The dollar cab screeched to a halt, as we scrambled out of the car. My mother stuffed the money into the driver's hands, while I ushered my little brother out the back doors. Flatbush was backed up with traffic and we were already running late to his soccer practice. “Queen, do you have a dollar? my mother asked, “I don’t have enough.” Under the driver’s harrowing gaze, I carefully fished out a couple of crumpled dollar bills from the paper-thin folds of my wallet. My book fell out of my hands and flopped out onto the streets, as the drivers behind us honked. I was 10. I was quite aware of our finances, or lack thereof, growing up in Flatbush. It was not uncommon to see a lot of families like my own. It was almost normal - immigrant mums who were single parents, hustling to provide for themselves and their children. We were a community. My mum was no different. As a middle schooler, I thought she was overbearing and anxiety-inducing. Anyone who knows her knows she is a force. She can be loud, demanding, and persistent. Yet, as most mothers are, she is caring towards her children - expecting nothing but the best from us. From the time I was starting middle school, my mum worked full-time while pursuing her bachelor’s degree part-time. On the weekday, if I didn't already have an after-school program to attend, I would meet my mum at the end of her shift. If we were not racing to pick up my brother, we were headed to her lectures at Lehman College. On weekends, we would race across the bustling streets of Manhattan to make it on time for my extracurricular activities. Saturdays were always for Mandarin and Sundays were always for Art. To this day, my mother has never finished school. It is always that her credits are too old to be considered and that she will have to restart. Yet, that has never deterred her. Her ambitions have carried onto me. I have always been curious about the world, and my mother nurtured that curiosity. She pushed me to ask questions; whether that be about something I saw or heard on the news. She wanted me to know more about my surroundings. She wanted me to understand. Currently studying Social Data Science, I want to attend graduate school and receive my Ph.D. in Computational Social Science or something related. Computational Social Science uses computers to model and analyze social phenomena and or social behavior. I want to ask questions related to our world, such as ‘How is social media causing activism to evolve?’ or ‘How do different ethnic groups interact with one another on social media apps?’. I am interested in doing research related to activism on social media, the internet, as well as gender, politics, and public policy. For graduate school, grades matter. While I am doing okay, I could be doing better. Currently, I work and or take on internships so that I can have some spare money in my pocket, allowing me to relieve some of the burden off my mother, as well as build my resume. This scholarship fund would allow me to stop working for a time and focus on my courses. Moreover, it would allow me to save up and pay for part of my graduate school tuition, putting me one step closer to answering my desired set of questions.

I was embarrassed. With her squeaky trolley and puffy long coat, my mother was once again sitting outside my Sunday art class. As we began to walk to the lunchroom, I pretended I did not see her - until she pulled me out of the line. “Queen, do you have enough to eat? Do you want more bread?” I ignored the looks of my classmates and silently whispered no. “I can’t hear you. Speak up.” No mummy, I do not need more bread. As a child, I could never understand my mother. I thought she was overbearing and anxiety-inducing. Anyone who knows her knows she is a force. She can be loud, demanding, and persistent. Immigrating to New York City at 17, she developed these traits to survive. Yet, as any mother should be, she is caring towards her children - expecting nothing but the best from my brother and me. Education has always been pivotal in my household. From very early on, I was aware of my family's financial situation. It has always been myself, my brother, and my mother working together as a unit. Yet, my mother relied on me still. Outside of work and her pursuit of a Bachelor’s degree, my mother put her time into our education and extracurriculars. From the third to the eighth grade, my mother struggled to pay for my private school tuition. She hoped that I would receive a life-changing experience - and I truthfully did. I was enrolled in after-school classes: knitting, sewing, and chess. From Monday - Friday, after-school hours were filled with alternating classes depending on the day. As I grew older, I steered away from the in-school extracurricular activities and focused on my out-of-school activities. Saturdays were meant for my Mandarin classes, while Sundays were for Art classes. My mother would sit outside my classes or in the area, doing homework with my brother. After school on weekdays, I would race across town to my mother’s job and do my homework. From her workplace in Manhattan, we would go to Brooklyn to pick up my younger brother. In seventh grade, my mother told me that we would no longer be able to afford my fancy private school. The train car we sat in was empty. We had grocery bags at our feet. She told me that paying for school had and would continue to leave her in debt if we did not make a change now. I began to cry. That night, I searched for the best public schools in NYC. Schools such as Townsend Harris, Brooklyn Latin, and Brooklyn Tech came up. For the next year, I worked to be admitted into these schools. Once again, my mother supported me in this venture. She enrolled me into a test prep program, where for the next year and a half, I would prepare to take the Specialized High School Admissions Test. While I was being tutored, she would wait in the building’s basement or outside in the cold until the lesson was over. Depending on the day, we would either take the bus home and continue studying, or race to my Mandarin classes. When test day came, my mother and brother accompanied me to the testing grounds. At the time, nerves caused us to argue with one another. Now, I cannot seem to find the reason why. Without my mother’s efforts and persistence, I would not be sitting here writing this essay. I would not have my current interests in the arts, social sciences, and STEM. I would not have been admitted into Brooklyn Technical High School.

