You can call me Lola. I'm 27 years old and a student at the local university. I come from a poor family of five siblings in the suburbs of Chicago. We lived with my mother who worked two jobs to make ends meet and my father who had a serious drinking problem. As a result, our home was always filled with tension and chaos during his intoxicated rages. During these episodes, my siblings and I would huddle together on one side of the bed in my room while he screamed at my mother from across the hall until he fell asleep or someone intervened. These experiences taught me to be strong-willed, resourceful and quick-thinking. Despite being from a troubled home environment, I have always been driven to succeed academically and build a better life for myself and those around me.

Growing up in this type of household has also influenced my worldview in profound ways. I have developed an empathetic ear for those who are going through similar struggles or facing other challenges in their lives due to the exposure I had to domestic abuse as a child. This understanding allows me to connect with people more effectively and offer support when it's needed most. As someone who has experienced firsthand what it means to feel helpless against toxic relationships, I find myself drawn towards helping others heal from their own traumas.

I've also discovered that the memories of those chaotic moments have somehow made me stronger as a person - like a steel rod forged in fire. It is this resilience that propels me forward every