When my family and I moved to America 16 years ago, my mom came first with only $300 in her pocket and a suitcase with hopes to pursue her American dream with her family. My dad uprooted his entire livelihood and sold all of our property for just enough money to pay for plane tickets, the deposit and first month’s rent for an apartment in Los Angeles, and food for a month–hoping my mom would keep her job as a teacher permanently and that moving to a foreign country wasn’t a big mistake.

Despite my family’s struggles and coming from nothing, my parents instilled the value of education and working hard in me and my sister at an early age so that we can pursue our own dreams, have stable careers and be world changers, regardless of our gender.

Because my parents planted a seed and invested in my success, among other things, I am the hardworking, hustling woman I am today. I finished an engineering degree in four years when people constantly doubted my capabilities, was able to put myself through graduate school to get my master’s degree, was hired as the first female engineer at my firm, and now a seasoned design engineer and project manager where clients constantly come to me to solve construction problems, all the while running my own freelance business(es) as a makeup artist, influencer and content creator.

I am very privileged to have free education in America to graduate high school. And I am very privileged to have parents like mine who worked their asses off day and night to pursue their American dream so my sister and I can pursue ours. But there are millions of girls around the globe who are not encouraged to get a basic education or even motivated or have the support to further their education to build their careers.

Today is the International Day of the Girl and Dermalogica is donating $10 every time the hashtag #DermalogicaIDG is used to She’s the First, an organization that provides support to girls who will be the first in their family to finish high school and encourages these students to become changemakers and reach for the skies, regardless of their gender.

I challenge you today to post about your journey on Instagram and how you got to where you are in your career, what dreams you are trying to pursue, and who has helped you get there under the hashtag #DermalogicaIDG. Together, we can help underprivileged girls all around the world pursue their own dreams and tap into their God-given potential!