In my journey of overcoming adversity, I faced the challenge of growing up in a single-parent household, living below the poverty line. Each day presented financial obstacles that tested my resilience. Nevertheless, the most profound adversity I had to confront was the persistent feelings of low self-esteem stemming from my disadvantaged socioeconomic background. These seeds of insecurity were sown during my junior high years, as I witnessed my peers assigning value based on material possessions while treating me differently due to what I lacked. I internalized this behavior towards me and as a result, I believed I was an insignificant being. Consequently, the strong voice I had became quieter, and my determination to make my life meaningful became weaker. I managed to overcome adversity during my high school years by finding solace in the guidance of community mentors who shared with me the profound words of Dr. King: "Everybody can be great because everybody can serve." My mentors, driven by these words, taught me that in a world plagued by individualism and greed, my greatness isn’t dependent on how many materials I acquire. Nor is my identity in making much of myself on this earth at the expense of other people. Instead, they reminded me that true greatness is compassionating those who struggle and taking action to serve the unseen, unheard, and neglected. My mentors, inspired by the words of Dr. King, dedicated their time to teaching me the power of my voice and how it can positively impact my community. This empowerment was transformative for me because I often conformed to the belief held by my peers that my opinions and voice were inconsequential. Through joining organizations like the Zero Tolerance Youth Leadership Team, I gained mentors who educated me about systemic racism and encouraged me to advocate for marginalized communities. With their guidance, I confidently supported bills addressing unjust expulsions and suspensions that affected black students disproportionately. I also advocated for police accountability to prevent the unjust use of firearms. Inspired by Dr. King's wisdom, my mentors helped me realize the impact of my voice in creating positive change. Additionally, my career coach connected me with further mentors who facilitated leadership dialogues with influential figures like Dolores Huerta and the chairman of the Black Panther Party. Through these experiences, I deepened my passion for social justice in the educational and criminal justice system. The mentors I received that helped me to advocate for justice and serve my community reinforced the importance of Dr. King's quote in my life. As I continue my endeavors in college and beyond, guided by their wisdom, I remain committed to using my voice to positively impact my community. In the future, I am determined to help my community by advocating for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals who have suffered due to the prison system. This passion emerged upon realizing the harsh conditions faced by prisoners worldwide, including extreme temperatures, violence, and a lack of mental health support. Disturbing statistics on rape in US detention centers and overcrowding in Ugandan prisons have further motivated me. I aspire to pursue a master's degree in public policy to advocate for legislative changes that reduce violence and improve health conditions in correctional facilities. By sharing my personal journey of overcoming adversity and my aspirations to serve the community, I hope to inspire others who have allowed their socioeconomic background to hinder their dreams. I believe that through resilience and the support of mentors and communities, we can overcome any obstacle and create a brighter future for ourselves and those around us.

Thank you for your time and resources dedicated to supporting undergraduate women continue their college degree! In response to the question of how I am working to address an important societal issue, I would like to shed light on the critical matter of harsh conditions and human rights violations within correctional facilities. This concern emerged when I became aware of the inhumane environment endured by thousands of prisoners worldwide, often exposed to prison violence. For instance, incarcerated individuals in the southern U.S. face severe prison conditions, including oppressive summer temperatures, limited access to affordable hygiene items, and a lack of mental health rehabilitation programs to assist them with their psychological struggles. Research reveals that in Uganda prisons, numerous detention centers operate at over 200% capacity, leading many inmates to engage in sex trading for the sake of obtaining scarce food resources. These degrading circumstances within the criminal justice system prevent individuals with a criminal record from leaving correctional facilities in a better state than when they entered. To address this issue, I am actively involved in an internship at an organization called the Promise of Justice Initiative, which seeks to bring about positive change in the criminal legal system by challenging harsh confinement conditions. Within this role, I read letters from prisoners who are in need of medical support, financial assistance to connect with their families, and legal representation to fight against the injustices they face while incarcerated. I document these requests within a comprehensive database so that our organization's lawyers can effectively address their needs. Additionally, I strive to address inhumane conditions within correctional facilities by staying informed about the impact of prison policies on incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals in America. To enhance my understanding, I have joined the Newcomb Prison Project, an on-campus organization where I actively collaborate with prison reform groups in my college community. For instance, I work alongside Vote of the Experienced, a reform organization, to learn about and support policy initiatives that tackle the deficiencies in mental health and substance abuse programs within jails. I am also working to address harsh conditions in correctional facilities by studying criminal justice systems and human rights policies abroad in Paris, France, this summer. This international study experience is crucial for my career aspirations in global prison reform. By obtaining a master's degree in public policy, I aim to advocate for legislation that reduces violence and improves health issues in correctional facilities worldwide. To succeed in this work, I recognize the importance of being a globally-minded student who understands the impact of different cultures and social structures on the conditions of their criminal justice systems. The study abroad program in Paris will provide international developmental courses, enabling me to expand my knowledge of criminal legal systems globally. Interacting with guest speakers from prison reform organizations like Prisonniers sans frontières will deepen my understanding of how cultural laws contribute to inequities within various countries' criminal systems. By fostering relationships with these social justice advocacy groups, I will gain valuable insights into the unique factors shaping Paris's criminal legal system. This knowledge will guide me as I travel and advocate for legislation that protects individuals impacted by dehumanizing practices in correctional facilities. Through my internship, engagement with prison reform organizations, and upcoming international study experience, I actively address the critical societal issue of harsh conditions and human rights violations in correctional facilities. With dedication to global prison reform and a master's degree in public policy, I aim to advocate for legislation promoting dignity, reducing violence, and improving well-being in correctional systems worldwide.

