So far, my life has been filled with many challenges and has been far from perfect. I can say this though, what affected me the most was the family I was born into. They have guided me through sorrow, sadness, joy, strength, and hope. They have also come with their own pain and trauma. Having lost my Uncle to suicide at a young age, I learned early how to navigate and process deep loss and appreciate the love that I have in my life. Without the love and support my family gives me, I wouldn’t be standing here today. I’m so happy that my mom and dad are my parents. They might not be together today but I still love them and feel supported by them just the same. I also come from a mixed background; financially, ethnically, and culturally. My father is from Costa Rica and my mother is from Texas. This means I’ve been deeply connected to a multitude of diverse people and experiences. My mother was inspired by her experiences navigating the education system with me and my stepbrother, who is on the autism spectrum and decided to go back to school to achieve her masters in the Art of Teaching from USC at the tender age of 55. Watching her struggle as a single mom, do whatever it took to pay our rent and put food on the table, and then achieve her master's degree was an inspiration to me and celebrates the idea that life is truly what you make of it and what you are willing to work for. My father comes from a large family in Costa Rica where Spanish was his first language and since I grew up speaking to him in Spanish as well as receiving a bilingual dual immersion education, I am grateful to be fluent in both Spanish and English. I have relatives who have shown me such love from New York and California as well as all across Costa Rica. I think most of all, I am inspired by the women in my dad’s family. The women, who all grew up in the depths of poverty, have achieved greatness and been successful in so many different fields. In my educational career to date, I have never received anything less than an A. I like to challenge myself and have learned time management and motivational skills that have served me well. Awards I’ve received include the Highest Honors Received in Fall 2017/Spring 2018, Fall 2018/Spring 2019, Fall 2019/Spring 2020, and Fall 2020. I have also participated in Millikan’s Golf and Volleyball Teams. In addition, I’ve taken part in Choir and theater and am an active member of the dual immersion community having completed Spanish AP courses by the end of 10th Grade. My goal is to work in the business world of fashion as a finance or marketing specialist. My personal goal is to continue to expand my perspective, gain an understanding of the world at large, and be in a position of strength emotionally, physically, and financially so I can be called upon to help and support others. Having dealt with my parent's divorce, the loss of my half-brother Byron, and my uncle Matt to violence, these experiences have left me with a deepened compassion for the trials and tribulations of life for so many. My smarts lie in my ability to figure things out, my desire to understand the complexity and philosophical underpinnings of things, and my motivation to succeed to be a beacon of hope for others who come from challenging backgrounds like mine.

My personal goal is to continue to expand my perspective, gain an understanding of the world at large, and be in a position of strength emotionally, physically, and financially so I can be called upon to help and support others.

My life has been filled with many challenges and has been far from perfect. I can say this though, what affected me the most was the family I was born into. They have guided me through sorrow, sadness, joy, strength, and hope. They have also come with their own pain and trauma. Having lost my Uncle to suicide at a young age, I learned early how to navigate and process deep loss and appreciate the love that I have in my life. Without the love and support my family gives me, I wouldn’t be standing here today. I’m so happy that my mom and dad are my parents. They might not be together today but I still love them and feel supported by them just the same. I also come from a mixed background; financially, ethnically, and culturally. My father is from Costa Rica and my mother is from Texas. This means I’ve been deeply connected to a multitude of diverse people and experiences. My mom was inspired by her experiences navigating the education system with me and my stepbrother, who is on the autism spectrum and decided to go back to school to achieve her masters in the Art of Teaching from USC at the tender age of 55. Watching her struggle as a single mom, do whatever it took to pay our rent and put food on the table, and then achieve her master's degree was an inspiration to me and celebrates the idea that life is truly what you make of it and what you are willing to work for. My father comes from a large family in Costa Rica where Spanish was his first language and since I grew up speaking to him in Spanish as well as receiving a bilingual dual immersion education, I am grateful to be fluent in both Spanish and English. This side of my family has taught me so much about having a global perspective, taking on big challenges, and believing in myself. This rich tapestry of many cultures, languages, and experiences has given me a sense of curiosity about people and their multicolored experiences. During high school, I fed my curiosity by exploring the world around me via all the opportunities available to me. I became an active member of the Black Student Union and Advocates for Equality. In college, I work with our Cultural Diversity organization as our Bi-cultural ambassador, organizing events for others who share a mixed ethnic and cultural identity. With the help of scholarships like yours, I am able to pursue my educational goals at USF, the 2nd most diverse university in American, according to the Washington Post. My goal is to work in the business world of fashion as a finance or marketing specialist. My personal goal is to continue to expand my perspective, gain an understanding of the world at large, and be in a position of strength emotionally, physically, and financially so I can be called upon to help and support others. Having dealt with my parent's divorce, the loss of my half-brother Byron, and my uncle Matt to violence, these experiences have left me with a deepened compassion for the trials and tribulations of life for so many. My smarts lie in my ability to figure things out, my desire to understand the complexity and philosophical underpinnings of things, and my motivation to succeed to be a beacon of hope for others who come from challenging backgrounds like mine.

