My grandmothers were part of the Great Migration, traveling from Mississippi to Chicago in search of peace, safety, and opportunity. They left behind the weight of a painful history and stepped into the unknown with courage, determined to build a better future for their families. Along their journey, both my paternal and maternal grandmothers extended care and support to others making that same transition, creating a sense of community and belonging in unfamiliar spaces. One of the most powerful stories passed down to me is that of my paternal grandmother, Lillie Mae Collins, who served as a midwife in Mississippi. In a time when Black families were denied access to hospitals, she used knowledge, experience, herbal remedies, and deep compassion to safely deliver countless babies in rural communities. Her work was not just a service; it was a lifeline. Hearing these stories as a child shaped my understanding of care, resilience, and purpose. By the age of five, I knew I wanted to become a nurse, inspired by the legacy of women in my family who gave so much of themselves to others. During my teenage years, I attended an all-girls STEM-focused high school where I was encouraged to pursue my passion for science and healthcare. My school partnered with Northwestern University and Mercy Hospital in Chicago, providing students with hands-on opportunities in the medical field. In my sophomore year, after expressing my desire to become a nurse, I was placed as an intern on the labor and delivery unit at Mercy Hospital. There, I shadowed nurses and physicians and witnessed childbirth firsthand. Those experiences solidified my calling. I vividly remember watching nurses support mothers through some of the most intense and vulnerable moments of their lives. Their compassion, strength, and reassurance left a lasting impression on me. One experience in particular shaped my understanding of nursing as a humanitarian profession. A young, homeless woman arrived alone to give birth, without any support system. A nurse named Jamie organized the staff to gather essential items for the mother and her newborn. I assisted in preparing care packages, and together we surprised her after delivery. The emotion in that room, gratitude, relief, and compassion, was unforgettable. In that moment, I realized that nursing extends far beyond clinical care; it is about restoring dignity, offering hope, and showing humanity in its purest form. My professional experiences have continued to deepen my commitment to this path. While working at the Department of Veterans Affairs and in an emergency room setting, I have supported patients and families during some of their most vulnerable moments. I have comforted individuals at the end of life, reassured parents during medical emergencies, and witnessed the emotional weight that healthcare professionals carry when outcomes are uncertain. These experiences have strengthened my resilience and reinforced the importance of compassion in healthcare. Nursing, to me, is not simply a career; it is a calling rooted in service, empathy, and advocacy. I am committed to becoming the kind of nurse who provides comfort in moments of fear, strength in moments of uncertainty, and care that honors the dignity of every patient. The legacy of my grandmother's life lives within me, guiding my purpose and fueling my passion to serve others with the same dedication and compassion they once gave to their communities.

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.