Looking in the mirror became hard, waking up in the morning felt like a burden and life started to fade. I was a spectator in my own life. I needed a change, I needed to prioritize myself and realize that I was born to live my life in an enjoyable way, it was unacceptable that a 17-year-old was ready to give up on life even though I had barely even lived at all, what did I even know about life, what had sucked that happiness and drive out of me? I had taken on too much, I wanted to do everything, but I failed to realize that a single person can only do so much. I decided to make a change, I decided to change my mindset. I did not just wake up one-day thinking life is beautiful and everything was rainbow and butterflies, but I did set my mindset for change, I decided I was ready to be happy and change. I reached out for help, I talked to one of the people I know I can rely on, one of my main support system people, my dad. I decided to just talk to him about what worried me, and how I felt overall and as expected, he offered me some advice and I took it, he offered to take me with a counselor because he knew his limited knowledge and a professional would be fitter to help me. I began to work with a counselor who helped me find ways to cope with situations in my life, guided me through difficult times and helped me realize multiple things about myself to be better. I also realized that I was doing very few things that I enjoyed, I was part of many clubs but for the wrong reasons, I had a job that did not value me and I was just going through the motions. I discovered a new passion for working out, I got a gym membership for $20 a month, which I began to see as an investment, the pay for 3hrs of work was going into my physical and mental health. The time I would spend in the gym was my break from the world, I made it my safe space, my happy place. I began to see myself being happier, I was happy to wake up in the mornings, I felt accomplished at the end of the night and now I have integrated therapy and working out into my daily routine. The two things that take up about seven hours of my life each week have been the best investment. I attend therapy with a free church counselor which I was so lucky to find because I know how expensive mental healthcare can be, the gym since I made it a priority in my life I found a way to fit it into my budget. I am still working on myself, I have come a long way but there is still a long way to go, I continue to find myself looking for ways to maintain my mental and physical health because it is a journey and we must learn to enjoy it. I am glad to say that I am now happy to be where I am and excited to see where I will go.

Sheila Hernandez. That is my name, more than half of my identity if not all contained in it. I am many things but the ones that describe me the most are "big-sister, caring, determined and a go-getter." I aspire to someday become a person who sets change in the world, I aspire to become a doctor, a neurosurgeon to be more specific. I want to help people, I want to become a person from who people can seek help, not just medical but any kind of help my capabilities allow me to provide. I have already started my journey on this, a while ago really. I have been a certified lifeguard since I turned 15, then I started working towards my acceptance in the EMT certification class at my school, I took all of the pre-required courses, did volunteering and ended up falling in love with it, maintained a GPA and more, senior year I took the class and became a certified EMT. The class allowed me to experience many things, within those come teamwork, life-changing events and honestly things I never thought I would have ever had to witness at this age, all of the things I have encountered in my life have helped me become who I am, all of the experiences have opened my mind and shaped my persona. I love helping people in any way, I started tutoring and giving classes to ESL learners, and I found a passion for teaching and sharing knowledge that I did not know I had, being able to share my knowledge with people and see it change lives is something priceless, seeing the smile on people's faces when they understand a greeting instead of just following a script is something unmatched. I love helping people and being part of the change I hope to see in the world one day. To become the professional I want to become I need to attend school for several years, I need to prepare myself the best I can, for which I need funds, funds that I don't have and I still have to figure out how to get, I will continue to do my best work, maintaining my GPA to get merit scholarships, working my part-time job and applying to any aid I can find that includes this scholarship, I will use this money for my education for me to become a qualified professional in the future and give back to my community even ten times more. I will use this money to better serve my community through more than just economic help but rather a healthcare and education, that way we can keep advancing and making the world a better place with equity and opportunities for everyone.

