Since I can remember, I’ve always been passionate about helping those in need. As an adolescent, I dreamed of becoming a veterinarian because of my strong love for animals. However, my allergies made the executive decision that I should pursue something that wouldn’t leave me with itchy eyes and hives. However, since my dreams of being a veterinarian can’t be fulfilled, helping people in need still resides. In pursuing my career I strive to find a way to help those in need in any way I can. I began watching countless videos of Dr. Pimple Popper. Maybe it was the social media craze that influenced my love affair with blackheads and lymphomas or the fact that teenage hormones caused me to have a bout with acne that made me nose-dive into why our skin sometimes betrays us. I became very intrigued by the study of dermatology and even toggle between different careers in the medical field, including anesthesiology and podiatry. Even took an interest in Physical therapy since I have background knowledge from my Godmother being one, and with her being such a great role model to me this inspired me even more. At some point in time, I also began to take a huge interest in the study of Anesthesiology. Although there are so many different careers to choose from in the medical field, and so many I have taken an interest in, there is one that has always seemingly caught my attention. At some point, something changed. Recently, I discovered what seemed like endless videos of ingrown toenails, foot fungus, and bunions. Although this may seem strange to most, it essentially sparked my interest in podiatry. This past year, I’ve done a lot of research on feet and lower extremities, from determining the qualifications to figuring out the courses I need to take for undergrad, finding a good podiatry school, and ultimately a fellowship. I even found a show called My Aching Feet, which solidified my career path, sparking my interest even more and leading me to seek a mentor. Seeing how much-ingrown toenails, fungus, etc cause many people discomfort I want to be able to resolve that in the best way I can possible. Even for those who are less fortunate and can’t receive the treatment they need, I want to be able to provide for them as well. This is why I would like to open my private practice to provide for those who are less fortunate, and don’t have access to the healthcare they need. I plan on partnering with other podiatrists of colour, like myself to not only elevate the cause I am fighting for but to also give them a platform to fall back on as well. Curiosity about the human body has only fueled my eagerness to become a doctor. If you aren’t constantly learning, then you are not growing. I plan on spending the rest of my life developing and helping others hoping to even find cures for things deemed to be incurable in the future. Furthermore, this Scholarship would also contribute to my professional growth. By pursuing a career in biology, my goal is to make a positive impact in the medical field and my community. This scholarship will also alleviate the financial burden placed on my mother to help me throughout college and pursue my career in podiatry.

Since I can remember, I’ve always been passionate about helping those in need. As an adolescent, I dreamed of becoming a veterinarian because of my strong love for animals. However, my allergies made the executive decision that I should pursue something that wouldn’t leave me with itchy eyes and hives. However, since my dreams of being a veterinarian can’t be fulfilled, helping people in need still resides. In pursuing my career I strive to find a way to help those in need in any way I can. I began watching countless videos of Dr. Pimple Popper. Maybe it was the social media craze that influenced my love affair with blackheads and lymphomas or the fact that teenage hormones caused me to have a bout with acne that made me nose-dive into why our skin sometimes betrays us. I became very intrigued by the study of dermatology and even toggle between different careers in the medical field, including anesthesiology and podiatry. Even took an interest in Physical therapy since I have background knowledge from my Godmother being one, and with her being such a great role model to me this inspired me even more. At some point in time, I also began to take a huge interest in the study of Anesthesiology. Although there are so many different careers to choose from in the medical field, and so many I have taken an interest in, there is one that has always seemingly caught my attention. At some point, something changed. Recently, I discovered what seemed like endless videos of ingrown toenails, foot fungus, and bunions. Although this may seem strange to most, it essentially sparked my interest in podiatry. This past year, I’ve done a lot of research on feet and lower extremities, from determining the qualifications to figuring out the courses I need to take for undergrad, finding a good podiatry school, and ultimately a fellowship. I even found a show called My Aching Feet, which solidified my career path, sparking my interest even more and leading me to seek a mentor. Seeing how much-ingrown toenails, fungus, etc cause many people discomfort I want to be able to resolve that in the best way I can possible. Even for those who are less fortunate and can’t receive the treatment they need, I want to be able to provide for them as well. This is why I would like to open my private practice to provide for those who are less fortunate and don’t have access to the healthcare they need. I plan on partnering with other podiatrists of color, like myself to not only elevate the cause I am fighting for but to also give them a platform to fall back on as well. Curiosity about the human body has only fueled my eagerness to become a doctor. If you aren’t constantly learning, then you are not growing. I plan on spending the rest of my life developing and helping others hoping to even find cures for things deemed to be incurable in the future.

As a freshman studying biology to pursue a career in podiatry, I plan to focus on the study of human anatomy, physiology, and the intricacies of foot health. My education will equip me with the knowledge and skills necessary to diagnose and treat various foot and ankle conditions, as well as promote overall foot health and well-being. One of the key areas where I foresee benefiting my community at large is through raising awareness about foot health. Many individuals tend to overlook the importance of foot care and the impact it can have on their overall quality of life. I plan to actively engage in community outreach programs, workshops, and seminars to educate people about the importance of proper foot hygiene, preventative measures, and the early detection of foot-related conditions. Furthermore, I envision collaborating with local healthcare organizations, hospitals, and clinics to provide affordable and accessible foot care services to underserved populations in my community. By utilizing my knowledge and skills in podiatry, I can contribute to reducing healthcare disparities and ensuring that individuals of all backgrounds have access to the foot care they need. I plan to advocate for policies and programs that promote foot health and well-being. This may involve working with local government officials and healthcare organizations to highlight the importance of preventative foot care and the impact it can have on reducing the burden on the healthcare system. By raising awareness and providing evidence-based information, I can contribute to creating a community that values foot health and invests in preventative measures. As a future podiatrist, I see myself actively participating in research focused on foot and ankle conditions. I aim to contribute to the body of knowledge and advancements in podiatric medicine. By actively engaging in research, I can help uncover new treatment methods and interventions that can benefit not only my community but also the broader field of podiatry. I believe in the power of continued education and professional development. To ensure that I provide the best possible care to my community, I will actively seek out opportunities to expand my knowledge and expertise in podiatric medicine. I can offer the most effective and evidence-based treatment options to my patients. My studies in biology and pursuit of a career in podiatry provide the foundation for serving and benefiting my community at large. Through education, community outreach, research, advocacy, and continuous professional development, I aim to enhance foot health awareness, provide accessible care, and contribute to the overall well-being of my community.

Since I can remember, I’ve always been passionate about helping those in need. As an adolescent, I dreamed of becoming a veterinarian because of my strong love for animals. However, my allergies made the executive decision that I should pursue something that wouldn’t leave me with itchy eyes and hives. However, since my dreams of being a veterinarian can’t be fulfilled, helping people in need still resides. In pursuing my career I strive to find a way to help those in need in any way I can. I began watching countless videos of Dr. Pimple Popper. Maybe it was the social media craze that influenced my love affair with blackheads and lymphomas or the fact that teenage hormones caused me to have a bout with acne that made me nose-dive into why our skin sometimes betrays us. I became very intrigued by the study of dermatology and even toggle between different careers in the medical field, including anesthesiology and podiatry. Even took an interest in Physical therapy since I have background knowledge from my Godmother being one, and with her being such a great role model to me this inspired me even more. At some point in time, I also began to take a huge interest in the study of Anesthesiology. Although there are so many different careers to choose from in the medical field, and so many I have taken an interest in, there is one that has always seemingly caught my attention. At some point, something changed. Recently, I discovered what seemed like endless videos of ingrown toenails, foot fungus, and bunions. Although this may seem strange to most, it essentially sparked my interest in podiatry. This past year, I’ve done a lot of research on feet and lower extremities, from determining the qualifications to figuring out the courses I need to take for undergrad, finding a good podiatry school, and ultimately a fellowship. I even found a show called My Aching Feet, which solidified my career path, sparking my interest even more and leading me to seek a mentor. Seeing how much-ingrown toenails, fungus, etc cause many people discomfort I want to be able to resolve that in the best way I can possible. Even for those who are less fortunate and can’t receive the treatment they need, I want to be able to provide for them as well. This is why I would like to open my private practice to provide for those who are less fortunate, and don’t have access to the healthcare they need. I plan on partnering with other podiatrists of color, like myself to not only elevate the cause I am fighting for but to also give them a platform to fall back on as well. Curiosity about the human body has only fueled my eagerness to become a doctor. If you aren’t constantly learning, then you are not growing. I plan on spending the rest of my life developing and helping others hoping to even find cures for things deemed to be incurable in the future. To do so I need all the help I can get not only to be able to support myself financially through school but also in my career. Managing my finances is extremely important to me because I don't want to be in a position where I'm in loads of student loan debt entering adulthood, all because I am not making smart decisions right now. This is why the choices I make now and even later when handling my finances are a huge factor in my being able to support myself in the next few years.

Since I can remember, I’ve always been passionate about helping those in need. As an adolescent, I dreamed of becoming a veterinarian because of my strong love for animals. However, my allergies made the executive decision that I should pursue something that wouldn’t leave me with itchy eyes and hives. However, since my dreams of being an veterinarian can’t be fulfilled, helping people in need still resides. In pursuing my career I strive to find way to help those in need in anyway I can. After entering my early teenage years, I started watching countless videos of Dr. Pimple Popper. Maybe it was the social media craze that influenced my love affair with blackheads and lymphomas or the fact that teenage hormones caused me to have a bout with acne that made me nose-dive into why our skin sometimes betrays us. I became very intrigued by the study of dermatology and even toggled between different careers in the medical field, including anesthesiology and podiatry. Even taking an interest in Physical therapy since I have background knowledge from my God Mother being one. Although there are so many different careers to choose from in the medical field, and so many I have taken an interest there is one that has always seemingly caught my attention. At some point, something changed. Recently, I discovered what seemed like endless videos of ingrown toenails, foot fungus, and bunions. Although this may seem strange to most, it essentially sparked my interest in podiatry. This past year, I’ve done a lot of research on feet and lower extremities, from determining the qualifications to figuring out the courses, I need to take for undergrad, finding a good podiatry school, and ultimately a fellowship. I even found a show called My Aching Feet, which solidified my career path, sparking my interest even more and leading me to seek a mentor. Seeing how much-ingrown toenails, fungus, etc causes many people discomfort I want to be able to resolve that in the best way I can possible. Even for those who are less fortunate and can’t receive the treatment, they need I want to be able to provide for them as well. Curiosity about the human body has only fueled my eagerness to become a doctor. If you aren’t constantly learning, then you are not growing. I plan on spending the rest of my life developing and helping others hoping to even find cures for things deemed to be incurable in the future.

