"I know I didn't provide the best example for you mija but I want you to go to college and not pick fruit worrying about the heat outside" These were words my immigrant mother told me when she was recalling how hard it was to raise my siblings and I as a single mother. I'll never forget those days, sleeping on the streets when we had no place to go, she was only 26 and at the time there were 4 of us. Our father abandoned the family and left us to fend for ourselves. She was so brave. When we finally had a place to go we had to make ends meet by selling corn on the side of the road. At the same, time my mother was working grueling overnight shifts in a nursery just to put food on the table. Despite the measly pay, she never failed to provide us with new clothes, new shoes and she did her best to keep our stomachs full. Growing up we depended on our mom, but she depended on us too. After my dad left we tried our best to translate everything around us for her because she didn't speak English. Till this day I happily translate for my mother. She needed us to give her comfort and hope that better days were coming when she thought otherwise. My mom was 21 and had already one child and 8 months pregnant with my older brother when she made the ultimate sacrifice to get to this country by any means necessary. Her hope was to bring better opportunities to her children that she knew weren't being offered in Guatemala. To have been pregnant and walking long hours with a child in toe wasn't easy. However, my mom made it happen. My dad had already made it to the states before she did, waiting for her. I was born a year after they both settled in America. My father wasn't such a kind man and because my dad had left us she always instilled in us girls to never depend on a man for anything, that we are capable of making it on our own if we didn't let anyone get in the way. Growing up the way we did, my mom taught us compassion and understanding for those who are even worse situations. During Christmas my mom would make tamales and drive around town handing them out and giving blankets. What she wanted for all of us was to make it out and make something of ourselves but to carry the values that she's instilled in my siblings and I .She's always encouraged us to go to college given how she was only nine years old when she herself couldn't attend school. One day she wants to go back to her motherland and settle down with the satisfaction that she provided for us the best she could. She watches the news and her heart breaks when she hears the injustices that happen everyday in her country and other nations. Her actions, words and encouragement have ultimately lead me into the path of pursuing a career in politics that will involve me actively trying to working in international relations and make changes to give opportunities to families like mine when I was growing up. One day I hope I can happily tell my mom that she DID provide me with the best example and show her what I've accomplished because of HER!

Growing up as a little girl, I knew little to no English. Exposure to English music helped me learn to speak it. The music stuck with me. As a 5 year old, I would constantly ask my sister to play the songs that were on the radio because even though I didn't understand what they were singing about, it made an impact on me.As I got older I discovered rock. In middle school I was bullied heavily after having lost all my hair, leaving me bald. It pushed me to an eating disorder. At that point in my life I discovered David Bowie. He at the time of starting out was viewed as "different" and "weird" but in him and his music I discovered my confidence and an outlet of creativity was also born: writing songs. The way he helped me is something I would never forget. I have gone through alot of things in my life, homelessness, food insecurity and sexual assualt but music has been my solace in every step of the way. Music is a beautiful thing that's meant to be shared and cherished and I would love to make the connections between the listener and my music, much like other's music had comforted me all these years. I want to be the person who's music had left an impression to someone who really needed an outlet to escape whatever it is they're going through. I want them to be enthralled in the beautiful world of music and I hope I can be the one who takes them there.

