I have as much stage presence as a four-year-old singing the ABCs in front of his parents. But as a child, enthralled by the talents of the young performers on my television screen, I consumed all the media the entertainment industry offered. Whether I was watching dramas, musicals, or comedies, the diversity of life journeys represented by each character inspired me, and I hoped to discover my unique path. However, I began to notice the lack of black talent for leading roles in productions that didn’t contain all-black casts. If mainstream media only highlighted the stories of white people, would black people get to control the narrative? Were black people inferior to white people? If so, would I never achieve an equal amount of success as my white counterparts? I wondered if I’d ever overcome the feeling of unworthiness that continued to overwhelm me. As a five-year-old, I saw the movie “Cinderella,” starring Brandy Norwood and Whitney Houston, two singers I admire. Both Houston, working behind the scenes as a producer, and Norwood as the titular character amazed me. Norwood held her own amongst established white actors, and I saw, for the first time, the result of allowing black people to express their talents without hindrance. Inspired by Brandy Norwood, I vowed to take charge of my life and embody a passion for excellence. But fulfilling my self-proclaimed values came with obstacles that I hadn’t anticipated. I developed a love of learning that allowed me to succeed academically, which made me feel as if I was exemplifying the spirit of Brandy Norwood as I had intended, in a way that was unique to my skill set. Yet, several questions plagued my everyday thoughts. Was I content with the amount of effort it took to obtain my desired level of accomplishment? Or was I trying to prove my worth within the confines of predominantly white spaces? Worse, was I actively trying to dissociate from a stereotype that portrays black people as unintelligent? My mind lacked a sense of clarity because I didn’t understand why my success wasn’t enough to provide me with the satisfaction I craved. Re-watching “Cinderella” when I was older made me realize that I’ve always wanted to be a star in my own life, but I’ve never wanted to be the only star. I appreciated Brandy Norwood for standing out in an industry that often disadvantages black creatives, but I did not want to be the princess that she was. I wanted to be Whitney Houston, who recognized the star within Brandy Norwood and facilitated her career growth. From then on, I’ve felt that my life has a sense of purpose. I know that using my influence to provide more opportunities for people of color to prosper fulfills me. I’ve been able to further my purpose on a small scale by implementing ethnic diversity in my digital illustrations to allow children to feel represented in a way that the media rarely afforded me. But I have even bigger goals. For years, many within the African diaspora have stigmatized mental health awareness, often belittling those who seek help for mental illnesses. If I had the wand of Cinderella’s fairy godmother, I would use it to eradicate my community’s struggles with mental health. Instead, I plan to become a psychiatrist to promote mental health as a desirable aspect of self-care and make it a more economically feasible option for low-income families, while also embodying Whitney Houston's spirit by creating a united network of black professionals, all of whom are passionate about working towards the prosperity of our global community.

When I was younger, instead of going on playdates with other children my age, I went with my dad to his office and experienced his daily life as an accountant. Seeing my dad in a professional setting from such a young age made me appreciate his dedication to success and his devotion to supporting our family. I decided that I, too, would one day work in a professional setting (even though I had no idea what that meant at the time). Although I was my father’s “handbag,” as he used to say, I was never treated like a chore that was forced upon him. In addition to sharing his love of various genres of music on our car rides together, my dad took every opportunity to ensure that I understood the value of education. In the 1980s, he made the difficult journey from Cameroon to the United States and was responsible for supporting his younger siblings. His education was a vital part of him achieving financial success, and ultimately allowed his family to join him in the U.S. in search of better living conditions and job opportunities. However, he wanted to ensure that I developed a love for learning for the sake of learning, and not just to follow in his footsteps. His hard work in laying the foundation for my family’s life in the U.S. provided me the freedom to explore all of my interests without the burden of an overbearing government and financial instability. I am Cameroonian-American, and I'm proud of my heritage. Growing up in a collectivist culture, I’ve always felt such a strong connection to my family and a duty to honor and respect them. My culture has taught me the importance of selflessness in showing support to a larger group that I love. This mindset allowed me to become passionate about contributing to my society, and I value every opportunity I get to volunteer and improve the lives of people around me, especially when it comes to both LGTBQ+ and racial issues. For example, one day, the adult leaders of my youth group discussed the Church's views of gender identity, but the lesson plan inaccurately depicted the transgender experience without even allowing a transgender person to explain the issues that they face within our society. I expressed my concerns to the leader of the LifeTeen organization, but they responded with no indication of them changing the original lesson plan. Thankfully, after the incident, we decided to stop using their lessons in our discussions. However, in my family, sometimes I don’t feel that I am afforded the opportunity to speak freely about such topics. Being in my family has also taught me to suppress some of my desires in fear of displeasing them. I belong to the LGBTQ+ community, but I’ve often chosen not to express my true self around my family because I was afraid of tarnishing their reputation within our community. The pressure of having to be perfect almost destroyed my perception of myself. But finding solace in my friends, who accept me for who I am, improved my self-confidence, and now I'm better about treating myself with kindness. Although my journey of self-love may have been hindered, I could never hate them. I'm grateful because my family's Christianity informs them to selflessly strive to provide me with the best life they can offer. When I attend college, I will emulate my family’s values by providing a source of support for anyone struggling with accepting their identity, and I will encourage others like me to persevere as they work to achieve their academic goals.

