I was born in Nigeria and immigrated to several countries. I faced criticism and racism among my peers. Each country I immagrated to got more difficult. I’m thankful for my familes love and support. They provided me with the strenth I needed to walk through life. As a catholic student, I have the philosophy “Help others as you were helped". I want to live a life where I'm able to help as many people as possible and make their life more stressfree. I want to be a pinnacle of support for the world. This is the reason I chose psychology as my major. My life started with heartache and immeasurable loss. Due to complications at childbirth, I lost my mom the day I was born. Consequently, from birth until three years old, I was raised by my uncle and his family, in Nigeria, until my dad recovered from the shock of losing my mom so suddenly at 28 years old. When I was three years old, my dad remarried and my family embarked on a journey, leaving behind the familiar landscapes of Nigeria and resettling our roots in Equatorial Guinea. Despite the hurdles posed; including a new language, and different culture, I enjoyed my time there as the community embraced and nurtured me. With this warm embrace and acceptance by the community, I quickly forged bonds and these friendships became an integral part of my early years. My life, however, took a dramatic turn as I entered third grade and met my Spanish teacher. Learning Spanish – the official language of EG – never came easy to me, and it marked my first encounter with racial discrimination. Although I made the extra effort by coming early and practicing at home, I felt like an outsider, constantly subjected to hurtful slurs and derogatory comments such as "pinche Nigeriano" and "Ve a tu país" (“f***ing black”/“Return to your country”). One day I reached a breaking point and confronted my teacher by yelling back at him not to call me such slurs. This led to my being sent to the principal’s office, and it was the first time I broke down in tears and revealed my struggles to my parents. After the principal's intervention and a year of perseverance, my teacher and I made amends and extended apologies. This experience helped me grow as I realized that this world can be cruel and sometimes you will have to stand up for yourself all alone against those who have more power than you. In 7th grade I came to California to live with my aunt. She introduced me to the Pomona College Academy for Youth Success (PAYS) program, a residential summer enrichment program that involves taking classes taught by college professors, living in the dorms, and conducting research with current college students and professors. PAYS gave me a taste of college life and taught me valuable lessons about behaviors and expectations in a college setting. In this community, I have forged a network of friends who celebrate my unique identity and accept me for who I am through my mistakes and victories. I am grateful for this transformative experience, allowing me to be myself and shaping me into someone who strives to support others regardless of their situation and provide opportunities for growth. It also made me realize my desire to get a college degree. Going through this journey, I have discovered that there are people who will accept and support you, no matter your background or experiences. Finding the right group of friends may take time, but the search will be worth it.