What's it like being a Muslim in America? It's a life full of challenges and goals in order to succeed. I was taught at the young age of reading and writing but it didn’t get too serious until I actually started real school at 16. I was so behind but when my family met other Muslims they told my father that my sisters and I, must get an education back and I didn’t understand it. However, when I was exposed to education for the first time, it did influence me with my academics and my career goals while attending an Islamic private school during my first three years, after my father died. It was my mother and family friends who sent me to school. I had to play catch up compared to most kids, and I realized me being a Muslim getting education, I took it very seriously, I was trying to figure out what I wanted to become. A doctor? No, I was so behind in math but it doesn’t mean Muslims should just get the highest-paying career for selfish reasons for me, the rich students tried to turn me away from my goals, they told me I should just get a career that makes a lot of money. But I knew I wasn't motivated by money, to me it wasn't being a Muslim at all. To me being a Muslim meant also being humble, unlike the other students at my private school who were rich. I grew up poor, and I also remembered as a child that many of the Prophets were shepherds, and not many were wealthy, they were all humbled. I also didn’t care about making tons of money My most concern was what would carry me through college, I cared more about my passions that helped me during my Islamic school days, being Muslim means being a better person, kind, humbled and helping others. I chose a career that many did not think I should choose, animator, I was born an artist. I excelled in art, English, and history it helped me understand my strengths and weakness, science was hit or miss, but it didn’t mean I should give up. Being Muslim also means trying your best, don’t be hard on yourself, even if you’re surrounded by others aren’t Muslims, it doesn’t mean you should change your goals in life. I chose a harder route, I wasn’t born with money like my classmates and they didn’t understand what I was going through. When I went to public school and community college, I barely was around other Muslims, though during High school I had a student ask me to help them cheat with their English homework. As I said I want to better and I humbly decline their offer, the student even wanted to pay me but again I refuse. It’s about your character as a Muslim not how much you make or what kind of car you got. As a Muslim being here in America but more importantly, it’s about standing with your beliefs and respecting others and yourself as a person; I told myself I wouldn’t cheat in school, and I will honestly earn my grades from High School all the way to my current college.I'm artist I want to share my art to the world one day. Being a Muslim is about your character, not wealth, or what school you go to, hard work and being humbled is a better path I believe as being Muslim it teaches us to become better people in all walks of life.

True passions comes from the heart. My favorite piece is the Year of the Tiger I made for my mother, she is Chinese and has told me many stories. Every year I drew a picture of the animal from the Chinese Zodiac. Though primarily for her birthday; I use this opportunity to draw animals and try news things. The year of the tiger of 2022 is the water tiger. The tiger represents strength yet courage and resilience for people of the tiger. Each year the animals take part of the banquet/race and depending on who comes first, the tiger is 3rd place. The little story has some meaning to it and cultural impact on me as part Chinese. When I made the artwork I thought of playful kitten playing with a ball but instead it's lantern. My cultural and heritage inspires me I love nature and when I made this piece I thought of flow of water. Water is flow of nature and life, it's the reasons why many civilizations have survived for thousands of years. However though each year Chinese lunar New Years its different animal and element as they rotate each time. Red and gold are the colors of China; red is the symbol of joy and luck while gold is wealth though in traditional sense it's prosperity and fortune. As I mention before my works are inspire through my cultural and history. My great grandfather from my mother side came to America for a better life with his family and my grandfather Yin. My mother was born in America and I as well. So my culture and history is important to and I hope reflect it i my art. I learn about the Chinese zodiac when I was in high school because my lack of knowledge of my culture. My love to my mother is strong which why when I started making Chinese zodiac artworks for her it was from pure love in 2009 and so I make them every year. My mother favorite color is violet so I added to the tiger's eyes. I try to incorporate what she likes in my works sometimes there's more of her favorite color. I try not to stray too far from traditional colors, usually red and gold do show up only because it has meaning in Chinese cultural. The inspiration doesn't stop there as I mention previously the year of the tiger is about bravery and resilience it brings for 2022 my works are done in copic markers many people think it's watercolor I like to render as much of possible to give the effects of water. Though I enjoy nature and this artwork the tiger holds a lantern in her paws because lanterns are made during the lunar New Years for the lantern festival at the end of celebration and the lunar year is important to many Chinese and other East Asian cultures who celebrate it. My tiger artwork represents my part of celebrating my New Years and new challenges and my mother's birthday. My heritage inspired this artwork and my passion for my history and culture it's part of me just as I am part of nature and this world.

My passion for art has startle from my bedroom walls from plush toys imagary towns to the paper. My passion for art started with animals and I did not realize it was my passion until 9th grade, I began with animals and from there I people, however when in started college I explore more art classes. I even did ceramics for a first time, I wasn't great in it but it was for the fun and experience. Painting was something I seen but not done until college, most my works have animals in them because they help me draw in flowing motion at least in my opinion. I enjoy art so much that I even bought color pencils and Copic markers my art reflects a lot of nature because I do enjoy watching the world of animals. I drew every day as a child but of course as I got higher in education my drawings were days apart to weeks only becaus of school work. My passion is still with me even I don't do draw every single, I love drawing in sketchbooks or at times in my computer, but I love the feel of paper; most my works have been traditional even though I'm going to attend college for animation. Before my final decision of attending college for animation and digital arts I was going to be dentist however I had no passion or interests in it so I drop the idea around my final year of high school, though there were people who discourage me to stop doing art I still continued to do my art. From my crayons to learning new techniques bib school help me realize there's a lot to look at in the art world and I will continue to look ahead. I get ideas that's how much I have in my head but it definitely a struggle when I try so hard to get the picture out of my head and it just turns out to be a mess. I'm willing to try new things and always look for a challenge. How would the scholarship help me it would definitely pay for my expenses of my passion, moreover I can continue to pursue my passion with it and be able to share my beautiful artworks to everyone and learn even skills with my works. My love for art won't die and if this scholarship can help me in the long run, I can find my pursuit of happiness in my dream to become character designer though I would love to make unicorn art book, one day if not now someday in the future. I would like to purse to get my masters in arts, that's the plan so far for my passions that I planned to do in the future and with this scholarship, I will be thankful I pursue this goal of mine.