The first thing I did when I stepped off the plane in Newark this past July, is make my way to the Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan. I dragged my best friend along to stare at pieces that many people would know immediately. The one that caught my eye the most was Henri Matisse's Dance I. Although it's a simple piece, the history surrounding it is something I couldn't get out of my head. Dance I is actually the initial experimentation to a commission that Matisse was working on for a Russian Aristocrat named Sergei Shchukin. The fact that Dance I was never supposed to be put on display, but rather just the preliminary practice for the final product astounds me. I find it incredibly encouraging that something that was created to be overlooked is actually hanging in one of the most recognized modern art museums in the world for people to admire. It makes me think that if a simple piece of canvas with paint and an idea can be valued so highly, perhaps I can be too despite my humbling background.

My tailless Calico, Sheba, has an affinity for stealing napkins from the kitchen table. One day, she was sleeping at the foot of my bed surrounded by her most recent loot of birthday napkins. I staged this photo by tucking her into her napkins and sliding a little McDonalds toy into her arms. She slept soundly until she heard my incessant giggling; if looks could kill, her face when my laughter woke up would die the trick.

Although mental health has grown in terms of advocacy and attention, the recourses and effort are lacking throughout society when it comes to taking action. The healthcare system is focused on solving the issue by prescribing medications and making indifferent efforts to assist with therapy. My experience with mental health has given me unbreakable resiliency and immense appreciation. Beginning at the young age of 11 my family was beginning to weaken as a result of the ignored mental health of my sister's father. A veteran, he has experienced unspeakable things in the name of serving the country. Unfortunately he has brought these things with him and inflicted them upon his family over the next 7 years. The local Veterans Affairs ignored the obvious necessity of working through his PTSD to prevent potential self-destructive behaviors. Rather than actively work with him to solve the blatant issues being presented, they diagnosed him 50% mentally disabled and paid him monthly for his troubles. This led to him coping through alcohol, which resulted in severe alcoholism. The entirety of this situation landed my family in the subject of domestic abuse at the hand of the ignored mental health of my sister's father. Over the course of the 7 agonizing years I developed the steely resiliency I pride myself of having. I learned to look towards the future and told myself that if I worked hard enough I would escape the position I never asked to be landed in. Eventually my beautiful mother gained the strength to move us out, where we are now healing slowly and growing steadily. The intense experience I have had with mental health is the leading factor in who I am today. My reasoning for wanting to become an Art Conservator and go to college out-of-state is all thanks to society's take on the importance of mental health. During the dark 7 years my family endured, I developed a deep appreciation for art and one's ability to be unique. Art acted as an escape for me; I was able to look into a piece and think about the artists' choices and what they meant and what they might have gone through while making this piece. Trying to understand the psychology behind art while admiring the beauty and craftsmanship provided a therapy as well as an escape that I very much so needed. This developed into a desire to ensure art remained at its true potential so that viewers like me are able to enjoy its infinite beauty as a means for their own escape. I believe mental health to be one of the most important aspects of one's life and body. By nurturing the mind people can perfect their bodies and their crafts. It is the forefront of success and should be valued more than it is. Mental health should be taken seriously to prevent situations like mine and the death of billions of others.