The future I want to see for the world is one in which LGBTQ+ people may live openly without fear, doubt, or needing to justify who we are every day. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, this transformation is not theoretical to me. It’s personal, it’s urgent, and it’s so connected to the life I want to build—not just for myself, but for every young person still learning that their identity is something to be proud of. Growing up LGBTQ+ entails being taught from a young age that acceptance is not a guarantee. Many of us are living in silence, judgment, or fear of losing people we love simply for being honest about who we are. I have witnessed friends shrink themselves to safety. I’ve witnessed classmates shield themselves from being bullied. And I’ve felt the weight of knowing that even something as natural as love may make you a target. These experiences have helped me establish my opinion that acceptance is not a luxury; it’s a fundamental right. My first drive to change is visibility. When we LGBTQ+ people are visible and appreciated, society can’t ignore our essential human rights. I wish to use my degree, my voice, and my lived experience to advocate for safer schools, inclusive policies, and community spaces that provide our youngsters with the opportunities to thrive and flourish, free from fear. No one should have to choose between real and safe. No one should ever have to question if their identity makes them “too much” for the world around them. I also believe that change is created via communication. Much of the opposition to LGBTQ+ rights comes not from hatred but from misunderstanding. We can impact lives through narrative, through breaking stereotypes, and through putting a human face on our lived experiences that no law can. I want to assist in making that difference, whether it's through community involvement, volunteering my time, or just being out and unapologetically me. Every word spoken. All bold moves. Every instant of seeing. We all strive for a world where acceptance is the rule. I want to live in a world where LGBTQ+ youth don’t have to question if they’re worthy. A future where families love their children instead of fear who they could become. A world that protects us, not punishes us. A world that revels in identity, not questions it. This grant will help me further my education and my abilities to advocate for others. I want to use my degree to assist and amplify marginalized perspectives, to empower queer youth, and to help develop systems that treat all people with dignity. “I am committed to being part of the generation that will not let discrimination define our future. The world is changing—but not quickly enough—and I am committed to helping drive it ahead.

I earned this scholarship because my life has been characterized by situations that required fortitude, responsibility, and purpose long before I ever set foot in a classroom or dreamed of starting a business. My route hasn’t been an easy one, but what differentiates me from other candidates is my ability to pull strength, compassion, and drive from circumstances that could have easily shattered me. My path begins with my family. My mom, my dad, and my two sisters, and all I am today is a reflection of the love, grief, and lessons they taught me. Those experiences inspired Coffin Trinkets, a brand that celebrates my history yet makes my future. When I was 10 years old, my dad died of pancreatic cancer. Grief at that age is complicated and weighty and beyond comprehension, but it makes you grow up faster than you should. Losing him taught me the fragility and unpredictability of life. It taught me that the best way to honor the people you love is to live your life with intention. My mother’s experience with widowhood and raising children taught me what true strength is. She worked relentlessly, kept our family together, and showed me that perseverance isn’t loud and theatrical – it’s steady, quiet, and unrelenting. Her example set my work ethic, my belief that no matter how hard life gets, you just keep going. My sister with autism has taught me tolerance, sensitivity, and the value of recognizing people for who they are. Her communication was not always verbal but built on routines and shared times and learning to listen beyond words. Supporting her helped me acquire emotional intelligence skills that many individuals don't learn until they're adults. I learned how to adjust, how to advocate, and how to develop connections on trust, not presumption. These abilities affect how I engage with others now in school, business, or in my neighborhood. They showed me that leadership is not the loudest person in the room; it is the person who listens the most. Having another sibling with cystic fibrosis made me different. She struggled every day of her life, but with humor, stubbornness, and a flair that made every moment greater than life. Losing her was the most agonizing thing I’ve ever gone through, but it was also the clearest call to direction. Her resilience showed me that life could be unjust, but you can choose to make it meaningful. Her