How do I pursue education and self-improvement without shame about my background?

There's a particular cruelty in the narrative that says you should improve yourself out of poverty, while also suggesting that your current self—the one shaped by poverty—is somehow less worthy. Sor Juana navigated this by never apologizing for where she came from while simultaneously refusing to be confined by it. She didn't frame her learning as escape or transcendence. She framed it as expansion. You can study and grow not because poverty is shameful, but because knowledge is powerful and you deserve access to power. This matters: pursuing education isn't the same as rejecting who you are. Your background has taught you resilience, creativity, and seeing what others miss. Those aren't obstacles to overcome—they're assets you build on. When you encounter spaces that make you feel shame about where you started, that's information about the space, not about you. The education worth pursuing is the kind that lets you think more freely, not think less of yourself. What would you want to learn if no one was judging whether it 'fit' your background?