The struggle with mental health has always lingered amongst my family but it was never spoken of. It was brushed aside, jokes were made in the form of coping. There was never a question of how we can heal and how we can help those that come after us until they're the ones struggling. There was a time when my emotions weren't strong and my mind wasn't heavy, I was carefree. I found joy in the smallest of things, making others laugh, eating my favorite foods, and playing with my favorite toys. Suddenly life came to a stop, I became more conscious of what others were doing and what they may be thinking about me. The girl that I was, was gone and soon being forgotten. It was difficult to address the thought of needing therapy when depression and anxiety were so common within my family, yet asking for help was still viewed as abnormal. For the women that came before me, struggle was normal, expected and something that we would have to deal with and resolve ourselves. Therapy was a process where I had to learn patience and have hope for the person I could become in the future. Healing wasn't a quick nor straight forward experience. Everyday was a new opportunity to progress and encourage positive thoughts within myself. As time went on my notebook filled with pages and pages of my thoughts and affirmations of what I continue to see for myself. I found a new love for hobbies that marked new beginnings of resilience. I prioritized moments and different forms of expressions that made me happy. Creativity was my outlet for expressing myself and finding ways to cope when I didn't feel my best. Whether it was building new furniture, crocheting clothes, creating systems of organization, that's what made my mind stop and live in the moment. I started to find the little girl in me that found joy in the smallest of things, that always looked for positivity no matter the circumstance. Although I still experience days when I don't feel my best. I now have the tools to stay in a healthy place mentally no matter the adversity. As each day passed I became an elevated version of myself, self aware of my emotions and how to move through them quicker instead of dwelling in negativity. I felt eager to help those that came after me in my family. No one needed to suffer in the same way if there was someone to guide them. Throughout my college experience, I want to continue the practice of healthy habits to stay self assured. I plan to stay in environments where I can exercise my creativity and innovation. I will continue to live and thrive with confidence and higher self esteem. Through committing to self care and prioritizing my well-being, I aim to have a balanced college life.

When I reflect on my learning experience, I picture a younger version of myself with a big smile holding an achievement award for ambition. This moment reflected my constant mindset of valuing success and dedication. It has always brought me excitement that my knowledge and skills for a subject can grow through hard work and determination I strived to achieve not because someone expected it of me but because it was what I wanted for myself. Subjects don't always come naturally, but going the extra mile to ask questions and study for longer is worth it. Over time, I learned that when I improved on something I wasn't initially good at, it deepened my love for learning new subjects. Through my experiences with learning, I grasped the importance of staying humble while recognizing my abilities and being proud of myself. Being raised in a single parent household, and being the only daughter pushed me to gain a form of independence. As a girl you're assumed to be more mature and put together while boys get to make mistakes and grow from it. Although it wasn't intentional, I felt pressure nagging me to not make mistakes, to not disappoint myself and those around me. As I watched my mom battle Graves’ disease. There were days where my mom experienced extreme fatigue, almost unable to get out of bed, yet she still worked to provide for us. She remained committed to supporting me and my brothers, driving me to dance practice and my brother to football practice, attending games and competitions despite them lasting all day. This inspired me everyday to strive even when it felt impossible, but she never rested, she never prioritized her well being. As a little girl this made me an overachiever, a hard worker but also someone that ignored the importance of self care until the effects started to show. Breaking the cycle, I learned to not take everything on by myself. I leaned on others for support whether it'd be therapy, family or friends. Through times where I felt stressed about my grades, I learned to use my creative outlet to push through negative emotions. As I began to balance discipline and self care, I learned my ability to cope with challenges through creativity and problem solving. This then gave me the opportunity to redirect a negative experience into something positive and impactful. This shift is what led me to engineering. My passion for civil engineering comes from my desire to create meaningful change through innovation and problem solving. Engineering will allow me to use my knowledge and creativity to make structures that directly impact how people live, move, and connect. The community East Oakland has been a big part of my life with the generation before me growing up there and part of my family still living there. Over the years, I've watched how the community has been neglected, there was an absence of safe roads, maintained public spaces, and reliable infrastructure. But as there's been a shift in people moving into these communities, nearby areas became rapidly gentrified, invested in, and cared for. But while those areas have become the priority, other areas with cultural significance have continued to be overlooked. As I moved to new environments, I noticed other communities in similar predicaments. There were differences in roads, sidewalks, and public spaces depending on the economic state of the community. In typically well maintained areas, the sidewalks are smooth and the roads are preserved, reflecting an environment that is consistently maintained and cared for. However, other communities have streets filled with cracks and potholes making it dangerous for people to walk and drive. This issue sparked my passion for preventing infrastructure inequality through the study of civil engineering and eventually improving the environments where these decisions are made. Through my education at a university, I plan to use my degree to focus on these issues despite the possible challenges I will face as a black female engineer. I look forward to gaining the technical and creative knowledge needed to create solutions to uplift the communities that have been long neglected. Ultimately, By improving infrastructure, I aim to reduce the likelihood of injuries caused by unsafe environments by creating stronger and long-lasting highways that are not prone to damage such as potholes. Rather than relying on temporary solutions, I will work to design structures that prevent damage and maintain long term stability. As I continue to pursue the STEM Field, I hope to become an engineer that will make a positive impact on communities and professional environments.

