During my childhood, I danced for 7 years then stopped to play volleyball. I’ve played volleyball for 6 years and have played almost every position on the court. I also played beach volleyball for one year. Since I’ve been playing volleyball I’ve been on several different teams, including school, beach, and club teams. Over time, I’ve realized how important it is to communicate and comprehend the different types of people you meet. Meeting different people with different personalities and having to be on a team with them helped me grow mentally as a person. I have learned how to handle certain situations, attitudes, and mindsets. This has made a impact on me because it’s helps me for the future. I will know how to handle a situation effectively if it doesn’t go the way I planned. Volleyball has really shaped me into the person I am today and I’m extremely grateful for the personal growth I have experienced. I’ve always want to go to Penn State for volleyball but when my senior year started, I lost motivation to play. For as long as I remember, I’ve wanted to be a lawyer. I will be attending the University of South Florida starting in the summer of 2026. When I toured the school, I immediately felt at home. I loved the atmosphere, the diversity, and everything the school has to offer. I will like to study criminal justice/criminology because in the future I want to be a criminal justice lawyer. Learning how to deal with different mindsets at a young age makes me feel like I can succeed in this field.

Junior year, the year most students dread, I tried out for the varsity volleyball team. I was extremely confident in my ability to earn a starting spot, especially since I was a starter for the past two years on junior varsity. Our first game finally came, and it was time for my coach to turn in the lineup. My name wasn’t called, and my heart sank. I worked so hard for this, only to be left out when it mattered most. I didn’t start, I didn’t even get to play. I was officially the third-string setter. I don’t cry in front of my dad, but after that first game of the season, that’s all I did. That day, I realized my chances of even stepping foot on the court were slim to none. The next day, we had practice, but it felt different. I felt gray inside. I constantly questioned myself and my abilities. The word “confidence” was rapidly starting to fade from my vocabulary. The days went on, and nothing changed. If anything, things got worse. I tried to psych myself out by saying, “I’m good enough. I know what I’m doing. I’m capable of playing.” But no matter how many times I repeated those phrases, I never truly believed them. Every day I would leave the gym wondering why I even bothered playing when I didn’t believe in myself. I felt incapable, unseen, invaluable, and useless. Then one day, during a game I wasn’t expecting to play in, my coach put me in. For the first time in two years, I felt like myself again. It was magical. I helped bring the team back from a 0–2 deficit to a 2–2 tie heading into the fifth set. We didn’t end up winning, but to me, I won something no one else could have given me — I began to regain my confidence. The next day, we had another game, and my coach played me again. I assumed he was just giving me a chance. Little did I know, he was teaching me a lesson. When I subbed out, he asked me to sit next to him. He said, “Do you know why you’re playing today?” I replied, “No.” He said, “It’s because you’re starting to gain confidence again. Trust me, I know you can do it. But do you know that you can?” I was stunned. How could a coach who never let me play say something like that to me? All this time, I thought he didn’t believe in me, that he had no trust in me and doubted me more than anyone. But in reality, I didn’t trust myself. I had no confidence. I doubted myself more than anyone else did. I held onto those words he spoke to me during that game, both in my mind and in my heart. For the rest of the season, more than just confidence grew, I started to believe the things he said. Since then I’ve used this experience to approach different areas in my life. Such as friendships, relationships, and new opportunities. Confidence has helped me in these areas because it taught me that I need to believe in myself and not let others define me.  I’ve realized that confidence isn’t something you gain through others’ validation — it’s something you see within yourself and your capabilities. Confidence is not the dread I felt junior year, it’s the spark I regained for myself. My advice for everyone struggling is to remember their worth and to embrace in the present possibilities and forget about yesterday’s doubts.