My life has been filled with many challenges and has been far from perfect. I can say this though, what affected me the most was the family I was born into. They have guided me through sorrow, sadness, joy, strength, and hope. They have also come with their own pain and trauma. Having lost my Uncle to suicide at a young age, I learned early how to navigate and process deep loss and appreciate the love that I have in my life. Without the love and support my family gives me, I wouldn’t be standing here today. I’m so happy that my mom and dad are my parents. They might not be together today but I still love them and feel supported by them just the same. I also come from a mixed background; financially, ethnically, and culturally. My father is from Costa Rica and my mother is from Texas. This means I’ve been deeply connected to a multitude of diverse people and experiences. My mom was inspired by her experiences navigating the education system with me and my stepbrother, who is on the autism spectrum and decided to go back to school to achieve her masters in the Art of Teaching from USC at the tender age of 55. Watching her struggle as a single mom, do whatever it took to pay our rent and put food on the table, and then achieve her master's degree was an inspiration to me and celebrates the idea that life is truly what you make of it and what you are willing to work for. My father comes from a large family in Costa Rica where Spanish was his first language and since I grew up speaking to him in Spanish as well as receiving a bilingual dual immersion education, I am grateful to be fluent in both Spanish and English. This side of my family has taught me so much about having a global perspective, taking on big challenges, and believing in myself. This rich tapestry of many cultures, languages, and experiences has given me a sense of curiosity about people and their multicolored experiences. During high school, I fed my curiosity by exploring the world around me via all the opportunities available to me. I became an active member of the Black Student Union and Advocates for Equality. In college, I work with our Cultural Diversity organization as our Bi-cultural ambassador, organizing events for others who share a mixed ethnic and cultural identity. With the help of scholarships like yours, I am able to pursue my educational goals at USF, the 2nd most diverse university in American, according to the Washington Post. My goal is to work in the business world of fashion as a finance or marketing specialist. My personal goal is to continue to expand my perspective, gain an understanding of the world at large, and be in a position of strength emotionally, physically, and financially so I can be called upon to help and support others. Having dealt with my parent's divorce, the loss of my half-brother Byron, and my uncle Matt to violence, these experiences have left me with a deepened compassion for the trials and tribulations of life for so many. My smarts lie in my ability to figure things out, my desire to understand the complexity and philosophical underpinnings of things, and my motivation to succeed to be a beacon of hope for others who come from challenging backgrounds like mine.

My life has been filled with many challenges and has been far from perfect. I can say this though, what affected me the most was the family I was born into. They have guided me through sorrow, sadness, joy, strength, and hope. They have also come with their own pain and trauma. Having lost my Uncle to suicide at a young age, I learned early how to navigate and process deep loss and appreciate the love that I have in my life. Without the love and support my family gives me, I wouldn’t be standing here today. I’m so happy that my mom and dad are my parents. They might not be together today but I still love them and feel supported by them just the same. I also come from a mixed background; financially, ethnically, and culturally. My father is from Costa Rica and my mother is from Texas. This means I’ve been deeply connected to a multitude of diverse people and experiences. My mom was inspired by her experiences navigating the education system with me and my stepbrother, who is on the autism spectrum and decided to go back to school to achieve her masters in the Art of Teaching from USC at the tender age of 55. Watching her struggle as a single mom, do whatever it took to pay our rent and put food on the table, and then achieve her master's degree was an inspiration to me and celebrates the idea that life is truly what you make of it and what you are willing to work for. My father comes from a large family in Costa Rica where Spanish was his first language and since I grew up speaking to him in Spanish as well as receiving a bilingual dual immersion education, I am grateful to be fluent in both Spanish and English. This side of my family has taught me so much about having a global perspective, taking on big challenges, and believing in myself. This rich tapestry of many cultures, languages, and experiences has given me a sense of curiosity about people and their multicolored experiences. During high school, I fed my curiosity by exploring the world around me via all the opportunities available to me. I became an active member of the Black Student Union and Advocates for Equality. In college, I work with our Cultural Diversity organization as our Bi-cultural ambassador, organizing events for others who share a mixed ethnic and cultural identity. My goal is to work in the business world of fashion as a finance or marketing specialist. My personal goal is to continue to expand my perspective, gain an understanding of the world at large, and be in a position of strength emotionally, physically, and financially so I can be called upon to help and support others. Having dealt with my parent's divorce, the loss of my half-brother Byron, and my uncle Matt to violence, these experiences have left me with a deepened compassion for the trials and tribulations of life for so many. My smarts lie in my ability to figure things out, my desire to understand the complexity and philosophical underpinnings of things, and my motivation to succeed to be a beacon of hope for others who come from challenging backgrounds like mine.

