I practice patience and kindness. It does not take much to have a kind heart with the elderly community. It also does not take much to be a listening ear to their stories. It is a humbling experience to have someone with many more years of life experience share their struggles and triumphs with you. It is a shared moment to watch as they reminisce on their life past, and reflect on years long journeys. The simple things, like not being in such a rush, taking the time to take in every present moment, and to be genuine means the most. This is how I connect with the elders in my community.

I aspire to further my education and research in human development- to understand why our society is the way it is and what we can do to help each other. I want to serve my community, to help others find their way, and to point people in the right direction. My greatest inspiration is helping people in need. This is my ultimate pursuit. My goal is to complete my higher education to become a social worker. There was a time in my life when I relied on county services. It was during my journey where I finally understood the feeling of wasted potential. It truly was the experience of a lifetime. It taught me how strong I am in the face of adversity. The power of belief. And the good of mankind. When I couldn't find a reason to pursue higher education or to keep going, I found one. Being in as vulnerable position as I was, the county case workers who helped me get my life back on track and who believed in me wholeheartedly, inspired me. I volunteer at the same food drives that fed me. I walk the streets of San Francisco, handing out lunches and passing along information to accessible resources that I relied on. I am a mentor to young girls, to inspire them and to be a sister figure they can talk to. I am an equal rights activist, an advocate for domestic violence awareness. I am a concerned citizen of my city, bringing awareness to issues amongst the low income and minority communities. I am a voice for the ones unheard. I am the face that's been through it. I am the role model and inspiration for change. This is how I give back to my community, and it's not going to stop there. I am dedicated to fighting this battle for the ones who need us and rely on us. The ones feeing powerless and meek. No matter what, this is my life's mission, so I will continue to fight for my education to get me there.

"Even if I'm not okay, I'm always going to be okay." I've always had a strong belief of in this saying. You never know what life may throw at you, but as long as you believe that you're going to get through it, you will. We create our own reality from the thoughts we think, to the words we say, and especially the way we perceive things. In my darkest times, when I didn't know anything at all, the one thing I knew for certain, was that I was going to be okay. That saying carried me through my most challenging times in life. And even in my struggles, I found strength because of my belief in this saying.

To fund my education so I can continue to inspire change and to do what I love. I aspire to further my education and research in human development- to understand why our society is the way it is and what we can do to help each other. I aspire to be a social worker at the end of this. I currently volunteer at food drives that have fed me. I walk the streets of San Francisco, handing out lunches and passing along information to accessible resources that I relied on. I am a mentor to young girls, to inspire them and to be the older sister they can talk to. I am an equal rights activist, an advocate for domestic violence awareness, a member of the LGBTQ+ community. I am a concerned citizen of my city, bringing awareness to issues amongst the low income and minority communities. I am a voice for the ones unheard. I am the face that's been through it. I am a role model and inspiration for change. This scholarship will help me on my journey and motivate me to continue on the path that I am.

Raising a child isn't easy. Especially when you're a single father raising a baby girl on your own. This was the case for my father. My father got sole custody of me when I was two years old because my mother lost herself to her drug addiction. She was the love of his life, the breadwinner of the family, and the mother of his child. She always had an on and off battle with this, but my father stood by her through it all. But when I was in the picture, it was very different. He knew he had to take action and do what was best for me. His life looked very different than how he imagined it. He was newly divorced with a baby on his hands working as a mechanic barely making ends meet. But nevertheless, he put everything aside for me and did everything in his power to keep me on the right track in life My father taught me about discipline and dedication, and what it means to work for something you love, and to earn what you work for. Like any child, there are times I look back on and regret because we often take the unconditional love of our parents for granted or fail to acknowledge the extent of their love. I'm in my third year of college, but it's taken a long time to get here. And in the moments when it felt like I couldn't do it, I still managed to find a way. My dad never stopped believing in me. When I failed a remedial math class five semesters in a row, he always said "you'll get it next semester." And did I prove him wrong! It took me five times and a whole new placement to even get to the university standard. But the fact of the matter is- he never stopped believing in me, and he always told me to keep going. I've gone through challenges like any other adult, but I choose to introduce my aspirations not my failures. I went down a similar path like my mother- addiction, abuse, and homelessness. But I found my way home. I aspire to further my education and research in human development- to understand why our society is the way it is and what we can do to help each other. I aspire to be a social worker at the end of this. It would be an honor to show the ones who helped me during my trying times, the effect that they have. I want to serve the community who was there for me when I needed it, to help others find their way, and to point people in the right direction. I would love to work with as many non profits as I can and be a role model to those in our community who need our help because I too, have been there. I'm doing this to make my dad proud and to show others like my mom that anything is possible.