I've done these before. I'm also a former federal law enforcement officer who knows what the courts are looking for in a statement. See a sample of something I've done recently:
I was very fortunate to have parents who valued education and made sure I respected the fact that a good education was the only true way to a successful life. I am the first one in my family to receive an education past the primary level, something that was not easy to accomplish as my family belongs to the Pashtun culture which is very paternal in nature and often does not allow their daughters or sisters and even mothers to go out of the house without a male relatives’ approval, let alone get higher education. With my father instilling in me, and my siblings, the love of knowledge and learning, and supporting our ambitions I was able to achieve my goals in education and start a successful career working in the Pakistan Government.