I love music and it plays a big role in my life. I use to music to help me stay focus on things I’m doing. For instance while doing some homework or studying. I like to listen to music whenever I’m cleaning or cooking. I like listening to music when I’m happy. And mostly whenever I’m stressed or worried about anything, I love listening to music to calm down and release the stress. I love listening to different genres, cultures, and languages of music. I don’t have one song that’s special to me. All of the songs I listen all have different connections with my life. Some of the songs I listen to are just for fun and some have very meaning to me.

My name is Milena Welu. I was born and raised in Ethiopia until the age of 10. My parents never went to college or finished high school but they didn’t want that life for my siblings and I. So they left their families to give us a better life and education. When we first got here in 2013, we didn't speak any English so life in America wasn't easy. We didn't know anyone to take anywhere so we walked to get our groceries and to the laundromat. If we had to go somewhere far then we would take the TARC even if it was very cold outside. When my siblings and I understood and spoke English, we took turns being absent from school to translate for my parents. When I started going to school, I saw a lot of kids making fun and judging each other because of their race and/or what they look like. I use to see and hear immigrant kids having a hard time making friends at school because the kids were always making fun of their accents and how they don’t know English. I was grateful enough to go to a wonderful elementary school. The teachers and most students took my sisters and I with happiness and made it a little easier to adjust to the new lifestyle. In 5th grade though, there was one kid that always picked on me for some reason and I tried to not let him bother me especially because I didn’t want to get into trouble, until one day he made me cry out of anger. Then years after he apologized and we became friends. I'm very grateful to the parents that I have and hopefully someday I can do something for them to show that I thank them very much. And I want to show them that the sacrifices they made for us were worth it by completing my education and becoming a pharmacist. And winning this scholarship would help me achieve my goal by helping me pay for some of my school expenses

A woman I admire is my mother. She has always taught me to be true to myself. She taught to not doing something that doesn’t feel right to me, just because someone else is doing or tells me to do it. My mother sacrificed her lifestyle to give me a better childhood, better education, and a better life. I have grown to love myself and the woman I’m becoming because of my mother. She taught that you shouldn’t care about what other people think about you. The thing that matters is how you see and feel about yourself. Everything she taught will always be with me and I’ll always remember it. When I have children of my own, I’ll teach them what she taught me growing up. And when I become a pharmacist and start working with other people, I’ll remember not to take anyone’s negative behavior towards me into my heart and just ignore them. And also she always taught to treat everyone the way you want to be treated. Not only in work facilities but life in general, that message is very important and something that we should all follow in our daily lives.

My name is Milena Welu. I was born and raised in Ethiopia until the age of 10. My parents never went to college or finished high school but they didn’t want that life for my siblings and I. So they left their families back home to give us a better life and education in America. When we first got here in 2013, we didn't speak any English so life in America wasn't easy. We didn't know anyone to take anywhere so we walked to get our groceries and to the laundromat. If we had to go somewhere far then we would take the TARC even if it was very cold outside. When my siblings and I understood and spoke English, we took turns being absent from school to translate for my parents. And I want to show them that the sacrifices they made for us were worth it by completing my education and becoming a pharmacist. Life in America kind of hard especially as a Black person because a lot of people look at us as if we are all bad and gang member. I want to proof to all those people who look at me a certain way that I can succeed anything I put my mind to. I hope to get into one of my top school I applied and major in pharmacy. And winning this scholarship would help me achieve my goal by helping me pay for some of my school expenses.

My name is Milena Welu. I was born and raised in Ethiopia until the age of 10. My parents never went to college or finished high school but they didn’t want that life for my siblings and I. So they left their families to give us a better life and education. When we first got here in 2013, we didn't speak any English so life in america wasn't easy. We didn't know anyone to take anywhere so we walked to get our groceries and to the laundromat. If we had to go somewhere far then we would take the TARC even if it was very cold outside. When my siblings and I understood and spoke English, we took turns being absent from school to translate for my parents. I'm very grateful to the parents that I have and hopefully someday I can do something for them to show that I thank them very much. And I want to show them that the sacrifices they made for us were worth it by completing my education and becoming a pharmacist. And winning this scholarship would help me achieve my goal by helping me pay for some of my school expenses.

My name is Milena Welu. I was born and raised in Ethiopia until the age of 10. My parents never went to college or finished high school but they didn’t want that life for my siblings and I. So they left their families back home to give us a better life and education in America. And I want to show them that the sacrifices they made for us were worth it by completing my education and becoming a pharmacist. Life in America kind of hard especially as a Black person because a lot of people look at us as if we are all bad and gang member. I want to proof to all those people who look at me a certain way that I can succeed anything I put my mind to. I hope to get into one of my top school I applied and major in pharmacy.

My name is Milena Welu. I was born and raised in Ethiopia until the age of 10. My parents never went to college or finished high school but they didn’t want that life for my siblings and I. So they left their families to give us a better life and education. When we first got here in 2013, we didn't speak any English so life in america wasn't easy. We didn't know anyone to take anywhere so we walked to get our groceries and to the laundromat. If we had to go somewhere far then we would take the TARC even if it was very cold outside. When my siblings and I understood and spoke English, we took turns being absent from school to translate for my parents. I'm very grateful to the parents that I have and hopefully someday I can do something for them to show that I thank them very much. And I want to show them that the sacrifices they made for us were worth it by completing my education and becoming a pharmacist. And winning this scholarship would help me achieve my goal by helping me pay for some of my school expenses.