I didn’t know darkness until it knocked at my door and handed me a package with fragile stamped all over in crimson red. The return label was hard to read, but one legible word was D-E-P-R-E-S-S-I-O-N. The word was read through my ears and felt throughout my body. This was the beginning of a journey of facing a challenge stigmatized by society. The summer before my first year of high school, I struggled with depression. At the time, I was unfamiliar with the disorder. I knew the darkness was taking over faster than my 14-year-old mind could handle. As time went on, my depression began to progress, which caused a snowball effect. I began to miss school, lose sleep, and isolate myself from everyone. I felt there was no escape and couldn’t comprehend why this was happening. It felt like I was stuck in a never-ending cycle that started affecting my daily life, most importantly, school. Although the first few months of school were challenging, I still pushed through and ended the year with pretty good grades, although I fell behind. Little did I know, this was my way of existing and flying on the radar. Still appearing like everything was fine, no one knew how hard I was struggling just to keep it together. Learning more about what I was going through by defining depression for myself has made me realize all the misconceptions about the disorder and why it is stigmatized. There’s only one explanation. Many people are simply unaware and educated enough about such a dynamic illness. Although I still deal with the same struggles today, I have learned that although times are tough and it feels like things will never change hard times won’t last forever, and if you put your mind to it, you can get through it. With the help of my therapist, I’ve learned a new word—a new way of thinking. It’s called coping. I am learning to separate Alanna from depression. It will be lifelong, but it’s not something that defines who I was, who I am, or who I will be. One thing I’ve done to advocate for social change is utilizing my social media to encourage others to use mental health resources. On April 11, 2022, I decided to seek help for my mental health struggles. The turn of events inspired me to use my large social media following in hopes of reaching others in need. My name is Alanna Jackson, and I’ve been battling depression for over four years, which has led me to raise awareness of the importance of taking care of your mental health and suicide prevention. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the last 20 years, suicide rates have risen by over 30%. This staggering figure highlights why it is essential to understand the effects of mental illness, its warning signs, and the importance of having the right tools and resources. Though my mental health struggles will be lifelong, learning healthy ways to cope has gotten me to where I am today. I hope to help others not live in their depression but view it as a separate entity. Even if this message only reaches one person, I count that as a success. I’ve learned that speaking out is one of the most courageous things I could’ve done. Speaking up saved my life, and I hope it does the same for others.

Since I can remember, I’ve always been passionate about helping those in need. I became very intrigued by the study of dermatology and even toggle between different careers in the medical field, including anesthesiology and podiatry. Even took an interest in Physical therapy since I have background knowledge from my Godmother being one, and with her being such a great role model to me this inspired me even more. I've always had dreams of becoming a doctor and when I found out my God Mother was going to school to become one I was ecstatic. Although being so young, I was so fascinated with her work, I sat in her office after school and watched how she treated her patients which fueled my eagerness even more. In the midst of this, I also began to take a huge interest in the study of Anesthesiology. Although there are so many different careers to choose from in the medical field, and so many I have taken an interest in, there is one that has always seemingly caught my attention. At some point, something changed. Recently, I discovered what seemed like endless videos of ingrown toenails, foot fungus, and bunions. Although this may seem strange to most, it essentially sparked my interest in podiatry. This past year, I’ve done a lot of research on feet and lower extremities, from determining the qualifications to figuring out the courses I need to take for undergrad, finding a good podiatry school, and ultimately a fellowship. I even found a show called My Aching Feet, which solidified my career path, sparking my interest even more and leading me to seek a mentor. Seeing how much-ingrown toenails, fungus, etc cause many people discomfort I want to be able to resolve that in the best way I can possible. Even for those who are less fortunate and can’t receive the treatment they need, I want to be able to provide for them as well. This is why I would like to open my private practice to provide for those who are less fortunate and don’t have access to the healthcare they need. I plan on partnering with other podiatrists of color, like myself to not only elevate the cause I am fighting for but to also give them a platform to fall back on as well. Curiosity about the human body has only fueled my eagerness to become a doctor. If you aren’t constantly learning, then you are not growing. I plan on spending the rest of my life developing and helping others hoping to even find cures for things deemed to be incurable in the future.

The summer before my first year of high school, I struggled with depression. At the time, I was unfamiliar with the disorder. I knew the darkness was taking over faster than my 14-year-old mind could handle. As time went on, my depression began to progress, which caused a snowball effect. A major contributor was the fact I had no relationship with my dad. I began to miss school, lose sleep, and isolate myself from everyone. I felt there was no escape and couldn’t comprehend why this was happening. It felt like I was stuck in a never-ending cycle that started affecting my daily life, most importantly, school. Although the first few months of school were challenging, I still pushed through and ended the year with pretty good grades, although I fell behind. Little did I know, this was my way of existing and flying on the radar. Still appearing like everything was fine, no one knew how hard I was struggling just to keep it together. Learning more about what I was going through by defining depression for myself has made me realize all the misconceptions about the disorder and why it is stigmatized. There’s only one explanation. Many people are simply unaware and educated enough about such a dynamic illness. Although I still deal with the same struggles today, I have learned that although times are tough and it feels like things will never change hard times won’t last forever, and if you put your mind to it, you can get through it. With the help of my therapist, I’ve learned a new word—a new way of thinking. It’s called coping. I am learning to separate Alanna from depression. It will be lifelong, but it’s not something that defines who I was, who I am, or who I will be. As an adolescent, I’ve always had a passion for helping those in need. I became very intrigued by the study of dermatology and even toggle between different careers in the medical field, including anesthesiology and podiatry. Even took an interest in Physical therapy since I have background knowledge from my Godmother being one, and with her being such a great role model to me this inspired me even more. At some point in time, I also began to take a huge interest in the study of Anesthesiology. Although there are so many different careers to choose from in the medical field, and so many I have taken an interest in, there is one that has always seemingly caught my attention. At some point, something changed. Recently, I discovered what seemed like endless videos of ingrown toenails, foot fungus, and bunions. Although this may seem strange to most, it essentially sparked my interest in podiatry. This past year, I’ve done a lot of research on feet and lower extremities, from determining the qualifications to figuring out the courses I need to take for undergrad, finding a good podiatry school, and ultimately a fellowship. Seeing how much-ingrown toenails, fungus, etc cause many people discomfort I want to be able to resolve that in the best way I can possible. Even for those who are less fortunate and can’t receive the treatment they need, I want to be able to provide for them as well. Curiosity about the human body has only fueled my eagerness to become a doctor. If you aren’t constantly learning, then you are not growing. I plan on spending the rest of my life developing and helping others hoping to even find cures for things deemed to be incurable in the future.

Since I can remember, I’ve always been passionate about helping those in need. As an adolescent, I dreamed of becoming a veterinarian because of my strong love for animals. However, my allergies made the executive decision that I should pursue something that wouldn’t leave me with itchy eyes and hives. However, since my dreams of being a veterinarian can’t be fulfilled, helping people in need still resides. In pursuing my career I strive to find a way to help those in need in any way I can. I began watching countless videos of Dr. Pimple Popper. Maybe it was the social media craze that influenced my love affair with blackheads and lymphomas or the fact that teenage hormones caused me to have a bout with acne that made me nose-dive into why our skin sometimes betrays us. I became very intrigued by the study of dermatology and even toggle between different careers in the medical field, including anesthesiology and podiatry. Even took an interest in Physical therapy since I have background knowledge from my Godmother being one, and with her being such a great role model to me this inspired me even more. At some point in time, I also began to take a huge interest in the study of Anesthesiology. Although there are so many different careers to choose from in the medical field, and so many I have taken an interest in, there is one that has always seemingly caught my attention. At some point, something changed. Recently, I discovered what seemed like endless videos of ingrown toenails, foot fungus, and bunions. Although this may seem strange to most, it essentially sparked my interest in podiatry. This past year, I’ve done a lot of research on feet and lower extremities, from determining the qualifications to figuring out the courses I need to take for undergrad, finding a good podiatry school, and ultimately a fellowship. I even found a show called My Aching Feet, which solidified my career path, sparking my interest even more and leading me to seek a mentor. Seeing how much-ingrown toenails, fungus, etc causes many people discomfort I want to be able to resolve that in the best way I can possible. Even for those who are less fortunate and can’t receive the treatment they need, I want to be able to provide for them as well. This is why I would like to open my own private practice to provide for those who are less fortunate, and don’t have access to the healthcare they need. I plan on partnering with other podiatrists of color, like myself to not only elevate the cause I am fighting for but to also give them a platform to fall back on as well. With this, I will become the very first person in my family to be a doctor, creating a legacy and wealth for future generations in my family so they will not have to face the same financial struggles I did to accomplish their dreams. Curiosity about the human body has only fueled my eagerness to become a doctor. If you aren’t constantly learning, then you are not growing. I plan on spending the rest of my life developing and helping others hoping to even find cures for things deemed to be incurable in the future.

Since I can remember, I’ve always been passionate about helping those in need. As an adolescent, I dreamed of becoming a veterinarian because of my strong love for animals. However, my allergies made the executive decision that I should pursue something that wouldn’t leave me with itchy eyes and hives. However, since my dreams of being a veterinarian can’t be fulfilled, helping people in need still resides. In pursuing my career I strive to find a way to help those in need in any way I can. I began watching countless videos of Dr. Pimple Popper. Maybe it was the social media craze that influenced my love affair with blackheads and lymphomas or the fact that teenage hormones caused me to have a bout with acne that made me nose-dive into why our skin sometimes betrays us. I became very intrigued by the study of dermatology and even toggle between different careers in the medical field, including anesthesiology and podiatry. Even took an interest in Physical therapy since I have background knowledge from my Godmother being one, and with her being such a great role model to me this inspired me even more. At some point in time, I also began to take a huge interest in the study of Anesthesiology. Although there are so many different careers to choose from in the medical field, and so many I have taken an interest in, there is one that has always seemingly caught my attention. At some point, something changed. Recently, I discovered what seemed like endless videos of ingrown toenails, foot fungus, and bunions. Although this may seem strange to most, it essentially sparked my interest in podiatry. This past year, I’ve done a lot of research on feet and lower extremities, from determining the qualifications to figuring out the courses I need to take for undergrad, finding a good podiatry school, and ultimately a fellowship. I even found a show called My Aching Feet, which solidified my career path, sparking my interest even more and leading me to seek a mentor. Seeing how much-ingrown toenails, fungus, etc causes many people discomfort I want to be able to resolve that in the best way I can possible. Even for those who are less fortunate and can’t receive the treatment they need, I want to be able to provide for them as well. This is why I would like to open my own private practice to provide for those who are less fortunate, and don’t have access to the healthcare they need. I plan on partnering with other podiatrists of color, like myself to not only elevate the cause I am fighting for but to also give them a platform to fall back on as well. Curiosity about the human body has only fueled my eagerness to become a doctor. If you aren’t constantly learning, then you are not growing. I plan on spending the rest of my life developing and helping others hoping to even find cures for things deemed to be incurable in the future.

