As a child living in Miami suburbia, I was made very aware that I was seen as different because of my race. I was almost always surrounded by white or Hispanic kids in school, and so the difference in our skin color resonated with me very early on in my life. Being born and raised in south Florida, it was the only home I knew; however, I often found myself facing disrimination from those who also resided there -- even from people that also belonged to minority racial groups. Thus, when I first entered high school, I enrolled in an amazing class called African-American History to gain a stronger appreciation for my culture, and learn how to combat all the prejudiced comments thrown my way. This class had a profound impact on my life as I got to meet people from various backgrounds that were almost all passionate about race relations in society. As we discussed the work of various activists, such as Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, and Malcolm X, as well as the forces that drove them to take action, I realized that many of the issues they faced have not been resolved. In particular, African-Americans still face many prejudices today, and many of the stereotypes present in the 1950s and 1960s are still very much alive today. After researching these issues, I not only found that a great deal of these stereotypes are perpetuated in books, but that they affect all minority racial groups. As a result, I decided to establish a community outreach project that I call Re-Educating Minority Youth (R.E.M.Y.), which aims to provide minority children in elementary school with books in which they are positively represented. As founder of R.E.M.Y., I researched the effects of misrepresentation in literature on children’s self-image. I also created a powerpoint and a website to advertise the project, collected and organized the books, delivered them to local elementary schools and read some of the books to the students there. I decided that R.E.M.Y. was a necessity in my community. My biggest goal is to change the way people view African Americans, Native Americans, Asians and Pacific Islanders, Hispanics, Middle Easterns, and other minority groups. I have encountered too many people in society who believe all the stereotypes that are perpetuated in the media, without ever trying to see past them. R.E.M.Y. aims to change people’s perceptions of their own races, and others’ races, from early on by exposing them to many diverse characters in books. I believe that showing children positive examples of people in their own races will give them a heightened self-confidence. Furthermore, allowing these children to be exposed to positive examples of people in other minority racial groups will allow them to see that there are intelligent, successful, and kind people of every color; in order for kids to be passionate about reading, they must at least be able to see people they can relate to in books that they read. First impressions are hugely significant, and by increasing the number of positive encounters children have with characters from diverse backgrounds, my community will thereby produce kids who are more open-minded, accepting, and respectful of others. In order to carry out my project, I worked with about 5 other people: my sponsor, three of my friends that helped read to the students at Goulds Elementary School, and the vice principal of the elementary school. The students were very excited to read books that introduced them to new cultures, or portrayed their own. One little girl happily exclaimed that "[That girl's] hair looks exactly like mine!" while reading the book I love my hair! by Natasha Tarpley. Additionally, when the students read a book called Name Jar by Yangsook Choi, they were thrilled to learn about the main character’s Korean culture. This exposure to diverse characters helps children grasp the idea that we all have a lot more in common than may appear on the surface. Additionally, it helps them see that one cannot make assumptions about a person based on the color of their skin because we each have a different story. As I am now entering my sophomore year at Duke University, I would love to continue my work with R.E.M.Y. in my new home of Durham, North Carolina. I have joined an organization called Duke Jewels, Inc. that aims to empower young urban girls by hosting various events and programs. Jewels helps create and foster relationships between mentees and mentors that will help them grow and learn together. I am beyond excited to further my mission with R.E.M.Y. alongside the Jewels by using the space to help my mentees love reading and find characters they can identify with. I also hope they are given a safe space to be happy and free, and to continue or grow to be comfortable in their skin. My wish is for every young person to grow up without having to hide or suppress their identity; I hope to help future generations become more open-minded and understanding, thereby making reality out of a world that past generations could only dream of.

