Personal Narrative: My Immigrant Community

I belong to a community that praises hard work and intellect, always striving to earn a better life. This community is the first generation immigrant community. Since I am the oldest sibling, I am designated in the unique role in my family as a cultural advisor to American life, an overachieving role model to my younger brother, and the face of my parents’ source of pride. I view my situation not as an impediment, but as a catalyst for my business and public service aspirations in the future. Education has always been stressed even when I was in elementary school. I would spend all evening working on supplementary reading problems and critical thinking math problems, assuming that this was what my American peers did when they got home. I have
learned otherwise since, however, I never lost my affinity to get ahead. I managed to test my way into the only highly gifted magnet middle school program in Los Angeles and graduated with gold honors. Slowly, my parents’ desires for me to succeed translated into my own drive for success. I decided to branch out of the magnet system and attend a normal public school, seizing the grand opportunity to play water polo and to join a community of innovative business students. Although this was a departure from my previous educational experience, I fully embraced the intellectual and personal diversity that was present. Being part of the first generation immigrant community didn’t mean confining myself to the pursuit of grades, but it meant being the first to experience the wealth of opportunities that America had to offer. Like Santa Monica High School, University of Michigan offers a diverse student body and access to resources which appeals to me and many of those in my community. I see myself as a force of change and a beacon of light to my brother, my parents, and my community, offering hope that the dawn will soon arrive.