On November 12, 2020 I got diagnosed with anxiety and depression. Getting diagnosed was nothing more than a punch in the face. The way I felt finally had a label, and it wasn’t necessarily a label I wanted. Coming from a more conservative family mental health is almost looked down upon, so growing up my silent cries for treatment and help were locked up and tucked away. This ultimately led to nothing more than my mental health getting so bad to the point that I was no longer able to perform up to societal norms. I grew up in an emotionally and mentally abusive home. I never felt loved or wanted. Every ounce of my 8-year-old self wanted to no longer exist. I had no one who comforted me. I had no one who made me feel like I deserved to be alive. To this day I still think about how if I had just a little bit more courage I would not be alive. Some days I wish I had that courage and other days I thank my 8-year-old self for not having that courage. I guess as I began to grow up I hoped things would change and that I wouldn’t feel the same when I was a “cool high schooler”. Long story short, my feelings never changed. Waking up every morning, bathing, doing school work, and even eating is such a struggle, and it’s always been a struggle. I want nothing more than to be successful and to do good for myself and others but it’s hard when I go through periods where I can’t even do the simplest things. It’s hard to wake up and go to school when just the night before you had to fight with yourself just to get up and shower. Forcing yourself to survive is painful. My tumultuous childhood inspired me to advocate on behalf of mental health awareness. Since High School, I have been a mentee at Turning Point Psychiatry to learn different non-medicated mental health awareness tactics to improve mental health services. My work with Turning Point Psychiatry gave me enough insight to comfortably create a platform that will focus on minority mental healthcare concerns. Even though I still am currently progressing in my education I want to help stop the decline of mental health access in young people. At the end of the day, I’m still proud of myself. I’m still alive and I’m trying. I’m trying so hard. I’ve removed myself from the pain and the abuse. I’m getting the help I yearned for when I was younger. I have found healthier techniques to help cope with my mental illness. I know that my life is worth living and I have a great future ahead of me. I’m stronger than my feelings and those thoughts.

On November 12, 2020 I got diagnosed with anxiety and depression. Getting diagnosed was nothing more than a punch in the face. The way I felt finally had a label, and it wasn’t necessarily a label I wanted. Coming from a more conservative family mental health is almost looked down upon, so growing up my silent cries for treatment and help were locked up and tucked away. This ultimately led to nothing more than my mental health getting so bad to the point that I was no longer able to perform up to societal norms. I grew up in an emotionally and mentally abusive home. I never felt loved or wanted. Every ounce of my 8-year-old self wanted to no longer exist. I had no one who comforted me. I had no one who made me feel like I deserved to be alive. To this day I still think about how if I had just a little bit more courage I would not be alive. Some days I wish I had that courage and other days I thank my 8-year-old self for not having that courage. I guess as I began to grow up I hoped things would change and that I wouldn’t feel the same when I was a “cool high schooler”. Long story short, my feelings never changed. Waking up every morning, bathing, doing school work, and even eating is such a struggle, and it’s always been a struggle. I want nothing more than to be successful and to do good for myself and others but it’s hard when I go through periods where I can’t even do the simplest things. It’s hard to wake up and go to school when just the night before you had to fight with yourself just to get up and shower. Forcing yourself to survive is painful. My tumultuous childhood inspired me to advocate on behalf of mental health awareness. Since High School, I have been a mentee at Turning Point Psychiatry to learn different non-medicated mental health awareness tactics to improve mental health services. My work with Turning Point Psychiatry gave me enough insight to comfortably create a platform that will focus on minority mental healthcare concerns. Even though I still am currently progressing in my education I want to help stop the decline of mental health access in young people. At the end of the day, I’m still proud of myself. I’m still alive and I’m trying. I’m trying so hard. I’ve removed myself from the pain and the abuse. I’m getting the help I yearned for when I was younger. I have found healthier techniques to help cope with my mental illness. I know that my life is worth living and I have a great future ahead of me. I’m stronger than my feelings and those thoughts.