“Mommy, look! I just finished a new book!” I proudly told my mother, as I jumped up and down in excitement. “That’s good, Sita,” she responded, having grown used to me obsessing over the newest literary work I had read. “The main character is just like —,” I started to say, before looking down at the novel’s cover, only to find a girl with straight brown hair and blue eyes smiling back at me. I wanted to finish my sentence by saying “just like me” but I would have only been kidding myself. There was one glaring difference between me and the girl on the cover of the book, and it was the color of our skin. As I grew more cognizant of this contrast between me and so many of my favorite book characters, I began to want to see more characters that looked like me, or that had a similar background. This got me thinking: how many children were just like me? How many kids were in desperate need of some diversity in their novels? The answer is many, and I believe this is a problem that needs to be addressed. Having made it my mission to think up a way to start solving this issue, I decided the best way would be to launch a book drive I dubbed REMY (Re-Educating Minority Youth) that would collect books that positively represent minority characters, or that were written by minority authors. I started to research the effects of misrepresentation in literature, and I found that it was a far-too-common struggle for people of different minority groups. We live in a world where people’s minds seem to be jam-packed with stereotypes attached to every person of color. Racial stereotypes place people in a box that allows folks outside of that box to only see what society says is on the inside. Thus, I believe it is our responsibility to change what society believes is inside this metaphorical box. If children begin to open their books and read stories about black surgeons and humanitarians, Hispanic lawyers and judges, and East Asians that exemplify creativity and thrive in non-academic fields, these images will become the “norm” for them. The same ideas apply to countless other ethnic groups which are repeatedly profiled, and discriminated against. Thus, I began to work alongside my Black Student Union sponsor, Mrs. McKinney, to spread the word about Re-Educating Minority Youth to students all around my high school. She did an amazing job of inspiring me to start and grow the project. Considering Mrs. McKinney was one of a few female black teachers that taught at my high school, we shared a special bond because she was able to relate to me in a unique way as a fellow black woman. I watched as Mrs. McKinney always had to fight extra hard to create space for the Black Student Union on campus; even so, she never gave up because it was important to her that black students were given a safe space on campus. She motivated me to fight for causes I believed in, no matter how big or small they may seem, and to put my all into anything I do. I decided to take these lessons and apply them to REMY. To jumpstart REMY, I designed a PowerPoint to present to other clubs and motivate students to donate. Many were extremely receptive to the message! Furthermore, I created a website and Instagram account that students could refer to in case they were interested in my mission. This initiative grew to take a huge place in my heart as my classmates and I entered a local elementary school and saw the faces of the students light up as we delivered and read books with characters that actually looked like them. One little girl happily exclaimed that a girl in the book I Love My Hair! by Natasha Tarpley “had hair just like [hers]!” This was the moment in which I realized that I had achieved my goal of changing another child’s outlook. That is what paying it forward means to me: doing my part to make my community stronger over time by starting with the children of today. My wish is that kids will not only be more motivated to read because they are seeing stories that resemble their own, but also that children who are sheltered from diversity get to see that we are not as different as one might think. Most of all, my aim is that each little boy and girl gets to read a book with a character that really is just like them.

Growing up, I always knew that I was facing a unique kind of discrimination as a black girl, but it had become so typical for me that I considered it acceptable. During my freshman year of high school, one white boy that sat behind me in my English class would get a kick out of arguing with me about why he should be able to say the N-word and making comments about how my hair looked like it was made from horse hair. I defended myself as best as I could, but it was so isolating dealing with that alone. Such experiences got me thinking about all of the black women that go through the same thing and don’t receive the comfort and encouragement needed to deal with it. Bullying, violence, and microaggressions are all serious problems, and I never want to respond to them with complacency. Black women fight for so many others, but we are so rarely fought for by others. For that reason, I make it my mission to do anything I can to support black girls and women. In 2019, I established a community outreach project that I call Re-Educating Minority Youth (REMY). REMY aims to change people’s perceptions of their own races, and others’ races, from early on by exposing them to many diverse characters in books. I believe that showing children, especially black girls, positive examples of people in their own races will give them more self-confidence. They will be reminded that despite the stereotypes society might assign to them, and the hardships they face because of their race and gender, they are worthy and they are loved. Also, I currently attend Duke University and I have made an effort to continue engaging with Black girls by joining Duke Jewels. Duke Jewels is a mentoring organization that aims to empower young urban girls by engaging in community service within Durham and hosting programs and events centered around topics like hygiene, relationships, health & racism, sexism, college, and emotional and mental health. Lastly, I was recently a part of a stirring campaign called the Just-Us Initiative. The Initiative aims to uplift Black girls and I was one of ten black girls who wrote & recorded letters to black women/girls that died at the hands of police brutality. Writing my letter for the Just-Us Initiative really helped me remember the importance of continuing to work towards safety and peace for black women. After college, I plan to become a human rights attorney so I am better equipped to fight for the countless black women who are made victims of human rights violations. Having grown up a black woman, I have gotten to see the way we are constantly treated as less than and disparaged in day-to-day life and in the media. 'Discrimination’ is a word that is all too familiar to black women in America, but with a lot of time and effort, I believe I can help change that.

