I have never really been an upstander. In high school, I was a 'stay below the radar' kind of kid. I mostly did my work (sometimes), talked to the same people every day, and went home. But what no one knew was that I was battling a crippling depressive episode. I didn't know it at the time because we did not discuss mental health in our household. I was procrastinating all of my work and eventually stopped caring about deadlines. I isolated myself from friends and family and stayed in my room all day where I had several mental breakdowns. My room became a pig sty and I was wearing the same clothes almost every day. Eventually, I got better. I talked to my parents and I started seeing a therapist. As I began to be more social, I realized that so many people (especially people of color) go through traumatic events that they just push down. There were so many just like me who were lost and didn't know who to turn to. For example, my friend, who lit up my day with her humor, told me about the time her dad kicked her out of the car while they were driving home because he had gotten into an altercation with her mother. I was appalled at this story, but she found it funny. There were many times during her childhood like this. However, her parents' relationship was affecting the way she approached her own romantic relationships, and she noticed this pattern herself. I felt so honored that she was comfortable enough to share this with me but it also made me sad that she couldn't fix the trust that her parents had broken. This situation along with many others, made me realize that I want to be a resource to those that struggle with their mental health and the scars that their trauma leaves. That is why I want to become a psychiatrist and open counseling centers for underprivileged youth across the country. I want to be a voice for those who are unheard when it comes to the conversation of mental health, just like I was. I am currently a freshman at Monroe Community College majoring in biology. I plan to go to medical school and become a Doctor of Osteopathic medicine, specializing in psychiatry. I am doing my part in the mental health world right now as the Health and Wellness senator in the Student Government Association at my school.

I believe mental health is important because that is the basis of our well-being as humans. The body only does what the mind tells it to do. If we're thinking negatively, consciously or unconsciously, it will manifest in our actions, relationships, and physical health. That's why it is so important to care for ourselves mentally as much as physically. However there is so much stigma around mental health, that has only been pushed aside recently. For example, seeing a therapist for any reason would make people perceive you as crazy, or that there is something severely wrong with you. Thankfully, we as a society are changing. However, POC communities are not making the same progress that their white counterparts are when it comes to mental health. That is why it is a part of my mission to aid in the healing of these communities. People of color (especially the African-American community) go through so many things that can be mentally damaging. However, since their minds are in survival mode most of the time, they only focus on the external threats to their livelihood and not the internal damage that will last way longer. My goal is to become a psychiatrist and use my education to inform others about mental health, especially those in underprivileged neighborhoods. The ones that need it most usually never have access to the right resources, and I want to be a resource to those struggling with their mental health. I am not a psychiatrist yet so I don't have all the answers, but I can say that I am in a very good space with my mental health currently. This is especially important for me because there was a time when I was severely depressed and I had no one to turn to. One way that I stay mentally healthy is limiting my time on social media. It is easy to compare yourself to others and make yourself feel down when looking at how well people are doing. But in reality, people only post the best parts of their lives on social media. They might be experiencing the same hardships that you are, and you would never know. Another way I keep myself mentally healthy is by intentionally spending time with the people that I love. This reminds me that I am not alone in this world and that there are people who support me and love me for who I am.

My name is Ashley Wrobeh and I am a first-generation immigrant and a second-generation college student. I am currently a freshman attending Monroe Community College as a biology major. I plan to go to graduate school for Osteopathic Medicine and eventually become a psychiatrist. In high school, I was an amazing student who maintained a 3.48 GPA while taking mostly honors, AP, and dual credit courses. My inspiration and drive for working so hard truly comes from my parents. Their journey from Sierra Leone to the United States and how they pursued their education really instilled the value of education in me. I plan to positively impact the world through this career by opening my own non-profit counseling centers for underprivileged youth (mostly POC). Mental health and education on mental health is very underrepresented in POC communities. I believe that this is because POC endure so much, that they are in survival mode. For example, my parents were war refugees. I had a discussion with them about their thoughts on mental health and therapy, and distinctly remember my father telling me, "No one is thinking about their feelings when they don't know if they will eat tomorrow." Even though it was discouraging, this was the truth. I want better for our communities. I want us to not survive but thrive, even though that is not what the world had in mind for us. I also hope that counseling centers will help improve the relationships within our communities. My friends and family have countless stories of unruly relationships that broke them. Whether it be between familial relationships, romantic relationships, or friendships I want to improve the way we as a society treat each other. I also plan to become a psychology professor and teach others about the growing field of psychology. There is still so much to learn about the mind and the brain and I want to encourage anyone who has an interest in the field to pursue it. My interest in teaching comes from my Uncle Harold who is a professor in California. Similar to my parents, he always reminds me of the importance of education. When I retire I want to be a philanthropist. I mostly want to donate to underprivileged communities and my two home countries, Sierra Leone and Liberia. I want to donate to educational programs in these areas to promote equal opportunities in education. Everyone deserves to learn.

This journey actually starts with a love story. My mother and her family traveled miles on foot at night from Liberia, where the civil war started. They came to Sierra Leone to seek refuge but unfortunately, the war would follow them. My mother took a job at a military facility where she met my father. He was pursuing a visa, traveling from Senegal to even Ghana, but to no avail. He felt stuck. However, his desires changed. He fell in love with my mother, then they had me. His focus became his family. The war continued. They knew they had to leave, not for themselves, but for the child they had brought into this world. My mother was given the opportunity to come to the United States through the United Nations High Commission for Refugees on a resettlement program. We had finally escaped the worst, but new challenges awaited in our new home country. When we came to the United States we were simply poor. My parents worked as housekeepers. They wanted more for themselves, so they decided to pursue higher education. They even reduced their working hours to study. There were months where there was only enough money to pay the rent. Despite their financial obstacles, they persisted and both became registered nurses. My mother is now in school to complete her bachelors. My parents' journey has taught me the importance of education and how far it can take you. Their persistence is an inspiration to me and always pushes me to work harder in school. This is why I took several honors, AP, and dual credit courses during my high school career. They are also the reason why I am such a huge advocate for equal opportunities for people of color in higher education. Everyone deserves to learn.