So far, my life has been filled with many challenges and I have learned to live bravely and boldly through the highs as well as the lows. Having lost my Uncle to suicide at a young age, I learned early how to navigate and process deep loss and appreciate the love that I have in my life. I also choose to follow my curiosity about the world around me. I became a leader of the Black Student Union and I am also Director of Communications for Advocates for Equality a feminist-based club that convinced Millikan High School to install an all-gender bathroom so that everyone in our school is able to feel comfortable. I have also jumped into opportunities off-campus to try to make a positive impact. I started volunteering with Transitions In Motherhood (an outlet for families in need) in November of 2020 and I am now a team leader. In my educational career to date, I like to challenge myself and have received the Highest Honors each semester because of it. I was also chosen as Valedictorian of my dual immersion Middle School. My goal moving forward is to work in the business world of fashion. My personal goal is to continue to expand my perspective and be in a position of strength emotionally, physically, and financially to be called upon to help and support others. I've dealt with a lot of loss and these experiences have left me with a deepened compassion for the trials and tribulations of life for so many. My smarts lie in my ability to figure things out, my desire to understand the complexity and philosophical underpinnings of things. My motivation to succeed and live boldly is to become a beacon of hope for others who come from challenging backgrounds like mine.

My career goal is to work in the business world of fashion as a finance or marketing specialist. My personal goal is to continue to expand my perspective, gain an understanding of the world at large, and be in a position of strength emotionally, physically, and financially so I can be called upon to help and support others. I come from a mixed background; financially, ethnically, and culturally. My father is from Costa Rica and my mother is from Texas. This means I’ve been deeply connected to a multitude of diverse people and experiences. Watching my mom struggle as a single mom, do whatever it took to pay our rent and put food on the table, then achieve her master's degree was an inspiration to me and celebrates the idea that life is truly what you make of it and what you are willing to work for. Throughout my life, I have also always sought enrichment through helping others. My career in business would allow me to focus on humanitarian-centered problems. I am interested in injustices experienced by minorities with a focus on the accessibility of healthy foods. I've always prided myself on my ability to listen and fully understand the complex problems that affect my community and other minority communities. In regards to the disparity in access to healthy foods, I see an intersection of poverty, education, and racial injustice. For the most part, healthy, unprocessed, organic food is only available to people who have the means to afford it. I plan to take this awareness into my life as a business leader as well, always ensuring that I keep this issue as a priority and focus. Being solution-focused and having identified this key issue, my goal will be to help create a bridge to a solution.

