“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” — Mohandas Gandhi

For most of my life, I have been a follower. I seldom demanded what I wanted when others prefer the contrary. Sometimes, I follow for the sake of letting others have and do what they want, while, many times, I follow for the sake of avoiding arguments. Sometimes, when I think about why I behave in the way that I do, I come to the conclusion that my behavior is probably because of my melancholic temperament and my traditional ___ upbringing.

I am a peace-loving person and I prefer to avoid conflicts and arguments. As a child, I seldom liked to confront my brothers and sisters about some of the offensive actions and attitudes they exhibit towards me. Usually, for fear of being reprimanded by my parents who are strict and dislike hearing the ideas children have, I let go of my concerns and try to think as if the bothersome attitude or disgruntling childish affairs did not happen.

When I entered the workforce, I carried the same behavior of preferring to keep my opinions to myself. Even if several occasions warranted it, my opinions existed only in my mind. I was involved in several temporary jobs for __ years and experienced many types of discriminating acts. Some were because I am of a different race while some were because I was a temporary worker. Despite these acts, I held my tongue.

But, I was surprised at how some people would still discriminate others considering we are already in the 21st century and are practicing a more global approach to business. I also saw many of the other temporary workers being verbally slighted by some superiors and permanent co-workers just because of their work status and race.

These experiences opened my eyes and my mind to the fact that I should learn how to finally stand up for myself. Even if I am a melancholic person, I have to speak up for what’s right. After all, I am an adult and I have my rights, too. More than that, people have dignity and no matter what they do, they have to be treated with utmost respect.

My strong belief and principle has led me to consider pursuing a career in law. I would like to be a labor and employment lawyer because I want to help other people to rise above the tendencies that their temperaments dictate and to recognize that they have a relevant voice in the world. I want to be the change that I want see in the world. Taking into consideration my genuine interest in law, I believe that I will be an effective labor and employment lawyer who will be the active encouragement and voice of oppressed people. I am determined to fight for what is right and bring justice where it is needed.

Photo credits: Monika N