On my journey, I have had to undergo and face challenges that have tested my resilience and perseverance. Adversity such as navigating financial hardships due to my father's post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety diagnoses, which left him unable to work. He worked as a Police Officer for 18 years and had to retire early because of PTSD and anxiety brought on by things he witnessed and experienced while patrolling and working narcotics. I had to find employment to help my mom cover the bills for our household while maintaining my grades in high school and in the dual credit program. I soon realized after starting my first job at Chick-fil-A, it was not just about earning a paycheck; it was about proving to myself that I could overcome obstacles and contribute to my family's financial needs. This financial strain forced me to mature quickly and take on responsibilities beyond my years. Yet, instead of succumbing to despair, I used this challenge as fuel to propel me forward. Working at Chick-fil-A taught me the value of hard work, customer service, and teamwork. Experiencing failure on the Varsity Girls Soccer team was another milestone that has influenced my journey. Last year, our soccer team advanced to the Area Playoffs where we lost during the third round. I set a goal for myself as the incoming captain to not only qualify for playoffs, but to surpass Area Playoffs. As team captain, I established a level of trust and comradery with my team that led to profound teamwork, hard work, and dedication to excellence that we advanced to the fifth round of the playoffs and were crowned the Regional Semi-final Champions. Leading my team to this accomplishment was not only a triumph on the field, but also a testament to my leadership abilities and commitment to excellence. Through soccer, I learned the importance of dedication, discipline, and perseverance, qualities that have shaped my approach to achieving my goals. Every obstacle I encountered has molded me into the person I am today by teaching me important life skills, giving me the opportunity to grow and become a better person, while strengthening my resolve to succeed. My proudest achievement is yet to come as it lies in my dream of studying biology in the pre-medicine track at Louisiana State University (LSU) to become a doctor. LSU represents more than just a college; it is a pathway to achieving my goal of helping others, attaining financial freedom, and giving back to my community. At LSU, I aspire to excel academically while immersing myself in opportunities for personal and professional growth. I envision myself participating in research, volunteering in underserved communities, and actively engaging in extracurricular activities that align with my passion for helping others through medicine. My family is a blended family of eight, in which I will be the second child concurrently attending college. This scholarship will decrease my mom’s worry of how to fund my college education. While in college, I will continue to work diligently, push beyond my limits, and strive for excellence. I am committed to making a positive impact in the lives of those around me. With unwavering determination, I am ready to embark on this journey to success, and I am grateful for the opportunity to pursue my dreams with the support of the 2024 Sloane Stephens Doc and Glo Scholarship. If granted this scholarship, I will represent this organization respectfully while making you proud for investing in my future by using my lessons learned from adversity to drive my passion of helping others by becoming a physician.

I am the third child of six in my family. Having such a large family has helped me to be more empathetic and compassionate towards others. My family has our struggles which ignited my determination to be successful by serving others. I believe children are our future. They need positive role models to help shape them into productive citizens by offering encouragement, motivation, and schooling them about life. Because of my positive experiences from my mom and as a mentee of Encounters with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, I was a lead Mustang Mentor for three years to the incoming freshmen at my high school. My job was to meet with the incoming freshmen to assist them with transitioning from middle school to high school. I informed them about what to expect in high school by sharing personal experiences, gave them advice on how to adjust to the increased workload, balancing sports, the importance of participating in extracurricular activities, and using available resources to achieve success. Over the past three years, I connected with people with various backgrounds which helped me to become more culturally competent. I was also able to help many students adjust to high school. Even my Assistant Principal sent students in my direction for assistance because he witnessed how I positively impacted others around me. Being a mentor not only strengthened my leadership abilities, but also taught me the importance of having patience, empathy, and setting goals. Most importantly, it helped me discover the true joy of making a promising impact on others' lives. My ultimate goal is to become a physician so that I can continue helping others. I want to leave a legacy of service particularly to the under-served African American community. I have a passion to end healthcare disparities experienced by African Americans by fighting for equal rights. To continue to read about how African American women are more likely to die during childbirth than Caucasian women is such an injustice. The time is now to not only talk about it but DO something about it. I want to be the beacon of hope by breaking barriers to racial healthcare disparities. As an African American female provider, I will use my platform to fight for my patients. I will inform them on the importance of advocating for themselves. My patients will receive education on preventative measures they can take to prevent and minimize illnesses. I plan to be a medical provider who makes healthcare accessible to my community by owning my own practice that will accept all patients regardless of their socioeconomic status. I will bring my services to the community by hosting medical clinics in efforts to increase accessibility and trust among doctor patient relationships. Furthermore, I vow to educate my colleagues on racial inclusivity and unconscious bias in efforts to increase awareness regarding racial biases experienced by African American females. I also plan to host conferences and seminars to educate the public on racial disparities in healthcare. As a future African American female physician, I have accepted the responsibility of leading this change for justice! This is how I will impact the world around me. Obtaining this scholarship will assist me with financing my education at Louisiana State University so that I can be a catalyst to help end racial biases in healthcare within my community and ensure my patients receive the healthcare they deserve. If awarded this scholarship, I will continue the legacy of Dr. Delon Hampton, an example of excellence in engineering, while representing this organization respectfully and making you proud of investing in my future.

