The climate of today carries little to no weight to its definition of freedom. As loss of life continues to rise, how do you feel free when you die walking home with a soda and skittles? How do you feel free when you die sleeping in your bed? How do you feel free when you are a child playing in the park? So many unanswered questions for so many innocent lives that peace and freedom is somewhat felt no more. As my mom and I lie slumped back into our chairs discussing the ideal symbolism of freedom, and basic human rights afforded to all the living, we often lament with deep sorrow that the rights of humanity are on a slow drift to fade. Rising to an alert of another innocent life taken is one that many feel they cannot escape as it happens quite often within communities of color. Alert 1; 12-year-old Tamir Rice has been shot and killed while playing in the park; Alert 2; 19-year-old Trayvon Martin has been shot and killed over a soda and a bag of skittles; Alert 3; 26-year-old Beonna Taylor has been killed while sleeping in her bed. After the number passes three, the questions of why and how become dim. In a world of Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Tik Tok; hashtags have become too familiar with the culture to which I am tied. As we look within our local communities, we think that this is only happening in the US but the George Floyd killing, recorded by a 17-year-old African American young girl, proved to be the sentiment all around the world. In 2021, Brazil had the highest number of police killings at 6,160. Following Philippines-5,810; Venezuela-5,287; India-1,731; Syria-1,497; and United States-933 as the World Population Review indicated in their recent post. The voices reign high for George Floyd as many marched around the globe to protest grave injustices taking place in broad daylight hoping to make a difference. Although we live in a world of challenge and dismay harken at the hills of corruption, and suffering, my sincere belief is that resilience and perseverance of people, initiatives, and organizers prevail in dominating the status quo. As I rise daily with feelings that the laws are problematic and somewhat unfair; the trajectory can change. As I, along with many of my friends, family, and neighbors, partake in a needed cause for action, my hope is to expel the idea that the diverse unity displayed in organizing, protesting with various cultures and nationalities can spring forth change like no other. As a result, conversations sparked, legislation introduced, and laws are usually passed. Martin Luther King carried the torch in raising awareness for the unheard and the Civil Right Act of 1964 was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson. We must stay fervently engaged as it is key to the increase in saving lives. As we pray throughout the day, we can live in a safe society with peace, and tranquility.

Upon my own reflection, escaping the term socially awkward was one of the many challenges I faced as a child. As introverts, we often tend to be alone and isolated from the world, which can serve as a crippling mechanism when it comes to interacting with my peers as it undoubtedly affected my self-confidence. I immediately thought, how can I overcome this? I began to unconsciously embrace this characterization as one that I will never be able to transform. I suffered many failed dance performances where I just wanted to give up. Although, quitting is not for me. After 5 years of competing with no glorious outcome, to my surprise, I won 8th place in the overall high score competition category. Finally! My first win at age 12 and I was ecstatic! As I stood on the stage in high esteem, this became the tipping point that allowed me space to finally define good enough in ways that fit my narrative, my story. Being labeled socially awkward is surprisingly the best criticism I could have ever received. As I fully grasp the obscurity of what was hidden, I vowed to never allow its challenge to forever be a question of who I am or who I can become. I began to realize, behind the movement of every leap and turn known to be the veracious essence that make up the foundation of dance, allowed me space to honor its craft in ways that are expressly explicit to my journey. Dance shaped my life forever. It not only gave clarity to my personal being, but it ignited a newfound connection to leadership and service that was so deeply embedded. Under the trusted guidance of many, my first initiative as a Certified Student Teaching was an exercise program designed to eliminate fear and anxiety through basic techniques that students often enjoy. In sync with the building of my inner voice, this program serves children with social challenges that pales in comparison to none offered in my past. As a result of my inner workings, the many failed performances transformed into competition wins of over 100 gold medals, being featured on the website as best performer while earning the highest overall solo award. As my drive deepens and exploration is more steeped in knowledge, new ideas emerge. As a proud student of Science Research Honors for three years, as I launched my first Music Therapy project to students of my peers, I found it to be invigorating as it gave solace in learning new coping mechanisms to help reduce and possibly eliminate mental challenges. I expand the scope by initiating a free community dance class that focuses on children suffering from anxiety between the age of 5-18. Humbly, my hard work positioned me to be Senior Captain and president of the Highstepper Dance Team who embraced its first disabled Highstepper under my leadership. Many appeared hesitant but saying yes to this acceptance was the best decision I made as captain. Today, as an intern for Science Research Honors, it is a privilege to be able to mentor in ways that connect students to research and experimental projects as they too prepare for a career in STEM. I hope to go back to my community and continue such practice upon graduating with a PhD in Neuroscience. This scholarship will not only allow me the opportunity to receive a college degree, but it gives me the ability to empower others to bridge the gap between science and the arts. As I pride myself in leadership and community participation.