I am interested in Mental Health and I intend to increase mental health access to immigrant and minority communities with my earned M.D. Since high school, I have focused on learning about how to address our minority communities’ healthcare access needs. As a low-income African American, I grew up experiencing the needs of a marginalized, impoverished African American community. As a future Psychtriactic Nurse practitioner, I intend to use my personal and professional experiences to address healthcare access issues so that all minorities and low-income Americans can succeed. Growing up I lived in a low-income household, we faced many healthcare-related challenges. Our health was affected by food insecurity, finding medical assistance, stable employment, to coping with the trauma of constantly having to relocate housing. My mom had three children and I am the oldest. I still remember being that 5-year-old taking care of my siblings and going out to ask neighbors for food since meals were very scarce. my mom was never around due to her working harsh hours just to keep the lights on. Studies found that children born to adults affected by trauma are biologically predisposed to mental health concerns. When I started grappling with depression as an adult, I wasn’t surprised to learn that African Americans are least likely to use mental health services. Stigma presents one barrier for African Americans, but studies show that African Americans face other barriers. These include a lack of culturally competent healthcare services. The scarcity of professional and affordable services prevents low-income minorities from fully getting serviced so they can discuss and learn about their health issues. As a result, many African Americans do not get the services we need until it is too late. Luck enabled my parents and me to survive. But many immigrants and minorities are not so lucky. Without proper access to healthcare, people suffer needlessly and cannot succeed. My career focuses on understanding how to address minority healthcare access needs. Since High School, I have been a mentee at Turning Point Psychiatry to learn different non-medicated mental health awareness tactics to improve mental health services. My work with Turning Point Psychiatry gave me enough insight to comfortably create a platform that will focus on minority mental healthcare concerns. Even though I still am currently progressing my education I want to help stop the decline of mental health access for minorities. With Black Churches within my area, we are organizing monthly fellowships to ensure that church leaders have the information and tools to educate their congregations about mental healthcare access importance and to advocate for their communities in the legislature. My tumultuous childhood inspired me to advocate on behalf of minorities who lack the resources to succeed. To best contribute to our community, I will continue to further my education and stay aware of the rise of healthcare issues within minority communities. As a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, I will focus on addressing healthcare access, especially concerning mental health and healthcare reform. I will represent minorities who struggle to get the affordable and known help they need to better access healthcare. For those who have suffered from long-term trauma, or depression, or have permanently disabling health issues, I want to make sure that they are never denied healthcare again. With my work experience, skills, and interest in public service, I will work with healthcare providers to mediate issues and decrease the cost of care. As a future African American Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, I want to ensure that all immigrant and minority groups have access to affordable, culturally competent healthcare.

On November 12, 2021 I got diagnosed with anxiety and depression. Getting diagnosed was nothing more than a punch in the face. The way I felt finally had a label, and it wasn’t necessarily a label I wanted. Coming from a more conservative family mental health is almost looked down upon, so growing up my silent cries for treatment and help were locked up and tucked away. This ultimately led to nothing more than my mental health getting so bad to the point that I was no longer able to perform up to societal norms. I grew up in an emotionally and mentally abusive home. I never felt loved or wanted. Every ounce of my 8-year-old self wanted to no longer exist. I had no one who comforted me. I had no one who made me feel like I deserved to be alive. To this day I still think about how if I had just a little bit more courage I would not be alive. Some days I wish I had that courage and other days I thank my 8-year-old self for not having that courage. I guess as I began to grow up I hoped things would change and that I wouldn’t feel the same when I was a “cool high schooler”. Long story short, my feelings never changed. Waking up every morning, bathing, doing school work, and even eating is such a struggle, and it’s always been a struggle. I want nothing more than to be successful and to do good for myself and others but it’s hard when I go through periods where I can’t even do the simplest things. It’s hard to wake up and go to school when just the night before you had to fight with yourself just to get up and shower. Forcing yourself to survive is painful. My tumultuous childhood inspired me to advocate on behalf of mental health awareness. Since High School, I have been a mentee at Turning Point Psychiatry to learn different non-medicated mental health awareness tactics to improve mental health services. My work with Turning Point Psychiatry gave me enough insight to comfortably create a platform that will focus on minority mental healthcare concerns. Even though I still am currently progressing in my education I want to help stop the decline of mental health access in young people. At the end of the day, I’m still proud of myself. I’m still alive and I’m trying. I’m trying so hard. I’ve removed myself from the pain and the abuse. I’m getting the help I yearned for when I was younger. I have found healthier techniques to help cope with my mental illness. I know that my life is worth living and I have a great future ahead of me. I’m stronger than my feelings and those thoughts.