Growing up, I followed a strict schedule. After school, I would go to my mum’s job and sit in the break room. Located in a hospital basement, it was a hectic environment. As a Sterile Technician, it was my mum’s job to ensure all instruments were sterile and prepped for surgery. Before doctors could save a life, they too had to have the right equipment. When the work day ended at 5 o’clock, my mother’s school day was just beginning. Rain, snow, or shine, we would race for the uptown train to attend my mother's evening classes. Starting at 7:30 pm, I was an honorary Lehman College student, trying to pay attention to whatever math or science lecture was in front of me. The routine lasted for a long time. My mother and I like to joke that I have been a college student for a long time - and this is true. Even as my mother moved her classes from in-person to online, I was still helping her with her work and essays. I would read Chemistry, Biology, and even Economics textbooks that were higher than my 6th-grade knowledge. Education has always been pivotal in my household. My parents separated when I was quite young and so it has always been myself, my brother, and my mother working together as a unit. On weekends, when my brother and I had extracurriculars, my mother would often wait outside the classroom or in the area, completing her schoolwork. On weekdays, if she was not working overtime, she would run to pick up my brother on time from the babysitters - often with me in tow. This routine lasted a long time, during which my mother pushed the idea of taking my education to the highest possible levels as soon as I could - something she and others in her family had not been able to do. Higher education was synonymous with more money in my household. In fact, it was our lack of money to pay for private school tuition that actually pushed me to go to a top public high school and develop an interest in a STEM career. I have been a recipient of programs that give back to the community for the majority of my life thus far. CAS Prep, a test prep program, prepared me to take the Specialized High School Test (SHSAT) - a test that allowed admission into the top New York City public schools - for free. Later on, the program tutored me in Algebra I. Without the aid from that program, I truthfully would not have received the opportunities that came my way. In high school, I was a Pratt Young Scholar; I would receive free art classes and supplies to harvest my professional interest or hobby in the arts. Additionally, we scholars were to receive test prep and college counseling. Free community programs such as these truly shaped my future, especially in my single-parent household, where my mum could not provide everything for us. Currently, I plan on continuing to work with educational nonprofits that aim to teach children. Why wait for the future to help when I can start right now? One such non-profit, Digital Girl, IncWhen I was an intern, I went to low-income schools across New York City; students were taught the basics of coding using applications such as Code.org and Snap! among many others. By funding, working with, and supporting programs such as Digital Girl Inc., I intend to give students the opportunities or knowledge that their parents may not know of or have much access to.

Coming from a single-parent household, finances have always been a source of stress. Since the third grade, I have been increasingly aware of my mother's finances; having a general idea of her income, as well as her lack of a retirement plan. She told me not to worry - because she was a part of a union, they would have it covered. To this day, I worry about how true this statement really is. In lower and middle school, I was taught to save money - yet, we never delved into the specifics. Considering I was on scholarship at an independent private school, it was quite ironic. My peers had parents who could easily pay the 50k tuition yearly, while my mother was going into debt to finance my education. Additionally, the concept was unrealistic for my situation, as there was no money to save. I picked up on different terms and methodologies, hearing about the stock market, retirement accounts, and 401ks. I took my first financial class in junior year, titled Career and Financial Management. While the class touched on topics I knew, it also gave me new knowledge to act upon. As a senior, Economics is a mandated class - and while I take AP Government (which has the same credit, if not more) - finance has been a major topic of discussion. It is estimated that by the time my generation becomes senior citizens, Social Security will run out. As an upcoming college student, many have told me to steer clear of student loans. Because I want to pursue a graduate degree, I have decided to go debt-free for my undergraduate education - while my peers take out student loans. I hope to save money while applying for scholarships during my four years commuting back and fro. Recently, I opened my own bank account, and have started saving 60% of my paychecks. I am currently trying to teach myself about online platforms in which I can begin to invest in stocks, eCommerce, and what exactly being smart with money means. After graduate school and time in the workforce, I want to purchase and invest in a home that I can enjoy. My future reaches far beyond my time on Earth. I hope wealth continues to grow within each generation of my family - including my friends and relatives; I want to share my knowledge with my younger brother, my future children, grandchildren, etc. Future generations should build upon what they have learned, each time bettering themselves and our lineage.