I didn’t know darkness until it knocked at my door and handed me a package with fragile stamped all over in crimson red. The return label was hard to read, but one legible word was D-E-P-R-E-S-S-I-O-N. The word was read through my ears and felt throughout my body. This was the beginning of a journey of facing a challenge stigmatized by society. The summer before my first year of high school, I struggled with depression. At the time, I was unfamiliar with the disorder. I knew the darkness was taking over faster than my 14-year-old mind could handle. As time went on, my depression began to progress, which caused a snowball effect. I began to miss school, lose sleep, and isolate myself from everyone. I felt there was no escape and couldn’t comprehend why this was happening. It felt like I was stuck in a never-ending cycle that started affecting my daily life, most importantly, school. Although the first few months of school were challenging, I still pushed through and ended the year with pretty good grades, although I fell behind. Little did I know, this was my way of existing and flying on the radar. Still appearing like everything was fine, no one knew how hard I was struggling just to keep it together. Learning more about what I was going through by defining depression for myself has made me realize all the misconceptions about the disorder and why it is stigmatized. There’s only one explanation. Many people are simply unaware and educated enough about such a dynamic illness. Although I still deal with the same struggles today, I have learned that although times are tough and it feels like things will never change, hard times won’t last forever, and if you put your mind to it, you can get through it. With the help of my therapist, I’ve learned a new word—a new way of thinking. It’s called coping. I am learning to separate Alanna from depression. It will be lifelong, but it’s not something that defines who I was, who I am, or who I will be. One thing I’ve done to advocate for social change is utilizing my social media to encourage others to use mental health resources. On April 11, 2022, I decided to seek help for my mental health struggles. The turn of events inspired me to use my large social media following in hopes of reaching others in need. My name is Alanna Jackson, and I’ve been battling depression for over four years, which has led me to raise awareness of the importance of taking care of your mental health and suicide prevention. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the last 20 years, suicide rates have risen by over 30%. This staggering figure highlights why it is essential to understand the effects of mental illness, its warning signs, and the importance of having the right tools and resources. Though my mental health struggles will be lifelong, learning healthy ways to cope has gotten me to where I am today. I hope to help others not live in their depression but view it as a separate entity. Whenever I find a quote or hear an anecdote that resonates with my journey, I try to share it on all my social media platforms. Even if the message only reaches one person, I count that as a success. I’ve learned that speaking out is one of the most courageous things I could’ve done. Speaking up saved my life, and I hope it does the same for others.

Since I can remember, I’ve always been passionate about helping those in need. As an adolescent, I dreamed of becoming a veterinarian because of my strong love for animals. However, my allergies made the executive decision that I should pursue something that wouldn’t leave me with itchy eyes and hives. However, since my dreams of being a veterinarian can’t be fulfilled, helping people in need still resides. In pursuing my career I strive to find a way to help those in need in any way I can. I began watching countless videos of Dr. Pimple Popper. Maybe it was the social media craze that influenced my love affair with blackheads and lymphomas or the fact that teenage hormones caused me to have a bout with acne that made me nose-dive into why our skin sometimes betrays us. I became very intrigued by the study of dermatology and even toggle between different careers in the medical field, including anesthesiology and podiatry. Even took an interest in Physical therapy since I have background knowledge from my Godmother being one, and with her being such a great role model to me this inspired me even more. At some point in time, I also began to take a huge interest in the study of Anesthesiology. Although there are so many different careers to choose from in the medical field, and so many I have taken an interest in, there is one that has always seemingly caught my attention. At some point, something changed. Recently, I discovered what seemed like endless videos of ingrown toenails, foot fungus, and bunions. Although this may seem strange to most, it essentially sparked my interest in podiatry. This past year, I’ve done a lot of research on feet and lower extremities, from determining the qualifications to figuring out the courses I need to take for undergrad, finding a good podiatry school, and ultimately a fellowship. I even found a show called My Aching Feet, which solidified my career path, sparking my interest even more and leading me to seek a mentor. Seeing how much-ingrown toenails, fungus, etc causes many people discomfort I want to be able to resolve that in the best way I can possible. Even for those who are less fortunate and can’t receive the treatment they need, I want to be able to provide for them as well. This is why I would like to open my own private practice to provide for those who are less fortunate, and don’t have access to the healthcare they need. I plan on partnering with other podiatrists of color, like myself to not only elevate the cause I am fighting for but to also give them a platform to fall back on as well. Curiosity about the human body has only fueled my eagerness to become a doctor. If you aren’t constantly learning, then you are not growing. I plan on spending the rest of my life developing and helping others hoping to even find cures for things deemed to be incurable in the future.

Since I can remember, I’ve always been passionate about helping those in need. As an adolescent, I dreamed of becoming a veterinarian because of my strong love for animals. However, my allergies made the executive decision that I should pursue something that wouldn’t leave me with itchy eyes and hives. However, since my dreams of being a veterinarian can’t be fulfilled, helping people in need still resides. In pursuing my career I strive to find a way to help those in need in any way I can. I began watching countless videos of Dr. Pimple Popper. Maybe it was the social media craze that influenced my love affair with blackheads and lymphomas or the fact that teenage hormones caused me to have a bout with acne that made me nose-dive into why our skin sometimes betrays us. I became very intrigued by the study of dermatology and even toggle between different careers in the medical field, including anesthesiology and podiatry. Even took an interest in Physical therapy since I have background knowledge from my Godmother being one, and with her being such a great role model to me this inspired me even more. At some point in time, I also began to take a huge interest in the study of Anesthesiology. Although there are so many different careers to choose from in the medical field, and so many I have taken an interest in, there is one that has always seemingly caught my attention. At some point, something changed. Recently, I discovered what seemed like endless videos of ingrown toenails, foot fungus, and bunions. Although this may seem strange to most, it essentially sparked my interest in podiatry. This past year, I’ve done a lot of research on feet and lower extremities, from determining the qualifications to figuring out the courses I need to take for undergrad, finding a good podiatry school, and ultimately a fellowship. I even found a show called My Aching Feet, which solidified my career path, sparking my interest even more and leading me to seek a mentor. Seeing how much-ingrown toenails, fungus, etc causes many people discomfort I want to be able to resolve that in the best way I can possible. Even for those who are less fortunate and can’t receive the treatment they need, I want to be able to provide for them as well. This is why I would like to open my own private practice to provide for those who are less fortunate and don’t have access to the healthcare they need. I plan on partnering with other podiatrists of color, like myself to not only elevate the cause I am fighting for but to also give them a platform to fall back on as well. Curiosity about the human body has only fueled my eagerness to become a doctor. If you aren’t constantly learning, then you are not growing. I plan on spending the rest of my life developing and helping others hoping to even find cures for things deemed to be incurable in the future.

Since I can remember, I’ve always been passionate about helping those in need. As an adolescent, I dreamed of becoming a veterinarian because of my strong love for animals. However, my allergies made the executive decision that I should pursue something that wouldn’t leave me with itchy eyes and hives. However, since my dreams of being a veterinarian can’t be fulfilled, helping people in need still resides. In pursuing my career I strive to find a way to help those in need in any way I can. I began watching countless videos of Dr. Pimple Popper. Maybe it was the social media craze that influenced my love affair with blackheads and lymphomas or the fact that teenage hormones caused me to have a bout with acne that made me nose-dive into why our skin sometimes betrays us. I became very intrigued by the study of dermatology and even toggle between different careers in the medical field, including anesthesiology and podiatry. Even took an interest in Physical therapy since I have background knowledge from my Godmother being one, and with her being such a great role model to me this inspired me even more. At some point in time, I also began to take a huge interest in the study of Anesthesiology. Although there are so many different careers to choose from in the medical field, and so many I have taken an interest in, there is one that has always seemingly caught my attention. At some point, something changed. Recently, I discovered what seemed like endless videos of ingrown toenails, foot fungus, and bunions. Although this may seem strange to most, it essentially sparked my interest in podiatry. This past year, I’ve done a lot of research on feet and lower extremities, from determining the qualifications to figuring out the courses I need to take for undergrad, finding a good podiatry school, and ultimately a fellowship. I even found a show called My Aching Feet, which solidified my career path, sparking my interest even more and leading me to seek a mentor. Seeing how much-ingrown toenails, fungus, etc causes many people discomfort I want to be able to resolve that in the best way I can possible. Even for those who are less fortunate and can’t receive the treatment they need, I want to be able to provide for them as well. This is why I would like to open my own private practice to provide for those who are less fortunate, and don’t have access to the healthcare they need. I plan on partnering with other podiatrists of color, like myself to not only elevate the cause I am fighting for but to also give them a platform to fall back on as well. Curiosity about the human body has only fueled my eagerness to become a doctor. If you aren’t constantly learning, then you are not growing. I plan on spending the rest of my life developing and helping others hoping to even find cures for things deemed to be incurable in the future.