I am interested in Mental Health and I intend to increase mental health access to immigrant and minority communities with my earned M.D. Since high school, I have focused on learning about how to address our minority communities’ healthcare access needs. As a low-income African American, I grew up experiencing the needs of a marginalized, impoverished African American community. As a future Psychtriactic Nurse practitioner, I intend to use my personal and professional experiences to address healthcare access issues so that all minorities and low-income Americans can succeed. Growing up I lived in a low-income household, we faced many healthcare-related challenges. Our health was affected by food insecurity, finding medical assistance, stable employment, to coping with the trauma of constantly having to relocate housing. My mom had three children and I am the oldest. I still remember being that 5-year-old taking care of my siblings and going out to ask neighbors for food since meals were very scarce. my mom was never around due to her working harsh hours just to keep the lights on. Studies found that children born to adults affected by trauma are biologically predisposed to mental health concerns. When I started grappling with depression as an adult, I wasn’t surprised to learn that African Americans are least likely to use mental health services. Stigma presents one barrier for African Americans, but studies show that African Americans face other barriers. These include a lack of culturally competent healthcare services. The scarcity of professional and affordable services prevents low-income minorities from fully getting serviced so they can discuss and learn about their health issues. As a result, many African Americans do not get the services we need until it is too late. Luck enabled my parents and me to survive. But many immigrants and minorities are not so lucky. Without proper access to healthcare, people suffer needlessly and cannot succeed. My career focuses on understanding how to address minority healthcare access needs. Since High School, I have been a mentee at Turning Point Psychiatry to learn different non-medicated mental health awareness tactics to improve mental health services. My work with Turning Point Psychiatry gave me enough insight to comfortably create a platform that will focus on minority mental healthcare concerns. Even though I still am currently progressing my education I want to help stop the decline of mental health access for minorities. With Black Churches within my area, we are organizing monthly fellowships to ensure that church leaders have the information and tools to educate their congregations about mental healthcare access importance and to advocate for their communities in the legislature. My tumultuous childhood inspired me to advocate on behalf of minorities who lack the resources to succeed. To best contribute to our community, I will continue to further my education and stay aware of the rise of healthcare issues within minority communities. As a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, I will focus on addressing healthcare access, especially concerning mental health and healthcare reform. I will represent minorities who struggle to get the affordable and known help they need to better access healthcare. For those who have suffered from long-term trauma, or depression, or have permanently disabling health issues, I want to make sure that they are never denied healthcare again. With my work experience, skills, and interest in public service, I will work with healthcare providers to mediate issues and decrease the cost of care. As a future African American Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, I want to ensure that all immigrant and minority groups have access to affordable, culturally competent healthcare.

