My name is Perla Rico and I am 17 years old, a rising high school senior, how exciting! So, a little bit about myself, I am Mexican American and was born and raised in Chicago around the Pilsen neighborhood. I live with both of my parents and I have an older brother and sister and a younger sister who has Down Syndrome. 

 

 Personally, I come from a psychologically abusive household. Both of my parents fight all of the time due to my dad’s drinking problem. His addiction to alcohol has broken my family apart in so many ways. I remember that when I was little every night I would cry myself to sleep because I just didn’t know how to cope with my emotions. I felt like I was depressed all the time, but I never let anyone know that because I didn’t want them to worry about me. When I was about 16 years old I started going to the gym. After some time I started noticing that going to the gym was helping me cope with my feelings because I started feeling happier and more energetic. All those feelings I felt, I used them to push myself to go harder every set. Since then the gym has become my sanctuary, it's the place where I’m at peace, the place where I can let most of the things that I feel inside of me out. ​