Changing, saving, preserving and transforming lives. I want to create an impact in society and revolutionize the world in which we live. Becoming a doctor has been my lifelong dream, and ever since I can remember becoming a doctor has been my goal. Why? I want to make a change, I want to see the world become a better place. I know I can make this change we need, especially in healthcare, all of those people suffering because they can't afford a doctor, they can't afford help. I need to do something about it. I know it may sound unrealistic, some have even called it crazy, but hey, if your goals don't terrify you, you are not setting them high enough. I come from an immigrant family, I have seen my dad move the earth and travel the oceans to get help me get where I am now, I am not one to give up easily. Throughout high school, I always felt like an outsider and that is fine, I was focused on things that filled my heart and on helping others, I did have my fun but fitting in was not my priority. I took my pre-required courses from freshman year through the junior year to get into the EMT practicum class, when I finally made it I was so proud of myself, all of the medically oriented classes were paying off. I went on my ambulance rotations and got to see a side of healthcare I had never seen before, people in their most vulnerable states, the way patients rely on you to save their lives, it's not something for the weak. I have worked so hard to get here and did all the checklist items like maintaining a GPA, taking extracurriculars and community service, along that road I fell in love with the process. I knew that moving to the US meant a whole new world of opportunities opening, I knew I had to take advantage of this opportunity presented to me. Life in Honduras is different, I lived a life of conformism but when I moved here, the ambition in me just grew and grew, I opened my eyes to the world and the real issues and that just made me want to help even more, falling in love with helping in any way, from passing food in a food pantry, tutoring to helping save lived in an ambulance, I just want to keep making change, positive change despite the challenges I may face. I have come so far, I know I can go further, helping people. Becoming a doctor means I will be able to help people in their most vulnerable moments, and being bilingual means I will be able to connect with patients despite the language barrier, I will be able to make a change in healthcare, I will be able to change the world one life at a time.

"No entiendo lo que me pide, por que me grita?" Translated to English "I don't understand what he's asking for, why is he yelling at me?" Those words have resonated in my head for quite some time, they served as the fuel for me to take action, to do something. I was working at a fast food restaurant and the concierge was a Hispanic lady who did not speak English, the manager was upset because she had forgotten to put up the wet floor sign in the bathroom and it was a liability for the establishment, which is completely understandable to be upset about that, but it does not excuse the yelling. I walked over and tried to help with the communication, both parties calmed down and I later stayed with the concierge because it felt unfair that she was so scared. I have seen people from my community struggle with the language, even in my own house. I decided I would start teaching English as a second language at a local church to help people communicate better. After a couple of months with my first students, I had learned so much from them, I was simply sharing something that I have been lucky enough to grow up with, a bilingual education thanks to my parents. I saw how something that I used to take for granted created such a change in people's lives. I started to learn from them and value their experiences more and more, the way they felt they had overcome something they thought to be impossible due to economic limitations or time constraints, the smile on their faces when I greeted them in English and they understood what I was saying instead of just following a script, those tiny small things we often take for granted making a huge change to their lives. Volunteering is helping others without any interest in gaining something for yourself, and these people gave something to me too, they opened my eyes to the reality many of them face day to day. I want to keep changing people's lives for the better, I want to continue making an impact, that is why I have decided to attend college to become a physician, I want to help in every way that I can. To do that I need funds for my education. If I am awarded this scholarship I will be able to cut down on my hours at my job and volunteer more, I can help the Hispanic women in the GED class at my church, and I can offer extra tutoring hours while also being a college student with a goal. By earning this scholarship I can fulfill my dream and not go into so much debt that it limits what I can do for others. I have many years of school ahead of me, and with that comes many tuition payments that I still don't know how I will meet, that's why I need to earn this scholarship. To fulfill my goal and help those in my community who need it the most.

