During the early phases of my childhood, it was just my mom and I. Being a single Mom, she had to rely on others for help. Although I missed my mom when she could not pick me up from school or when she was working late, I have come to the realization that it was precisely those circumstances that made me value community. My childhood was filled with an immense amount of love from my chosen family, I learned so much from them. The village that raised me inspires me every day which has led me to seek opportunities in which I can inspire others. This is when my light shines the brightest, when I am being of service to others. At school I am a part of student government, I am a teacher’s assistant, and participate in several clubs. In these roles I have been able to do many things; mentor new students, organize fundraisers, and be a voice for students that are not as vocal as I am. But I would like to highlight my role as a Culture Builder at Ryse Youth Center because it enriched my high school career. Ryse is a youth center in Richmond where much of the community is low income and of Black and Latino decent. Their mission is to create a safe space for youth grounded in social justice and self-awareness. I attended and hosted workshops on financial literacy, non-violent communication strategy, and college bound resources. My time at Ryse put me on a path of self-discovery and helped fulfill my desire to help others. Challenges that come with being an adolescent in modern society have increased with the technological exposures we are faced with. Young women are plagued with images of how we are supposed to look, act, and feel and I was being impacted by that. There are times that I feel very insecure, and comparison is a constant beat in my mind and there are times that I feel great, and images and opinions of other are not as impactful. The tools that help me work through my low times are meditating, journaling, and open and honest conversations with family and friends. I realized that if these tools helped me, I could share that knowledge with others. I asked for permission to create and host a workshop centered on self-love and acceptance. These workshops would consist of poetry slams, group journaling, and writing letters to our future selves. What impacted me most from these workshops was witnessing both young women and men opening up about their own insecurities and witnessing words of compassion and understanding for one another. Creating the self-love and acceptance workshop at Ryse will be something I am most proud of during my high school years. In the fall at UC Berkeley, I plan to continue advocating for young people. I have already attended an orientation at the Center for education justice and community engagement and I am so excited to be a part of their initiatives. My acceptance to UC Berkeley, as an Architecture major is a dream come true. My goal is to have my own architectural firm that includes real estate and interior design. I want to build homes, sell homes, and decorate them. A branch of NRH Homes will be a non-profit organization that provides financial literacy classes to youth and focuses on financial health and home ownership. I am so excited to see future Nayila achieve her dreams. Thank you for your time and consideration. This scholarship will help me immensely.

From an early age I felt centered when I was sketching, painting, sewing, or building furniture for my dolls so when I shared with my family that I wanted to pursue a career in architecture it was not a surprise. Elementary school was challenging for me because my imagination was always dreaming and sitting still was impossible. At home, tapping into my artistic side helped regulate my energy and I realized I could do that at school too. My parents requested that I undergo an IEP evaluation. The Individual Education Plan identified that I did require learning accommodations; these accommodations have followed me through high school. A few accommodations I am permitted are additional testing time, breaks to draw or paint, and handwrite assignments. Being accepted to the College of Environmental Design at the University of California, Berkeley, as an Architecture major is a dream come true. Growing up just 15 minutes away from Berkeley it was the backdrop of my childhood; I attended sporting events, concerts on campus, toured the campus for fieldtrips so many times and never did I imagine myself there. For me Cal, how we refer to it in the Bay Area, was a place for a different type of person. A perfect student with the perfect pedigree. With this said you can imagine my shock when I received my letter of acceptance, I could not believe it. I am going to Cal! Receiving my degree from Cal not only will benefit me academically but will open doors of opportunity. I plan to seize this opportunity not for my own benefit but to also inspire others. My dream is to have my own architectural firm that includes real estate and interior design. I want to build homes, sell homes, and decorate them. A branch of NRH Homes will be a non-profit organization that provides financial literacy classes to youth that focuses on financial health and home ownership. I do not want to ever forget what centers me, creativity, so I plan to create children's furniture and toys that children can built themselves. I am so excited to see future Nayila achieve her dreams. This scholarship will help me do just that. Thank you for your time and consideration.