Since I can remember, I’ve always been passionate about helping those in need. As an adolescent, I dreamed of becoming a veterinarian because of my strong love for animals. However, my allergies made the executive decision that I should pursue something that wouldn’t leave me with itchy eyes and hives. However, since my dreams of being a veterinarian can’t be fulfilled, helping people in need still resides. In pursuing my career I strive to find a way to help those in need in any way I can. I began watching countless videos of Dr. Pimple Popper. Maybe it was the social media craze that influenced my love affair with blackheads and lymphomas or the fact that teenage hormones caused me to have a bout with acne that made me nose-dive into why our skin sometimes betrays us. I became very intrigued by the study of dermatology and even toggle between different careers in the medical field, including anesthesiology and podiatry. Even took an interest in Physical therapy since I have background knowledge from my Godmother being one, and with her being such a great role model to me this inspired me even more. At some point in time, I also began to take a huge interest in the study of Anesthesiology. Although there are so many different careers to choose from in the medical field, and so many I have taken an interest in, there is one that has always seemingly caught my attention. At some point, something changed. Recently, I discovered what seemed like endless videos of ingrown toenails, foot fungus, and bunions. Although this may seem strange to most, it essentially sparked my interest in podiatry. This past year, I’ve done a lot of research on feet and lower extremities, from determining the qualifications to figuring out the courses I need to take for undergrad, finding a good podiatry school, and ultimately a fellowship. I even found a show called My Aching Feet, which solidified my career path, sparking my interest even more and leading me to seek a mentor. Seeing how much-ingrown toenails, fungus, etc cause many people discomfort I want to be able to resolve that in the best way I can possible. Even for those who are less fortunate and can’t receive the treatment they need, I want to be able to provide for them as well. This is why I would like to open my private practice to provide for those who are less fortunate, and don’t have access to the healthcare they need. I plan on partnering with other podiatrists of color, like myself to not only elevate the cause I am fighting for but to also give them a platform to fall back on as well. Curiosity about the human body has only fueled my eagerness to become a doctor. If you aren’t constantly learning, then you are not growing. I plan on spending the rest of my life developing and helping others hoping to even find cures for things deemed to be incurable in the future. To do so I need all the help I can get not only to be able to support myself financially through school but also in my career. Managing my finances is extremely important to me because I don't want to be in a position where I'm in loads of student loan debt entering adulthood, all because I am not making smart decisions right now. This is why the choices I make now and even later when handling my finances are a huge factor in my being able to support myself in the next few years.

Since I can remember, I’ve always been passionate about helping those in need. As an adolescent, I dreamed of becoming a veterinarian because of my strong love for animals. However, my allergies made the executive decision that I should pursue something that wouldn’t leave me with itchy eyes and hives. After entering my early teenage years, I started watching countless videos of Dr. Pimple Popper. Maybe it was the social media craze that influenced my love affair with blackheads and lymphomas or the fact that teenage hormones caused me to have a bout with acne that made me nose-dive into why our skin sometimes betrays us. I became very intrigued by the study of dermatology and even toggled between different careers in the medical field, including anesthesiology and podiatry. At some point, something changed. Recently, I discovered what seemed like endless videos of ingrown toenails, foot fungus, and bunions. Although this may seem strange to most, it essentially sparked my interest in podiatry. This past year, I’ve done a lot of research on feet and lower extremities, from determining the qualifications to figuring out the courses I need to take for undergrad, finding a good podiatry school, and ultimately a fellowship. I even found a show called My Aching Feet, which solidified my career path, sparking my interest even more and leading me to seek a mentor. If you aren’t constantly learning, then you are not growing. Which is why I plan on spending the rest of my life developing and helping others.

Throughout my high school career, and especially now ending of my senior year I've committed myself to be involved more in my school and also my community. In 2021 I began volunteering for causes, such as Feed my Starving Children and Angel Tree which have fueled my drive more into helping those in need simply just by packing gifts and food for those in need. Since I can remember, I’ve always been passionate about helping those in need. As an adolescent has paved the way for me wanting to pursue a career in the medical field. I plan on attending Clark Atlanta University, a historically black college, and pursuing a degree in biology.

I didn’t know darkness until it knocked at my door and handed me a package with fragile stamped all over in crimson red. The return label was hard to read, but one legible word was D-E-P-R-E-S-S-I-O-N. The word was read through my ears and felt throughout my body. This was the beginning of a journey of facing a challenge stigmatized by society. The summer before my first year of high school, I struggled with depression. At the time, I was unfamiliar with the disorder. I knew the darkness was taking over faster than my 14-year-old mind could handle. As time went on, my depression began to progress, which caused a snowball effect. I began to miss school, lose sleep, and isolate myself from everyone. I felt there was no escape and couldn’t comprehend why this was happening. It felt like I was stuck in a never-ending cycle that started affecting my daily life, most importantly, school. Although the first few months of school were challenging, I still pushed through and ended the year with pretty good grades, although I fell behind. Little did I know, this was my way of existing and flying on the radar. Still appearing like everything was fine, no one knew how hard I was struggling just to keep it together. Learning more about what I was going through by defining depression for myself has made me realize all the misconceptions about the disorder and why it is stigmatized. There’s only one explanation. Many people are simply unaware and educated enough about such a dynamic illness. Although I still deal with the same struggles today, I have learned that although times are tough and it feels like things will never change, hard times won’t last forever, and if you put your mind to it, you can get through it. With the help of my therapist, I’ve learned a new word—a new way of thinking. It’s called coping. I am learning to separate Alanna from depression. It will be lifelong, but it’s not something that defines who I was, who I am, or who I will be. One thing I’ve done to advocate for social change is utilizing my social media to encourage others to use mental health resources. On April 11, 2022, I decided to seek help for my mental health struggles. The turn of events inspired me to use my large social media following in hopes of reaching others in need. My name is Alanna Jackson, and I’ve been battling depression for over four years, which has led me to raise awareness of the importance of taking care of your mental health and suicide prevention. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the last 20 years, suicide rates have risen by over 30%. This staggering figure highlights why it is essential to understand the effects of mental illness, warning signs, and the importance of having the right tools and resources. Though my mental health struggles will be lifelong, learning healthy ways to cope has gotten me to where I am today. I hope to help others not live in their depression but view it as a separate entity. Whenever I find a quote or hear an anecdote that resonates with my journey, I try to share it on all my social media platforms. Even if the message only reaches one person, I count that as a success. I’ve learned that speaking out is one of the most courageous things I could’ve done. Speaking up saved my life, and I hope it does the same for others

Since I can remember, I’ve always been passionate about helping those in need. As an adolescent, I dreamed of becoming a veterinarian because of my strong love for animals. However, my allergies made the executive decision that I should pursue something that wouldn’t leave me with itchy eyes and hives. After entering my early teenage years, I started watching countless videos of Dr. Pimple Popper. Maybe it was the social media craze that influenced my love affair with blackheads and lymphomas or the fact that teenage hormones caused me to have a bout with acne that made me nose-dive into why our skin sometimes betrays us. I became very intrigued by the study of dermatology and even toggled between different careers in the medical field, including anesthesiology and podiatry. However, around this time I struggled with depression. At the time, I was unfamiliar with the disorder. I knew the darkness was taking over faster than my 14-year-old mind could handle. As time went on, my depression began to progress, which caused a snowball effect. I began to miss school, lose sleep, and isolate myself from everyone. I felt there was no escape and couldn’t comprehend why this was happening. At some point, in the midst of this all, something changed. Recently, I discovered what seemed like endless videos of ingrown toenails, foot fungus, and bunions. Although this may seem strange to most, it essentially sparked my interest in podiatry. This past year, I’ve done a lot of research on feet and lower extremities, from determining the qualifications to figuring out the courses I need to take for undergrad, finding a good podiatry school, and ultimately a fellowship. I even found a show called My Aching Feet, which solidified my career path, sparking my interest even more and leading me to seek a mentor. Curiosity about the human body and learning more about what I was going through by defining depression for myself has made me realize all the misconceptions about the disorder and why it is stigmatized has only fueled my eagerness to become a doctor. Although I still deal with the same struggles today, I have learned that although times are tough and it feels like things will never change, hard times won’t last forever, and if you put your mind to it, you can get through it. If you aren’t constantly learning, then you are not growing. Which is why I plan on spending the rest of my life developing and helping others.

Since I can remember, I’ve always been passionate about helping those in need. As an adolescent, I dreamed of becoming a veterinarian because of my strong love for animals. However, my allergies made the executive decision that I should pursue something that wouldn’t leave me with itchy eyes and hives. After entering my early teenage years, I started watching countless videos of Dr. Pimple Popper. Maybe it was the social media craze that influenced my love affair with blackheads and lymphomas or the fact that teenage hormones caused me to have a bout with acne that made me nose-dive into why our skin sometimes betrays us. I became very intrigued by the study of dermatology and even toggled between different careers in the medical field, including anesthesiology and podiatry. However, around this time I struggled with depression. At the time, I was unfamiliar with the disorder. I knew the darkness was taking over faster than my 14-year-old mind could handle. As time went on, my depression began to progress, which caused a snowball effect. I began to miss school, lose sleep, and isolate myself from everyone. I felt there was no escape and couldn’t comprehend why this was happening. At some point, in the midst of this all, something changed. Recently, I discovered what seemed like endless videos of ingrown toenails, foot fungus, and bunions. Although this may seem strange to most, it essentially sparked my interest in podiatry. This past year, I’ve done a lot of research on feet and lower extremities, from determining the qualifications to figuring out the courses I need to take for undergrad, finding a good podiatry school, and ultimately a fellowship. I even found a show called My Aching Feet, which solidified my career path, sparking my interest even more and leading me to seek a mentor. Curiosity about the human body and learning more about what I was going through by defining depression for myself has made me realize all the misconceptions about the disorder and why it is stigmatized has only fueled my eagerness to become a doctor. Although I still deal with the same struggles today, I have learned that although times are tough and it feels like things will never change, hard times won’t last forever, and if you put your mind to it, you can get through it. If you aren’t constantly learning, then you are not growing. Which is why I plan on spending the rest of my life developing and helping others.

