When I was young my family immigrated to the United States, during this time I only spoke my native tongue. Logically, I dreamed of being an English-speaking mermaid. Ironically enough, the language barrier between my peers and I opened my eyes to the importance of social relationships. Through the years I observed how a lack of understanding created barriers not only in communication, but in education, healthcare, workforce, economics, and even in legal status. Throughout history, a great majority of indigenous natives have lost their political standing and roots. As we lost our homelands, our nations also lost part of their identity, culture, traditions, religion, and purpose. This often came about through colonization, conquests, relocations, slavery, reformations, etc. In addition, indigenous people often struggle to establish trade, receive little to no economic help, have inferior educational access, and are less likely to receive quality health care. I am determined to provide change and protect the inherent rights of those who lack the resources to do so, to allow their facilitation in exercising their civil, human, and indigenous rights. I believe that diversity is a factor that should be acknowledged and worked with to form inclusive actions so that everyone has not only equal but equitable opportunities. By promoting awareness, I hope to encourage change so that a substantial and sustainable difference may be created with the end goal of collectively improving our communities. While I will be unable to become a mermaid, my wildest dream yet is to be a Consul and a lawyer, specializing in international relations, of the Moorish American Republic. I will use my education as a foreign diplomat to increase and improve political relations so that I may be a bridge between corporate governments and the ecclesiastical government of the Moorish American people. Doing so involves an in-depth understanding and educational background, thus after graduating from university, I will obtain a JD in law so that I may represent my people to the best of my ability. Thereafter, I aim to work directly alongside the Ambassador General of the Moorish America Republic to uplift our fallen brothers and sisters. The sovereign theocratic government of the Moorish Americans holds the right to self-government, self-determination, and the conservation of their institutions, which is enshrined nationally and internationally for the indigenous peoples, communities, nations, and persons of the Americas, as stated in the Universal Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Despite this, if our people lack the knowledge or skills in communication to uphold these rights, they may as well be fundamentally lost. For this reason, taking the LSAT, attending law school and obtaining a JD will be significant stepping stones in pursuing my dream. So that I may utilize my education to the fullest, I plan to network, involve myself in student groups, and even plan on obtaining an internship at the capital of Austin (or better yet, Washington!) through the Bill Archer Fellowship Program so that I may further obtain hands-on experience and knowledge on governmental proceedings. In the meantime, I am resolved to learn with passion so that I can one day teach with passion, and be someone who embodies kindness and sincerity. As an International Political Economy student at UTD, I am determined to be someone who can represent the voices of underrepresented individuals, to make Texas a better place for not only its citizens but its indigenous inhabitants as well.

When I was young my family immigrated to the United States, during this time I only spoke my native tongue. Logically, I dreamed of being an English-speaking mermaid. Ironically enough, the language barrier between my peers and I opened my eyes to the importance of social relationships. Through the years I observed how lack of understanding created barriers not only in communication, but in education, healthcare, workforce, economics, and even in legal status. Throughout history, a great majority of indigenous natives have lost their political standing and roots. As we lost our homelands, our nations also lost part of their identity, culture, traditions, religion, and purpose. This often came about through colonization, conquests, relocations, slavery, reformations, etc. As a Moorish American, I can directly say that my people are one of the many who have been greatly underrepresented and subjected to such mistreatments. In addition, indigenous people often struggle to establish trade, receive little to no economic help, and are less likely to receive quality health care. From my firsthand experience blooms my determination to provide change and protect the inherent rights of those who lack the resources to do so, to allow their facilitation in exercising their civil, human, and indigenous rights. I believe that diversity is a factor that should be acknowledged and worked with to form inclusive actions so that everyone has not only equal but equitable opportunities. By promoting awareness, I hope to encourage change so that a substantial and sustainable difference may be created with the end goal of collectively improving our communities. After graduation, I will continue to support the Moorish Consulate Post 03 in foreign relations as a Public Minister of the Moorish American Republic through the principles of love, truth, peace, freedom, and justice. As a foreign diplomat, my goal is to increase and improve political relations so that I may be a bridge between corporate governments and the ecclesiastical government of the Moorish American people. Doing so involves an in-depth understanding and educational background, thus after graduating, I will obtain a JD in law so that I may represent my people to the best of my ability. Thereafter, I will be working directly alongside the Ambassador General of the Moorish America Republic to uplift our fallen brothers and sisters. The sovereign theocratic government of the Moorish Americans holds the right to self-government, self-determination, and the conservation of their institutions, which is enshrined nationally and internationally for the indigenous peoples, communities, nations, or persons of the Americas, as stated in the Universal Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Despite this, if our people lack the knowledge or skills in communication to uphold these rights, they may as well be fundamentally lost. For this reason, taking the LSAT, attending law school and obtaining a JD will be significant stepping stones in obtaining my goals. During my time at UTD, I plan to network, involve myself in student life and groups, dedicate myself to my educational studies, and utilize the various resources available, such as the pre-law advising center. Additionally, I aim to apply for the Bill Archer Fellowship Program so that I may further obtain hands-on experience and knowledge on governmental proceedings. In the meantime, I am resolved to learn with passion so that I can one day teach with passion, and be someone who embodies kindness and sincerity. As an International Political Economy student at UTD, I am determined to be someone who can represent the voices of underrepresented individuals, to make Texas a better place for not only its citizens but its indigenous inhabitants as well.

