Education is Bling: The Moore the Blingyer Scholarship

First and foremost, thank you for considering my scholarship application. My name is Angela Ward and I am currently a first year MSW student at Columbia University. Coming from humble beginnings, I never thought I would have the opportunity to earn an Ivy League degree, yet with immeasurable amounts of support, encouragement, and hard work here I am. The mentors I had in my youth played a pivotal role in my success. It is for this reason that I want to develop an non-profit arts education program in my hometown of Norfolk, Virginia. When my father passed away in 2018 I struggled with his loss and wanted to find a way to honor him and his legacy. My father was a lover of the arts, he sang, played multiple instruments, wrote beautiful songs and poetry, and is still the most caring man I have ever met. It was then that the thought of creating a community based arts program for youth. This program would not be focused on innate talent, but will welcome any youth who has an interest and wants to develop a skill and explore new opportunities. As a child, I struggled with creativity- I always thought that art was something you had to be good at. Now I understand that art, whether musical, visual, verbal, or physical, is about self-expression and release. My goal is to provide that understanding and instill a love of the arts for youth across my community. I currently serve my community by working as a Success Coach at a local afterschool program. I empower the youth participants to chase their dreams and give them permission to explore and try new things. There is no way to know the impact that I will have on these youth, but I hope that in 5, 10, or even 15 years they remember the coaches who believed in them and work to do the same with other youth. As my career grows and changes, I will continue to be an advocate for youth development and empowerment. Every social worker has a desire to impact social change. As I continue to learn and experience the world, I am made more aware of the social ills that plague society. To me, impacting social change means operating outside of the status quo, and encouraging those around you, those who you share community with, to do the same. Changing the world is an unrealistic feat for most people, but being a catalyst for change in your environment can be as simple as standing firm in your beliefs and inviting others to do the same. For example, one of my favorite Instagram pages to follow is Brown Girl Self Care. The creator of the page and the brand works hard to encourage Black and Brown women to rest, take time to care for themselves, and set healthy boundaries. This page sends positive messaging to over 100,000 womxn on Instagram and sets an example of who we can be when we remove the desire to do everything and be everything to everyone. All of the women and girls who follow the page and feel moved to make positive changes in their own lives will walk, speak, and act a bit differently. Freeing women from the guilt and shame that society places on us by encouraging women to be honest, authentic, and healthy is a big deal. And even if this movement only had 20 followers, those who are impacted can take the message into their communities and be examples of positive change there. That is impacting social change.