Qeren-Antha Kanyunyi '24 Recruiting Profile

Growing up as a young black female I always somewhat felt different and not only because I was always the tallest girl In my schools. I was born in a corrupted country at the time democratic republic of Congo; this place was my home I was surrounded by those who love me very much. I moved to Rwanda when I was around 4 where I meet the other half of the culture I was from. I grew up around them I developed my language and truly understood where I was from. I was finally seeing my mother's side of the family. Being there and being raised there I felt closer to my mother's heritage. Shortly after I had one of the most devastating calls of my life I and my little sister found out my father had died. To this day I recall this night as if it had just happened yesterday. My mother moved to the Uk to get a better life; there and then was when I decided that change within me and around was about to happen and preparing myself and my sister was all that I ever thought about. After being away from my mother for so long in 2013 we moved to the Uk to a city called Liverpool. What a change of pace, culture difference, people, the food most significant change of my life as a young child. Whilst in the Uk my mother worked and still works endlessly to provide and give me and my sister and the best. This built a character in me which shifted the way I carried myself. At such a young age my maturity sky rocked as I saw the endless long hours my mother had to work. The only way I ever felt I could truly show how grateful I am was through hard work and determination in all that I do. This began projecting in my academics. as she didn’t go to University my mother's only wish for us is to be happy and finish what she couldn’t. Growing up as a single mother I constantly had a role model to remind me what a strong hard-working woman should be. I was sometimes on the edge to give up but it was never an option for me. In 2019 my mother underwent a huge surgery. During this period the strong women I had grown up seeing weren't visible to me on the outside and that was scary to me. I had never seen my mother in so much pain but yet I could see that underneath all that pain she was trying to get stronger for her kids. This lit a fire under me and motivated me to achieve and want to do more for her. Looking after my sister and mother whilst trying to complete these goals for myself I slowly began to drown in everything all at once. I had put this constant pressure on myself of not being good enough or not being able to achieve what I needed to achieve and making my mother proud to the point where I had forgotten who I was doing it for and why I was doing it. During this period I truly discovered myself and who I wanted and needed to be, which was ultimately the best version of myself. My life has had high highs and the lowest of lows but through all of those obstacles, I was able to truly understand who I am and what I believe I was brought on this earth to do. Someone once asked whether I could change what happened to me or prevent my huge life events and being truthfully honest no. all those things that happened to me are what made me who I am and who I am going to be and I wouldn't change that for the world. these challenges and obstacles I have been through have been what has made me such a resilient basketball player. I know not many people can say that they have been through what I have with such ease but I have  had the ability to stick to this sport and my academics due to my mother being the biggest inspiration in my life and its something I will continue doing