My desire to become a criminal justice lawyer is rooted in a need for advocacy. I want to be a voice for those who feel overlooked and are in need of justice. Many individuals go into the legal system without proper representation or a voice that truly fights for them. When people are poor and uneducated about their rights they become overwhelmed by the system and they are more likely to accept an unfair plea, deals, or face unjust outcomes. Ever since I entered high school, I knew that I wanted to become a lawyer. At first this came from a general desire to stand up for others, and speak with confidence. On top of that, I know that lawyers can become financially stable, and that is the ultimate goal. Towards the end of my freshman year, I decided to watch the movie “Fruitvale Station”. To me, this movie did more than just tell a story, it forced me to face the fact that this is reality. It made me confront the harsh and painful reality of how black lives are often viewed and treated in America. From that moment on, my passion for law became deeply rooted in advocacy, justice, and the fight against the systematic inequality. “Fruitvale Station” is based on a true story on Oscar Grant, a young black man who was shot by a police officer at the Fruitvale BRAT station in Oakland, California. The movie doesn’t portray him as a headline. It shows him as a son, a father, a partner and a friend. Throughout the movie, we see his everyday interactions with his daughter, his efforts to become better for himself, and his relationships with those around him, which made the death feel deeply personal. This movie showed how Oscar Grant was not defined by single moment in his life, but by his humanity, which is disregarded by the police. I remember watching the movie and feeling so angry once he was shot. The movie made me feel like Oscar was a friend or family member of mine. The film is powerful and highlights police brutality by showing how quickly an encounter can escalate into violence, especially when black individuals are involved. The story reflects the reality behind the Black Lives Matter movement. It shows how black lives are treated as disposable and justice is never served with quickness. Justice for lives like Oscar Grant are usually delayed or denied. This movie is the root as to why I wanna become a criminal justice lawyer. Working towards being able to hold institution‘s accountable for their actions. Fruitvale station transformed my ambition into a purpose, and it showed me that being a lawyer is not just about knowing the law, but about using it as a tool for justice. Being funded this scholarship will allow me to chase my dreams without worrying about how financially stable am I going to be. Being awarded will also be acknowledging my academic achievements, purpose, dreams, aspirations, and goals.

For generations, African-Americans have faced a justice system that is unfair. The justice system treats us as guilty before innocent. Countless of cases revealed a painful pattern, such as black lives being killed, wrongfully incarnated, or harsher sentences. This isn’t simply just because they have been accused of committing a crime, this is simply because of racism. These injustices are not just incidents, they are because of the systematic racism that comes within the criminal justice system. Witnessing these realities has shaped my understanding of the justice system and is fueled my passion for studying criminology/criminal justice. My desire is to become a criminal justice lawyer. I want to be a voice for those who are unheard and feel overlooked. Trayvon Martin, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tamir Rice, and many more black lives who were taken. They symbolize the system who has failed to protect them as human beings. In many of these cases, the victims were unharmed, complying, or just existing aim places where they were seen as threats. Yet accountability was never there and justice was rare. These cases made statements and sent horrible messages such as Black people are criminals, they don’t need to be protected, and they should always be questioned. Beyond police brutality, black Americans are incarnated at high rate compared to white humans. Mandatory minimum sentences, racially, profiling, and biased police practices have created a system where black communities are over policed and under protected. So many people are imprisoned for nonviolent offenses and are serving long sentences that destroy families, future opportunities and careers. These outcomes highlight how racism within the legal system is far beyond individual cases and affects many generations to come. My desire to become a criminal justice lawyer is rooted in a need for advocacy. I want to be a voice for those who feel overlooked and are in need of justice. Many individuals go into the legal system without proper representation or a voice that truly fights for them. When people are poor and uneducated about their rights they become overwhelmed by the system and they are more likely to accept an unfair plea, deals, or face unjust outcomes. Law enforcement agencies can improve their relationship with the African American population in the United States by looking at us as human beings. When law enforcement see African Americans they automatically think of bad things. “Thugs”, “criminals”, “broke”, or simply just up to no good. They don’t see us as humans and wants us to feel less because the way we look. Putting themselves in our shoes would also help. Not resulting into gun violence would also be a major factor to this problem. Not everything needs to end in death or extreme violence.

