Hi, my name is Tiarah, I grew up in Far Rockaway, N.Y., and was raised by my mom only. I lost my dad at a very young age, and she struggled financially to keep my grandparent's house without the help of my dad. We no longer lived there because she lost the house due to financial hardship. She has always been on government assistance my entire life, and I dropped out of high school with two months left. I continued my education 17 years later, with a high school equivalency diploma in 2021 to show my mistake, but I had a hard time growing up with very little money to survive and no support system. Still, I am achieving, and my son doesn't understand now, but I am his support system, and he needs to see why he is going to be no other than anything else but great. I am continuing my education and soon graduate in 2025 with my associate degree I am looking to continue to my bachelor's once I'm finished. I will also be the only 1 out of her three children as well as I am the last child to achieve my degree. So, continuing my education is, by fault, the biggest flex of my life and legacy. I am making it my business to change the lifestyle cycle in my family, creating accomplishments and achieving goals, willing to succeed and provide for my family, not struggling as I am right now but now how I grew up with barely any food to feed us all every night and on some nights a can of soup. Growing up in such a poverty location and violent location, there was nothing but self destruct in the community, and that is why I am changing my education level so that my resume shows that I have all the skills and requirements in the fields I am ready to start my career in without ever looking over my shoulder, wondering where the next meal. It may come from because rent is due, or my son needs shoes, or I have to spend my last on diapers, so we have to take a train ride, which is dangerous in NYC, instead of an Uber car service because what is more important than my kids having shelter a key to turn into my apartment because you have no one who can lend or even loan you a few dollars. You have no choice but to continue struggling and make it through one day at a time. This scholarship will help me as I progress and take care of my now two children, one toddler and my son, who is soon to be a teenager, as I continue my education to succeed and be able to provide for them.