I was born in Hoboken, a city that has always felt like home, even though my family couldn’t afford to stay there. Growing up nearby, in an overpopulated town called Union City, I saw both sides of the city: the charm and opportunity, and the quiet sacrifices it took for my parents, especially my mom, to keep us close to it. Hoboken was where my mom worked long hours, as a factory worker, and as an iron presser in a dry cleaner, and now as a housekeeper for several families. She’s one of the hardest-working people I know; strong, independent, and endlessly selfless. As a kid, I used to feel embarrassed telling people what my mom did for work. Everyone else’s parents had “business” jobs or worked in offices, and it made me look and feel little compared to everyone else. But now that I’m older, I see how much strength it takes to do what she does. My mom’s jobs gave us stability, and her sacrifices taught me what true independence looks like, and to me, that moral is worth more than money will ever be. When my brother and I begged to join Taekwondo, my mom never told us no, even though she knew the classes were expensive. She worked extra hours and shifts to make it possible. Thanks to her hard work, I studied for nine years, and my Taekwondo center became my second home. It taught me perseverance, discipline, and how to lead with compassion, skills I now use every day when I teach and guide my younger students. Unfortunately, I recently decided to quit so I could help with bills. I now work part-time at a dental office, and I don’t earn a lot, but it's everything to me because it allows me to ease her load even a little. Every step I take now is driven by gratitude for her sacrifices. My dream is to become a neonatologist, helping newborns who need the same kind of care and dedication my mother gave me all my life. I want to make her proud, not just by earning a degree, but by building a career that reflects her strength and compassion. This scholarship would mean more than financial help; it would be a reminder that everything my mom worked for wasn’t in vain. It would allow me to continue my education without adding any more financial burden to her stress, and bring me closer to becoming the doctor I’ve always dreamed of being. I may not have grown up in Hoboken, but the lessons born there, hard work, humility, and courage, are what shaped me into who I am today.