My Story as a Translator by Camila

My Story as a Translator by Camila - May 2025 Scholarship Essay

“Mortgage? Down payment? Interest rate?”
I looked up at my father, only to see the same confusion mirrored on his face.
"¿Qué dice?" he asked.
At twelve years old, I was sitting in a bank office trying to translate financial jargon I barely understood. I had learned about interest rates in math class, but I didn’t have the words to explain what was being said. I felt helpless.
That moment revealed something bigger than just a difficult conversation. It exposed a widespread issue that immigrant families like mine face every day: the barriers of language and financial illiteracy. My father’s confusion wasn’t rare. It was a reflection of an entire system that feels unreachable for families like ours.
If I had unlimited time and money, I would dedicate myself to tearing down those barriers. I would use what I’ve learned in school such as math, economics, entrepreneurship,and communication skills to build accessible, bilingual financial education programs tailored to immigrant communities. I’d create walk-in community centers and mobile apps that demystify credit scores, mortgages, taxes, and budgeting through videos, workshops, and personalized guidance. I’d hire bilingual financial advisors and train local youth to be community educators, so no family ever has to face important decisions without understanding them.
Education has already changed my life. It turned a moment of helplessness into a calling. What started with a middle school lesson on interest rates grew into a passion for financial literacy and equity. With the right resources, I would turn that passion into action on a global scale. I would empower families to not just navigate the system, but to thrive within it.
Because no one should feel as lost as my father and I did that day in the bank. And with the right tools, no one has to.