I believe that leaders can be born and they also can be developed. I think for me, it is a little bit of both. I find that my self-motivation is my driver and often I can see the solution to a problem or challenge that allows others to follow my direction. During high school, I fed my curiosity by exploring the world around me and these explorations led to my desire to have an impact on issues I feel strongly about. I became an active member of the Black Student Union and helped educate my fellow students on the Black Lives Matter movement within the context of black history. I am also Director of Communications for Advocates for Equality, a feminist-based club. As an organization, we convinced Millikan High School's administration to install an all-gender bathroom so that everyone in our school is able to feel comfortable. We did this by creating a plan and a presentation that they received positively and were compelled to move forward on the project immediately. I have also taken advantage of opportunities off-campus to try to make a positive impact on the community of Long Beach. During the Pandemic, I joined an organization called Transitions in Motherhood. Working with TIM gave me an opportunity to find a purpose during the challenging time of Covid. When I first volunteered, we had an abundance of goods ready to be distributed to those in need, but little direction. I was able to focus the energy of the group by organizing my fellow volunteers into three categories: clothing sorting, bag creation based on size/age, and runners who delivered items to each family. These volunteers, some years older than me, responded positively to my leadership. As a team, we were able to successfully create customized bags of goods and accommodate all of our families in an efficient manner. We were one well-oiled machine, working in sync in order to serve those who were struggling to make ends meet in a difficult time. In my educational career to date, I have never received anything less than an A. I like to challenge myself and have learned time management and motivational skills that serve me well. Awards I’ve received include the Highest Honors Received Fall 2017/Spring 2018, Fall 2018/Spring 2019, Fall 2019/Spring 2020, and Fall 2020. I was also chosen as Valedictorian of my dual immersion Middle School. Academically, I have led by example. My fellow students also know that they can come to me for help. I also took on the position of TA for my Quest Program counselor in order to help my fellow students navigate the application process for their college of choice. I have spent many hours encouraging fellow students to reach for the stars, to take a leap of faith in themselves, and apply for their dream college. I have become a source of constructive feedback as we all have undertaken the writing of essays and completing applications. As I said, some leaders are born and others are developed. I believe that I have a natural ability to lead that is enhanced by my curiosity and desire to serve others. My smarts lie in my ability to figure things out and understand the complexity and philosophical underpinnings of things, and my motivation comes from my desire to succeed to be a beacon of hope for others who come from challenging backgrounds like mine.

I believe that leaders can be born and they also can be developed. I think for me, it is a little bit of both. I find that my self-motivation is my driver and often I can see the solution to a problem or challenge that allows others to follow my direction. During high school, I fed my curiosity by exploring the world around me and these explorations led to my desire to have an impact on issues I feel strongly about. I became an active member of the Black Student Union and helped educate my fellow students on the Black Lives Matter movement within the context of black history. I am also Director of Communications for Advocates for Equality, a feminist-based club. As an organization, we convinced Millikan High School's administration to install an all-gender bathroom so that everyone in our school is able to feel comfortable. We did this by creating a plan and a presentation that they received positively and were compelled to move forward on the project immediately. I have also taken advantage of opportunities off-campus to try to make a positive impact on the community of Long Beach. During the Pandemic, I joined an organization called Transitions in Motherhood. Working with TIM gave me an opportunity to find a purpose during the challenging time of Covid. When I first volunteered, we had an abundance of goods ready to be distributed to those in need, but little direction. I was able to focus the energy of the group by organizing my fellow volunteers into three categories: clothing sorting, bag creation based on size/age, and runners who delivered items to each family. These volunteers, some years older than me, responded positively to my leadership. As a team, we were able to successfully create customized bags of goods and accommodate all of our families in an efficient manner. We were one well-oiled machine, working in sync in order to serve those who were struggling to make ends meet in a difficult time. In my educational career to date, I have never received anything less than an A. I like to challenge myself and have learned time management and motivational skills that serve me well. Awards I’ve received include the Highest Honors Received Fall 2017/Spring 2018, Fall 2018/Spring 2019, Fall 2019/Spring 2020, and Fall 2020. I was also chosen as Valedictorian of my dual immersion Middle School. Academically, I have led by example. My fellow students also know that they can come to me for help. I also took on the position of TA for my Quest Program counselor in order to help my fellow students navigate the application process for their college of choice. I have spent many hours encouraging fellow students to reach for the stars, to take a leap of faith in themselves, and apply for their dream college. I have become a source of constructive feedback as we all have undertaken the writing of essays and completing applications. As I said, some leaders are born and others are developed. I believe that I have a natural ability to lead that is enhanced by my curiosity and desire to serve others. My smarts lie in my ability to figure things out and understand the complexity and philosophical underpinnings of things, and my motivation comes from my desire to succeed to be a beacon of hope for others who come from challenging backgrounds like mine.