I am interested in Mental Health and I intend to increase mental health access to immigrant and minority communities with my earned M.D. Since high school, I have focused on learning about how to address our minority communities’ healthcare access needs. As a low-income African American, I grew up experiencing the needs of a marginalized, impoverished African American community. As a future Psychtriactic Nurse practitioner, I intend to use my personal and professional experiences to address healthcare access issues so that all minorities and low-income Americans can succeed. Growing up I lived in a low-income household, we faced many healthcare-related challenges. Our health was affected by food insecurity, finding medical assistance, stable employment, to coping with the trauma of constantly having to relocate housing. My mom had three children and I am the oldest. I still remember being that 5-year-old taking care of my siblings and going out to ask neighbors for food since meals were very scarce. my mom was never around due to her working harsh hours just to keep the lights on. Studies found that children born to adults affected by trauma are biologically predisposed to mental health concerns. When I started grappling with depression as an adult, I wasn’t surprised to learn that African Americans are least likely to use mental health services. Stigma presents one barrier for African Americans, but studies show that African Americans face other barriers. These include a lack of culturally competent healthcare services. The scarcity of professional and affordable services prevents low-income minorities from fully getting serviced so they can discuss and learn about their health issues. As a result, many African Americans do not get the services we need until it is too late. Luck enabled my parents and me to survive. But many immigrants and minorities are not so lucky. Without proper access to healthcare, people suffer needlessly and cannot succeed. My career focuses on understanding how to address minority healthcare access needs. Since High School, I have been a mentee at Turning Point Psychiatry to learn different non-medicated mental health awareness tactics to improve mental health services. My work with Turning Point Psychiatry gave me enough insight to comfortably create a platform that will focus on minority mental healthcare concerns. Even though I still am currently progressing my education I want to help stop the decline of mental health access for minorities. With Black Churches within my area, we are organizing monthly fellowships to ensure that church leaders have the information and tools to educate their congregations about mental healthcare access importance and to advocate for their communities in the legislature. My tumultuous childhood inspired me to advocate on behalf of minorities who lack the resources to succeed. To best contribute to our community, I will continue to further my education and stay aware of the rise of healthcare issues within minority communities. As a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, I will focus on addressing healthcare access, especially concerning mental health and healthcare reform. I will represent minorities who struggle to get the affordable and known help they need to better access healthcare. For those who have suffered from long-term trauma, or depression, or have permanently disabling health issues, I want to make sure that they are never denied healthcare again. With my work experience, skills, and interest in public service, I will work with healthcare providers to mediate issues and decrease the cost of care. As a future African American Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, I want to ensure that all immigrant and minority groups have access to affordable, culturally competent healthcare.

I am interested in Mental Health and I intend to increase mental health access to immigrant and minority communities with my earned M.D. Since high school, I have focused on learning about how to address our minority communities’ healthcare access needs. As a low-income African American, I grew up experiencing the needs of a marginalized, impoverished African American community. As a future Psychtriactic Nurse practitioner, I intend to use my personal and professional experiences to address healthcare access issues so that all minorities and low-income Americans can succeed. Growing up I lived in a low-income household, we faced many healthcare-related challenges. Our health was affected by food insecurity, finding medical assistance, stable employment, to coping with the trauma of constantly having to relocate housing. My mom had three children and I am the oldest. I still remember being that 5-year-old taking care of my siblings and going out to ask neighbors for food since meals were very scarce. my mom was never around due to her working harsh hours just to keep the lights on. Studies found that children born to adults affected by trauma are biologically predisposed to mental health concerns. When I started grappling with depression as an adult, I wasn’t surprised to learn that African Americans are least likely to use mental health services. Stigma presents one barrier for African Americans, but studies show that African Americans face other barriers. These include a lack of culturally competent healthcare services. The scarcity of professional and affordable services prevents low-income minorities from fully getting serviced so they can discuss and learn about their health issues. As a result, many African Americans do not get the services we need until it is too late. Luck enabled my parents and me to survive. But many immigrants and minorities are not so lucky. Without proper access to healthcare, people suffer needlessly and cannot succeed. My career focuses on understanding how to address minority healthcare access needs. Since High School, I have been a mentee at Turning Point Psychiatry to learn different non-medicated mental health awareness tactics to improve mental health services. My work with Turning Point Psychiatry gave me enough insight to comfortably create a platform that will focus on minority mental healthcare concerns. Even though I still am currently progressing my education I want to help stop the decline of mental health access for minorities. With Black Churches within my area, we are organizing monthly fellowships to ensure that church leaders have the information and tools to educate their congregations about mental healthcare access importance and to advocate for their communities in the legislature. My tumultuous childhood inspired me to advocate on behalf of minorities who lack the resources to succeed. To best contribute to our community, I will continue to further my education and stay aware of the rise of healthcare issues within minority communities. As a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, I will focus on addressing healthcare access, especially concerning mental health and healthcare reform. I will represent minorities who struggle to get the affordable and known help they need to better access healthcare. For those who have suffered from long-term trauma, or depression, or have permanently disabling health issues, I want to make sure that they are never denied healthcare again. With my work experience, skills, and interest in public service, I will work with healthcare providers to mediate issues and decrease the cost of care. As a future African American Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, I want to ensure that all immigrant and minority groups have access to affordable, culturally competent healthcare.