Ever since I entered high school, I knew that I wanted to become a lawyer. At first this came from a general desire to stand up for others, and speak with confidence. On top of that, I know that lawyers can become financially stable, and that is the ultimate goal. Towards the end of my freshman year, I decided to watch the movie “Fruitvale Station”. To me this movie did more than just tell a story, it forced me to face the fact that this is reality. It made me confront the harsh and painful reality of how black lives are often viewed and treated in America. From that moment on my passion for law became deeply rooted in advocacy, justice, and the fight against the systematic inequality. “Fruitvale Station” is based on a true story of Oscar Grant, a young black man who was shot by a police officer at the Fruitvale BRAT station in Oakland, California. To me, what made the movie feel so humanized and impactful was the performance by Michael B Jordan and his role playing Oscar. The movie doesn’t portray him as a headline. It shows him as a son, a father, a partner and a friend. Throughout the movie, we see his everyday interactions with his daughter, his efforts to become better for himself, and his relationships with those around him, which made the death feel deeply personal. This movie showed how Oscar Grant was not defined by single moment in his life, but by his humanity, which is disregarded by the police. I remember watching the movie and I remember feeling so angry once he was shot. The movie made me feel like Oscar was a friend or family member of mine. The film is powerful and highlights police brutality by showing how quickly an encounter can escalate into violence, especially when black individuals are involved. The story reflects the reality behind the Black Lives Matter movement. It shows how black lives are treated as disposable and justice is never served with quickness. Justice for lives like Oscar Grant are usually delayed or denied. Watching this film opened my eyes to the systematic racism in the criminal justice system. It made me realize that change can happen without individuals were willing to challenge injustice from within the system itself. This movie is the root as to why I wanna become a criminal justice lawyer. I want to advocate for those whose voices are ignored and individuals who are unfairly targeted. I want towards being able to work toward holding institution‘s accountable for their actions. Fruitvale station transforms my childhood ambition into a purpose, and it showed me that being a lawyer is not just about knowing the law, but about using it as a tool for justice. Seen then, I’ve been accepted to many colleges to study criminology. I set foot on a college campus for the first time as a freshman in the summer of 2026 and I cannot wait to start my journey to fighting for justice in my community.

Ever since I entered high school, I knew that I wanted to become a lawyer. At first this came from a general desire to stand up for others, and speak with confidence. On top of that, I know that lawyers can become financially stable, and that is the ultimate goal. Towards the end of my freshman year, I decided to watch the movie “Fruitvale Station”. To me this movie did more than just tell a story, it forced me to face the fact that this is reality. It made me confront the harsh and painful reality of how black lives are often viewed and treated in America. From that moment on my passion for law became deeply rooted in advocacy, justice, and the fight against the systematic inequality. “Fruitvale Station” is based on a true story of Oscar Grant, a young black man who was shot by a police officer at the Fruitvale BRAT station in Oakland, California. To me, what made the movie feel so humanized and impactful was the performance by Michael B Jordan and his role playing Oscar. The movie doesn’t portray him as a headline. It shows him as a son, a father, a partner and a friend. Throughout the movie, we see his everyday interactions with his daughter, his efforts to become better for himself, and his relationships with those around him, which made the death feel deeply personal. This movie showed how Oscar Grant was not defined by single moment in his life, but by his humanity, which is disregarded by the police. I remember watching the movie and I remember feeling so angry once he was shot. The movie made me feel like Oscar was a friend or family member of mine. The film is powerful and highlights police brutality by showing how quickly an encounter can escalate into violence, especially when black individuals are involved. The story reflects the reality behind the Black Lives Matter movement. It shows how black lives are treated as disposable and justice is never served with quickness. Justice for lives like Oscar Grant are usually delayed or denied. Watching this film opened my eyes to the systematic racism in the criminal justice system. It made me realize that change can happen without individuals were willing to challenge injustice from within the system itself. This movie is the root as to why I wanna become a criminal justice lawyer. I want to advocate for those whose voices are ignored and individuals who are unfairly targeted. I want towards being able to work toward holding institution‘s accountable for their actions. Fulfill station transforms my childhood ambition into a purpose, and it showed me that being a lawyer is not just about knowing the law, but about using it as a tool for justice. I set foot on a college campus for the first time as a freshman in the summer of 2026 and I cannot wait to start my journey to fighting for justice in my community.

