Personal Reflective Essay: Overcoming Adversity

With 7 billion people currently living on this Earth, it’s easy to feel alone, especially if one is considered an “other” by their community. Being one of the only African-Americans in a predominately white and Asian community, I’m acutely familiar with this feeling. I also had to cope with being from a lower-middle class family in an overwhelmingly affluent neighborhood. While I have the same culture as my classmates, I’m still outwardly different, which has contributed to an overall feeling of otherness and solitude. However, it is this adversity that has allowed me to triumph and embrace myself completely. I now hope to bring that same feeling of self-acceptance to others who are facing similar struggles.

One way I have assisted those less fortunate is through my participation in Mending Kids International, an organization that seeks to provide medical care to children in third-world countries. I’m committed to helping these children because they don’t have the same privileges that I do; while I have been othered because of my skin color and economic standing, they lack access to basic medical care. Through my efforts I hope to elevate and empower them. I’ve also made an effort to enact change in surrounding communities. With my father, I spearheaded an initiative to provide supplies to homeless individuals in Los Angeles. As we passed out blankets and food to numerous people, their

I want to go beyond creating care packages for children and handing out bottles of water; I want to influence people emotionally and help them realize their strengths. Because I was so lucky to discover and accept myself, I desire to inspire a similar change in others. I firmly believe otherness is a strength and not a weakness, and if people realize this, all individuals in our society will become more inclusive and fulfilled. As people embrace their individuality, our society will become healthier, happier, and