I am fourth year majoring in International Development Studies with a minor in Music Industry. As a first generation Ethiopian – American, I was exposed to and immersed in my cultural heritage from an early age. This exposure was what initially sparked my passion and curiosity for international studies. In 2013, I was awarded a scholarship to study the Holocaust in Israel Poland and Russia, and that was the beginning of my study abroad travels that guided the directions of my academic career. As the current president of the East African Student Association here at UCLA, I continue my passion for international awareness and community building through campus programs that bring these topics to light. Other organizations that I have been and am currently involved in are the Afrikan Arts Ensemble, Afrikan Student Union, Black Student Union, and the Speech and Debate team.   I will be graduating this Spring, and plan to begin studying for LSAT exam and eventually attend law school to study international law. My research focuses on analyzing the history of the formation of the current state of Ethiopia, and looks to see how the formation of the state has had lasting impacts of the stability of the country today. This research is particularly important because I anticipate that my results challenge the common narrative of Ethiopian history that talks of Ethiopia as one of the only countries to have escaped the colonial experience. This assumption in many ways has shaped ideas of African state formation and Pan-Africanism. This research is also very timely in light of the many recent uprisings in the state that have pointed to Ethiopia as a colonizing structure. This research will also be a great addition to the literature of international development as a whole, specifically with regards to identity politics and state formation.