We got to Dr. Alvarado's office, a quick examination we thought, but we were rushed to the ER where I was stopped at the door, all I was able to see were some nurses helping with an IV on his little arm, a gown in place of his soccer jersey, he was rushed to the OR, while grandma took my sister and me to an ice cream shop and pretended it was all fine. The reality is nothing was “fine.” In my head, he was in the OR hours after we had just been playing with his Hot-Wheels at home. I begged to go back to the hospital and see my little brother. Grandma took me there and told me to be quiet and to not bother the doctors because they were probably busy enough as it was. As I sat in the waiting room waiting for our names to be called, a doctor came through the glass doors and saw me fidgeting with my hands and the worry on my face. The doctor came closer with a bright smile on his face and then kneeled to ask what flavor ice cream I had gotten earlier; I gave him a confused look. He smiled and then said my brother was okay, his body had just had a little hiccup, but he was going to be alright, and I should be able to see him any minute. I was still confused and upset, I wanted to know what was wrong, the doctor patiently explained the procedure in a way a 12-year-old would understand and not be scared. He did not only make my brother all better but also me and with that the rest of my family. The reality is, ever since I was a little kid, I knew I wanted to be a doctor. That encounter simply reassured me that helping people, not just patients but the impact doctors have on the family, is something I want to pursue. I realized medicine is my calling and I must work hard to get there, so that’s what I did ever since then. Multiple experiences in the US, how hard it has been for my family to gain access to medical attention due to the language barrier and the economic burden it becomes. In high school I had the opportunity to get my EMT license with which I have been able to provide elders, different communities with care through volunteering work, helping with what seems like a minor task but it makes a huge difference in their lives, seeing first-hand what people must go through to get medical attention is heartbreaking. All these experiences simply push me harder to pursue my goal of becoming a doctor. Part of the reason I have decided to pursue a career in medicine is to help the communities like mine, help those who can’t afford it, those who are limited due to the language they speak. I want to become a voice for those who can’t speak. As a Latina woman in STEM from an immigrant family, I have seen and lived experiences first-hand who put me and people I care about on the spot now of need and being able to help and make things accessible for everyone is my goal. Providing quality care and care that we can continue to provide for as long as people may need it, changing the perception of healthcare in the Hispanic community. It may sound like a crazy unreachable goal, but if your goals don’t scare you, then they are not big enough.

Throughout life, we are influenced by multiple things such as people, circumstances, opportunities, failures, and successes. I am the second oldest daughter, I was the first girl in the family, and my dad always tells me how much I changed his life for the better. I see him as my biggest inspiration, the biggest influence in my life. I have seen my dad go through incredibly hard and life-changing situations yet he always pulls through, he always keeps going, and never gives up. My dad is my role model, he may not be a billionaire, a well-known CEO, or anything fancy, but to me, he is the real definition of hard work and success. I have always been pushed to be the best I can be, he always inspired me to strive for the best, seek opportunities and fight for what I want. He has been the influence that has pushed me past my limits, he has aided my growth. All of his inspiring words and encouraging actions have led me to believe in myself, he has inspired me to think that I can do whatever I set myself for as long as I am honest, hard-working, and dedicated. He has always supported my decision and intervened when he saw it necessary. I will say my dad has been the best influence in my life, he, of course, has his flaws because it is what makes us all human, but in the end, I don't think I could have had a better example of self superation, perseverance, dedication, discipline and no one could ever show me what true love and caring for another person is like better than him. Having this great influence has been the best thing in my life.

Technology has continuously been evolving throughout the years, humanity has been able to experience it and be a witness to its evolution. Being aware of all the advances and the way it all has aided society inspires me to keep on going and researching. The piece of technology that has inspired me the most and the one I feel has had the biggest impact on humanity is the smartphone, although it seems like a given and as everyone has it nowadays it has been a huge aid for humanity. It serves as an aid by distracting us which can be seen as a simple thing but if we think about it, all the capacities it has, all the power it holds, and how it aids the widest range of people from the youngest to the eldest is truly amusing. Smartphones are a relatively new technology to which we have rapidly adapted, as humans we tend to adapt to our circumstances and environments. Adapting to a new gadget that facilitates our lives through communication, entertainment, information source and more is truly an advantage that most of us are able to have access to. I believe that with the jumpstart of smartphones we are able to pursue more and more innovative technologies that will continue to facilitate our lives. It will aid in the development of medicine, entertainment, engineering, and many more STEM drive careers for the benefit of the public which in the end will ultimately make the world a better place for humanity.