On my journey, I have had to undergo and face challenges that have tested my resilience and perseverance. Since I was young, I spent countless hours in the hospital visiting my uncle who had kidney disease. He was born with only one kidney that was partially functioning. The doctors told his parents he would not live to make it out of the hospital; boy were they wrong. By the grace of God, he lived to be 33 years old. It has been five years since his passing, and I still think about him often. I daydream of the happy memories we created. Uncle Waymon had one of the biggest impacts on my life because he helped me learn how to not live my life in fear, to push through the wall when things get hard, and to live an honorable life with no regrets. He is my why. Watching his healthcare team pay such close attention to detail, admiring how they communicated with my uncle and his parents, and seeing how this helped my uncle fight to live enabled me to realize that I want a career in the medical field so I can make a positive impact in my patients' and their families' lives. Most recently, I have had to navigate financial hardships due to my father's post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety diagnoses, which left him unable to work. He worked as a Police Officer for 18 years and had to retire early because of PTSD and anxiety brought on by things he witnessed and experienced while patrolling and working narcotics. I had to find employment to help my mom cover the household bills while maintaining my grades in high school and in the dual credit program. I soon realized after starting my first job at Chick-fil-A, it was not just about earning a paycheck; it was about proving to myself that I could overcome obstacles and contribute to my family's financial needs. This financial strain forced me to mature quickly and take on responsibilities beyond my years. Yet, instead of succumbing to despair, I used this challenge as fuel to propel me forward. Working at Chick-fil-A taught me the value of hard work, customer service, and teamwork. My proudest achievement is yet to come as it lies in my dream of studying biology at Louisiana State University (LSU) to become a doctor. LSU represents more than just a college; it is a pathway to achieving my goal of helping others, attaining financial freedom, and giving back to my community. At LSU, I aspire to excel academically while immersing myself in opportunities for personal and professional growth. I envision myself participating in research, volunteering in underserved communities, and actively engaging in extracurricular activities that align with my desire of helping others through medicine. My family is a blended family of eight, in which I will be the second child concurrently attending college. This scholarship will decrease my mom’s worry of how to fund my college education. While in college, I will continue to work diligently, push beyond my limits, and strive for excellence. I am committed to making a positive impact in the lives of those around me. With unwavering determination, I am ready to embark on this journey to success, and I am grateful for the opportunity to pursue my dreams with the support of the Powering the Future - Whiddon Memorial Scholarship. If granted this scholarship, I will uphold the Whiddons' legacy while making you proud of investing in my future by using my lessons learned from adversity to drive my passion to become a physician.

Healthcare Disparities Experienced by African American Women I consider racial bias in healthcare among African American women to be one of the most important medical issues in society today. This is important to me because the adverse effects that occur due to healthcare disparities can easily be avoided. Studies reveal African American women are more likely to die from hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and during childbirth than any other race. I believe most racial disparities in healthcare stem from African American female patients having lower economic statuses, lack of insurance coverage, diminished trust of the medical provider providing care, and the patient’s absence of knowledge regarding medical procedures. There’s also overwhelming evidence of how medical providers dismiss the complaints of African American women when they seek medical care. Such dismissal often causes neglect which leads to increased negative patient outcomes in our race. It is because of this belief and my desire to care for others that I have developed a strong passion to become a doctor. I want to be the beacon of hope by breaking barriers to racial healthcare disparities. As an African American female provider, I will use my platform to inform my patients on the importance of advocating for themselves, speaking up when they know they are not being heard. My patients will receive education on preventative measures they can take to prevent and minimize illnesses. I aspire to be a medical provider who makes healthcare accessible to my community by owning my own practice that will accept all patients regardless of their socioeconomic status. I will bring my services to the community by hosting medical clinics in efforts to increase accessibility and trust among doctor patient relationships. Furthermore, I vow to educate my colleagues on racial inclusivity and unconscious bias in efforts to increase awareness regarding racial biases experienced by African American females. My dream is to host conferences and seminars to educate the public on racial disparities in healthcare. During my seminars, we will establish work groups that will develop best practices to combat racial disparities in healthcare. I genuinely believe the time is now to not only talk about it but to do something about it. As an African American female who will become a physician, I have accepted the responsibility of leading this change! Obtaining this scholarship will assist me with financing my education at Louisiana State University to become a doctor so that I can be a catalyst to help end racial biases in healthcare within my community and ensure my patients receive the health care they deserve.

