Support Small Businesses Scholarship

Living in a small town helps you appreciate small things; the cost of living is less, people know you by name, and the restaurant downtown sells great food at a great price. In the town I live in, there is a restaurant we call the Dawg House. It is a small mom and pop hot dog stand that sells—you guessed it—hot dogs! Along with dogs, they sell burgers, hoop cheese, barbeque sandwiches, and ice cream. I stop by the Dawg House multiple times a month to get a good meal without breaking the bank. At the Dawg House, I can get two hot dogs and a cup of ice cream for less than $10. Along with the food, eating at the Dawg House makes me happy because I know I am helping support a small business, which in return helps support my community. Supporting small businesses also brings me joy because I am a small business owner. In 2017, I started my first art business; Distant Life Art by Yuuki. With this local business, I sell traditional and digital paintings, jewelry, pins, charms, and more. I am also open to commissions and doing so has allowed me to paint murals inside of my church and in a health bar outside of my city. Recently, I took up the offer of selling my jewelry inside of a salon in a neighboring city. This has helped me reach out to a wider audience, and I am super excited about this new marketing space. In 2018, I started my second art business; Yuuki G’s Artsy Things. With this online business hosted through Redbubble and Teepublic, I sell my original artwork of a variety of products ranging from apparel to home decor. Since Yuuki G’s Artsy Things is an online business, my products are available all over the globe and I have made sales in the U.S., Australia, Singapore, and France—all places I could never reach by selling locally. With the profit I make off of my art businesses, I have started raising money to help pay for my college tuition. My goal is to attend Savannah College of Art and Design, and I want to major in animation and minor in storyboarding. Using my education, I want to create cartoon shows aimed at children and adults that tell fun stories while discussing important topics and life lessons such as self-appreciation and learning to take responsibility. My biggest goal is to create a show that teaches people how to spot signs of manipulation, specifically grooming tactics present in schools, the workplace, and the family. As someone who knows people who have been groomed and manipulated as well as being a victim myself, I know that it is my life mission to bring awareness to this situation and help prevent it from happening to more people, for both children and adults. Starting small businesses to raise money for college is my first step to accomplishing this mission—supporting them is yours.