Ever since I entered high school, I knew that I wanted to become a lawyer. At first this came from a general desire to stand up for others, and speak with confidence. On top of that, I know that lawyers can become financially stable, and that is the ultimate goal. Towards the end of my freshman year, I decided to watch the movie “Fruitvale Station”. To me this movie did more than just tell a story, it forced me to face the fact that this is reality. It made me confront the harsh and painful reality of how black lives are often viewed and treated in America. From that moment on my passion for law became deeply rooted in advocacy, justice, and the fight against the systematic inequality. “Fruitvale Station” is based on a true story of Oscar Grant, a young black man who was shot by a police officer at the Fruitvale BRAT station in Oakland, California. To me, what made the movie feel so humanized and impactful was the performance by Michael B Jordan and his role playing Oscar. The movie doesn’t portray him as a headline. It shows him as a son, a father, a partner and a friend. Throughout the movie, we see his everyday interactions with his daughter, his efforts to become better for himself, and his relationships with those around him, which made the death feel deeply personal. This movie showed how Oscar Grant was not defined by single moment in his life, but by his humanity, which is disregarded by the police. I remember watching the movie and I remember feeling so angry once he was shot. The movie made me feel like Oscar was a friend or family member of mine. The film is powerful and highlights police brutality by showing how quickly an encounter can escalate into violence, especially when black individuals are involved. The story reflects the reality behind the Black Lives Matter movement. It shows how black lives are treated as disposable and justice is never served with quickness. Justice for lives like Oscar Grant are usually delayed or denied. Watching this film opened my eyes to the systematic racism in the criminal justice system. It made me realize that change can happen without individuals were willing to challenge injustice from within the system itself. This movie is the root as to why I wanna become a criminal justice lawyer. I want to advocate for those whose voices are ignored and individuals who are unfairly targeted. I want towards being able to work toward holding institution‘s accountable for their actions. Fulfill station transforms my childhood ambition into a purpose, and it showed me that being a lawyer is not just about knowing the law, but about using it as a tool for justice. I set foot on a college campus for the first time as a freshman in the summer of 2026 and I cannot wait to start my journey to fighting for justice in my community.

When I was in kindergarten I finally understood what racism is. A girl told me I couldn’t play on the playground with her because I was black. I never understood the gravity of this situation but I knew I was upset. As I grew older I started to see how truly racist the world is. Towards the end of my freshman year, I decided to watch the movie “Fruitvale Station”. To me this movie did more than just tell a story, it forced me to face the fact that this is reality. It made me confront the harsh and painful reality of how black lives are often viewed and treated in America. From that moment on my passion for law became deeply rooted in advocacy, justice, and the fight against the systematic inequality. “Fruitvale Station” is based on a true story of Oscar Grant, a young black man who was shot by a police officer at the Fruitvale BRAT station in Oakland, California. To me, what made the movie feel so humanized and impactful was the performance by Michael B Jordan and his role playing Oscar. The movie doesn’t portray him as a headline. It shows him as a son, a father, a partner and a friend. Throughout the movie, we see his everyday interactions with his daughter, his efforts to become better for himself, and his relationships with those around him, which made the death feel deeply personal. This movie showed how Oscar Grant was not defined by single moment in his life, but by his humanity, which is disregarded by the police. I remember watching the movie and I remember feeling so angry once he was shot. The movie made me feel like Oscar was a friend or family member of mine. The film is powerful and highlights police brutality by showing how quickly an encounter can escalate into violence, especially when black individuals are involved. The story reflects the reality behind the Black Lives Matter movement. It shows how black lives are treated as disposable and justice is never served with quickness. Justice for lives like Oscar Grant are usually delayed or denied. Watching this film opened my eyes to the systematic racism in the criminal justice system. It made me realize that change can happen without individuals were willing to challenge injustice from within the system itself. This movie is the root as to why I wanna become a criminal justice lawyer. I want to advocate for those whose voices are ignored and individuals who are unfairly targeted. I want towards being able to work toward holding institution‘s accountable for their actions. Fulfill station transforms my childhood ambition into a purpose, and it showed me that being a lawyer is not just about knowing the law, but about using it as a tool for justice. I set foot on a college campus for the first time as a freshman in the summer of 2026 and I cannot wait to start my journey to fighting for justice in my community.