memory calls me to live without fear, to make something meaningful, and to turn pain into purpose, not let it swallow me. She is the core of Coffin Trinkets, the reason I wanted to create something that celebrates the beauty in darkness, the courage in suffering, and the originality in each person. Coffin Trinkets originated as a means to help cope with loss and quickly turned into something far more profound. It became a creative outlet, an homage to my sister, and eventually a business that reflects all the virtues my family taught me. It has been a challenge trying to juggle being a student, supporting my family, and having my own business, but it has taught me discipline, financial literacy, branding, marketing, and the significance of community. My business is not only about selling items; it’s about creating an environment where people feel seen, understood, and connected via shared experiences. It's about turning sorrow into art and allowing others to claim the pieces of themselves that don't fit into the standard molds. It is not privilege or perfection that gives me an edge above other applicants, but purpose. “I understand what it is like to be given responsibility at a young age. I have known loss. I know struggle. I know struggle. I understand change. I know how to fix it. I know adversity and how to use it for drive, not defeat. My life has taught me to be resourceful, caring, and determined. These are not transient traits…they are in my being and my approach to any obstacle. But this scholarship would not be a mere financial hardship. It would let me keep crafting a future defined by the teachings my family taught me. It would help me grow Coffin Trinkets into a brand that both commemorates my sister’s memory and helps others who have faced grief, chronic illness, or feeling different. This would allow me to finish my study with the same tenacity that has carried me through every hard time in my life. I am worthy of this scholarship because I am willing to make something important out of my experiences, the terrible ones, the wonderful ones, and everything in between. I’m not simply working for a degree; I’m striving for a future founded on resilience, compassion, and purpose. My family made me, and Coffin Trinkets is the legacy I am developing from all they taught me. That's what makes me different. That is why I deserve this opportunity.

Losing a parent to cancer changes your life. Seeing my two parents fight two different cancers completely changed my perspective on strength, family, and what it means to keep going when life feels impossibly heavy. My mother’s fight with cervical cancer and my father’s fight with pancreatic cancer affected the rhythm of our home, the way we loved each other, and the way I see the world. I’ve taken lessons from their travels that I carry with me into every aspect of my life—lessons of resilience, kindness, and showing up for the people you love. I remember the moment I really grasped how precious life can be. My mother was diagnosed. Cervical cancer brought terror into our home, but it also brought a fiery drive I had never seen before. My mom battled with a quiet strength, the type that doesn’t demand attention but nevertheless fills the room. I witnessed Mom suffer through treatments, tiredness, and uncertainty, yet she still tried to protect us from the worst of it. Her courage showed me what real-time perseverance is. It showed me that love can be gentle and steadfast and lead. She showed me how to keep going forward even at her darkest moments. My dad’s pancreatic cancer was different. Faster. More brutal. It was devastatingg in a way that left a scar on my youth forever. He died when I was only ten, but the memories of his illness are ingrained in who I am. I recall the hospital visits, the whispered chats, the way my family attempted to hold it together when everything was falling apart. His sickness was a strain on us emotionally and financially. It made us grow up fast, to adjust, to rely on each other in ways we never had. Losing him taught me about grief, but it also taught me about purpose. It taught me that life is too short to not love truly, work hard, and create something important. I learned to be resilient during both of their battles. I have learned to accept pain without allowing it to make me bitter. I learned to help others, to listen, and to realize when someone needs compassion more than anything. These experiences have informed the way I navigate around the world and the way I seek to aid others. They impacted my ambition to develop a business with heart, to raise awareness for illnesses like cervical cancer and pancreatic cancer, and to create environments where people feel understood. Above all, I learned that love is stronger than fear. My parents’ adventures reminded me that in the darkest of circumstances there is a place for connection, courage, and hope. Their fights impacted me, my objectives, and the legacy I want to create. Every day, I feel their power with me, and I honor them by choosing to live with purpose, compassion, and a resolve to make a difference.

