A personal story of resilience, mentorship, and rediscovering my voice after displacement.

My school uniform was my badge of pride. I knew who I was—until I moved to a new country, where everything changed.

They tried to push me back two grades, not because I lacked ability, but because of my age. My parents fought back. I proved myself. I earned my place.

But a month into school, I was unrecognizable—even to myself. Once a leader, I became the girl in the back of the room, silent.

My classmates called me mute.
I wasn’t mute. I was displaced.

My words were stuck somewhere between home and my new reality. My accent made me different. My confidence faded like a photograph left out in the sun.

But I didn’t stay faded. Mentors stepped in, continuing what my family and teachers had built.

Because of them, I found my voice again.
Because of them, I rebuilt my confidence.
Because of them, I was bold enough to pursue AI.
Because of them, I am.

This piece is a reflection of that moment—of being unseen, then rediscovered. It is about displacement, resilience, and the mentors who remind us who we are.