From my childhood, I had the desire to challenge myself and create change. I soon discovered that the interest would be engineering. I remember the rides to visit my Gma, falling asleep on the long car ride and knowing exactly when to wake up. The roads became bumpy and my mom suddenly anticipated potholes, driving slowly with caution. As I opened my eyes I saw streets and sidewalks filled with cracks. Being young I wasn't aware of this issue or how it could be fixed. However, in high school I began researching civil engineering and learned that low income communities are often not maintained with the same level of care. I discovered that land use polices and zoning regulations discourage investment, hindering economic growth and innovation. This has educated me on the potential challenges that I can face as an engineer. Despite this challenge, through the study of engineering I want to actually improve the environment where these decisions are made. My passion for civil engineering comes from my desire to create meaningful change through innovation and problem solving. Engineering will allow me to use my knowledge and creativity to make structures that directly impact how people live, move, and connect. The community East Oakland has been a big part of my life with the generation before me growing up there and part of my family still living there. Over the years, I've watched how the community has been neglected, there was an absence of safe roads, maintained public spaces, and reliable infrastructure. But, as there's been a shift in people moving into these communities, nearby areas became rapidly gentrified, invested in, and cared for. Furthermore, while those areas have become the priority, other areas with cultural significance have continued to be overlooked. With my studies, I hope to gain skills in structural design, construction and more where I can directly contribute to a diverse range of communities. Guided by principles of leadership and service, I plan to use engineering to address the inequalities in infrastructure positively impacting communities and changing the patterns that have caused communities to be neglected. Ultimately I aim to reduce the likelihood of injuries caused by unsafe environments by creating stronger and long-lasting highways that are not prone to damage such as potholes. Rather than relying on temporary solutions, I will work to design structures that prevent damage and maintain long term stability. Through my education at a University, I hope to become an engineer that will make a positive impact on communities and professional environments.

By the time I learned names in one classroom, I was already preparing to leave it. I never got the experience of keeping a relationship with someone from elementary school or even having a hometown. But behind my experiences and discontent, I was being taught that movement isn't necessarily instability but a relentless pursuit for greatness. Underneath the new schools and houses was my mom refusing to settle. She chased better opportunities for us and herself while battling a sickness trying to slow her down. This mindset of constant growth taught me the importance of recognizing that life is always evolving. There will always be uncertainty and change, but that uncertainty can be a source of strength. Unknowingly, I began to adopt my moms mindset of overachieving, constantly striving for more, and approaching my academic studies with a strong eagerness for growth. Despite constantly changing schools, I made it my goal to succeed in every new environment. I met new people and used it as an opportunity to educate myself on different backgrounds and mindsets. As my mom continued her ambition in finding a comfortable environment for us. I held my ambition for great academic achievements so the cycle of education would continue for the generation after me. That lesson became even more clear as I watched my mom battle Graves’ disease. I remember days where my mom experienced extreme fatigue, almost unable to get out of bed, yet she still worked to provide for us. She remained committed to supporting me and my brothers, driving me to dance practice and my brother to football practice, attending games and competitions despite them lasting all day. From my young and naive mind, I rarely thought of where and how my mom made things possible when I felt defeated. This taught me to push through adversity and always have hope for a better outcome. When I was under stress from balancing school and my extracurriculars, this took a toll on my mental health as I was also battling negative thoughts. My mom constantly told me to not give up even when it felt hard because it wouldn't last forever. Giving up would be a permanent decision to a temporary situation. Even when I didn't feel like getting up or moving from my negative thoughts, I pushed through them and found hobbies that would help me move past my emotions. The places where I thought I lacked turned me into the striving, resilient person I am. My moms refusal to give up despite illness and financial hardship has shaped my ability to approach challenges in life. I am grateful to my mom for inspiring me to push through the discomfort and to trust the process. As I continue my education through college, I carry the perseverance she has shown me throughout my life.

As I reflect on my childhood, I picture a younger version of myself with a big smile holding an achievement award for ambition. This moment reflected my constant mindset of valuing success and dedication. It has always brought me excitement that my knowledge and skills for a subject can grow through hard work and determination I strived to achieve not because someone expected it of me, but because it was what I wanted for myself. Subjects don't always come naturally, but going the extra mile to ask questions and study for longer is worth it. Over time, I learned that when I improved on something I wasn't initially good at, it deepened my love for learning new subjects. Through my experiences with learning, I grasped the importance of staying humble while recognizing my abilities and being proud of myself. Intelligence is not a skill that someone has to be born with but something that is grown through persistence and consistency. Learning excites me because it reminds me that I always have room to grow and challenge myself. Engineering is a field that challenges and inspires me to improve my knowledge and create change within environments. My passion for civil engineering comes from my desire to create meaningful change through innovation and problem solving. Engineering will allow me to use my knowledge and creativity to make structures that directly impact how people live, move, and connect. The community East Oakland has been a big part of my life with the generation before me growing up there and part of my family still living there. Over the years, I've watched how the community has been neglected, there was an absence of safe roads, maintained public spaces, and reliable infrastructure. But as there's been a shift in people moving into these communities, nearby areas became rapidly gentrified, invested in, and cared for. But while those areas have become the priority, other areas with cultural significance have continued to be overlooked. By improving infrastructure, I aim to reduce the likelihood of injuries caused by unsafe environments, creating stronger and long-lasting highways that are not prone to damage such as potholes. Rather than relying on temporary solutions, I will work to design structures that prevent damage and maintain long term stability. Throughout my journey in pursuing civil engineering I know that there will be many challenges. As a black woman in STEM, we are underrepresented and may have limited opportunities. However, this will continue to be my motivation to create a space where young women like me can enter with less uncertainty and more opportunities. Overall, I hope to become an engineer that will make a positive impact on communities and professional environments.