I have as much stage presence as a four-year-old singing the ABCs in front of his parents. But as a child, enthralled by the talents of the young performers on my television screen, I consumed all the media the entertainment industry offered. Whether I was watching dramas, musicals, or comedies, the diversity of life journeys represented by each character inspired me, and I hoped to discover my unique path. However, I began to notice the lack of black talent for leading roles in productions that didn’t contain all-black casts. If mainstream media only highlighted the stories of white people, would black people get to control the narrative? Were black people inferior to white people? If so, would I never achieve an equal amount of success as my white counterparts? I wondered if I’d ever overcome the feeling of unworthiness that continued to overwhelm me. As a five-year-old, I saw the movie “Cinderella,” starring Brandy Norwood and Whitney Houston, two singers I admire. Both Houston, working behind the scenes as a producer, and Norwood as the titular character amazed me. Norwood held her own amongst established white actors, and I saw, for the first time, the result of allowing black people to express their talents without hindrance. Inspired by Brandy Norwood, I vowed to take charge of my life and embody a passion for excellence. But fulfilling my self-proclaimed values came with obstacles that I hadn’t anticipated. I developed a love of learning that allowed me to succeed academically, which made me feel as if I was exemplifying the spirit of Brandy Norwood as I had intended, in a way that was unique to my skill set. Yet, several questions plagued my everyday thoughts. Was I content with the amount of effort it took to obtain my desired level of accomplishment? Or was I trying to prove my worth within the confines of predominantly white spaces? Worse, was I actively trying to dissociate from a stereotype that portrays black people as unintelligent? My mind lacked a sense of clarity because I didn’t understand why my success wasn’t enough to provide me with the satisfaction I craved. Re-watching “Cinderella” when I was older made me realize that I’ve always wanted to be a star in my own life, but I’ve never wanted to be the only star. I appreciated Brandy Norwood for standing out in an industry that often disadvantages black creatives, but I did not want to be the princess that she was. I wanted to be Whitney Houston, who recognized the star within Brandy Norwood and facilitated her career growth. From then on, I’ve felt that my life has a sense of purpose. I know that using my influence to provide more opportunities for people of color to prosper fulfills me. I’ve been able to further my purpose on a small scale by implementing ethnic diversity in my digital illustrations to allow children to feel represented in a way that the media rarely afforded me. But I have even bigger goals. For years, many within the African diaspora have stigmatized mental health awareness, often belittling those who seek help for mental illnesses. If I had the wand of Cinderella’s fairy godmother, I would use it to eradicate my community’s struggles with mental health. Instead, I plan to become a psychiatrist to promote mental health as a desirable aspect of self-care and make it a more economically feasible option for low-income families, while also embodying Whitney Houston's spirit by creating a united network of black professionals, all of whom are passionate about working towards the prosperity of our global community.

As my pen hits the page and I complete that first stroke of ink, all of my stress starts to vanish. Art is not a hobby that I merely enjoy but a necessary component of my lifestyle. Exploring visual art allows me to have a space in which I don’t have to worry about achieving awards or gaining satisfaction from the people around me. I create art just for the sake of creating, and it has brought my life some much-needed balance. No longer am I afraid of failure because my numerous failed attempts at illustrating new pieces have taught me that failing is temporary. Now, I recognize that failure only highlights areas in my life that require growth. I went from scribbling on a page to creating illustrations of saints to adorn my Church walls, and that kind of improvement proved to me that real growth takes time and dedication. Art is my passion, but I refuse to allow my art to become my career. I fear that the value of my artwork would be dependent upon how much money I'd earn or upon the perception of other people. My art is my avenue of expression. The state of my survival depending upon its success would diminish my love for it and would destroy the sense of peace I feel from the act of creating. Instead, I would like to take what I've learned from my experiences in my artistic journey and apply it to my career in the field of mental health. My artwork saved me from the path of self-destruction that I was heading towards, and I want to be in a position that would allow me to address the mental struggles of teens or even adults who struggle with the same lack of self-esteem that I have. My ultimate goal is to start a wellness center. At my center, I will support people of all ages in their journeys toward improving their mental states, physical health, and emotional well-being. I want to encourage the people who feel lost or without direction to prioritize their health and find value in the aspects of their own lives that they either may be overlooking or just haven't discovered yet. Overall, however, art has done more than just improve aspects of my own life. I remember seeing the joy on my sister’s face the first time she saw the portrait I drew of her. She noticed the richness of her dark skin and the volume of her curls jumping off the page and said to me, “I feel seen!” That moment made me realize that I have a medium to highlight topics and issues that I wish to address. With my artwork, I can strive to remedy the lack of representation in the media by implementing various skin tones and hair types in my digital illustrations to allow humans of all ethnicities to feel as beautiful and seen as my sister did.

I'd like to combat the unrealistic amount of pressure many teens today put on themselves to achieve high levels of academic success. Pursuing our passions is more important than striving to attain standards that won't provide us with long-term satisfaction. In my life, and especially in my education, I was more concerned with earning rewards than using the gift of learning to enhance the state of my mind. But, through exploring visual art and working to improve my skills, I learned the value of intrinsic motivation, which taught me to enjoy learning without incentives. I now have a space in which I don't have to worry about achieving awards or gaining satisfaction from the people around me. I create art just for the sake of creating, and it's brought my life some much-needed balance. I am no longer afraid of failure because my numerous failed attempts at illustrating new pieces have taught me that failing is only temporary. Now, I recognize that failure only highlights areas in my life where I need to grow. The improvement I've seen in my art proved to me that real growth takes time and dedication, and it's been wonderful applying this idea to improving my education, my health, and even my close relationships. I'm more open to learning and understanding complex topics because I know that there's room for failure and that I can work diligently to achieve my goals. My ultimate goal is to start a wellness center so I can support people of all ages in their journeys toward improving their mental states, physical health, and emotional well-being. I want to encourage the people who feel lost to prioritize their health and find value in the aspects of their own lives that they either may be overlooking or just haven't discovered yet.

I would change the unrealistic amount of pressure many teens today put on themselves to achieve high levels of academic success. Pursuing our passions is more important than striving to attain standards that won't provide us with long-term satisfaction. In my life, and especially in my education, I was more concerned with earning rewards than using the gift of learning to enhance the state of my mind. But, through exploring visual art and working to improve my skills, I learned the value of intrinsic motivation, which taught me to enjoy learning without incentives. My art allows me to have a space in which I do not have to worry about achieving awards or gaining satisfaction from the people around me. I can create art just for the sake of creating, and it has brought my life some much-needed balance. I am no longer afraid of failure because my numerous failed attempts at illustrating new pieces have taught me that failing is only temporary. I can now recognize that failure only highlights areas in my life where I need to grow. The improvement I've seen in the quality of my art has proven to me that real growth takes time and dedication, and it's been wonderful applying this idea to improving the quality of my education, my health, and even my close relationships. I am now more open to learning and understanding complex topics because I know that there is room for failure and that I can work diligently to achieve my goals. However, while art is one of my biggest passions, I refuse to make a career out of it. Having my art become my career would diminish my love for it because I'd never want the value of my artwork to depend on how much money I can make from selling my work or even how many likes my pieces can receive on social media. My art is my way of expressing myself, my way of exposing my innermost thoughts, and I'd never want to reduce my work to just being a means of survival. Instead, I would like to take what I've learned from my experiences in my artistic journey and apply it to my career in the field of mental health. My artwork saved me from the path of self-destruction that I was heading towards by providing me relief from the rigorous standards that our society so often encourages us to maintain. I want to be in a position that would allow me to address the mental struggles of teens or even adults who struggle with the same issues that I have. My ultimate goal is to start a wellness center to support people of all ages in their journeys toward improving their mental states, physical health, and emotional well-being. I want to encourage people who feel lost or without direction to prioritize their health and value the talents in their own lives that they either may be overlooking or just haven't discovered yet.

