Like many African-Americans, the fact that I live in two very distinct worlds was clear to me from a young age. Though Elizabeth and Medford may be over an hour away and a world apart, my experience as the minority in school remained consistent. I knew who I was and where I came from, thanks to my amazing parents, so, luckily for me, I always found just a few friends who could relate. But do you want to know the truth I learned the hard way? Everybody has to find their place in this world. For low-income people of color like me, sometimes we shoulder the burden of creating those places. Because what good is it if I found my friends but there was another student facing loneliness, isolation, or culture shock? Let's just say that thought will never sit right with me. So I took matters into my own hands and led the creation of my school's first-ever Black Student Union. Most people know us as the BCIT BSU. As the founder and president of this new organization, I tapped into my passion for activism, dedication to serving our black communities, and leadership abilities. The most rewarding way BSU gave back to others was by, in their testimonies, providing the safe space so many of us desperately needed. Along with my peers, we organized a canned food drive for our county food pantry; we successfully collected over five large boxes of boxed and canned goods to combat local hunger. Together, BSU partnered with a black-woman-owned women's shelter, Just Us Girls, to provide feminine products, canned food, and toiletries. Additionally, my vice president and I partnered with a local black-woman-owned nonprofit, Building Kings & Queens, to have a community field trip to Washington, D.C., where our BSU members got free admission to the Smithsonian African-American History Museum. For many of us, it was our first time getting the opportunity to travel to D.C. or learn about our peoples' deep history. Little did I know that the same woman, Daja Joseph, who gifted us all that eye-opening trip would go on to fund a financial literacy class as well. I was inspired-- so much so that I quit my fast food job to work as Ms. Joseph's Community Youth Liaison, a position I am still proud to hold today. Through creating social media advertisements for upcoming workshops and service projects, I remind myself that the goal is to serve underprivileged youth. By working under Ms. Joseph, I have been able to help pour into others the way my counselors, teachers, peers, and parents have poured into me. It's strengthened my passion for giving back to the black community. As of now, I have applied my leadership abilities to my faith in Jesus Christ. I serve weekly at Lighthouse Church on the Kids Team. Over the past year, I have learned that even seemingly insignificant actions like leading worship or hosting games can be important as long as they're helping others learn. I am also creating a faith-based brand (Bundled Purpose) for young people to be inspired and aided in their Christian journeys; when I launch, 10% of my profits will go back to my church, which serves the community through their back-to-school drives, Christmas giveaways, and more. Again, everybody has to find their place in this world. Stepping into my place as a young leader, I exemplify leadership daily by finding opportunities to serve others in every area of life. With the help of the Liv for the Future Scholarship, I can take my leadership into higher education and beyond!

Like many African-Americans in this country, the fact that I live in two very distinct (and at times, conflicted) worlds was clear to me from a young age. Though Elizabeth and Medford may be over an hour away and a world apart, my experience as the minority in school remained consistent. I knew who I was and where I came from, thanks to my amazing parents, so, luckily for me, I always found just a few friends who could relate. But do you want to know the truth I learned the hard way? Everybody has to find their place in this world. For low-income people of color like me, sometimes we shoulder the burden of creating those places. Because what good is it if I found my friends but there was another student facing loneliness, isolation, or culture shock? Let's just say that thought will never sit right with me. So I took matters into my own hands and led the creation of my school's first-ever Black Student Union. Most people know us as the BCIT BSU. As the founder and president of this new organization, I tapped into my passion for activism, dedication to serving our black communities, and leadership abilities. The most rewarding way BSU gave back to others was by, in their testimonies, providing the safe space so many of us desperately needed. Along with my peers, we organized a canned food drive for our county food pantry; we successfully collected over five large boxes of boxed and canned goods to combat local hunger. Together, BSU partnered with a black-woman-owned women's shelter, Just Us Girls, to provide feminine products, canned food, and toiletries. Additionally, my vice president and I partnered with a local black-woman-owned nonprofit, Building Kings & Queens, to have a community field trip to Washington, D.C., where our BSU members got free admission to the Smithsonian African-American History Museum. For many of us, it was our first time getting the opportunity to travel to D.C. or learn about our peoples' deep history. Little did I know that the same woman, Daja Joseph, who gifted us all that eye-opening trip would go on to fund a financial literacy class as well. I was inspired-- so much so that I quit my fast food job to work as Ms. Joseph's Community Youth Liaison, a position I am still proud to hold today. Through creating social media advertisements for upcoming workshops and service projects, I remind myself that the goal is to serve underprivileged youth. By working under Ms. Joseph, I have been able to help pour into others the way my counselors, teachers, peers, and parents have poured into me. It's strengthened my passion for giving back to the black community. As of now, I have applied my leadership abilities to my faith in Jesus Christ. I serve weekly at Lighthouse Church on the Kids Team. Over the past year, I have learned that even seemingly insignificant actions like leading worship or hosting games can be important as long as they're helping others learn. I am also creating a faith-based brand (Bundled Purpose) for young people to be inspired and aided in their Christian journeys; when I launch, 10% of my profits will go back to my church, which serves the community through their back-to-school drives, Christmas giveaways, and more. Again, everybody has to find their place in this world. As a true leader, I lead by helping others find belonging. In the world of my local community, I dedicate myself to creating and leading spaces where I can foster service-led unity.

