is to record my first album: "Made to Shine."

One song that inspires me is a song I wrote a year or two ago called "Sunken Ships." The song is inspiring to me because it brings me back to a certain time in my life, and it is a reminder of how far I've come. When I wrote it, I was in an unhealthy relationship with someone and was really struggling with my identity and sexuality. I remember the last time I saw that person after they left my house, I sat down and wrote it at the piano. It was a very quick and spontaneous process. I had so many emotions that were bottled up in me for so long that it felt good to finally release them all. It was also therapeutic to listen to since it perfectly described my situation. I listened to it frequently when I was upset. Now when I hear it, I find it really empowering. It describes a journey of how I came to find self-acceptance, and it makes me happy to know that I'm in a better place now. Sometimes it's easy to forget how far we've come when we're so focused on constantly moving forward. Since then, I have gotten out of the relationship, and I fully celebrate my identity and sexuality. The outro of the song is especially powerful because it depicts this transformation. One of my favorite lines of the song is at the end when I sing, "They told me that I had to choose, but I refuse, I don't care what they say. I was meant to be this way."

I listen to people around me by giving them my full attention and completely focusing on them. When people go on a rant, it can be easy to zone out or become uninterested. However, I have learned to become patient and value these moments because I am grateful that someone would want to confide in me. It seems simple on the surface, but it truly makes a difference when one's voice is heard. As a soft-spoken person, I often get interrupted, and people zone out frequently. Every now and then, I'll find someone who I feel like I truly connect with because they listen to me. One person who is a good listener is my grandpa. When I tell him about something I am passionate about, like a review of a book in English class, he will ask me questions about it. This makes me feel good because it's a sign that he cares. I listen to people because I want to spread this feeling to others, especially if they feel neglected or not listened to. The other day one of my friends went to me for advice. Her grade had dropped a percent or two in one of her classes because her teacher had accidentally taken points off of her assignment. She still had an A so she didn't know whether it would be annoying to ask her teacher about it. Even though it might seem mundane, I knew it was important because I had been there before. I told her about my experience and said that personally, I would not care, but she should do it if it really bothers her. It was a casual interaction, but those are the moments that are the most meaningful because the daily conversations are what relationships are built out of.

What I have learned about myself that I find valuable is my sensitivity, creativity, and kindness for others. One way I express my creativity is through music. I enjoy writing songs on the piano and guitar and have made a couple of music videos. I also like writing short stories and drawing and knitting. I show kindness and sensitivity in subtle ways. For example, I am a good listener and feel a lot of empathy. If someone else is feeling upset or is crying, it will make me want to cry involuntarily. I like to show people I care about them by writing letters and giving them gifts. I am a soft-spoken person so I hardly ever raise my voice or yell at people. I feel anger and sadness, but I internalize it or write in my journal so that my emotions aren't negatively reflected onto other people. Another part of myself that is valuable is my ability to embrace my quirkiness or unique qualities. I used to want to change, but I realized that it's better to be my authentic self and find people who love me the way I am than to be normal. Also, I am open-minded towards people from different backgrounds and care about issues larger than myself. I really care about being environmentally sustainable and advocating for the LGBTQ+ community. One way I practice this is by being a vegetarian and attending pride marches. I am also a member of a club at my school called the Wildfire Environmental Club. I have attended acorn tree plantings and beach clean-ups and am taking multiple environment-focused classes at my school.

One of my main sources of motivation is music. Music really motivates me because it has a powerful influence on my emotions. When I write music, it is extremely therapeutic. It motivates me to think that the music I create can have a positive influence on other people as well. My potential contribution to society encourages me to continue on my journey of becoming a professional musician. The influence and contribution that my favorite musicians have made are really inspiring. For example, I really like to listen to Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, Phoebe Bridgers, Lana Del Rey, and Carole King. I love watching interviews of them because they talk about their art so passionately. It reinvigorates my own passion for art and is an uplifting source when I am discouraged. Another source of motivation is my family. My family is extremely supportive of everything I do in life including my dreams in music. My dad worked hard to help me create a music video for a song I wrote called "Yellow Christmas." He also produces my songs. My mom promotes my music and truly believes in me. I have a close relationship with my grandpa, and I always go to him for advice. Whenever I have a question about something, my grandpa is very knowledgeable. When I was homesick during a Boston trip, he reminded me of how fondly I will look back on my memories when I come back to California. He turned out to be right; I still think about my experience in Boston, and it was extremely influential on my values and perception of the world.

