There are so many people who view immigrants as second-class citizens, inferior to those born and raised in America. These people believe immigrants are unworthy of the same basic human rights outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and are so callous to the many struggles immigrants are made to face. Oftentimes, immigrants flee their native countries with the hope of building a better life for their families, whether that is to attain financial freedom and build their native communities back up or to flee war-stricken environments. Whatever the case may be, no two immigration stories are identical and the differences between these stories are what I aspire to highlight by sharing them with the world through film. Both my grandmother and my mother are immigrants; my grandmother left Jamaica with my mother when she was 28 years old and my mother was 2 years and 9 months. Due to this, they have had to work incredibly hard to make it here in America. My grandmother went to school to attain her GED while working two jobs at one time as a janitor, and a nursing home employee to make ends meet for her children. She was not able to complete high school in her country because her parents could not afford to send her, and up until the seventh grade she wore the same uniform daily. Moving to America was her attempt to ensure my mother would not have to endure the same struggle of poverty. Unfortunately, many immigrants don't realize just how hard most Americans work to make ends meet and ensure they and their families are not homeless. America is often marketed by its promise of freedom but only those who have lived in and experienced the corruption of this country will understand that there is a cost for everything here-even freedom. For my grandmother, this cost was having to work day and night to attempt to pay the bills and maintain the basic necessities of life, shelter food, and clothing, for herself and her children. While it may be difficult to believe, as much as my grandmother worked she wasn't always able to make ends meet. Working two jobs day and night, was not enough to keep the bills paid. Once my mother was old enough to work she had to step in to help her mother with the bills. She was not able to live the ideal American childhood because she had to support her mother and siblings in a country that wouldn't. America enjoys the ability to boast of tokenized diversity as millions of people who don't fit the idealized standard of America are ignored. There are millions of immigrants who have waited many years for their citizenship, and who have had to sacrifice irreplaceable stages of life such as motherhood and childhood to make it in a country that sees them drowning, and would prefer riddance over extending the vast resources it has to assist. My understanding of how difficult life has been for my grandmother and mother as immigrants in a country that demeans immigration has sparked a desire to share these stories with the world. There are so many people and communities that haven't been exposed to the brutal reality of immigration and its effects on those involved. I desire to create films and diversify the media in general to include the stories and perspectives of immigrants from various backgrounds. Once I created my first film and felt the impact it was able to make, I knew I had to keep going and that is what I aspire to do.

Growing up the youngest of three children, I was shielded from many of the hardships my mother faced as a single parent. As I have gotten older and looked over my life, I understand that many of the successes I have attained are due to opportunities my mother had to sacrifice. She couldn’t attend a four-year college but worked hard so that each of her children would be able to. She instilled the value of sacrifice in us from an early age, which I strongly believe is the reason both my brothers and I have a strong inclination to give back to the world. Each of us desires to use our lives to better the world at large. My mother has been and continues to be my number-one supporter, cheerleader, coach, and mentor. She has surpassed any expectations I could ever have about what a mother's role should be in their child's life, as she has played each one. Since I did not have a father around, my mother often worked two jobs to support my brothers and me. I remember there were some days when the only time I was able to see her was when she left her day job to pick me up from school, headed to drop me off at my grandma's house, and continued to her night job. I missed her dearly, but she made sure my brothers and grandma were around to buffer the blow of her absence. This shielding is the reason I can look back and only realize the moments she missed in retrospect; she protected me through them. I know that a two-parent household is the socially acceptable way of raising children, but if I had the chance to change my childhood and have both parents present, I cannot say that I would. I believe growing up with my single mother has shaped me into the strong, independent, determined, and motivated young woman I am today. Her example has helped me to use adversity as a propellant for my success as opposed to viewing it as an anchor or hindrance to fulfilling my purpose. When I was bullied throughout middle and high school, my mother kept me encouraged reminding me always that “this too shall pass”. If not for her words, support, love, wisdom, and guidance, I have no idea where I would be today. God and my mother are the reasons for my success. They are the reason I could land a highly competitive position such as Residential Advisor at my school. They are the reason I had the endurance to secure straight A’s in my spring semester when I wasn’t sure I would be able to. I owe everything I am to God and my mother. Through my lens, my mother is the most successful person I have been blessed to meet and know. She may not drive the fanciest car or own the biggest house, but she has the biggest heart. My mother is the reason I attend college and have been able to use my voice to advocate for myself and others. Her sacrifices are the reason I am blessed to work as an intern at Princeton University, assemble a team to film a documentary and begin a domestic exchange program for students of color at my institution. She is the reason I am bold, and will not accept no as an answer, she never accepted no’s when her children were on the line. That is the reason I will stop at nothing to make her proud and to give her the life she has always deserved.

