For Women's History Month, we sat down with Sashenka, a sixth-grader at AF North Brooklyn Prep Middle, to learn more about who and what inspires her. Sashenka loves helping people, which is why she wants to be a lawyer one day. She is captivated by the lawyers she sees in movies because of their confidence and power in the courtroom. Sashenka is not only inspired by the women she sees on TV. She also looks up to women who are making real change in our country, like Justice Sonia Sotomayor. In a 2019 interview, a 10-year old girl from the audience asked Justice Sonia Sotomayor, “Do you think a girl like me could become president of the United States?”. Justice Sotomayor responded, “First of all, a girl like you should always dream big. Second, never let anyone say that you can’t do it. And the minute they say that, you should do as I have done myself and say: ‘You are telling me I can’t do it? Well, I’ll show you I can.’” When Sashenka hears that quote, she’s assured that she can be a leader and advocate for generations to come. Sashenka sees the inequality and injustices that exist today and she wants change. She wants to raise awareness about discrimination and defend the most vulnerable. She doesn’t want people to be judged by the color of their skin, their gender, or their sexuality. She’s already talking about these issues in her community. And one day, she hopes to make systemic change that will strengthen our nation. Sashenka will always dream big. She will show that she can. Just as Justice Sonia Sotomayor inspired her to do. For more inspiring stories, check out Latifah’s story on the AF blog here. Also, check out scholar highlights on our Instagram page.