I am an African-American, queer, female-identifying high-school student, and first-generation college graduate who is passionate in her journey to becoming a social worker. While this passion is not most preferred for applicants, I strongly believe that I would put this money to good use and create a better life for not only myself, but for those in my community. I would use this money to fund my education to recieve both a bachelors degree and a master degree in social work. While many social workers dont recieve a bachelors degree even if they do want a masters degree in social work, I, a Black woman plan to do so because I have learned that we must always be 'better than', and that being 'good enough' is never truly enough. I have taken this obstacle and instead of seeing thus as a wall, considered it a challenge. Through attaining advanced education Iwill be "better than" for the sake others. As a social worker, I will make myself available to individuals (micro tier) and grpups (mezzo tier) in times of crisis. I will advocate for positive social change (macro tier) by leaders that often fail to recognize the needs of those they govern. As a social worker, I hope to engage in all teirs of the practice for the betterment of not only my community location-wise, but my community in terms of my identity. As a Black woman, I know what it is like to have to be upfront about my personal needs, and I hope to help others attain what they need. Whether it's through individual case studies with people who need emotional, educational, housing, or other support, or groups/families who need aid with educational challenges, substance abuse problems, or support for LGBTQIA+ youth, or even at a very large-scale, directly communicating with and demanding action from community leaders who will hear the conversations only heard in family conversations. I will open up the conversation for getting resources that will benefit those who truly need it. If I am granted this money, I would use it to revolutionize the world by revolutionizing the social work field itself. Regardless of my specific job title in the future, I will revolutionize the field through advocating for open minded advocacy and integrating technological advancements with the progressive nature of my view of my practice. With policy makers I hope to improve the funding and employees assigned to mental health and public support for as many communities as possible. I will use technology to make this more available to low-income minority citizens. I will promote community buildings such as libraries and group centers to utilize apps and websites geared towards communicating with, and recieving specific updates and data regarding the community's wellbeing and its overall monthly progression. This will guarentee that the public is aware of not only where they are struggling collectively, but what those with the power to affect legislature are doing about it. The funding of my education will show itself in the legacy of as many communities as I can touch in the future, hopefully working against the inequality that is prevelant in many low-income, minority-based communities. Despite my future field of work not being specifically stated as the preferences for this scholarship, this scholarship encompasses everything that I will implement through a career in social work: supporting those who far too often slip through the cracks of society and are denyed opportunities to improve their livelihood. If I am awarded this scholarship, I will use it with great pride in my identity, and for great progress, impacting the entire world.

If I could have everyone in the world read one book, I would of course reccommend my favorite: They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera. While the title sounds depressing (and so much of the book is), the story is filled with the courage that can often come with the idea of mortatilty, instead of the anxiety that it often brings society. One of the most brilliant ways Silvera generates this inspiring tone is through the character Mateo. Mateo is a very anxious teenager, an achetype that all of humanity will be able to, in theory, relate to. Once Mateo learns that he is going to die in the next 24 hours, he slowly begins his journey of self-discovery and courage. His dramatic change in values throughout the book is truly so inspiring, that placing the effects of this character on society would likely lead to a society that challenges not only themselves, but one that challenges the path of least resistance wherever they might find it. Another reason I would reccommend this book to everyone is the diversity in this book. Much if Mateos journey can be (in part) accredited to his new friend Rufus, a boy who is very much the opposite of him. Rufus gets into fights and is very outspoken. Throughout the story, these boys spend the day doing the most daring things, and eventually, they fall in love. This incredible depiction of a fully-experienced life is done through the story of two hispanic queer boys who foil each other remarkably. The way Silvera balances the more common representation in media and relatablility with the challenging nature of these characters identities towards the world they live in and each other is not only incredible in a literary sense, but in an interpersonal sense aswell. This story is likely to move both book fanatics and new readers due to its fast pace and its moving story. Without giving any spoilers, I can confidently say that this book has motivated me to behave differently in my own life and has inspired me to reach out to those around me and push for more fun. This story's focus on love, courage, and change is a phenomenal guide to the way life should be lived everyday, not just on days where death feels close, but everyday, because it's always imminent.

