Where I belong Anonymous

Ithaca, New York is a long way away from Mississippi with its innate Southern values, sweltering summers, and a culture with an aversion to diversity and change. I’ve learned from my upbringing in a rural Southern town, though, that education and compassion have monumental impacts on people. And I am confident that the Industrial and Labor Relations School is perfect for my interests because of its broad scope of study and commitment to leadership development. I don’t know what career I hope to pursue, but I know I will utilize my voice to support my community and nation. I hope to pursue a career where I can impact the lives of young girls like me, whose voices are otherwise stifled.

The rural Southern town where I was raised was, and is, riddled with poverty. My father and brothers all work rigorous manual labor jobs, where they return home tired, aching, and caked in grime. My father is forced to pile on work hours to his already overflowing schedule to pay for my school expenses each year. Each book fee and notebook bought are signs of support that remain otherwise unspoken. As I strive to be the first student in my family to attend college, I struggle to communicate the challenges I face. My family is unable to support me...