Upon my own reflection, escaping the term socially awkward was one of the many challenges I faced as a child. As introverts, we often tend to be alone and isolated from the world, which can serve as a crippling mechanism when it comes to interacting with my peers as it undoubtedly affected my self-confidence. I immediately thought, how can I overcome this? I began to unconsciously embrace this characterization as one that I will never be able to transform. I suffered many failed dance performances where I just wanted to give up. Although, quitting is not for me. After 5 years of competing with no glorious outcome, to my surprise, I won 8th place in the overall high score competition category. Finally! My first win at age 12 and I was ecstatic! As I stood on the stage in high esteem, this became the tipping point that allowed me space to finally define good enough in ways that fit my narrative, my story. Being labeled socially awkward is surprisingly the best criticism I could have ever received. As I fully grasp the obscurity of what was hidden, I vowed to never allow its challenge to forever be a question of who I am or who I can become. I began to realize, behind the movement of every leap and turn known to be the veracious essence that make up the foundation of dance, allowed me space to honor its craft in ways that are expressly explicit to my journey. Dance shaped my life forever. It not only gave clarity to my personal being, but it ignited a newfound connection to leadership and service that was so deeply embedded. Under the trusted guidance of many, my first initiative as a Certified Student Teaching was an exercise program designed to eliminate fear and anxiety through basic techniques that students often enjoy. In sync with the building of my inner voice, this program serves children with social challenges that pales in comparison to none offered in my past. As a result of my inner workings, the many failed performances transformed into competition wins of over 100 gold medals, being featured on the website as best performer while earning the highest overall solo award. Humbly, my hard work has positioned me to be Senior Captain and president of the Highstepper Dance Team who embraced its first disabled Highstepper under my leadership. Many appeared hesitant but saying yes to this acceptance was the best decision I made as captain. I continue to lean further in my pursuits while serving as an administrator for Key Club, helping to fund raise for Cancer Awareness where my dance performances help bridge strong connections with my peers for this great cause. Good enough could never be truly defined by someone other than yourself. Goals and aspirations I set derive from experiences endured through various challenges. I’ve learned, applied, and persevered through them all with strong support and determination to be my best self and never give up in whatever I so choose. I know there will be many more challenges that lie ahead, but I now know that through unrelenting resilience, I know my path of success is definite without waiver.

The city of Harlem New York carries an enriched history of landmarks monumental to the legacy of those iconic to throes of freedom. Figures like Langston Hughs, Frederick Douglas, and Thurgood Marshall, just to name a few, laid an historical footprint unbeknown to an era in which was not born. This community was spawned out of diverse lineage engulfed in chronicles irreplaceable. As Harlem harvests real beauty in entertainment, museums, and soul food restaurants, the African American heritage is what draws many from all around the world to explore. As a woman of color, diversity is the epitome of my personal growth derived from a plethora of experiences through community engagement through churches, charities, friends, family and neighbors. Growing up in a community of diversity, allows me the ability to understand the culture in which I can contribute distinct ideas for its betterment. It is incumbent upon me of my generation to take the lessons of the past and create a new era of creators and innovators willing to advance the footprint of diversity and cultural expansion. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is critical in nature as it is key to academic excellence and innovation. Although, the history of diversity is still being challenged in gender and race. Past studies indicate that women of color in STEM have been historically underrepresented and underpaid as 45% of women overall leave the field due to implicit bias as the root cause. Additionally, less than 2% is a makeup of black women doctors in the US and only 5% of black doctors as a whole despite the makeup of blacks in the overall population is only 13%. What is even more starkly reported, 23% of Covid-19 deaths are among African Americans. Doctors who are culturally diverse not only serve as healthcare providers but also as political advocates in which I vow to be one of. When advocates such as these become the face of social justice, legislative policies evolve as minds continue to find ways to limit the number of tragic ends. My interest in neuroscience derives from today’s healthcare disparities indicated in various reports in addition to my love for science. My motivation and goals in pursuing this area of study is to be one of many to change the statistical stats in the professional makeup of doctors within communities of color. Lack of medical accessibility is believed to be one major contributing factor in the increased mortality rate amongst African Americans. To start, as a proud student and intern of Science Research Honors for three years, I launched my first Music Therapy project to students of my peers as it gave solace in learning new coping mechanisms to help reduce and possibly eliminate mental challenges. I hope to continue such practice as I move forward in learning more within this field. In my internship capacity, it is an honor to mentor in ways that connect students to research and experimental projects as they too prepare for a career in STEM. With this scholarship opportunity, I hope to continue my learning to empower others to join the healthcare professionals in helping to build a strong viable healthcare system equally accessible and affordable to all in need. Joining the less than 2% of black women as well as all women doctors in the field of STEM can change the trajectory amongst African American deaths to a quality of life.

Martin Luther King Jr. saw beyond complacency in personal comfortability decades ago. He understood that the fight for change will have to continue beyond his human existence as he referenced in his "I have A Dream" speech. As I stand on the shoulders of his legacy, the ability to become dilute in the 21 century is inconceivable as the fight lives on. A recent Washington Post report indicate that since Jan 2015-21, 6,601 men and women were killed by police, and more than half of the killings involved police officers not given the necessary training in mental health needed to de-escalate such encounters. Had there been a healthcare professional dispatched to the location, many of the reported deaths of people experiencing a mental health crisis could have been prevented. My interest in neuroscience derives from today’s healthcare disparities indicated in the report. My motivation in pursuing this area of study is to be one of many to change the statistical stats in the professional makeup of doctors within communities of color. Just as he would have envisioned. Such disparities are believed to be the root cause in the increased mortality rate amongst African Americans due to the lack of medical accessibility. Particularly, during the age of covid-19, studies show that less than 2% is a makeup of black women doctors in the US and only 5% of black doctors as a whole despite the makeup of blacks in the overall population is only 13%. With other contributing factors to the health disparities of Covid-19, 23% of those deaths are African Americans. In my pursuit, I hope to be amongst the less than 2% of black women doctors in the field of STEM to contribute groundbreaking discoveries that change the trajectory amongst African American deaths to a quality of life as the accessibility of doctors increases to their specific needs. Growing up with an uncle diagnosed with bipolar disorder and ADHD with borderline schizophrenia, took over a span of 23 years to properly diagnose. This solidified the importance of my choosing to pursue a Ph.D. in neuroscience. Many professionals outside of the health arena do not understand the different variables one may consider when determining a person’s mental wellbeing. My uncle appeared normal but struggled where psychiatric hospitalization became more prevalent to his needs. Had he encountered the wrong agency, this could have led to a tragic end. With racial disparities being at the center of the fight, those who are limited in voice, rely heavily on ones with knowledge and power to speak where they cannot be so easily challenged. Doctors who are culturally diverse not only serve as healthcare providers but also as political advocates in which I vow to be one of. When advocates such as these become the face of social justice, legislative policies evolve which limit the number of tragic encounters upon agencies unequipped in handling mental health crises. Today, as a proud student of Science Research Honors for three years, I launched a Music Therapy project that gave teens who suffered from severe anxiety, solace in learning new coping mechanisms to help reduce and possibly eliminate mental challenges. As a Science Research intern, it’s an honor to mentor in ways that connect students from different backgrounds to research and experimentation that prepare them for a career in STEM. With this scholarship opportunity, I hope to learn more in this field to continue King’s legacy as I empower others to help build a healthcare system more accessible to those in need.

