My goal is to carry on my family's legacy in pursuit of higher education. My family has been a great support system when it comes to my future because they know how daunting the pursuit can be. The higher education I pursue, the more representation of my Latino heritage I find in my classes. An example of this representation is an Ethnic Studies class I completed. In these classes, I was taught about the marginalization of people with my heritage, which I had yet to learn about prior. The more education I seek out, the more I educate myself on the struggles and successes of the Latino community. Education of the struggles my heritage has endured gives me a new sense of gratitude for how my family has gotten to where we are today. Seeing all that my heritage has struggled with has motivated me to continue my educational goals. Learning about my ethnicity and heritage allows me a deeper appreciation for my roots, culture, and family line. Being a young Latina woman living in Southern California has taught me more about my heritage. I was born and raised in Los Angeles, yet still feel connected to my heritage and