The social anxiety that once kept me silent no longer lingered as I began to speak about what I believed in. I became the most “opinionated” among my cousins and was labeled “rebellious.” Because of my outgoing personality, family members warned my parents to “tame your daughter” because “a husband does not need a miss-know-it-all.” Their reaction stemmed from my desire to pursue a career and delay motherhood. From a young age, the women in Cape Verde have been conditioned to devote their lives to traditional gender roles, and my choices challenged the very foundations of those expectations. This bizarre adherence to traditional gender roles felt suffocating, but living in America meant that I had more rights as a woman and did not have to conform to the ideals of my cultural norms. In the summertime, I often visited my family in Cape Verde. I stayed in a small house on a hill that my ancestors had laboriously constructed. I didn’t care that we had no electricity and comfortable beds. The room was filled with a deep sense of connection that no amount of material comforts could ever replace. The women in my family would sit around me with gazes in their eyes as they awaited the stories of my life in America. I shared my college experiences and being able to learn how to drive. They listened intently, hanging onto every word, eager to live vicariously through my experiences. It was in those moments, that my young cousin exclaimed “you're so lucky that you get to go to school” because she didn’t have access to a proper education. These women confided in me when they revealed that my late aunt took her own life because cultural norms forbade her to divorce her abusive husband. I also discovered that numerous young women were compelled to bear children due to restricted access to reproductive rights. In addition, I hold these moments close to my heart because they helped me realize that there was a lack of legislation and advocacy that permitted these unjust behaviors. I imagined how powerless women felt as they were forced to conform to the human rights violations that their culture or society imposed. “Enough is enough” I remember thinking. No society should force women, or anyone, into submission. I want to pursue a law degree in international human rights, gender and women's rights specifically because I have witnessed what happens when someone is deprived of their human rights, lack of awareness, and oppressive cultural norms. I want to serve as a legal counsel and draft policies that address systemic issues and work towards dismantling discriminatory practices that disproportionately affect women worldwide.

Many believe that I was born in the United States because of my ability to excel in the language, but they fail to ask me the most critical question. The assumption that lives amongst us is the devil, if you ask me. I am a black girl, but I do not consider myself Africa American. I wouldn't say I like checking in the ‘African American’ box on any document because that is not me. I am Cape Verdean. I migrated from the Island of Cape Verde when I was just six years old. Yes, I spent most of my life in the United States, but it was not by choice. I legally entered the United States with my family, but I still missed the island girl part of me growing up. I love my ethnicity; it is what makes me Erica Costa. My last name originated from Portugal, which is not surprising to me at all. Cape Verde was taken over by the Portuguese a while back, and it influenced most of how we identify ourselves today. I often wonder how I would identify if the Portuguese had not controlled Cape Verde. Would I have a different last name? What would be my culture and tradition? Moreover, I believe that the disadvantages faced by the first individuals on the island made it near impossible to gain freedom of our island as soon as we could. I am grateful for the fact that we gained our independence on June 5th, 1975! Furthermore, I attended a vocational school in which I concentrated on Criminal Justice. I was a high school student learning at a college level. When I finally reached college, I advanced in many aspects of Law. The skills that I have gained help me to develop a solid work ethic. I multi-tasked from school to my FDA job opportunity. As a youth inspector for the FDA, I gained confidence in handling high-level information. Additionally, when I sold tobacco as an inspector, I had to think on my feet and provide the convenience store clerk an answer that did not blow my cover. I put my values and feelings aside when it came to reporting what I had collected. I can work under any circumstances, including emotional scenarios. When I first discovered my passion for Law, I wanted to become a Family Attorney. I want to help families resolve their issues and allow children to live with healthier parents and/or environment. I have excellent communication skills, which I know is highly important in any job opportunity. I was a Student Representative at one point in my life, and I had to communicate with my superintendent verbally. I recorded and analyzed any concerns at my school. I deliberately conveyed those reports at Southeastern’s School Committee meetings. Besides my important representative role, I delivered speeches to incoming first-year students and competed in the SkillsUSA public speaking competition. Holding such an advanced communication/public speaking skill is a useful tool for an attorney delivering a statement in court. At my University, I was able to obtain an office position at the Justice and Social Department. From making copies and spreading useful information around campus, I gained multiple computer skills. I expanded my options when it came to using computer platforms. As a Secretary, I surrounded myself with intelligent professors/lawyers. It gave me amazing insight into how it feels like to be a real attorney. I also took part in a mock trial in which I absolutely loved. Although it was not my first time, I witnessed a trial with experienced attorneys. I gained confidence when objecting and they offered me a role in Lasell University’s Mock Trial Competition! I am currently finishing up my sophomore year in college while being a part-time healthcare assistant and an intern at a law office. I am extremely proud of myself because I know that it is difficult to be a black woman and accomplish as much as I have. I am driven and motivated to make a difference within my community. I have realized that I want to do more than help families. I want to fight for the justice of my people. I want to provide rehabilitation for black men and women that receive prison time for petty crimes. I want to work hard and be a role model to many young black boys and girls. I believe that receiving any assistance to further my education would gradually help me decrease the racial injustices in the world.

