“To live was always a conditional verb.”― Jodi Picoult, A Spark of Light. My community has been a large part of my upbringing and for that, I am eternally grateful. I spent my first year of life in an orphanage in China. Abandoned by my birth parents, I have never learned anything about them, my true birth date, or the circumstances of my birth. When my mom adopted me from China, my gross motor skills were severely delayed and my body and spirit suffered from the lack of interaction with a caregiver and poor nutrition. As early as possible, my mom put me in dance class to help improve my motor skills. That was the start of my dance journey and career. Being an adopted Asian American growing up in a suburb of Alabama, I started questioning why my race was different than a lot of my classmates at a pretty young age. My mother always told me about where I was from and Asian culture. She even bought me and my four younger siblings Chinese language lessons and took me back to see my orphanage in the 2nd grade. Yet, I never felt fully connected to Chinese culture. Furthermore, whenever the topic arose of finding my birth parents, I felt a deep hurt, denial, or knee-jerking reaction toward the possibility. During the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, Asian Americans were being targeted and attacked based solely on their race. I felt an internalized animosity for being Asian. This event reminded me I was “different.” While working, I was told not to return when I reported to my boss I had come in contact with someone with COVID-19. Through dance and the arts, I hope to demonstrate the internal conflict I feel, while continuing to be a resilient and strong trailblazer in the field. I would like younger BIPOC and more specifically adopted Asian American, youth to see themselves represented on the stage, on TV, in the classroom, as a leader, in the media, and as active members of their community. I had not had many Asian American teachers, mentors, or even figures in the mainstream American media to admire. Furthermore, Asian history is not integrated enough into the American education curriculum. I have had to do my own research into my identity and culture. I endeavor to take action by posting on social media, spreading knowledge, advocating for myself, holding positions of power and uplifting other minorities into positions of power, continuing my performance career, and growing the community of people around me that I have the potential to influence. Diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and schools is not a topic that will go away anytime soon. My goals are to continue teaching, researching, writing about, and pursuing dance as a way to advocate for diversity and representation in the arts. I believe the way in which people, society, and culture are represented in the arts is a direct reflection and has a direct impact on communities. Dance gives me the opportunity not only to explore and express my identity but for others to explore and express theirs as well. If I were to win this scholarship, more specifically, the funds would be applied to my tuition to continue studying dance at Point Park University and continue my ability to advocate and work in my field. I could show my five younger, adopted, Asian American siblings, as well as people I don't even know, that I can not only persevere but they can too. We, as the human race, can support each other and dance for dignity.

Being an adopted Asian American growing up in a suburb of Alabama, I started questioning why my race was different than a lot of my classmates at a pretty young age. My mother always told me about where I was from and Asian culture. She even bought my siblings and me Chinese language lessons and took me back to see my orphanage in the 2nd grade. Yet, I never felt connected or was never able to fully connect to Chinese culture. Furthermore, whenever the topic comes of finding my birth parents, I feel a deep hurt, denial, or knee-jerking reaction toward the possibility. During the pandemic of 2020, Asian Americans were being attacked and targeted based solely on their race. I feel an internalized animosity for being Asian, and this event reminded me I was “different.” Through dance and the arts, I hope to demonstrate the internal conflict I feel, while continuing to be a resilient and strong trailblazer in the field. Since I spent my first year of life in an orphanage in China, my gross motor skills were severely delayed and my body and spirit had suffered from the lack of interaction with a caregiver and poor nutrition. As early as possible, my mom put me in dance class to help improve my motor skills. This was the start of my dance journey and career. I would like younger Asian, and more specifically adopted Asian American, youth to see themselves represented on the stage, on TV, in the classroom, as a leader, in the media, and as active members of their community. I am passionate about advancing social justice studies for Asians because, until recently, I had not had many Asian American teachers, mentors, or even figures in the mainstream American media to look up to. Furthermore, I am passionate about advancing Asian social justice studies, because they are not integrated enough into the American education curriculum. I have had to do my own research into my identity and culture; apart from the stereotypes I heard from classmates, I had little to no knowledge or connection to my origins. I endeavor to take action by posting on social media, spreading knowledge, advocating for myself, holding positions of power and uplifting other minorities into positions of power, continuing my performance career, and growing the community of people around me that I have the potential to influence. Diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and schools is not a topic that will go away anytime soon. I intend to use the blessings I have already received to achieve and further my goals, as well as, continue to be a leader, active member of my community, and an advocate on my campus. If I were to win this scholarship, more specifically, the funds would be applied to my tuition to continue studying dance at Point Park University and continue my ability to advocate and work in my field. My goals are to continue teaching, researching, writing about, and pursuing dance as a way to advocate for diversity and representation in the arts. I hope to continue fostering a sense of community, support, and acceptance in the dance field. I believe in advocating for funding and accessibility for the arts is important to the progression of society. The way in which people, society, and culture are represented in the arts is a direct reflection and has a direct impact on communities. Dance gives me the opportunity to not only explore and express my identity but for others to explore and express theirs as well.