Walt Whitman lived his life in support of a movement called transcendentalism, which focused on the examination of the inherent righteousness of humanity as a whole. Whitman’s poem, I Hear America Singing, embodies transcendentalism in the way its ideas radically depart from the norms of the poetry of that time. Walt Whitman states how he can “hear America singing, the varied carols [...] Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else.” In Whitman’s eyes, each life is worthy. It does not matter if someone writes poems, measures planks, repairs shoes, sews clothing, or cooks meals; that person’s job is important and valued in American society. We have a responsibility to use whatever skills and talents we have to express the uniqueness and diversity of America. However, while we must make sure that our individual talents have the opportunity to shine, we as a unified society must be careful not to silence the voices of those who are deemed as inferior or “less than.” Like Whitman said, each person has something special about them that belongs to him or her and to none else. To say that someone is subordinate just because his or her skillset is different than your own is detrimental to the unification of society. When we as humans are exposed to the diversity of different backgrounds and cultures, we have the opportunity to learn from that diversity in order to form new perspectives. Without diversity, there is no growth. And without growth, a society cannot function. Whitman's words still carry so much weight today because of how true they are. The importance of his words has not changed and we as an American society must strive to embody the values of diversity and inclusion that Whitman so gracefully laid out in his writing.

Taking time to explore visual art and to work at improving my skills taught me the value of intrinsic motivation and broke me out of a perfectionist mentality. My art allows me to have a space in which I do not have to worry about achieving awards or gaining satisfaction from the people around me. I am able to create art just for the sake of creating, and it has brought my life some much-needed balance. I am no longer afraid of failure because my numerous failed attempts at creating new pieces have taught me that failure is only temporary. I am now able to recognize that failure only highlights areas in my life where I need to grow. The improvement I've seen in the quality of my own art has proven to me that real growth takes time and dedication, and it's been wonderful applying this principle to my education, my health, and even my close relationships. While art is one of my biggest passions, I refuse to accept money for it. I fear that by allowing my art to become my career, the value of my artwork will be dependent upon how much money I am able to make from selling it, or even how many likes my pieces are able to receive on social media. My art is my way of expressing myself, my way of exposing my innermost thoughts, and having the state of my survival be contingent upon the success of my art would diminish my love for it. Ultimately, I would like to take what I've learned from my experiences in my artistic journey and apply it to my career in the field of mental health. My artwork was able to save me from the path of self-destruction that I was headed towards, and I want to be in a position that would allow me to address the mental struggles of teens or even adults who struggle with the same issues that I have. I plan on starting my own wellness center where people of all ages can work to improve their mental states, physical health, as well as their emotional well-being. I want to be able to encourage the people who feel lost or without direction to prioritize their health and find value in the aspects of their own lives that they either may be overlooking or just haven't discovered yet. As of right now, within many Black and African communities, there is stigma that surrounds receiving care for mental struggles. Those who go to therapy are often seen as crazy or hopeless and are treated as outcasts within their own communities. My ultimate goal as a future psychiatrist is to prove to members of my community that mental health is not just for those who have a mental illness, and that mental health is a necessary way of being in tune with one's emotions and one’s behaviors. Whether I’m participating in mental health organizations in college or conducting research to gain further insight into the minds of the members of my community who reject maintaining mental wellness, I desire to foster a sense of inclusivity and diversity by creating a united network of black professionals, all of whom are passionate about working towards the prosperity of our global community. I believe it is important for Black people to know that they can trust those who are in charge of their mental wellness, and being able to promote the participation of Black people in healthcare ensures the comfort of those who are skeptical about taking the first steps to improve their mental health.

Walt Whitman lived his life in support of a movement called transcendentalism, which focused on the examination of the inherent righteousness of humanity as a whole. Whitman’s poem, I Hear America Singing, embodies transcendentalism in the way its ideas radically depart from the norms of the poetry of that time. Walt Whitman states how he can “hear America singing, the varied carols [...] Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else.” In Whitman’s eyes, each life is worthy. It does not matter if someone writes poems, measures planks, repairs shoes, sews clothing, or cooks meals; that person’s job is important and valued in American society. We have a responsibility to use whatever skills and talents we have to express the uniqueness and diversity of America. However, while we must make sure that our individual talents have the opportunity to shine, we as a unified society must be careful not to silence the voices of those who are deemed as inferior or “less than.” Like Whitman said, each person has something special about them that belongs to him or her and to none else. To say that someone is subordinate just because his or her skillset is different than your own is detrimental to the unification of society. When we as humans are exposed to the diversity of different backgrounds and cultures, we have the opportunity to learn from that diversity in order to form new perspectives. Without diversity, there is no growth. And without growth, a society cannot function. Whitman's words still carry so much weight today because of how true they are. The importance of his words has not changed and we as an American society must strive to embody the values of diversity and inclusion that Whitman so gracefully laid out in his writing.

Many teens today put an unrealistic amount of pressure on themselves to achieve high levels of academic success. I believe in the importance of pursuing our passions instead of trying to attain standards that won't provide us with long-term satisfaction. In my life, and especially in my education, I was more concerned with earning rewards than learning to enhance the state of my mind until I learned about intrinsic motivation. Exploring visual art and working to improve my skills taught me the value of this concept. Art allows me to have a space in which I do not have to worry about achieving awards or gaining satisfaction from the people around me. I can create art just for the sake of creating, and it has brought my life some much-needed balance. I'm no longer afraid of failure because my numerous failed attempts at illustrating new pieces have taught me that failure is only temporary. Now, I recognize that failure only highlights areas in my life where I need to grow. The improvement I saw in the quality of my art has proved to me that real growth takes time and dedication, and it's been wonderful applying this principle to becoming more open to learning and understanding complex topics. I know now and want to share with other people that there is room for failure and that we can all work diligently to achieve our goals. Ultimately, I believe that we need to prioritize mental health so that people of all ages can work to improve their mental states, physical health, as well as their emotional well-being. I want to encourage people who feel lost or without direction to find value in the talents and passions of their own lives that they either may be overlooking or just haven't discovered yet.