One way I affect positive change for my community is being a part of the Wildfire Prevention Club at my school. The club was inspired by fires that occurred in my hometown in Oak Park. It was a traumatic incident, and a lot of people lost their homes. I personally had to evacuate, and there were houses a couple of streets away from mine that burned down. We created the club to attempt to prevent another incident from affecting our community again. One of my friends started the club, and asked me if I wanted to be the secretary. I accepted and helped her with some of the tasks for the club such as writing emails, taking attendance, and writing down ideas on the board. I also collected hundreds of acorns for multiple acorn tree plantings to restore trees that were burned down in the fire. Finally, we hired 805 Goats to eat the brush on the hills. This was a complicated process as it required permission from the landowners of the area so I attended meetings with the leadership team and took notes on their policies and cost for specific acres of land. I also affect positive change for my community by being a part of Key Club at my school. In Key Club, I completed 66 volunteer hours and several service projects. For example, we made lunches for local homeless shelters and dog toys out of t-shirts. I donated some of my childhood toys and games to children in need. During the pandemic, when we could not meet in person, I donated money to UNICEF online by playing math games. I also impacted my community through "Future Fridays" where my friends and I held up climate activism signs at the front of our school during lunch.

The biggest problem facing the world right now is climate change. One way to combat climate change is through education. Currently, I'm taking Environmental Literature at my school, and I have gained a lot of important knowledge. For example, we had a unit on the environmental impact of factory farming. It is one of the main causes of climate change. I did not know that factory farming is so destructive. I'm a vegetarian but do it for moral reasons and did not think about the environmental impact it has as well. The more people who know the facts behind their daily actions, the more action that can be made to prevent further destruction. The class has caused my peers and me to reconsider the way we eat which is an important first step in becoming environmentally friendly. I am considering reducing my dairy consumption since it also impacts the environment through the greenhouse gas emission of livestock's waste. Another part of the environment that people should be educated about is the impact of consumerism. This is an issue particularly prominent in first world countries. For example, a lot of companies use planned obsolescence to persuade people to buy more products. This is true for electronics companies like Apple. Electronics are extremely detrimental to the environment as their parts are made from nonrenewable resources, and they are difficult to recycle properly. If disposed improperly, the toxic chemicals in the electronic parts get into the atmosphere and could potentially start fires. This is why it is the consumer's responsibility to reduce their consumption of electronics and other types of products that are environmentally unfriendly.

A piece of art that inspires me is Vincent Van Gogh's "Irises." I have a lot of memories associated with this piece so it is nostalgic. I worked on it in 8th grade for an art showcase project. It took months to finish, but it was rewarding. I started out replicating it exactly, drawing it leaf by leaf. It was too meticulous so my teacher suggested that I create something similar but not exact. However, it was still a long process and required a lot of hard work. This increased my appreciation for the piece because it is a testament to all of the love and care Van Gogh put into his art. In the middle of the project, my dad, brother, and I visited The J. Paul Getty Museum. It was a beautiful place and a really fun Monday off from school, but what stands out to me is getting to see the "Irises" in person. I remember my dad taking a picture of me standing in front of it and feeling extremely awe-struck. It was smaller than I expected, but it was so intricate and stunning. This also increased my appreciation for the piece since I had the opportunity to view all of the details up-close. Beyond my memories, what draws me to the piece are the emotions attached to it and its symbolism. The one white flower standing upright in the midst of all of the blue flowers represents innocence and light shining through the melancholy and darkness. It is a message of hope and gives me a sense of peace. Van Gogh struggled a lot with his mental health which I can relate to so seeing hope and light reflected in this piece despite his dark state of mind is inspiring as well.

