When I left Haiti to study in the United States, I was fourteen years old. I thought the hardest part would be the distance from my family, but I did not realize that I would also be carrying the invisible weight of the trauma: the uncertainty, the constant violence, and instability that shaped everyday life back home. Like Malgorzata Kwiecien, I came to a new country determined to build something meaningful. It was a chance to start over, but the memories I brought with me reminded me that healing and growth often go together, like you find salt and pepper everywhere here. During my first few months here, things were a little awkward. I was a high school teenager that had never done sports, besides dancing, suddenly had so much pressure from every direction. I remember someone telling me that many people wouldn’t like me because of my appearance, hinting at my body style. The reality was that nothing was wrong with me. In my home country, my body type was praised, a true culture shock. That moment could have made me shrink, but instead it reminded me why I came here: to build a better future and prove that I was capable of more than the world’s limited expectations. I refused to let those words define me. I chose instead to keep my head high because I had to lead the path for those coming behind me. There were seasons and special occasions where I missed my family the most; the silence felt empty. I could not return home because it was not safe, so I learned how to comfort myself. No one tells you how hard it is to watch your loved ones die thousands of miles away, to hear all the torments some of your family members have undergone and feel powerless and helpless, isolated from everybody. I pushed through high school, and then junior college with an associate’s in administration, but I knew I was meant for more. I have started my journey in Business Analytics, where I found purpose in uncovering stories hidden in numbers. That perspective drives my passion for analytics: to help organizations, communities, and businesses make decisions based on truth, not assumptions. I want to develop strategies that create opportunity and growth, especially for the overlooked. There are so many trials that an international student can undergo, many that are unspoken, but it is stories like Maggie’s that remind me that courage is not the absence of fear, but it is rather moving and pushing forward. I tried different sports throughout the year and have found ways here and there, to integrate myself in the community, whether it is volunteering or fellowshipping. She embodied both intellectual and physical bravery, and while my battles may look different, I recognize the same spirit in myself. It takes courage to leave everything behind, to start again in a place where you feel unseen, and to still choose to build something beautiful. Her legacy teaches me that we can all transform hardship into purpose. Every time I push through self-doubt or face a new challenge, I will carry Maggie’s story with me. Like her I want to continue to build a life, so that my journey can inspire others, including my own sibling. There is always a way, and it’s okay to start over, build a life defined by resilience, and hope.