Sometimes the biggest barriers we face are the ones set internally. One barrier I face in achieving my academic goals is confidence. Being an African American woman wanting to enter a male-dominated field like STEM places a burden on me to be the best. Sitting in AP Chemistry in high school, I knew I wanted to major in chemistry, despite not being the best test-taker. Externally, I may appear outgoing and confident, but what people do not see is the internal conflict of stepping out of my comfort zone. To overcome this obstacle, I have taken on many leadership roles and still face difficulty when applying for higher roles like President or Vice-President. When approached by the current Student Government President to be the next President or Vice-President, I took some time to think about it, as the role comes with a lot of responsibility and requires a strong voice to speak to administrators and advocate for students. Today I am proud to say that I am the Vice President of my school’s Phi Theta Kappa Chapter and my school’s student government association president. These roles have made it easier for me to be in spaces with people I view as superior and have them listen and view me as a leader. Although I have overcome some of my barriers, I still doubt myself and my abilities to achieve my future goals. I am eager to become a forensic chemist, but I tend to second guess my potential, especially when I know how few African American women work in chemistry. I fear that I will mess up or not be good enough. Because Kaplan provides a support system for students like myself and gives them the tools to be stronger leaders, I think this program will benefit me and help me overcome this barrier. I have always known what I wanted to do since I was a little girl. Sitting in the living room with my mom or nana to watch the show “The First 48”, watching the forensic scientists collect data and learning that the evidence they analyze is what bring murderers to justice. Since I have an interest in chemistry in high school, I would enthusiastically come back home to learn how chemistry was used to combat crime and found forensic chemistry. My long-term academic goal is to obtain my PhD in chemistry. I want to be able to be fully immersed in the subject and use this knowledge to work in a lab for the FBI. I would use my knowledge to be the head of my own lab. I want to be a part of a system that can be the voice for those who cannot tell their story through analyzing evidence and bringing people who commit heinous acts to justice. Working for the FBI would give me the opportunity to be that voice for others. In the later years of my life, I want to be able to give back to my community and all the girls interested in STEM. Research has shown that only 2.1% of black women obtain their Ph.D. in chemistry. Only 1% of African Americans are doctors. I want to change this, to encourage young women who are interested in and pursuing STEM. I would do this by developing a program that provides workshops with keynote speakers to push them forward while supplying free tutoring and scholarships to their dream schools so that one day they too will make a difference in another girl's life.

Growing up in a single-parent household where my mom was always working, I saw hard work and determination in front of me every day. Seeing this I knew I wanted to emulate that. For all my life I have seen my mom ridiculed for having me so young and even perpetuating the stereotype that I too will be a young teen mom. On the outside that is all, it may look like. A single black mother raising her daughter working long hours to support themselves. Some people would see this as a negative, but I see it as my advantage. I got to experience something that some kids will not. Being raised by a strong independent woman who wants nothing but the best for me. Even though my mom worked hard sometimes we ran into financial issues. When I was 8 years old, we were evicted from our first apartment. Going through this experience forced me to mature and grow up a lot faster than any child should. My mom did everything in her power to still give me a great childhood despite our occasional hardships. She even sacrificed going back to school for so long just to support me and my dreams. My mom has constantly been the reason I have been a part of so many extracurricular activities like the Student Government Association, Phi Theta Kappa, The National Society of Leadership and Success, the B2B stem program, and many more. Even though I am a part of so many clubs and other activities, I put my academics first 100%. Seeing my mom be a full-time parent to two kids, go to school, and work a full-time job, has taught me how to balance my time and not burn myself out. My mom’s continuous arduous work pushed me to want to work even harder to make her proud of not only me but of herself for raising me to be the best that I can be. The dedicated support system given by my mom gives me the courage to pursue all my goals and aspirations. It allows me to defeat the odds and become something more than a mere stereotype set by people who will never understand what it is like to grow up with one parent. My mother’s strength, wisdom, and love have done nothing but guide me and filled me with grit to keep going.