Persevering Prejudice by Marilyn

Persevering Prejudice by Marilyn - March 2024 Scholarship Essay

My father is Cuban and my mother is Hungarian and Polish. Despite my fathers blood running through my veins, I look entirely like my mother: I have long blonde hair, blue eyes, pale skin, and freckles. I never paid much attention to these traits until I began my freshman year of high school.
My highschool is very ethnic (predominantly black and hispanic). My parents raised me to treat everyone as equal and I always have. It is for that reason it never occurred to me that I would be singled out for my appearance at my new school. At first, it took some time to adjust to the comments from others, but high school is all just one big adjustment right? I’ve had so many friends tell me that my complexion is a gift. So I didn’t let it get to me when someone in my AP World History class called me a colonizer. I didn’t let it get to me when a different kid in english made a joke that I somehow played a role in the Holocaust. I didn’t let it get to me when a group of black peers called me racist for not paying them reparations during Black History Month. I could continue on with my assignment or just go to the next class. But this all changed when I began AP Government and Politics.
How was I now going to avoid the comments and share my opinion when my grade depended on it? Early on, my teacher urged us all to speak out daily. When no one else would, I decided I would share my opinions openly and honestly and face the judgment later. From then on, my sole focus became educating myself and preparing for the AP exam in May. I shared some “hot takes” and received the typical responses I was expecting beforehand. I spoke out against unlimited immigration into the United States during a debate. In my opinion, the government's first priority should be caring for its own citizens. In an ideal world, we would be able to take in and support every person who wants to move to the United States, but logistically it is not something that we can afford with our infrastructure; there is a reason no other countries let just anyone become a citizen without money, family, or future plans.
Unfortunately, this story is not one with some outlandish happy ending. I never overcame my differences with all these people or even befriended them all. But, I did grow and I hope they have too. This class has fostered my love for politics: They are messy and complicated but so important. My past experiences have curated my interest in politics that will lessen the divides between our political parties and I am very interested in politics as a minor when I go to college. I learned to stay true to myself and that everyone in-school will develop and grow on their own timeline. I am very excited for college and the new things it will bring for me. I hope my learning and personal growth never stop.