Finding My Voice by Gabrielle

Finding My Voice by Gabrielle - July 2026 Scholarship Essay

School is my playground, and I enjoy and thrive in every aspect of it…except in my writing, where I tend to fall short. Don't get me wrong, a story I can tell, going on and on about the details of my life in vivid and imaginative ways. But an essay? That was something I dreaded. The more I tried to assert myself in my writing, the more I failed. I was no stranger to comments like, "Gabby's a great student, but she needs help with organization," or "She has the right idea, but her clarity could be better." I would beg my dad to help me articulate my ideas, because when I tried, it never came out well. I would ask my mom for synonyms, thinking they would make my writing sound smooth.

I constantly wondered: Am I destined to be a bad writer? These thoughts soon turned into negative affirmations. "I wonder if this essay is okay" became "I know he's going to hate this essay." "I hope she likes this one" shifted to "I doubt she'll like it." My negative connotations toward my own ability became a crutch that allowed me to keep presenting mediocre work.

Then there was a shift. On March 5th of my junior year, my honors American Literature teacher assigned a project about American author and activist James Baldwin and the legacy he left behind. I sank into my seat, already dreading another essay I'd look back on with regret. But then my teacher said something different: "For this assignment, I'm not just looking for an essay. You can do a skit, a comic, whatever medium you feel best portrays your ideas."

With that, I immediately chose to do a comic. To me, it felt like the easy way out. I wouldn't have to write another essay that would be "just okay." Instead, I could create something visual, something I could feel proud of. Along with the comic, I included my story of being a young Black woman and everything that comes with that. I drew connections between Baldwin's work and my own experiences. The words flowed freely because they felt honest, raw, and real.

The day before spring break, I emailed my teacher my project, "Heavy the Head That Wears the Crown: A James Baldwin Legacy," and submitted it to the New York Public Library for extra credit.

On May 1st, I received an email that stopped me in my tracks: "Congratulations! Your submission was selected as the overall winner of The New York Public Library's James Baldwin Teen Creative Contest." I stared at the screen in disbelief. Me? The girl who hated writing? By May 22nd, I learned that my piece would be published in a special edition of the NYPL magazine, and one of its panels would be used as the cover artwork.

This experience changed me. For the first time, I realized that good writing isn't just about perfect grammar or flawless organization; it's about the story you tell and the truth you share. My comic wasn't polished prose, but it was powerful storytelling. And that was enough. Creating the comic required me to analyze Baldwin's ideas, connect them to my own experiences, and decide how best to communicate those connections through both words and images. In doing so, I developed stronger critical thinking skills and realized that there are multiple ways to interpret and apply complex ideas.

Now, when I sit down to write this essay, I no longer see myself as a "terrible writer." I see myself as a storyteller. I may never be Shakespeare, but I've learned that the words I choose and the images they create have power. And that is enough to make me not just tolerate writing, but embrace it with confidence.