Towards the end of my freshman year, I decided to watch the movie “Fruitvale Station”. To me this movie did more than just tell a story, it forced me to face the fact that this is reality. It made me confront the harsh and painful reality of how black lives are often viewed and treated in America. From that moment on my passion for law became deeply rooted in advocacy, justice, and the fight against the systematic inequality. “Fruitvale Station” is based on a true story of Oscar Grant, a young black man who was shot by a police officer at the Fruitvale BRAT station in Oakland, California. To me, what made the movie feel so humanized and impactful was the performance by Michael B Jordan and his role playing Oscar. The movie doesn’t portray him as a headline. It shows him as a son, a father, a partner and a friend. Throughout the movie, we see his everyday interactions with his daughter, his efforts to become better for himself, and his relationships with those around him, which made the death feel deeply personal. This movie showed how Oscar Grant was not defined by single moment in his life, but by his humanity, which is disregarded by the police. I remember watching the movie and I remember feeling so angry once he was shot. The movie made me feel like Oscar was a friend or family member of mine. The film is powerful and highlights police brutality by showing how quickly an encounter can escalate into violence, especially when black individuals are involved. The story reflects the reality behind the Black Lives Matter movement. It shows how black lives are treated as disposable and justice is never served with quickness. Justice for lives like Oscar Grant are usually delayed or denied. Watching this film opened my eyes to the systematic racism in the criminal justice system. It made me realize that change can happen without individuals were willing to challenge injustice from within the system itself. This movie is the root as to why I wanna become a criminal justice lawyer. I want to advocate for those whose voices are ignored and individuals who are unfairly targeted. I want towards being able to work toward holding institution‘s accountable for their actions. Fulfill station transforms my childhood ambition into a purpose, and it showed me that being a lawyer is not just about knowing the law, but about using it as a tool for justice. I set foot on a college campus for the first time as a freshman in the summer of 2026 and I cannot wait to start my journey to fighting for justice in my community.

My parents are my biggest supporters and always wanted what is best for me. Growing up, people always said, “Confidence is key,” but why do they always say this? Confidence is a feeling of self-assurance, but as you grow older, it becomes harder to gain and easier to lose. So, the real question is: How does one remain confident? Junior year, the year most students dread, I tried out for the varsity volleyball team. I was extremely confident in my ability to earn a starting spot, especially since I was a starter for the past two years on junior varsity. Our first game finally came, and it was time for my coach to turn in the lineup. My name wasn’t called, and my heart sank. I worked so hard for this, only to be left out when it mattered most. I didn’t start, I didn’t even get to play. I was officially the third-string setter. I don’t cry in front of my dad, but after that first game of the season, that’s all I did. That day, I realized my chances of even stepping foot on the court were slim to none. The next day, we had practice, but it felt different. I felt gray inside. I constantly questioned myself and my abilities. The word “confidence” was rapidly starting to fade from my vocabulary. The days went on, and nothing changed. If anything, things got worse. I tried to psych myself out by saying, “I’m good enough. I know what I’m doing. I’m capable of playing.” But no matter how many times I repeated those phrases, I never truly believed them. The next day, we had another game, and my coach played me again. I assumed he was just giving me a chance. Little did I know, he was teaching me a lesson. When I subbed out, he asked me to sit next to him. He said, “Do you know why you’re playing today?” I replied, “No.” He said, “It’s because you’re starting to gain confidence again. Trust me, I know you can do it. But do you know that you can?” I held onto those words he spoke to me during that game, both in my mind and in my heart. For the rest of the season, more than just confidence grew, I started to believe the things he said. Since then I’ve used this experience to approach different areas in my life. Such as friendships, relationships, and new opportunities. Confidence has helped me in these areas because it taught me that I need to believe in myself and not let others define me. Knowing that I have came to the conclusion that I no longer want to play division 1 sports, I will be going to college to focus only on my academics. Receiving the David Malcom Scholarship will help me overcome my fear of this new journey. I know that I am capable but sometimes I need a extra boost of confidence. Being awarded a scholarship isn’t just about winning free money, it’s also about being recognized for your academic achievements. I want to study Criminal Justice and become a Criminal Justice Lawyer in the future. Having a higher education means that there will be obstacles in the way. I’m bound to not fully understand a topic or fail and test but nothing will stand in my way because I am confident that this is my vocation. Confidence is not the dread I felt junior year, it’s the spark I regained for myself.

