My career goals consist of penetrating a white male dominated career and becoming a dermatologist with my own clinic. I strive to effect change in our country's healthcare system and medical field as there is a blatant lack of racial equity within these systems. Beyond my medical career I hope to engage our society in conversation and action towards making a difference in the legislative aspect of healthcare. Advocacy for those in “lesser” demographics is key to establishing an environment that offers voice to all. I’m excited to attend an HBCU this coming fall as it entails being in an institution that offers space to be surrounded by a community invested in my academic success, but also my cultural edification. This opportunity provides prospective connections among my community that expand beyond my scope or even understanding. I see myself not only networking with possible mentors and role models but also actualizing my dream to see the African/African American community come together in success and demonstrated potential. The strength and power that I will garner from being surrounded by like minded individuals is exhilarating to contemplate on. I know that I will come into my own and grow in my understanding of my identity and purpose at an HBCU but specifically at Spelman College.

For most of my life I have been interested in pursuing a career in medicine. I’ve always been fascinated by the beauty of biology as a subject. Medicine as a field of study furthers this, observing how the human body works to heal itself to the extent that we can help enhance that process and in some cases surpass it. Being able to surround myself with the beauty of our existence and also contribute to helping people experience that existence to the fullest, is what draws me to a bioscience major. I am interested in incorporating my passion for social justice initiatives in my medical ambitions. The major discrepancy between the quality of care that people of color have access to and what is offered to those in a more privileged demographic embodies the lack of racial equity within our healthcare system. Incorporating the study of sociology will allow me to expand my knowledge in this arena and be sufficiently prepared to make a difference. In terms of my specific professional goals, I aspire to specialize in dermatology. What initially drew me to this was my own struggles with atopic dermatitis. After seeing several specialists I still haven’t found a concrete treatment to help with the condition. I realized that a lot of the specialists I saw were white males who may not have been fully equipped to recognize my unique experience and therefore provide treatment that was most cohesive with my lifestyle. I’ve had to juggle different methods through different seasons to reduce the flare ups but at the end of the day I’ve found that the scarring has been relatively permanent. I want to make strides in the field of dermatology as a black female dermatologist. I believe that the dangers of dismissing certain demographics from equal representation in our healthcare systems include increased misdiagnoses and possible lives lost. Dermatology specifically is practiced through visual diagnoses before skin biopsies are ordered, so when specialists do not acknowledge the differences in how illnesses and conditions manifest on darker skin mistakes are inevitable. I strive to be a part of the shift in culture and systems necessary to promote racial equity throughout our country’s healthcare system and medical field. In recognition of my desire to serve on a professional level, I’ve also passionately involved myself in community service and public service on a personal and extracurricular level. I’m acutely aware of the fact that I can make an impact on our systems now through advocacy work and a commitment to whichever community I find myself in. I love working with kids and was a student mentor and Sunday school teacher for the entirety of my high school career. Being an active role model and friend to those younger than me is inspiring for me. I get to see them feel empowered by having someone simply listen to their stories and be attentive and engaged. I’m also constantly reminded of the beauty of innocence and honesty that comes from children. I’ve volunteered with different school supplies and food drives as well as cooking meals for the homeless shelter not too far from my school. These seemingly smaller acts of service are what I believe helps me to constantly be aware of different perspectives and be considerate of the many voices that get lost in our current society. With this in mind I’ve grown more and more passionate about affecting change in some of our country’s governmental systems. Over the past two years I've become acutely aware of the flaws evident within our legislative, judicial, and executive systems. As a black woman I've always been conscious of the many ways the system is structured against me and those in less fortunate demographics. What I've come to realize is that by continuously educating myself on the inner workings of our country's congressional and federal systems, I can become a better advocate for myself as I exercise my civic duty. My involvement in Jack and Jill of America and the leadership positions I hold in various student-led organizations at my school has helped remind me that my generation can tangibly make a difference if we come together in understanding and persistence. This hope is followed by the understanding that there is always more work to be done and I will never shy from those challenges because the future quality of life of so many individuals is on the line.