I bounded down the corridor with excitement, ready to introduce my work to a 4th-grade class. My tiny, 3rd-grade self opened the door confidently, prepared to share it with the boisterous children. The teacher introduced me and, with a deep breath, I began my presentation about my trip to Kenya. It had been my homework over the two weeks I was absent, and I had been so excellent in my presentation that my teacher sent me to share it with the 4th-grade classes as well as the 3rd-grade classes. Every eye in the room viewed me with awe. From the wild safari animals to the bustling towns and cities they marveled at the photos with wonder, and hung onto my every word. I shared pictures of food and my great-grandmother all with the whole class of once rowdy children dead silent. At that moment I realized that I was introducing them to parts of Africa they had never been exposed to. The rich lives and culture of Kenyan people. It made me upset to realize the disconnect between their cultures to mine. Until that point, I had always felt ostracized never fitting in with any group of people, but I never knew why until then. The vast majority view Africa from the lens of poverty and slums, so growing up a first-generation American, I mostly got pity for the nation my parents came from. I'd get comments about how "All African children are starving and uneducated," and questions such as "Did your parents learn English on the boat to get here?". People would always stare at my lunches as I ate because they'd never seen food like mine. It always made me feel belittled because I would always be seen as the poor girl with Kenyan parents, but I'd like for Kenya to be a source of pride! The students' reaction to my presentation gave me the insight I needed to realize that people were simply ignorant about African countries such as Kenya. I desire for as many individuals as conceivably possible to see the vibrancy of life in my country, so I'd pick to educate millions about this topic without hesitation. To reach that many would hopefully make significant steps in breaking down prejudices, and influencing the way people view Kenya and even Africa as a whole. Throughout my high school career, that's what I’ve done. When people ask about my heritage or mention Africa, I speak up and tell them about the wonders that come from that part of the world. How they’ve fought against oppression and kept advancing despite adversity. I tell them of how they gained independence with Jomo Kenyatta at the forefront and developed a nation all within the time their grandparents have been alive. I share the music created by Kenyan artists both traditional and modern. I talk about my family's experience both living in Kenya and immigrating to America. I've given many new perspectives on my country, and I wear its flag proudly with a bracelet on my wrist. Though I still may face exclusion from those that don't understand, I will continue to tell others about Kenya even as I grow because from the beating of the drums and singing and dancing to the food and spices and communion, my culture is beautiful, and I want the world to see that too.

My dad majored in business in college, then went back to get his master’s degree in finance, so he has always been interested in the way money works, and though he never got to work in economics, he always talked about it with enthusiasm. I remember the long car rides with him detailing how parts of the economy work. Through him, I learned about the bank systems, the stock market, and even how credit cards work. His strong interest in economics fueled my interest, so it is what I want to major in. Though I do love economics, my ultimate goal is to become a lawyer and economics is a good gateway into law. I'm currently taking law classes and I enjoy learning from them. Studying economics will give me valuable knowledge going into law school, and a solid pathway to get a job if I decide to go down a different path. With this degree, I can go into various fields of law including corporate which is currently at the top of my list as well as employment law, tax law, etc. I am also set up to become an economist or financial manager, both of which are growing job fields if I decide that I want to continue doing economics as a career. Overall, taking economics offers me opportunities for educational and professional growth while also being a field that I enjoy, so it will suit me well with my career goals in the future.

One thing I know is that it's the small things I do that have an impact on the climate. Winters are getting warmer every year and our planet can only take so much so even the smallest difference I can make, can be a big deal. Firstly, I start by recycling. Any time I get milk bottles I rinse them and recycle them. If there is a plastic bottle, I recycle, and if there is some paper leftover from my younger sibling's project, it goes in the recycling. I do this because it is one of the changes I've made in order to help the planet. Plastic is one of the main pollutants in the ocean causing the deaths of many species of marine life. They shouldn't have to suffer if I can make a change to help them. I also encourage my family to do the same and correct them when needed because it is important. Conservation is also something I do to impact the climate. From turning the water off while brushing my teeth, to taking shorter showers, I am looking for ways to conserve energy and limit the carbon footprint that I make on the world. Another intentional choice I make is to only open the fridge for short amounts of time since that is a great cause of energy usage, and I turn off the lights whenever I leave a room and make moves to turn off the lights left behind my family. All of these choices are specifically so that I can impact climate change for the positive. It may not be much in the short term, but it will go a distance in the long run to help the earth.

I have stayed optimistic by immersing myself in the things and people that I enjoy being around. Throughout 2020-2021, there has been mostly bad news everywhere you look so it is easy to become discouraged, but the things and people I love are always there to lift my spirits. Music has been my passion since I was little and could barely hold a tune, so even now whenever I feel hopeless, it is there to ease the sadness and let me see how much good there is in the world. From writing my own lyrics, playing simple melodies on my viola, to singing songs written by other artists, music has never failed to bring joy to any discouraging situation. My friends and family also have helped me through tough times. It's the brutally honest nature of my younger sister that makes me laugh and the encouragement of my friends that never fails to make me feel better and stay optimistic even in the toughest times. What I have learned from this is that you cannot go through tough times alone. Whether it is the support of a friend or the comfort of an instrument, optimism is an arduous task without the support to help you get through periods of difficulty.

When I was in 3rd grade, I was told that because my blouse didn't reach my fingertips, I wasn't allowed to wear it with leggings at school. This made me feel ashamed and confused because why would an educator have to tell a young girl to feel bad about the way she dresses from before they even reach middle school. This kind of story isn't unique to me. Hundreds of girls across America face similar shame and doubt all from the way they dress, stemming from a young age. How can women be empowered if we are told, as soon as we are able to comprehend it, that we are only seen as respectable when we are dressed a certain way. The basis of empowering women in our society starts with empowering young girls. The way it is today, many girls don't feel their worth because of systems, such as dress codes, put into our schooling systems. If young girls don't feel worthy, then how are the next generation of adult women to be empowered to do great things. Instead, we must focus on strengthening femininity as a respectable quality in schools and, by extension, our society. In addition to removing policies such as the dress code, we should implement programs that empower girls from elementary age up into high school, encouraging them to be ambitious. An example of this would be videos and testimonies from successful women in society to show these girls powered through, even in the face of adversity. Hopeful this will show them that women can do anything, rather than tearing them down from such a young age. Another thing we could do is make these female empowerment programs part of the core curriculum in schools; this way, we can make sure that every girl in America knows their worth. We could also provide resources to those who may have faced abuse, assault, or any number of other things that may have affected their self worth. Currently, one in five women in the United States have experienced rape at some point in their life. Making sure that these victims are secure is vital to making sure that the female population in our country are empowerd. Programs that provide counseling to those affected by sexual assault can greatly improve the emotional and mental well being of women in our country. Furthermore, pushing for those individuals to go on to lead successful lives will make sure that they can feel their worth throughout their lives. From classrooms to board meetings, women are such a vital part of our society. In order to make sure the future of women are at their best and pushing towards a brighter future, we must support our youth and viticms of assault. Because without helping those who cannot help themselves be their best, how are we supposed to have a future of strong, empowerd women.