If I could have everyone in the world read just one book it would be, The Four Agreements, written by Miguel Ruiz. This book was inspired by the ancient Toltec people of current day Mexico. In the book Don Miguel Ruiz shares a set of beliefs the Toltecs lived by, that he believes will bring freedom, happiness, and love to one's life. My mom introduced this book to me in junior high when I was experiencing extreme lows emotionally and mentally. She told me it had changed her whole perspective on life when she was young. When I began reading the book I instantly felt a connection to her, its teachings, and my ancestors. Don Miguel Ruiz shares that the Toltec civilization believed that the central point of a person's life is determined by agreements they have made with themselves, others, God, and society as a whole. Through these agreements one can determine how they see themselves, what is possible for them, how they should behave. Most importantly, living by this set of beliefs will define how we determine our worth as a person. The four agreements: "Be impeccable with your word", "Do not take anything personally", "Do not make assumptions", and "Always do your best". The book includes the historical context for each and dives into Toltec teachings which is fascinating, especially, for a person who loves Meso-American history like me. But it was the simplicity in each agreement that stayed imprinted in my mind and my heart. Don Miguel Ruiz does an impeccable job of diving deep into each agreement providing clear explanations of how to live by that agreement and how it looks and feel when we are not. "Be impeccable with your word:" always speak with integrity, do not gossip, say only what you truly mean, and use the power of your words to promote love and understanding. "Do not take anything personally:" nothing others do or say is a reflection of you it is actually a projection of their own reality. "Do not make assumptions:" find the courage to ask questions and communicate clearly with honesty to avoid misunderstandings. "Always do your best:" your best does change but when you give it your all you avoid self-judgement and regret. These agreements have been my spiritual and emotional guide and have truly changed how I see myself and other in this world.

1. My name is Nayila, and I live in Richmond CA. I am the daughter of a first-generation Mexican American superwoman who was a single mom to me during my most formative years. Her fire and grit are contagious and inspires me to persevere. My dad met my mom when I was 4 years old, and he is the only father I've ever known. I've inherited his humor and style. I was accepted to UC Berkeley to the college of environmental design as an architecture major. What motivates me is being of service to the community. During my high school years, I served as a Culture Builder at Ryse Youth Center. My time at Ryse put me on a path of self-discovery and helped fulfill my desire to help others. I asked for permission to create and host a workshop centered on self-love and acceptance. These workshops would consist of poetry slams, group journaling, and writing letters to our future selves. What impacted me most from these workshops was witnessing both young women and men opening up about their own insecurities and witnessing words of compassion and understanding for one another. Creating the self-love and acceptance workshop at Ryse will be something I am most proud of during my high school years. My dream is to have my own architectural firm. I would love to architecturally and interior design homes and built them. "NRH Homes" will include a non-profit branch that educates youth on financial health and home ownership. 2. STEM is exciting because its possibilities are endless. STEM has created everything we depend on, literally, and its impact is immeasurable. I know that Architecture is a new player to the STEM game and something I am very excited about. Architecture is very technical and mathematical. An architect has to creatively solve complex problems and critical thinking skills have to be optimal. Its roots are in the creation of a physical environment: buildings, homes, landscapes; but architecture is so much more. It creates cultures that impact generations in countless ways. Architecture keeps our history relevant. It reminds us that we are interconnected. My impact to the world through architecture is to inspire young people of color explore careers in environmental design. When I share that architecture is my major the first response is, "that is so hard"! It is a field that Black and Latino youth are intimated by. I wonder why this is the case when our ancestors were the greatest visionaries, Egyptian pyramids and Meso-American architecture is our bloodlines. The origin on zero in mathematics can be traced back to Mayans. I hope that in the future we will see more diversity in STEM centered careers, and I hope that I can make an impact in through my career path and youth advocacy. I would love to find a way to send low-income youth on excursion trips to Mexico, Peru, and Egypt to see the wonders of the world so they can see how architecture has shaped society. 