FSU ESSAY!

*The deed has been done ... I sent this essay in(:

For a Hispanic living in a primarily Caucasian society, it sometimes seems hard to honor the customs of my ancestors. It is easy to take many of the luxuries that I have in this country for granted, and even easier to take simple things, such as basic rights, for granted. In El Salvador, men are far superior to women, but thankfully, I live in a country that does not believe that a persons gender determines their self worth. Both of my parents were born in third-world countries. I am proud to call myself multiracial, for numerous reasons. Because I have roots in three continents, the many traditions practiced in my household can be related to those of the American people as well.
On my fathers side, my great, great grandparents left the country of Ireland, because of the potato famine, to start a new life on the small, British-crowned colony of Montserrat in the West Indies. It got it’s nick-name "The Emerald Isle" because of the many families, like mine, who immigrated there. In those days, it was common for the British to own African slaves, but my ancestors believed that it was unjust to treat any human being differently because of the color of their skin. The two races lived peacefully with each other for decades, and approximately eighty years ago, the two races came together, and my great grandmother was born. I truly believe that because of my parents’ diverse upbringing, and the many traditions of their homelands, it caused me to have an extremely open mind, and has therefore inspired me to give back to this country what it has given to me.
My family has been struggling financially since before I can remember, and I am lucky that I am receiving the opportunity to break the chain of poverty. I have been working part time for almost three years now, and my days of working for minimum wage will soon come to an end. I am also working to end stereotypes that are often associated with people like myself. It has taken a lot of strength, time, and perseverance, but I want to get people out of the mind set that all young people are lazy, that women cannot perform as well as men, and that Hispanics are freeloaders and uneducated. As President of my high school, I strive to set a good example for my fellow students in all areas of life. I refuse to settle for mediocrity in academics, in leadership, or in any of my work. In Luke 12:48, the Bible says that "Much will be required from everyone to whom much has been given." I have been given power that most people will never receive, but I also have an opportunity to further my education. My family members in Central America and the West Indies do not even dream of opportunities like these, and it would be a lack of character and judgement to not fully take advantage of the "American Dream."