This summer, I had the opportunity to travel to El Salvador. I know what you're thinking: how selfish of her to travel during a pandemic. The reality is that I went because my grandmother died, and I'm grateful I did. I was vaccinated and took all of the needed precautions. I was able to see and experience the country where my parents were raised firsthand. It was a life-changing experience that showed me the beauty of poverty. You're probably wondering how poverty can be beautiful.  The beautifully painted cement walls and tiny modest houses are so full of love and culture that they are breathtaking. The sense of community provided by random strangers waving and greeting you as you walk to get a 25 cent churro is incredible. As El Salvador illustrated to me, money isn't anything. I fell in love with the sense of belonging and the warm conversations I had while swinging in a hammock next to a herd of chickens. I fell in love with the sweet, beautiful life that came with a comfortable, humble lifestyle. I'm proud to be a Latina whose parents were born and raised in El Salvador, the smallest and most beautiful country in Central America. However, As my affection for the country increased, I became more stressed. This was since I was balancing my first year at a new university while still spending time with family and meeting new people. I was placed in a position where I had to stay up until nearly 2 a.m. every day to handle school with the 2-hour time difference. Which was extremely difficult for me and, honestly, overwhelmed me given my lack of motivation. However, it forced me to acknowledge both my priorities and what I desired to do. I wanted to exert my effort and be considerate and appreciative of the opportunities that were presented to me. As a Latina, I am already an outcast and have a stereotypical story written for me: teen pregnancy, high school dropout, and all the other negative stereotypes associated with my people. It's infuriating and discouraging. Which motivates me to work harder and overcome the stigma, my actions will speak louder than words. Together with myself, my generation will be the new representatives of the latinos with our heads held high. I am a first-generation descendant of an immigrant family, and like everyone else living here, I and my people have every right to fight and work for the opportunities that have been given to us. The world has made me even more hungry for the lifestyle I want for my family. I want to give the greatest blessing to my parents and encourage them to spend their days in their homeland worry-free. I want to be able to relieve their minds without having to think about my student loans because I plan to make a name for myself and thank them and my friends for all of their love and neverending help. I wanted to show the younger generation that a beautiful tanned Latina can achieve success. I want to kill the stigma. Thank you, El Salvador, for showing me the beauty of your country in the smallest of ways and inspiring me to support myself, my family, our people, and the next generation of beautiful successful Latinos. Because together as one we can prove we deserve to be here just as much as anyone else. Que Viva La Raza.

As cliche and ordinary as it might sound but God is my everything. At times when you feel so hopeless and vulnerable and don't want to feel dependent on another person, there is always someone who never fails to leave your side regardless of how alone you might feel. My faith in God has always been growing from the small sketches to the original ceramic pieces I've made. However, being in a pandemic where chaos seems to be illustrated in everything you see it's hard to be faithful and optimistic. Despite the struggles, I know that God has allowed me to overcome the obstacles and grief I've had to experience during this pandemic. Without God, I would simply not be able to find the energy to wake up every morning. However, with God, I can see the light at the end of this pandemic with the help of the people he has put in my life, from my supportive family to my loving long-lasting friendships. Besides at the end of the day, it doesn't matter how much friends or family you have but the quantity of them and how much they treasure you. Life is short, God and this pandemic have both shown me that simple fact. However the passion and people in your life is what makes this short life worth living, I hope to one day become an immigration lawyer and pursue my dream to help those with bigger dreams than mine. I hope to be an example for those young Latinas having to undergo stereotypes daily and live regularly with doubts due to the norms around us. I will be one to end the stigma with God by my side. I will give back and more to my family who deserves nothing but the best. I will be a leading example for future generations because after all, you can do anything with God by your side.

The role of education in my life is a way out. Hope that one day my parent can stop working because I am finally finically stable to give them all they deserve and more. Education is a way to stop the stigma that as a Hispanic Latina I will be a pregnant drop out by the age of 19. Education is a way for me to be independent alone and not dependent on another man for an income or stable life. It a way to give back to not only my family but to myself. To allow all these years I am and will be working so hard to be worth something. Education is a way I can prove myself and allow for self-growth, It a way to make connections and become a role model for those who believe it is impossible for someone who has the same skin tone as them to make something so big out themself.