Since I can remember, I’ve always been passionate about helping those in need. As an adolescent, I dreamed of becoming a veterinarian because of my strong love for animals. However, my allergies made the executive decision that I should pursue something that wouldn’t leave me with itchy eyes and hives. After entering my early teenage years, I started watching countless videos of Dr. Pimple Popper. Maybe it was the social media craze that influenced my love affair with blackheads and lymphomas or the fact that teenage hormones caused me to have a bout with acne that made me nose-dive into why our skin sometimes betrays us. I became very intrigued by the study of dermatology and even toggled between different careers in the medical field, including anesthesiology and podiatry. However, around this time I struggled with depression. At the time, I was unfamiliar with the disorder. I knew the darkness was taking over faster than my 14-year-old mind could handle. As time went on, my depression began to progress, which caused a snowball effect. I began to miss school, lose sleep, and isolate myself from everyone. I felt there was no escape and couldn’t comprehend why this was happening. At some point, in the midst of this all, something changed. Recently, I discovered what seemed like endless videos of ingrown toenails, foot fungus, and bunions. Although this may seem strange to most, it essentially sparked my interest in podiatry. This past year, I’ve done a lot of research on feet and lower extremities, from determining the qualifications to figuring out the courses I need to take for undergrad, finding a good podiatry school, and ultimately a fellowship. I even found a show called My Aching Feet, which solidified my career path, sparking my interest even more and leading me to seek a mentor. Curiosity about the human body and learning more about what I was going through by defining depression for myself has made me realize all the misconceptions about the disorder and why it is stigmatized has only fueled my eagerness to become a doctor. Although I still deal with the same struggles today, I have learned that although times are tough and it feels like things will never change, hard times won’t last forever, and if you put your mind to it, you can get through it. If you aren’t constantly learning, then you are not growing. Which is why I plan on spending the rest of my life developing and helping others.

Since I can remember, I’ve always been passionate about helping those in need. As an adolescent, I dreamed of becoming a veterinarian because of my strong love for animals. However, my allergies made the executive decision that I should pursue something that wouldn’t leave me with itchy eyes and hives. However, since my dreams of being a veterinarian can’t be fulfilled, helping people in need still resides. In pursuing my career I strive to find a way to help those in need in any way I can. I began watching countless videos of Dr. Pimple Popper. Maybe it was the social media craze that influenced my love affair with blackheads and lymphomas or the fact that teenage hormones caused me to have a bout with acne that made me nose-dive into why our skin sometimes betrays us. I became very intrigued by the study of dermatology and even toggled between different careers in the medical field, including anesthesiology and podiatry. Even taking an interest into Physical therapy since I have background knowledge from my Godmother being one, and with her being such a great role model to me this inspired me even more. At some point in time I also began to take a huge interest in the study of Anesthesiology. Although there are so many different careers to choose from in the medical field, and so many I have taken an interest in, there is one that has always seemingly caught my attention. At some point, something changed. Recently, I discovered what seemed like endless videos of ingrown toenails, foot fungus, and bunions. Although this may seem strange to most, it essentially sparked my interest in podiatry. This past year, I’ve done a lot of research on feet and lower extremities, from determining the qualifications to figuring out the courses I need to take for undergrad, finding a good podiatry school, and ultimately a fellowship. I even found a show called My Aching Feet, which solidified my career path, sparking my interest even more and leading me to seek a mentor. Seeing how much ingrown toenails, fungus, etc causes many people discomfort I want to be able to to resolve that in the best way I can possible. Even to those who are less fortunate and can’t receive the treatment they need I want to be able to provide for them as well. Which is why I would like to open my own private practice to provide for those who are less fortunate, and don’t have access to the healthcare they need. I plan on partnering with other podiatrist of color, like myself in order to not only elevate the cause I am fighting for but to also give them a platform to fall back on as well. Curiosity about the human body has only fueled my eagerness to become a doctor. If you aren’t constantly learning, then you are not growing. I plan on spending the rest of my life developing and helping others hoping to even find cures for things deemed to be incurable in the future.

Since I can remember, I’ve always been passionate about helping those in need. As an adolescent, I dreamed of becoming a veterinarian because of my strong love for animals. However, my allergies made the executive decision that I should pursue something that wouldn’t leave me with itchy eyes and hives. However, since my dreams of being a veterinarian can’t be fulfilled, helping people in need still resides. In pursuing my career I strive to find a way to help those in need in any way I can. I began watching countless videos of Dr. Pimple Popper. Maybe it was the social media craze that influenced my love affair with blackheads and lymphomas or the fact that teenage hormones caused me to have a bout with acne that made me nose-dive into why our skin sometimes betrays us. I became very intrigued by the study of dermatology and even toggled between different careers in the medical field, including anesthesiology and podiatry. Even taking an interest into Physical therapy since I have background knowledge from my Godmother being one, and with her being such a great role model to me this inspired me even more. At some point in time I also began to take a huge interest in the study of Anesthesiology. Although there are so many different careers to choose from in the medical field, and so many I have taken an interest in, there is one that has always seemingly caught my attention. At some point, something changed. Recently, I discovered what seemed like endless videos of ingrown toenails, foot fungus, and bunions. Although this may seem strange to most, it essentially sparked my interest in podiatry. This past year, I’ve done a lot of research on feet and lower extremities, from determining the qualifications to figuring out the courses I need to take for undergrad, finding a good podiatry school, and ultimately a fellowship. I even found a show called My Aching Feet, which solidified my career path, sparking my interest even more and leading me to seek a mentor. Seeing how much ingrown toenails, fungus, etc causes many people discomfort I want to be able to to resolve that in the best way I can possible. Even to those who are less fortunate and can’t receive the treatment they need I want to be able to provide for them as well. Which is why I would like to open my own private practice to provide for those who are less fortunate, and don’t have access to the healthcare they need. I plan on partnering with other podiatrist of color, like myself in order to not only elevate the cause I am fighting for but to also give them a platform to fall back on as well. Curiosity about the human body has only fueled my eagerness to become a doctor. If you aren’t constantly learning, then you are not growing. I plan on spending the rest of my life developing and helping others hoping to even find cures for things deemed to be incurable in the future.

Since I can remember, I’ve always been passionate about helping those in need. As an adolescent, I dreamed of becoming a veterinarian because of my strong love for animals. However, my allergies made the executive decision that I should pursue something that wouldn’t leave me with itchy eyes and hives. However, since my dreams of being a veterinarian can’t be fulfilled, helping people in need still resides. In pursuing my career I strive to find a way to help those in need in any way I can. I began watching countless videos of Dr. Pimple Popper. Maybe it was the social media craze that influenced my love affair with blackheads and lymphomas or the fact that teenage hormones caused me to have a bout with acne that made me nose-dive into why our skin sometimes betrays us. I became very intrigued by the study of dermatology and even toggled between different careers in the medical field, including anesthesiology and podiatry. Even taking an interest into Physical therapy since I have background knowledge from my Godmother being one, and with her being such a great role model to me this inspired me even more. At some point in time I also began to take a huge interest in the study of Anesthesiology. Although there are so many different careers to choose from in the medical field, and so many I have taken an interest in, there is one that has always seemingly caught my attention. At some point, something changed. Recently, I discovered what seemed like endless videos of ingrown toenails, foot fungus, and bunions. Although this may seem strange to most, it essentially sparked my interest in podiatry. This past year, I’ve done a lot of research on feet and lower extremities, from determining the qualifications to figuring out the courses I need to take for undergrad, finding a good podiatry school, and ultimately a fellowship. I even found a show called My Aching Feet, which solidified my career path, sparking my interest even more and leading me to seek a mentor. Seeing how much ingrown toenails, fungus, etc causes many people discomfort I want to be able to to resolve that in the best way I can possible. Even to those who are less fortunate and can’t receive the treatment they need I want to be able to provide for them as well. Which is why I would like to open my own private practice to provide for those who are less fortunate, and don’t have access to the healthcare they need. I plan on partnering with other podiatrist of color, like myself in order to not only elevate the cause I am fighting for but to also give them a platform to fall back on as well. Curiosity about the human body has only fueled my eagerness to become a doctor. If you aren’t constantly learning, then you are not growing. I plan on spending the rest of my life developing and helping others hoping to even find cures for things deemed to be incurable in the future.

Since I can remember, I’ve always been passionate about helping those in need. As an adolescent, I dreamed of becoming a veterinarian because of my strong love for animals. However, my allergies made the executive decision that I should pursue something that wouldn’t leave me with itchy eyes and hives. However, since my dreams of being a veterinarian can’t be fulfilled, helping people in need still resides. In pursuing my career I strive to find a way to help those in need in any way I can. I began watching countless videos of Dr. Pimple Popper. Maybe it was the social media craze that influenced my love affair with blackheads and lymphomas or the fact that teenage hormones caused me to have a bout with acne that made me nose-dive into why our skin sometimes betrays us. I became very intrigued by the study of dermatology and even toggled between different careers in the medical field, including anesthesiology and podiatry. Even taking an interest into Physical therapy since I have background knowledge from my Godmother being one, and with her being such a great role model to me this inspired me even more. At some point in time I also began to take a huge interest in the study of Anesthesiology. Although there are so many different careers to choose from in the medical field, and so many I have taken an interest in, there is one that has always seemingly caught my attention. At some point, something changed. Recently, I discovered what seemed like endless videos of ingrown toenails, foot fungus, and bunions. Although this may seem strange to most, it essentially sparked my interest in podiatry. This past year, I’ve done a lot of research on feet and lower extremities, from determining the qualifications to figuring out the courses I need to take for undergrad, finding a good podiatry school, and ultimately a fellowship. I even found a show called My Aching Feet, which solidified my career path, sparking my interest even more and leading me to seek a mentor. Seeing how much ingrown toenails, fungus, etc causes many people discomfort I want to be able to to resolve that in the best way I can possible. Even to those who are less fortunate and can’t receive the treatment they need I want to be able to provide for them as well. Which is why I would like to open my own private practice to provide for those who are less fortunate, and don’t have access to the healthcare they need. I plan on partnering with other podiatrist of color, like myself in order to not only elevate the cause I am fighting for but to also give them a platform to fall back on as well. Curiosity about the human body has only fueled my eagerness to become a doctor. If you aren’t constantly learning, then you are not growing. I plan on spending the rest of my life developing and helping others hoping to even find cures for things deemed to be incurable in the future.

