I was used to being in a mainly African American metropolitan city. Everyone around me looked the same. I went to school with children that faced the same trials and tribulations as I did. The thought of leaving my city never crossed my mind. I believed I would spend my entire life here , until my mom remarried. My stepdad wanted to alienate my immediate family from our entire extended family. Taking us away from everything I have ever known, he was taking me away from my father. Even though my world was crumbling around me I knew i could not myself tumble with it. My life was changing before my eyes , and I was going to have to change with it. Grass, cows, trees. That is all i could see from my window as my mom drove us to our new home. Never in my life had I seen so many stretches of land uninhabited by large buildings and storefronts. As I looked into the cars around me I did not see any faces that reflected mine. All of these once had a seed of hatred in their hearts by seeing the color of my skin. I would soon find out that those seeds had not all been carried away, some still flourished in their souls. My first day of school I walked in and everyone turned there heads my way. The whispers that elicited the air told me that there hadn't been a new person in town for a long while. As the year moved on I saw how back in time this city truly was. The blatant racism and racial slurs that easily flowed out of the mouths of my piers was polarizing. I finally felt truly alone in a world that felt like it did not want me.How was I going to overcome my own feelings and the feelings of the people around me? I started to realize that I was not the problem , they where the problem. Their biases had everything to do with the ignorance they where taught at home. I could not be held responsible for the thoughts and beliefs of others. At a young age I had to learn how to just focus on me and mute the words of the world around me. I took this mindset and flourished in the three years that I lived here. I found a couple people that had the same views as me, I started to find hobbies that could transport me into different worlds. In the future my trials will help me work with various people in the workplace. There will always be people that have different views than you, but it is how you react that truly defines you.

Akasha Morris. That is my name. My name gives me the identity I have cultivated over my 18 years of life. Names choose you, but you can be the person to choose how that name is perceived. Babies are born into the world expected to know how the world works and how they fit into it. This realization can be hard for many people to understand. How am i supposed to fit in? How am I supposed to make a difference or a change in this world. I too struggled with the thought of being dropped off into the world with no guidance. When i entered college it was my first time being away from home. I thought that I would have an easy and simple transition from high school to college. I never thought that I would experience the pain of anxiety. Everything someone would say to me I would analyze it to the point of it driving me to tears. It got to the point that I did not want to leave my dorm room. My name was not being seen and my legacy was taking a hit because of my mind. This is when I knew I never wanted anyone to feel how I did. Even though I have always known I wanted to be in the science field in some way; I never knew how I wanted to apply it. After the events of my first college semester I knew I wanted to help people with their mental health. Being a psychiatrist fit every box I wanted to check. I would be able to continue the studying of science and help others with their mental health. Everyone has a name , but it how they are able to flourish that really boosts that name.

My mother was a single mom. Having recently divorced from my father, our lives and her lives where changed forever. We where struggling to transition into our new normal, and survive a lower income and a household with no father figure. I never thought that someone could come into our lives and change our very lifestyle, until I met my step father. It was as if he rode in on a white horse, our knight in shining armor. He took our current problems and completely flipped them on our heads. Without him I do not know where my family would be today. I never really thought about veterans before I met my step dad. I never really gave them the cache they deserved. All they they have protected us from was a given in my mind. We often take for granted the pure sacrifice veterans give to protect our country. My step dad told me the stories of his deployment and how they shaped his mindset and his future. He showed me how to appreciate our freedoms as Americans, and how to give thanks to those who served. His tales of his time in the navy inspired me to also want to help the people around me through sacrifice. Being a doctor is the best of both world's in my opinion. Instead of helping on such a large scale as the navy, I can still help people by curing there illnesses and helping to keep future veterans safe. My mother worked in our local veterans hospital. I saw the lack of attention and good healthcare that these veterans get. They are backed up and can not give veterans the care that they deserve. I want to change this stigma on veteran healthcare by becoming a doctor that can push forward their care. How can we expect to have people risk their lives to help us If we cannot give the same thing back to them. It has been shown that the majority of normal citizens get better healthcare than veterans. With the abnormal rate of mental and physical issues veterans should be on the top of the list, but sadly they are not. I have seen and heard of the effects of being in the service, and I want to be an ally to them. My step dad completely changed my life, and now I want to return the favor to everyone like him.

Hearing gunshots late at night. Hearing the news reports of more and more people being killed fills my tv screen. Memphis,TN might not be the most ideal place to raise a family, but it is the city that shaped and grown me into the person I am today. I grew up with a happy family, with a mother and father and siblings that never had to worry about their well being. That all changed for me when I turned seven. I could feel the tension in the air every time my parents where in the same vicinity together. Family dinners where far and few between. When my parents sat my siblings and I down to tell us they where getting divorced my whole world changed. That picture perfect family I had always known was no more. I had to adjust to life with a single mother in a city where that is not the best circumstances. I know what it means for your life to change and for you to know be struggling. My community feels this pain daily, sometimes worse circumstances than I had make them feel this pain. Giving back is particularly important in the black community, because of all we have lost. From the beginning days of slavery wee have learned that the only people that truly want to help us our are own people. I want to help those single mother's thrive , so that no one has to feel the pain that I felt as a child. We all have a struggle ,but it's whether or not we have someone to help us that really matters. In 3-5 years I plan to be entering medical school, and just completing my undergraduate degree in biology. I want to use my medical license to help my underserved community. There are not many doctor's that look like us, or truly want to help us. When we walk into a doctor's office there is already a slight bias no matter who is serving us. I want to change that stigma and give African American people the care they deserve. many older black people have a mistrust of doctor's, because of past traumas that have happened to black people. I can make a change to this medical fear, and help make black lives have a longer longevity. We will never have change in our community if our own people don't give out helping hands. I want to be that helping hand for my people.

The "American Dream". This is what every minority and immigrant thinks of when they think of America. Unfortunately many of us do not receive this exact treatment. We work hard for a job that does not respect us. Especially in my city of Memphis,TN it is hard for a child to see any future in their lives. We try to push the boundaries only to be told that those boundaries where put in place for a reason. Every time we feel we our making progress we our pushed back by the mindset of those that are not effective. We have never truly had a space in the professional community, but i believe I can change this stigma and help push forward my community. Medicine has always been something I found interesting. It was always something that seemed unreachable in my eyes. Most of the doctors I have been to do not look like me. It is hard to imagine yourself somewhere If you have not had someone to look too. I want to be that person for other young black girls. I want to be the person they look to in admiration, and helps them believe that they too can accomplish anything. I chose to attend a historically black university so that I can achieve my goals. seeing people that look like me going on a path of higher education pushes me to work even harder to reach my goals. When I complete my studies I intend to come back to my city and help change it. The violence that coats the streets of Memphis will never be changed If the people in the city are not encouraged and educated. If they see people of color at their doctor's offices, construction workers, teachers, and business owners. seeing your reflection in the higher up people in your community can help the community flourish. I intend to hold events that encourage young students to pursue their passions. There would be various people of color with vastly different careers. No one should feel like they are born onto a world that is not made for them. We should all get a fair chance in this world, but unfortunately that is not always the case. We have to push through every stereotype we are put into. We have to fight to get in the right positions. I want to make a change and get everyone that looks like me into those high places.