As an Asian American adoptee, to say that navigating a COVID-19 world is difficult would be an understatement. The previous president put a target on Asian American lives by nicknaming the COVID-19 virus as the "China Virus" or "China Flu," which was horrific. His words not only inspired fear but hate. Placing the blame on a group of people is easy when the blame should have been on the administration that could have done just as much to prevent the pandemic from even happening. Furthermore, it is my opinion the issue of public safety should never be used politically when we all have to live on this planet as one race, the human one. The day I heard about the attack against an older Asian American woman in Atlanta, I already felt anxious about going to work, because I was fearful of what could happen. Thankfully my coworker was understanding, but that did not alleviate my fear. I admit at times I feel an internalized animosity for being Asian, and before this year never reflected as intensely on my identity as an Asian American. These feelings and events inspire me to want to change the narrative and strive for a better, more equitable future. I was adopted when I was one year old from China. My mother, a single parent, adopted my four other siblings from China as well. Even though she tried to keep me connected to my Asian heritage, I never fully felt I had a right to encompass that part of myself into my identity. A common microaggression I experience comments on how I am basically "white." I grew up in a conservative suburb and wondered why my race was different than others from a very young age. Some may argue I am not even an immigrant, but I would say my mother adopted me to grow a family through love and provide a better life than what I could have had in China. It wasn't until this year, I started to recognize and have confidence in my Asian heritage. Additionally, I do worry for my younger siblings. My brother was called a racial slur at school one day and the administration did not punish or even acknowledge that incident was a problem. Stepping into a room I know I am or will be singled out because I look different, which I would never want my siblings to face. My family looks a lot different than others, but that does not make it any less valid. I decided to go to school out of state in a rigorous dance Conservatory program. It was my dream school, program, and career path. In high school, I did go to performing arts high school which prepared me the best they could for my chosen career path, but could not prepare me for what life was going to be like in college. I was on my own for the first time and felt lost. Sure, I had gone to overnight summer dance intensives, but those would only be a month maximum. I was lucky to get onto the Honors Hall, but living on campus provided a fast-paced and hyper-stimulated environment. The culture shock I felt and loneliness in a crowd of people was an unforeseeable challenge. Therefore, I was determined to get all the bang for my buck as I could. The campus I lived on was small and in the city. Every activity, performance, or event was in walking distance. If I was not busy, I was anxious, impatient, or feeling productivity guilt. I sought out people and experiences to try and fill the void I felt inside from homesickness, insecurities, or perceived work stresses, which in the long run did not serve me beneficially. The culture in my dance department is more progressive than most. Although, only a certain few students were cast into performances. This created an unavoidable, competitive dynamic in the classroom. I struggled with balancing the new social environment I was put in and my place in my chosen program. In sophomore year, I started going to my school’s brief therapy service. This greatly impacted the way I viewed myself, others around me, and my progression, as well as how I coped with the feelings I was having. I realize if I do not see my time as valuable and take time to work on my relationship with myself, I cannot improve upon or support others around me. I realize I do not want to gain the whole world to lose my soul. Being successful in a career like dance takes a lot of mental stamina, maturity, and patience. I never would have gotten to this conclusion if I did not have the support from my family, friends, and school that I have. I cannot be successful