Since I can remember, I’ve always been passionate about helping those in need. As an adolescent, I dreamed of becoming a veterinarian because of my strong love for animals. However, my allergies made the executive decision that I should pursue something that wouldn’t leave me with itchy eyes and hives. However, since my dreams of being a veterinarian can’t be fulfilled, helping people in need still resides. In pursuing my career I strive to find a way to help those in need in any way I can. happening. I began watching countless videos of Dr. Pimple Popper. Maybe it was the social media craze that influenced my love affair with blackheads and lymphomas or the fact that teenage hormones caused me to have a bout with acne that made me nose-dive into why our skin sometimes betrays us. I became very intrigued by the study of dermatology and even toggled between different careers in the medical field, including anesthesiology and podiatry. Even taking an interest into Physical therapy since I have background knowledge from my Godmother being one, and with her being such a great role model to me this inspired me even more. At some point in time I also began to take a huge interest in the study of Anesthesiology. Although there are so many different careers to choose from in the medical field, and so many I have taken an interest in, there is one that has always seemingly caught my attention. At some point, something changed. Recently, I discovered what seemed like endless videos of ingrown toenails, foot fungus, and bunions. Although this may seem strange to most, it essentially sparked my interest in podiatry. This past year, I’ve done a lot of research on feet and lower extremities, from determining the qualifications to figuring out the courses I need to take for undergrad, finding a good podiatry school, and ultimately a fellowship. I even found a show called My Aching Feet, which solidified my career path, sparking my interest even more and leading me to seek a mentor. Seeing how much ingrown toenails, fungus, etc causes many people discomfort I want to be able to to resolve that in the best way I can possible. Even to those who are less fortunate and can’t receive the treatment they need I want to be able to provide for them as well. Curiosity about the human body has only fueled my eagerness to become a doctor. If you aren’t constantly learning, then you are not growing. I plan on spending the rest of my life developing and helping others hoping to even find cures for things deemed to be incurable in the future.

Since I can remember, I’ve always been passionate about helping those in need. As an adolescent, I dreamed of becoming a veterinarian because of my strong love for animals. However, my allergies made the executive decision that I should pursue something that wouldn’t leave me with itchy eyes and hives. However, since my dreams of being an veterinarian can’t be fulfilled, helping people in need still resides. In pursuing my career I strive to find way to help those in need in anyway I can. After entering my early teenage years, I started watching countless videos of Dr. Pimple Popper. Maybe it was the social media craze that influenced my love affair with blackheads and lymphomas or the fact that teenage hormones caused me to have a bout with acne that made me nose-dive into why our skin sometimes betrays us. I became very intrigued by the study of dermatology and even toggled between different careers in the medical field, including anesthesiology and podiatry. Even taking an interest in Physical therapy since I have background knowledge from my God Mother being one. Although there are so many different careers to choose from in the medical field, and so many I have taken an interest there is one that has always seemingly caught my attention. At some point, something changed. Recently, I discovered what seemed like endless videos of ingrown toenails, foot fungus, and bunions. Although this may seem strange to most, it essentially sparked my interest in podiatry. This past year, I’ve done a lot of research on feet and lower extremities, from determining the qualifications to figuring out the courses, I need to take for undergrad, finding a good podiatry school, and ultimately a fellowship. I even found a show called My Aching Feet, which solidified my career path, sparking my interest even more and leading me to seek a mentor. Seeing how much-ingrown toenails, fungus, etc causes many people discomfort I want to be able to resolve that in the best way I can possible. Even for those who are less fortunate and can’t receive the treatment, they need I want to be able to provide for them as well. Curiosity about the human body has only fueled my eagerness to become a doctor. If you aren’t constantly learning, then you are not growing. I plan on spending the rest of my life developing and helping others hoping to even find cures for things deemed to be incurable in the future.

Since I can remember, I’ve always been passionate about helping those in need. As an adolescent, I dreamed of becoming a veterinarian because of my strong love for animals. However, my allergies made the executive decision that I should pursue something that wouldn’t leave me with itchy eyes and hives. However, since my dreams of being an veterinarian can’t be fulfilled, helping people in need still resides. In pursuing my career I strive to find way to help those in need in anyway I can. After entering my early teenage years, I started watching countless videos of Dr. Pimple Popper. Maybe it was the social media craze that influenced my love affair with blackheads and lymphomas or the fact that teenage hormones caused me to have a bout with acne that made me nose-dive into why our skin sometimes betrays us. I became very intrigued by the study of dermatology and even toggled between different careers in the medical field, including anesthesiology and podiatry. Even taking an interest in Physical therapy since I have background knowledge from my God Mother being one. Although there are so many different careers to choose from in the medical field, and so many I have taken an interest there is one that has always seemingly caught my attention. At some point, something changed. Recently, I discovered what seemed like endless videos of ingrown toenails, foot fungus, and bunions. Although this may seem strange to most, it essentially sparked my interest in podiatry. This past year, I’ve done a lot of research on feet and lower extremities, from determining the qualifications to figuring out the courses, I need to take for undergrad, finding a good podiatry school, and ultimately a fellowship. I even found a show called My Aching Feet, which solidified my career path, sparking my interest even more and leading me to seek a mentor. Seeing how much-ingrown toenails, fungus, etc causes many people discomfort I want to be able to resolve that in the best way I can possible. Even for those who are less fortunate and can’t receive the treatment, they need I want to be able to provide for them as well. Curiosity about the human body has only fueled my eagerness to become a doctor. If you aren’t constantly learning, then you are not growing. I plan on spending the rest of my life developing and helping others hoping to even find cures for things deemed to be incurable in the future.

Since I can remember, I’ve always been passionate about helping those in need. As an adolescent, I dreamed of becoming a veterinarian because of my strong love for animals. However, my allergies made the executive decision that I should pursue something that wouldn’t leave me with itchy eyes and hives. However, since my dreams of being an veterinarian can’t be fulfilled, helping people in need still resides. In pursuing my career I strive to find way to help those in need in anyway I can. After entering my early teenage years, I started watching countless videos of Dr. Pimple Popper. Maybe it was the social media craze that influenced my love affair with blackheads and lymphomas or the fact that teenage hormones caused me to have a bout with acne that made me nose-dive into why our skin sometimes betrays us. I became very intrigued by the study of dermatology and even toggled between different careers in the medical field, including anesthesiology and podiatry. Even taking an interest in Physical therapy since I have background knowledge from my God Mother being one. Although there are so many different careers to choose from in the medical field, and so many I have taken an interest there is one that has always seemingly caught my attention. At some point, something changed. Recently, I discovered what seemed like endless videos of ingrown toenails, foot fungus, and bunions. Although this may seem strange to most, it essentially sparked my interest in podiatry. This past year, I’ve done a lot of research on feet and lower extremities, from determining the qualifications to figuring out the courses, I need to take for undergrad, finding a good podiatry school, and ultimately a fellowship. I even found a show called My Aching Feet, which solidified my career path, sparking my interest even more and leading me to seek a mentor. Seeing how much-ingrown toenails, fungus, etc causes many people discomfort I want to be able to resolve that in the best way I can possible. Even for those who are less fortunate and can’t receive the treatment, they need I want to be able to provide for them as well. Curiosity about the human body has only fueled my eagerness to become a doctor. If you aren’t constantly learning, then you are not growing. I plan on spending the rest of my life developing and helping others hoping to even find cures for things deemed to be incurable in the future.

Since I can remember, I’ve always been passionate about helping those in need. As an adolescent, I dreamed of becoming a veterinarian because of my strong love for animals. However, my allergies made the executive decision that I should pursue something that wouldn’t leave me with itchy eyes and hives. After entering my early teenage years, I started watching countless videos of Dr. Pimple Popper. Maybe it was the social media craze that influenced my love affair with blackheads and lymphomas or the fact that teenage hormones caused me to have a bout with acne that made me nose-dive into why our skin sometimes betrays us. I became very intrigued by the study of dermatology and even toggled between different careers in the medical field, including anesthesiology and podiatry. Although there are so many different careers to choose from in the medical field, and so many I have taken an interest there is one that has always seemingly caught my attention. At some point, something changed. Recently, I discovered what seemed like endless videos of ingrown toenails, foot fungus, etc. It essentially sparked my interest in podiatry. This past year, I’ve done a lot of research on feet and lower extremities, from determining the qualifications to figuring out the courses, I need to take for undergrad, finding a good podiatry school, and ultimately a fellowship. Seeing how much ingrown toenails and more causes many people discomfort I want to be able to to resolve that in the best way I can. Curiosity about the human body has only fueled my eagerness to become a doctor. If you aren’t constantly learning, then you are not growing. I plan on spending my life helping others hoping to find cures for things deemed to be incurable.

I didn’t know darkness until it knocked at my door and handed me a package with fragile stamped all over in crimson red. The return label was hard to read, but one legible word was D-E-P-R-E-S-S-I-O-N. The word was read through my ears and felt throughout my body. This was the beginning of a journey of facing a challenge stigmatized by society. The summer before my first year of high school, I struggled with depression. At the time, I was unfamiliar with the disorder. I knew the darkness was taking over faster than my 14-year-old mind could handle. As time went on, my depression began to progress, which caused a snowball effect. I began to miss school, lose sleep, and isolate myself from everyone. I felt there was no escape and couldn’t comprehend why this was happening. It felt like I was stuck in a never-ending cycle that started affecting my daily life, most importantly, school. Although the first few months of school were challenging, I still pushed through and ended the year with pretty good grades, although I fell behind. Little did I know, this was my way of existing and flying on the radar. Still appearing like everything was fine, no one knew how hard I was struggling just to keep it together. Learning more about what I was going through by defining depression for myself has made me realize all the misconceptions about the disorder and why it is stigmatized. There’s only one explanation. Many people are simply unaware and educated enough about such a dynamic illness. Although I still deal with the same struggles today, I have learned that although times are tough and it feels like things will never change, hard times won’t last forever, and if you put your mind to it, you can get through it. With the help of my therapist, I’ve learned a new word—a new way of thinking. It’s called coping. I am learning to separate Alanna from depression. It will be lifelong, but it’s not something that defines who I was, who I am, or who I will be. One thing I’ve done to advocate for social change is utilizing my social media to encourage others to use mental health resources. On April 11, 2022, I decided to seek help for my mental health struggles. The turn of events inspired me to use my large social media following in hopes of reaching others in need. My name is Alanna Jackson, and I’ve been battling depression for over four years, which has led me to raise awareness of the importance of taking care of your mental health and suicide prevention. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the last 20 years, suicide rates have risen by over 30%. This staggering figure highlights why it is essential to understand the effects of mental illness, warning signs, and the importance of having the right tools and resources. Though my mental health struggles will be lifelong, learning healthy ways to cope has gotten me to where I am today. I hope to help others not live in their depression but view it as a separate entity. Whenever I find a quote or hear an anecdote that resonates with my journey, I try to share it on all my social media platforms. Even if the message only reaches one of my 45,000 followers, I count that as a success. That’s one more win and one less obituary. I’ve learned that speaking out is one of the most courageous things I could’ve done. Speaking up saved my life, and I hope it does the same for others.