My career goal is to work in the business world of fashion as a finance or marketing specialist. My personal goal is to continue to expand my perspective, gain an understanding of the world at large, and be in a position of strength emotionally, physically, and financially so I can be called upon to help and support others. I come from a mixed background; financially, ethnically, and culturally. My father is from Costa Rica and my mother is from Texas. This means I’ve been deeply connected to a multitude of diverse people and experiences. Watching my mom struggle as a single mom, do whatever it took to pay our rent and put food on the table, then achieve her master's degree was an inspiration to me and celebrates the idea that life is truly what you make of it and what you are willing to work for. The idea of having an interdisciplinary understanding of the world is something that excites me. My goal has been to be able to truly see the world beyond my own personal lens. I've longed for a deeper understanding of how the people around me live and adapt to different conditions. My background has allowed me to learn different perspectives from the getgo. Whether it be my dad's stories of struggle and persistence in Costa Rica or my mom's stories from places all over the United States. Both of their multifaceted experiences allowed me to tap into other people's perspectives. That being said, being bilingual has also really helped me see different people's perspectives. I grew up speaking Spanish to my Costa Rican father and am grateful to be bilingual. I am inspired by the women in my dad’s family, who all grew up in the depths of poverty, and have achieved success. My Aunt Sheron has a braiding salon in Oakland, CA. My Aunt Yancy has a string of successful salons in Costa Rica. My Aunt Epsy is the Vice President of Costa Rica and I was lucky enough to attend her inauguration. My cousin Imani is one of Costa Rica’s most celebrated singers. This side of my family has taught me so much about having a global perspective, taking on big challenges, believing in myself. This rich tapestry of many cultures, languages, and experiences has given me a sense of curiosity about people and their multicolored experiences and a desire to find positive connections through our common experiences. Throughout my life, I have also always sought enrichment through helping others. My career in business would allow me to focus on humanitarian-centered problems. I am interested in injustices experienced by minorities with a focus on the accessibility of healthy foods. I've always prided myself on my ability to listen and fully understand the complex problems that affect my community and other minority communities. In regards to the disparity in access to healthy foods, I see an intersection of poverty, education, and racial injustice. For the most part, healthy, unprocessed, organic food is only available to people who have the means to afford it. To begin to address this important issue while attending college, I will volunteer at local food banks, building connections and creating resources to support the surrounding communities so that access to healthy food options begins to be seen as a basic human right. I plan to take this awareness into my life as a business leader as well, always ensuring that I keep this issue as a priority and focus. Being solution-focused and having identified this key issue, my goal will be to help create a bridge to a solution.

I am great with people, an ace with math, and an avid baker. I am also extremely organized, self-motivated, and a go-getter. I love being in front of the camera, whether to model for a magazine or perform in a commercial. I am bi-racial so have a different look but at the same time represent the wave of the future. I'm not afraid to be who I am because I don't want to be anyone else. I am me and I am proud. I have enjoyed all the experiences I've had and look forward to the adventures ahead!

I savor the feeling of trying to wrap my head around different concepts. For instance, in Math, I love the sensation I get when the numbers no longer are just numbers on a page, but come to life and I can fully understand them. Something as simple as unlocking a problem brings me joy. I bring that same growth mentality to challenge myself to become educated on all kinds of subjects that puzzle me. Becoming the social media manager for Advocates for Equality gave me the opportunity to explore topics that interested me, then spread the knowledge I acquired to my fellow students. One example was when I wanted to learn about systemic racism. At first, it was really hard for me to wrap my head around this complex concept. I looked through countless articles from the New York Times to the White House in order to fully understand how race plays out in our society. I found out about disproportionate unemployment rates, surveillance discrepancies, and also inequalities in wealth and education. All this information was really hard to fully comprehend, but I was persistent. Once I felt I had a grasp on systemic racism, I genuinely felt proud of myself. Learning the topic in a fuller sense helped enlighten me to new ideas. I was able to feel proud of the research I had done and the effort I had made to comprehend it. This frame of mind means that I find joy in challenging myself, which as a student and a future entrepreneur, I believe is a huge positive. I have learned not to run away from struggle but to run towards it for a greater reward. That reward is found in the new knowledge that I acquire and also in the self-satisfaction of working through the challenge.