As a competitive dancer since the age of 7, I often perform with nervous anxiety eager to know if my presentations are ever good enough. As I stand waiting for the judge’s critique, many thoughts run through the clutches of my mind as I ponder this moment as to what defines good enough and who defines it. In my internal reflection, highlights from my preschool years unveil the term socially awkward as one that I could never escape. I was often described as an introverted child wanting to be alone and isolated. I didn’t want to make many friends. The sentiment continued as the words of my sixth-grade teacher triggered those deep seated thoughts as she suggested that I shoot for the stars and to not be afraid to assert myself. I immediately thought, when will this all end? I began internalizing this characterization as one that I will never be able to transform. I suffered many failed dance performances where I just wanted to give up. Although, quitting is not for me. After 5 years of competing with no glorious outcome, to my surprise, I won 8th place in the overall high score competition category. Finally! My first win at 12 and I was ecstatic! As I stood on the stage in high esteem, this became the tipping point that allowed me space to finally define good enough in ways that fit my narrative; my story. Being labeled socially awkward is surprisingly the best criticism I could have ever received. As I fully grasp the obscurity of what was hidden, I vowed to never allow its challenge to be a question of who I am or who I can become. Behind every leap and turn, these movements that are known to be the veracious essence that make up the foundation of dance, allowed me space to honor its craft in ways that are expressly explicit to my journey. Dance is an altering experience that shaped my life forever. It not only relinquished my fears but ignited a newfound connection to leadership and service. As a Certified Teaching Assistant, I experienced great results in my launch of an exercise program designed to eliminate fear and anxiety through basic techniques. This program that serves children with social challenges are extremely limited underserved and underrepresented. Through utter resilience and guidance, my many failed performances transformed into competition wins of over 100 gold medals, being featured on the website as best performer while earning the highest overall solo award. Humbly, my hard work positioned me to be Senior Captain and president of the Highstepper Dance Team who embraced its first disabled Highstepper under my leadership. This acceptance was the best decision I made as captain. I continued my pursuit while serving as an administrator for Key Club, helping to fund raise for Cancer Awareness where my dance performances help bridge strong connections with my peers for this great cause. As a proud student of Science Research Honors for three years, I launched a Music Therapy project that gave teens who suffered from severe anxiety, solace in learning new coping mechanisms to help reduce mental health challenges. I hope to continue such practice as I move forward in learning more within this field. Today, as a Science Research intern, it’s an honor to mentor in ways that connect students to various obstacles that they too will overcome as they prepare for a career in STEAM. With women doctors lagging behind the number of males in said field, my goal is to change the trajectory as I work towards obtaining a Ph.D. in neuroscience.

A startling indication of a recent Washington Post report shows that since Jan 2015-21, 6,601 men and women were killed by police and more than half of the killings involved police agencies that had not provided officers with state-of-the-art training in mental health to help de-escalate such encounters. Had there been a healthcare professional called to the scene, many of the reported deaths of people in the throes of a mental crisis could have been prevented. My interest in neuroscience derives from the mere fact that the disparities such as this motivates me in pursuing this area of study to help change the statistical stats regarding its professional makeup for all communities but particularly, communities of color. Such disparities are believed to be the root cause in the increased mortality rate amongst African Americans. During the age of covid-19, studies show that less than 2% is a makeup of black women doctors in the US and only 5% of black doctors as a whole despite the makeup of blacks in the overall population is only 13%. With many contributing factors to the health disparities of Covid-19, 23% of those deaths are among African Americans. In my goal to pursuing a Ph.D. in neuroscience, I hope to be the first African American woman amongst the less than 2% of black women doctors in the field of STEM to contribute groundbreaking discoveries that change the trajectory amongst African American deaths to a quality of life as the accessibility of doctors increases to their specific need. Growing up with an uncle diagnosed with bipolar disorder and ADHD with borderline schizophrenia, took over a span of 23 years to properly diagnose. This solidified the importance of my choosing to pursue a Ph.D. in neuroscience. Many professionals outside of the health arena do not understand the different variables one may consider when determining a person’s mental well being. My uncle appeared normal but struggled internally where psychiatric hospitalization became more prevalent to his needs. Had he encountered the wrong agency, this could have led to a tragic end as reported in many similar cases. With racial disparities being at the center of the fight, those who are limited in voice, rely heavily on ones with knowledge and power to speak where they cannot be so easily challenged. Doctors who are culturally diverse not only serve as healthcare providers but also as political advocates in which I vow to be one of. When advocates such as these become the face of social justice, legislative policies evolve as minds continue to find ways to limit the amount of tragic encounters taking place upon agencies unequipped in handling mental health crises. As a result of personal experiences I've encountered in my past, as a proud student of Science Research Honors for three years, I launched a Music Therapy project that gave teens who suffered from severe anxiety, solace in learning new coping mechanisms to help reduce and possibly eliminate mental challenges. I hope to continue such practice as I move forward in learning more within this field. Today, as a Science Research intern, it’s an honor to mentor in ways that connect students to various obstacles that they too will overcome as they prepare for a career in STEM. This scholarship is needed as I continue to work hard in trying to make a difference within said field for underserved and underrepresented communities. My hope is to be considered for such a needed reward.