Racism is an issue and my community and around the world. “Fruitvale Station” is based on a true story of Oscar Grant, a young black man who was shot by a police officer at the Fruitvale BRAT station in Oakland, California. To me, what made the movie feel so humanized and impactful was the performance by Michael B Jordan and his role playing Oscar. The movie doesn’t portray him as a headline. It shows him as a son, a father, a partner and a friend. Throughout the movie, we see his everyday interactions with his daughter, his efforts to become better for himself, and his relationships with those around him, which made the death feel deeply personal. This movie showed how Oscar Grant was not defined by single moment in his life, but by his humanity, which is disregarded by the police. I remember watching the movie and I remember feeling so angry once he was shot. The movie made me feel like Oscar was a friend or family member of mine. The film is powerful and highlights police brutality by showing how quickly an encounter can escalate into violence, especially when black individuals are involved. The story reflects the reality behind the Black Lives Matter movement. It shows how black lives are treated as disposable and justice is never served with quickness. Justice for lives like Oscar Grant are usually delayed or denied. Watching this film opened my eyes to the systematic racism in the criminal justice system. It made me realize that change can happen without individuals were willing to challenge injustice from within the system itself. This movie is the root as to why I wanna become a criminal justice lawyer. I want to advocate for those whose voices are ignored and individuals who are unfairly targeted. Working toward holding institution‘s accountable for their actions. Fulfill station transforms my childhood ambition into a purpose, and it showed me that being a lawyer is not just about knowing the law, but about using it as a tool for justice. I set foot on a college campus for the first time as a freshman in the summer of 2026 and I cannot wait to start my journey to fighting for justice in my community.

Ever since I entered high school, I knew that I wanted to become a lawyer. At first this came from a general desire to stand up for others, and speak with confidence. On top of that, I know that lawyers can become financially stable, and that is the ultimate goal. Towards the end of my freshman year, I decided to watch the movie “Fruitvale Station”. To me this movie did more than just tell a story, it forced me to face the fact that this is reality. It made me confront the harsh and painful reality of how black lives are often viewed and treated in America. From that moment on my passion for law became deeply rooted in advocacy, justice, and the fight against the systematic inequality. “Fruitvale Station” is based on a true story of Oscar Grant, a young black man who was shot by a police officer at the Fruitvale BRAT station in Oakland, California. To me, what made the movie feel so humanized and impactful was the performance by Michael B Jordan and his role playing Oscar. The movie doesn’t portray him as a headline. It shows him as a son, a father, a partner and a friend. Throughout the movie, we see his everyday interactions with his daughter, his efforts to become better for himself, and his relationships with those around him, which made the death feel deeply personal. This movie showed how Oscar Grant was not defined by single moment in his life, but by his humanity, which is disregarded by the police. I remember watching the movie and I remember feeling so angry once he was shot. The movie made me feel like Oscar was a friend or family member of mine. The film is powerful and highlights police brutality by showing how quickly an encounter can escalate into violence, especially when black individuals are involved. The story reflects the reality behind the Black Lives Matter movement. It shows how black lives are treated as disposable and justice is never served with quickness. Justice for lives like Oscar Grant are usually delayed or denied. Watching this film opened my eyes to the systematic racism in the criminal justice system. It made me realize that change can happen without individuals were willing to challenge injustice from within the system itself. This movie is the root as to why I wanna become a criminal justice lawyer. I want to advocate for those whose voices are ignored and individuals who are unfairly targeted. I want towards being able to work toward holding institution‘s accountable for their actions. Fulfill station transforms my childhood ambition into a purpose, and it showed me that being a lawyer is not just about knowing the law, but about using it as a tool for justice. I set foot on a college campus for the first time as a freshman in the summer of 2026 and I cannot wait to start my journey to fighting for justice in my community.