3. Elementary school was challenging for me because my imagination was always dreaming and sitting still was impossible. My fourth-grade teacher did not know how to manage me, in an episode of frustration she told my mom that I was incapable of having empathy and compassion for her and my classmates. My mom was confused because these words had never been used when describing my character. On the contrary, being kind and thoughtful were attributes often used to describe me. What I remember most about this situation was my mom’s fearlessness when defending me. She was a strict mom, and there were consequences at home when I got into trouble for being off task at school. But she knew me, and she was not going to allow anyone to place judgement on me. Multiple meetings were held, and my mom shared with the teacher and principal the type of person I was at home. She shared how tapping into my artistic side helped me regulate my energy. I felt centered when I was sketching, painting, sewing, or building furniture for my dolls. My mom requested that I undergo an IEP evaluation. The Individual Education Plan identified that I did require learning accommodations; these accommodations have followed me through high school. Witnessing my mom advocate for the support I needed instead of allowing teachers to judge me or label me has served as a catalyst to my own journey of self-advocacy. This journey of self-advocacy that my mom paved for me has helped me in achieving above average grades, gain confidence to join student government, and it has given me the space to embrace who I am. If it were not for my mom’s unconditional love and dedication, I do not think I would have garnered an acceptance to the College of Environmental Design at the University of California, Berkeley, as an Architectural major. I am forever grateful for my mom, and I owe all my success to her. Thank you.

Three weeks after my birth, my mom left my biological father because of domestic violence. I always found it interesting and confusing that my mother rarely spoke negatively about my him; she made it a point to speak on the mistakes she made and how she could have managed the situation better. My mom has raised me to own every part of who I am; the good and the bad. She says the only way one can live an authentic life is to own who you are, love who you are, and be kind to yourself, during your best times and especially during the tough times. She has shown me that every decision I make has a consequence and sometimes those consequences lead to unfortunate circumstances, but it is how I maneuver through those circumstances that matters most. At an early age, I knew that harnessing my creative side helped me immensely. I felt centered when I was sketching, painting, sewing, or building furniture for my dolls. When I started elementary school sitting still was the most challenging task for me because my imagination was always dreaming and not using my hands for creation was torture. I was often reprimanded by my teachers, some teachers were successful at harnessing my energy, most not so much. My fourth-grade teacher, in an episode of frustration, called my mom and told her that I was “incapable to having compassion for her and my classmates.” My mom was confused because these words had never been used when describing my character. On the contrary, being kind and thoughtful were attributes I had always been recognized for. Although, I felt misunderstood by my teachers this opened the conversation regarding finding ways to help me focus. At home, tapping into my artistic side helped regulate my energy and my parents introduced the idea of allowing me to do the same at school. In search of the best solutions for me my mom requested that I undergo an IEP evaluation. The Individual Education Plan evaluation identified that I needed support with reading comprehension and testing and learning anxiety. Eventually, we agreed on learning accommodations that could help me; these accommodations have followed me through high school. A few accommodations I am permitted are additional testing time, breaks to draw or paint, and handwrite assignments. This journey of advocacy has showed me that I am a person that thinks differently, absorbs information in a unique manner, and more importantly there are creative solutions for challenging circumstances. I am proud of my academic achievements. This year, all my classes are AP classes, and I have been able to attain a 3.9 GPA. Had my mom not advocated for me in the fourth grade I am not confident I would have been able to overcome my challenges. Moreover, seeing her problem solve creatively has built the framework of how I approach problems in my life. The advice I give to youth peers is this: the challenges you will face will not define you. Any mistakes or wrong decisions you'll make will not overpower a strong will to develop and grow into the person you want to become. Thank you for your time and consideration. Receiving this scholarship will help me pay for my fall tuition at UC Berkeley where I have been accepted to the College of Environmental Design. Grateful, Nayila

During the early phases of my childhood, it was just my mom and I. Being a single Mom, she had to rely on others for help. Although I missed my mom when she could not pick me up from school or when she was working late, I have come to the realization that it was precisely those circumstances that made me value community. My childhood was filled with an immense amount of love from my chosen family, I learned so much from them. The village that raised me inspires me every day which has led me to seek opportunities in which I can inspire others. This is when my light shines the brightest, when I am being of service to others. At school I am a part of student government, I am a teacher’s assistant, and participate in several clubs. In these roles I have been able to do many things; mentor new students, organize fundraisers, and be a voice for students that are not as vocal as I am. But I would like to highlight my role as a Culture Builder at Ryse Youth Center because it enriched my high school