Since I was young, I constantly strived to learn and grow as an individual, nurturing a hardworking, responsible, and driven personality. Maintaining this ambition throughout my education was rigorous and mentally taxing. Though it did reap its own benefits, my academic work ethic often took over my life as it integrated itself into my identity. I had many setbacks, that of which included miscommunication errors, misinterpretations of physical language, and a difficulty in expressing my own emotions. As I became aware of my limitations, I utilized my passion to learn and experience new things and redirected it to improve my communication skills and relationships. Little by little: this became the mantra that kept me going. With every failure I made, I believed I could change. Not only did I change my behavior, but I restructured my way of thinking. Having enough discipline to look and partake in social events and learn to open myself to form meaningful interactions was challenging. Even so, I utilized the resources presented to me and looked for opportunities to network and form relationships with other individuals. My college education continued to be essential, thus I integrated my goal into my academics. With high expectations of myself, I remained immersed in my educational studies, yet took proactive steps to look for ways to obtain societal exposure, undertook leadership positions, and actively participated as a member of my community. I had the honor of becoming a recognized member of National Honor Society, Phi Theta Kappa, and being the president of the Midlothian Student Government Association Chapter of Navarro College, where I undertook an active role in managing, organizing, and representing the student body. At Navarro College, COVID-19 almost caused student life to become non-existent. Virtual classes thrived and student participation, engagement, clubs, and community involvement were significantly reduced. Wanting to rebuild a sense of community and drive individuals to engage with one another, as the President of the Midlothian SGA Chapter of Navarro College. Actively networking, I encouraged individuals to become involved, form clubs, promoted SGA involvement and encouraged others to contribute to our campus pantry. During this time I attended the TJCSGA State Convection of 2022, where I participated in various debates and conferences advocating to promote the welfare of our institutions, cities and Texas itself. As a delegate I worked to directly influence managing decisions and properly identify solutions to rebuild student involvement within campuses, engaging in effective discussions on methods to implement solutions. For me, college was one of the tools that allowed me to obtain a secure position that enabled me to have a contributive impact on others. After all, what mattered the most was through what methods we utilized our surroundings to improve our community and make the most of what we have. Personally, I have done my best to take care of others and demonstrate personal, moral, and academic excellence. My mentality is the strongest card I yield. The smallest thoughts tend to make the biggest difference, for thoughts become ideas, ideas become actions, and actions drive change. I lead through the thoughts of the individuals I have interacted with, actively encouraging a collective sense of community and healthier lifestyles, which in turn promote the longevity, mental gratification, and life quality of others. Individually, my sphere of influence may be limited, but alongside others the impact I have achieved is far greater. I leave a legacy that instills the idea of unity within others, driving a desire to grow as a community, not just as individuals. My ultimate goal is not to succeed independently, but to triumph collectively.