Life is like an ongoing journey without a clear vision of your destination. I’ve lived my life to the fullest, enjoying every laughter and the opportunity to use my voice and form an opinion. I developed all these hopes and dreams while I lived in my own bubble, my own universe. Every day I witnessed hatred and prejudice in the world around me. I felt guilty but glad that I wasn’t experiencing any of that altercation. Or so I thought. It was my junior year that an individual popped my bubble, pinched me to view the real world. It was a Friday morning; as I recall, I was sitting at my desk with the biggest smile across my face; that was until I got discriminated against. I always feared being the excluded one out of a group or, in this matter, a classroom. A student in my classroom begged me to help him cheat on the test we were taking, but I declined to satisfy his desire. I could tell he was upset, but it didn't bother me until he tried to attack me verbally. After the test was over, he assumed that I was a horrible human because of my race. He did not only make me feel less of myself, but many bystanders in my classroom agreed with the hate speech. In my life, I have always been an upstander. I speak up upon intolerable acts. I stand up to bullies and protect others. At this very moment, no other student in my classroom was the bystander that I have been for all of them. Here I was, the victim, the one who got stereotyped for simply just being my very own unique nationality. I couldn’t figure out why this was happening to me. Why would this student, who is no different from me, make me feel so miserable and unwanted? Looking back, I don’t blame him for being a perpetrator in that scary scenario. I don’t blame those students who didn’t stand up for me nor the teacher who sat quietly in the back, not knowing a student’s life has been shattered into pieces. I took that moment as an eyeopener. I realized that this type of situation has happened in the world and is currently happening. I plan on becoming a successful black attorney and empower minorities. It was not okay for me to feel sad and lonely in a room full of people I thought I didn’t belong to due to my skin. I feared the life outside of my safe bubble, but now I am happy to be a part of this world with so many problems because I have a voice. I will not stand by and allow any harm to occur. I crave justice and equity so that no other human can feel how I felt that Friday morning, and that is what inspires me to continue my education.

We fail to recognize the struggle that illegal immigrants encounter in order to enter the United States. The American pride restrains the idea of ever imagining oneself in the illegal immigrants’ perspective. The perspective of feeling lonely, unwanted, and trying to survive in a disheveled environment. Whether they are illegal or legal, immigrants are still human beings who share the same dream as any American. Therefore, any sort of immigrant deserves a chance at life, they should not be deported out of a country that is suppose to welcome everyone. My mother left everything behind in search of a brand new life for my brothers and I. My mother suffered and didn’t know a word of English. My brothers and I had to attend school in the US in order to become something of ourselves. Growing up, I never understood the importance of leaving your loved ones behind to live in a country that frowns upon immigrants. I searched for some sort of feeling in the U.S. to make me feel like I mattered. My mother reminded me that my dark skin was beautiful and although my classmates laughed, I was somehow unique. In my mother’s eyes I was enough. In the eyes of America I was a loud black girl. I struggled to find my purpose. I finished high school and decided to attend college because that’s what you’re supposed to do, right? In college, that’s when I discovered the most important piece of me; my voice. I found out that my voice could actually speak excellence, convince others and promote kindness. I have a strength in my voice that could uplift and move those around me. As I became older, I realized that I could do more with my life than wonder why immigrants were mistreated. I’m currently enrolled in the legal studies major and plan on being an immigrant attorney. I have a powerful voice and a brilliant mind. I want to change the view of immigrants. I want to help immigrants receive great and better opportunities. Above all, I want others to see the real sacrifice that immigrant parents undergo to get their children to attend school in America. To keep it short, Americans, immigrants, people, mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers all have one unique trait about them. We have all derived from our very own unique roots and have gain the confidence to expose them. We aren’t promised a better life by including every kind of race into our own, but we are promised love. By creating labels on immigrants or just anyone in general only leaves room for hate and discrimination. We are a world that is constantly looking to better ourselves and our countries. We should not dare look down upon immigrants. You know your favorite meals, clothing and even words are created by an immigrant. An immigrant, like me, is just like any other American citizen.

I’m a leader. I’m a black women that wakes up everyday and attends class midst of the pandemic and the injustice in the U.S. I keep my head up high and continue on with the challenges that occur so very often. I am a black women, but I dream big; I try harder than anyone I have ever met. I worked hard in obtaining my healthcare license because I want to help. I aspire to make changes in people’s lives; even if it’s just by taking their temperatures and reminding them that they should enjoy the outdoors. Along with the six courses I am currently enrolled in, I am an intern at the law office of Kevin Seaver. I want more out of my life so I will try harder. I have a vision for equity, equally and justice for human kind. I have a passion for standing up for others in order to receive their rights. I have a voice and as a black women I am not afraid to put it to good use. I aspire to become a lawyer in my future so that I can fight for justice and equal opportunities for American citizens. I hope to achieve a career in public policy by doing exactly what I have been doing. I’m on a path to conquer great things, I have always been devoted and determined to become a member of the legal system . I want to help people in different countries who suffer under their governments. It saddens me that the issues of the world fall on its citizens. I want to challenge myself and take more courses because in order to become successful you must challenge yourself. I take part in community service activities because I feel good when I give back to my planet. I am nothing without the things that were put on this earth to provide. My dream to be in the policy career is to establish a nation where we are not divided. A nation where poverty does not excel because we care for individuals rather than having more power than others . I want to heal and provide for people of different races. Although I cannot do it all alone, it is my duty to do what I can. God sent me on a mission on this planet and that is to advocate and be the change. My mission is to help minorities. My mission is to be the voice of millions who’s voice has been suppressed for years. I am a black women, I am loud, angry and a goddam intelligent woman. I am a proud black women that will fight for the injustices in the world.