It might be really miniscule to some but at the time and even now, one of my greatest achievements was winning a kahoot game in my 8th grade English Class around four years ago. It wasn't about winning the $20 gift card it offered but the journey I took and what it taught me about myself. 5 years ago I was a bulimic middle schooler whom,while teachers thought was bright, I couldn't have been doing worse than I already was. I was severely bullied and I was performing bad academically. That whole time I looked at myself and thought I was a failure, that there were better things I could do. It took awhile but eventually I recovered from my bulimia. I came back in the 8th grade finally in recover and hoping things will start to look up for me. The bullying persisted, though. Eventually it got so bad I left my school and transferred to a new one. There no one knew me. I can finally be at peace. In that school I was a quiet girl with nothing to say and not much to do. One of my favorite classes had always been English/Reading. I constantly got high marks in those classes and some of my teachers praised my writing and encouraged my love of reading. In this school I set out to continue my love of this class and find solace in it since it was the only thing I can take comfort in. I was in school for only 4 weeks when classes were moved online for the remainder of the school year. There I found myself, no school to go to, in my 13 year old mind... practically isolated from the world! Those were really somber days since I had absolutely nothing to look forward to. In the 4 weeks I attended that new school I had no friends. My self esteem was low and I thought it will continue that way. My English teacher at the time sent an email for the students to join a kahoot game for a prize. I had so much doubt that I will actually win so I thought of not playing. At the last moment I decided to join since I wasn't going to lose anything,other than the game. As the day of the event came I wondered if I was really smart enough to actually win. Little did I know... I won, I actually won. I got my gift card and I treated my family to pizza with it. It made me proud seeing my siblings eat the fruit of my winnings. That's when I realized I should've never doubted myself. I had gone througg so much and thinking of myself as a failure was taking 3 steps back on my little self discovery journey. My self esteem slowly started to build up. From then on, I never doubted myself again. If you have that power, the power of self assurance and confidence, and you don't let anyone take it from you then you can set out to accomplish anything. With that belief held strongly in my heart, I want to set out and accomplish my dream of pursuing a career in politics and history, something I KNOW I will flourish in. I want to set an example for every young girl out there that women (and especially Latinas) can pursue careers in mostly male dominated industries, and not to doubt yourself like I did those years ago.

Growing up as a little girl, I knew little to no English. Exposure to English music helped me learn to speak it. The music stuck with me. As a 5 year old, I would constantly ask my sister to play the songs that were on the radio because even though I didn't understand what they were singing about, it made an impact on me. Everyone listens to music sure... but not everyone has a deep connection to it. I remember one of the biggest highlights of my music journey was when I was eight years old and my music teacher played Michael Jackson much to the annoyance of my classmates. I've heard of Michael Jackson before but never knew how he looked like,let alone knew his songs. When my teacher played Beat It for the class, to say I was on cloud nine was a big understatement. His voice absolutely shook me to my core,it took me to another world, it forever changed the way I see music. Eddie Van Halen's solo is something I also would never forget. For days and days that song stuck with me. All I wanted to do was relive that moment. I think it was from then on that my music taste started to change. It went from just listening to the Top 40 to retro things. Keep in mind I was just eight years old. As a ten year old I remember having discovered Roy Orbison's classic Pretty Woman by chance and I played the song over and over again until I could remember the words to them. My older sister noticed and then came my next big discovery: Frank Sinatra and swing music. I remember those days fondly. As I got older I discovered rock. In middle school I was bullied heavily after having lost all my hair,rendering me bald. It pushed me to an eating disorder. At that point in my life I discovered David Bowie. He at the time of starting out was viewed as "different" and "weird" but in him and his music I discovered my confidence and an outlet of creativity was also born: writing songs. The way he helped me is something I would never forget. Being as I mentioned I discovered rock n' roll, it's safe to say that I HAVE to mention Jimi Hendrix. It was from him that I decided I wanted to play guitar. It took me a while but as of now I am doing just that. Just last year I discovered the music of The Beach Boys and the year before that,Jamiroquai. The way they impacted me is an understatement. I view the leaders of each band as geniuses. It was from Jamiroquai that I picked up the aboriginal instrument, the didgeridoo. Their songwriting has impacted my own and everytime I write my own music do I find myself mimicking theirs. Sometimes when I need a little time to gather my thoughts I play The Beach Boys music and let myself be enthralled in a beautiful world of wonder and self discovery. As for Jamiroquai, they introduced me and shown me of issues I hadn't been aware of. Jay Kay's songwriting has been impeccable given hes been writing,composing and producing music for his band at the young and of twenty-three.They've also been the reason I've picked up the instruments I have played: the didgeridoo and trumpet. I think music is a beautiful thing that's meant to be shared and cherished and I can only wish that it continues to leave lasting impressions on people like myself.