Making the choice to improve one’s chemical, physical, and emotional wellbeing comes with its own set of merits. A healthy lifestyle is important because it promotes longevity, mental gratification, and overall increases the quality of your life. Sleeping is a good example of this. Having sufficient sleep boosts mental, physical, emotional, and even immune function! To maintain this lifestyle, it becomes worthwhile to make the distinction of being and living. In an unbalanced lifestyle one simply exists, whereas a balanced lifestyle enables one to truly enjoy life to the fullest. Existing is the easiest thing. It requires no effort. At times I personally become so immersed in being that I forget to live. We all need a gentle reminder sometimes, that what matters the most is what we surround ourselves with and through what methods we utilize our surroundings to improve our wellbeing and make the most of what we have. Truth be told, in our society fast food consumerism is widely accepted and propagated and thus leads to a collective health decline within Americans. Despite this, individuals can have the option to personally pursue means to improve their own individual health. Little by little. Every change is significant and leads us closer to living in our maximum capacity. With every failure made we are learning and growing along the way. One step at a time. It is important to understand what your body communicates and prioritize your own well-being in a balanced manner. After all, if we do not take care of ourselves, how can we expect others to do so for us, or vice versa. Similarly, I found myself adapting and wanting to improve for my own well-being. I stopped seeking outside validation and started to take care of myself. It took effort and time, yet every action made a difference, regardless of how small it appeared to be. Having sufficient dedication to improve myself greatly benefited me personally, as well as all those who I interacted with. This became one of the most significant changes I undertook within myself and from then on a healthy lifestyle became my priority. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle requires mindfulness and effort. I try my best to adhere to activities that nurture this. Sometimes my best is simply taking the time to remember to breathe deeply and drink water, other times my best is pushing my limits in exercising. In terms of food, I remained enjoying my favorite dishes, yet started to substitute particular ingredients for healthier options. Gradually, I would include aspects of nutrition, exercise, and mental health in my daily tasks. Through this I began to learn more about myself. What I was deficient in, what I needed to work on, what I excelled at doing, and so on so forth. Changing was not so daunting when applied in such a fashion. I believe that a healthy life is a battle we should all strive to fight in. It can be challenging, but when we are struggling, we should make the most of it, remain headstrong and look forward to our victories. It is important to understand our own physiologies, so that we can grow and thrive in the best conditions. Exercising, avoiding unhealthy habits, nutrition, and self-care are equally important. Knowing this and exerting it throughout our lives are completely different things. We should strive to individually improve our own choices, so that we can pursue health, wellness, and lead physically and mentally healthy lives.

Intent is the root of an organized mind and the driving factor that permits me to achieve my goals. Just like the body cannot build muscle by idly sitting, the potential of an individual cannot be achieved without the intent to take proactive steps to reach it. Sometimes, we just need a gentle reminder, that what matters the most is what we surround ourselves with and through what methods we utilize our surroundings to improve our wellbeing and make the most of what we have. I make the distinction of being and living. In an unbalanced lifestyle one simply exists, whereas a balanced lifestyle enables one to truly enjoy life to the fullest. Existing requires no effort, but having the discipline to take care of oneself can be hard. This requires a strong mentality, a desire to be the best version of yourself manageable. It is important to understand our own physiologies, so that we can grow and thrive in the best conditions. Knowing our strengths and accordingly working on our weaknesses. Making the choice to improve one’s chemical, physical, and emotional wellbeing comes with its own set of merits. A healthy lifestyle promotes longevity, mental gratification, and overall increases the quality of your life. Take sleeping for example. Having sufficient sleep boosts mental, emotional, and even immune function! It is important to understand what the body communicates and prioritize your own well-being in a balanced manner. Exercising, avoiding unhealthy habits, nutrition, and self-care are also equally important. To reiterate, balance is imperative. It can be easy to become fixated on certain aspects of health, such as the physical kind, and consequently forget to nurture our mental health. For example, prioritizing the concept of beauty over physical wellbeing, something I have personally done. This is something I struggled with the most, yet gradually I found myself adapting and wanting to improve for my own well-being. I stopped seeking outside validation and started to take care of myself. Learning to eat consciously, choosing healthy alternatives, taking a short walk in nature, being honest, forming healthy relationships, or simply enjoying a cup of coffee. It took effort and time, yet every action made a difference, regardless of how small it appeared to be. I began to utilize my passion to learn and experience new things and redirect it to improve my communication skills and relationships. Having sufficient dedication to improve myself greatly benefited me personally, as well as all those who I interacted with. Simply having the intent to have a positive mentality made a great difference. I am certain that just as I will have my hardships, others will face similar struggles in their path. At some point we all fight battles. It can be challenging, but when we are struggling, we should make the most of it, remain headstrong and look forward to our victories. The pain of what we experience becomes the very experience that shapes who we ultimately are. We should strive to individually improve our own choices, so that we can collectively pursue health, wellness, and lead physically and mentally healthy lives.

