When I saw this essay prompt, I knew immediately that I needed to share my story outside my immediate family and close friends for the first time. I have identified as LGBTQ+ for as long as I can remember. I have always been surrounded by love and acceptance by my family and friends. I always felt safe in the world, knowing that my parents gave me the tools to be successful, ignore bigotry, and stand up for my beliefs with conviction. I was always very happy-go-lucky, and anyone who has met me would say I am one of the most authentic people they have ever met. I am very comfortable about who I am and proud of the young man I am becoming. While all of this past and present information sounds impressive, it has not always been this way. In February of 2024, I was physically attacked by another student at my high school because of my sexual identity. It was indeed a hate crime, and this event changed my life forever. I will not discuss all of the details here, but I was assaulted, called horrible gay slurs, and left to defend myself by my teacher and peers. To make matters worse, I had to protect myself through physical means, which went against everything I always stood for: peace among all. Subsequently, the other student was slightly injured, which led to his parents pressing charges and me spending the night in juvenile detention. Before this event, I was about to be inducted into NHS; I was active in our theater program, holding the lead role in the upcoming April production; I was on the speech team, participated in debate and archery, and was highly involved in my church. That semester, I was also taking 4 AP classes at once. I was in the 95 percentile in the country for my SAT score and the 97 percentile for Illinois (my home state). I received an award for outstanding academic achievement through the First Generation National Recognition Program. My life before that fateful day in February was quite frankly amazing, and my future felt bright and unstoppable. My every dream felt within reach. This is where my ongoing personal growth and understanding of myself and others began. The first month this took place, I fell into a deep depressive and anxiety-ridden state. The mental hardship was only the beginning, as my education could not simply halt. I suffered from PTSD and nightmares and was scared to be alone in the outside world for fear of another bigot acting out of hatred. Thankfully, I am proud to say that I can see myself growing as a person again, and I am motivated to continue on this mental and spiritual journey. I have forgiven my attacker, graduated high school a semester early, no longer fear hiding who I am, and the spark in my eyes has returned. I genuinely love the person I am again. Although this experience damaged me for a long time, I have become stronger and wiser. There is something that can be said about experiences shaping who we are, however, with a college degree, I truly believe that I could change the world for the better. My dream is to mediate and lead America through this period of coming instability. I have participated in debate, theatre, and the speech team. My innate ability towards public speaking and acting, fostered by a drive to further my education. Future generations WILL remember the name Michael Angelo Montalto. You can count on that.