Taking time to explore visual art and to work at improving my skills taught me the value of intrinsic motivation and broke me out of a perfectionist mentality. My art allows me to have a space in which I do not have to worry about achieving awards or gaining satisfaction from the people around me. I am able to create art just for the sake of creating, and it has brought my life some much-needed balance. I am no longer afraid of failure because my numerous failed attempts at creating new pieces have taught me that failure is only temporary. I am now able to recognize that failure only highlights areas in my life where I need to grow. The improvement I've seen in the quality of my own art has proven to me that real growth takes time and dedication, and it's been wonderful applying this principle to my education, my health, and even my close relationships. While art is one of my biggest passions, I refuse to accept money for it. I fear that by allowing my art to become my career, the value of my artwork will be dependent upon how much money I am able to make from selling it, or even how many likes my pieces are able to receive on social media. My art is my way of expressing myself, my way of exposing my innermost thoughts, and having the state of my survival be contingent upon the success of my art would diminish my love for it. Ultimately, I would like to take what I've learned from my experiences in my artistic journey and apply it to my career in the field of mental health. My artwork was able to save me from the path of self-destruction that I was headed towards, and I want to be in a position that would allow me to address the mental struggles of teens or even adults who struggle with the same issues that I have. I plan on starting my own wellness center where people of all ages can work to improve their mental states, physical health, as well as their emotional well-being. I want to be able to encourage the people who feel lost or without direction to prioritize their health and find value in the aspects of their own lives that they either may be overlooking or just haven't discovered yet. As of right now, within many Black and African communities, there is stigma that surrounds receiving care for mental struggles. Those who go to therapy are often seen as crazy or hopeless and are treated as outcasts within their own communities. My ultimate goal as a future psychiatrist is to prove to members of my community that mental health is not just for those who have a mental illness, and that mental health is a necessary way of being in tune with one's emotions and one’s behaviors. Whether I’m participating in mental health organizations in college or conducting research to gain further insight into the minds of the members of my community who reject maintaining mental wellness, I desire to foster a sense of inclusivity and diversity by creating a united network of black professionals, all of whom are passionate about working towards the prosperity of our global community. I believe it is important for Black people to know that they can trust those who are in charge of their mental wellness, and being able to promote the participation of Black people in healthcare ensures the comfort of those who are skeptical about taking the first steps to improve their mental health.

Taking time to explore visual art and to work at improving my skills taught me the value of intrinsic motivation and broke me out of a perfectionist mentality. My art allows me to have a space in which I do not have to worry about achieving awards or gaining satisfaction from the people around me. I am able to create art just for the sake of creating, and it has brought my life some much-needed balance. I am no longer afraid of failure because my numerous failed attempts at creating new pieces have taught me that failure is only temporary. I am now able to recognize that failure only highlights areas in my life where I need to grow. The improvement I've seen in the quality of my own art has proven to me that real growth takes time and dedication, and it's been wonderful applying this principle to my education, my health, and even my close relationships. While art is one of my biggest passions, I refuse to accept money for it. I fear that by allowing my art to become my career, the value of my artwork will be dependent upon how much money I am able to make from selling it, or even how many likes my pieces are able to receive on social media. My art is my way of expressing myself, my way of exposing my innermost thoughts, and having the state of my survival be contingent upon the success of my art would diminish my love for it. At this point in my journey, I am grateful not only because my art has improved aspects of my own life but also because I have a medium to highlight topics and issues that I care most deeply about. I continue to strive to remedy the lack of representation in the media by implementing various skin tones and hair types in my digital illustrations to allow humans of all ethnicities to feel beautiful and seen. Ultimately, I would like to take what I've learned from my experiences in my artistic journey and apply it to my career in the field of mental health. My artwork was able to save me from the path of self-destruction that I was headed towards, and I want to be in a position that would allow me to address the mental struggles of teens or even adults who struggle with the same issues that I have. I plan on starting my own wellness center where people of all ages can work to improve their mental states, physical health, as well as their emotional well-being. I want to be able to encourage the people who feel lost or without direction to prioritize their health and find value in the aspects of their own lives that they either may be overlooking or just haven't discovered yet. As of right now, within many Black and African communities, there is stigma that surrounds receiving care for mental struggles. Those who go to therapy are often seen as crazy or hopeless and are treated as outcasts within their own communities. My ultimate goal as a future psychiatrist is to prove to members of my community that mental health is not just for those who have a mental illness, and that mental health is a necessary way of being in tune with one's emotions and one’s behaviors.

At one point in my life, my education became more about earning rewards than about learning to enhance the state of my own mind. Before I lived my life in fear of failure, consumed with stress and anxiety, and I felt as if I had no control over the direction of my own life. It wasn't until I started to experience feelings of uncontrollable anxiety, caused by the stress of trying to maintain high academic performance, that I realized that I needed to re-evaluate what I truly prioritized in my life. Taking time to explore visual art and to work at improving my skills taught me the value of intrinsic motivation and broke me out of a perfectionist mentality. My art allows me to have a space in which I do not have to worry about achieving awards or gaining satisfaction from the people around me. I am able to create art just for the sake of creating, and it has brought my life some much-needed balance. I am no longer afraid of failure because my numerous failed attempts at creating new pieces have taught me that failure is only temporary. I am now able to recognize that failure only highlights areas in my life where I need to grow. The improvement I've seen in the quality of my own art has proven to me that real growth takes time and dedication, and it's been wonderful applying this principle to my education, my health, and even my close relationships. While art is one of my biggest passions, I refuse to accept money for it. I fear that by allowing my art to become my career, the value of my artwork will be dependent upon how much money I am able to make from selling it, or even how many likes my pieces are able to receive on social media. My art is my way of expressing myself, my way of exposing my innermost thoughts, and having the state of my survival be contingent upon the success of my art would diminish my love for it. Ultimately, I would like to take what I've learned from my experiences in my artistic journey and apply it to my career in the field of mental health. My artwork was able to save me from the path of self-destruction that I was headed towards, and I want to be in a position that would allow me to address the mental struggles of teens or even adults who struggle with the same issues that I have. I plan on starting my own wellness center where people of all ages can work to improve their mental states, physical health, as well as their emotional well-being. I want to be able to encourage the people who feel lost or without direction to prioritize their health and find value in the aspects of their own lives that they either may be overlooking or just haven't discovered yet. As of right now, within many Black and African communities, there is stigma that surrounds receiving care for mental struggles. Those who go to therapy are often seen as crazy or hopeless and are treated as outcasts within their own communities. My ultimate goal as a future psychiatrist is to prove to members of my community that mental health is not just for those who have a mental illness, and that mental health is a necessary way of being in tune with one's emotions and one’s behaviors.