A startling indication of a recent Washington Post report shows that since Jan 2015-21, 6,601 men and women were killed by police and more than half of the killings involved police agencies that had not provided officers with state-of-the-art training in mental health to help de-escalate such encounters. Had there been a healthcare professional called to the scene, many of the reported deaths of people in the throes of a mental crisis could have been prevented. My interest in neuroscience derives from the mere fact that the disparities such as this motivates me in pursuing this area of study to help change the statistical stats regarding its professional makeup for all communities but particularly, communities of color. Such disparities are believed to be the root cause in the increased mortality rate amongst African Americans. During the age of covid-19, studies show that less than 2% is a makeup of black women doctors in the US and only 5% of black doctors as a whole despite the makeup of blacks in the overall population is only 13%. With many contributing factors to the health disparities of Covid-19, 23% of those deaths are among African Americans. In my goal to pursuing a Ph.D. in neuroscience, I hope to be the first African American woman amongst the less than 2% of black women doctors in the field of STEM to contribute groundbreaking discoveries that change the trajectory amongst African American deaths to a quality of life as the accessibility of doctors increases to their specific need. Growing up with an uncle diagnosed with bipolar disorder and ADHD with borderline schizophrenia, took over a span of 23 years to properly diagnose. This solidified the importance of my choosing to pursue a Ph.D. in neuroscience. Many professionals outside of the health arena do not understand the different variables one may consider when determining a person’s mental well being. My uncle appeared normal but struggled internally where psychiatric hospitalization became more prevalent to his needs. Had he encountered the wrong agency, this could have led to a tragic end as reported in many similar cases. With racial disparities being at the center of the fight, those who are limited in voice, rely heavily on ones with knowledge and power to speak where they cannot be so easily challenged. Doctors who are culturally diverse not only serve as healthcare providers but also as political advocates in which I vow to be one of. When advocates such as these become the face of social justice, legislative policies evolve as minds continue to find ways to limit the amount of tragic encounters taking place upon agencies unequipped in handling mental health crises. As a result of personal experiences I've encountered in my past, as a proud student of Science Research Honors for three years, I launched a Music Therapy project that gave teens who suffered from severe anxiety, solace in learning new coping mechanisms to help reduce and possibly eliminate mental challenges. I hope to continue such practice as I move forward in learning more within this field. Today, as a Science Research intern, it’s an honor to mentor in ways that connect students to various obstacles that they too will overcome as they prepare for a career in STEM. This scholarship is needed as I continue to work hard in trying to make a difference within said field for underserved and underrepresented communities. My hope is to be considered for such a needed reward.

Growing up with an uncle diagnosed with bipolar disorder and ADHD with borderline schizophrenia, took over a span of 23 years to properly diagnose. This solidified the importance of my choosing to pursue a Ph.D. in neuroscience. Many professionals outside of the health arena do not understand the different variables one may consider when determining a person’s mental well being. My uncle appeared normal but struggled internally where psychiatric hospitalization became more prevalent to his needs. Had he encountered the wrong agency, this could have led to a tragic end as reported in many similar cases. Those struggling with mental health rely heavily on ones with knowledge and power to speak where they cannot be so easily challenged. Doctors who are culturally diverse not only serve as healthcare providers but also as political advocates in which I vow to be one of. When advocates of diverse backgrounds become the face of social justice, legislative policies evolve as minds continue to find ways to limit the amount of tragic encounters taking place upon agencies unequipped in handling mental health crises. My goal to pursue a Ph.D. in neuroscience, is to increase the less than 2% of black women doctors in the field of STEM making them more accessible to communities underserved. As a proud student of Science Research Honors for three years, I launched a Music Therapy project that gave teens who suffered from severe anxiety, solace in learning new coping mechanisms to help reduce and possibly eliminate mental challenges. I hope to continue such practice as I move forward in learning more within this field. Today, as a Science Research intern, it’s an honor to mentor in ways that connect students to various obstacles that they too will overcome as they prepare for a career in STEM.

A startling indication of a recent Washington Post report shows that since Jan 2015-21, 6,601 men and women were killed by police and more than half of the killings involved police agencies that had not provided officers with state-of-the-art training in mental health to help de-escalate such encounters. Had there been a healthcare professional called to the scene, many of the reported deaths of people in the throes of a mental crisis could have been prevented. My interest in neuroscience derives from the mere fact that the disparities such as this motivates me in pursuing this area of study to help change the statistical stats regarding its professional makeup for all communities but particularly, communities of color. Such disparities are believed to be the root cause in the increased mortality rate amongst African Americans. During the age of covid-19, studies show that less than 2% is a makeup of black women doctors in the US and only 5% of black doctors as a whole despite the makeup of blacks in the overall population is only 13%. With other contributing factors to the health disparities of Covid-19, 23% of those deaths are among African Americans. In my goal to pursuing a Ph.D. in neuroscience, I hope to be the first African American woman amongst the less than 2% of black women doctors in the field of STEM to contribute groundbreaking discoveries that change the trajectory amongst African American deaths to a quality of life as the accessibility of doctors increases to their specific need. Growing up with an uncle diagnosed with bipolar disorder and ADHD with borderline schizophrenia, took over a span of 23 years to properly diagnose. This solidified the importance of my choosing to pursue a Ph.D. in neuroscience. Many professionals outside of the health arena do not understand the different variables one may consider when determining a person’s mental well being. My uncle appeared normal but struggled internally where psychiatric hospitalization became more prevalent to his needs. Had he encountered the wrong agency, this could have led to a tragic end as reported in many similar cases. With racial disparities being at the center of the fight, those who are limited in voice, rely heavily on ones with knowledge and power to speak where they cannot be so easily challenged. Doctors who are culturally diverse not only serve as healthcare providers but also as political advocates in which I vow to be one of. When advocates such as these become the face of social justice, legislative policies evolve as minds continue to find ways to limit the amount of tragic encounters taking place upon agencies unequipped in handling mental health crises. As a result of personal experiences I've encountered in my past, as a proud student of Science Research Honors for three years, I launched a Music Therapy project that gave teens who suffered from severe anxiety, solace in learning new coping mechanisms to help reduce and possibly eliminate mental challenges. I hope to continue such practice as I move forward in learning more within this field. Today, as a Science Research intern, it’s an honor to mentor in ways that connect students to various obstacles that they too will overcome as they prepare for a career in STEM. This scholarship is needed as I continue to work hard in trying to make a difference within said field for underserved and underrepresented communities. My hope is to be considered for such a needed reward.

As a competitive dancer since the age of 7, I often perform with nervous anxiety eager to know if my presentations are ever good enough. As I stand waiting for the judge’s critique, I begin thinking to myself, am I good enough to represent those that have come before me; or am I just good enough to represent me? Many thoughts run through the clutches of my mind as I ponder this moment as to what defines good enough and who defines it. As I internally reflect, highlights from my preschool years unveil the term socially awkward as one that I could never escape. I was often described as an introverted child wanting to be alone and isolated. I didn’t want to make many friends. The sentiment continued as the words of my sixth-grade teacher triggered those deep seated thoughts as she suggested that I shoot for the stars and to not be afraid to assert myself. I immediately thought, when will this all end? I began internalizing this characterization as one that I will never be able to transform. I suffered many failed dance performances where I just wanted to give up. Although, quitting is not for me. After 5 years of competing with no glorious outcome, to my surprise, I won 8th place in the overall high score competition category. Finally! My first win at 12 and I was ecstatic! As I stood on the stage in high esteem, this became the tipping point that allowed me space to finally define good enough in ways that fit my narrative; my story. Being labeled socially awkward is surprisingly the best criticism I could have ever received. As I fully grasp the obscurity of what was hidden, I vowed to never allow its challenge to be a question of who I am or who I can become. Behind every leap and turn, these movements that are known to be the veracious essence that make up the foundation of dance, allowed me space to honor its craft in ways that are expressly explicit to my journey. Dance is an altering experience that shaped my life forever. It not only relinquished my fears but ignited a newfound connection to leadership and service. I became the first Certified Teaching Assistant to launch an exercise program designed to eliminate fear and anxiety through basic techniques that students often enjoy. In sync with the building of my inner voice, this program serves children with social challenges that pales in comparison to none offered in my past. My many failed performances finally transformed into competition wins of over 100 gold medals, being featured on the website as best performer earning the highest overall solo award. Humbly, my hard work has positioned me to be Senior Captain and president of the Highstepper Dance Team who embraced its first disabled Highstepper under my leadership. This acceptance was the best decision I made as captain. I continue to lean further in my pursuits while serving as an administrator for Key Club, helping to fund raise for Cancer Awareness where my dance performances help bridge strong connections with my peers for this great cause. Good enough could never be truly defined by someone other than yourself. Goals and aspirations I set derive from experiences endured through various challenges. I’ve learned, applied, and persevered through them all with strong support and determination to be my best self and never give up in whatever I so choose. I know there will be many more challenges that lie ahead, but through unrelenting resilience, I know my path of success is definite without waiver.

A startling indication of a recent Washington Post report shows that since Jan 2015-21, 6,601 men and women were killed by police and more than half of the killings involved police agencies that had not provided officers with state-of-the-art training in mental health to help de-escalate such encounters. Had there been a healthcare professional called to the scene, many of the reported deaths of people in the throes of a mental crisis could have been prevented. My interest in neuroscience derives from the mere fact that the disparities such as this motivates me in pursuing this area of study to help change the statistical stats regarding its professional makeup for all communities but particularly, communities of color. Such disparities are believed to be the root cause in the increased mortality rate amongst African Americans. During the age of covid-19, studies show that less than 2% is a makeup of black women doctors in the US and only 5% of black doctors as a whole despite the makeup of blacks in the overall population is only 13%. With other contributing factors to the health disparities of Covid-19, 23% of those deaths are among African Americans. In my goal to pursuing a Ph.D. in neuroscience, I hope to be the first African American woman amongst the less than 2% of black women doctors in the field of STEM to contribute groundbreaking discoveries that change the trajectory amongst African American deaths to a quality of life as the accessibility of doctors increases to their specific need. Growing up with an uncle diagnosed with bipolar disorder and ADHD with borderline schizophrenia, took over a span of 23 years to properly diagnose. This solidified the importance of my choosing to pursue a Ph.D. in neuroscience. Many professionals outside of the health arena do not understand the different variables one may consider when determining a person’s mental well being. My uncle appeared normal but struggled internally where psychiatric hospitalization became more prevalent to his needs. Had he encountered the wrong agency, this could have led to a tragic end as reported in many similar cases. With racial disparities being at the center of the fight, those who are limited in voice, rely heavily on ones with knowledge and power to speak where they cannot be so easily challenged. Doctors who are culturally diverse not only serve as healthcare providers but also as political advocates in which I vow to be one of. When advocates such as these become the face of social justice, legislative policies evolve as minds continue to find ways to limit the amount of tragic encounters taking place upon agencies unequipped in handling mental health crises. As a result of personal experiences I've encountered in my past, as a proud student of Science Research Honors for three years, I launched a Music Therapy project that gave teens who suffered from severe anxiety, solace in learning new coping mechanisms to help reduce and possibly eliminate mental challenges. I hope to continue such practice as I move forward in learning more within this field. Today, as a Science Research intern, it’s an honor to mentor in ways that connect students to various obstacles that they too will overcome as they prepare for a career in STEM. This scholarship is needed as I continue to work hard in trying to make a difference within said field for underserved and underrepresented communities. My hope is to be considered for such a needed reward.

