Mari Ismail's talk recounts her journey battling cancer, from a misdiagnosed childhood disability to a rare and malignant eye cancer. Confronting physical and emotional hurdles, she navigates treatment and academic challenges and advocates for disability services. With unyielding optimism, Mari triumphs over life-threatening moments, maintaining academic excellence. Her story highlights the power of hope and mindset in overcoming life's obstacles, inspiring resilience and advocacy. Marwah (Mari) Ismail is a first-generation Somali-American hailing from the great state of Minnesota. As a senior at Emory University, she is studying Religion and Italian Studies while on the pre-law track. Mari is currently a research assistant at Emory's Candler School of Theology, researching data on data on a psychological-historical study of religious exemplars. She is also completing a senior honors thesis titled "Shaping Somali Society: The Impact of the Somali Civil War on Religious Adherence and Identity." At Emory, Mari serves as the communication chair for Emory's Black and Latinx Pre-Law Society (BPLS) and Emory's Uplifting Marginalized Mothers & Individuals (UMMI). She also served as the Internal Vice-President and public chair for Emory's Black Student Alliance (BSA). Mari is also a part of Emory's Student Government Association, Kappa Alpha Pi Pre-Law Fraternity, Theta Alpha Kappa Religious Studies Honors Society, and Omicron Delta Kappa Honors Society Chapter. After graduation, Mari plans to attend law school to continue her mission to serve marginalized and disadvantaged communities as their voice of advocacy. In her free time, you will find Mari spending time with her kittens, Kola and Snow, trying out a new coffee shop, or playing the ukulele! This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx