At twelve years old, I was diagnosed with severe psoriasis, a chronic autoimmune skin condition that developed across my body. The physical struggle of itchiness, bleeding, and discomfort made sleeping and focusing impossible. Mentally, I experienced more anxiety, stress, and self-consciousness. The disadvantages to having psoriasis are many; however, the gifts the experience has given me are just as crucial. When I first got my diagnosis, the itchy spots had spread from my scalp to my face. I walked into the doctor’s office hopeful but was soon told that psoriasis has no known cure. As someone that strives to be the healthiest and happiest version of myself, this information wasn’t a drawback; instead, it encouraged me to further my investigation. Over the past eight years, I’ve been recommended steroids and antibiotics that provided me with temporary relief, but the psoriasis would come back more aggressive and accompanied by other side effects. In response to this, I decided to explore different routes. This led to learning about the significance of diet, cognitive function, the effects of stress, the impact of therapy, Chinese medicine, acupuncture, chiropractic, dermatology, and several other topics of wellness. Yes, psoriasis is difficult to manage, but in terms of knowledge and passion, it’s pushed me above and beyond. I’ve seen great improvements with my psoriasis, anxiety, gut microbiome, bloating, and more. These changes aren’t just motivation for my healing and journey, but steps towards helping my community through wellness. Growing up, I witnessed how health and disease prevention frequently get overlooked in Black communities. Vital resources such as health information and access to nutritious foods are missing. This leads to disproportionately higher rates of stroke, diabetes, and certain cancers. Over the summer of 2023, I decided to put my aspirations for wellness prioritization into effect. My first nonprofit, Empowerment Through Wellness (ETW), is an organization dedicated to educating the Black community on the significance of nutrition, raising awareness on health disparities in low-income areas, and providing fresh produce to neighborhoods in food deserts. Through the development of ETW, I’ve been extremely fortunate to work alongside several St. Louis nonprofit organizations and learn from representatives across Missouri. Currently, I'm collaborating with other passionate Howard students to potentially expand ETW into their hometown cities across the country. Through ETW and my future medical career, I look forward to advocating for the prioritization of health and wellness. While I believe physical health is essential, I’ve found that mental health is equally as important. Over the summer of 2025, I worked with Washington University in St. Louis to research mental health technologies for older Black surgical patients. This demographic experiences the highest rates of anxiety and depression post-surgery. Through this initiative, I was able to converse with the older population of St. Louis and their clinical providers to find how and where I could help. The psychological needs of geriatric patients and Black clients are often neglected, and I hope to continue identifying new ways of supporting them. Health and wellness has been my focus for over eight years, and living with psoriasis has taught me in ways I never expected. It’s encouraged me down a path of self-care, self-awareness, and finding fulfillment in helping others. Following the completion of my MD PhD, I aspire to start my own practice with an emphasis on physical, mental, and emotional health, prioritizing whole-body treatment, preventive medicine, and personalized care for every patient.