A startling indication of a recent Washington Post report shows that since Jan 2015-21, 6,601 men and women were killed by police and more than half of the killings involved police agencies that had not provided officers with state-of-the-art training in mental health to help de-escalate such encounters. Had there been a healthcare professional called to the scene, many of the reported deaths of people in the throes of a mental crisis could have been prevented. My interest in neuroscience derives from the mere fact that the disparities such as this motivates me in pursuing this area of study to help change the statistical stats regarding its professional makeup for all communities but particularly, communities of color. Such disparities are believed to be the root cause in the increased mortality rate amongst African Americans. During the age of covid-19, studies show that less than 2% is a makeup of black women doctors in the US and only 5% of black doctors as a whole despite the makeup of blacks in the overall population is only 13%. With other contributing factors to the health disparities of Covid-19, 23% of those deaths are among African Americans. In my goal to pursuing a Ph.D. in neuroscience, I hope to be the first African American woman amongst the less than 2% of black women doctors in the field of STEM to contribute groundbreaking discoveries that change the trajectory amongst African American deaths to a quality of life as the accessibility of doctors increases to their specific need. Growing up with an uncle diagnosed with bipolar disorder and ADHD with borderline schizophrenia, took over a span of 23 years to properly diagnose. This solidified the importance of my choosing to pursue a Ph.D. in neuroscience. Many professionals outside of the health arena do not understand the different variables one may consider when determining a person’s mental well being. My uncle appeared normal but struggled internally where psychiatric hospitalization became more prevalent to his needs. Had he encountered the wrong agency, this could have led to a tragic end as reported in many similar cases. With racial disparities being at the center of the fight, those who are limited in voice, rely heavily on ones with knowledge and power to speak where they cannot be so easily challenged. Doctors who are culturally diverse not only serve as healthcare providers but also as political advocates in which I vow to be one of. When advocates such as these become the face of social justice, legislative policies evolve as minds continue to find ways to limit the amount of tragic encounters taking place upon agencies unequipped in handling mental health crises. As a result of personal experiences I've encountered in my past, as a proud student of Science Research Honors for three years, I launched a Music Therapy project that gave teens who suffered from severe anxiety, solace in learning new coping mechanisms to help reduce and possibly eliminate mental challenges. I hope to continue such practice as I move forward in learning more within this field. Today, as a Science Research intern, it’s an honor to mentor in ways that connect students to various obstacles that they too will overcome as they prepare for a career in STEM. This scholarship is needed as I continue to work hard in trying to make a difference within said field for underserved and underrepresented communities. My hope is to be considered for such a needed reward.

With every leap their lay scores of hidden challenges many fail to identify. As a competitive dancer, I often perform with nervous anxiety eager to know if my presentations are ever good enough. As I stand waiting for the judge’s critique, I begin thinking to myself, am I good enough to represent those that have come before me? Or am I just good enough to represent me? Many thoughts run through the clutches of my mind as I ponder this moment as to what defines good enough and who defines it. As I search for clarity, the reflection that highlights my preschool years unveiled the term socially awkward as one that I could never escape. I was often described as an introverted child wanting to be alone and isolated. I didn’t want to make many friends. Those same sentiments from preschool continued. The words of my sixth-grade teacher triggered those deep seated thoughts as she suggested that I shoot for the stars and to not be afraid to assert myself. I immediately thought, when will this all end? What I came to discover about myself is that as an introvert, participation’s extremely difficult and hard to overcome. I started to believe that this characterization of myself could never be transformed. I suffered many failed dance performances where I just wanted to give up. Before I could do so, an unexpected change emerged. I finally won 8th place in the overall high score competition category. My first win in 5 years. I was ecstatic! As I stood on the stage in high esteem, this became the tipping point that allowed me space to define good enough in ways that fit my story. For the first time, I realized that being labeled socially awkward is surprisingly the best criticism I could have ever received. As I fully grasp the obscurity of what was hidden, I vowed to never allow its challenge to ever be a question of who I am or who I can become. In sorting out the true meaning of leaps and turns, I found that in the spirit of the arts, these movements are the true essence that make up the foundation of dance which allows space for performers to be expressive in ways that honor the craft. Dance shaped my life. It is the conduit that relinquished my fears and ignited my newfound freedom of expression through leadership and service. Under the guidance of my dance studio for 12 years, I learned how to serve the needs of the community especially children with social challenges while building my inner voice. In my transformation, I went from failed performances to competition wins of over 100 gold medals, being featured on the website as best performer while earning the highest overall solo award. With sheer confidence that my teachers instilled in me, I became the first Certified Teaching Assistant to launch an exercise class designed to eliminate fear and anxiety through basic techniques that students often enjoy. Humbly, my work has positioned me in becoming the Senior Captain and president of the Highstepper Dance Team who embraced its first disabled Highstepper under my leadership. Many appeared hesitant but saying yes to this acceptance was the best decision I made as captain. I continue learning further in my pursuits while serving as an administrator for Key Club, helping to fund raise for Cancer Awareness where my dance performances help bridge strong connections for a great cause. As I understand the importance of perseverance through hard work, as a proud student of Science Research Honors for two years, I introduced work like my Music Therapy research project that gave teens who suffered from severe anxiety solace in learning new coping mechanisms. This solidified my career choice as being the right one. Today, as I intern for said class, it’s an honor to mentor in ways that connect students to various obstacles that they too will have to overcome. Although challenging, my academic embrace of three years in English Honors, Spanish Honors, Internship in Science Research Honors, Forensics, 4 AP classes, and a semester of 5 accredited college classes to now becoming a member of the National Honor Society of Young Scholars gives me hope in establishing a strong career path in STEM. Good enough could never be truly defined by someone other than yourself. Why? Because it is internal. The aspirations I set for myself stems from the experience I endured through various challenges. I learned, applied, and persevered through them all with strong determination to be the best at whatever I so choose. I know there will be many more challenges that lie ahead, but through strong resilience my path of success is definite without waiver.