Science has always been something that interested me. I always thought that filling beakers and concocting new chemicals was the greatest thing. I always knew that was my true passion, but I never thought I could make it a real career. In Memphis, TN science exploration was not the forefront of knowledge. Most people are interested in drugs and gang violence, not which chemicals are come on the periodic table. My family did the best they could with trying to push me into doing something that truly brought me joy. I never believed that the science field would be a lucrative career until I found the internet. I found various sites that detailed numerous jobs that involved science, and one job definitely stood out to me. Being a doctor had all of the criteria I wanted in a job I wanted. It fulfills my want for science. It allows me to be social and help others in my community. I can get the science and still help people in the Memphis area. I had always heard of people becoming doctors but never thought it was in my reach. None of the doctor's I had ever been to looked like me. None where African American women. I thought that being a doctor where only for those of a different skin tone. But when I saw online the various organizations of black doctor's that existed. This opened up a totally different mindset for me . I could be the doctor. I could be the person helping others, no matter the color of my skin. I never thought that I would be going into the healthcare field. I never believed that it was possible for someone like me to go into this field. This fall I entered Tuskegee University as a freshman biology major. At first it was hard for me to be so far away from home with no one to rely on. on top of that I had a very rigorous course load of various science and math classes. While I was going through this tough time I turned to the internet again.I found multiple sites that showed other pre- health students of color going through what I was going through. Hearing their encouraging words allowed me to push through and work harder to accomplish my goals. Career-focused sites have helped me tremendously when it came to finding a career that matched my passions. Without these sites I do not where I would be.

Ring! Ring! Ring! " Hello..." This call changed my life forever. The first time I lost someone close to me. I had never experienced the feeling of mourning someone that truly impacted your life. My grandfather was the glue to our family and know he is gone. When i walked up to my grandmother on that gloomy day she told me the story. ," He woke up short of breath. Of course this had happened multiple times so I wasn't that concerned. Once I saw that this was out of the normal I called the ambulance. They tried as hard as they could but could not revive him." After hearing that story I knew I needed to be apart of the healthcare field. I want to be the person that could stop a family from feeling this pain in some cases. I want to be a person that can make a change in my community through healthcare. The African American community has notoriously been misused in the healthcare field. We have been experimented on and mistreated in various trials. This mistrust of the medical field in the black community has created a large gap in the black community. Many of us refuse to trust the words of people that do not look like us. With African American doctors being scarce it's hard for black people to get medical advice. I want to be a doctor so that patients of color can have someone that looks like them in power. I want to be able to close that generational gap of fear and prejudice. It will take work, but this is a problem that needs to be fixed with more black healthcare workers. My grandfather was the typical "difficult" patient. He did not want to take the advice of doctors. He believed himself to be stronger than his illness. Would his thought process change if his doctor looked like him? Would his thought process change if he had someone that could relate to him. In my opinion I think that would have changed some things, maybe not everything but some things. Maybe that slight change could have changed his life. African Americans in healthcare are needed and will be very helpful in their communities. We can that fear and mistrust into joy and trust. We can start to slowly close that generational gap one doctor at a time. Yes, my dream might take a while to accomplish and make take longer than my time to complete, but it needs to happen if we want the healthcare community to be truly diverse.

My name is Akasha Morris. I am an aspiring African American STEM student. I have lived in Memphis, TN my entire life and love my city. I am particularly interested in the science part of STEM. science has always been a passion of mine and others in my family. I have seen various members in my family fill their life with science. Seeing their passion for science only grew my passion for it. Because of this growing passion I decided to enroll at Tuskegee University as a biology major. I have completed one semester at college so far, and I now know that science is truly my passion. Every class I take only solidifies that I enjoy learning about the body and how environmental factors can effect it. Not only have I had my own mind pushing me into the science field I also have family members that have shown me this passion at its full potential. My eldest sister also pursued a degree in biology. Her undergraduate journey was very hard for her. She underestimated the intensity and workload that a STEM degree involves. Even though she encountered these obstacles she still continued to push and work through, because she knew this was what she was meant to do. And that is what she did, she pushed and pushed for years and know she is a medical doctor. This story just goes to show that passion over rides struggle every time. My sisters struggles have inspired me to also push through this tough path. Why is STEM such a tough path? Why do so many struggle to complete this journey? there are various answers to this question, but in the black community the answer is lack of representation. Many young black girls have never seen a doctor that looks like them. They have never been told that science is a valuable path for them to take. One can only dream as far as they can see. If you have never seen a person like you in your field, it is hard to believe that you can succeed in that field. I want to be the person that young black girls can look up too. I want to make it possible for them to dream of becoming a doctor or a scientist. There should be no reason that the science field lacks diversity, but it does, and I want to be the person that changes that stigma in the minds of everyone.

It's my junior year of high school. Im excited to finally reach my senior year and graduate from college. The first semester of junior year is over, and we are entering spring break, and everyone is excited to go on vacations and enjoy themselves. Little did we know this would be the last time we truly ever enjoyed ourselves. Covid. The word that has haunted the world for the last two years. This virus has changed my life and the life of everyone around me. I thought I would be having a great senior year with all of my friends. I thought I would get the normal college experience that everyone gets, but no. I have not had any of the normal experiences that most young adults have. The thought of missing out has been hard for many of my peers to swallow. It's easy to put down your life and complain about what I'm not getting. Instead I have decided to be optimistic about my current situation. I still got the opportunity to have a high school graduation. I still had the chance to stay on campus of my college. We as a country are slowly moving toward overcoming Covid. These are the things that I think of to help me make it through this completely different world. Even though these last couple of years haven't been what they where, we can still be a little optimistic until it passes.

