This year, I'm incredibly excited to be running the New York City Marathon as part of the Bronx Burners Marathon Team.

After more than three years in New York, this city has truly become home. Marathon Sunday is one of my favorite days of the year, and I already know that getting the chance to run through all five boroughs and celebrate the city that has given me so much is going to become a new favorite memory.

What makes this experience even more special is being able to do it with the Bronx Burners.

When I first started running with the Burners, I found much more than a running club. This community helped reignite my love for running, but more importantly, it introduced me to some of the most supportive, welcoming, and genuinely kind people I've met in New York. Whether it's your first workout or your hundredth, everyone is encouraged and celebrated. It is the rare kind of community where people truly want to see each other succeed, and I'm so grateful to be a part of it.

As part of the marathon team, I'm raising money for the Bronx Burners Scholarship Fund. While running brought me to this community, the impact of the organization goes far beyond the miles. Through scholarships, mentorship, career exposure, and year-round youth programming, Bronx students are given opportunities and support to help them pursue their academic and professional goals.

What makes this fundraiser especially meaningful is that 100% of the money raised by the marathon team goes directly to scholarships. Every dollar helps reduce barriers to higher education and invests in the future of students in the Bronx.

Running the NYC Marathon is a dream. Getting to do it in the city I now call home, while representing a community that has given me so much, makes it even more meaningful.

Thank you for supporting me, the Bronx Burners, and the incredible young people who will benefit from these scholarships. Every donation, no matter the size, makes a difference.