at my dreams unless I take care of and value both my mental and physical health equally. I can let a negative experience influence my beliefs, relationships, and career aspirations just as much as I can let a positive experience influence my beliefs, relationships, and career aspirations. I am reminded each day to stay humble, grateful, and blessed for all the opportunities I have been gifted with. What I hope to achieve in the future is becoming a leading advocate for diversity in the arts. I believe the integration of the arts into the public education system is important and impactful. Therefore, by diversify the field, diversifies the voices and provides more opportunities overall. Furthermore, reinforces the arts are a safe and accepting place for all. Everyone's story deserves to be heard; thank you for letting me share mine. My goals include graduating from Point Park with Honors, solidifying my career by dancing for different dance companies and teaching at different institutions, going back to school to earn my Master of Fine Arts and Ph.D. in dance theory, choreography, or education, and earning a full-time faculty position teaching at an accredited university while continuing doing dance research and journalism.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle in college can be difficult, not to mention over a lifetime. I am currently a senior Dance major at Point Park University, which is a top 5, nationally ranked conservatory. Additionally, I am earning a minor in Modern Languages, French. Health and fitness have always been a big part of my life. By the time I was adopted from China, my gross motor skills were severely delayed, and I had suffered from a lack of interaction with a caregiver and poor nutrition. My mother studied nutrition in college, so she promoted a healthy lifestyle for me through planning meals, putting me in dance classes, and making sure I received proper nutrition despite my various food allergies. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is a lifetime endeavor for me because my body is my instrument; I want to pursue dance professionally, which requires me to be healthy to continue the rigorous physical and mental aspects of dance. After a year of my own exploring and learning, I have learned more about nutrition, exercise, time management, and meal planning to live a proactive and healthy lifestyle. Moreover, I understand the short and long-term benefits of the balance of eating a nutritious diet, a proper exercise regimen, and mental health awareness. I hope by establishing healthy lifestyle habits now, I am setting myself up for a long, prosperous, and healthy future. I love superfoods because they help me get through the day and keep me healthy. My energy comes from my food; my food is fuel for my body. Cooking and finding healthy recipes on TikTok that include superfoods is a new passion of mine. I feel so much better when I eat healthily, sleep so much better, and feel like I can perform so much better. I incorporate superfoods into my diet three meals a day along with snacks. For example, for breakfast, I like to eat an egg with toast and fruit or oatmeal with greek yogurt. For a snack, a banana, grapes, yogurt with granola, or carrots. For lunch, I like eating a sandwich that provides proteins and carbohydrates or something like a salad that is loaded with meat and vegetables.  At some point, I stopped looking at calories because I realized I could not plan or execute a healthy diet that way. I started tracking how I felt after every meal and which foods I ate that gave me energy. In the past, I have been shammed for how much I eat, in which, I started to realize eating more slowly, at the right time, and portion control leads to a more balanced meal. If I am full after a meal and go work out and feel hungry, I will eat another superfood because I realized, my hunger cues and body should be listened to. Once in a while, I do like to treat myself to coffee or a sweet treat. Sometimes even a fast food meal. Although, I have been able to tell when my diet has changed my energy changes. Everything has to be in moderation and balanced. I am still a college student and trying to get a hang of this whole taking care of myself, but I think I'm doing a pretty good job so far. I continue to help advocate and educate myself about superfoods, nutrition, and exercise.

