Looking back now, I can say with certainty that I would not be here today, in the United States, pursuing an education and a dream, if not for my aunt. Her hands were roughened by work that should never have been hers. Her dreams of education were traded for a life of sacrifice. She shed her blood, sweat, and tears so my father could learn, so he could build a different future. He did just that, but unfortunately, not with her. My aunt was born five years before my father.

When I first walked into Kelley Indianapolis in the fall of 2024, I carried quiet questions with me. Would I belong here? Would my voice matter in a school that, like so many business schools, has been shaped by traditions that often center on men? As a woman and a woman of color, I wondered how I would navigate classrooms, organizations, and leadership roles. What I found in my first year surprised me. The community I stepped into was not only welcoming but intentional a