Every element present in our lives has a hidden meaning that goes completely unnoticed without a personal connection. Randomly encountering a ladybug in metaphorical terms is a sign of good fortune and good luck, however, that definition undermines the true emotions that are stirred within me every time I see a ladybug. The small life of a six-legged insect brought about a strong sense of joy in me and also served as a constant reminder that my uncle, Matt Rutter, was still a part of my life, just in a different form. My uncle was truly my best friend. For that reason, losing him at the early age of 9 brought about unimaginable pain. At this time, the innocence of my child self completely dissipated, and I transformed into a girl with depth and maturity beyond her years. This developed from the loss of my confidant, Matt, and also the loss of my loved ones to mourning. It was like all of my family was suddenly placed under a dark cloud and I began to place this great pressure on myself to ensure that everyone around me was okay. Looking back on this major event in my life is very painful; however, I do find myself seeing the positives it brought into my everyday existence. Having gone through the trauma of losing Matt meant that I was able to pop my narcissistic child bubble. In doing so, I was able to really tap into other people's emotions and perspectives in a meaningful way. Having this deep understanding of people meant that I was able to empathize with all different kinds of people in a way that made me eager to help others. This eagerness manifested itself in my High School self through two primary outlets. Those outlets consisted of Black Student Union, and Advocates of Equality. In Black Student Union, I felt as though I was able to understand the pain that engulfed the African American community, and having myself experienced discrimination, made me intent on helping through the club. Whether it be protests or social media posts, I was set on making the biggest possible impact. In Advocates for Equality, I was able to explore the lives of different people who faced inequalities, by mode of research. As Social Media Manager, I explored topics such as everyday sexism and transgender/gender fluid discrimination, etc. Through this position, I was able to spread information to fellow students as well as convince the administration of the necessity of a Unisex bathroom, which was installed this year. Having lost a huge part of my support system at such a young age also meant that I was forced to create my own personal values. These values consisted of independence, self-motivation, and a strong determination to accomplish something meaningful with my life. This mindset meant that I never allowed myself to get anything less than an A in any academic period or final grade. Matt gave me the inspiration to succeed and also every day made me strive to live my life to the absolute fullest. Even though some might say I was dealt bad cards in life, I do truly believe that my cards serve a purpose, a purpose that is fulfilled when I wake up happy to be alive every day. The feeling of longing for death is one that I’ve never dealt with, but for my uncle must have been an everyday thought. His individual decision of taking his own life resulted in the defining of my entire existence and has manifested itself into the person I am today.

So far, my life has been filled with many challenges and has been far from perfect. I can say this though, what affected me the most was the family I was born into. They have guided me through sorrow, sadness, joy, strength, and hope. They have also come with their own pain and trauma. Having lost my Uncle to suicide at a young age, I learned early how to navigate and process deep loss and appreciate the love that I have in my life. Without the love and support my family gives me, I wouldn’t be standing here today. I’m so happy that my mom and dad are my parents. They might not be together today but I still love them and feel supported by them just the same. I also come from a mixed background; financially, ethnically, and culturally. My father is from Costa Rica and my mother is from Texas. This means I’ve been deeply connected to a multitude of diverse people and experiences. My goal is to work in the business world of fashion as a finance specialist. My personal goal is to continue to expand my perspective, gain an understanding of the world at large, and be in a position of strength emotionally, physically, and financially so I can be called upon to help and support others. Having dealt with my parent's divorce, the loss of my half-brother Byron, and my uncle Matt to violence, these experiences have left me with a deepened compassion for the trials and tribulations of life for so many. My smarts lie in my ability to figure things out, my desire to understand the complexity and philosophical underpinnings of things. My motivation is to succeed to become a beacon of hope for others who come from challenging backgrounds like mine.

My career goal is to work in the business world of fashion as a finance or marketing specialist. My personal goal is to continue to expand my perspective, gain an understanding of the world at large, and be in a position of strength emotionally, physically, and financially so I can be called upon to help and support others. I come from a mixed background; financially, ethnically, and culturally. My father is from Costa Rica and my mother is from Texas. This means I’ve been deeply connected to a multitude of diverse people and experiences. Watching my mom struggle as a single mom, do whatever it took to pay our rent and put food on the table, then achieve her master's degree was an inspiration to me and celebrates the idea that life is truly what you make of it and what you are willing to work for. I grew up speaking Spanish to my Costa Rican father and am grateful to be bilingual. I am inspired by the women in my dad’s family, who all grew up in the depths of poverty, and have achieved greatness in many different fields. My Aunt Sheron has her own successful braiding salon in Oakland, CA. My Aunt Yancy has a string of successful salons in Costa Rica. My Aunt Epsy is the Vice President of Costa Rica and I was lucky enough to attend her inauguration. My cousin Imani is one of Costa Rica’s most celebrated singers. This side of my family has taught me so much about having a global perspective, taking on big challenges, believing in myself. This rich tapestry of many cultures, languages, and experiences has given me a sense of curiosity about people and their multicolored experiences and a desire to find positive connections through our common experiences.