Within this last year, it was difficult to stay optimistic due to social isolation. Being alone really clouded my mind and blocked me from seeing all the beauty in the world. It was like putting on dark shades, but now, the shades have been taken off, and I can finally see everything in it's full color again. What allowed me to get through that tough time was a sudden change of mindset. I had to get to my lowest point to finally value and appreciate my surroundings. One thing that helps me is journaling and writing music. It is therapeutic and helps me get my emotions out. When I lost a friend who was really close to me, I wrote a song about it, and it made me feel a lot better. I also started calling my grandpa every Saturday during the pandemic since I couldn't visit him in person. Ironically, it brought us closer together. He lives far away so normally we would only talk once or twice a year, but instead, we spoke every week. I was able to appreciate having him in my life. He always gives me great advice and understands me on a level that is different from the other people I know. One way he helped me was when I was taking an honors chemistry class. Whenever I had a question, he always gave me a thoughtful explanation, and that allowed me to have optimism for my success in the class. My optimism has taught me that all situations are temporary whether good or bad. It is important not to get stuck in negative circumstances but to be grateful for my friends and family and all that they do for me. My optimism during these tough times has shaped me into a better person.

Patience is an important value because it is necessary in finding success and happiness in life. Nothing truly worth having is automatic. In modern-day society, where everything is at a click of a button, it is easy to forget this important lesson and become frustrated when we don't see the results we want. For example, as an aspiring musician, I get disappointed when I don't get any streams for the songs I release. Recently, I released a song called "Yellow Christmas" and only got thirty-five streams. This made me upset because I worked on it for a year, and I was hoping that more of my followers would listen to it considering it takes less than three minutes of their time. However, I realized that I should be grateful for the people who have listened to it. I shouldn't expect things from other people; I have to convince others why they should care. Trying to kickstart a music career takes a really long time so I have to keep trying to promote it and put myself out there and not become discouraged by people's initial reaction. If I have patience and build my fan base over time, then I will eventually be successful. This goes with other things in my life as well. For example, it's important to be patient in my interactions. Sometimes I get upset when I'm having a one-sided conversation, and the whole conversation is about the other person. I must remember that the person I'm talking to might not be selfish. They might just be bad at communicating, or they might be going through something in their life and have more important things on their mind. Learning to have patience builds character and allows me to become a better, more self-aware, and kinder person.

My favorite way to help others is through music. As a songwriter, I aim to uplift other people's lives through my original works. This is my favorite way to help others because it is my passion, and I am doing what I love while simultaneously making others happy. For example, I wrote a song called "Yellow Christmas'' which is a joyful and uplifting song. It is a twist on the classic "White Christmas' ' in which one is dreaming of snow. Instead, I am relishing in the sunny world I currently live in while residing in California. This is a more positive outlook that may resonate with people who live near me and gives them something to listen to so that they feel represented during the holiday season. Another example is a song I wrote called "Sunken Ships." It is about my journey with my sexuality. While I discuss my own personal experience through the song, I'm hoping that it will inspire others to celebrate their identity as well. This is a really powerful aspect of music as it can drastically change people's emotions and perspective. I also enjoy doing live performances and seeing people's reactions. Sometimes people will come up to me after and say that they liked my performance or were moved by it. This is really meaningful to me since I've positively impacted their day.

My best skill is songwriting. I started with poems in my old journal since I was inspired by Taylor Swift who won poem contests when she was younger. Then, I started writing my first songs in the journal with lyrics and random melodies I made up. I did not know how to play guitar at that point so I did not come up with a specific chord structure. Eventually, I picked up the guitar which made it easier to write songs. I was twelve years old when I wrote the first song that I was truly proud of. It proved to me that I could be a professional songwriter. It was called "Walk into the Sun," and I made a music video for it when I was thirteen. The best way to get better at songwriting is constantly practicing or writing new material so I have continued to do that and now have been writing music for six years. I think my personal life experiences help with my writing since it provides more material over time. Another way I have been improving is listening to inspiring songwriters as I feel that listening to amazing art will subconsciously impact my own writing. Lately, I have gotten into Phoebe Bridger's music, and I really love her songwriting. She uses specificity but still manages to make it relatable on an emotional level. This is uncommon as most writers are either vague or specific but not as relatable. I have started doing that a little bit myself. These techniques help my songwriting because they add variation from previous works, and that's what music is all about: experimentation.