What sets me apart from other scholarship candidates is my determination and my why. Since I was young, I spent countless hours in the hospital visiting my uncle who had kidney disease. He was born with only one kidney that was partially functioning. The doctors told his parents he would not live to make it out of the hospital; boy were they wrong. By the grace of God, he lived to be 33 years old. I always admired how the doctors and nurses cared for him. Watching his healthcare team pay such close attention to detail, admiring how they communicated with my uncle and his parents, and seeing how this helped my uncle fight to live enabled me to realize that I want a career in the medical field so I can make a positive impact in my patients' and their families' lives. As I think about my uncle’s life, he never had a significant other or children. He wasn’t able to hang out with his friends, attend football games because his body wouldn’t allow him to. Even while on vacation, we had to choose places that had Dialysis Centers so he could receive treatment; but he never complained. Despite his challenges, he managed to graduate high school with Honors and became a Radiology Technician. He really tried to not let kidney disease define him. It was then that I vowed to appreciate and live my life to the fullest. I realized that if he could accomplish what he did with limitations, I could set goals without limitations. It has been five years since his passing, and I still think about him often. I daydream of the happy memories we created. Uncle Waymon had one of the biggest impacts on my life because he helped me learn how to not live my life in fear, to push through the wall when things get hard, and to live an honorable life with no regrets. He is my why. As I enter college at Louisiana State University, I know times will be tough. However, I will remember all of the instances where my uncle used determination and courage to fight. I am forever grateful for him. Watching him battle this disease and being at his side on his deathbed has given me the strength, courage, and perseverance I need to be successful. I will accomplish my goal to become a doctor! This scholarship would not only alleviate the financial burden of pursuing a higher education but provide the resources and support I need to thrive at LSU. It will also decrease my mom’s worry of how to fund my college education. With this scholarship, I will continue to work diligently, push beyond my limits, and strive for excellence in every endeavor. I am committed to making a positive impact in the lives of those around me, just as others have in mine. With unwavering determination, I am ready to embark on this journey to success, and I am grateful for the opportunity to pursue my dreams with the support of the Concrete Rose Scholarship. If granted this scholarship, I will represent this organization respectfully while making you proud of investing in my future.

Healthcare Disparities Experienced by African American Women I consider racial bias in healthcare among African American women to be the most important medical issue in society today. This is important to me because the adverse effects that occur due to healthcare disparities are something that can easily be avoided. Studies reveal African American women are more likely to die from hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and during childbirth than any other race. I believe most racial disparities in healthcare stem from African American female patients having lower economic statuses, lack of insurance coverage, diminished trust of the medical provider providing care, and the patient’s absence of knowledge regarding medical procedures. There’s also overwhelming evidence of how medical providers dismiss the complaints of African American women when they seek medical care. Such dismissal often causes neglect which leads to increased negative patient outcomes in our race. It is because of this belief and my desire to care for others that I have developed a strong passion to become a doctor. I want to be the beacon of hope by breaking barriers to racial healthcare disparities. As an African American female provider, I will use my platform to inform my patients on the importance of advocating for themselves, speaking up when they know they are not being heard. My patients will receive education on preventative measures they can take to prevent and minimize illnesses. I plan to be a medical provider who makes healthcare accessible to my community by owning my own practice that will accept all patients regardless of their socioeconomic status. I will bring my services to the community by hosting medical clinics in efforts to increase accessibility and trust among doctor patient relationships. Furthermore, I vow to educate my colleagues on racial inclusivity and unconscious bias in efforts to increase awareness regarding racial biases experienced by African American females. I also plan to host conferences and seminars to educate the public on racial disparities in healthcare. During my seminars, we will establish work groups that will develop best practices to combat racial disparities in healthcare. I genuinely believe the time is now to not only talk about it but to do something about it. As an African American female who will become a physician, I have accepted the responsibility of leading this change! Obtaining this scholarship will assist me with financing my education at Louisiana State University to become a doctor so that I can be a catalyst to help end racial biases in healthcare within my community and ensure my patients receive the health care they deserve.