Success can mean many things to different people. It can mean financial success, gaining recognition for one’s work or accomplishments, or academic achievements. I prefer to measure my success by the impact I have on people’s lives and the steps I take to make a positive change in the world, big or small. Whether that change is making someone smile through a thoughtful act, or being able to provide mental health treatment and help for minority communities, such as people of color, and those in low-income households, through a career in psychiatry. This scholarship will help me afford to attend college, where I can obtain the necessary knowledge and advance to medical school. I want to use my education to help those struggling with mental health issues navigate their daily lives and work towards bettering themselves to become the best version of themselves. I’d also want to use my education and position to advocate for the normalization of education on mental illness, but also encourage more people to reach out for help, stop misinformation from spreading, and break down stereotypes. Furthermore, I want to serve as an inspiration for other Afro-Latino students. Growing up in a predominantly Caucasian environment, I rarely saw people whom I could relate to, sitting in positions of power or in jobs that required a higher education. I want future students of color to see what is possible when one dedicates themselves, and that no matter who you are, you can make something of yourself. This scholarship will help me reach my goals by providing the stepping stones and aid I need to make a difference in the world. Furthermore, achieving this goal will also help me achieve a new level of success: self-fulfillment. Since I was 10, I have been participating in community service activities, starting with my local church, restoring nearby parks, and creating backpacks full of essentials such as pencils, paper, erasers, lunchboxes, and other school supplies for low-income elementary students. Even now, I continue these acts of service for my community through my club, Hearts of Service, where I inspire my peers to work towards bettering their community and themselves through acts of service. Over the past eight years, I have found fulfillment in giving back to my community, and it has made me confident that, no matter what I do in life, if I am helping others, I will be happy. And to me, that is true success.