career. Ryse is a youth center in Richmond where much of the community is low income and of Black and Latino decent. Their mission is to create a safe space for youth grounded in social justice and self-awareness. I attended and hosted workshops on financial literacy, non-violent communication strategy, and college bound resources. My time at Ryse put me on a path of self-discovery and helped fulfill my desire to help others. Challenges that come with being an adolescent in modern society have increased with the technological exposures we are faced with. Young women are plagued with images of how we are supposed to look, act, and feel and I was being impacted by that. There are times that I feel very insecure, and comparison is a constant beat in my mind and there are times that I feel great, and images and opinions of other are not as impactful. The tools that help me work through my low times are meditating, journaling, and open and honest conversations with family and friends. I realized that if these tools helped me, I could share that knowledge with others. I asked for permission to create and host a workshop centered on self-love and acceptance. These workshops would consist of poetry slams, group journaling, and writing letters to our future selves. What impacted me most from these workshops was witnessing both young women and men opening up about their own insecurities and witnessing words of compassion and understanding for one another. Creating the self-love and acceptance workshop at Ryse will be something I am most proud of during my high school years. In the fall at UC Berkeley, I plan to continue advocating for young people. I have already attended an orientation at the Center for education justice and community engagement and I am so excited to be a part of their initiatives. My acceptance to UC Berkeley, as an Architecture major is a dream come true. My goal is to have my own architectural firm that includes real estate and interior design. I want to build homes, sell homes, and decorate them. A branch of NRH Homes will be a non-profit organization that provides financial literacy classes to youth and focuses on financial health and home ownership. I am so excited to see future Nayila achieve her dreams. Thank you for your time and consideration. This scholarship will help me immensely.

During the early phases of my childhood, it was just my mom and I. Being a single Mom, she had to rely on others for help. Although I missed my mom when she could not pick me up from school or when she was working late, I have come to the realization that it was precisely those circumstances that made me value community. My childhood was filled with an immense amount of love from my chosen family, I learned so much from them. The village that raised me inspires me every day which has led me to seek opportunities in which I can inspire others. This is when my light shines the brightest, when I am being of service to others. At school I am a part of student government, I am a teacher’s assistant, and participate in several clubs. In these roles I have been able to do many things; mentor new students, organize fundraisers, and be a voice for students that are not as vocal as I am. But I would like to highlight my role as a Culture Builder at Ryse Youth Center because it enriched my high school career. Ryse is a youth center in Richmond where much of the community is low income and of Black and Latino decent. Their mission is to create a safe space for youth grounded in social justice and self-awareness. I attended and hosted workshops on financial literacy, non-violent communication strategy, and college bound resources. My time at Ryse put me on a path of self-discovery and helped fulfill my desire to help others. Challenges that come with being an adolescent in modern society have increased with the technological exposures we are faced with. Young women are plagued with images of how we are supposed to look, act, and feel and I was being impacted by that. There are times that I feel very insecure, and comparison is a constant beat in my mind and there are times that I feel great, and images and opinions of other are not as impactful. The tools that help me work through my low times are meditating, journaling, and open and honest conversations with family and friends. I realized that if these tools helped me, I could share that knowledge with others. I asked for permission to create and host a workshop centered on self-love and acceptance. These workshops would consist of poetry slams, group journaling, and writing letters to our future selves. What impacted me most from these workshops was witnessing both young women and men opening up about their own insecurities and witnessing words of compassion and understanding for one another. Creating the self-love and acceptance workshop at Ryse will be something I am most proud of during my high school years. In the fall at UC Berkeley, I plan to continue advocating for young people. I have already attended an orientation at the Center for education justice and community engagement and I am so excited to be a part of their initiatives. My acceptance to UC Berkeley, as an Architecture major is a dream come true. My goal is to have my own architectural firm that includes real estate and interior design. I want to build homes, sell homes, and decorate them. A branch of NRH Homes will be a non-profit organization that provides financial literacy classes to youth and focuses on financial health and home ownership. I am so excited to see future Nayila achieve her dreams. Thank you for your time and consideration. This scholarship will help me immensely.