Ring! Ring! Ring! I will never forget the blaring sound of my ringtone that day. The day that changed my life forever. My father called to tell me that my grandfather had passed away. I had never experienced the loss of someone so close to me, and naturally I had no way of knowing how to deal with the emotions of loss. The saddened faces when I walked into my grandmother's house that day still haunt me, but what I was not prepared for was how my grandmother was affected. I assumed she would be the epitome of a grieving widow , but as i turned the corner all I could see was her blank face. The face of someone who does not know what their life was going to be. When the first words slipped out of her mouth all she said was," I just can't believe this..." To us our grandmother was the strong matriarch of our family, and we continued to make her that figure. I didn't truly understand how she was struggling with her new normal. Weeks passed and I believed her to be in a good state until one night. I was sitting alone with my grandmother alone, and i decided to truly listen to her for the last time. Listen is what I did that night. I listened to her pain and grief that I did not existed. after this information I realized that she needed more than just those grieving cards she received in the mail. I encouraged her to seek counseling to help her overcome her grief and fears for the future. To me listening means helping my family overcome their fears and moving forward in life.

STEM. This four letter acronym has been a driving force in my life and the lives of the people around me. Science is my main focus in the STEM world. my love for science stemmed from my families history in the field. My mother started the trend my dedicating her life to studying various cells and diagnosing patients with different types of cancers. Seeing her enjoy helping people and extending their life always made me feel like I should be doing the same thing. of course i was nit the only one in my family that also gained a longing for science. My oldest sister also found herself wanting to have a career in the science field. She continued her education at college and recieved her undergraduate degree in biology. After undergrad she continued her studies in medical school and is now a doctor. After seeing everything my sister went through to become a doctor I questioned if science was the field I truly wanted to go into. She was one of the only African American students in all her classes and faced discriminations by figures in high power. Did i want to be a minority? Did I always want to have to prove myself? I circled these questions around in my mind for months, and I came to one conclusion. Yes. Yes, i wanted to face all those trials. Do you know why I would want to face those same trials? so that no other young African American girl has to face the same trials. If I do not make a path for those behind me then there will never be change. I did not want to give up on something I loved just because I would have to face some obstacles along the way. Science is a field that pushes the boundaries and makes new boundaries. If I cannot push the boundaries in my own community then how can I ever be a pioneer in my field. I am passionate about STEM because I can make waves in science and make a way for other African American girls to have a view into what STEM truly is.

" The struggle". A phrase almost every African American child has heard at some point in their lives. I lived through this phrase for many years in my life. My mother , a single mother of three children one of which she had as a teen, struggled everyday to give us the life she never had. She took her struggle and used that anguish to push herself into her career. My mom worked all day and studied all night to complete her degree. Her hard work eventually payed off and got her a career in the stem field. Her passion and struggle have given me the courage to. also face the world of science. By seeing my mother struggle i learned that no obstacle can truly stop you unless you let it. She had the biggest obstacles by having children young and trying to pursue an education. If she can go through that and succeed then I have no reason to not succeed. I plan to us my education to also help young girls that look like me reach their full potential. In a lot of circumstances young black girls are misunderstood or under appreciated for their talents. This discrimination has led to many of us feeling like we do not have the requirements to make it in the science field, when in reality we have more than enough talent and experience to make it in any field. My goal is to show this truth to everyone and make it easier for black girls to see themselves in high places. In my short time at Tuskegee University I have seen how encouragement from people who look like me can really push a student to do better. In my first months it was very hard for me to come to terms with the fact that I have never been alone. Feeling lonely is one of the worst feelings an incoming college student can have . I cried every night thinking that maybe college just was not for me. I spoke to my college advisor about my struggles and thoughts. There it is again that word struggle a word that is programmed in our minds to have a negative connotation. When in reality " struggle" is a word that should push us and move us forward in the things we do. Without a struggle there is no where from you to move up from. I want to use my platform later in life to show " the struggle" and where it can push you, just like it pushed me.

Chaos. Uncertentity. Confusion. These couple of words have encompassed my time during the pandemic. No one could expect that our spring break would turn into three months of devastation. Devastation meant a lot for everyone throughout this time and had a different meaning for everyone. For me, devastation meant losing loved ones close to me and losing my drive for the future. This last year tested my strength and courage and showed me that days are not given. They should be cherished as precious moments that could be lost at the drop of a hat. Life is uncertain and the pandemic showed us just how uncertain it can be. My grandfather was a lively and boisterous person that lit up every room he walked into. I would be looking forward to the next time I could his sarcastic jokes and loving voice. He saw many of his friends succumb to the effects of the pandemic, but we never thought that he too would take those same steps." Wake Up! Wake Up!." my mother said as she rushed into our rooms in the morning of June 15th. My sister and I are confused and scared for the words that are sure to come out of her mouth. " Your grandfather has passed away." The words rang through my head multiple times before I fully registered the magnitude of her words. I fell to the floor and cried as I wondered If this world could get any worse. I couldn't believe that I too was feeling the pain that thousands around the country were feeling. This feeling still is heavy in my heart and returns every time I remember the fond times with my grandfather. After my grandfather's death, I lost my ambition to move forward in my life. If life can go so easily is it worth living. Do my contributions to the world really matter in the grand scheme of things. The pandemic truly showed me that I am just a speck in the vast sea that is the world. Everything that had happened up to that point made me feel like my life was moving in a direction that I had no control over. Control is something that I have always wanted and needed I my life, and know I had none. I could have let this feeling dictate the rest of my life decisions but instead, I chose to use it as my motivation. I will not let my circumstances dictate what my future will be. I moved forward in my studies and graduated my high school with honors this year. I plan to attend Tuskegee University with a degree in biology so that one day I can help people and not let others fall the way my grandfather did.