One thing I’ve done to advocate for social change is utilizing my social media to encourage others to use mental health resources. On April 11, 2022, I decided to seek help for my mental health struggles. The turn of events inspired me to use my large social media following in hopes of reaching others in need. My name is Alanna Jackson, and I’ve been battling depression for over four years, which has led me to raise awareness of the importance of taking care of your mental health and suicide prevention. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the last 20 years, suicide rates have risen by over 30%. This staggering figure highlights why it is essential to understand the effects of mental illness, warning signs, and the importance of having the right tools and resources. Though my mental health struggles will be lifelong, learning healthy ways to cope has gotten me to where I am today. I hope to help others not live in their depression but view it as a separate entity. Whenever I find a quote or hear an anecdote that resonates with my journey, I try to share it on all my social media platforms. Even if the message only reaches one person, I count that as a success. That’s one more win and one less obituary. Although I myself am still trying to figure out the best ways to improve my mental health I’ve learned that speaking out is one of the most courageous things I could’ve done. Speaking up saved my life, and I hope it does the same for others.

I didn’t know darkness until it knocked at my door and handed me a package with fragile stamped all over in crimson red. The return label was hard to read, but one legible word was D-E-P-R-E-S-S-I-O-N. The word was read through my ears and felt throughout my body. This was the beginning of a journey of facing a challenge stigmatized by society. The summer before my first year of high school, I struggled with depression. At the time, I was unfamiliar with the disorder. I knew the darkness was taking over faster than my 14-year-old mind could handle. As time went on, my depression began to progress, which caused a snowball effect. I began to miss school, lose sleep, and isolate myself from everyone. I felt there was no escape and couldn’t comprehend why this was happening. It felt like I was stuck in a never-ending cycle that started affecting my daily life, most importantly, school. Although the first few months of school were challenging, I still pushed through and ended the year with pretty good grades, although I fell behind. Little did I know, this was my way of existing and flying on the radar. Still appearing like everything was fine, no one knew how hard I was struggling just to keep it together. Learning more about what I was going through by defining depression for myself has made me realize all the misconceptions about the disorder and why it is stigmatized. There’s only one explanation. Many people are simply unaware and educated enough about such a dynamic illness. Although I still deal with the same struggles today, I have learned that although times are tough and it feels like things will never change, hard times won’t last forever, and if you put your mind to it, you can get through it. With the help of my therapist, I’ve learned a new word—a new way of thinking. It’s called coping. I am learning to separate Alanna from depression. It will be lifelong, but it’s not something that defines who I was, who I am, or who I will be. One thing I’ve done to advocate for social change is utilizing my social media to encourage others to use mental health resources. On April 11, 2022, I decided to seek help for my mental health struggles. The turn of events inspired me to use my large social media following in hopes of reaching others in need. My name is Alanna Jackson, and I’ve been battling depression for over four years, which has led me to raise awareness of the importance of taking care of your mental health and suicide prevention. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the last 20 years, suicide rates have risen by over 30%. This staggering figure highlights why it is essential to understand the effects of mental illness, warning signs, and the importance of having the right tools and resources. Though my mental health struggles will be lifelong, learning healthy ways to cope has gotten me to where I am today. I hope to help others not live in their depression but view it as a separate entity. Whenever I find a quote or hear an anecdote that resonates with my journey, I try to share it on all my social media platforms. Even if the message only reaches one person, I count that as success. I’ve learned that speaking out is one of the most courageous things I could’ve done. Speaking up saved my life, and I hope it does the same for others.

Since I can remember, I’ve always been passionate about helping those in need. As an adolescent, I dreamed of becoming a veterinarian because of my strong love for animals. However, my allergies made the executive decision that I should pursue something that wouldn’t leave me with itchy eyes and hives. However, since my dreams of being an veterinarian can’t be fulfilled, helping people in need still resides. In pursuing my career I strive to find way to help those in need in anyway I can. After entering my early teenage years, I started watching countless videos of Dr. Pimple Popper. Maybe it was the social media craze that influenced my love affair with blackheads and lymphomas or the fact that teenage hormones caused me to have a bout with acne that made me nose-dive into why our skin sometimes betrays us. I became very intrigued by the study of dermatology and even toggled between different careers in the medical field, including anesthesiology and podiatry. Even taking an interest into Physical therapy since I have background knowledge from my God Mother being one. Although there are so many different careers to choose from in the medical field, and so many I have taken an interest there is one that has always seemingly caught my attention. At some point, something changed. Recently, I discovered what seemed like endless videos of ingrown toenails, foot fungus, and bunions. Although this may seem strange to most, it essentially sparked my interest in podiatry. This past year, I’ve done a lot of research on feet and lower extremities, from determining the qualifications to figuring out the courses, I need to take for undergrad, finding a good podiatry school, and ultimately a fellowship. I even found a show called My Aching Feet, which solidified my career path, sparking my interest even more and leading me to seek a mentor. Seeing how much ingrown toenails, fungus, etc causes many people discomfort I want to be able to to resolve that in the best way I can possible. Even to those who are less fortunate and can’t receive the treatment they need I want to be able to provide for them as well. Curiosity about the human body has only fueled my eagerness to become a doctor. If you aren’t constantly learning, then you are not growing. I plan on spending the rest of my life developing and helping others hoping to even find cures for things deemed to be incurable in the future.

Since I can remember, I’ve always been passionate about helping those in need. As an adolescent, I dreamed of becoming a veterinarian because of my strong love for animals. However, my allergies made the executive decision that I should pursue something that wouldn’t leave me with itchy eyes and hives. However, since my dreams of being an veterinarian can’t be fulfilled, helping people in need still resides. In pursuing my career I strive to find way to help those in need in anyway I can. However I’ve began to struggle with issues that caused me to stray away from my dreams. Though my mental health struggles will be lifelong, learning healthy ways to cope has gotten me to where I am today. I hope to help others not live in their depression but view it as a separate entity. After entering my early teenage years, I started watching countless videos of Dr. Pimple Popper. Maybe it was the social media craze that influenced my love affair with blackheads and lymphomas or the fact that teenage hormones caused me to have a bout with acne that made me nose-dive into why our skin sometimes betrays us. I became very intrigued by the study of dermatology and even toggled between different careers in the medical field, including anesthesiology and podiatry. Even taking an interest into Physical therapy since I have background knowledge from my God Mother being one. Although there are so many different careers to choose from in the medical field, and so many I have taken an interest there is one that has always seemingly caught my attention. At some point, something changed. Recently, I discovered what seemed like endless videos of ingrown toenails, foot fungus, and bunions. Although this may seem strange to most, it essentially sparked my interest in podiatry. This past year, I’ve done a lot of research on feet and lower extremities, from determining the qualifications to figuring out the courses, I need to take for undergrad, finding a good podiatry school, and ultimately a fellowship. I even found a show called My Aching Feet, which solidified my career path, sparking my interest even more and leading me to seek a mentor. Seeing how much ingrown toenails, fungus, etc causes many people discomfort I want to be able to to resolve that in the best way I can possible. Even to those who are less fortunate and can’t receive the treatment they need I want to be able to provide for them as well. Curiosity about the human body has only fueled my eagerness to become a doctor. If you aren’t constantly learning, then you are not growing. I plan on spending the rest of my life developing and helping others hoping to even find cures for things deemed to be incurable in the future.

Since I can remember, I’ve always been passionate about helping those in need. As an adolescent, I dreamed of becoming a veterinarian because of my strong love for animals. However, my allergies made the executive decision that I should pursue something that wouldn’t leave me with itchy eyes and hives. However, since my dreams of being an veterinarian can’t be fulfilled, helping people in need still resides. In pursuing my career I strive to find way to help those in need in anyway I can. After entering my early teenage years, I started watching countless videos of Dr. Pimple Popper. Maybe it was the social media craze that influenced my love affair with blackheads and lymphomas or the fact that teenage hormones caused me to have a bout with acne that made me nose-dive into why our skin sometimes betrays us. I became very intrigued by the study of dermatology and even toggled between different careers in the medical field, including anesthesiology and podiatry. Even taking an interest into Physical therapy since I have background knowledge from my God Mother being one. Although there are so many different careers to choose from in the medical field, and so many I have taken an interest there is one that has always seemingly caught my attention. At some point, something changed. Recently, I discovered what seemed like endless videos of ingrown toenails, foot fungus, and bunions. Although this may seem strange to most, it essentially sparked my interest in podiatry. This past year, I’ve done a lot of research on feet and lower extremities, from determining the qualifications to figuring out the courses, I need to take for undergrad, finding a good podiatry school, and ultimately a fellowship. I even found a show called My Aching Feet, which solidified my career path, sparking my interest even more and leading me to seek a mentor. Seeing how much ingrown toenails, fungus, etc causes many people discomfort I want to be able to to resolve that in the best way I can possible. Even to those who are less fortunate and can’t receive the treatment they need I want to be able to provide for them as well. Curiosity about the human body has only fueled my eagerness to become a doctor. If you aren’t constantly learning, then you are not growing. I plan on spending the rest of my life developing and helping others hoping to even find cures for things deemed to be incurable in the future.