I am interested in Mental Health and I intend to increase mental health access to immigrant and minority communities with my earned M.D. Since high school, I have focused on learning about how to address our minority communities’ healthcare access needs. As a low-income African American, I grew up experiencing the needs of a marginalized, impoverished African American community. As a future Psychtriactic Nurse practitioner, I intend to use my personal and professional experiences to address healthcare access issues so that all minorities and low-income Americans can succeed. Growing up I lived in a low-income household, we faced many healthcare-related challenges. Our health was affected by food insecurity, finding medical assistance, stable employment, to coping with the trauma of constantly having to relocate housing. My mom had three children and I am the oldest. I still remember being that 5-year-old taking care of my siblings and going out to ask neighbors for food since meals were very scarce. my mom was never around due to her working harsh hours just to keep the lights on. Studies found that children born to adults affected by trauma are biologically predisposed to mental health concerns. When I started grappling with depression as an adult, I wasn’t surprised to learn that African Americans are least likely to use mental health services. Stigma presents one barrier for African Americans, but studies show that African Americans face other barriers. These include a lack of culturally competent healthcare services. The scarcity of professional and affordable services prevents low-income minorities from fully getting serviced so they can discuss and learn about their health issues. As a result, many African Americans do not get the services we need until it is too late. Luck enabled my parents and me to survive. But many immigrants and minorities are not so lucky. Without proper access to healthcare, people suffer needlessly and cannot succeed. My career focuses on understanding how to address minority healthcare access needs. Since High School, I have been a mentee at Turning Point Psychiatry to learn different non-medicated mental health awareness tactics to improve mental health services. My work with Turning Point Psychiatry gave me enough insight to comfortably create a platform that will focus on minority mental healthcare concerns. Even though I still am currently progressing my education I want to help stop the decline of mental health access for minorities. With Black Churches within my area, we are organizing monthly fellowships to ensure that church leaders have the information and tools to educate their congregations about mental healthcare access importance and to advocate for their communities in the legislature. My tumultuous childhood inspired me to advocate on behalf of minorities who lack the resources to succeed. To best contribute to our community, I will continue to further my education and stay aware of the rise of healthcare issues within minority communities. As a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, I will focus on addressing healthcare access, especially concerning mental health and healthcare reform. I will represent minorities who struggle to get the affordable and known help they need to better access healthcare. For those who have suffered from long-term trauma, or depression, or have permanently disabling health issues, I want to make sure that they are never denied healthcare again. With my work experience, skills, and interest in public service, I will work with healthcare providers to mediate issues and decrease the cost of care. As a future African American Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, I want to ensure that all immigrant and minority groups have access to affordable, culturally competent healthcare.

On November 12, 2020 I got diagnosed with anxiety and depression. Getting diagnosed was nothing more than a punch in the face. The way I felt finally had a label, and it wasn’t necessarily a label I wanted. Coming from a more conservative family mental health is almost looked down upon, so growing up my silent cries for treatment and help were locked up and tucked away. This ultimately led to nothing more than my mental health getting so bad to the point that I was no longer able to perform up to societal norms. I grew up in an emotionally and mentally abusive home. I never felt loved or wanted. Every ounce of my 8-year-old self wanted to no longer exist. I had no one who comforted me. I had no one who made me feel like I deserved to be alive. To this day I still think about how if I had just a little bit more courage I would not be alive. Some days I wish I had that courage and other days I thank my 8-year-old self for not having that courage. I guess as I began to grow up I hoped things would change and that I wouldn’t feel the same when I was a “cool high schooler”. Long story short, my feelings never changed. Waking up every morning, bathing, doing school work, and even eating is such a struggle, and it’s always been a struggle. I want nothing more than to be successful and to do good for myself and others but it’s hard when I go through periods where I can’t even do the simplest things. It’s hard to wake up and go to school when just the night before you had to fight with yourself just to get up and shower. Forcing yourself to survive is painful. My tumultuous childhood inspired me to advocate on behalf of mental health awareness. Since High School, I have been a mentee at Turning Point Psychiatry to learn different non-medicated mental health awareness tactics to improve mental health services. My work with Turning Point Psychiatry gave me enough insight to comfortably create a platform that will focus on minority mental healthcare concerns. Even though I still am currently progressing in my education I want to help stop the decline of mental health access in young people. At the end of the day, I’m still proud of myself. I’m still alive and I’m trying. I’m trying so hard. I’ve removed myself from the pain and the abuse. I’m getting the help I yearned for when I was younger. I have found healthier techniques to help cope with my mental illness. I know that my life is worth living and I have a great future ahead of me. I’m stronger than my feelings and those thoughts.

