You are not good enough! You are weird and do not belong here! Gazing upon the dusty mirror on my mother's disheveled dresser, I pulled my long rippled hair behind my ears; these hurtful phrases boggled my mind. It was a chilly melancholic evening when the recurring theme of feeling like an outsider trapped in a gawky human body returned. I dreaded the sentiment, pondering whether I even existed! I exhaled, salty tears streamed down my rosy cheeks as my reflection appeared to be a repulsive mutant.
My middle school was predominantly Hispanic, overpopulated, and well under budget. It was easy to fall into the pressures of drugs and gangs, but I remained dedicated to my studies. "You never say anything nerd," a few girls clustered around me blurted. I gulped down the knot in my throat; truth was I was afraid of speaking because I feared being humiliated. Many more degrading remarks further eroded my self-esteem.
Graduation approached. I learned that I was named Salutatorian, but with this
honor came the reality of presenting a speech at the ceremony. I was mortified at the thought of speaking in front of hundreds of students, teachers, and parents. I envisioned many horrific scenarios: Falling on my face as I walked across stage, my face burning like a tomato, or forgetting my lines. Public speaking was not my forte, however this was a golden opportunity to conquer my fears and bring pride to my hard-working parents.
Graduation had finally arrived. I arose pale and uneasy, but I was resolute to prevail. My knees began to tremble, my heart throbbed, and my palms perspired as the principal opened the ceremony and announced my name. I ascended towards center stage; I was flustered as I began with "Good morning fellow students, parents, and teachers." The crowd roared as I proceeded, I was instantly instilled with confidence.
There is no doubt that this ultimate memory has inspired me to go beyond my comfort zone and develop leadership throughout my High school experience and community. I became class representative, taking my classmate's ideas into initiative. I tackled on various service-learning projects, such as spreading awareness about Leukemia across my community and gathering donations for "The American Cancer Society". I acquired the strength and self-assurance to interview for the Constitutional Rights Foundation Program, which led me to intern at the Prestigious Bird Marella Law Firm. I gained the audacity to communicate effectively with the District Attorney's and Advocates for Domestic Violence, and returned to my former middle school to set up a presentation. Overall, articulating my graduation speech was a motivating experience which has impacted every aspect in my life. Today I glare over the same mirror and see a beautiful well-spoken woman who is aspiring to create change in the world and empower other young Hispanic individuals to succeed.
