I didn’t grow up seeing nurses like me. As a black girl raised in a low-income town, I watched my community and family get treated like numbers, not people. I want to be a nurse to give people who look like me a better healthcare experience. I knew something was wrong but, I didn’t know I’d be a part of the impact. Growing up watching African Americans get denied healthcare, afraid of being wrong by doctors, and being criminalized for poor mental health I knew I needed to do something. Watching my older brother suffer from depression in high school gave me the motivation to support and stand up for others. It started by being there for kids being bullied in school. Next, once I entered high school I started taking a nursing aide class and saw how mistreated people are in healthcare facilities and knew that it was my passion to help people. I plan to get my degree in nursing at North Carolina Central University to become a pediatric mental health nurse. To help kids who are going through the same struggles. To be someone who notices the first time, building trust, a voice, and competent care. I was wronged by the healthcare system. As a kid I had to overcome depression by myself. Going through a constant cycle of lows made school hard, but not impossible. I want to be someone the kids can call on like the leaders I had motivating me. This gives me the motivation to push through the hardships to give my community better health care. Being a nurse means being present. It means being the first to notice when a child is scared but too shy to speak. It means advocating for a patient when no one else will. It means creating safe spaces in systems that have often failed communities like mine. I want to be that nurse—someone who brings comfort, education, and empowerment not only to patients, but to families and communities. I’m drawn to pediatric mental health nursing because it combines clinical skills with emotional intelligence. It challenges me to think critically while remaining grounded in human connection. I know the road to becoming a nurse won’t be easy, but neither was the road that brought me here. I carry with me the strength of my background, the needs of my community, and the belief that every child deserves to be cared for—not just treated.

My name is Ahkhylah Spencer and I am eighteen years old. I recently graduated from Prince Edward High School. While it wasn’t easy, I managed to obtain a certificate of completion to become a certified nurse aide while dealing with hardships at home, sports, clubs, work, mental health, and other life events. I’m the first in my family to study mental health and the journey has been far from easy. I worked almost every day after school, cheer practice, and on weekends to support myself, waking up early and not getting to sleep until after midnight. Coming from a low-income family, I realize how limited some resources such as healthcare, education, careers, mental health resources, and equal care can be. Experiencing mental health firsthand and watching many others around me suffer through these same hardships; watching trauma get passed from one generation to the next I realized I needed to help be a part of the change. So others in my community have the chance to be understood and properly treated. In communities like mine, children of color are often misdiagnosed or left untreated due to cultural stigma, systemic bias, or lack of access. I want to be a doctor who changes that—who listens, advocates, and provides care that is not only clinically sound but culturally informed. I decided that I wanted to do something and started my CNA class. When I started attending clinics and seeing the impact on the residents I was helping by providing care, I knew this was the career for me. From seeing the smiles on their faces from conversations and activities. The feeling will forever be unmatched to me. I plan on completing my boards to continue impacting patients' lives for the greater good. Now, as I prepare for my first year of college, I carry this mission into every lecture, every rotation, and every patient interaction. I’m especially passionate about serving Black and brown children who are too often misdiagnosed, criminalized, or overlooked in mental health systems. I believe pediatric mental health is not just a specialty—it’s an urgent call for justice, healing, and hope. One day, I hope to lead a pediatric mental health clinic that centers on cultural sensitivity, family involvement, and community outreach. But no matter where I end up, my purpose remains clear: to be the doctor I wish my community had and to help every child be seen, heard, and whole.