I believe that when you are blessed with a gift, it becomes your responsibility to pass it on to others when the opportunity arises. The gift I was fortunate enough to receive is baking and cake decorating, and I’ve been able to share this passion by mentoring young Black girls who are also interested in baking. Volunteering in this way, I was able to guide them through the process of creating their very own cakes from scratch. As I worked with them, I ensured that each girl had the chance to add her own unique touches while also learning important baking fundamentals. During our baking sessions, we often found ourselves talking about school and other aspects of their lives. I took every opportunity to offer advice and support, and as time passed, I built strong bonds with these girls. Watching them grow not only in their baking skills but also in their confidence was a truly fulfilling experience. As the girls began to put the final touches on their cakes, I always made sure to give them full creative control. This was my favorite part of the process. Seeing the pride in their eyes when they realized they had created something beautiful with their own hands was an incredibly rewarding moment. The girls’ parents often expressed their gratitude, as many of them wanted to share such activities with their daughters but simply didn’t have the time. They appreciated the opportunity for their girls to engage in a fun and educational experience, while also building important life skills. This feedback meant a lot to me because it reinforced the value of what we were doing. It was more than just baking; it was about fostering confidence, creativity, and a sense of accomplishment. I'm excited to say that I was able to host an environment in which all those feelings could grow freely. As a Black girl, I feel a deep sense of responsibility to mentor the younger generation of Black girls and instill in them the values and skills that will serve them throughout their lives. I’m especially proud of this accomplishment because I was able to help build their confidence a crucial life skill that will serve them well in all aspects of their futures. By sharing my gift of baking, I hope I’ve made a lasting impact on their lives, one that will empower them to chase their dreams with the same passion and determination that I have.

Since I was young, I’ve been interested in business. My mother owns Posh and Prim, a floral and design business, and I would often watch how she operated, helping her on wedding days. While I decided that weddings weren't my field of interest, I remained interested in the business side of it. My journey began with small ventures like lemonade stands, but at 13, I officially entered the business world by starting my own home bakery, Belle of the Bakery. Running it throughout my teen years revealed my deep passion for business. As with any passion, the journey came with challenges, including moments of frustration. Each struggle, however, taught me valuable lessons on improvement and resilience. One of my biggest challenges was when a cake collapsed about ten minutes after delivery. On the drive home, I received a text with a picture showing that the cake was now ruined. I had forgotten to place support in the bottom tier, causing it to fall. Thankfully, I was prepared, I had extra vanilla cakes and frosting in the freezer. After rushing for an hour or two, I was able to remake and deliver the cake without further issues. Situations like these taught me skills that continue to shape my business journey. I am eager to study business further, hoping to acquire more skills for my future career. Although I used to keep a low profile and unconsciously limit my ambitions, the past four years have brought tremendous growth, as I pushed myself to market my work and embrace my professional potential. Since I came to this realization I have started exploring opportunities for learning more about marketing. I started an administrative job in which I build from behind the scenes. In this job I’m currently learning a lot of behind the scenes as well as learning what it’s like to start a business. With my Bakery I also learned a lot of management, but given that I was 13 at the start I wasn’t handling any of the paperwork like I do at my current job. However I still strive towards my goal of a career in digital marketing. I believe that you shouldn't have to wait to educate yourself because of your age. When I see an opportunity I grab it as soon as I can and this is what happened with my internship. At church I approached a member of the communications team and proposed that I intern with her and her team for a season. That’s how I got the internship that now starts next week. Because I put myself out there I now will be able to learn loads of information that will advance my career. I want to use college as a tool to help me network and learn, soon after landing a career in the digital marketing space. The reason I chose this career is because I believe it has a high demand in the market since covid drove up the rise of online presence. I can't look into a crystal ball to see my future. But what I look forward to in my future career is a job that I have passion for as well as one that helps serve the community.

I believe when you have been blessed with a gift, it’s your responsibility to teach it to others when granted the opportunity. The gift I was blessed with is baking and cake decorating. If not for the old recipes passed down by my ancestors and the new recipes shared by those on youtube I wouldn't know as much about baking. Therefore I am passionate about teaching others so they can also learn. I shared my gift by mentoring other young black girls who were interested in baking as well. Through volunteering, I guided them through the process of creating their own cake from scratch. I made sure each of the girls I worked with provided their own unique details on the cake while also learning important baking fundamentals. While baking with these girls, we would talk about school and other endeavors going on in their lives. I would give advice to them throughout our cake-making process. I gained a bond with these girls as I watched them grow up and grow in their confidence. When it was time for the girls to put their final touches on their cake, I would let them take full creative responsibility. This was my favorite part because I got to see the look on their faces knowing they created their own art. The girl's parents would also express their gratitude as a lot of the time this was an activity they wanted to do with their girls, yet lacked the time. As a black girl, I believe it’s my responsibility to mentor the younger generation of black girls and hopefully instill valuable fundamentals that they will hold with them for the rest of their lives. This responsibility I have also extends to kids of other races and gender. At church I find joy in serving in the kids department during Sunday school. The childhood stage is such a crucial year in life. This is the most developmental stage where ideals are constantly being shaped and formed. With that being said when I work with children I make sure to create a space in which they feel free to express themselves without judgement. I think just having a person to listen to how you feel is cathartic. Not every child has that freedom to do that at home or school. I’m proud that I get to act as a mentor in these scenarios and build confidence in children while teaching them lessons.