When asked to opine on the term Social Justice, it often allows me the opportunity to reflect on the nation’s history of four hundred years of oppression forced upon one group of people. Particularly one in which I am culturally tied, African Americans. Through years of slavery and Jim Crow, today, the suffering continues as studies unveil the health disparities of Covid-19, the rise in hate crimes, discrimination, voting suppression and the killing of unarmed black men, women, and children which many described today as Jim Crow 2.0. The Washington Post reports, since Jan 2015-21, 6601 men and women were killed by police, and more than half of the killings involved police agencies that had not provided officers with state-of-the-art training in mental health to help de-escalate such encounters. Had there been a healthcare professional called to the scene, many of the reported deaths of people in the throes of a mental crisis could have been prevented. When reading such stats, it makes you wonder if Jim Crow 2.0 is our new reality. My interest in neuroscience derives from the mere fact that the disparities, such as this, motivates me in pursuing this area of study. These statistical stats within the professional makeup have become a detriment to communities of color. Statistic indicates that the makeup of black women doctors is less than 2% in the US and only 5% of black doctors as a whole despite that the makeup of blacks in the overall population is only 13%. Additionally, with a rise in racism contributing to the health disparities of Covid-19, the numbers are even more stark when 23% of those deaths today are amongst African Americans. Growing up with an uncle diagnosed with bipolar disorder and ADHD with borderline schizophrenia, took over a span of 23 years to properly diagnose. This solidified the importance of my choosing to pursue neuroscience as a career. Many professionals outside of the health arena did not understand the different variables that may be cultural as well as psychological when determining his mental state of mind. My uncle appeared normal but struggled internally where psychiatric hospitalization became more prevalent to his needs. If he had encountered the wrong agency, this could have led to a tragic end as reported in many similar cases. In my vision to pursue a Ph.D. in neuroscience, I hope to be the first African American woman amongst the less than 2% of black women doctors in the field of STEM to contribute groundbreaking discoveries that change the trajectory amongst African American deaths to a healthier society while decreasing levels of social injustice. As we increase the number of African American Neuroscientist, Neuropsychologists they become the face of social justice for underserved and underrepresented communities of color. When advocates such as these stand in tandem with the voiceless, policies that hurt tend to change. As a result, it limits tragic encounters with agencies that are unequipped in handling mental health crises as reported as of late. As an African American, I will continue to fight and raise awareness to crisis that plaque my community while remaining steadfast in my goal to eradicate such disparities.

With every leap their lay scores of hidden challenges many fail to identify. As a competitive dancer, I often perform with nervous anxiety eager to know if my presentations are ever good enough. As I stand waiting for the judge’s critique, I begin thinking to myself, am I good enough to represent those that have come before me? Or am I just good enough to represent me? Many thoughts run through the clutches of my mind as I ponder this moment as to what defines good enough and who defines it. In my search for clarity, during preschool, the term socially awkward was one that I could never escape. I was often described as a child wanting to be alone and isolated. Didn’t want to make many friends. In sixth grade, I was told to shoot for the stars and to not be afraid to assert myself. I immediately thought, what are they talking about? Where is this all coming from? What we all failed to understand is that as an introvert, participation was extremely difficult and hard for me to overcome. I suffered many failed performances where I wanted to give up. Before I could do so, I won 8th place in the overall high score competition category. I was ecstatic! As I stood in high esteem, I decided to finally take the reins by defining good enough in ways that fit my narrative. For the first time, I realized that being labeled socially awkward is surprisingly the best criticism I could have ever received. As I fully grasp the obscurity of what was hidden, I vowed to never allow its challenge to ever be a question of who I am or who I can become. In sorting out the true meaning of leaps and turns, I found that in the spirit of the arts, these movements are the true essence that make up the foundation of dance which allows space for performers to be expressive in ways that honor the craft. Dance shaped my life. It is the conduit that relinquished my fears and ignited my newfound freedom of expression through leadership and service. Under the guidance of Bryant Dance Center for 12 years, I learned how to serve the needs of the community especially children with social challenges like myself while building my inner voice. During my transformation, I went from failed performances to competition wins of over 100 gold medals, while earning the highest overall solo award. With sheer confidence, I became the first Certified Teaching Assistant to launch an exercise designed to eliminate fear and anxiety through basic techniques that students often enjoy. Humbly, my work has positioned me in becoming the Senior Captain and president of the Highstepper Dance Team who embraced its first disabled Highstepper under my leadership. Many appeared hesitant but saying yes to this acceptance was the best decision I made as captain. I continue learning further in my pursuits while serving as an administrator for Key Club, helping to fund raise for Cancer Awareness where my dance performances help bridge strong connections for a great cause. Today, as I intern for Science Research, it’s an honor to continue mentoring in ways that connect students to various leaps and turns that they too will overcome. As I seek a Ph.D in the field of neuroscience, I hope to be the first African American woman amongst the less than 2% of black women doctors in STEM to contribute groundbreaking discoveries of success in bridging the gap of mental health with the arts to help eliminate long term health disparities.