My favorite piece of art is a song I wrote called “By Design.” It is a really special song to me because it was an awakening moment in my life due to its powerful message. The lyrics in the chorus are “I can’t live by your design just to satisfy all your pride. I can’t act by your design. I can’t sacrifice all my life. It’s not my design.” At the time, I was leaving cheer which I had been a part of for most of high school. I was no longer passionate about it and wanted to commit my time to music. My mom had a hard time accepting that I was leaving because she was so used to me being an athlete. I started gymnastics when I was three so I had always been involved in a sport. Her disappointment in me made me feel bad about myself and that it was the wrong decision. It was written almost subconsciously because it articulated how I was feeling in a way that I hadn't been able to express before. It was therapeutic to listen to it since I was struggling with acceptance in general. Eventually I realized that it is more important to pursue what I love and let people be disappointed than to sacrifice my life’s passion for someone else’s plan. I knew that if my mom really loved me and cared about me that she would eventually come to support my decision. I also love this song because it reminds me to be strong and independent and to do what makes me happy despite other people's opinions.

One thing that makes me happy in life is music. It makes me happy because it allows me to express myself emotionally. It is one of the few things that I am truly passionate about and inspires me to keep going; I do not know what life would look like without music. It allows me to say the things that I am too afraid of saying or unable to say in my daily life. Seeing a positive audience reaction to a musical performance is an extremely uplifting experience for me since it is one of the few times that I feel like I am truly being heard. It makes me really happy when someone comes up after a performance to tell me that I have done a good job or that they were moved in some way. For example, in one of my first performances, I sang an original song about my dad for Father’s Day, and an audience member told me that it brought her to tears because it was so heart-warming. Another thing that makes me happy is spending time with my family. I enjoy watching movies with my mom. It is a tradition to watch "Practical Magic" during the Halloween season, and we both enjoy romantic comedies. My dad and I bond over music since we are both musicians, and he helps me with all of my projects such as production. We have a similar sense of humor so we are able to make a lot of jokes together. Another bonding activity is watching Saturday Night Live, and skits such as "David S. Pumpkins" and "Levi's Wokes" have become classic jokes within the family. I am very appreciative of my family's support and the happy moments we have been able to share together over the years.

Music is important to society because it has the power to positively impact people’s lives. For the musician, it allows one to express themselves emotionally. I find it to be a therapeutic process since it provides a means to express myself. It is one of the few things that I am truly passionate about and inspires me to keep going; I do not know what life would look like without music. It allows me to say the things that I am too afraid or unable to say in my daily life. Seeing a positive audience reaction to a musical performance is an extremely uplifting experience for me since it is one of the few times that I feel like I am truly being heard. It is so meaningful to me when someone comes up after a performance to tell me that I have done a good job or that they were moved in some way. For example, in one of my first performances, I sang an original song about my dad for Father’s Day, and an audience member told me that it brought her to tears because it was so heart-warming. Later on, my dad wrote a song about me for my 14th birthday, and I still watch the video sometimes because it reminds me that I am always loved. It is also extremely impactful as a consumer. It is also a therapeutic process to discover a song that truly resonates with me because I feel like I am no longer alone. This happens with songs like “Motion Sickness” by Phoebe Bridgers, “If I Could Only Fly” by Blaze Foley, and “Fake Plastic Trees'' by Radiohead. Whenever I am really sad, I will listen to these songs, and they make me feel better. There are also some songs that bring me back to certain time periods or are just generally nostalgic. “Heroes” by David Bowie is one of my favorite songs because it reminds me of singing the song in the car with my best friend and chatting with my mom in our spa in the backyard. It also reminds me of the tunnel scene in The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Also, “Perfect Day” by Lou Reed reminds me of walking through the public parks of Boston when I was visiting the city over the summer. I had one special day during my visit where I met a friend that I would never see again so it is very reminiscent of him. These are just my individual experiences, but society as a whole is impacted by music in the same way which is what makes it so powerful.