In the future I hope to aquire a degree in social work. Social workers operate through various aspects of society, and engage with various types of community members. Their versatility and empathy is beyond compare and something that should be admired. I hope to join these admirable people through my own education. Through these degrees I hope to engage in all teirs of social work to inact positive social change and directly benefit those within my community. I am currently taking an online Psycological First-Aid class and want to develop my learning through higher education. Through hopefully attaining both my Bachelors Degree and Masters Degree in Social Work, I will change the world. Through macro social work, I hope to aid members of my community by engaging with community leaders. I will focus on guiding them towards acting on issues that, through my work, I will encounter on a daily basis. I will push for many social reforms that I, as well as my community only talk about in frustrated conversations at the dinner table. I will push the conversations of citizens in the direction of those who are capable of enacting real change. By doing this, I plan to actualize the desires of people within my community, and promote open communication between citizens and community leaders. This will place citizens more in control of the policies and laws that impact their everyday lives. Through micro social work, I will engage personally with various kinds of people who need both immediate care or longer term assistance and resources. This way, I can achieve my personal desire to help those in need. People in communities everywhere are in need of emotional, financial, housing, educational, and other forms of assistance every day. Social workers make themselves available for the benefit of others, and I hope to continue this history of selflessness. Being able to assist these people would bring my life satisfaction and guarantee that I make my mark on a world regardless of the fame and money that are often associated with a lasting legacy. My capabilities in this field would also be aided by my personal interest in psychological first-aid and goal to be a first responder in times of mass trauma and crisis; such as terrorist attacks, natural disasters, or in more recent cases, a pandemic or other epidemic. These forms of support are often proved more beneficial than long term, but delayed forms of therapy, so it is crucial that this form of assistance gets the advocacy it deserves. I will advocate for these social work reforms during my academic career and beyond. I want to revolutionize the world through revolutionizing the social work field itself. Through mezzo social work, I will engage with groups, such as families or community centers. Whether this be families struggling with medical news, education complications, or career changes, I will make myself available. Whether its a community center aimed towards those with substance abuse problems or LGBTQAI+ youth, I will make myself available. Being there for people in times of great need is truly what draws me to the profession and most specifically what I hope to gain from my two degrees. In a personal context, my social work degrees will serve as the foundation for my commitment to social justice and will operate as the means for enacting my hopes for the world in terms of public outreach. I will advocate for people through communicating with them personally, in groups, or by pushing for the legislature that will change their lives for the better. Overall, my degree will be used honorably.

The inaccesibility of mental health support is a fatal flaw of society, and one that needs a uniquely delegated solution. Worldwide mental health support must be achieved through various methods of both short and long term supports. As an aspiring social worker or counselor, as well as a consistent social justice advocate, I plan to uphold and spread my own standards for mental healthcare through 2 key aspects: open-minded advocacy through community outreach and increasing accessibility through technology integration. Firstly, I would continue to push for open-mindedness and action. This entails reaching out to leaders and demanding increased mental health funding and research at a community-wide scale. If neighboring communites commit to this, it will lead to an improved idea of the region's concerns and where they stem from. This funding can also lead to the increased usage of mental supports in fields such as law enforcement or financial corporations. Secondly, I would improve the current technological mental health resources. This would be done through assessing data recieved through community outreach, continuing communication by increasing the number of employees in mental health sectors of government and providing them with the technology to voice their concerns, communicate directly with all citizens, and advocate for changes through conversations with the public through virtual meetings with elected mental health officials (done through free websites/apps that are available in community centers) Overall, this future-focused method of aquiring affordable and accessible mental healthcare operates on demanding leaders commitment to listening to members of their community.