My name is Amiyah Smith. I am a current freshman at the University of Alabama and I'll be transferring to Baylor University next semester. I plan to become a registered dietitian. Because of my love for nutrition and health, I plan to open a private practice and gym. I hope to open a non-profit providing nutritious food to those who are unable to afford it. I plan to travel with my degree as I learn more about food and its impact on cultures' lives. I want to learn an abundance about how nutrition is different for each person and how I can use that to touch lives. I volunteer with my community already and can see the impact it makes in the lives of those helped. I hope my services will make a difference in the world and make the world a healthier place. I know I have been called by God to serve and love others while also sharing His Word. I believe the passion for food He has given me is a gateway to this purpose. I also plan to volunteer in the church. I have very immense dreams and goals, but I also have perseverance and a dedicated work attitude to put them into motion. I trust that as I obey God and His desires given to me, He will provide all tools and provisions needed to fulfill His will. A few of my hobbies include reading, trying new cuisines and restaurants, crocheting, hiking, weightlifting, running, and numerous other outdoor activities. I am all for making new friends and enjoying all the various activities to do whether indoor or out. So far my major accomplishments include being high school class valedictorian and working 2 jobs while in school while also balancing a social life and mental health. During this freshman year of college, I am working a job while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. I am also involved in a scholars program that has shaped me professionally and personally. I am currently in the Student Dietetics Association where I have learned about my career and served others through food deliveries. I will use the money I save to further my education by taking summer classes and finishing quicker and spending less in the long run. I also plan to use the money for food necessities. Considering I have a rare disease, EoE, and another illness called PCOS that make my eating choices very limited and also very costly. I will also save and invest another portion of the money so that I can receive a bigger profit that will help me with my future expenses and career goals.

I have overcome much adversity in my life from racial adversity to health adversity. First, I grew up in a low-income household with a single mom. I had many financial barriers between me and my future, but I did not let them stop me. I struggled with paying for school resources, applying to colleges, joining clubs because of money, and other educational benefits. I knew that my mom would not be able to help me much with funding my education so I worked 2 jobs, studied hard to be valedictorian, volunteered and was involved in many extracurriculars to earn scholarships. I have always been adamant about succeeding in my plans. Along with financial adversity, I have experienced racial diversity. With society and many organizations against me because of the color of my skin and being blatantly discriminated against, I knew it would take more out of me to be successful. So, I proved them wrong. I proved to them that I was just a good, normal human with dreams. I did great things in the world simply out of my love for Jesus hoping that people would see that my color is not a weapon or weakness. I have turned racial slurs and setbacks into motivation. I will continue to fight these stigmatisms until people love each other. Other than these weaknesses, I have also endured health adversities. I have a chronic illness called PCOS which causes a variety of health issues including depression, anxiety, obesity, and hormonal imbalances among many other things. Though I was first discouraged and hopeless, I found hope in Jesus. I knew that He loved me and I realized that my body was a temple of Christ and that I should take the best care of it out of honor for Him. So, I started researching, started experimenting, starting learning about my body and I couldn't have been more glad for this diagnosis. I am not healthy. I have found the root causes and reversed most of my symptoms. I have lost 60 pounds, calmed my anxiety, fought fatigue, and balanced my hormones. I have fought tooth and nail for my health and happiness and it has paid off. Although I struggle with this and life is tough, I have hope knowing I have all I need to be healthy and that all I have to do is to work a little harder. Life has and will always be against us but we have everything we need to be successful and enjoy it and I have taken full advantage of that.