"We honor the ones we love by telling their story. It deserves to be heard." I stare at the ground with a slight smile and a heavy heart. It's raining outside. I am sitting next to a man named John under the Pontrichain Expressway Bridge in New Orleans. He just shared how he became homeless and thanked me for listening. We sat in silence as I thought about his sorrow when he told me about the weariness of fighting addiction alone. For him, It is hard to fight for help when society has neglected the humanity inside of him. To many people, John's not worth knowing. This truth is evident in his fight to look for treatment centers and communities in an unfamiliar city. Before he can even open his mouth for assistance, people throw their pocket change and walk quickly away from him. His struggle violates their idealized image of a habitable world. It’s raining outside, and after all the heaviness, I smile because he smiles. John smiles and tells me that for the first time in a long time, someone with a home wanted to talk to him. People need people. Unfortunately, we live in a world where unhoused people without material possessions aren't perceived as worth knowing. Henry Thoreau once said, “It’s not what you look at, it’s what you see.” Most people in American society see the unhoused population as socially inadequate, a menace to society, and a waste of space. I say they are not. Instead, they are human beings that deserve our allyship. In 2021, with the help of my peers, I showed up for the unhoused community in New Orleans. I've always been passionate about showing love to people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds because when my family and I were in shelters and poor neighborhoods, people showed us love. So, when I attended college and saw how unhoused individuals were neglected, I longed to make the unhoused population feel seen. That was how I birthed the initiative later known as the People Power Project. The People Power Project is an initiative I created to aid the unhoused population by distributing care packages to homeless-prevalent areas in New Orleans. On the day of distribution, three teams would go out to their areas, distribute packages, and build relationships with unhoused people to show them they are valued. This project required people to serve in fundraising, outreach, and distribution committees. Therefore, I reached out to students from different organizations and held a zoom meeting. Students, ministry leaders, and community organizations joined and helped us talk to unhoused individuals about what they wanted in the care packages. In April, we raised $2041 and distributed 250 care packages. When we distributed packages, I talked to the unhoused population about their lives and feelings. The encounter I wrote about with John at the beginning of this piece happened that day. The time I showed up for the unhoused community impacted me heavily. It reminded me that we live in a world plagued by forces of individualism and discrimination. It was easy to forget that in college because the narrative often pushed was to focus on ourselves so we can live a comfortable life. The day I showed up for a community of individuals without homes, I relearned that individualism is not the essence of humanism. Instead, the essence of humanism is using my time and energy to love and fight for others that endure systemic oppression. That is the reason we are here on earth, and I am grateful I was reminded of it. Project Link: (https://gofund.me/c969b02a)

Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. This is the interrelated structure of reality.” Dr. King was a unique individual. In a world plagued by the forces of individualism, greed, and discrimination, he strived to fight it by helping others. He beautifully described the essence of humanism: having compassion for those who struggle and taking action to break down barriers that negatively impact people’s lives. Dr. King was unique. Similarly, to him, what makes me a unique individual is living a life of purpose caring for others with an others-oriented mindset. Having an others-oriented mindset means intentionally pursuing and participating in things that positively impact other people. This mentality is not common in a world where many people strive to pursue a better life for themselves, not caring to help others. What does having this mindset practically look like in my life? For example, I am currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree at Tulane University. However, I am not attending college to receive a good-paying job to live a comfortable life for myself. As I navigate college with an others-oriented mindset, I am using my education to advance my passion for prison reform and make the prison community an inclusive and safe environment for all incarcerated individuals. The culture of sexual violence within America’s correctional institutions continues to prevail. As a result, I am committed to using my major in sociology and other educational opportunities to help the prison community and solve this issue. I plan to address the problem of sexual assault in prisons by conducting academic research on aggression in correction environments. I want to use this research to help determine what prison programs need to be implemented that aim to address the root of violent behavior. As I uniquely live my life with an others-oriented mindset, I intentionally pursue passions that impact underrepresented groups of people in the future. My unique mindset has also guided me to help underrepresented groups of people in the present day. For example, when I was a college freshman, the prevalence of homelessness in New Orleans bothered me. I wanted to intentionally participate in an initiative to help the unhoused population and provide them with everyday necessities to get them through the day. However, COVID-19 limited how organizations could interact with that population. Therefore, during the spring semester of my freshman year in college, with the help of students and community members, I created the People Power Project. This Project was a student-based initiative to aid the unhoused population in New Orleans. The goal was to raise $2000 to construct 200 care packages that would be distributed to those unhoused in the City of New Orleans. Through active advertising and lobbying, I helped raise $3000 and bought non-perishable food, clothing, and hygiene products to assemble and distribute. My peers and I didn’t fix the systemic problem of poverty, we made a difference by providing some basic needs and helping the unhoused population feel loved and cared for. I am different because I am passionate about helping others and breaking down barriers hindering people from living safe and healthy lives. My other-oriented mindset has caused me to pursue an education dedicated to reforming the prison system and helped me recently give back to the homeless population.