During the early phases of my childhood, it was just my mom and I. Being a single Mom, she had to rely on others for help. Although I missed my mom when she could not pick me up from school or when she was working late, I have come to the realization that it was precisely those circumstances that made me value community. My childhood was filled with an immense amount of love from my chosen family, I learned so much from them. The village that raised me inspires me every day which has led me to seek opportunities in which I can inspire others. At school I am a part of student government, I am a teacher’s assistant, and participate in several clubs. In these roles I have been able to do many things; mentor new students, organize fundraisers, and be a voice for students that are not as vocal as I am. But I would like to highlight my role as a Culture Builder at Ryse Youth Center because it enriched my high school career. Ryse is a youth center in Richmond where much of the community is low income and of Black and Latino decent. Their mission is to create a safe space for youth grounded in social justice and self-awareness. I attended and hosted workshops on financial literacy, non-violent communication strategy, and college bound resources. My time at Ryse put me on a path of self-discovery and helped fulfill my desire to help others. Challenges that come with being an adolescent in modern society have increased with the technological exposures we are faced with. Young women are plagued with images of how we are supposed to look, act, and feel and I was being impacted by that. There are times that I feel very insecure, and comparison is a constant beat in my mind and there are times that I feel great, and images and opinions of other are not as impactful. The tools that help me work through my low times are meditating, journaling, and open and honest conversations with family and friends. I realized that if these tools helped me, I could share that knowledge with others. I asked for permission to create and host a workshop centered on self-love and acceptance. These workshops would consist of poetry slams, group journaling, and writing letters to our future selves. What impacted me most from these workshops was witnessing both young women and men opening up about their own insecurities and witnessing words of compassion and understanding for one another. Creating the self-love and acceptance workshop at Ryse will be something I am most proud of during my high school years. In the fall at UC Berkeley, I plan to continue advocating for young people. I have already attended an orientation at the Center for education justice and community engagement and I am so excited to be a part of their initiatives. Thank you for your time and consideration. This scholarship will help me immensely.

Three weeks after my birth, my mom left my biological father because of domestic violence. I always found it interesting and confusing that my mother rarely spoke negatively about my him; she made it a point to speak on the mistakes she made and how she could have managed the situation better. My mom has raised me to own every part of who I am; the good and the bad. She says the only way one can live an authentic life is to own who you are, love who you are, and be kind to yourself, during your best times and especially during the tough times. She has shown me that every decision I make has a consequence and sometimes those consequences lead to unfortunate circumstances, but it is how I maneuver through those circumstances that matters most. At an early age, I knew that harnessing my creative side helped me immensely. I felt centered when I was sketching, painting, sewing, or building furniture for my dolls. When I started elementary school sitting still was the most challenging task for me because my imagination was always dreaming and not using my hands for creation was torture. I was often reprimanded by my teachers, some teachers were successful at harnessing my energy, most not so much. My fourth-grade teacher, in an episode of frustration, called my mom and told her that I was “incapable to having compassion for her and my classmates.” My mom was confused because these words had never been used when describing my character. On the contrary, being kind and thoughtful were attributes I had always been recognized for. Although, I felt misunderstood by my teachers this opened the conversation regarding finding ways to help me focus. At home, tapping into my artistic side helped regulate my energy and my parents introduced the idea of allowing me to do the same at school. In search of the best solutions for me my mom requested that I undergo an IEP evaluation. The Individual Education Plan evaluation identified that I needed support with reading comprehension