At one point in my life, my education became more about earning rewards than about learning to enhance the state of my own mind. Before I lived my life in fear of failure, consumed with stress and anxiety, and I felt as if I had no control over the direction of my own life. It wasn't until I started to experience feelings of uncontrollable anxiety, caused by the stress of trying to maintain high academic performance, that I realized that I needed to re-evaluate what I truly prioritized in my life. Taking time to explore visual art and to work at improving my skills taught me the value of intrinsic motivation. My art allows me to have a space in which I do not have to worry about achieving awards or gaining satisfaction from the people around me. I am able to create art just for the sake of creating, and it has brought my life some much-needed balance. I am no longer afraid of failure because my numerous failed attempts at creating new pieces have taught me that failure is only temporary. I am now able to recognize that failure only highlights areas in my life where I need to grow. The improvement I've seen in the quality of my own art has proven to me that real growth takes time and dedication, and it's been wonderful applying this principle to my education, my health, and even my close relationships. While art is one of my biggest passions, I refuse to accept money for it. I fear that by allowing my art to become my career, the value of my artwork will be dependent upon how much money I am able to make from selling it, or even how many likes my pieces are able to receive on social media. My art is my way of expressing myself, my way of exposing my innermost thoughts, and having the state of my survival be contingent upon the success of my art would diminish my love for it. Ultimately, I would like to take what I've learned from my experiences in my artistic journey and apply it to my career in the field of mental health. My artwork was able to save me from the path of self-destruction that I was headed towards, and I want to be in a position that would allow me to address the mental struggles of teens or even adults who struggle with the same issues that I have. I plan on starting my own wellness center where people of all ages can work to improve their mental states, physical health, as well as their emotional well-being. I want to be able to encourage the people who feel lost or without direction to prioritize their health and find value in the aspects of their own lives that they either may be overlooking or just haven't discovered yet. As of right now, within many Black and African communities, there is stigma that surrounds receiving care for mental struggles. Those who go to therapy are often seen as crazy or hopeless and are treated as outcasts within their own communities. My ultimate goal as a future psychiatrist is to prove to members of my community that mental health is not just for those who have a mental illness, and that mental health is a necessary way of being in tune with one's emotions and one’s behaviors.

At one point in my life, my education became more about earning rewards than about learning to enhance the state of my own mind. Before I lived my life in fear of failure, consumed with stress and anxiety, and I felt as if I had no control over the direction of my own life. It wasn't until I started to experience feelings of uncontrollable anxiety, caused by the stress of trying to maintain high academic performance, that I realized that I needed to reevaluate what I truly prioritized in my life. Taking time to explore visual art and to work at improving my skills taught me the value of intrinsic motivation. My art allows me to have a space in which I do not have to worry about achieving awards or gaining satisfaction from the people around me. I am able to create art just for the sake of creating, and it has brought my life some much-needed balance. I am no longer afraid of failure because my numerous failed attempts at creating new pieces have taught me that failure is only temporary. I am now able to recognize that failure only highlights areas in my life where I need to grow. The improvement I've seen in the quality of my own art has proven to me that real growth takes time and dedication, and it's been wonderful applying this principle to my education, my health, and even my close relationships. While art is one of my biggest passions, I refuse to accept money for it. I fear that by allowing my art to become my career, the value of my artwork will be dependent upon how much money I am able to make from selling it, or even how many likes my pieces are able to receive on social media. My art is my way of expressing myself, my way of exposing my innermost thoughts, and having the state of my survival be contingent upon the success of my art would diminish my love for it. Ultimately, I would like to take what I've learned from my experiences in my artistic journey and apply it to my career in the field of mental health. My artwork was able to save me from the path of self-destruction that I was headed towards, and I want to be in a position that would allow me to address the mental struggles of teens or even adults who struggle with the same issues that I have. I plan on starting my own wellness center where people of all ages can work to improve their mental states, physical health, as well as their emotional well-being. I want to be able to encourage the people who feel lost or without direction to prioritize their health and find value in the aspects of their own lives that they either may be overlooking or just haven't discovered yet. As of right now, within many Black and African communities, there is stigma that surrounds receiving care for mental struggles. Those who go to therapy are often seen as crazy or hopeless and are treated as outcasts within their own communities. My ultimate goal as a future psychiatrist is to prove to members of my community that mental health is not just for those who have a mental illness, and that mental health is a necessary way of being in tune with one's emotions and one’s behaviors.

Taking time to explore visual art and to work at improving my skills taught me the value of intrinsic motivation. Art gives me a space in which I don't have to worry about achieving awards or gaining satisfaction from people around me. I create art just for the sake of creating, and it has brought my life some much-needed balance. No longer am I afraid of failure because my numerous failed attempts at creating new pieces have taught me that failure is only temporary. Now, I recognize that failure only highlights areas in my life where I need to grow. The improvement I saw in the quality of my own art proved to me that real growth takes time and dedication, and it's been wonderful applying this principle to my education, my health, and my close relationships. Art is my way of expressing myself, my way of exposing my innermost thoughts. I’m grateful because art has improved aspects of my own life, and because I have a medium to highlight topics and issues that I care deeply about. I strive to remedy the lack of representation in the media by implementing various skin tones and hair types in my digital illustrations that allow humans of all ethnicities to feel beautiful and seen. But ultimately, my artwork was able to save me from the path of self-destruction that I was headed toward. I would like to take what I've learned from my experiences in my artistic journey and apply it to my career in the field of mental health by starting my own wellness center so that I can be in a position that would allow me to encourage teens who feel lost or without direction to prioritize their health and find value in their talents and passions as I have.

Exploring visual art and working to improve my skills taught me to value intrinsic motivation. Art allows me to have a space in which I don't have to worry about achieving awards or gaining satisfaction from people around me. I create art just for the sake of creating, and it has brought my life some much-needed balance. No longer am I afraid of failure because my numerous failed attempts at creating new pieces have taught me that failure is only temporary. Now, I recognize that failure only highlights areas in my life where I need to grow. The improvement I saw in the quality of my art revealed to me that real growth takes time and dedication, and it's been beneficial applying this idea to improving my education, my health, and my close relationships. Art is one of my biggest passions, but I refuse to accept money for it. Having my art become my career would diminish my love for it. I never want the value of my artwork to be dependent upon how much money I make from selling my work, or even how many likes my pieces receive on social media. Art is my way of expressing myself, my way of exposing my innermost thoughts, and I'd never want to reduce my work to be a means of survival. At this point, I am grateful because my art has improved aspects of my own life and because I have a medium to highlight topics and issues that I care most deeply about. I strive to remedy the lack of representation in the media by implementing various skin tones and hair types in my digital illustrations that allow humans of all ethnicities to feel beautiful and seen. Ultimately, my artwork was able to save me from the path of self-destruction that I was headed toward. I want to start my own wellness center so that I can be in a position that would allow me to encourage teens who feel lost or without direction to prioritize their health and find value in their talents and passions as I have.

