For many (including myself) winning the lottery means they’ve won a huge sum of money with fantastical odds against millions and millions of other people. For the most part, if I won the lottery right now, I’d be extremely overjoyed and overwhelmed by the fact that I would’ve just won millions of dollars. But many of us forget about another lottery that we've already won.

The 21st century is a progressive one. The global community fights for equality and democracy, and even where it does not yet exist, it works to bring those values and ideals to everyone. But despite these minor improvements to global community, many still face the same struggles as those did centuries ago: malnutrition, a lack of democratic institutions, water and sanitation.

I was born in Whittier, California, a moderately sized suburb outside of Los Angeles. In my short 18 year existence I have yet to face malnutrition, death and destruction caused by war or a lack of sanitation and access to clean water. Stories of horrific events and terror have been something I have only been able to see through a television screen. The struggles of so many around the world are not something I can empathize with at all. My understanding only extends to sympathy and condolences. The death caused by the Syrian Civil War and struggles of refugees around the world are horrors and injustices I will probably never face in my life.

In this sense I have won the lottery. Not only was I born in the United States, but I was born to a family privileged with the financial stability and strong relationships. My family has the ability to pay for my education and to not worry about putting food on my plate every night. Living in California I have been exposed to so many different types of people and cultures. Many of us have won the lottery; many of us are privileged to have the ability to voice our opinions and vote for our government officials where so many other people in this world do not. I do not have to worry about coming home every night, nor do I have to worry about finding water to drink every day or facing religious and ethnic persecution.

Many of us forget this about ourselves, and even more of us take our privilege for granted. As an American and as a human being, I believe that we must be able to recognize the importance of human life, because not all 7 billion people have it just as easy as some of us do.