Sabrina Carpenter began her career at a young age. She quickly gained recognition through acting. Then as time went on she transitioned from an actor to a signer. What I like about her most is that she weighed her options. She didn’t say an actress because she fell in love with singing. She refused to be limited to one path. Her lyrics and voice allows others to see her vulnerability, strength, and self awareness. Her songs express themes of heart break, self worth, and empowerment. Her career has taught me the value of perseverance. She’s faced comparison and criticism but she’s never allowed outside opinions to shape her. Watching her take on the set backs face on has motivated me to keep my focus on things I really want and to not let others ruin my experiences. Beyond her talent, Sabrina Carpenter has so much confidence. She’s unapologetically herself and that has encouraged me to be confident within myself and allow my voice to rain through the world. Her journey has taught me that you have to believe in yourself no matter what others may or may not think and say of you. Overall Sabrina Carpenter’s career has positivity impacted me and encouraged the many life lessons I will experience throughout my own journey.

Ever since I entered high school, I knew that I wanted to become a lawyer. At first this came from a general desire to stand up for others, and speak with confidence. On top of that, I know that lawyers can become financially stable, and that is the ultimate goal. Towards the end of my freshman year, I decided to watch the movie “Fruitvale Station”. To me this movie did more than just tell a story, it forced me to face the fact that this is reality. It made me confront the harsh and painful reality of how black lives are often viewed and treated in America. From that moment on my passion for law became deeply rooted in advocacy, justice, and the fight against the systematic inequality. “Fruitvale Station” is based on a true story of Oscar Grant, a young black man who was shot by a police officer at the Fruitvale BRAT station in Oakland, California. To me, what made the movie feel so humanized and impactful was the performance by Michael B Jordan and his role playing Oscar. The movie doesn’t portray him as a headline. It shows him as a son, a father, a partner and a friend. Throughout the movie, we see his everyday interactions with his daughter, his efforts to become better for himself, and his relationships with those around him, which made the death feel deeply personal. This movie showed how Oscar Grant was not defined by single moment in his life, but by his humanity, which is disregarded by the police. I remember watching the movie and I remember feeling so angry once he was shot. The movie made me feel like Oscar was a friend or family member of mine. The film is powerful and highlights police brutality by showing how quickly an encounter can escalate into violence, especially when black individuals are involved. The story reflects the reality behind the Black Lives Matter movement. It shows how black lives are treated as disposable and justice is never served with quickness. Justice for lives like Oscar Grant are usually delayed or denied. Watching this film opened my eyes to the systematic racism in the criminal justice system. It made me realize that change can happen without individuals were willing to challenge injustice from within the system itself. This movie is the root as to why I wanna become a criminal justice lawyer. I want to advocate for those whose voices are ignored and individuals who are unfairly targeted. I want towards being able to work toward holding institution‘s accountable for their actions. Fulfill station transforms my childhood ambition into a purpose, and it showed me that being a lawyer is not just about knowing the law, but about using it as a tool for justice. I set foot on a college campus for the first time as a freshman in the summer of 2026. I feel like some obstacles I may encounter is academic pressure, burnout, lack of support, and discrimination. I’m also nervous that this field of study may not be what I want after all. I’m scared of failure or redirection but I know if I stay true to myself and give myself a healthy routine mentally, then I will be able to start my journey to fighting for justice in my community and others.