My trip to Boston this past summer greatly impacted me. I went to a performance program at the Berklee College of Music for five weeks. It was one of the best experiences I have had, and it was a great way to end the last summer of my childhood. Berklee is my dream school, and it was everything I imagined it to be. I met some amazing friends, learned a lot about music, and fell in love with the city of Boston. One way the experience changed me was being able to meet people with similar passions and truly fitting in somewhere for the first time. I used to feel trapped in my hometown, but my experience gave me hope that there are kind people out there and so much more to look forward to. My experience also instilled a newfound confidence and trust in myself. I proved that I could be on my own on the other side of the country and pushed my comfort zone. For example, I went on a segway tour. My grandma mailed me a picture of her doing it, and I replicated it by taking one with the city of Boston behind me. I'll cherish it for a long time. The impact of the experience was most apparent when I came back. My attitude was different from other high-schoolers, and my priorities changed. I prioritized my health and being around my loved ones over my level of achievement. Although I do the best I can in school, my roommate taught me to be more forgiving to myself. I now can see how small and insignificant my high-school life is because I remember the feeling of being 3,000 miles away, standing on the 11th floor of my dorm building, gazing at the Boston skyline.

One way I’ve contributed to the environment is being the vice president of the Wildfire Environmental Club at my school. When I was a freshman, there were a lot of fires that occurred in my hometown, Oak Park, and I had to evacuate my house, so we were inspired to start the club to prevent future fires. We worked with COSCA to plant acorns around areas that were burnt and hired 805 goats to eat the brush on the hills. I have done weekly climate strikes (Future Fridays) during lunch with my friends where we held up signs. I also have a positive impact on the climate in more subtle ways, such as deciding to become a vegetarian a couple of years ago. It had an insignificant impact on my lifestyle and made me realize that I should have been going in that direction all along. In addition, I drive an electric car. Right now, I’m taking multiple environmental classes at my school such as Environmental Science, Environmental Literature, and Geopolitics. I have taken these classes to increase my knowledge about the climate and to see what I can do to make a difference. I’m going to join Marine Conservation Club this year as well and learn how to contribute to the preservation of sea life.

These photos of Osito (teddy bear) represent the different facets of his personality. The photo of him in his box of toys shows his cute, cuddly, and playful side. On the other hand, the photo of him barking in the Amazon review reveals that he is feisty and protective despite his tiny size and small bark. I included my other pet Georgia to show their loving relationship. Osito follows her around everywhere, and Georgia’s taken him under her wing. The life-size portrait depicts our humongous love for Osito and illustrates how much he’s changed our family and touched our lives.

The start of my dream life will be graduating high school and getting into my dream school, Berklee College of Music, with a full ride scholarship. There, I will study production and work on an album I wrote called Made to Shine. I will finish it within a couple of years and get some Berklee students to collaborate with me. Upon releasing Made to Shine, it will become extremely successful, and my music will touch people’s lives and change the world. After graduating, I will go on a world tour and perform for fans every night. I will attend the Grammys and win Album of the Year and Best New Artist. In my speeches, I will thank my friends and family for believing in me, especially my dad for staying up late in the garage to record songs with me. I will continue to create other hit albums in the studio such as Tokens of My Memory, One Bright Life, The Thrill of it All, and Meganland. I will collaborate with my favorite artists such as Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, and Phoebe Bridgers. I will give money to my parents and donate a lot of it to important causes such as helping the homeless, saving the environment, solving world hunger, curing life-threatening diseases, and supporting the LBTQ+ community. Some examples would be the Cancer Research Institute, The Alzheimer’s Association, and The Trevor Project. I will use my platform to promote racial equality and climate justice, spread awareness regarding mental illnesses, and support the LBTQ+ community. At some point, I’d like to publish a book I’m writing. It touches on issues like mental illness, and it’s very personal. Even though I’m making risky decisions, I believe in myself, and I know there are beautiful things up ahead.