Giving is important to me because it creates circular energy.. simply put, it nourishes me to help others. During the Pandemic, I joined an organization called Transitions in Motherhood. Working with TIM gave me an opportunity to find purpose during this challenging time. When I first volunteered, we had an abundance of donated clothing and other items ready to be distributed to those in need, but little direction on how to accomplish this task. I was able to focus the energy of the group by organizing my fellow volunteers into three categories: clothing sorting, bag creation based on size/age, and runners who delivered items to each family. These volunteers, some years older than me, responded positively to my leadership. As a team, we were able to successfully create customized bags of goods and accommodate 25 families by the end of the day. We were an efficient team, working in sync in order to meet the needs of families within our community. So far, my own life has been filled with many challenges and has been far from perfect. My family has guided me through sorrow, sadness, joy, strength, and hope. They have also come with their own pain and trauma. Having lost my Uncle to suicide at a young age, I learned early how to navigate and process deep loss and appreciate the love that I have in my life. Without the love and support my family gives me, I wouldn’t be standing here today. This experience also gifted me with profound compassion for others. My strength is my ability to figure things out and understand the complexity and philosophical underpinnings of things. My motivation comes from my desire to succeed to be a beacon of hope and support for others who come from challenging backgrounds like mine.

During high school, I fed my curiosity by exploring the world around me. I became an active member of the Black Student Union and helped educate my fellow students on the Black Lives Matter movement within the context of black history. I am also Director of Communications for Advocates for Equality a feminist-based club that convinced Millikan High School to install an all-gender bathroom so that everyone in our school is able to feel comfortable. I have also taken advantage of opportunities off-campus to try to make a positive impact on the community of Long Beach. I started volunteering with Transitions In Motherhood in November of 2020 and I am now a team leader. TIM serves as an outlet for families in need to come for aid during the pandemic and beyond. In my educational career to date, I have never received anything less than an A. I like to challenge myself and have received the Highest Honors each semester because of it. I was also chosen as Valedictorian of my dual immersion Middle School. My goal moving forward is to work in the business world of fashion as a finance specialist. My personal goal is to continue to expand my perspective, gain an understanding of the world at large, and be in a position of strength emotionally, physically, and financially so I can be called upon to help and support others. I've dealt with a lot of loss and these experiences have left me with a deepened compassion for the trials and tribulations of life for so many. My smarts lie in my ability to figure things out, my desire to understand the complexity and philosophical underpinnings of things, and my motivation to succeed to be a beacon of hope for others who come from challenging backgrounds like mine.

Giving is important to me because it creates circular energy.. simply put, it nourishes me to help others. During the Pandemic, I joined an organization called Transitions in Motherhood. Working with TIM gave me an opportunity to find purpose during this challenging time. When I first volunteered, we had an abundance of donated clothing and other items ready to be distributed to those in need, but little direction on how to accomplish this task. I was able to focus the energy of the group by organizing my fellow volunteers into three categories: clothing sorting, bag creation based on size/age, and runners who delivered items to each family. These volunteers, some years older than me, responded positively to my leadership. As a team, we were able to successfully create customized bags of goods and accommodate 25 families by the end of the day. We were an efficient team, working in sync in order to meet the needs of families within our community. So far, my own life has been filled with many challenges and has been far from perfect. My family has guided me through sorrow, sadness, joy, strength, and hope. They have also come with their own pain and trauma. Having lost my Uncle to suicide at a young age, I learned early how to navigate and process deep loss and appreciate the love that I have in my life. Without the love and support my family gives me, I wouldn’t be standing here today. This experience also gifted me with profound compassion for others. My strength is my ability to figure things out and understand the complexity and philosophical underpinnings of things. My motivation comes from my desire to succeed to be a beacon of hope and support for others who come from challenging backgrounds like mine.

My life has been filled with many challenges and has been far from perfect. I can say this though, what has helped me be confident is the family I was born into. They have guided me through sorrow, sadness, joy, strength, and hope. Having lost my Uncle to suicide at a young age, I learned early how to navigate and process deep loss and appreciate the love that I have in my life. Without it, I wouldn’t be standing here today. Though my parents may not be together today, I still love them and feel fully supported by them. This gives me confidence. Also, my father comes from a large family in Costa Rica and I am so inspired by the women from this side of my family. They all grew up in the depths of poverty, but have been successful. My Aunt Sheron, who lives in Oakland, has her own successful braiding salon. My Aunt Yancy, who lives outside of San Jose, Costa Rica, has a string of salons and is well known throughout the country. My Aunt Epsy is currently serving as Vice President of Costa Rica and I was lucky enough to attend her inauguration. My cousin Imani sang at her inauguration and is one of Costa Rica’s most celebrated singers. This side of my family has taught me so much about having a global perspective, taking on big challenges, and believing in myself. I also find confidence in my ability to figure things out, my desire to understand the complexity and philosophical underpinnings of things, and my motivation to succeed to be a beacon of hope for others who come from challenging backgrounds like mine. Confidence is the belief I have in myself as well as others to achieve and provide support for each other.

