Every person's life has life shaping moments that mold them into the person they soon become. Personally, I am not able to pick one event; mine is something that was a lifelong absence; my father. Although my father was present financially, he was never there in the ways that I needed. As a kid growing up, I didn't fully understand what I was missing, I wasn't able to recognize what all I needed to develop at such a young age. As I grow into a young adult, I find myself mourning the absence even more. I recognize emotional support, and guidance is something money could never make up for. This particular stage of my life has become more than earning a degree or being successful. While I am extremely grateful for this opportunity many don't get, I know that titles and accomplishments alone will never satisfy me; it will never make me feel whole. Right now, my main goal is to find out how I am beyond labels, beyond my resume, my hobbies, and my success. I want to build a foundation so strong that when the accolades come, they become an addition to my life rather than the source of my identity. Throughout my life, grit has been one of my strengths. Ive learned to become my own source of motivation, because no one can do the work for me. Every morning, I choose to get up, work hard, and push myself to become better than I was the day before. Whether it's balancing a full-time job while being a full-time college student, competing in flag football and striving to be my best self academically. Ive always looked at life with a competitive spirit, a competitiveness that has never been about proving others wrong. But has always been about proving to myself that my circumstances do not determine my future. My upbringing has shaped the way I interact with others. I fully understand what it feels like to long for something that is present but feel so absent, I know what it's like to have a strong support system and still be searching for more support. Because of that I try to be kind and uplift the younger generations around me. My father's absence will always be a part of my story, but it's no longer the conclusion to my story. Instead, it's the start of something new. It has become my foundation of my resilience, my determination, and my commitment to creating a different future for myself and the people around me. I don't carry bitterness toward my father. I recognize that he provided for me in the ways he knew how, and I am grateful for that. Every challenge has taught me that I have the strength to keep going. My story will never be defined by what I lacked but by what I continue to build. Every day I wake up and choose to be better, grow, heal and walk with purpose. With God, I'm my motivation, I'm my why, and my story will always be to help the generations to come.