Over the course of my high school career, I have pursued the STEM pathway. I have always demonstrated an interest in STEM, specifically in sciences yielding towards human anatomy and healthcare. Being part of a minority which is the Hispanic background and even more prominent, being a Hispanic woman pursuing a STEM career I have faced multiple challenges from closing doors, people not believing in me, or simply not being taken seriously due to the simple fact that I am a girl and my Hispanic background. Another limiting factor has been the financial part of it all, I am not some heirs nor do I come from a wealthy family, that is why I have always felt like money is a factor that controls a huge part of my life, I always find a way, it being by asking for help or working to get the money I need, it is hard but not impossible. None of it has stopped me from pushing myself past my limits and facing every day as a new opportunity. I have always had my heart set on the medical pathway, my main goal is to someday become a neurosurgeon which involves a lot of hard work and dedication. My main motivation is that someday I will be able to give back to my community by helping those in need with research and-or treatments. I aspire to come up with innovative treatments and discoveries that will provide the future of medicine with important breakthroughs that will improve the living conditions of every person on the planet. I am not scared of dreaming big, I once read "If your dreams don't scare you, you are not dreaming big enough." That is the reason why I am not afraid of setting high goals for myself. Being the recipient of this scholarship will aid my growth and help me pursue my career in STEM to one day become an exemplary neurosurgeon who will help millions and improve their quality of life.

The common things everyone wants to know: My name is Sheila, I am 19-years-old, I am Hispanic, my nationality is Honduran and I am a middle child. That is not really me... I am more than statistics and more than a middle child, I am a passionate student with hopes and dreams, I have hobbies, I love to paint, swim, lift weights at the gym and play the guitar. I am an outgoing person when I am comfortable with people, I am shy around new people and I love helping others. I have a passion for medicine and my lifelong dream is to become a neurosurgeon. I have a deep desire to be able to help people and become someone admirable, I want to be an inspiration and achieve my goals. If I could do anything in life, I would explore the world, every little corner, I would indulge myself in every culture, and find a way to help those in need. My motivation is the world and myself. I want to be better for myself and for everyone. I hope that one day I can make a difference and that the world is able to come to me for help. I want to help and be that change I wish to see in the world and improve in every sense. Being part of the STEM field is a major goal of mine, my major interest in STEM is science, I am intrigued by the impact of science in the world. The way the STEM field is predominantly male makes me want to be part of it, I want to demonstrate to the world that women are capable. The constant discoveries and innovations happening in the STEM field are amusing, said discoveries have led to improvements in the medical field that have saved lives and continue to help those in need, also the improvements in technology that have helped people communicate, made the world an innovative modern place, the STEM field is the future and I want to be a part of it. I want to be part of that innovation that helps those in need. Once I am in the STEM field I will be able to take part in research and innovation, I will be able to help others and give my input and contribute with research.

The common things everyone wants to know: My name is Sheila, I am 19-years-old, I am Hispanic, my nationality is Honduran and I am a middle child. That is not really me... I am more than statistics and more than a middle child, I am a passionate student with hopes and dreams, I have hobbies, I love to paint, swim, lift weights at the gym and play the guitar. I am an outgoing person when I am comfortable with people, I am shy around new people and I love helping others. I have a passion for medicine and my lifelong dream is to become a neurosurgeon. I have a deep desire to be able to help people and become someone admirable, I want to be an inspiration and achieve my goals. If I could do anything in life, I would explore the world, every little corner, I would indulge myself in every culture, and find a way to help those in need. My motivation is the world and myself. I want to be better for myself and for everyone. I hope that one day I can make a difference and that the world is able to come to me for help. I want to help and be that change I wish to see in the world and improve in every sense. Being part of the STEM field is a major goal of mine, my major interest in STEM is science, I am intrigued by the impact of science in the world. The way the STEM field is predominantly male makes me want to be part of it, I want to demonstrate to the world that women are capable. The constant discoveries and innovations happening in the STEM field are amusing, said discoveries have led to improvements in the medical field that have saved lives and continue to help those in need, also the improvements in technology that have helped people communicate, made the world an innovative modern place, the STEM field is the future and I want to be a part of it. I want to be part of that innovation that helps those in need. Once I am in the STEM field I will be able to take part in research and innovation, I will be able to help others and give my input and contribute with research. I have read multiple books that have helped me become who I am, giving me different perspectives and ways to see and analyze the world. I have read Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde, I have been able to interpret it in multiple ways, the idea that it is the repression of emotions, the idea of what we think of addiction, not just drugs but people, mental disorders are also present and we are able to analyze it. The bible has also been a huge impact in my life, I am religious but I also like to look at the bible as a literary masterpiece, the way it is written and the inspiration of hit have impacted my life and the meaning behind it all has promted me to do research and question multiple things.

