I do not come from a wealthy family, both of my parents work, and they describe their financial status as "stable". Stable keeps food on the table and pays the light bill on time, and for that, I could not be more grateful. Unfortunately, "stable" doesn't help pay for my tuition or books; my job carries that responsibility. It is a task that I take on gracefully, I am not afraid or embarrassed by my hard work. I learned from my parents that sacrifice is required in order to reap the good seeds you have sewn. I sacrifice Friday night parties and Saturday afternoon brunches in order to pay my way through school. I’m often told that the weekends are for the youth to enjoy themselves, but as a food service worker, weekends also bring in the most tips, and I’d rather secure money for food next year than fill hours in an unknown home, drinking from an unmarked bowl. When I am not serving for profit, I enjoy volunteering at my church’s community service programs. I try to involve myself with the food pantry and clothes closet ministries at least once a week. either just as hard or harder than I, and don't get to go home to a bed and the promise of a roof and air conditioning in the hot summer months, like I do. While volunteering, I see people in my community who work either just as hard or harder than me and don't get to go home to a bed and the promise of a roof and air conditioning in the hot summer months, like I do. Giving the less fortunate food and clothes is helpful, of course, but I've found that along with food and clothing that they also appreciate conversation, being spoken to like they are more than their financial status. My church is located in an underfunded area, and most of the members are from the community. I take pride in being able to be a part of such an important part of Black culture, the black church. Since we are a predominantly, if not solely, African American congregation, those we serve in the community look like us. In talking to these members of my community, I have found that a majority of them were formerly incarcerated, victims of the system that got thrown away, as African Americans often are if they have the chance to be released. Once they were released, they could not find a way to get back on their feet. At that pivotal moment in their lives, they usually turned to drugs or looked down the dead end of a bottle to find the solution to their problems. Hearing people’s stories and cautionary tales saddens me to know that they never had a chance in a system that is rooted against them, but it also gives me hope. Despite everything, African Americans are still here. It is a tale as old as time, through the slave trade we persevered, through slavery we rejoiced, we found a way to make what are now cultural dishes with the scraps we were thrown, our people found a way to wed while under the control of people who had made it unlawful because it would make us feel too much like humans. We even created traditions we still hold dear, jumping the broom, cookouts, and of course, Juneteenth. These principles never left us, I see them shine through when I talk with the forgotten people in my community. Those who haven’t slept under a roof since the last hurricane, when shelters were open to everyone, and yet they still manage to have a smile on their faces, and to laugh. I will never forget the day I decided to sit with a homeless man outside of a store my mother had gone in. I didn't have any money to give him, and I was certain that my clothes wouldn't fit him right, so I asked if it would be all right if I joined him. We engaged in a wonderful game of 'Would you rather'. When my mother came outside and saw us, I bid my farewell to the man whose name I always regret not getting. He told my mother that she had a special kid on her hands, and he was grateful for the conversation. I would like to impact others' lives the same way, for you never know how much a game of 'would you rather' can help someone. My life goal of hosting a talk show is to give a voice to my community. African Americans are too often not heard or heard too late. I want to create a space that is free for us to express and enjoy ourselves, and to share the joy we managed to maintain, regardless of the odds that always seem to be stacked against us even now. As a descendant of enslaved ancestors who were stripped of their culture and forced to create a new identity. I find it very important to connect with our family that remained at home. My parents’ sacrifice of working hard and missing out on pleasurable events was rewarded by a trip they recently took to Africa to connect with the motherland. They described the home that was taken from us as a breathtaking sight that made them feel like they had found a part of themselves that they were not aware they had lost. I would like for my life‘s work of making African American voices heard to also be a way for me to fund sponsorship for African Americans to be able to visit Africa and connect with their roots, so that we can bridge the gap that was forced between us so long ago. Like Sergeant Ware, I aspire to leave a mark on this world by helping further my people’s education with culture.

I am currently a student at Hillsborough Community College. I will be graduating with my AA in six weeks and attending FAMU this fall to obtain my BA in Journalism. I engage in community service at least once a week, though it used to be more often; however, now I am balancing school, work, and helping out my community. I try to be involved with my church's volunteering program, I divide my weekend time between the clothes closet, which helps clothe the homeless and low-income households, as well as the food pantry, which hosts food giveaways once a week. I do not come from a wealthy family, both of my parents work, and they describe their financial status as "stable". Stable keeps food on the table and pays the light bill on time, and for that, I could not be more grateful. Unfortunately, "stable" doesn't help pay for my tuition or books; my job carries that responsibility. It is a task that I take on gracefully, I am not afraid or embarrassed by my hard work. However, in hopes of giving my Bachelor's my full attention, I would like to have the option to take a year off from working. Hopefully, I will have gained enough in scholarships to sustain myself and pay for my tuition. While volunteering, I see people in my community who work either just as hard or harder than me and don't get to go home to a bed and the promise of a roof and air conditioning in the hot summer months, like I do. Giving the less fortunate food and clothes is helpful, of course, but I've found that along with food and clothing that they also appreciate conversation, being spoken to like they are more than their financial status. In talking to these members of my community, I have found that a majority of them were formerly incarcerated, and once they were released, they could not find a way to get back on their feet. At that pivotal moment in their lives, they usually turned to drugs or looked down the dead end of a bottle to find the solution to their problems. I would like to establish a charity that is targeted at formerly incarcerated people in need of housing. They would be welcomed immediately following their release and be set up with jobs to get them started. In the meantime, I plan to continue to volunteer at local charities that take in people and help them better themselves. I hope to offer them conversation and warmth in a world that has shown them primarily coldness. I will never forget the day I decided to sit with a homeless man outside of a store my mother had gone in. I didn't have any money to give him, and I was certain that my clothes wouldn't fit him right, so I asked if it would be all right if I joined him. We engaged in a wonderful game of 'Would you rather'. When my mother came outside and saw us, I bid my farewell to the man whose name I always regret not getting. He told my mother that she had a special kid on her hands, and he was grateful for the conversation. I would like to impact others' lives the same way, for you never know how much a game of 'would you rather' can help someone. Also, with my life goal of hosting a talk show, I hope to give a voice to my community. As African Americans are too often not heard or heard too late.