and testing and learning anxiety. Eventually, we agreed on learning accommodations that could help me; these accommodations have followed me through high school. A few accommodations I am permitted are additional testing time, breaks to draw or paint, and handwrite assignments. This journey of advocacy has showed me that I am a person that thinks differently, absorbs information in a unique manner, and more importantly there are creative solutions for challenging circumstances. I am proud of my academic achievements. This year, all my classes are AP classes, and I have been able to attain a 3.9 GPA. Had my mom not advocated for me in the fourth grade I am not confident I would have been able to overcome my challenges. Moreover, seeing her problem solve creatively has built the framework of how I approach problems in my life. The challenges I have faced in my childhood have made me who I am but have not defined me. They have made me who I am because had I not faced them, I would not have learned the power of self-advocacy at an early age. More importantly, through seeing my mom's journey of perseverance I know that my mistakes or wrong decision making will not overpower my willingness to develop and grow into the person I want to become. Thank you for your time and consideration. Receiving this scholarship will help me pay for my fall tuition at UC Berkeley where I have been accepted to the College of Environmental Design. Grateful, Nayila

During the early phases of my childhood, it was just my mom and I. Being a single Mom, she had to rely on others for help. Although I missed my mom when she could not pick me up from school or when she was working late, I have come to the realization that it was precisely those circumstances that made me value community. My childhood was filled with an immense amount of love from my chosen family, I learned so much from them. The village that raised me inspires me every day which has led me to seek opportunities in which I can inspire others. At school I am a part of student government, I am a teacher’s assistant, and participate in several clubs. In these roles I have been able to do many things; mentor new students, organize fundraisers, and be a voice for students that are not as vocal as I am. But I would like to highlight my role as a Culture Builder at Ryse Youth Center because it truly enriched my high school career. Ryse's mission is to create a safe space for youth grounded in social justice and self-awareness. As a culture builder I attended and hosted workshops on financial literacy, non-violent communication strategy, and college bound resources. Challenges that come with being an adolescent in modern society have increased with the technological exposures we are faced with every day. Young women are plagued with images of how we are supposed to look, act, and feel and I was being impacted by that. There are times that I feel very insecure, and comparison is a constant beat in my mind and there are times that I feel great, and images and opinions of other are not as impactful. The tools that help me work through my low times are meditating, journaling, and open and honest conversations with family and friends. I realized that if these tools helped me, I could share that knowledge with others. I asked for permission to create and host a workshop centered on self-love and acceptance. These workshops would consist of poetry slams, group journaling, and writing letters to our future selves. What impacted me most from these workshops was witnessing both young women and men opening up about their own insecurities and witnessing words of compassion and understanding for one another. Creating the self-love and acceptance workshop at Ryse will be something I am most proud of during my high school years. I plan to continue this advocacy at UC Berkeley in fall. My acceptance to the College of Environmental Design at UC Berkeley, as an Architecture major is a dream come true. Berkeley has been the backdrop of my childhood; I attended sporting events, concerts on campus, toured the campus on fieldtrips so many times and I never imagined myself there. For me Cal, how we refer to it in the Bay Area, was a place for a different type of person. A perfect student with the perfect pedigree. With this said you can imagine my shock when I received the letter of acceptance, I could not believe it. I am going to Cal! My goal is to have my own architectural firm that includes real estate and interior design. I want to build homes, sell homes, and decorate them. A branch of NRH Homes will be a non-profit organization that provides financial literacy classes to youth that focuses on financial health and home ownership. I am so excited to see future Nayila achieve her dreams. This scholarship will help me do just that.