1. The common things everyone wants to know, My name is Sheila, I am 19-years-old, I am Hispanic, my nationality is Honduran and I am a middle child. That is not really me... I am more than statistics and more than a middle child, I am a passionate student with hopes and dreams, I have hobbies, I love to paint, swim, lift weights at the gym and play the guitar. I am an outgoing person when I am comfortable with people, I am shy around new people and I love helping others. I have a passion for medicine and my lifelong dream is to become a neurosurgeon. I have a deep desire to be able to help people and become someone admirable, I want to be an inspiration and achieve my goals. If I could do anything in life, I would explore the world, every little corner, I would indulge myself in every culture, and find a way to help those in need. My motivation is the world and myself, I want to be better for myself and for everyone, I hope that one day I can make a difference and that the world is able to come for me for help. I want to help and be that change I wish to see in the world and improve in every sense. 2. STEM is a major goal of mine, my major interest in STEM is science, I am intrigued by the impact of science in the world. The way the STEM field is predominantly male makes me want to be part of it, I want to demonstrate the world that women are capable. The constant discoveries and innovations happening in the STEM field are amusing, said discoveries have led to improvements in the medical field that have saved lives and continue to help those in need, also the improvements in technology that have helped people communicate, made the world an innovative modern place, the STEM field is the future and I want to be a part of it. I want to be part of that innovation that helps those in need. Once I am in the STEM field I will be able to take part in research and innovation, I will be able to help others and give my input and contribute with research. 3. The greatest challenge in my life? Having to change my world as I knew it. My mom made what to me seems like the wrong decision, what I consider not a mistake but rather an act of evil. It may not have been intentional but it was conscious. My mom cheated not only on my dad and their marriage of 25-years but on our whole family, she lied to our faces and destroyed what took 25-years to build. The emotional damage done onto 6-members of a family is irreparable, nothing ever goes back to being the same. I felt like my whole world was falling apart and I was never going to be able to recover. Being betrayed is true harm, it is something that truly hurts and marks you for life. I will not lie and say I have easily gotten over it and that I no longer cry over it, I do. It is a work in progress, I have learned that in life we get challenging things and we can choose to either sink with them or take them as fuel for our ambition. I have learned that it is ok to feel things and demonstrate emotions, I have learned that being vulnerable and seeking help is ok and is part of being human. I have used the pain as fuel, I have learned to see this situation as a lesson, I have taken this situation as a learning experience. It has helped me discover myself. I have gone through harder things physically, economic challenges, different types of pain, and endless lessons but I would take this betrayal, this slap on the face as the most challenging one because it hit where it hurts the most, my family. This situation took a toll on me in every sense and it has been hard to overcome, yet not impossible and I have gained a lot from it.

Poem.