Zenaiya Burgess June 5, 2023 Education is Power I am passionate about education because I believe it is power. I am even more passionate about it within the African American community because it is a right we have been denied for too long. As an undergraduate student, I understand the importance of education to a successful future and that is the reason educated African Americans have been seen as a threat. White people knew that if African Americans became educated the possibility for revolt, loss of job opportunities, and loss of labor could result. This is why they chose to keep their slaves from learning how to read or write. This country has come a very long way but there is still farther to go. African American students who are unable to attend private schools or public schools that are within predominantly white neighborhoods are often denied advanced education. It is unfortunate because these African American students are so intelligent and have the potential to do great things within this world but are denied due to an unfair education system. Thankfully, I have been blessed to have had a few wonderful teachers throughout my primary schooling that taught me information other students who looked like me were not being taught. I was able to maintain a 12th-grade reading level while in 5th grade because of my teacher who saw my potential and did not allow me to sell myself short. She assigned homework that was challenging because she wanted to train my brain to become comfortable with the uncomfortable. This practice stretched my thinking skills allowing my knowledge to increase. In retrospect, she prepared me from an early age to push myself outside of my comfort zone because she knew that was where I would find success. There are so many other students who are allowed to remain comfortable rather than being mentally challenged with new ideas and having to learn how to formulate correct thoughts and reasoning behind their belief systems. I, on the other hand, was met with teachers who could spot where I was comfortable right away based on how well I did in areas like reading and writing and chose to move me into the maths and sciences. I was not thrilled initially but later realized that their constant pushing is the reason I attend college today, have landed an internship at Princeton while only going into my sophomore year of undergrad, and am filming a documentary. I didn't always understand race, and how mine would cause the world to view me as inferior. Now I understand that when colleges, universities, jobs, and careers realize I am black, they will develop preconceived notions regarding my worth. These are the realities I intend to teach students who look like me so I can give them the headstart I did not have. My teachers were a blessing to me and I have maintained lifelong relationships with many of them that keep me grounded and allow me to focus on the path laid out in front of me. I want to be that and more for those coming under my wing. I want to offer them the perspective of someone who understands where they are because I have been there, and where they can go. I plan to teach my students about the many different career paths they can choose to take, and affirm their worth so they never see themselves as not good enough for any position or role. I want to instill confidence within them about the power they hold despite what the world will tell them.

Cultivating relationships with others has always been extremely important to me. Even as a child, becoming close to others was my number one priority. Unfortunately this led to four year of bullying throughout middle school and high school. I cared so much about other people and my connection with them, I would ignore the blatant signs of neglect, inconsideration, and gossip. I’d hoped so desperately they would open their eyes and realize how much I cared for them and treat me better. Unfortunately that was never the case. Emotionally scarred, hurt, and in a very dark place, my mother was the only light in that cave; reminding me through the way she loved and cared for me, that good was still possible in people, and to use the time I was “alone” to become secure in myself before attempting to build bonds. None of this made sense to my young mind until my junior year of highschool. I was virtual due to the COVID pandemic and therefore didn’t think I would need to worry about becoming too close to anyone. I intended to float through the school year with no camera and no mic. That way I wouldn’t have to worry about the past that still haunted me, or attempt to make new friends. God had other plans for me. Virtually, I was able to thrive, succeeding in both my academics, and interactions with my peers. I stopped being afraid to answer my teachers or ask questions if I was confused. My anxiety faded and my confidence grew. This confidence caused a mental shift and I determined that through my life, I wanted to turn my negative experiences into a positive impact. I realized I wasn’t and will never be the only person facing such a challenging situation and if I could overcome it, I wanted to help as many people as I could, overcome as well. I am determined to become a safe space and an anti-bullying activist as I grow. I’d like to be either a teacher or a children’s advocacy lawyer. Anything to help defend and protect the hearts of the future. I understand the pain of childhood trauma in school. I also understand that as a child, majority of your time is spent in school, which means life can be perfect at home as it was for me, if school isn’t providing the necessary support and care of it’s students, those children will be left to grow in suffering.