I am interested in Mental Health and I intend to increase mental health access to immigrant and minority communities with my earned M.D. Since high school, I have focused on learning about how to address our minority communities’ healthcare access needs. As a low-income African American, I grew up experiencing the needs of a marginalized, impoverished African American community. As a future Psychtriactic Nurse practitioner, I intend to use my personal and professional experiences to address healthcare access issues so that all minorities and low-income Americans can succeed. Growing up I lived in a low-income household, we faced many healthcare-related challenges. Our health was affected by food insecurity, finding medical assistance, stable employment, to coping with the trauma of constantly having to relocate housing. My mom had three children and I am the oldest. I still remember being that 5-year-old taking care of my siblings and going out to ask neighbors for food since meals were very scarce. my mom was never around due to her working harsh hours just to keep the lights on. Studies found that children born to adults affected by trauma are biologically predisposed to mental health concerns. When I started grappling with depression as an adult, I wasn’t surprised to learn that African Americans are least likely to use mental health services. Stigma presents one barrier for African Americans, but studies show that African Americans face other barriers. These include a lack of culturally competent healthcare services. The scarcity of professional and affordable services prevents low-income minorities from fully getting serviced so they can discuss and learn about their health issues. As a result, many African Americans do not get the services we need until it is too late. Luck enabled my parents and me to survive. But many immigrants and minorities are not so lucky. Without proper access to healthcare, people suffer needlessly and cannot succeed. My career focuses on understanding how to address minority healthcare access needs. Since High School, I have been a mentee at Turning Point Psychiatry to learn different non-medicated mental health awareness tactics to improve mental health services. My work with Turning Point Psychiatry gave me enough insight to comfortably create a platform that will focus on minority mental healthcare concerns. Even though I still am currently progressing my education I want to help stop the decline of mental health access for minorities. With Black Churches within my area, we are organizing monthly fellowships to ensure that church leaders have the information and tools to educate their congregations about mental healthcare access importance and to advocate for their communities in the legislature. My tumultuous childhood inspired me to advocate on behalf of minorities who lack the resources to succeed. To best contribute to our community, I will continue to further my education and stay aware of the rise of healthcare issues within minority communities. As a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, I will focus on addressing healthcare access, especially concerning mental health and healthcare reform. I will represent minorities who struggle to get the affordable and known help they need to better access healthcare. For those who have suffered from long-term trauma, or depression, or have permanently disabling health issues, I want to make sure that they are never denied healthcare again. With my work experience, skills, and interest in public service, I will work with healthcare providers to mediate issues and decrease the cost of care. As a future African American Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, I want to ensure that all immigrant and minority groups have access to affordable, culturally competent healthcare.

