"No matter what, I like being who I am. Nothing is going to stand in my way. I am very focused on my schoolwork. I want to do well for myself, and my parents. I want to give them something to be proud of."
"When I was filling out the form for the PSATs, there wasn't a box for being mixed. I always felt like I had to pick 'White' or 'Black.'"
"When I was younger, I never wanted to leave my mom's side. So she just started taking me everywhere. My mom is the strongest person I know. She does everything. Seeing her work hard pushes me to do the same."
"My mom likes to remind me every day what my name stands for—Nyla is Gaelic for 'winner.'"
"I'm definitely college bound. It's the only option. I wouldn't have it any other way."