I believe that pursuing our passions is more important than striving to attain standards that won't provide us with long-term satisfaction. In my life, and especially in my education, I was more concerned with earning rewards than using the gift of learning to enhance the state of my mind. But, through exploring visual art and working to improve my skills, I learned the value of intrinsic motivation, which taught me to enjoy learning without incentives. My art allows me to have a space in which I do not have to worry about achieving awards or gaining satisfaction from the people around me. I can create art just for the sake of creating, and it has brought my life some much-needed balance. I am no longer afraid of failure because my numerous failed attempts at illustrating new pieces have taught me that failing is only temporary. I can now recognize that failure only highlights areas in my life where I need to grow. The improvement I've seen in the quality of my art has proven to me that real growth takes time and dedication, and it's been wonderful applying this idea to improving the quality of my education, my health, and even my close relationships. I am now more open to learning and understanding complex topics because I know that there is room for failure and that I can work diligently to achieve my goals. However, while art is one of my biggest passions, I refuse to make a career out of it. Having my art become my career would diminish my love for it because I'd never want the value of my artwork to depend on how much money I can make from selling my work or even how many likes my pieces can receive on social media. My art is my way of expressing myself, my way of exposing my innermost thoughts, and my way of helping others recognize the beauty in people of all skin colors, and I'd never want to reduce my work to just being a means of survival. Instead, I would like to take what I've learned from my experiences in my artistic journey and apply it to my career in the field of mental health. My artwork saved me from the path of self-destruction that I was heading towards by providing me relief from the rigorous standards that our society so often encourages us to maintain. I want to be in a position that would allow me to address the mental struggles of teens or even adults who struggle with the same issues that I have. My ultimate goal is to start a wellness center. At my center, I will support people of all ages in their journeys toward improving their mental states, physical health, and emotional well-being. I want to encourage the people who feel lost or without direction to prioritize their health and find value in the aspects of their own lives that they either may be overlooking or just haven't discovered yet.

At one point in my life, my education became more about earning rewards than about learning to enhance the state of my own mind. Taking time to explore visual art and to work at improving my skills taught me the value of intrinsic motivation. My art allows me to have a space in which I do not have to worry about achieving awards or gaining satisfaction from the people around me. I am able to create art just for the sake of creating, and it has brought my life some much-needed balance. I am no longer afraid of failure because my numerous failed attempts at creating new pieces has taught me that failure is only temporary. I am now able to recognize that failure only highlights areas in my life where I need to grow. The improvement I've seen in the quality of my own art has proven to me that real growth takes time and dedication, and it's been wonderful applying this principle to my education, my health, and even my close relationships. While art is one of my biggest passions, I refuse to accept money for it. I fear that by allowing my art to become my career, the value of my artwork will be dependent upon how much money I am able to make from selling it, or even how many likes my pieces are able to receive on social media. My art is my way of expressing myself, my way of exposing my innermost thoughts, and having the state of my survival be contingent upon the success of my art would diminish my love for it. Instead, I would like to take what I've learned from my experiences in my artistic journey and apply it to my career in the field of mental health. My artwork was able to save me from the path of self-destruction that I was headed towards, and I want to be in a position that would allow me to address the mental struggles of teens or even adults who struggle with the same issues that I have. One of my goals is to start my own wellness center at which people of all ages can work to improve their mental states, their physical health, as well as their emotional well being. I want to be able to encourage the people who feel lost or without direction to prioritize their health and find value in the aspects of their own lives that they either may be overlooking or just haven't discovered yet. For many years, mental health awareness within the African diaspora has often been stigmatized, and those struggling with mental illness are commonly seen as weak or incompetent. I cannot use a magic wand to eradicate the struggles with mental health that my community faces. However, I plan on becoming a psychiatrist to not only make the treatment of mental health more recognized as a desirable aspect of self-care, but also to make creating a state of wellness a more economically feasible option for low-income families. Any research that I am able to do will be geared towards gaining further insight into the minds of the members of my Black community who continue to reject the notion of having to maintain mental wellness. But most importantly, I don’t plan on achieving my future goals alone. I desire to create a network of Black professionals who are passionate about working towards the prosperity of our entire community, and I believe I am ambitious enough to succeed in my future endeavors.

My artistic growth being able to break me out of a perfectionist mentality allowed me to realize my dream of becoming a psychiatrist. Before, I lived my life in fear of failure, consumed with stress and anxiety, and I felt as if I had no control over the direction of my own life. It wasn't until I started to experience feelings of uncontrollable anxiety, caused by the stress of maintaining high academic performance, that I realized that I needed to reevaluate what I truly prioritized in my life. I realized that I was more motivated by the reward of achieving stellar scores and outstanding awards than by the honor of having the opportunity to learn and to further my education. My education became more about earning those rewards instead of being about learning to enhance the state of my own mind. Taking time to explore visual art and to work at improving my skills taught me the value of intrinsic motivation. My art allows me to have a space in which I do not have to worry about achieving awards or gaining satisfaction from the people around me. I am able to create art just for the sake of creating, and it has brought my life some much-needed balance. I am no longer afraid of failure because my numerous failed attempts at creating new pieces has taught me that failure is only temporary. I am now able to recognize that failure only highlights areas in my life where I need to grow. The improvement I've seen in the quality of my own art has proven to me that real growth takes time and dedication, and it's been wonderful applying this principle to my education, my health, and even my close relationships. At this moment, I am grateful not only for the fact that my art has improved aspects of my own life, but also for the fact that I have a medium to highlight topics and issues that I care most deeply about. I love being able to contribute to solving the problem of having a lack of representation in media by incorporating a variety of skin tones in whatever I create. I strive to use my artwork to allow humans of all ethnicities to feel beautiful and seen. However, while art is one of my biggest passions, I refuse to accept money for it. Having my art become my career would diminish my love for it. I never want the value of my artwork to be dependent upon how much money I am able to make from selling it, or even how many likes my pieces are able to receive on social media. My art is my way of expressing myself, my way of exposing my innermost thoughts. Instead, I would like to take what I've learned from my experiences in my artistic journey and apply it to my career in the field of mental health. My artwork was able to save me from the path of self-destruction that I was headed towards, and I want to be in a position that would allow me to address the mental struggles of teens or even adults who struggle with the same issues that I have. One of my goals is to start my own wellness center at which people of all ages can work to improve their mental states, their physical health, as well as their emotional well being. I want to be able to encourage the people who feel lost or without direction to prioritize their health and find value in the aspects of their own lives that they either may be overlooking or just haven't discovered yet. For many years, mental health awareness within the African diaspora has often been stigmatized, and those struggling with mental illness are commonly seen as weak or incompetent. I cannot use a magic wand to eradicate the struggles with mental health that my community faces. However, I plan on becoming a psychiatrist to not only make the treatment of mental health more recognized as a desirable aspect of self-care, but also to make creating a state of wellness a more economically feasible option for low-income families. The research that I am able to do will be geared towards gaining further insight into the minds of the members of my Black community who continue to reject the notion of having to maintain mental wellness. But most importantly, I don’t plan on achieving my future goals alone. I desire to create a network of Black professionals who are passionate about working towards the prosperity of our entire community, and I believe I am ambitious enough to succeed in my future endeavors.

