After long days of backbreaking work, my mother rushed home to begin her second job: inventing sneaky strategies to feed me mouthfuls of injera (an Ethiopian staple food). I stubbornly refused to eat, but her animated stories distracted me just enough to finish my dinner every night. Even with her enthusiastic attitude, it became difficult to ignore the exhaustion lingering in her eyes. She never spoke to me about it, but I would constantly question why she was always so tired. She would always respond the same: “Bedem temari ina endenay atihonim” (which roughly translates to: “Improve your education and you will not be like me”).
From a very young age, both of my parents have instilled the importance of education and hard work in me. I grew…show more content… My school setting completely changed as I became a minority. The majority of my classes were filled with mainly white students, and I felt outcasted by the student population. For many nights, I stayed up, quietly reflecting on how lonely I was in this new city. In addition, my once happy family began to crumble as intense arguments frequently arose about bills and living conditions. I began to confine myself in my room and focus on homework assignments as an outlet for stress. My only saving grace was the school's math team, comprised of mostly Asian students. Although we couldn’t personally relate on many topics, we shared a common bond over math. The challenges from puzzling math questions pushed my brain past its limits and it sparked my interest. However, as an impressionable young middle schooler, I felt that my race and gender limited my intellectual abilities in math contests. I wanted to break the dumb-black-girl stereotype, so I was motivated to work harder to prove myself worthy of being on the team. My efforts paid off; I won a 2nd place award and a series of minor group awards in various math competitions.
From both my parents and my schooling, I have learned the value of hard work and determination in success, and it has shaped the person I am today. My experiences in life have made me stronger and built a sense of perseverance in my character, which motivates me to withstand and overcome my
