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My graduation for eighth grade marked such a monumental step for me. I moved from a small school in Lincoln Heights to another school in La Cañada. I didn't know then how much I would change but my transition to FSHA has played such a significant role in forming me as the person I am today. My graduation made me more independent, more informed, and has kept me away from a path expected from students in East LA.

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My Sweet 16 was  a celebration of my birthday with all my friends and family. It was my way of having a quinceanera without my father. This was a big rite of passage for me because it brought together all the important people in my life and helped me realize that I am loved and supported.

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"It's not my job to change people...just love people." p26

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"It's not my job to change people...just love people." p26

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I love this quote because I have had so many people in my life that I do not agree with. My family is very conflicting within itself but I need to remember that I can not change them because they will not change. Instead I just need to accept them how they are and move on.

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"But most of all, I remember wondering why I didn't feel cleaner, why I didn't feel holier or lighter or closer to God when I'd just been born again...again." p14

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"But most of all, I remember wondering why I didn't feel cleaner, why I didn't feel holier or lighter or closer to God when I'd just been born again...again." p14

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My lack of religion and my cynicism towards it came from my attendance of Catholic schools for my entire life. I have been having a Catholic education since kindergarten and I have never felt that strong connection with God like above. I know Evans was able to overcome this but I have not. I also find too many faults and contradiction within the faith itself to call myself Catholic.

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"Fortunately, my mother has a weakness for rooting for the underdog, and so I never doubted she was rooting for me." p13

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"Fortunately, my mother has a weakness for rooting for the underdog, and so I never doubted she was rooting for me." p13

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The support and pushing that I constantly received from my mom has pushed me to try my hardest. She instilled in me a strong work ethic in order to achieve my goals. Her constant belief in me is why I have come as far as I have.

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I have experienced a lot of pain in my life and Demi Lovato's song "Warrior" demonstrates my resilience to it. I have fought so hard to overcome my past circumstances most of which are unknown to others. As a "warrior" I will continue to fight and move forward.

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Although one might think of animals as not having an influence on our social location or our world view but for me this is not true. My dog, Willow, has been one of the rocks in my life. He has been with me through so many transitions and so many hardships. Willow brings me joy and love when I see none. His waging tail and floppy ears remind that there is light in the world and keeps me positive. Though he is only a dog and understand me, I love him and he has taught me so much about myself and what I want to do

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My family is divided and dysfunctional. My brothers fight with each other constantly, my mother and father are divorced, I do not talk to one of my brothers and my father, and my sister does not talk to our father as well. My family is torn apart but they have shaped so much about how I was, who I am, and what I want to become. They have made me into the critical, skeptical, and tough person that I am today.

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My mother has suffered a lot of hardships in her life. I have seen her stumble and get right back up after not only dusting herself off but others around her as well. She taught me to be independent and to never let anyone define you. She taught me how to be my own person, to stand up for what I believe in, and how to overcome the impossible. My mother has seen and experienced things that I can not even comprehend and she shows me what it means to be a woman.

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The friends that I have made at FSHA have shaped me so much. They taught me so much about things could never have known about without them. They taught me how to laugh, how to enjoy the little things, how to lean on someone else, and how to share your true self with others. My friends have helped me grow not only as a student but as an informed woman. They have taught me about so many social issues that I have been blind to and because of them I have seen myself grow into the self-aware and activist based person I am today.