It’s worthwhile to make the distinction of being and living. In an unbalanced lifestyle one simply exists, whereas a balanced lifestyle enables one to truly enjoy life to the fullest. Existing is the easiest thing I have ever done. It requires no effort. At times I become so immersed in being that I forget to live. We all need a gentle reminder sometimes, that what matters the most is what we surround ourselves with and through what methods we utilize our surroundings to improve our wellbeing and make the most of what we have. Truth be told, in our society there are various systemic inequities in health. There are different levels of economic stability, healthcare, social environments, and food accessibilities that some individuals may or may not have access to. In the United States fast food consumerism is widely accepted and propagated and thus lead to a collective health decline within Americans. Despite this, individuals can have the option to personally pursue means to improve their own individual health. Making the choice to improve one’s chemical, physical, and emotional wellbeing comes with its own set of merits. A healthy lifestyle promotes longevity, mental gratification, and overall increases the quality of your life. Take sleeping for example. Having sufficient sleep boosts your mental, emotional, and even immune function! It is important to understand what your body communicates and prioritize your own well-being in a balanced manner. To reiterate, balance is imperative. It can be easy to become fixated on certain aspects of health, especially the physical kind, and consequently forget to nurture our mental health. For example, prioritizing the concept of beauty over physical wellbeing, something I have personally done. This is something I struggled with the most, and from those experiences consequently increased in my understanding. There was a time I felt so full that I could barely stand myself sometimes. I was tired. Tired of having expectations. Tired of having to eat, to sleep, to talk, and to smile. I started to believe that by continuing on such a road I would eventually achieve that which was the ideology of beauty, yet for some reason I remained mentally unwell. After some time I could understand the wrongness of such thoughts. Little by little: this became the endless mantra that kept me going. With every failure I made, I forced myself to believe I could change, learning and growing along the way. One step at a time. Gradually, I found myself adapting and wanting to improve for my own well-being. I stopped seeking outside validation and started to take care of myself. It took effort and time, yet every action made a difference, regardless of how small it appeared to be. Having sufficient dedication to improve myself greatly benefited me personally, as well as all those who I interacted with. This became one of the most significant changes I undertook within myself and from then on, I started to prioritize a healthy, balanced lifestyle. Just like I did, at some point we all fight battles. It can be challenging, but when we are struggling, we should make the most of it, remain headstrong and look forward to our victories. It is important to understand our own physiologies, so that we can grow and thrive in the best conditions. Exercising, avoiding unhealthy habits, nutrition, and self-care are equally important. Knowing this and exerting it throughout our lives are completely different things. We should strive to individually improve our own choices, so that we can pursue health, wellness, and physically and mentally healthy lives.

Through the decades, and as a result of colonization, the knowledge, culture, and heritage of my people was blurred. My parents were labeled as Mexicans, and I as a hispanic. Our indigenous roots were completely removed from us, yet as descendants of the Ancient Moabites, Hamites and Canaanites we held sovereignty upon birth. Proclaiming the Moorish American Nationality, in a place where my indigenous people are forgotten, required a vast amount of courage. Living in a place where you stand alone in your identity, beliefs and actions is daunting. In the United States, approximately 1.1% of the population is believed to be Muslim. Here, covering your hair is uncustomary. Red is a bold color, and for us Moors, it represents our living souls. Wearing my turban naturally makes me stand out, yet I wear this symbol proudly and with my head held high. Enforcing my beliefs sets me apart from my peers, and even some family members. I have been scoffed at for fasting, for covering my hair, refusing to partake in certain activities, and even for refusing to eat pork. Despite this, I practice my beliefs, and continue to learn more of my ancestry and customs. I have learned to set boundaries and restructured my way of thinking. I am conscious of the opinions of others, yet I no longer let it hold value. I believe that my mentality is the strongest card I can yield. I am bold in who I am. I am brave to pursue who I will be, and I have no desire to let anyone or anything change that.

My educational goals, my previous and my future accomplishments, my involvement with my family, friends, and community, these are all factors which drive me to pursue college. As such, I have always aimed to be ahead and learned with fervor. Maintaining this headstrong mindset, at times, proved to be quite difficult. In my sophomore year, I took both Chemistry I P-AP and Biology II AP. My teacher was baffled when she saw me attend both classes consecutively. The first day of class she had even asked me if I would fail, like the last student who had taken both at the same time, or if I would pass. I had proudly stated that I would pass. Soon I found out myself how rigorous and time consuming learning both subjects, alongside all my other advanced classes, was. That year I would constantly stay up late, working on my materials, labs, homework, and classwork. Although my stress levels where constantly high, and I ran on many cups of coffee, I am proud to say that I learned many things that year, and excelled in both subjects. My desire to reach my maximum potential, to enhance and learn the extent of my abilities, to utilize the resources presented to me, these desires drove me. I pushed forward, gave it my all, and aimed at my goals. To learn. To grow. To succeed. I learned that my perseverance made me relentless. My expectations grew high as I immersed myself in my educational studies. I looked for ways to obtain international exposure, obtained job experiences, and actively participated as a member of my school and my community. Taking rigorous courses, I allowed myself the opportunity to actively exhibit independence and expose myself to the acquisition of insight into the workings of college curriculums. Relentless in my pursuit for a better future, relentless in my personal academic growth and relentless in my dedication to further my education. Although the recent pandemic has greatly affected my life, I remain determined to be the second child in my family to attend college.