My environment consisted of a single mother until the age of twelve when she married my dad, stepfather is not a term we ever used, he was my dad from the first moment we connected. But I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge that during the most formative years of my life, it was just me and my mom. During these years I knew there was financial restraints my mom dealt with, and I felt that I could help my mom by not asking for things that were not considered to be needs. So, I decided that if I could not ask for these things that I wanted I was going to make them. This opened a world of creativity for me that I whole heartedly believe would not have opened had I had the luxury of just asking and receiving. My first major project, at three years old, was making costumes for my stuffed animals from Snow White and Cinderella costumes of my own. My Mom was so amazed by what I had made, and that the costumes fit so well, she did not fuss over the fact that I used scissors and glue by myself without her permission. This was the first of countless design projects: doll furniture and food for my dolls were amongst my favorites. Also, the never-ending journey of collecting materials from anywhere commenced. Even outdoor walks would lend themselves for scrap collecting. This was just the beginning of my love affair for creation. Sharing with my family that I wanted to pursue a career in architecture came as no surprise. After all, my whole life I have been designing, creating, and building. My acceptance to the College of Environmental Design at UC Berkeley, as an Architecture major is a dream come true. Growing up 15 minutes away from Berkeley it has been the backdrop of my childhood; I attended sporting events, concerts on campus, toured the campus on fieldtrips so many times and I never imagined myself there. For me Cal, how we refer to it in the Bay Area, was a place for a different type of person. A perfect student with the perfect pedigree. With this said you can imagine my shock when I received the letter of acceptance, I could not believe it. I am going to Cal! My goal is to have my own architectural firm that includes real estate and interior design. I want to build homes, sell homes, and decorate them. A branch of NRH Homes will be a non-profit organization that provides financial literacy classes to youth that focuses on financial health and home ownership. I do not want to ever forget what centers me, creativity, so I plan to create children's furniture and toys that children can built themselves. I am so excited to see future Nayila achieve her dreams. This scholarship will help me do just that.

My name is Nayila, and I would like to begin by expressing my gratitude for your time and consideration. I am graduating from Summit K2 High School in El Cerrito, California, on June 1st and I will attend the University for California, Berkeley, in the fall. My acceptance to the College of Environmental Design as an Architecture major is a dream come true. Growing up just 15 minutes away from Berkeley it was the backdrop of my childhood; I attended sporting events, concerts on campus, toured the campus for fieldtrips so many times and never did I imagine myself there. For me Cal, how we refer to it in the Bay Area, was a place for a different type of person. A perfect student with the perfect pedigree. With this said you can imagine my shock when I received my letter of acceptance, I could not believe it. I am going to Cal! My dream is to have my own architectural firm that includes real estate and interior design. I want to build homes, sell homes, and decorate them. A branch of NRH Homes will be a non-profit organization that provides financial literacy classes to youth that focuses on financial health and home ownership. Mentoring young women is something I aspire to continue to do throughout my life. During the early phases of my childhood, it was just my mom and me. Being a single Mom, she had to rely on others for help. I have come to the realization that it was precisely those circumstances that made me value community. My childhood was full of an immense amount of love from my chosen family. The village that raised me inspires me every day which has led me to seek opportunities in which I can inspire others. I would like to highlight my role as a Culture Builder at Ryse Youth Center because it truly enriched my high school career. Ryse's mission is to create a safe space for youth grounded in social justice and self-awareness. As a Culture Builder I attended and hosted workshops on financial literacy, non-violent communication strategy, and college bound resources. And although these workshops were informative, I felt more needed to be done for young women specifically. As I was embarking on my own journey of self-discovery, I realized that so many of my peers were dealing with the same issues as me, overwhelming emotions of insecurity and low self-esteem. Although social media has impacted our society in positive ways, for growing girls, it is hard to be constantly bombarded with images of unrealistic beauty standards. There are times that I feel very insecure, and comparison is a constant beat in my mind and there are times that I feel great, and I am unbothered by images and the opinions of others. The times I feel great is when I take social media breaks, journal, meditate, and focus on self-care routines. I asked Ryse if I can curate my own workshop