Walking into the lone star leadership program, I felt out of place, unsure of myself and what I could contribute. When I thought about leadership, traits like outspoken, and commanding came to mind. As much as I felt intrigued by leadership, I didn't believe I could have these traits. However, when the program began, we were placed in groups challenged with tasks involving collaboration and putting ourselves out there. I was hesitant about what I had to offer, but as I observed the people around me I realized that leadership wasn't meant to look one way. Leadership could also be about understanding other, being open to new ideas, and building trust within a team. I learned how to be confident within myself, sharing my ideas while listening to others. I was able to utilize my ability to adapt to different personalities and backgrounds from consistently moving to different environments. I realized the importance of everyone's impact in leadership and carried this mindset with me through my leadership role in African/Black Student Union. In African/Black Student Union, i had the role of secretary. I was responsible for assisting in organizing meetings, maintaining communication and creating fundraiser events for the funding of our club. Through my leadership role, i helped create a space for other students to come together, meet new people and talk about subjects that may be controversial. Throughout these experiences, I made it my goal to make sure everyone was heard and comfortable in the environment. Throughout the year, I have seen an increase in students choosing to be a part of the African/Black Student Union. I defined my leadership by not necessarily being the loudest in the room but being dependable, organized and intentional about creating a safe environment for others. My leadership experiences have shaped how I hope to make an impact in the engineering field. My passion for civil engineering comes from my desire to create meaningful change through innovation and problem solving, but more importantly through listening and advocating for communities that are overlooked. The community of East Oakland has been a big part of my life with the generation before me growing up there and part of my family still living there. Over the years, I've watched how the community has been neglected, there was an absence of safe roads, maintained public spaces, and reliable infrastructure. But as there's been a shift in people moving into these communities, nearby areas became rapidly gentrified, invested in, and cared for. This has shown me how infrastructure inequality can affect the quality of life of those living in poor communities. As an engineer, I hope to bring attention to these communities by designing solutions that directly serve them. Engineering will allow me to use my knowledge and creativity to make structures that directly impact how people live, move, and connect ensuring that they have safe and sustainable infrastructure. Ultimately, my leadership experience has taught me that there isn't one way to lead. What matters the most in leadership is creating change through consideration of others. With this mindset, i hope to become an engineer that will make a positive impact on communities and professional environments.

As I've seen different communities, I've noticed the differences in roads, sidewalks, and public spaces depending on the economic state of the community. In typically nice areas, side walks are smooth, and roads are well maintained creating a cared space for the community. However, other communities have streets filled with cracks and potholes making it dangerous for people to walk and drive. This issue sparked my passion for preventing infrastructure inequality through the study of civil engineering, eventually improving the environments where these decisions are made. Through my education at a university, I intend to study Civil engineering. I look forward to gaining the technical and creative knowledge needed to create solutions for uplifting communities that have been long neglected. My passion for civil engineering comes from my desire to create meaningful change through innovation and problem solving. Engineering will allow me to use my knowledge and creativity to make structures that directly impact how people live, move, and connect. The community East Oakland has been a big part of my life with the generation before me growing up there and part of my family still living there. Over the years, I've watched how the community has been neglected, there was an absence of safe roads, maintained public spaces, and reliable infrastructure. But, as there's been a shift in people moving into these communities, nearby areas became rapidly gentrified, invested in, and cared for. Furthermore, while those areas have become the priority, other areas with cultural significance have continued to be overlooked. With my studies, I hope to gain skills in structural design, construction and more where I can directly contribute to a diverse range of communities. Guided by principles of leadership and service, I plan to use engineering to address the inequalities in infrastructure positively impacting communities and changing the patterns that have caused communities to be neglected. I want to reduce the likelihood of injuries caused due to unsafe roads, and sidewalks and listen to the needs of the community. By improving infrastructure, I aim to reduce the likelihood of injuries caused by unsafe environments creating stronger and long-lasting highways that are not prone to damage such as potholes. Rather than relying on temporary solutions, I will work to design structures that prevent damage and maintain long term stability. Overall, through my education at a University, I hope to become an engineer that will make a positive impact on communities and professional environments.