“The stars are only the beginning!” my sixth grade teacher passionately exclaimed. “You have the power to be and do whatever your heart desires.” As I thoughtfully gazed at her, my 11-year-old mind attempting to fully grasp this concept, I took her words to heart. This perspective led me to pursue many opportunities in my academic career and beyond. For instance, I became involved with the Black Student Union (BSU) at my high school, and then pursued the role of treasurer for the club during my junior year, where I subsequently became its president in my senior year. Having been granted both positions, I was able to help strengthen the sense of community around my school, encouraging students to try to understand different perspectives and become good examples for those around them. Additionally, I acted as Student Government Association (SGA) treasurer during junior year, and SGA liaison during senior year, two roles which taught me the importance of school spirit, representation for the student body, and dedication. In 2019, I started a community service project that I call Re-Educating Minority Youth. The aim of this project is to collect books that feature minority characters, or are written by minority authors, in order to donate to local elementary schools. I actually created a website for Re-Educating Minority Youth, called www.remyouth.com, which further explains our efforts. Since becoming a student at Duke University, I have become a Booking and Outreach Committee member for Small Town Records (Duke’s student-run record label), a writer for the style section of FORM Magazine (Duke’s premier arts and lifestyle publication), and an intern for DUU (Duke University Union, Duke's largest programming and media body). I hope to graduate from college with a degree in English and a certificate in human rights. Afterwards, I plan to attend law school. I have a huge passion for social justice issues and, for this reason, I aspire to become a human rights lawyer that helps tell people’s stories when they are unable to tell their own. I want to fight to protect my clients' basic human rights. This scholarship is very important to me because my family and I have been asked to pay approximately $35,000.00 annually, and with two other siblings, this is virtually impossible. My father is in sales (meaning a great deal of his income is based on commissions that are oftentimes limited), while my mother is working towards her licensure as a therapist, and is only compensated for about 15 hours a week. Additionally, my parents have to spend thousands of dollars on medical bills for my grandfather. I worked extremely hard to get into Duke, and I truly have my heart set on remaining a student there. On that account, I truly hope that my hard work has demonstrated my dedication, and shows why I should be chosen for this scholarship.

“The stars are the limit!” my sixth-grade English teacher passionately exclaimed. “You have the power to be whatever your heart desires.” As I thoughtfully gazed at her, my 11-year-old mind attempting to fully grasp this concept, I found one small discrepancy in her words: If I could achieve anything I wanted, why should there be any limits? Thus, from that point on I decided to use her words as a basis for a new mantra, one that would drive most of my choices henceforth — “The stars are only the beginning.” Ever since that point, I worked extremely hard to achieve all of my wildest dreams. I am excited to say that I now attend my dream school, Duke University, from which I hope to graduate with a degree in English and a certificate in human rights. Afterwards, I plan to attend law school. I have a huge passion for social justice issues and, for this reason, I aspire to become a human rights lawyer that helps tell people’s stories when they are unable to tell their own. I want to fight to protect my client’s basic human rights. I am equally passionate about community engagement, so in my junior year of high school, I established a community outreach project that I called Re-Educating Minority Youth (R.E.M.Y.). I decided that I wanted to provide minority children in elementary school with books in which they are positively represented. I believe that showing children positive examples of people in their own races will give them a heightened self-confidence. Furthermore, allowing these children to be exposed to positive examples of people in other minority racial groups will allow them to see that there are intelligent, successful, and kind people of every color; in order for kids to be passionate about reading, they must at least be able to see people they can relate to in books that they read. First impressions are hugely significant, and by increasing the number of positive encounters children have with characters from diverse backgrounds, my community will thereby produce kids who are more open-minded, accepting, and respectful of others. I hope to continue my work with R.E.M.Y. throughout college and after I graduate because I truly believe in the project and the impact it can have on my community. Attending law school and continuing my work with R.E.M.Y. are two major goals that I am currently working towards. The Amplifying Continuous Learning Grant would certainly help me acquire a few relevant skills. For instance, I would love to take courses involving public speaking, as well as more writing courses. I know that improving upon my public speaking and writing skills will help me excel in law school and effectively promote R.E.M.Y. so that I can broaden its reach. This grant would certainly move me in the direction I hope to go, and I would be extremely grateful for the opportunities it would open up for me.