Akasha. Meaning the basis and essence of all things in the material world. My name has been a point of conversation for most of my life. Who gave you that name? What does it mean? Do you really like your name? I have battled with liking and disliking my name since I truly found out the meaning of it. The weight of being named after something so encompassing can be pressuring, but I eventually chose to use my name as a way to differentiate myself from other people. Living in Memphis, Tn I have seen the struggle people go through, and I have seen the struggle the people closest to me have also faced. My mother is one of the people who has struggled and overcome the circumstances she was put into. At the young age of 15, my mother saw her family fall apart in front of her eyes. Her parents fought constantly leading to physical altercations that still bother my mother to this day. In this divorce, my mother lost her idol, my grandfather, because he refused to stay with my grandmother. This was a lasting blow to my mother and impacted her heavily in the future. The lack of a father figure caused my mother to seek validation in other ways. She chose to find that love from various boyfriends in her high school years. This resulted in her becoming pregnant at the age of 19. Pregnancy could have been the nail in the coffin for my mother, but she chose to make it her driving force to make her life better. She went to college and graduated at the top of her class while having a child. The perseverance my mother hand is what shows me that I have no excuse to fail because she did it with various hurdles in her way. My mother went into the field of science and became a cytotechnologist. every day I saw how working with patients and diagnosing patients fulfilled my mother. This inspired me to also want to get that same feeling from helping people on a daily basis. I want to be able to wake up every morning and feel like I am making a difference in someone's life. Being a doctor is what I truly wish to pursue, because of the struggle and uphill battle my mother had to face. Science is an important part of life and one that I believe I can excel in. Without science, my mother wouldn't be where she is today and I wouldn't have the drive I have today. Akasha. Meaning the basis and essence of all things in the material world. Maybe at some point, I thought this name was a burden and put pressure on me. But if I can just make a change in someone's life as my mother did for me then I think I have lived up to the meaning of my name.

We run. We fight. We rally together and fight for the justice of our people. The black community has been affected for generations by the atrocities that have been committed to us. In recent years there has been an uproar of black voices in the media. Our young generation has used our voices to speak for the social change that needs to be made in order for black communities to feel safe. But will we ever be truly content if our mental health and past still find a way to creep inside our minds. For me, the ideal situation would be to have our country make it mandatory for all those affected to have therapist sessions to help the mental health of our community so that we can progress as a community. Advocacy by millennials has made minority voices be seen slightly by the mainstream. But, if we won't continue to be seen we have to continue to fight for the things that are closest to us. Police brutality is one of the most prevalent problems in today's society. Every day on the news we see another person of color be murdered for no reason other than the color of their skin. This revelation is new to some, but it truly has been going on for years. For years we have been beaten and killed by police and people just swept it under the rug and kept moving. We for years have been pushed under the rug and with advocacy, we have slowly but surely been crawling from underneath the rug. Though, the fight is never truly done because we still have the trauma from our ancestors passed down for generations. Mental health is something that has never really been a part of the black community. for many years we saw going to a therapist as weak or letting other people into our business. This mindset has kept our community from moving forward and truly facing the deep-seated trauma that we truly have. No, we weren't the ones who were put into slavery, but we hear the stories passed down from our grandparents about what they had to face during a time of segregation. We took those stories and internalized those fears and trauma that our ancestors bore. A seed of mistrust was placed into our minds and in turn, has slowed our progression as a people. If we could get our mental health in check and faced those fears we would be unstoppable as a people and really take a stance against those who hurt us all those years ago. We will no longer run. We will continue to fight. We will continue to rally together to make a change. Our mental health needs to be taken care of nurtured so that we can be the best to fight for our rights. A utopian of cared for black communities that don't have to worry about a police officer harming them will never come to fruition If we do not take care of ourselves first.

" Always treat people the way you want to be treated." This statement my mother told me daily has stuck with me through every obstacle I have had to face. Although I have never been a part of a workplace, I believe that this mindset will help me immensely when dealing with intersectionality in the workforce. The mistreatment of a person because of their race, sex, or sexuality is not tolerable in a good working environment, and I intend to resolve any of these problems If I ever come across it. Every person lives a different life and has a different story. If a problem arises in the workplace then you have to act accordingly based on the people in the situation. For example, an African American woman chooses to wear her hair in a natural state. The caucasian man that sits in the cubicle behind her sees her hair as unprofessional and makes a complaint to me. Being an African American woman I know the struggle of your natural hair being seen as unprofessional. I of course would want to tell the man in the situation that hair is not unprofessional, but just the woman being unapologetically herself. But in a business situation, I would sit down and talk to the man so I could explain to him how his complaint could be damaging to an African American women's self-esteem and self-worth. Hopefully, this would change his mindset and help him understand how his words can hurt others, and he would not want to feel that way either. Political views can also be a very toxic conversation in the workplace. We are having a company party for reaching new sale heights. Two of the party guests stir up a conversation about how one political party is better than the other. This conversation causes the party to be centered around an argument about political views. As the boss, I would want to extinguish this argument without taking a clear political stance. If I did make a stance it could affect how the other worker would feel in other situations around the office. I would first try to change the subject of the party and steer the attention away from the argument. Once the argument wasn't the vocal point anymore I would take the two employees aside and have a quick conversation with them. The conversation will basically consist of me telling them that they do not have to see eye to eye, but they must keep it professional when in the office. They should treat each other how they want to be treated, as individuals with their own opinions that are respected. In a workplace, there will always be a conflict. There will always be opposing views and polar opposite personalities. There is never a perfect way to deal with conflict, but If you can always remember what my mom said it might just make it a little bit easier. " Always treat people the way you want to be treated."

Do I make a difference? Do I take up space? These are the question that every African American child has asked themselves over the years. I too asked myself these questions before I came across an inspiring quote that allowed me to see that I do make a difference. " Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does." I know it seems simple to think you are important and can make a change in this world, but for me, it was not that simple. Our ancestors were torn down and stripped of all their self-worth and accomplishments. Although these atrocities occurred years ago the effect of slavery still looms over every African American person today. I can attest that I felt that my voice could not have the power I the voices of my ancestors were never heard. This quote is special because it gave me the push to make my voice be heard. From now on I will always feel like what I do makes a change, because if I do not believe it then who will.

STEM is a great avenue for anyone to take, but especially for African American women. Black women have struggled throughout the years to find a profession that acknowledges them as more than a secratary. The science field is a great way to find a job that highlights your strengths and can also help your community. When I graduate with my degree in biology I aspire to become a medical physician. Becoming a doctor would be a win for women and a win for the black community in America. For decades women have been told that what they think is not as important as the words of a male. We have forced our way into society and have given ourselves a voice. Over the years there has been a growing pocket of women in science that have cultivated such amazing things for the world. I want to be one of those women who are the pioneers of science. My goal is to make a change in the healthcare industry just like the women who have come before me. I cannot layout my visions and goals without acknowledging the challenges women have had before me. Today there is a huge gap in how minority communities are given healthcare. Black women have a higher mortality rate when it comes to giving birth, and even just going to the hospital. I want to become a doctor so that women of color can see someone like themselves in medicine. When we can see ourselves represented it makes it a better environment for the patient and their family. I never want there to be a time where a black mother fears for their life because they do not have the correct medical care. My vision is to create a medical practice that is mainly people of color that serve a community. The community that will be served will be a poverty-stricken community that otherwise would not be given the healthcare they need. If we want to see a change in the US healthcare system then we cannot exclude the majority of America, which is minorities. I will achieve my goal by continuing my studies after high school. I will be attending Tuskegee Univerity, which is a historically black university, and I will be majoring in Biology. During my time at this school, I hope to gain leadership opportunities and network with other black professionals. Getting into contact with these types of people will help me in my journey to medical school. Once I gain acceptance into medical school I will work my hardest to graduate and eventually close that gap.

