In 2021, Myanmar’s military staged an unlawful coup. I was imprisoned twice at seventeen for protesting the regime. To pay my ransom, my family gave up their life savings and sent me to the U.S. for a second chance at life. I arrived with a suitcase half full of cash and half full of promises. Quickly, I found myself juggling low-wage jobs, out-of-state tuition, and the burden of supporting both myself and my sister. During one of the hardest periods, I dropped out to work full time—until I saw a junta official proudly announce their acceptance to Harvard. The same regime that buried my generation in prison cells was now claiming to “rebuild” our nation through elite education—reserved only for their loyalists. I knew then: education must become my weapon. I returned to college, majoring in data science, adding economics and political science to better serve my people. I joined the Free Burma Action Committee and led fundraisers that raised $10,000 every other month. Then, I founded a student-led organization that hosted a Revolution Concert, raising $110,000 for Myanmar’s internally displaced people. Last semester, I ran out of savings and worked 60 hours a week. My grades suffered, but I never gave up. The First Generation College Scholarship would lift that burden. Every hour it frees me from survival will be poured back into service—so I can study, lead, and help rebuild a country left behind by the world.