“The stars are the limit!” my sixth-grade English teacher passionately exclaimed. “You have the power to be whatever your heart desires.” As I thoughtfully gazed at her, my 11-year-old mind attempting to fully grasp this concept, I found one small discrepancy in her words: If I could achieve anything I wanted, why should there be any limits? Thus, from that point on I decided to use her words as a basis for a new mantra, one that would drive most of my choices henceforth — “The stars are only the beginning.” As a sixth-grader, I was already thinking about the career I wanted and the college I wished to attend. I fell in love with Duke University in seventh grade because, after conducting a lot of research, I knew it would be the perfect place for me to learn more about the world around me while enjoying my young adulthood. I learned that Duke would enable me to pursue a bachelor’s degree in English, while also completing the human rights certificate program. I am excited to say that I now attend Duke, which was a dream come true. Next, I hope to graduate from Duke with my degree in English and certificate in human rights, before moving on to law school. I have a huge passion for social justice issues and, for this reason, I aspire to become a human rights lawyer that helps tell people’s stories when they are unable to tell their own. I want to fight to protect my client’s basic human rights. I realize that to achieve my goals, I have to put in a lot of effort, and I have been doing that for as long as I can remember. My big dreams led me to become involved with the Black Student Union (BSU) at my high school, and then pursue the role of treasurer for the club during my junior year, where I subsequently became its president in my senior year. Having been granted both positions, I have been able to help strengthen the sense of community around my school, encouraging students to try to understand different perspectives and become good examples for those around them. Additionally, I acted as Student Government Association (SGA) treasurer during junior year, and SGA liaison during senior year, two roles which taught me the importance of school spirit, representation for the student body, and dedication. Finally, I am also on the board for the International Baccalaureate (IB) memory book (a yearbook specifically geared towards IB students like myself), and I act as a software company liaison. My passion for leadership did not just begin in high school -- it started back in middle school. Beginning in the sixth grade, I made it my mission to become involved in my school, using my spare time to act as assistant stage manager for the annual drama show. I assisted the actors with memorizing their lines, collecting costumes, creating excel sheets to organize the various scenes, and more. On top of that, in the eighth grade, I became head stage manager, while also acting as the historian for the National Junior Honor Society. These involvements were a springboard for me, that catapulted me into the previously mentioned leadership roles at Coral Reef Senior High School. One way in which I have tried to surpass any “limits,” and encourage others to do so, is by starting a community service project that I call Re-Educating Minority Youth. This project aims to collect books that feature minority characters, or are written by minority authors, to donate them to local elementary schools. This is necessary because I feel that it is very important to introduce children to characters with backgrounds with which they can connect, and get them exposed to various cultures early on. I created a website for Re-Educating Minority Youth, called www.remyouth.com, which further elaborates on our efforts. Although I am clearly most interested in English literature and writing, I always try to delve into various subjects. In 2018, I was invited to and attended, the National Academy of Future Scientists and Technologists, where I got to learn about recent innovations and meet various leaders in the S.T.E.M. world. I also received a National Academy of Future Scientists and Technologists Award of Excellence. The following summer, I attended a program called “Between The Lines” at the University of Iowa’s International Writing Program. This is a 2-week summer cultural-exchange program focused on creative writing and instructed by award-winning poets and writers from the U.S. and abroad. At this program, my poem “my dear Charlotte” was published in an anthology produced by “Between the Lines.” Remarkably, it was this program that led me to decide that I want to major in English, while also studying human rights. This program showed me how interconnected writing and social justice can be, while also helping me improve upon my creative writing skills. All of my activities, programs, and projects have helped prepare me to achieve my goals. I have acquired leadership skills, organizational skills, financial literacy, and more, and I know my capabilities will continue to help me in the future. Ever since middle school, I have chosen to see the universe as a place full of galaxies upon galaxies, filled with an infinite amount of stars. For each star, there is another opportunity, and by taking advantage of each one, I believe I am preparing myself to achieve everything I want in life and more.