Ding! Ding! Ding! The tone sounds off on your smartphone from the minute you lay your head to the minute you rise again. The serotonin that fills our bodies is fueled by waking up to the mere sound of our phones buzzing. We crave that sound, and that sound can also be the cause for distraction in many cases. Behind the wheel, in class, and when I am studying are the times when I feel my phone distracts me the most. The dings and buzzes push into my mind no matter how important my task at hand is . Yes, smartphones do a lot of good for our community, but they can also be a hinderance to everyone. I wake up and the first thing I do is check my phone. I see who has replied to my texts, who has liked my pictures, who has followed me during the night. I scroll for hours on end before I even think about what I need to do for the rest of the day. Without my phone I feel disconnected from my peers, and I feel like I cannot relate to them on what is going on In the world. Today's school is focused around using technology instead of books. To me , this has caused myself and others around me to be even more unfocused. Again the taunting messages that pop up on our phones distract us from the importance of our education. Being behind the wheel is an even more daunting task in the age of smartphones. when you get behind the wheel you are not only focused on the cars surrounding you, but you are also worried about answering your buzzing phone that is in your cupholder. The anticipation of seeing who is on your phone screen outweighs the possibility of injuring yourself or anyone else. In today's age, I have come across this problem many times when I am driving. Of course, sometimes I can resist the urge to look and ignore the call, but other times I must look at who is ringing. This practice is dangerous and is one of the leading causes of car accidents today. Although I have stated how smartphones have negatively impacted society, it also is very beneficial to everyone. It allows us to connect with people from around the world. It allows us to get a more updated education. It allows us to get easy directions to places we have never been. Smartphones have advanced our society immensely, but the amount of hindrance they cause can sometimes outweigh the positive effects. Ding! Ding! Ding! When you wake up in the morning will you answer that text? Will you look at your likes? Will you scope out your new follows? When you are driving will you risk looking at your phone? These are the questions we need to be asking ourselves the next time we pick up our smartphones. Are they really worth it?

Money. A word that moves our day to day life. A word that is cherished by everyone no matter the circumstances. The poor fight to achieve and the rich fight to maintain. Higher education requires that all exppenses be paid no matter your financial situation. The most poverty stricken people receive state wide help because of their financial need, but middle class people are not given the same opportunities. The middle class community is blessed financially, but not blessed enough to afford to pay for college. I can vouch for the fact that my family can not afford college, without the assistance of scholarship like these. Over the years I have reached great academic heights and given back to my community in many ways. Over my four years in High school I have maintained a 4.0 gpa, and I have received the honor of graduate of special distinction. I was determined to keep my grades up because I knew that to obtain money for college I would need to maintain a great resume. Working around my community In things such as Feed the Homeless, Carson's Closet, and Race for the Cure has allowed me to see how far an education can get you in life. Many of the people that I helped lacked a formal education, because the could not obtain the funds for college. If only they knew about different ways to get money then maybe they would not be in their current situation. This revelation also encouraged me to apply for scholarships so that I too do not become another statistic in the African American community. Because of my efforts I have received I full tuition scholarship to my University. This has been a great help to me, but I am still left with a ten thousand dollar balance for my room and board. My family does not have the money to simply pay out of pocket for the rest of my tuition. This scholarship would go toward my housing and food for my college experience.

Leadership is a quality that I posses and use to its fullest potential everyday. Leaders have been present in every decade and era, and our the ones who are remembered in every generation. I too want to lead society in a direction that is healthy and encouraging to every community. I have shown my leadership in the multitude of clubs and non-profit organizations. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, and Tamera Mowry all exemplify the type of change I want to happen for minority communities everywhere. For me, leadership is standing up for what you believe in no matter how opposing forces may feel. I have shown my leadership in many ways, but the first time I truly felt like a leader was when I moved to a small non- diverse country town. Being the only person of color in my entire grade was something I never had to face. I was stared at, talked about, and ridiculed for nothing more than the color of my skin. Although I encountered these obstacles everyday, I chose to not let these things effect me. I knew who I was , and that my skin color was not the definition of me. I was a person with feelings that were not being acknowledged in any sense. I chose to take these obstacles and make them into the building blocks of my life. I let them build me up until I was bigger than the words that were thrown at me. I was a leader by making a path for the other minority children that may have followed me. Because I did not fold under the pressure of others, it set a precedent for how people should be treated no matter the color of their skin. When I graduate high school I want to continue to be a leader, and make a path for the under represented. I will take my lessons about being a minority , and use them to inform others who may need my help. I never want anyone to feel the way I did when I was subjected to horrible behavior. Just like the great people I listed before, I want to instill change in everyone I meet. I want to be the reason that someone changes their behavior , and treats someone with better respect. Leadership comes in all forms and all leadership is important to push society forward.

Inspiration. The process of being mentally pushed to create and cultivate. My inspiration comes from the years of oppression African American people have faced. Not only from that, but also from the struggles of those closest to me. My grandmother beat the odds that most African American people can not even think to face. She had no education, no mother, and children at the young age of 17. She had every reason to be apart of the stereotype, but she overcame and became a overcomer of stereotypes. The trials and stories that have been shared to me over the years drives me to also overcome the stereotypes that plague me on a daily basis. “She is ghetto.” “ She has no potential.” “ There is no way she could achieve that.” Everyday there will be someone else in my way telling me that I can not do something, but it is the trials of my grandmother that always pushes me to keep going. If she could provide for her family with no more than a seventh grade education, then there is no reason for me to fail. I want to show my grandmother that the knowledge she poured into me will not go to waste. By being black and a women there are already two obstacles against me in this world, but with my drive and determination those obstacles are mere turns in the road that is life. I will not be content with what I have been “given” by society, because my grandmother was never content with what society bestowed upon her. Everyone has a inspiration, but when that inspiration comes from the roots of your bloodline there is no turning away from it. I will push forward, because my ancestors had no choice but to.