On November 12, 2020 I got diagnosed with anxiety and depression. Getting diagnosed was nothing more than a punch in the face. The way I felt finally had a label, and it wasn’t necessarily a label I wanted. Coming from a more conservative family mental health is almost looked down upon, so growing up my silent cries for treatment and help were locked up and tucked away. This ultimately led to nothing more than my mental health getting so bad to the point that I was no longer able to perform up to societal norms. I grew up in an emotionally and mentally abusive home. I never felt loved or wanted. Every ounce of my 8-year-old self wanted to no longer exist. I had no one who comforted me. I had no one who made me feel like I deserved to be alive. To this day I still think about how if I had just a little bit more courage I would not be alive. Some days I wish I had that courage and other days I thank my 8-year-old self for not having that courage. I guess as I began to grow up I hoped things would change and that I wouldn’t feel the same when I was a “cool high schooler”. Long story short, my feelings never changed. Waking up every morning, bathing, doing school work, and even eating is such a struggle, and it’s always been a struggle. I want nothing more than to be successful and to do good for myself and others but it’s hard when I go through periods where I can’t even do the simplest things. It’s hard to wake up and go to school when just the night before you had to fight with yourself just to get up and shower. Forcing yourself to survive is painful. My tumultuous childhood inspired me to advocate on behalf of mental health awareness. Since High School, I have been a mentee at Turning Point Psychiatry to learn different non-medicated mental health awareness tactics to improve mental health services. My work with Turning Point Psychiatry gave me enough insight to comfortably create a platform that will focus on minority mental healthcare concerns. Even though I still am currently progressing in my education I want to help stop the decline of mental health access in young people. At the end of the day, I’m still proud of myself. I’m still alive and I’m trying. I’m trying so hard. I’ve removed myself from the pain and the abuse. I’m getting the help I yearned for when I was younger. I have found healthier techniques to help cope with my mental illness. I know that my life is worth living and I have a great future ahead of me. I’m stronger than my feelings and those thoughts.

On November 12, 2020 I got diagnosed with anxiety and depression. Getting diagnosed was nothing more than a punch in the face. The way I felt finally had a label, and it wasn’t necessarily a label I wanted. Coming from a more conservative family mental health is almost looked down upon, so growing up my silent cries for treatment and help were locked up and tucked away. This ultimately led to nothing more than my mental health getting so bad to the point that I was no longer able to perform up to societal norms. I grew up in an emotionally and mentally abusive home. I never felt loved or wanted. Every ounce of my 8-year-old self wanted to no longer exist. I had no one who comforted me. I had no one who made me feel like I deserved to be alive. To this day I still think about how if I had just a little bit more courage I would not be alive. Some days I wish I had that courage and other days I thank my 8-year-old self for not having that courage. I guess as I began to grow up I hoped things would change and that I wouldn’t feel the same when I was a “cool high schooler”. Long story short, my feelings never changed. Waking up every morning, bathing, doing school work, and even eating is such a struggle, and it’s always been a struggle. I want nothing more than to be successful and to do good for myself and others but it’s hard when I go through periods where I can’t even do the simplest things. It’s hard to wake up and go to school when just the night before you had to fight with yourself just to get up and shower. Forcing yourself to survive is painful. My tumultuous childhood inspired me to advocate on behalf of mental health awareness. Since High School, I have been a mentee at Turning Point Psychiatry to learn different non-medicated mental health awareness tactics to improve mental health services. My work with Turning Point Psychiatry gave me enough insight to comfortably create a platform that will focus on minority mental healthcare concerns. Even though I still am currently progressing in my education I want to help stop the decline of mental health access in young people. At the end of the day, I’m still proud of myself. I’m still alive and I’m trying. I’m trying so hard. I’ve removed myself from the pain and the abuse. I’m getting the help I yearned for when I was younger. I have found healthier techniques to help cope with my mental illness. I know that my life is worth living and I have a great future ahead of me. I’m stronger than my feelings and those thoughts.