I believe humans have the capability of overcoming any situation, disregarding how challenging it may seem. We see a situation, we adapt and we overcome it. That's how my life for the past two years and a half has been. My dad taught me to call it ambition, that hunger you get, the feeling of aspiring for more, that nothing is ever enough, it pushes you past what you believe to be your limits, having that drive and determination for more. Ever since I can remember working towards outstanding grades has always been one of my main goals, although at times all that work is not enough, and being “good enough” has to do. It's not wrong to want to surpass limits but it is wrong to self-deprecate when you can’t reach those high A’s; it's something I have learned to accept. Learned that everyone has different circumstances that we can’t control but they hold power over us and they affect us in many aspects of our lives. The year 2020 life as I knew it was flipped upside down. My mini-world, which is what I like to call my family, had a 180-degree flip, a stranger and the closest person to me decided to rip apart the most precious thing I had. My mini-world no longer has a population of six, it became five. My mom, best friend, decided to walk out on us. Her lack of morality shredded my mini-world into pieces and did irreparable damage. While anger, sadness, many negative emotions were on edge, waiting to take control over me, I knew I had a decision to make, let this anger fuel my hunger or let myself be held hostage to the overwhelming thoughts. I cannot be dishonest and say that I never let those thoughts consume me, that some nights when all I wanted was to drown in my own sea of sorrow, but the important thing is that the next morning, all that pain served as fuel for the ambition, understanding “things happen for a reason” even when that reason is not clear. Learning to pick up the pieces of a broken heart is hard, trying to pick up the pieces of a confused brain is even harder, trying to make sense of this senseless destruction is almost an impossible task. With time, I have learned to adapt, learned to use this pain as motivation. When it comes to the overcoming part, I will say it is a work in progress. “Adapt and overcome” is an easy fragment, it is complex to execute and involves steps that no one is certain of. Having to “adapt and overcome” multiple times in such a short amount of time has left me valuable lessons, everything matters, everything happens for a reason; good or bad, it has all shaped me into the person I am. These obstacles and advantages have helped me become who I am today. These lessons I will carry with me and will continue to aid my growth as a person will help me face more obstacles and use other advantages in a smarter setting, academically, at a personal or emotional level. Every situation we face has a deeper meaning. We can always make the most of the smallest or the most challenging situations, it's all in knowing how to confront them. Adapting is not always easy, it does not mean “just take it as it is” but understanding what it is, analyzing how it's going to affect you, and making a decision as to what is the best approach to overcome said obstacles and situations.

I believe humans have the capability of overcoming any situation, disregarding how challenging it may seem. We see a situation or issue, we adapt and we overcome it. That is how my life for the past two years and a half has been. My dad taught me to call it ambition. Ambition is that hunger you get, the feeling of aspiring for more and that nothing is ever enough, it pushes you past what you believe to be your limits, having that drive and determination for more. Ever since I can remember working towards outstanding grades has always been one of my main goals, although at times all that work is not enough, and being “good enough” has to do. It's not wrong to want to surpass limits but it is wrong to self-deprecate when you can’t reach those high A’s; that is something I have learned to accept these past few years. Learned that everyone has different circumstances that we can’t control but they hold power over us and they affect us in many aspects of our lives. The year 2020 life as I knew it was flipped upside down. My mini-world, which is what I like to call my family, had a 180-degree flip, a stranger and the closest person to me decided to rip apart the most precious thing I had. My mini-world no longer has a population of six, it became five. My mom, best friend who was my role model, decided to walk out on us. Her lack of morality shredded my mini-world into pieces and did irreparable damage. While anger, sadness, and many negative emotions were on edge, waiting to take control over me, I knew I had a decision to make, let this anger fuel my hunger or let myself be held hostage to the overwhelming thoughts. I cannot be dishonest and say that I never let those thoughts consume me and that some nights when all I wanted was to drown in my own tears and the sea of sorrow, but the important thing is that the next morning when the sun rose again, all that pain served as fuel for the ambition, understanding “things happen for a reason” even when that reason is not clear after a year. Learning to pick up the pieces of a broken heart is hard, trying to pick up the pieces of a confused brain is even harder, trying to make sense of this senseless destruction is almost an impossible task. With the passing of time, I have learned to adapt, learned to use this pain as motivation. When it comes to the overcoming part, I will say it is a work in progress. Although saying “adapt and overcome” is an easy fragment, it is complex to execute and it involves many steps that no one is certain of. Having to “adapt and overcome” multiple times in such a short amount of time has left me valuable lessons, everything matters, everything happens for a reason; good or bad, it has all shaped me into the person I am now. All these obstacles and advantages have helped me become who I am today. These lessons I will carry with me and will continue to aid my growth as a person will help me face more obstacles and use other advantages in a smarter setting, academically, at a personal or emotional level. Every situation we face has a deeper meaning. We can always make the most of the smallest or the most challenging situations, it's all in knowing how to confront them. Adapting is not always easy and it does not mean “just take it as it is” but understanding what it is, analyzing how it's going to affect you and making a decision as to what is the best approach to overcome said obstacles and situations. Short answer- 1. A college education means multiple things to me, it means achieving my goals, personal and academic growth. It means all my effort has been worth it. Being able to attend college has been my dream ever since I can remember, it means one step closer to achieving my dream, it means I am one step closer to being able to contribute and help society, it means more than words to me. College is key to long-term stability, financial and intellectual, being educated means leaving my ignorance behind and being able to contribute to society in multiple ways. 2. A typical day outside of school for me is a busy day, enjoying time doing what I like, a day nurturing my future but also enjoying the moment. Once the bell rings at 2:45 pm the day is mine and whatever I make of it, it is not always the same but most times I get my sister from school, we sing in the car on our way home to relax and let loose a little; once we arrive home I make lunch or sometimes we just heat up leftovers from dinner the night before, then I like to eat in the living room so we can watch T.V together along with my little brother, afterward I like to workout when I don't have work from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm. After I do either of those things I go back home or maybe have dinner at a friend's house, get home, and work on homework or if I get the chance I talk with my dad before heading to the shower and going to bed. 3. To feed my curiosity I try to find new hobbies and ways to spend time with friends or family doing fun activities, I like to read fun facts or try new workout routines. I often try to find new spots around town to spend time and go on new adventures in nature. I like going on walks and noticing things in nature. I like thinking about new projects that can help me grow and see things from different perspectives.

