From all the challenges I've faced in my life, being a teen mom has been one of the most significant things I've done. I was blessed to be able to have the opportunity to tune into my life and make it a success story for my daughter and me. My name is Nadia Barrera, I attend Georgia Chaffee TAPP. I have a 3.5 GPA and strive for excellence. I plan on attending esthetician school in July of 2025 at Paul Mitchell. So while these are my goals for my future, there are several challenges that I had to overcome to get to this point today. From a young age I've had to take on responsibilities that shaped me into the person I am today. Growing up under the hands of my nana was definitely not the ideal life but I had no choice. My parents separated when I was young. My mother struggled with schizophrenia and bi-polar; she was present physically in my life but not mentally. Due to her mental illnesses she struggled with raising her three daughters and even herself. Slowly we realized our mom was not capable of playing her role, and my father was an immigrant who worked sun up to sun set. He prioritized money and had no realization of our feelings. My nana stepped up, but the void of wanting my mother was always there. My feelings of emptiness and confusion as a teenager didn't last long; when I found out I was pregnant with my daughter at the age of 15, everything changed. I was overwhelmed with emotions, but I soon found that my pregnancy gave me a new purpose in life. I hid my pregnancy from the world and my parents until I was 4 months. I was still working my job and attending school at Westport, continuing my education because I knew it wasn't the end for me and my child. I eventually had my daughter on Dec 9th of 2022. The transition into motherhood was definitely a disorienting feeling but also very fulfilling. As time went on i grew into my role as a mother and a young woman. Motherhood has shaped my identity in profoundly positive ways. It has motivated me to succeed in ways I never thought possible. One way I've succeeded is by becoming an entrepreneur. I stepped out of my comfort zone and invested into a lash extension course in October 2023 with the SpaBiz Academy. I was determined to craft this skill and build a strong clientele as well as an impactful lash business. I am going on almost two years in this industry and I've had time to grow and learn new techniques, meet new people, and establish a reliable clientele. As I continue my journey as a future esthetician I plan on impacting my community by helping people know the importance of self care and valuing taking care of your inner and outer self. I would love to partner with my school Paul Mitchell in the future to set up a pop up event and connect with other beauty professionals. I am looking forward to beginning my future and being a positive role model for my child. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to further my journey.

Committed To My Future From all the challenges I've faced in my life, being a teen mom has been one of the most significant things I've done. I was blessed to be able to have the opportunity to tune into my life and make it a success story for my daughter and me. My name is Nadia Barrera, I attend Georgia Chaffee TAPP. I have a 3.5 GPA and strive for excellence. I plan on attending esthetcian school in July of 2025 at Paul Mitchell. So while these are my goals for my future, there are several challenges that I had to overcome to get to this point today. From a young age I've had to take on responsibilities that shaped me into the person I am today. Growing up under the hands of my Nana was definitely not the ideal life but I had no choice. My parents separated when I was young. My mother struggled with schizophrenia and bi-polar; she was present physically in my life but not mentally. Due to her mental illnesses she struggled with raising her three daughters and even herself. Slowly we realized our mom was not capable of playing her role, and my father was an immigrant who worked sun up to sun set. He prioritized money and had no realization of our feelings. My Nana stepped up, but the void of wanting my mother was always there. My feelings of emptiness and confusion as a teenager didn't last long; when I found out I was pregnant with my daughter at the age of 15, everything changed. I was overwhelmed with emotions, but I soon found that my pregnancy gave me a new purpose in life. I hid my pregnancy from the world and my parents until I was 4 months. I was still working at my job and attending school at Westport Middle School, continuing my education because I knew it wasn't the end for me and my child. I eventually had my daughter on Dec 9th of 2022. The transition into motherhood was definitely a disorienting feeling but also very fulfilling. As time went on i grew into my role as a mother and a young woman. Motherhood has shaped my identity in profoundly positive ways. It has motivated me to succeed in ways I never thought possible. One way I've succeeded is by becoming an entrepreneur. I stepped out of my comfort zone and invested into a lash extension course in October 2023 with the Spa Biz Academy. I was determined to craft this skill and build a strong clientele as well as an impactful lash business. I am going on almost two years in this industry and I've had time to grow and learn new techniques, meet new people, and establish a reliable clientele. As I continue my journey as a future esthetician I plan on impacting my community by helping people know the importance of self care and valuing taking care of your inner and outer self. I would love to partner with my school Paul Mitchell in the future to set up a pop up event and connect with other beauty professionals. I am looking forward to beginning my future and being a positive role model for my child. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to further my journey.