I am interested in Mental Health and I intend to increase mental health access to immigrant and minority communities with my earned M.D. Since high school, I have focused on learning about how to address our minority communities’ healthcare access needs. As a low-income African American, I grew up experiencing the needs of a marginalized, impoverished African American community. As a future Psychtriactic Nurse practitioner, I intend to use my personal and professional experiences to address healthcare access issues so that all minorities and low-income Americans can succeed. Growing up I lived in a low-income household, we faced many healthcare-related challenges. Our health was affected by food insecurity, finding medical assistance, stable employment, to coping with the trauma of constantly having to relocate housing. My mom had three children and I am the oldest. I still remember being that 5-year-old taking care of my siblings and going out to ask neighbors for food since meals were very scarce. my mom was never around due to her working harsh hours just to keep the lights on. Studies found that children born to adults affected by trauma are biologically predisposed to mental health concerns. When I started grappling with depression as an adult, I wasn’t surprised to learn that African Americans are least likely to use mental health services. Stigma presents one barrier for African Americans, but studies show that African Americans face other barriers. These include a lack of culturally competent healthcare services. The scarcity of professional and affordable services prevents low-income minorities from fully getting serviced so they can discuss and learn about their health issues. As a result, many African Americans do not get the services we need until it is too late. Luck enabled my parents and me to survive. But many immigrants and minorities are not so lucky. Without proper access to healthcare, people suffer needlessly and cannot succeed. My career focuses on understanding how to address minority healthcare access needs. Since High School, I have been a mentee at Turning Point Psychiatry to learn different non-medicated mental health awareness tactics to improve mental health services. My work with Turning Point Psychiatry gave me enough insight to comfortably create a platform that will focus on minority mental healthcare concerns. Even though I still am currently progressing my education I want to help stop the decline of mental health access for minorities. With Black Churches within my area, we are organizing monthly fellowships to ensure that church leaders have the information and tools to educate their congregations about mental healthcare access importance and to advocate for their communities in the legislature. My tumultuous childhood inspired me to advocate on behalf of minorities who lack the resources to succeed. To best contribute to our community, I will continue to further my education and stay aware of the rise of healthcare issues within minority communities. As a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, I will focus on addressing healthcare access, especially concerning mental health and healthcare reform. I will represent minorities who struggle to get the affordable and known help they need to better access healthcare. For those who have suffered from long-term trauma, or depression, or have permanently disabling health issues, I want to make sure that they are never denied healthcare again. With my work experience, skills, and interest in public service, I will work with healthcare providers to mediate issues and decrease the cost of care. As a future African American Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, I want to ensure that all immigrant and minority groups have access to affordable, culturally competent healthcare.

I am interested in Mental Health and I intend to increase mental health access to immigrant and minority communities with my earned M.D. Since high school, I have focused on learning about how to address our minority communities’ healthcare access needs. As a low-income African American, I grew up experiencing the needs of a marginalized, impoverished African American community. As a future Psychtriactic Nurse practitioner, I intend to use my personal and professional experiences to address healthcare access issues so that all minorities and low-income Americans can succeed. Growing up I lived in a low-income household, we faced many healthcare-related challenges. Our health was affected by food insecurity, finding medical assistance, stable employment, to coping with the trauma of constantly having to relocate housing. My mom had three children and I am the oldest. I still remember being that 5-year-old taking care of my siblings and going out to ask neighbors for food since meals were very scarce. my mom was never around due to her working harsh hours just to keep the lights on. Studies found that children born to adults affected by trauma are biologically predisposed to mental health concerns. When I started grappling with depression as an adult, I wasn’t surprised to learn that African Americans are least likely to use mental health services. Stigma presents one barrier for African Americans, but studies show that African Americans face other barriers. These include a lack of culturally competent healthcare services. The scarcity of professional and affordable services prevents low-income minorities from fully getting serviced so they can discuss and learn about their health issues. As a result, many African Americans do not get the services we need until it is too late. Luck enabled my parents and me to survive. But many immigrants and minorities are not so lucky. Without proper access to healthcare, people suffer needlessly and cannot succeed. My career focuses on understanding how to address minority healthcare access needs. Since High School, I have been a mentee at Turning Point Psychiatry to learn different non-medicated mental health awareness tactics to improve mental health services. My work with Turning Point Psychiatry gave me enough insight to comfortably create a platform that will focus on minority mental healthcare concerns. Even though I still am currently progressing my education I want to help stop the decline of mental health access for minorities. With Black Churches within my area, we are organizing monthly fellowships to ensure that church leaders have the information and tools to educate their congregations about mental healthcare access importance and to advocate for their communities in the legislature. My tumultuous childhood inspired me to advocate on behalf of minorities who lack the resources to succeed. To best contribute to our community, I will continue to further my education and stay aware of the rise of healthcare issues within minority communities. As a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, I will focus on addressing healthcare access, especially concerning mental health and healthcare reform. I will represent minorities who struggle to get the affordable and known help they need to better access healthcare. For those who have suffered from long-term trauma, or depression, or have permanently disabling health issues, I want to make sure that they are never denied healthcare again. With my work experience, skills, and interest in public service, I will work with healthcare providers to mediate issues and decrease the cost of care. As a future African American Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, I want to ensure that all immigrant and minority groups have access to affordable, culturally competent healthcare.