Balancing 5 part-time jobs while attending school is no easy feat. It takes a lot of time management, organization, and communication skills. Currently, I am a senior at the Conservatory of Performing Arts at Point Park University in Pittsburgh, PA earning my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance with a concentration in Ballet and a minor in Modern Languages with a concentration in French. The conservatory program I am in is very rigorous. I often have classes and rehearsals during the week that go from 9:40am to 10:00pm, which is not only physically but mentally taxing. A few clubs I am an active member of or hold a cabinet position on campus are the Honors Student Organization, Dance Club, Big Think: Art 4 Impact, The Globe- Student Newspaper, and The Horned Groundhog Fellowship Initiative. I have also served as a Freshman Orientation Leader, called a Pioneer Ambassador, cultivating and engaging new students to campus. A majority of my involvement in these organizations is focused on community engagement, growth, and service. Academically, I have a 3.9 GPA, have completed a majority of my credits to graduate with the Honors Program, have published academic articles, and presented my academic research at various Honors conferences and symposiums. I have a work-study position in the print shop, where I deliver and interact with a majority of the offices that operate the university. Previously, my work-study position was in the Honors Program Office as an Honors Office Assistant, managing, organizing, and recruiting for the program. As a Mentor Resident Educator on campus, I facilitate community with my residents while representing the university and enforcing policies. This position is very competitive and comes with a lot of responsibility. Being hired for a second year is such an honor, and I recently received an award at the Outstanding Student Awards last spring for being an Outstanding Resident Educator. I have been able to grow my connection and service in the Pittsburgh community through being a dance company member of Allegro Dance Company (ADC), an Italian Folk Dance Company, and the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership (PDP), a non-profit organization that organizes and hosts events for the greater Pittsburgh community as well as maintain the downtown area. As a dance company member for ADC, I have gotten to perform at various Italian Heritage Festivals all while gaining professional experience and serving the community by preserving and exposing people to traditional Italian Folk Dances. With the PDP, I have worked with them on multiple community events as an Ambassador. My job typically includes setting up or tearing down an event, maintaining a safe environment, and communicating with guests, vendors, and administration. Finally, I am a student ambassador for Niche Social, a national United States search engine and database that connects people to their future schools, neighborhoods, and workplaces. I create college advice content that is distributed on multiple social media platforms. How I manage my time and GPA with all of these jobs and responsibilities as a student is all thanks to my planner and some mindset work. My planner keeps me sane and I write everything down. I have a morning and night routine. I work to be mindful of deadlines, prioritize my work, and work proactively. If I'm struggling, I ask for help from an academic or mental health counselor. I try to keep in mind my goals and surround myself with people who support me and fill my metaphorical cup. In the future, I aim to continue learning, teaching, and mentoring through the arts. This scholarship would help me continue being a leader and serve my community.

My family is integral to who I am and my identity. If I was not adopted by my mother, who is a single mother, I would not be where I am today or the person I am today. She is more than my mother. She is my mentor and trusted advisor. She has taught me love is not bound by blood. She adopted me and my four siblings from China. Our ages range from 5 years old to 18 years old. Our family is unique because we were brought together by her love. I look up and admire her so much. The obstacles and challenges she has faced are unique and her perseverance is something I feel I have gotten from her. When my brother, J.J., was adopted and came home from China in June, 2016, his medical needs were more severe than expected. My younger sister, who has global delays, has been more difficult than my mom ever imagined. My mother has had to significantly reduce her working hours from her privately-owned law practice and take care of their needs. Consequently, this reduced her income substantially which is our family’s primary means of financial support. Especially during COVID, her ability to work and billable expenses were significantly reduced. In 2020, I decided to take a gap year. That year not only taught me responsibility but has revealed to me I am willing to sacrifice everything to help my family. Two of my other siblings are looking to go to college next year. I have witnessed her take care of her own mother, my grandmother. They were so close and growing up, my grandmother was like my second parent. To see my mom have to go through watching the debilitation of my grandmother's health has caused me to pause, be grateful, and be appreciative for all my mom and grandmother have done for me. My mom was always a creative and an artist. By putting me in dance, she was able to pass on her love for the arts and give me a passion that will last me a lifetime. I have learned grace, patience, love, determination, ambition, confidence, kindness, integrity, respect for myself and others, humility, perseverance, and strength from my mom. My goals include graduating from Point Park with Honors, solidifying my career by dancing for different dance companies and teaching at different institutions, going back to school to earn my Master of Fine Arts and Ph.D. in dance theory, choreography, or education, and earn a full-time faculty position teaching at an accredited university while continuing doing dance research and dance journalism. I plan on achieving success by using the skills I have learned from school and dance by continuing to be curious, disciplined, and inspired. My mother has continued to support, encourage, and nurture me and my future goals. Not just me but all of my siblings. That's what I wish to give to others and why I am very appreciative of my upbringing.