Akasha Morris. The name I was given at birth. The name that defines me. The name people associate me wit, and the name that will leave a legacy. As a African American women in todays society, I want to use my voice to fight for those who believe their voice can not be heard. I want to leave my mark on the world , and make sure I leave it way better than I found it. No voice is small, and I want to show that to every other minority child in the world. The world excites me because it is ever changing. No one day is ever exactly the same as the one before it. No one person will have the exact same events happen to them everyday. Because I know that the world can change I know that we as people can change. Through the smallest acts of opening the door for someone or letting someone over in traffic , can change the trajectory of someone's life. I want to be the person who puts a smile on someone's face. I want to be the person who uses small actions to better someone's day. We cannot change the world if we do not look to those in our communities. The people who are working everyday just to put food on their tables. Those are the people I want to effect , those are the people who are going to change the world. I, Akasha Morris, am one of those people.

Legacy. What we leave behind when we leave the conscious world. How we will be seen in history ?Who will be seen as in history ? Who will remember us when we are gone ? These questions will only be answered when our legacy is the only print left of us on the Earth. To me a legacy is what keeps us going, its what motivates the next generations to continue evolving and becoming a better people. Without legacy we as a people would have no guidance on how to make the world a better place. Everyone leaves their individual mark on the world, and in turn they leave their own unique legacy behind as well. For example, Martin Luther King Jr. set an example and left a legacy that all African American children look up to today. If it were not for him race relations would be in a much worse state than they are today. He taught us that sperate but equal was not constitutional, but to overturn that law we needed to come to piece with one another. We needed to fight with our words and our passion rather than with our fists and anger. His legacy today has been passed down from generation to generation. He can be seen in those who fight for civil rights. He can be seen in the youth that choose to help the elderly. He can be seen in those who fight for our country and ask for nothing in return. Martin Luther King Jr. is a testament to how a legacy can change the blueprint of our society. When I leave this Earth, I too want my legacy to be shown in the generations beyond me. I want to use my voice to hep those minorities who are wrongfully accused, unlawfully detained, and who are struggling under the pressures of society. I want to help the people who feel like they have no voice. Just as Martin Luther King Jr. I want my passions to be cried out over the country for everyone to see and hear. I want to be the person who is remembered as someone who left this Earth better than they found. I want my legacy to be passed through generations, as if I am still here.

As young children we are told by people of higher power, that we are accepted in the world and that there are no prejudices that we should face. This belief I had in the world's kindness was changed as soon as I changed my surroundings. In the summer of seventh grade I was told that I would leave my metropolitan city of Memphis, TN, and go to a small country town in the middle of nowhere. At first I believed it to be a change in scenery that would be beneficial in shaping me as a person, but I would soon learn that this change would disrupt my entire mindset about the world around me. When I started school , it was easy to tell that I was the clear minority, as a African American child in a sea of Caucasian children. I was not accustomed to this in my hometown, and was nervous of what they would say to me and how we would interact. As I walked through the hallways I could hear low whispers of the children, because they had not seen many people of my complexion. I became the pariah of the school, as I was the only one who was different. In my household I was always taught to treat people with kindness no matter the color of their skin or any other difference they may have. I saw that not everyone in our country was taught these same lessons as children. The use of racial slurs was prominent in this town and never ceased to make me feel like I did not belong in this place. This experience showed me that I need to go to a school that will help to cultivate my heritage, so that I can in turn lead those who also feel that they do not belong in their surroundings. Those who do not live in these rural places feel as though racism is as prominent as it is in country towns. We have had a numerous amount of trailblazers such as, Emmitt Till, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, and many more people who have fought to make a change in the way minority groups are treated. For a while after this situation I believed their efforts to be in vain, if so many people were still not changing. Their fight could not have been won if we are still facing this problem today. When I was removed from this situation, I started to ponder on this question even more. Have we always fought in vain? Do we still have the mindset of those who were wrongfully enslaved? Have we moved forward in any way? All of these questions circled my mind as I looked back on this situation I faced. I challenged myself to answer these questions , and I have come to a conclusion. We have to move forward by using our education to help us lead like the great leaders of our past. Because of this experience I will use my voice in all future endeavors to make everyone feel included no matter their differences.

Passion. A word we rarely get the opportunity to have in this day in age. Society tells us that we need to conform to rules and take the lane most used. Our parents tell us that we need to take the opportunity that is most practical, not one that truly fulfills the soul. As an African American women my passions are greatly overlooked, and are not seen as worthy. But, I will not let society or family determine how I will live my life. I will take my passion and use it to fulfill my life in every mere second. My passion is to become a leader in healthcare, and use my abilities to help those who are considered minorities. I plan to take this passion throughout all my phases of life. I intend to attend a historically black university, so that I can learn from my ancestors and be able to be around those of a like mind. After I complete my four years of University I would love to attend a medical school. This medical school would help me learn about ways to benefit peoples lives, and give then no reason to squander under the pressures of society. I have been in situations were I was considered the minority and my dreams were seen as unattainable by the people in charge. This feeling of loneliness and segregation is one I would not wish on my worst enemy. My passions have helped me overcome that state, and will hopefully let me help those who have also been afflicted with these feelings. In the summer of seventh grade I was told that I would leave my metropolitan city of Memphis, TN, and go to a small country town in the middle of nowhere. At first I believed it to be a change in scenery that would be beneficial in shaping me as a person, but I would soon learn that this change would disrupt my entire mindset about the world around me. When I started school , it was easy to tell that I was the clear minority, as a African American child in a sea of Caucasian children. I was not accustomed to this in my hometown, and was nervous of what they would say to me and how we would interact. As I walked through the hallways I could hear low whispers of the children, because they had not seen many people of my complexion. I became the pariah of the school, as I was the only one who was different. In my household I was always taught to treat people with kindness no matter the color of their skin or any other difference they may have. I saw that not everyone in our country was taught these same lessons as children. The use of racial slurs was prominent in this town and never ceased to make me feel like I did not belong in this place. This experience showed me that I need to go to a school that will help to cultivate my heritage, so that I can in turn lead those who also feel that they do not belong in their surroundings. I plan to use this experience in all my further ventures. Whether that is to help minorities receive equal healthcare. Whether that is to show others that racism will can not be the end to following your passion. No matter the obstacle I will not stop using my passion to make the world a better place.