I am "the black girl" in your darling teacher's honors class. The token used to highlight the best and brightest of the black students. I am the hunger for community amidst a predominantly white school. I am the joyful, twinkling eyes watching people with hijabs and cross-chains; fades and fro's; brown skin and light; all coming together. I am set apart and called to live a life in service of God and humanity. And the teenage tiredness that comes from an overdose of Instagram and spiritual starvation. I am the definition of character spilling from my lessoned father: "... is what you do when nobody is looking." I am the struggling heart that relies on a sound mind to love and respect in the face of disrespect. I am the bible verses and prayers that keep us alive. I am the hand-painted green, red, and black candles of our Kinara because we couldn't pay for a traditional one. I am the new pinecone-and-cranberry Christmas tree decorated with the last home's ornaments. I am Stevie Wonder singing happy birthday to my mother every day Christmas day. I am the gold plaques of Kwanzaa values from Kujichagulia to Ujamaa. I am Daijah Wilson and I view myself as a testament to the saying that, "Both can be true." I am from the hood and the suburbs. I am Black and I am American. I am a future civil rights attorney and world-changer. I am continually evolving and yet still composed of the versions of myself from years past. I am dedicated to my education at Rice University and honored to contribute who I am now and the roots of where I come from to a broad, inclusive school community. As the book of Proverbs says, "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails." I have found it is easy to get knocked down by the world's strict ideas of the "best" college track for law. However, when one envisions education the way I have learned to, it becomes difficult to put a cap on the possibilities of post-college life. I do not believe in the detailed mapping of career pathways, promotion time-frames, or the like. Rather, I envision myself graduating college on track to follow my predestined purpose of helping others, equipped with a Rice Political Science education and a passion for defending civil rights. After my Rice University days, I aspire to continue academic excellence in law school. I want to earn admission into a challenging environment to prepare me for the obstacles I know I will face as a lawyer. Sharpening my critical thinking skills and expanding my knowledge of law philosophies, I see myself at Yale Law. I want to earn admission into a challenging Yale environment to prepare me for the obstacles I know I will face as a lawyer. But where does my purpose intertwine in the legal profession? It is simple: advocating for the "little" guys. Many lawyers go on to reach financial success defending the banks and corporations who can afford to pay up at the expense of those everyday people who need the help just as much if not more. From victims of discrimination to those who have had their constitutional rights abridged, I want to defend the defenseless, discarded, and underprivileged. Legal access is a need, not a privilege and I find my purpose in filling that gap. With the help of the Velez NJ Scholarship, I will be a step closer to serving as a civil rights attorney for those misfortunate victims.