The Father of modern neuroscience, Santiago Ramon y Cajal, was not only the first scientist to suggest that the brain is composed of individual cell structures, but he also had an intense passion for his artistic pursuits. Even though his father encourage him to pursue medicine, Cajal was able to make detailed drawings of brain matter that continue to be valued sources for neurological study. Cajal inspires me in my path towards becoming a neuroscientist because he never had to give up his passion for the arts in order to achieve his success. One might say that winning the Nobel Prize in 1906 for revolutionary research into the nervous system was Cajal's greatest accomplishment, but I believe he would be even more impressed by the fact that the scientific images he illustrated are still held in high regard in the field of modern neuroscience.

Taking time to explore visual art and work at improving my skills taught me the value of intrinsic motivation. My art allows me to have a space in which I do not have to worry about achieving awards or gaining satisfaction from the people around me. I am able to create art just for the sake of creating, and it has brought my life some much-needed balance. I am no longer afraid of failure because my numerous failed attempts at creating new pieces has taught me that failure is only temporary. I am now able to recognize that failure only highlights areas in my life where I need to grow. The improvement I've seen in the quality of my own art has proven to me that real growth takes time and dedication, and it's been wonderful applying this principle to my education, my health, and even my close relationships. Art is one of my biggest passions, but I refuse to accept money for it. Having my art become my career would diminish my love for it. I never want the value of my artwork to be dependent upon how much money I am able to make from selling it, or even how many likes my pieces are able to receive on social media. My art is my way of expressing myself, my way of exposing my innermost thoughts. Instead, I would like to take what I've learned from my experiences in my artistic journey and apply it to my career in the field of mental health. My artwork was able to save me from the path of self-destruction that I was headed towards, and I want to be in a position that would allow me to address the mental struggles of teens or even adults who struggle with the same issues that I have. One of my goals is to start my own wellness center at which people of all ages can work to improve their mental states, their physical health, as well as their emotional well being. I want to be able to encourage the people who feel lost or without direction to prioritize their health and find value in the aspects of their own lives that they either may be overlooking or just haven't discovered yet. As of right now, within many Black and African communities, there is stigma that surrounds receiving care for mental struggles. Those who go to therapy are often seen as crazy or hopeless and are treated as outcasts within their own communities. My ultimate goal as a future psychiatrist is to prove to members of my community that mental health is not just for those who have a mental illness, and that mental health is a necessary way of being in tune with one's emotions and one’s behaviors. I would like to be able to cover the costs of both my undergraduate and medical education without causing my parents to have the unnecessary stress that could come with paying for my success.

My favorite teacher highlighted her respect and admiration for the United States as a whole, especially focusing on American poetry. She expressed her belief that poets have certain authorities that distinguish them from other citizens in America. My teacher believes that America has the power to be a leading force in the world of creativity, and she believes in the power of poets’ words to achieve this goal. In my conversations with her, she continued to make points about the roles of all people in a society, stating how special it is that each person in America has individual qualities that belong to him or her and to none else. In her eyes, each life is worthy. It does not matter if someone writes poems, measures planks, repairs shoes, sews clothing, or cooks meals; that person’s job is important and valued in American society. I believe reason why my teacher was able to so freely emphasize the importance of a poet’s role in society is because he already believed that American society’s most special aspect was that each person contributed something special and useful. I do not want to become a poet, but hearing my teachers words inspired me to recognize unique qualities within myself and use them to improve the communities around me. Before, I lived my life in fear of failure, consumed with stress and anxiety, and I felt as if I had no control over the direction of my own life. It wasn't until I started to experience feelings of uncontrollable anxiety, caused by the stress of maintaining high academic performance, that I realized that I needed to reevaluate what I truly prioritized in my life. I realized that I was more motivated by the reward of achieving stellar scores and outstanding awards than by the honor of having the opportunity to learn and to further my education. My education became more about earning those rewards instead of being about learning to enhance the state of my own mind. Taking time to explore visual art and work at improving my skills taught me the value of intrinsic motivation. My art allows me to have a space in which I do not have to worry about achieving awards or gaining satisfaction from the people around me. I create art just for the sake of creating, and it has brought my life some much-needed balance. I am no longer afraid of failure. My numerous failed attempts at creating new pieces has taught me that failure is only temporary. I am now able to recognize that failure only highlights areas in my life where I need to grow. The improvement I've seen in the quality of my own art has shown me that real growth takes time and dedication, and it's been wonderful applying this principle to my education, my health, and my close relationships. Ultimately, I would like to take what I've learned from my experiences in my artistic journey and apply it to my career in the field of mental health. My artwork was able to save me from the path of self-destruction that I was headed towards, and I want to be in a position that would allow me to address the mental struggles of teens or even adults who struggle with the same issues that I have by starting my own wellness center at which people of all ages can work to improve their mental states. I am thankful that my teacher provided me with such wisdom, and that she allowed me to see how my talents could contribute towards improving the state of our world.