In order to empower women there are many things society can do, many manners we must improve and encourage women to become their best selves. I believe women can be empowered by example, for instance, bringing successful women to aspiring female professionals with words and acts of encouragement in order to tear down the negative energy that society often drops on women. Society can empower women with simple words of encouragement, creating opportunities and opening paths in any career not only the typical ones we have labeled as female careers. I believe it all starts at home, so mothers and fathers of little girls, boost their confidence, let them express themselves, and tell them how they can be anything they want as long as they work hard for it and are determined, don't label them with "girls stuff v. guys stuff" let them explore the world and everything in it. Shutting down negative energy, as women, we are held to unrealistic beauty standards from a young age, stop spreading those standards, let girls express themselves, don't let them close themselves up, and hide their true selves. Let women be honest and open. Let women know that being vulnerable is okay, being able to express our concerns and feelings is a must, this will let us be heard and allow us to take action. Let's advocate for our female colleagues, let's embrace and support each other, let's help each other out and not shame on each other. If we see something, say something, we must stand up for each other, we are stronger together. Become mentors, look for mentors, having someone who has struggled and can help guide you better to success is always beneficial. Support young entrepreneurs, if you see a friend start a business support them, buy from them, advertise them and encourage them to keep going. Help other women to know their worth, and also know your own worth. Do not let anyone or anything stop you from achieving your goals, let good things happen and embrace the good. For all of these things to be done, we must stick together, no matter if they call us crazy, let them call us crazy. We deserve a chance to be powerful, we can be powerful and we will be. Any goal we have we can meet and if we stick together to make noise, we will be heard, change will be made. This is a long journey but there are plenty of us to conquer this fight. As a society we must encourage women to be their best selves and never give up, we must create new ways for women to achieve their goals and facilitate things to make them successful.

