I've never really known what a simple or predictable life looked like, but instead, my life has always been about responsibility, resiliency and the fact that there will be a better tomorrow. Even though sometimes it may seem impossible to see. As a Hispanic single mom, a full time architecture student, and also one who is trying to navigate the restrictions of being undocumented, has made me realize that all the struggles that I've faced, have shaped the direction and possibilities of my professional goals as well. In many ways, architecture isn't just a major I'm pursuing it's the pathway I'm creating in order to shape my experience with my family, and the future I want to create for my daughter. Becoming a mom at an early age dramatically changed the path I was taking in life. When my daughter was born, I came to understand that how children grow up is influenced both by the support from their family as well as their environment. I knew then that I had to go to college to give my new family a better future. I had to view my future as a mission. My daughter is only 1 years old, yet she has become the biggest motivator in everything I do. I stay up all night in the studio, I will rebuild models over and over again, I will complete assignments no matter how tired I am, all for one reason, so she can grow up watching her mom turn obstacles into successes. There have been moments when I was close to dropping out during my 3rd year of school. I had gotten into a car accident on my way to class, and during the time I was healing, I had gotten very behind on my work. Architecture is very mentally straining and time consuming which almost sent me over the edge. It was then that an instructor did everything they could, even to ignore their teaching protocols in order for me to finish my work no matter how late I turned in the project. She was my rock and someone to this day I still thank for giving me that hope again to finish class. My family have also undoubtedly influenced where I am today. I can't legally work because of my immigration status so I rely on my parents to assist with the cost of my education. Borrowing money for software, textbooks and model materials has been hard knowing that I owe my parents, but the fact that they are willing to put their little financial resources into my future at the expense of their own has shown me what pure sacrifice is. This also reminds me that success is not just about one person, but a collective group of people working together to achieve something. My parents who are now sixty years old take care of my child every single day so I can go to school, attend classes or focus on the projects I am working on. Their love gives me the ability to continue going to school. Their influence gives me the strength on the many days when I feel like I may not be able to balance everything. The help from them is the only reason I am still here.