There have been many times in my life that I have questioned things that I see, but the one that is most prominent in my mind is the social construct of race in America. As young children we are told by people of higher power, that we are accepted in the world and that there are no prejudices that we should face. This naïve belief I had about the world's kindness was soon altered by a change in my surroundings. In the summer of seventh grade I was told that I would leave the large and bustling metropolitan of Memphis, Tennessee, and move to a small, country town in the middle of nowhere. At first I believed it to be a change in scenery that would be beneficial in shaping me as a person, but I would soon learn that this change would disrupt my entire mindset about the world around me. On the first day at my new school, as I looked over the sea of eighth graders, it quickly became apparent that as an African American student, I was a clear minority. I was not accustomed to this at my previous school, and was nervous about how I would be treated and what kind of interactions I would have. As I walked through the hallways I could hear low whispers of the children, because they had not seen many people of my complexion. I became the pariah of the school because I was the only one who was different. As a child, my family always instilled in me the value to treat all people with kindness no matter the color of their skin or any other difference they may have. In this small town, I realized that all may not have been raised with these values or morals. Racial slurs were common and prominent in this town and never ceased to make me feel like I did not belong. My experience in this small town challenged what I had grown up believing: that we as a country and as a people have moved forward in a positive direction in terms of race. From this experience I achieved a sense of self that I did not have before this experience occurred. I used many strategies to combat the racism that followed me. I chose not to listen to the people around me. I found others who were going through my same experience, so that I would not be alone. I stood tall instead of cowering away from those who chose to discriminate against me. My goal was to become a stronger person, and I surely became one after seeing how a different place could change thee entire mindset of a person. I never felt this feeling before my move, but now I am glad I had this experience so that in the future no one else will ever tear me down that way again.

There have been many times in my life that I have questioned things that I see, but the one that is most prominent in my mind is the social construct of race in America. As young children we are told by people of higher power, that we are accepted in the world and that there are no prejudices that we should face. This naïve belief I had about the world's kindness was soon altered by a change in my surroundings. In the summer of seventh grade I was told that I would leave the large and bustling metropolitan of Memphis, Tennessee, and move to a small, country town in the middle of nowhere. At first I believed it to be a change in scenery that would be beneficial in shaping me as a person, but I would soon learn that this change would disrupt my entire mindset about the world around me. On the first day at my new school, as I looked over the sea of eighth graders, it quickly became apparent that as an African American student, I was a clear minority. I was not accustomed to this at my previous school, and was nervous about how I would be treated and what kind of interactions I would have. As I walked through the hallways I could hear low whispers of the children, because they had not seen many people of my complexion I became the pariah of the school because I was the only one who was different. As a child, my family always instilled in me the value to treat all people with kindness no matter the color of their skin or any other difference they may have. In this small town, I realized that all may not have been raised with these values or morals. Racial slurs were common and prominent in this town and never ceased to make me feel like I did not belong. My experience in this small town challenged what I had grown up believing: that we as a country and as a people have moved forward in a positive direction in terms of race. Although we may have made some positive changes, racism, prejudice and bullying are alive and well in rural parts of the country. Leaders in the African American community, such as Emmit Till, Martin Luther King Jr. ,Malcolm X and many more have paved the way for freedom and equality for minority groups. I grew up looking up to these names and being grateful for the changes they have made for people like me. However, being in a small rural town, and facing racism and microaggressions every day, made me forget their efforts and I began to wonder if all their hard work was in vain. I want to further my education by going to a historically black college, and study biology. This college is going to limit the racial inequalities in school. We will all be receiving adequate teaching no matter the color of my skin. The scholarship money will help me receive housing , so that I can live on campus and receive hands on training. No matter the trials I have faced, I will still prevail and become the person I want to be.

As young children we are told by people of higher power, that we are accepted in the world and that there are no prejudices that we should face. This belief I had in the world's kindness was changed as soon as I changed my surroundings. In the summer of seventh grade I was told that I would leave my metropolitan city of Memphis, TN, and go to a small country town in the middle of nowhere. At first I believed it to be a change in scenery that would be beneficial in shaping me as a person, but I would soon learn that this change would disrupt my entire mindset about the world around me. When I started school , it was easy to tell that I was the clear minority, as a African American child in a sea of Caucasian children. I was not accustomed to this in my hometown, and was nervous of what they would say to me and how we would interact. As I walked through the hallways I could hear low whispers of the children, because they had not seen many people of my complexion. I became the pariah of the school, as I was the only one who was different. In my household I was always taught to treat people with kindness no matter the color of their skin or any other difference they may have. I saw that not everyone in our country was taught these same lessons as children. The use of racial slurs was prominent in this town and never ceased to make me feel like I did not belong in this place. This experience showed me that I need to go to a school that will help to cultivate my heritage, so that I can in turn lead those who also feel that they do not belong in their surroundings. All of these struggles made me want to take my life in my own hands and become an Entrepreneur. I saw how racism can effect your mindset and productivity, and I never wanted to be in a situation where potential racism could effect me. I want to use my platform to uplift those who feel the same way, and show them that no matter the things you have gone through you can still be successful in your own way. I am pushing myself to succeed , so that I can give my parents something to be proud of. They motivate me everyday, because I know the struggles they have faced to give me a great life. Every entrepreneur has a trailblazing story behind us, its what we did with that story that makes us extraordinary.

Everyday there is a new struggle to face, a new obstacle to face, and another person who tells you that you will not make it. I have always chosen to face these things head on , and use my obstacles as a way to propel me forward in all my aspirations. A quote by Theodore Roosevelt has inspired me to take what I have around me and use it for my advantage. The quote states, " Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." Often times when you come from a poverty stricken community, you tend to believe that there is nothing else outside from where you come from. I was afflicted with this mindset, where I believed I could not overcome my trials and pursue my real dreams. This quote took me outside of that mindset, and instead of feeling defeated about where I come from , I used my background as an advantage for everything I do. I know the struggles of divorce and poverty, and I can show others how to take those things and make them your power. If I had not heard this quote who knows where I would be today. I surely do not believe that I would be on my way to University to be a doctor. We need to take take what we have, and make it something great just as Theodore Roosevelt said.