My artistic growth being able to break me out of a perfectionist mentality allowed me to realize that I wanted to become a psychiatrist. Before, I lived my life in fear of failure, consumed with stress and anxiety, and I felt as if I had no control over the direction of my own life. It wasn't until I started to experience feelings of uncontrollable anxiety, caused by the stress of maintaining high academic performance, that I realized that I needed to reevaluate what I truly prioritized in my life. I realized that I was more motivated by the reward of achieving stellar scores and outstanding awards than by the honor of having the opportunity to learn and to further my education. My education became more about earning those rewards instead of being about learning to enhance the state of my own mind. Taking time to explore visual art and work at improving my skills taught me the value of intrinsic motivation. My art allows me to have a space in which I do not have to worry about achieving awards or gaining satisfaction from the people around me. I am able to create art just for the sake of creating, and it has brought my life some much-needed balance. I am no longer afraid of failure because my numerous failed attempts at creating new pieces has taught me that failure is only temporary. I am now able to recognize that failure only highlights areas in my life where I need to grow. The improvement I've seen in the quality of my own art has proven to me that real growth takes time and dedication, and it's been wonderful applying this principle to my education, my health, and even my close relationships. Art is one of my biggest passions, but I refuse to accept money for it. Having my art become my career would diminish my love for it. I never want the value of my artwork to be dependent upon how much money I am able to make from selling it, or even how many likes my pieces are able to receive on social media. My art is my way of expressing myself, my way of exposing my innermost thoughts. Instead, I would like to take what I've learned from my experiences in my artistic journey and apply it to my career in the field of mental health. My artwork was able to save me from the path of self-destruction that I was headed towards, and I want to be in a position that would allow me to address the mental struggles of teens or even adults who struggle with the same issues that I have. One of my goals is to start my own wellness center at which people of all ages can work to improve their mental states, their physical health, as well as their emotional well being. I want to be able to encourage the people who feel lost or without direction to prioritize their health and find value in the aspects of their own lives that they either may be overlooking or just haven't discovered yet. As of right now, within many Black and African communities, there is stigma that surrounds receiving care for mental struggles. Those who go to therapy are often seen as crazy or hopeless and are treated as outcasts within their own communities. My ultimate goal as a future psychiatrist is to prove to members of my community that mental health is not just for those who have a mental illness, and that mental health is a necessary way of being in tune with one's emotions and one’s behaviors. At this moment, I am grateful not only for the fact that my art has improved aspects of my own life, but also for the fact that I have a medium to highlight topics and issues that I care most deeply about. My main goal is to contribute to solving the problem of having a lack of representation in media by incorporating a variety of skin tones in whatever I create. I strive to use my artwork to allow humans of all ethnicities to feel beautiful and seen. Most of all, I enjoy art because it's fun! Whether I'm toying around with different color schemes or drawing pictures of family members, I know that I've found a hobby where I'm allowed to be free and where I'm allowed to make mistakes without feeling as if I am unworthy. And I wouldn't trade that feeling for anything.

Walt Whitman lived his life in support of a movement called transcendentalism, which focused on the examination of the inherent righteousness of humanity as a whole. Transcendentalists noticed the divine nature of many physical aspects of life, rather than believing that everything that was divine had to be distant. Whitman’s poem, I Hear America Singing, embodies transcendentalism in the way its ideas radically depart from the norms and traditions of poetry of that time. Walt Whitman states how special it is that he can “hear America singing, the varied carols [...] Each singing what belongs to him or her and to none else.” In Whitman’s eyes, each life is worthy. It does not matter if someone writes poems, measures planks, repairs shoes, sews clothing, or cooks meals; that person’s job is important and valued in American society. We as citizens of the United States have a responsibility to use whatever skills and talents we have to express the uniqueness and diversity of America. However, while we must make sure that our individual talents have the opportunity to shine, we as a unified society must be careful not to silence the voices of those who are deemed as inferior or “less than.” Not one person in a functioning society is inferior to another because each part of a whole plays a role in the overall success of the society. Like Whitman said, each person has something special about them that belongs to him or her and to none else. To say that someone is lesser, or even subordinate just because his or her skillset is different than your own is not only cruel and condescending, but also detrimental to the unification of a society. When we as humans have the opportunity to be exposed to the diversity of different backgrounds and cultures, we then also have the opportunity to learn from that diversity in order to form new perspectives. Without diversity, there is no growth. And without growth, a society cannot function. Even though Walt Whitman’s I Hear America Singing was written over one hundred years ago, his words still carry so much weight today because of how true they are. The importance of his words have not changed and we as an American society must strive to embody the values of diversity and inclusion that Whitman so gracefully laid out in his writing.

Art is one of my lifelong passions, and I love challenging myself with new creative tasks to improve my skills. When the pandemic and the initial days of quarantine struck, I suddenly had enough time on my hands to actually develop and further my personal art style. I was able to take many of my old art pieces and transform them to incorporate new skills I had just learned. What was especially surprising about my journey is that I officially transitioned from traditional art - paper and pen/ink - to digital art with the help of a new drawing tablet and a stylus. I had toyed with the idea of digital art before, but never had the time to commit to trying it out until the onset of the pandemic. While it was a challenge, I’m proud of myself for trying something new in my art, and I am incredibly pleased that I could breathe new life into many of my old pieces. However, what was most important about me discovering my love for digital art was discovering my newfound opportunity to have an impact on my community in the form of a coloring book. In the previous year, 2019, I had the opportunity to go on a mission trip to Honduras with students and faculty from my school. In Honduras, our primary focus was to build relationships with the Tolupan people of Flower Mountain. By setting up a dental and surgical clinic, helping with the construction of a septic tank, hiking up school supplies to children, worshiping with all the people, and making plans to go back each year, we were able to strengthen our relationships with them and show them how much we care. After receiving such a wonderful opportunity to provide a service to the Tolupan community, I had decided to make it a yearly affair; however, the impact of COVID-19 made it impossible. So, my next action was to translate my newfound love for digital art into a benefit for Flower Mountain which eventually inspired me to create and sell a coloring book in order to raise money in support of that community. The devastation in Honduras in 2020 caused by flooding made it especially important to reach the goal of providing relief to the numerous families and individuals suffering from the effects of the damage. My coloring book is currently still in stock and all the money from sales goes towards creating care packages to send to the Tolupan people. In the end, while it was difficult to think of ways to serve a community of people from afar, I am thankful that because of the extra time I had on my hands, I was able to utilize a newfound talent of mine. ••• The link below is the link for my original coloring book

Art is one of my lifelong passions, and I love challenging myself with new creative tasks to improve my skills. When the pandemic and the initial days of quarantine struck, I suddenly had enough time on my hands to actually develop and further my personal art style. The 4 pictures are two examples of a “before-and-after” project that I tasked myself with. I was able to take many of my old art pieces and improve them to incorporate new skills I had just learned. While it was a challenge, I’m proud of myself for trying something new in my art.