Waking up to gun shots in the middle of the night and watching my neighbors go to jail for dealing drugs was just another day in the San Antonio public housing projects. My parents both worked laborious jobs. My mother was a Laundromat attendant; my father cut grass and washed windows. They referred to themselves as "mules," believing that once their bodies were worn from hard labor they would be out of work. My parents wanted better for me - for my hard work not to be in vain. When I greeted my exhausted parents after a long day, their words sunk in a little more.
Throughout elementary and middle school my favorite subject was science, and I dreamed of being a doctor or a scientist. I did well in school, participated in science fairs, and looked forward to class every day. School was my escape from the poverty-stricken slums ...
