Throughout my life, my competitive spirit has driven me, instilling in me a belief that I, as a female, could outperform boys in any arena. However, my idealistic perspective on gender equality was shattered at the age of 12 during a softball warm-up. At our sports complex, shared by both softball and baseball players, I noticed a glaring disparity: despite equal numbers of players, only three out of fifteen fields were designated for softball. Frustration boiled within me, and on a sunny March afternoon in 2010, I challenged my dad, who was also my coach, about this unfairness. Unable to tolerate the injustice, I delved into research and discovered Title IX, a federal law established to prevent gender discrimination in educational programs receiving federal financial assistance.

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Armed with this knowledge, I confronted the issue head-on. Persistently advocating for fairness, I started a petition and gathered over 500 signatures. My father, a lawyer, took the battle to the baseball league and the non-profit managing the fields, warning them of the Title IX violation. Despite our efforts to negotiate, they refused to yield. Left with no alternative, my father filed a lawsuit against the baseball league, the non-profit, and even the United States government. At the age of twelve, I found myself as one of the plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the federal government, driven by the determination to rectify the injustice.

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Over two years of relentless lobbying and litigation, we emerged victorious. As part of the settlement, softball was granted three additional fields, bringing an end to the days when young girls had to warm up in a parking lot. The victory not only corrected the immediate issue but also paved the way for three local Los Angeles private school softball teams to have their home fields at the same facility, including the school I attended. Today, as a recent college graduate, I take pride in knowing that my actions have made a lasting impact, ensuring that young girls can play on fields they rightfully deserve, and that fairness prevails once again.