that was centered around self-love and acceptance. The workshop was a hit! These workshops consist of poetry slams, group journaling, and writing letters to our future selves. I am excited to be apart the Gender Equity Resource Center at Cal and I plan to continue my passion for spreading he importance of self-love and acceptance. Receiving this scholarship will help me immensely and your humble consideration is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Elementary school was challenging for me because my imagination was always dreaming and sitting still was impossible. In fourth grade, instead of my teacher taking the time to learn why I behaved the way I did, she requested my mom and I meet with her and the principal. In this meeting, she stated that I was incapable of having empathy and compassion for her and my classmates. My mom was confused because these words had never been used when describing my character. On the contrary, being kind and thoughtful were attributes I was always recognized for. What I remember most about this situation was my mom’s fearlessness when defending me. She was a strict mom, and there were consequences at home when I got into trouble for being off task at school. But she knew me, and she was not going to allow anyone to place judgement on me. Multiple meetings were held, and my mom shared with the teacher and principal the type of person I was at home. How using my creativity helped me immensely. At home, tapping into my artistic side helped regulate my energy. I felt centered when I was sketching, painting, sewing, or building furniture for my dolls. My mom requested that I undergo an IEP evaluation. The Individual Education Plan identified that I did require learning accommodations; these accommodations have followed me through high school. A few accommodations I am permitted are additional testing time, breaks to draw or paint, and handwrite assignments. Seeing my mom advocate for me to be supported by my school instead of being judged and labeled has helped me to speak up for myself which led me to an academic journey of self-advocacy. This journey of self-advocacy has helped me in achieving a satisfactory academic profile but more importantly it has showed me that I am a person that thinks differently, absorbs information in a unique manner, and there are solutions for challenging circumstances. Being accepted to the College of Environmental Design at the University of California, Berkeley, as an Architectural major is a dream come true. Growing up just 15 minutes away from Berkeley it was the backdrop of my childhood; I attended sporting events, concerts on campus, toured the campus for fieldtrips so many times and never did I imagine myself there. For me Cal, how we refer to it in the Bay Area, was a place for a different type of person. A perfect student with the perfect pedigree. With this said you can imagine my shock when I received my letter of acceptance, I could not believe it. I am going to Cal! Receiving my degree from Cal not only will benefit me academically but will open doors of opportunity. I plan to seize this opportunity not for my own benefit but to also inspire others. And mostly to make my mom proud. My dream is to have my own architectural firm that includes real estate and interior design. I want to build homes, sell homes, and decorate them. A branch of NRH Homes will be a non-profit organization that provides financial literacy classes to youth that focuses on financial health and home ownership. I do not want to ever forget what centers me, creativity, so I plan to create children's furniture and toys that children can built themselves. I am so excited to see future Nayila achieve her dreams. This scholarship will help me do just that. Thank you for your time and consideration.

At an early age, I knew that harnessing my creative side helped me immensely. I felt centered when I was sketching, painting, sewing, or building furniture for my dolls so when I shared with my family that I wanted to pursue a career in architecture it was not a surprise. Suddenly, it all made sense. Being accepted to the College of Environmental Design at the University of California, Berkeley, as an Architecture major is a dream come true. Growing up just 15 minutes away from Berkeley it was the backdrop of my childhood; I attended sporting events, concerts on campus, toured the campus for fieldtrips so many times and never did I imagine myself there. For me Cal, how we refer to it in the Bay Area, was a place for a different type of person. A perfect student with the perfect pedigree. With this said you can imagine my shock when I received my letter of acceptance, I could not believe it. I am going to Cal! Receiving my degree from Cal not only will benefit me academically but will open doors of opportunity. I plan to seize this opportunity not for my own benefit but to also inspire others. My dream is to have my own architecture firm that includes real estate and interior design. I want to build homes, sell homes, and decorate them. A branch of NRH Homes will be a non-profit organization that provides financial literacy classes to youth that focuses on financial health and home ownership. I do not want to ever forget what centers me, creativity, so I plan to create children's furniture and toys that children can built themselves. I am so excited to see future Nayila achieve her dreams. This scholarship will help me do just that.