In my life, I’ve been deeply connected to a multitude of diverse people and experiences. My mom returned to school to achieve her bachelor's, then a master's from USC at the tender age of 55. Watching her struggle as a single mom, do whatever it took to pay our rent, then achieve her master's degree was an inspiration to me. My father comes from a large poor family in Costa Rica. The women in his family have inspired me by their successes... My Aunt Epsy is currently serving as Vice President of Costa Rica and my cousin Imani (a celebrated Costa Rican singer) sang at her inauguration. This side of my family has taught me to have a global perspective, take on big challenges, and believe in myself. During high school, I became an active member of the Black Student Union. participated in club meetings, rallies, and helped educate my fellow students on the black lives matter movement and the context of black history. I am also an engaged member of Advocates for Equality a feminist-based club created to stop the stigma surrounding inequalities and other feminist rooted topics in order to bring people together and begin to truly hear each other. This year as a club we have spread awareness on many global topics and have also convinced Millikan High School to install an all-gender bathroom so that everyone in our school is able to feel comfortable. I am currently the Social media director of communications, in charge of using our Instagram in order to shine light and inspire my fellow classmates to engage in global events and especially highlighting the accomplishments of women and other minorities. I used our social media platform to spread positivity while at the same time enlightening my fellow students on real-world events and issues. I am also the Social media director of Advocates for Humanity, a feminist-based social justice group. Additionally, I am a team leader for Transitions to Motherhood providing food and clothes to families in need within our community. I have never received anything less than an A and have received the highest honors each semester. I like to challenge myself and have learned time management and motivational skills that have served me well. I also participated in Millikan’s Golf and Volleyball teams and I completed Spanish AP courses by the end of 10th Grade and am fluent in Spanish. My personal goal is to continue to expand my perspective, gain an understanding of the world at large, and be in a position of strength emotionally, physically, and financially so I can be called upon to help and support others.

So far, my life has been filled with many challenges and has been far from perfect. I can say this though, what affected me the most was the family I was born into. They have guided me through sorrow, sadness, joy, strength, and hope. They have also come with their own pain and trauma. Having lost my Uncle to suicide at a young age, I learned early how to navigate and process deep loss and appreciate the love that I have in my life. Without the love and support my family gives me, I wouldn’t be standing here today. I’m so happy that my mom and dad are my parents. They might not be together today but I still love them and feel supported by them just the same. My mother has been in the film industry since I was a baby. She has included me in cameo roles in many of her documentary and narrative films. This exposure early on gave me a sense of appreciation for creative expression. My mom was inspired by her experiences navigating the education system with me and my step brother, who is on the autism spectrum, and decided to go back to school to achieve her masters in the Art of Teaching from USC at the tender age of 55. Watching her struggle as a single mom, do whatever it took to pay our rent and put food on the table, then achieve her masters degree was an inspiration to me and celebrates the idea that life is truly what you make of it and what you are willing to work for. Also, I am inspired by the women in my dad’s family. The women, who all grew up in the depths of poverty, have achieved greatness and been successful in so many different fields. My Aunt Sheron, who lives in Oakland, has her own successful braiding salon. My Aunt Yancy, who lives outside of San Jose, Costa Rica, has a string of salons and is an established entrepreneur well known throughout the country. My Aunt Epsy is currently serving as Vice President of Costa Rica and I was lucky enough to attend her inauguration. My cousin Imani sang at her inauguration and is one of Costa Rica’s most celebrated singers. This side of my family has taught me so much about having a global perspective, taking on big challenges, and believing in myself. This rich tapestry of many cultures, languages, and experiences has given me a sense of curiosity about people and their multicolored experiences. My goal is to work in the business world of fashion as a finance or marketing specialist. My personal goal is to continue to expand my perspective, gain understanding of the world at large, and be in a position of strength emotionally, physically, and financially so I can be called upon to help and support others. Having dealt with my parents’ divorce, the loss of my half brother Byron, and my uncle Matt to violence, these experiences have left me with a deepened compassion for the trials and tribulations of life for so many. My smarts lie in my ability to figure things out, my desire to understand the complexity and philosophical underpinnings of things, and my motivation to succeed to be a beacon of hope for others who come from challenging backgrounds like mine.