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle in college can be difficult, not to mention over a lifetime. I am currently a senior Dance major at Point Park University, which is a top 5, nationally ranked conservatory. Health and fitness have always been a big part of my life. By the time I was adopted from China, my gross motor skills were severely delayed, and I had suffered from a lack of interaction with a caregiver and poor nutrition. My mother studied nutrition in college, so she promoted a healthy lifestyle for me through planning meals, putting me in dance classes, and making sure I received proper nutrition despite my various food allergies. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is a lifetime endeavor for me because my body is my instrument; I want to pursue dance professionally, which requires me to be healthy to continue the rigorous physical and mental aspects of dance. After a year of my own exploring and learning, I have learned more about nutrition, exercise, time management, and meal planning to live a proactive and healthy lifestyle. Moreover, I understand the short and long-term benefits of the balance of eating a nutritious diet, a proper exercise regimen, and mental health awareness. Currently, I live on campus, and in addition to my eighteen to nineteen credits a semester, I am active in multiple organizations on campus and have a couple of part-time jobs. Even though I am faced with challenges that can prevent me from eating healthy, I have identified those challenges and know how to overcome them. How I maintain a healthy lifestyle is through self-inspiration and motivation. Something helpful I think about when I plan a meal is that it is well-balanced including wheats, fruits, vegetables, proteins, and dairy items. Exercise is also important to lead a healthy lifestyle. Since my major is dance, I have no problem in getting my daily ten thousand steps and staying fit. Our school has a gym that has different machines I can go work out on during the weekends as well as a bike borrowing program. I enjoy taking a bike ride around downtown Pittsburgh. I also enjoy exercising while hanging out with my friends. For example, there is free yoga offered in Market Square; I can go and be active with friends while having fun. An important component of staying active is staying motivated. I have found having someone to keep me responsible for staying active can be helpful to stay motivated. A practical way to overcome some of the challenges I mentioned earlier is to keep health a priority. During my freshman year, I found myself putting my classes, dance, and school activities above my health which caused me to burn out and get sick quicker. Another main component of how one can practically sustain a healthy lifestyle is to set goals. Creating and scheduling time in my day to go to the gym not only holds me accountable to go, but helps me feel good for the rest of the day. Being patient with my body and health is important. The body has a homeostasis, or set point, weight range it perceives as healthy. One aspect of a healthy lifestyle one may not think of is paying attention to one's mental health. Seeing a therapist, recognizing when there is stress, and recognizing when a break is needed is important. Taking care of my mental health can ensure a long and happy future. I hope by establishing healthy lifestyle habits now, I am setting myself up for a long, prosperous, and healthy future.

I currently have $56,000+ worth of debt and haven't even graduated from school yet. They say going to college is part of the American Dream, but how can it be when it plummets students into debt and predatory loan companies prey on ambitious, naive students? I believe financial literacy is critical. Financial Literacy is the knowledge and application of various financial skills. Making informed decisions about my finances can help put me in a better place mentally and ensures my relationship with money is a healthy one. According to the Financial Literacy and Education Commission, there are five key components of financial literacy: earn, spend, save and invest, borrow, and protect. This is important because those who do not have this knowledge are literally stuck. There is no way to regulate and make good choices with money. Even though I am unable to make payments on my loans while I am in school, I plan to continue researching and making sure I keep updated on what I owe. For example, my federal student loan provider has already changed 3 times since my freshman year. What drives my passion for art and the future comes from the impact I have had from dance and seeing it have on others. Dance is what inspires me and is my life's work. I want to give the gift of dance to others, as others have given me. Although, I understand not everyone has had the blessings or privileges that I have had. I spent my first year of life in an orphanage in China. Abandoned by my birth parents, I have never learned anything about them, my true birth date, or the circumstances of my birth. By the time my mom adopted me from China, my gross motor skills were severely delayed and my body and spirit had suffered from the lack of interaction with a caregiver and poor nutrition. As early as possible, my mom put me in dance class to help improve my motor skills. This was the start of my dance journey and career. Since then, I have studied and achieved in dance. I auditioned, attended, and graduated from selective performing arts high school, the Alabama School of Fine Arts, and now I go to the Conservatory of Performing Arts at Point Park University for Dance, one of the top five conservatories for dance in the nation. While I have been in school, I hold 4-5 jobs at once. I am an Honors student, dancer, content creator, work-study office assistant, resident advisor, student organization leader, and community ambassador. My goals include graduating from Point Park with Honors, solidifying my career by dancing for different dance companies and teaching at different institutions, going back to school to earn my Master of Fine Arts and Ph.D. in dance theory, choreography, or education, and earn a full-time faculty position teaching at an accredited university while continuing doing dance research and dance journalism. I plan on achieving success by using the skills I have learned from school and dance by continuing to be curious, disciplined, and inspired. After I graduate, even though I plan on pursuing further education, I also plan on communicating with my loan providers, getting on a payment plan, and hopefully paying off all my loans within 15-20years. This scholarship would help me get a head start paying off my loans while I am in school and reduce the amount and time to pay them off.

