My name is Ashley Delaney. I am South Side Chicago Native. I recently was accepted as a first year nursing student at Prairie State College, and I am in the progress of pursing my Associates in Nursing. My goals were birthed from my yearning to take care of the people around me since I was five years-old. I wanted to be someone who illuminates healing physically, mentally, and spiritually. I was once a African American history major and learned that my ancestors, such as Sojourner Truth and Harriet Tubman were not only powerful black women who created earth-shaking change for the African American community, but they were also nurses too! This moved me in so many ways. This too inspired me to bury my doubts and fears and become the nurse I was destined to be. My purpose in this life is to help my fellow brothers and sisters, so chose healthcare being a my pillar for impact. My psychology professor once told me, "If you're not going to school to change the world, then I don't know what you're here for." This quote stuck with me mentally. I centered my goals to become nurse around advocacy and humanitarian work. My goals are to become an Operating Room Nurse/OB Nurse to insure that I provide emotional support to the patient and family members who might be worried prior to operation and health complications, convey diversity and understanding to patients who have unique culture or customs, be the advocate for black and minority patients who might not be able to speak up for themselves in the system of healthcare, prevent unnecessary deaths, and build a healthcare family that want to give back to communities who don't have access to healthcare (international and nationwide). I plan to work in rural or hospitals where patients are at a disadvantage because I have noted that Black and brown people statistically are dying at faster rates due to racism in healthcare. We need more diversity in healthcare because it saves lives. When a patients they can relate to culturally, it makes patient care more personal and mortality is decreased. Racial diversity creates a space where healthcare professionals can be the advocates for patients of color. When patients also have healthcare professionals that they can relate to, the trust is greater and this might ease a bit of anxiety they have while they receive their level of care. Racial discrimination towards black and brown patients are at an all time high. This medical apartheid has been occurring for many years now, and must be put to an end. All patients deserve premium care and attention when they arrive at medical institutes, and is our duty as future and present providers to make sure we deliver this service. I hope to pursue these goals one step at a time. We have so much issues in healthcare that needs to be addressed, and I want to be part of the moving forces that create change. Everyone in this world deserves a quality care in life and basic life needs. I'm not Florence Nightingale, but I hope my heart will reflect the love and healing our community needs.