With every leap their lay scores of hidden challenges many fail to identify. As a competitive dancer, I often perform with nervous anxiety eager to know if my presentations are ever good enough. As I stand waiting for the judge’s critique, I begin thinking to myself, am I good enough to represent those that have come before me? Or am I just good enough to represent me? Many thoughts run through the clutches of my mind as I ponder this moment as to what defines good enough and who defines it. In my search for clarity, during preschool, the term socially awkward was one that I could never escape. I was often described as a child wanting to be alone and isolated. Didn’t want to make many friends. In sixth grade, I was told to shoot for the stars and to not be afraid to assert myself. I immediately thought, what are they talking about? Where is this all coming from? What we all failed to understand is that as an introvert, participation was extremely difficult and hard for me to overcome. I suffered many failed performances where I wanted to give up. Before I could do so, I won 8th place in the overall high score competition category. I was ecstatic! As I stood in high esteem, I decided to finally take the reins by defining good enough in ways that fit my narrative. For the first time, I realized that being labeled socially awkward is surprisingly the best criticism I could have ever received. As I fully grasp the obscurity of what was hidden, I vowed to never allow its challenge to ever be a question of who I am or who I can become. In sorting out the true meaning of leaps and turns, I found that in the spirit of the arts, these movements are the true essence that make up the foundation of dance which allows space for performers to be expressive in ways that honor the craft. Dance shaped my life. It is the conduit that relinquished my fears and ignited my newfound freedom of expression through leadership and service. Under the guidance of Bryant Dance Center for 12 years, I learned how to serve the needs of the community especially children with social challenges like myself while building my inner voice. During my transformation, I went from failed performances to competition wins of over 100 gold medals, being featured on the website as best performer while earning the highest overall solo award. With sheer confidence, I became the first Certified Teaching Assistant to launch an exercise designed to eliminate fear and anxiety through basic techniques that students often enjoy. Humbly, my work has positioned me in becoming the Senior Captain and president of the Highstepper Dance Team who embraced its first disabled Highstepper under my leadership. Many appeared hesitant but saying yes to this acceptance was the best decision I made as captain. I continue learning further in my pursuits while serving as an administrator for Key Club, helping to fund raise for Cancer Awareness where my dance performances help bridge strong connections for a great cause. Today, as I intern for Science Research, it’s an honor to continue mentoring in ways that connect students to various leaps and turns that they too will overcome. As I seek a Ph.D in the field of neuroscience, I hope to be the next African American woman amongst the less than 2% of black women doctors in STEM to contribute groundbreaking discoveries of success helping to eliminate long term health disparities.

With every leap their lay scores of hidden challenges many fail to identify. As a competitive dancer, I often perform with nervous anxiety eager to know if my presentations are ever good enough. As I stand waiting for the judge’s critique, I begin thinking to myself, am I good enough to represent those that have come before me? Or am I just good enough to represent me? Many thoughts run through the clutches of my mind as I ponder this moment as to what defines good enough and who defines it. In my search for clarity, during preschool, the term socially awkward was one that I could never escape. I was often described as a child wanting to be alone and isolated. Didn’t want to make many friends. In sixth grade, I was told to shoot for the stars and to not be afraid to assert myself. I immediately thought, what are they talking about? Where is this all coming from? What we all failed to understand is that as an introvert, participation was extremely difficult and hard for me to overcome. I suffered many failed performances where I wanted to give up. Before I could do so, I won 8th place in the overall high score competition category. I was ecstatic! As I stood in high esteem, I decided to finally take the reins by defining good enough in ways that fit my narrative. For the first time, I realized that being labeled socially awkward is surprisingly the best criticism I could have ever received. As I fully grasp the obscurity of what was hidden, I vowed to never allow its challenge to ever be a question of who I am or who I can become. In sorting out the true meaning of leaps and turns, I found that in the spirit of the arts, these movements are the true essence that make up the foundation of dance which allows space for performers to be expressive in ways that honor the craft. Dance shaped my life. It is the conduit that relinquished my fears and ignited my newfound freedom of expression through leadership and service. Under the guidance of Bryant Dance Center for 12 years, I learned how to serve the needs of the community especially children with social challenges like myself while building my inner voice. During my transformation, I went from failed performances to competition wins of over 100 gold medals, being featured on the website as best performer while earning the highest overall solo award. With sheer confidence, I became the first Certified Teaching Assistant to launch an exercise designed to eliminate fear and anxiety through basic techniques that students often enjoy. Humbly, my work has positioned me in becoming the Senior Captain and president of the Highstepper Dance Team who embraced its first disabled Highstepper under my leadership. Many appeared hesitant but saying yes to this acceptance was the best decision I made as captain. I continue learning further in my pursuits while serving as an administrator for Key Club, helping to fund raise for Cancer Awareness where my dance performances help bridge strong connections for a great cause. Good enough could never be truly defined by someone other than yourself. Why? Because it is internal. The aspiration I set for myself stems from the experience I endured through various challenges. I learned, applied and persevered through them all with strong determination to be the best at whatever I so choose. I know there will be many more challenges that lie ahead, but through strong resilience my path of success is definite without waiver.