Freshman year, to say I was overwhelmed and ignored my mental health would be an understatement. I decided to go to school out-of-state to a rigorous dance Conservatory program. It was my dream school, program, and career path. In high school, I did go to a performing arts high school which prepared me the best they could for my chosen career path, but could not prepare me for what life was going to be like in college. I was on my own for the first time and felt lost. Sure, I had gone to overnight summer dance intensives, but those would only be a month maximum. I was lucky to get onto the Honors Hall, but living on campus provided a fast-paced and hyper-stimulated environment. The culture shock I felt and loneliness in a crowd of people was an unforeseeable challenge. Therefore, I was determined to get all the bang for my buck as I could. The campus I lived on was small and in the city. Every activity, performance, or event was within walking distance. If I was not busy, I was anxious, impatient, or feeling productivity guilt. I sought out people and experiences to try and fill the void I felt inside from homesickness, insecurities, or perceived work stresses, which in the long run did not serve me beneficially. The culture in my dance department is more progressive than most. Although, only a certain few students were cast into performances. This created an unavoidable, competitive dynamic in the classroom. I struggled with balancing the new social environment I was put in and my place in my chosen program. I was a part of about 6 extracurricular clubs, my school’s Honors Program, and had a part-time job. I burnt out very quickly despite enjoying all the activities I was involved in. Coming from a pretty conservative household, therapy was only a resource if you had something wrong with you, although we have worked on as a family to improve upon all of our mental health during the pandemic. A big pressure I felt, and still feel, was financial. Even though my mom had some money saved away, I received federal financial aid, and I had a small job, they were not enough to cover my college bill. I have four younger siblings at home, two of which have special needs and two of which are in or looking at attending college, and my mother is a single parent. We were all adopted from China. Recently, to help pay the bills, my mother sold our family home, which was also her retirement income. Currently, my family is living in a house my grandmother owns. Sophomore year, I took out a loan in which my aunt is a cosigner. My sister has no savings for her college, and since my mother cannot spend any more of her retirement money on college, we are in a tough situation. I took out another loan to pay for my senior year, and will be graduating with about $55,000 worth of debt. Although, a lot of growth has happened since my freshman year. Sophomore year, I started going to my school’s brief therapy service. This greatly impacted the way I viewed myself, others around me, and my progression, as well as how I coped with the feelings I was having. I realize it is as much a stressful financial situation for me as it is for my mother and our whole family. I realize if I do not see my time as valuable and take time to work on my relationship with myself, I cannot improve upon or support others around me. I realize I do not want to gain the whole world to lose my soul. Being successful in a career like dance takes a lot of mental stamina, maturity, and patience. I never would have gotten to this conclusion if I did not have the support from my family, friends, and school that I have. I cannot be successful at my dreams unless I take care of and value both my mental and physical health equally. Additionally, my story and situation are unlike anyone else’s. Therefore, I cannot compare myself to others or even my own ideal version of success, or else I will never be happy or satisfied. I realize I can let a negative experience influence my beliefs, relationships, and career aspirations just as much as I can let a positive experience influence my beliefs, relationships, and career aspirations. I am reminded each day to stay humble, grateful, and blessed for all the opportunities I have been gifted with. Teaching and inspiring others are my passion, in which I enjoy seeing the impact art can have on others. I have a clear vision of my goals, how to be a leader, and how I want to use the degree I receive at Point Park by focusing on and improving my mental health. There is a Chinese proverb that says, “an invisible red thread connects those destined to meet, regardless of the time, place, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but never break.” This is how I view my purpose in life. There are people who I have met, here, who have changed my life forever and there are people who I will meet whose lives I can change forever.