Since I can remember, I’ve always been passionate about helping those in need. As an adolescent, I dreamed of becoming a veterinarian because of my strong love for animals. However, my allergies made the executive decision that I should pursue something that wouldn’t leave me with itchy eyes and hives. However, since my dreams of being an veterinarian can’t be fulfilled, helping people in need still resides. In pursuing my career I strive to find way to help those in need in anyway I can. After entering my early teenage years, I started watching countless videos of Dr. Pimple Popper. Maybe it was the social media craze that influenced my love affair with blackheads and lymphomas or the fact that teenage hormones caused me to have a bout with acne that made me nose-dive into why our skin sometimes betrays us. I became very intrigued by the study of dermatology and even toggled between different careers in the medical field, including anesthesiology and podiatry. Even taking an interest into Physical therapy since I have background knowledge from my God Mother being one. Although there are so many different careers to choose from in the medical field, and so many I have taken an interest there is one that has always seemingly caught my attention. At some point, something changed. Recently, I discovered what seemed like endless videos of ingrown toenails, foot fungus, and bunions. Although this may seem strange to most, it essentially sparked my interest in podiatry. This past year, I’ve done a lot of research on feet and lower extremities, from determining the qualifications to figuring out the courses, I need to take for undergrad, finding a good podiatry school, and ultimately a fellowship. I even found a show called My Aching Feet, which solidified my career path, sparking my interest even more and leading me to seek a mentor. Seeing how much ingrown toenails, fungus, etc causes many people discomfort I want to be able to to resolve that in the best way I can possible. Even to those who are less fortunate and can’t receive the treatment they need I want to be able to provide for them as well. Curiosity about the human body has only fueled my eagerness to become a doctor. If you aren’t constantly learning, then you are not growing. I plan on spending the rest of my life developing and helping others hoping to even find cures for things deemed to be incurable in the future.

Since I can remember, I’ve always been passionate about helping those in need. As an adolescent, I dreamed of becoming a veterinarian because of my strong love for animals. However, my allergies made the executive decision that I should pursue something that wouldn’t leave me with itchy eyes and hives. After entering my early teenage years, I started watching countless videos of Dr. Pimple Popper. Maybe it was the social media craze that influenced my love affair with blackheads and lymphomas or the fact that teenage hormones caused me to have a bout with acne that made me nose-dive into why our skin sometimes betrays us. I became very intrigued by the study of dermatology and even toggled between different careers in the medical field, including anesthesiology and podiatry. At some point, something changed. Recently, I discovered what seemed like endless videos of ingrown toenails, foot fungus, and bunions. Although this may seem strange to most, it essentially sparked my interest in podiatry. This past year, I’ve done a lot of research on feet and lower extremities, from determining the qualifications to figuring out the courses, I need to take for undergrad, finding a good podiatry school, and ultimately a fellowship. I even found a show called My Aching Feet, which solidified my career path, sparking my interest even more and leading me to seek a mentor. Curiosity about the human body has only fueled my eagerness to become a doctor. If you aren’t constantly learning, then you are not growing. I plan on spending the rest of my life developing and helping others. Which also brings me to why it is extremely important why there is diversity in the workplace because the medical field is filled with diversity. Being in the workplace you will come across many people from all sorts of different backgrounds, experiences, and qualifications.

One thing I’ve done to advocate for social change is utilizing my social media to encourage others to use mental health resources. On April 11, 2022, I decided to seek help for my mental health struggles. The turn of events inspired me to use my large social media following in hopes of reaching others in need. My name is Alanna Jackson, and I’ve been battling depression for over four years, which has led me to raise awareness of the importance of taking care of your mental health and suicide prevention. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the last 20 years, suicide rates have risen by over 30%. This staggering figure highlights why it is essential to understand the effects of mental illness, warning signs, and the importance of having the right tools and resources. Though my mental health struggles will be lifelong, learning healthy ways to cope has gotten me to where I am today. I hope to help others not live in their depression but view it as a separate entity. Whenever I find a quote or hear an anecdote that resonates with my journey, I try to share it on all my social media platforms. Even if the message only reaches one of my 45,000 followers, I count that as a success. That’s one more win and one less obituary. I’ve learned that speaking out is one of the most courageous things I could’ve done. Speaking up saved my life, and I hope it does the same for others. In regards to my career choice, Since I can remember, I’ve always been passionate about helping those in need. As an adolescent, I dreamed of becoming a veterinarian because of my strong love for animals. However, my allergies made the executive decision that I should pursue something that wouldn’t leave me with itchy eyes and hives. After entering my early teenage years, I started watching countless videos of Dr. Pimple Popper. Maybe it was the social media craze that influenced my love affair with blackheads and lymphomas or the fact that teenage hormones caused me to have a bout with acne that made me nose-dive into why our skin sometimes betrays us. I became very intrigued by the study of dermatology and even toggled between different careers in the medical field, including anesthesiology and podiatry. At some point, something changed. Recently, I discovered what seemed like endless videos of ingrown toenails, foot fungus, and bunions. Although this may seem strange to most, it essentially sparked my interest in podiatry. This past year, I’ve done a lot of research on feet and lower extremities, from determining the qualifications to figuring out the courses, I need to take for undergrad, finding a good podiatry school, and ultimately a fellowship. I even found a show called My Aching Feet, which solidified my career path, sparking my interest even more and leading me to seek a mentor. Curiosity about the human body has only fueled my eagerness to become a doctor. If you aren’t constantly learning, then you are not growing. I plan on spending the rest of my life developing and helping others.

One thing I’ve done to advocate for social change is utilizing my social media to encourage others to use mental health resources. On April 11, 2022, I decided to seek help for my mental health struggles. The turn of events inspired me to use my large social media following in hopes of reaching others in need. My name is Alanna Jackson, and I’ve been battling depression for over four years, which has led me to raise awareness of the importance of taking care of your mental health and suicide prevention. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the last 20 years, suicide rates have risen by over 30%. This staggering figure highlights why it is essential to understand the effects of mental illness, warning signs, and the importance of having the right tools and resources. Though my mental health struggles will be lifelong, learning healthy ways to cope has gotten me to where I am today. I hope to help others not live in their depression but view it as a separate entity. Whenever I find a quote or hear an anecdote that resonates with my journey, I try to share it on all my social media platforms. Even if the message only reaches one of my 45,000 followers, I count that as a success. That’s one more win and one less obituary. I’ve learned that speaking out is one of the most courageous things I could’ve done. Speaking up saved my life, and I hope it does the same for others.

Due to it being Suicide Prevention month, in honor of it,I’d like to share my story in hopes to reach someone in need. Hi, my name is Alanna and For the past 5 or so years of my life i’ve struggled with depression and just this year on April 11th I decided to seek out the help I’ve been needed, although I did not quite exactly know how. Ever since my 8th grade year in middle, i’m been battling severe depression and anxiety. At the time I didn’t fully understand what exactly I was feeling and why? Which later posed a question, “ Why am I so uncomfortable in my own skin?” Entering in to my freshman year of high-school I brushed all of those thoughts and feelings to the side thinking what I was feeling was temporary, and simply because i’m going through the period of my life that involves many changes. I found that to be wrong toward the middle of my freshman year which lead to a serious of intrusive thoughts, self doubt, self harm, and much more to the point I couldn’t understand why. However, during that time I did get help but it wasn’t as affected due to me being dishonest and even convincing myself i’d be okay which was completely wrong.Through the course of my Sophomore and Junior year I had many ups and downs but still managed to carry myself in a way to somehow avoid everything going on behind closed doors. Until April 11th, 2022. The day I reach my all time low. Although, that day marks one of the hardest times in my life in a way I am thankful for it. If I had made the decision to end my life right then and there for temporary problems I would not be able to experience everything life has in store for me. Although life was not designed to be easy that is what was makes it beautiful and to everyone going through things they don’t speak of, or feel as though all hope is lost know that you’re not alone keep fighting! Although that is easier said then done if you are willingly to help yourself you can overcome what you are going through.

Due to it being Suicide Prevention month, in honor of it,I’d like to share my story in hopes to reach someone in need. Hi, my name is Alanna and For the past 5 or so years of my life i’ve struggled with depression and just this year on April 11th I decided to seek out the help I’ve been needed, although I did not quite exactly know how. Ever since my 8th grade year in middle, i’m been battling severe depression and anxiety. At the time I didn’t fully understand what exactly I was feeling and why? Which later posed a question, “ Why am I so uncomfortable in my own skin?” Entering in to my freshman year of high-school I brushed all of those thoughts and feelings to the side thinking what I was feeling was temporary, and simply because i’m going through the period of my life that involves many changes. I found that to be wrong toward the middle of my freshman year which lead to a serious of intrusive thoughts, self doubt, self harm, and much more to the point I couldn’t understand why. However, during that time I did get help but it wasn’t as affected due to me being dishonest and even convincing myself i’d be okay which was completely wrong.Through the course of my Sophomore and Junior year I had many ups and downs but still managed to carry myself in a way to somehow avoid everything going on behind closed doors. Until April 11th, 2022. The day I reach my all time low. Although, that day marks one of the hardest times in my life in a way I am thankful for it. If I had made the decision to end my life right then and there for temporary problems I would not be able to experience everything life has in store for me. Although life was not designed to be easy that is what was makes it beautiful and to everyone going through things they don’t speak of, or feel as though all hope is lost know that you’re not alone keep fighting! Although that is easier said then done if you are willingly to help yourself you can overcome what you are going through.

Due to it being Suicide Prevention month, in honor of it, I’d like to share my story in hopes to reach someone in need. Hi, my name is Alanna I’m currently a senior in highschool, looking to major in biology in hopes to study pre-med. For the past 5 or so years of my life, I've struggled with depression, and just this year on April 11th I decided to seek out the help I’ve been needing, although I did not quite exactly know how. Ever since my 8th-grade year in the middle, I'm been battling severe depression and anxiety. At the time I didn’t fully understand what exactly I was feeling and why? Which later posed a question, “ Why am I so uncomfortable in my skin?” Entering my freshman year of high school I brushed all of those thoughts and feelings to the side thinking what I was feeling was temporary, and simply because I’m going through a period of my life that involves many changes. I found that to be wrong toward the middle of my freshman year which lead to a series of intrusive thoughts, self-doubt, self-harm, and much more to the point I couldn’t understand why. However, during that time I did get help but it wasn’t as affected due to me being dishonest and even convincing myself I’d be okay which was completely wrong. Through the course of my Sophomore and Junior year, I had many ups and downs but still managed to carry myself in a way to somehow avoid everything going on behind closed doors. Until April 11th, 2022. The day I reach my all-time low. Although, that day marks one of the hardest times in my life in a way I am thankful for it. If I had decided to end my life right then and there of temporary problems I would not be able to experience everything life has in store for me. Although life was not designed to be easy that is what makes it beautiful and to everyone going through things they don’t speak of or feel as though all hope is lost know that you do not alone keep fighting! Although that is easier said than done if you are willing to help yourself you can overcome what you are going through. Although I am still overcoming and figuring out what more I need to do, I want to restate again that I am glad that I decided to keep fighting.