Leadership is not a designation I’m waiting to earn one day; it’s how I show up for others, it’s how I solve problems, and it’s how I turn my experiences into significance. What makes me a leader is not perfection or power, but the combination of empathy, resilience, and initiative that guides me in navigating through the world. I lead from the front. I lead by serving others, and I lead by thinking the small things can make a huge difference. My greatest strength has always been empathy – knowing how to listen on a deep level, knowing what someone needs even if they can’t say it, and providing a space where people feel safe and supported. For example, I help a student with an assignment. Or I support someone through a terrible situation. Or I encourage a team to work together. I lead by making people feel seen. This form of emotional intelligence is often underappreciated, yet it is the bedrock of strong leadership. It creates a sense of belonging, builds trust, and boosts communication that makes people perform at their best. I am a self-starter and hence a leader. If I see a need, I don’t wait for someone else to step in—I step in. The most blatant example of this is the beginning of Coffin Trinkets. I didn’t just dream about starting a business; I built one. From the ground up. I learned how to design, operate, reach out to customers, and establish a brand with a purpose. I learned decision-making, problem-solving, and quick adaptation, all important leadership skills. It showed me that leadership is about taking chances, learning from your errors, and carrying on when the going gets rough. Another characteristic of a leader is resilience. I’ve experienced loss and hardship and things that could have broken me, but instead they’ve made me a better and stronger and more empathetic person. My sister’s death taught me how to cling to sadness, yet still choose to create something meaningful. That resilience translates into my work ethic, my determination, and my ability to keep cool under pressure. Leaders do not avoid problems; they grow through them and use those experiences to lead and inspire others. Finally, I am a brilliant leader because of the light I carry into every area I enter. My light is creativity, sensitivity, and a quiet confidence in who I am and what I stand for. I use my creativity to inspire, my compassion to encourage, and my want to push myself and my community to something better. Leadership is not about being the loudest voice in the room. It’s about being that steady voice—the one who listens, who encourages, who lifts others up. I do everything from my studies to my business to my community activities with passion. That’s the legacy I want to leave—leadership based on kindness, strength, and the courage to utilize my expertise to help others.

A legacy isn’t something you wait to establish someday; it’s something you begin the moment you decide to create with purpose. That heritage started for me the day I opened Coffin Trinkets, a little gothic-inspired boutique born of sadness, love, and the desire to turn pain into something important. What started as a tribute to my sister’s memory has become a community, a creative outlet, and the basis for the future I wish to construct. With Coffin Trinkets, I learned that legacy isn’t about being remembered, but the impact you have while you’re here. Making coffin trinkets has taught me what kind of business I want to grow someday: one that combines art, advocacy, and emotion. I did not want to start a company that sold items. I want Coffin Trinkets to be a full platform that partners with NGOs, raises awareness about chronic illnesses such as cystic fibrosis, and helps families dealing with bereavement or medical concerns. I want to construct a brand that tells stories, starts conversations, and generates community. I want my business to be a safe area where individuals feel heard, encouraged, and part of something bigger than themselves. Coffin Trinkets has also enabled me to realize how I naturally radiate my light. I shine through empathy in my listening, my supporting, and my showing up. Every design is intentional, whether to console someone in grief, praise resilience, or simply to make someone who enjoys spooky, whimsical art smile. Another way I shine is my creativity. Art has always been my language, and coffintrinkets allow me the ability to use that language to reach individuals who need a moment of joy, validation, or escape. And I am tough too. My sister’s death was a pivotal turning moment in life. But it also taught me how to transform sadness into purpose. Coffin Trinkets is part of that journey, a shining light of hope that even in the darkest times there may be beauty. It’s that resilience that I bring to my studies, my business objectives, and my future. That’s the basis of the legacy I want to leave behind. A legacy of compassion, inventiveness, and the resolve to keep going. My legacy is to make a difference in the future through the individuals I aid, the awareness I promote, and the community I build. I want Coffin Trinkets to be a business that gives back, uplifts people, and promotes possibilities for connection and healing. I want to build a brand — and a life — that demonstrates how modest acts of creativity and kindness can radiate out in powerful ways.