Values. A word that can vary from person to person. We all have a different sense of how we want to uphold ourselves in various situations. As a African American women it is extra important that I know my values and worth, so that the media can not control my actions or portray me in a light that is false. To me one of the valuable things is to treat people the way you want to be treated. Although, it can sound trivial this statement can be the basis of making every situation great. We can not expect others to value and respect ourselves if we can not show the same respect. I am a high school student, who often has to work in groups of varying personalities. The value I give to reciprocating respect often helps me in these situations. You can never know what someone is going through, so choosing to be kind will always help make school activities much more enjoyable. This value also helps me when I speaking with my teachers. If a teacher feels that you are a respectful student they will go out of their way to help you succeed in all aspects. If you do not possess the kindness to give respect you will never receive it. In my personal relationships I also use this core value to make everyone around me feel safe and comfortable. Often times with new blossoming friendships there is a awkward stage. This stage can be helped if the other individual feels that they will receive the same energy that they are putting out. African American women can often be seen in the media as brash or disrespectful, and to put that idea to rest treating people with kindness is the first step. If we want the world to change small changes such as just smiling at someone could change how they think of you. It is important that I show this value, because although it seems small it can make a big impact. Daily we see fights, murders, and political altercations that could all be fixed if both parties had mutual respect for one another. This act seems second nature to many , but it is scar how many do not know the basic act of being kind to someone with nothing in return. Our world has turned to one of greed and power, but if we just used our core values and stuck to the basic things we learn as children the world could be much different.

Mental Health takes millions of lives every year. We as a society have often tend to not notice signs of people who are silently suffering. It could take just one phone call or a nice compliment that could change the course of someone's life. We need to start advocating for those who struggle with mental health, and also keep up with our own mental health. I have personally not been directly effected by mental health problems, but I have seen family members struggle in silence and not get the proper care they need. Earlier this year my oldest sister started to notice that her Grandmother was not functioning at her previous level. During this time my sister was in college, and could not directly see the signs her grandmother was exhibiting. Being a psychologist my sister was immediately disturbed by the behaviors she heard was happening. Her grandmother had started to see things that were not there, talk when no one was around , and actually started to harm or scare the people around her. As soon as the situation started to get serious we knew we had to take action. My sister could not sit around and let her grandmother become another victim of mental health. Soon after many trials with doctors who did not want to help us, we finally got my sister's grandmother the help she needed. This situation gave me a completely new outlook on life and how we should never take for granted our mental health. My relationships with friends and other family members has changed also. Before , I would say things that could be triggering to certain people, but know I try to take in consideration how the other person feels and what they have gone through before I speak. We never know what others could be going through and should be mindful of that before talking about triggering subjects. My sister has chosen to go into the field of mental health because she has seen how devastating it can be for the person and for the family. I too want to use my voice and advocate for mental health, so we do not lose anyone else to this. My family situation has opened my mind to the problems that our healthcare system has dealing with mental health patients. As I stated earlier, It took weeks for us to find a doctor that took my sister's grandmother's situation seriously. Doctors need to do a better job of finding symptoms, and not writing people off because they do not exhibit those symptoms at that time. We all can benefit from better mental health. Sometimes just being a good friend or a nice neighbor can change the outcome of someone's day. Give someone a complement. Give a struggling family a small donation. Make someone smile. These little things can help make the bigger picture of making mental health a bigger issue one day at a time. Take your time and realize that kindness can be the greatest medicine.

Change is constant and happens all around us everyday. We as a people have so much more that we need to change, but we can not accomplish this without people doing things in their community. I would like to change the food shortages and lack of support to those hurt by natural disasters. This problem id prevalent in my community, the country and the world. Everyday another tornado hits, another storm tears across cities, and floods wash away the memories of families. We can soften the blow of these horrible things by getting victims the necessities they need including food. In my town I have tried to socially and physically raise awareness to the natural tragedies that happen all around us everyday. Social media has been a huge game changer in spreading awareness for many different causes. Huge celebrities use their platform everyday to help those that need help, so why can't I do the same? Although I do have a smaller voice than larger content creators , I still try and put important causes on the forefront of people's minds. I post ways to donate to victims and ways that you can donate unwanted food to those who desperately need it. With our climate changing daily, it is imperative that everyone know about and help those who are in need because of natural disasters. As long as our world has the mindset that our small voices do not matter, we will never truly change the world. I am trying to use my singular voice to show others that they can also help by doing small things, such as using social media posts to bring awareness Donation drives can also be a big way to help organizations give goods to victims. I have often donated canned goods and toiletry items to many different organizations. A lot of the time people are not aware that such a thing can have such a impact on how disasters can be rectified. They certainly do have a huge effect on the turn around after the disaster has hit. We have to remember that victims have lost all of their day to day life things and are devastated. Little things can make big tremors if we all make small donations. You do not have to donate a lot of things, it is just the thought and goods that the victims greatly appreciate. This option of service has also helped me effect problems way across the world. By donating you do not have to necessarily be close to the situation to help it greatly. Their are many things that can be changed in our world, but to me natural disasters are some of the most devastating things that can happen. No one can prevent a natural disaster, so the best I could do is lend my hand through social media awareness and food drives and donations. Our voices may seem small, but If we put our minds together we can make great changes in our community one person at a time.

Dreams. A series of thoughts, images, and sensations that occur in your unconscious mind. How do you cultivate a dream? How can a person like me have a dream? As children we are told by society to put ourselves in a box and limit our dreams to reality. This mindset has been frequently disproven by the great minds of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Albert Einstein, and Ghandi. All of these figures have shown me that through dreaming of something greater for yourself, you can also make the world greater for someone else. My dreams will not be silenced by societal pressures. I will let them flourish, and in turn reach those who truly need it. I have seen both sides of the world. The world in which impoverished people struggle day to day to make ends meet, and a world where people trample each other to make it to the top. As a African American women in today's society seeing both of these worlds has given me an entire new perspective on what needs to be changed. Healthcare is a very major problem in underserved minority communities. I dream to help overcome this epidemic by lending my voice to advocate for all around better healthcare for all citizens no matter their race. Dreams are big, but they can also be attainable. No one should have to suffer because they cannot afford a medical bill or even get there. With my dream I hope to help those people , and bridge the gap between both worlds. To better yourself is to learn from your past mistakes and evolve from them. Of course, everyone has faults in how they portray themselves to be, and how they handle certain situations. I want to constantly be evolving and bettering myself. Doing this would involve internalizing situations before I speak upon them, take time to care for myself as I do everyone around me, and try to leave every situation better than I found it. It can often be hard to see your shortcomings up close, so it takes the help of everyone around you to also help you better yourself. As I stated earlier as well as helping myself I want to help the lives of so many more . In the end, Bettering yourself will always in turn benefit others around you. What society deems correct and proper will not always align with what you believe needs to happen. Dreams and aspirations will always conflict with society tells you is correct, but If you truly believe that your dream can make the world a better place , you should advocate and fight for it. Great leaders before us have shown us having dreams is what evolves our world , and helps those in lower positions rise above their struggle. Bettering myself only aids to the dreams that I have growing in my mind. Healthcare is only the beginning of what my mind can create. With the right tools any mind can dream and change , and change the world around them.