As the founder and president of a relatively new school organization, the BCIT Black Student Union, I am grateful that I have had the opportunity to tap into my passions for activism, dedication to serving our black communities, and leadership abilities through BSU. The most rewarding way BSU gave back to others was by, in their testimonies, providing the safe space many of us desperately needed. When I chose to create a "Black Student Union", I knew I would ruffle some feathers. After all, my school is predominantly white, and conservative, and the faculty are all more aged. I can recall numerous occasions where teachers and students alike questioned just why did it have to be a Black Student Union. Some of my white peers half-jokingly suggested that our school should have a White Student Union. If it was meant to be a safe space and positive group for all students, then it didn't need to be specifically "black", right? Nevermind the symbolic tradition of naming these kinds of inclusive, change-making organizations Black Student Unions. Nevermind how the organization was specifically tailored to people of color, as we continue to be the oft-overlooked minority in the school. Nevermind the fact that roughly a third of our members were white. Naturally, I was shocked-- outraged even. After all the planning, presenting, and convincing I had to do to officiate this club, it didn't matter. All of these people saw the word "black" and they could not help but be threatened by it. What was I to do? I had to press on and show the naysayers what the Black Student Union was really about: cultural consciousness, unity, and leadership. From leading the first acknowledgment of Men's Mental Health Month to creating and succeeding in giving back school supplies and feminine products to our community to engaging in pressing conversations ranging from gun violence to school-wide inclusivity, the BSU cemented its place as a club for those who are doers and thinkers. It remains a safe space where students from different perspectives can discuss real-world experiences. So, at the end of the day, I had to realize that I directed all of these efforts not to prove anybody wrong but to work with others in doing right. As a change-maker, I had to realign my focus with not the naysayers, but the reason why I work with others to do good. In the world of my school, BSU is a place for doers and thinkers to uplift students from all walks of life. Now in the world of my local community, I dedicate myself to creating spaces where black, brown, and white youth come together positively, no matter what others may say.

Do you want to know a truth I learned the hard way? Everybody has to find their place in this world. For people like me, minorities from low-income backgrounds, sometimes we shoulder the burden of creating those places. Because what good is it if I found my place, but there was another student like me who was facing loneliness, isolation, or culture shock? Let's just say that thought has and never will sit right with my spirit. In 2020, I took matters into my own hands and created my school's first-ever Black Student Union. Most people know us as the BCIT BSU. As the founder and president of this new organization, I tapped into my passion for activism, dedication to serving our black communities, and leadership abilities. The most rewarding way BSU gave back to others was by, in their testimonies, providing the safe space many POC/LGBTQ+ students needed. My peers and I organized a canned food drive for our county food pantry; we successfully collected over five large boxes of boxed and canned goods to combat local hunger. BSU partnered with a black-woman-owned women's shelter, Just Us Girls, to provide feminine products, canned food, and toiletries. Additionally, my vice president and I partnered with a local black-woman-owned nonprofit for youth, Building Kings & Queens. With her funding and our students, we planned a community field trip to Washington, D.C., where our BSU members and black youth from Willingboro, New Jersey, got free admission to the African-American History Museum. For many of us, it was our first time getting the opportunity to travel to D.C. or learn about our peoples' history beyond enslavement. Little did I know that the same woman, Daja Joseph, who gifted us all that eye-opening trip, would go on to fund a financial literacy class as well. Along with other students of color, I earned 60 dollars to get free, virtual financial literacy classes from an actual financial advisor. On average, people of color have less saved for retirement than white people. And, at least in my experience, minorities have less knowledge about personal finances. After that class, I was inspired-- so much so that I quit my fast food job and went to work as Ms. Joseph's community youth liaison, a position I am still proud to hold today. Through creating social media advertisements for upcoming events and opportunities, I remind myself that the goal is to serve black youth. By working under Ms. Joseph, I have been able to help pour into others the way others have poured into me. It's strengthened my passion for giving back to the black community. With my finances, I try to put my money back into minority-owned, smaller businesses when I can. Recently, I taught a culinary class to middle-school students at our local community center; we made Rice Krispy Treats that they could take home or share with their friends. Currently, I am launching a faith-based brand for young people to be inspired and aided in their Christian journeys; when I launch, 10% of my profits will go back to my church, which serves those in need domestically and internationally. I also serve as a youth leader for my church every other Sunday; I get to pour into kids what the church pours into me. Again, everybody has to find their place in this world. In the world of my local community, I dedicate myself to being involved in spaces where black, brown, and white youth may come together positively.