If I am being 100% honest, AAPI culture is something I have had to discover, define, and integrate into my identity. To me, "culture" is a philosophical collective representation of how people decide to define themselves, what they like to do with their time, and what they value. I have had to actively seek out my heritage. Having a Eurocentric education of my birthright has definitely affected how I characterize myself; in the United States curriculum, mention of AAPI culture is limited to essentially a World History course. I recognize AAPI culture is a broad generalization of approximately 50 ethnic groups with over 100 languages spoken. I identify as Chinese and will be discussing my relationship with the Chinese culture specifically, which is still not even close to a definite way of looking at AAPI culture. Being an adopted Asian American growing up in a suburb of Alabama, I started questioning why my race was different than a lot of my classmates at a pretty young age. My mother always told me about where I was from and Asian culture. She even bought my siblings and me Chinese language lessons and took me back to see my orphanage in the 2nd grade. Yet, I never felt connected or was never able to fully connect to Chinese culture. The political climate in 2020, forced me to analyze my relationship and identity with AAPI culture. I felt an internalized animosity for being Asian and this event reminded me I was "different." I display all of the qualities listed above in different capacities as a leader in my American, Eurocentric community. I have chosen to pursue a career in dance and am currently earning my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance with a concentration in Ballet from the Conservatory of Performing Arts, with one of the top dance programs in the nation, and minor in Modern Languages with a concentration in French from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences from Point Park University, a private liberal arts college. By the time my mom adopted me from China, my gross motor skills were severely delayed and my body and spirit had suffered from the lack of interaction with a caregiver and poor nutrition. As early as possible, my mom put me in dance class; this was the start of my dance journey and career. I graduated high school from the Alabama School of Fine Arts, a public magnet performing arts school. Being an active member of the arts community, I have observed the way in which people, society, and culture are represented in the arts is a direct reflection and has a direct impact on communities. The discipline and investment I have given to studying dance has allowed and empowered me to be confident I am practicing service excellence. I believe professionalism and integrity go hand in hand. I pride myself on showing up as my authentic self. This allows me to be led by my character and morals, including honesty. Dance gives me the opportunity to not only explore and express my identity but for others to explore and express theirs as well to help them develop their voice. I have found a community in dance, although, acknowledge the various obstacles in the industry. I would like younger Asian, and more specifically adopted Asian American, youth to see themselves represented on the stage, on TV, in the classroom, as a leader, in the media, and as active members of their community. Until recently, I had not had many Asian American teachers, mentors, or even figures in the mainstream American media to look up to. My goals are to continue teaching, researching, writing about, and pursuing dance as a way to advocate for AAPI diversity and representation in the arts. I intend to use the blessings I have already received to achieve and further my goals mentioned above, as well as, continue to be a leader, active member of my community, and an advocate in my community. If I were to win this scholarship, more specifically, the funds would be applied to my tuition to continue studying dance at Point Park University and continue my ability to advocate and work in my field.

As a dance major, we are taught that taking care of ourselves is the first step in ensuring success. This includes eating well, exercising, skincare, and taking care of our mental health. I know when I take the time to eat breakfast in the morning and feel prepared for the next day, I will feel more confident in my work. Another example is when I am going grocery shopping. I ensure I schedule enough time to not feel rushed and have a grocery list to help me stay on track with my long-term health goals. When it comes to social media and electronics, I have discovered I feel more rejuvenated in the morning if I put my phone down at least an hour to two before I go to sleep. Knowing myself well enough on when to take a break is something I am consistently working on. Drinking enough water daily helps me feel noticeably better, and having a cute water bottle is a great conversation starter. Sophomore year, I started going to my school’s brief therapy service. This greatly impacted the way I viewed myself, others around me, and my progression, as well as how I coped with the feelings I was having. I realized if I do not see my time as valuable and take time to work on the relationship with myself, I cannot improve upon or support others around me. Also, I never would have gotten to this conclusion if I did not have the support from my family, friends, and school that I have. I cannot be successful at my dreams unless I take care of and value both my mental and physical health equally. I am reminded each day to stay humble, grateful, and blessed for all the opportunities I have been gifted with.