It was not until I turned 15 that I started to hear the phrase "mental health". I never necessarily struggled with it or at least never realized I did since mental health was seen as a taboo, therapy was something to be ashamed of, and being sad was not accepted. The past four years I endured major changes in my life, to begin with, I moved from Honduras to the US, leaving all my family and friends back home. Once in the US, I felt all alone although my immediate family was here. I was in a house but not a home, people surrounded me but I always felt alone. Later on, being homesick was no longer an eventuality but it was my constant state, I missed every aspect of home and no one understood me; everyone kept telling me I would get used to it. Fast forward two years later, my parents started having issues with their relationship. I was always on my mom's side for the simple fact that we were closer, little did I know I was being manipulated. After a couple of months of me being on her side and her ruining my relationship with my dad, the truth came out and it hit me like a truck going 100mph hits a bunny on the road, my heart was completely shattered and my mind confused and distraught. I wanted so many explanations and I was feeling many emotions, many things happened after she decided to leave the house and live on her own. I am the oldest so I assumed what my siblings and I call the "mom role." My dad still does all of the things a dad is supposed to do and more, he deeply cares for us and I am certain that if it wasn't for him I wouldn't be writing this essay right now. I am certain that if it wasn't for his incredible support there would've been a picture of me at my friend's ofrenda this past Nov. 2nd. There are many things I can't explain, there are many things I still need an explanation on and so many things that I wish I could say to those who have hurt me. I have been on the verge of harming myself multiple times, but I know God has a plan and at the end of the storm comes the rainbow, the thing is, I don't know how long this storm will last and if my ship can handle it, but for as long as I can I will push through it. Through all of this, I have questioned my faith in God, I have wondered if he ever listens to me if he is so good, how can he let my family fall apart like this, how can he let me feel as if life is not worth living? There is no real answer other than I must trust him, because although I have suffered, he has blessed me immensely and I will never forget that, I will always try to see the good in the midst of the bad. I have been troubled but he always puts a sign in my path to help me keep going, to help me push through. My mental health will never be at 100% but I believe that with the help needed and proving to myself that I can be better, I will be ok. I know that if I seek the help that I need and put in my effort I will get better, I will stop patterns and I will be happy again. I will learn that happiness is not a destination but a journey, I have to enjoy life and not worry too much. I have to start making life happen and not letting life happen for me. After all of the damage was done, after I got tired of crying myself to sleep, after I got tired of eating because I had to and not because I was hungry, I started to see things from different perspectives when people who truly care about me and my well-being showed up. I began to sleep at night because I was tired of laughing and enjoying the day, because my eyes were tired of watching beautiful sunsets and counting the stars, I started eating because I was hungry at lunchtime, I started enjoying people's company. I began to let people in when they showed affection, I let my friends into my house, I let my dad become my friend. Once you accept you deserve better, things get better. It is a long process and you must be willing to let others help you, you must accept that you can't do it all and that it is okay to feel things, it is okay to demonstrate emotion, that is when you realize you are getting there. When you are suffering it is easy to think you are worthless and will never accomplish anything, but it is important to always remember that you are more than your situations or circumstances, that there are things you can't control and those things don't define you. Never let go of a dream before trying to pursue it to the maximum. Always believe in yourself and never give up.

A practical solution in order to help those who struggle with mental health would be providing more mental health awareness to everybody in the community. If we raise awareness at a larger mass, through social media, ads, posters, or even conventions where people can learn about what mental health is, how it is presented and how we can all help each other confront said challenge, we would be able to aid on the toll those who struggle with mental health have. Therefore I believe that spreading awareness and making sure everybody understands what mental health involves could help those who are struggling. It is a practical thing to do since we can spread awareness and even provide help to others from our fingertips through smartphones, computers, and iPads, or tablets.

"Let's go out and play!" Was one of my sister's common phrases once we got home. I am a year older and most of the time I had either guitar lessons, ballet class, swim practice, or simply had homework. I was not rude to her, but she always seemed to get upset, lthough she clearly knew I had things to do, it was as if she didn't understand. Later on, she stopped asking, she would go out by herself or simply get on and watch TV, without asking, at first I didn't notice but after a couple of weeks, I realized I had not been asked to play outside, to watch TV or to talk like we used to. One of those afternoons I went up to her and decided to ask why. She was not mad but understanding although sounded upset. It was not a big deal, she was going ot get over it eventually, but I realized that I kept putting her off over and over again and I prioritized other things on top of family. Ever since that day, I have tried to prioritize things that truly matter, ever since that day my family comes first. I did not disregard my other multiple activities, but I did pick the ones I liked the most and the ones that truly mattered. I never let my guard down in school because grades are important to me, I did not quit swim but I stopped going to practice everyday to three times a week, and so on. I realized there are other important things in life and we must learn to value what we have before it is too late, we must care about our relationships with our loved ones and care for them.