Like many African-Americans in this country, the fact that I live in two very distinct (and at times, conflicted) worlds was clear to me from a young age. Though Elizabeth and Lumberton may be over an hour away and a world apart, my experience as the minority in school remained a constant. In Elizabeth, New Jersey, I was one of a few black students attending a highly selective Gifted & Talented school. Within an overwhelming majority of Hispanic and immigrant children, it was hard to find where I fit in. When my parents managed to move on up like the Jeffersons, we relocated to a more suburban town which, to someone like me, meant "whiter". Again, I struggled to find my place among an overwhelmingly white crowd of students in my new middle school. I knew who I was and where I came from, thanks to my amazing parents, so, luckily for me, I always found just a few friends who could relate. Do you want to know a truth I learned the hard way? Everybody has to find their place in this world. For people like me, (also known as black girls from the hood), sometimes we shoulder the burden of creating those places. Because what good is it if I found my friends if there was another student of color like me who was facing loneliness, isolation, and culture shock? Let's just say that thought didn't sit right with my spirit. Especially not in my high school of choice: Burlington County Institute of Technology. A school so rural, they built in the middle of nowhere, with grass and trees surrounding it. In a school so white, I was warned by adults and peers alike of the kinds of people I would encounter. But at the same time, a school so privileged that I would have access to the best Criminal Justice education in my area. With that being said, I took matters into my own hands and created my school's first-ever Black Student Union. Most people know us as the BCIT BSU. As the founder and president of this new organization, I tapped into my passion for activism, dedication to serving our black communities, and leadership abilities. The most rewarding way BSU gave back to others was by, in their testimonies, providing the safe space so many of us desperately needed. Along with my peers, we organized a canned food drive for our county food pantry; we successfully collected over five large boxes of boxed and canned goods to combat local hunger. Together, BSU partnered with a black-woman-owned women's shelter, Just Us Girls, to provide feminine products, canned food, and toiletries. Additionally, my vice president and I partnered with a local black-woman-owned nonprofit for youth, Building Kings & Queens. With her funding and our students, we got to have a community field trip to Washington, D.C., where our BSU members and black youth from Willingboro, New Jersey, got free admission to the Smithsonian African-American History Museum. For many of us, it was our first time getting the opportunity to travel to D.C. or learn about our peoples' history beyond enslavement. Little did I know that the same woman, Daja Joseph, who gifted us with that eye-opening trip would go on to fund a youth financial literacy class as well. Along with other students of color, I earned 60 dollars to get free, virtual financial literacy classes from an actual financial advisor. On average, people of color have less saved for retirement than white people. And, at least in my experience, minorities have the least knowledge about making, saving, investing, and retiring with money. After that class, I was inspired-- so much so, that I quit my fast food job and went to work as Ms. Joseph's community youth liaison, a position I am still proud to hold today. Through creating social media advertisements for upcoming events and opportunities, I remind myself that the goal is to serve black youth. By working under Ms. Joseph, I have been able to help pour into others the way others have poured into me. It's strengthened my passion for giving back to the black community. With my finances, I save a lot more than I spend now; and I try to put my money back into black-owned businesses when I can. As of now, I am planning for a community culinary class, where I will be teaching youth how to make Rice Krispie treats. I am also creating a faith-based brand for young people to be inspired and aided in their Christian journeys; when I launch, 10% of my profits will go back to my church, which serves the black community through their back-to-school drives. Again, everybody has to find their place in this world. In the world of my school, BSU is a place for anyone who dares to enter. In the world of my community, I dedicate myself to creating spaces where black people come together positively.

I think it is important for people to engage with their communities now more than ever because in the U.S. we tend to lack unity and generosity. It is the responsibility of those who have more and are privileged to give a helping hand to those who unfortunately have less or are underprivileged. Giving to others builds trust and shows empathy and those are qualities that our divided American society is lacking right now. When given the opportunity I like to volunteer and help my community, not only because it unifies us, but because generosity is necessary for leadership and growth. As a student, I go to school with many students from different backgrounds, and though I am not very affluent, I have learned to be grateful for what I do have and to give back. For instance, in 8th grade, my best friend and I organized a canned goods food drive and were able to donate 6 large boxes full of food for our local homeless shelter. Later on, in 9th grade, I participated in "Special Olympics" where I (along with my brother and mother) volunteered to assist children with disabilities in their regional bowling competition. Today, I am an active member in my high school's Interact Club and "Good Vibes Ambassadors" Club, which both emphasize volunteering and give me opportunities to help people in my school community and those in communities near mine as well! My goals are numerous but one of my biggest is to become a civil rights attorney who can advocate for the forgotten. I want to defend and protect those who need it most-- poor people, minorities, ex-offenders, and more. By doing so, I hope to help the communities in my home state, even if it is just one family at a time. I would be honored to help an innocent man be reunited with his family or to defend black women who are discriminated against in their workplace simply based on a hairstyle. The possibilities for my future in law are numerous and my goal may deviate slightly but one thing will remain. I will always hope to give back to and unite with members of my community, wherever that may be, in the most effective ways that I can do so. And I will remain determined to excel in my education so I can gain the qualifications and be equipped enough to do so.