Global Girls In STEM Scholarship

I’m a mad scientist. That’s right, just like in children’s horror books. I’ve always been one since I can remember. I long to break down science to its molecules. When I was barely five, I ate my mother’s entire lip gloss because asking her to read the ingredient list wasn’t enough. I wanted to make my own. I needed to feel like I was in the lab, recreating the exact shade of red within the taste of cherry. I knew I was a mad scientist. You can imagine my disappointment when my cousin told me mad scientists weren’t real. It felt like I had just been told Santa wasn’t real! Becoming one, like in the Franny K. Stein books, was my dream. What could she know about science anyways? Chemistry with boys is not science! But by the time I reached middle school science class, I realized what I was looking for was chemistry-a much better alternative to being a deranged scientist. That year, I took matters into my own hands. I made a list and presented it to my mom, asking for everything I needed from amazon to start a lip gloss business. With her support, my business was born. After school, I fulfilled orders, watched Youtube tutorials to create new products, and used my mom as a delivery driver. But it wasn’t enough, I wanted to create the lip gloss base from scratch and work in a full lab. I had a vision. My love for chemistry only grew. Chemistry isn’t just self seeking for me. The cosmetic industry is ever-evolving and has room for black scientists like myself. My passion stems from my desire to create makeup that can be better fitting for people of color. With a deep understanding of elements and how they interact, I aim to create personalized makeup for all. I want to answer the questions I once had and continue to explore. That’s why Chemistry is my path. I plan to solve issues within the cosmetic industry by leveraging my experiences in STEM, business and my passion for inclusion . Being able to attend a STEM HBCU, such as Howard University or North Carolina A&T State University would would provide the lab experiences I crave. Including the possibility of working with great companies such as Estée Lauder , E.L.F. Cosmetics and more. While I may not become a mad scientist, I am determined to be the cosmetic chemist I was always meant to be.