Worth is a word I struggle to insert into conversations about dreams. To me, dreams aren’t something we must prove ourselves worthy of. They’re part of being human. They are the ambitions that allow us to maintain the childlike joy and curiosity we all once had. Asking someone why they are “worth” their dreams suggests aspiration requires permission. I don’t want to place my goals on trial before I’ve even taken the first step. If you asked me if “I’m worthy of my dreams,” I would say I’m not, because the beginning of any dream doesn’t come with a price tag. However, if you ask what motivates me to pursue my dreams, or what qualities I bring to achieving them, I could tell you a thousand stories.  My dream is to become a production designer. Originally, traditional residential and commercial space architecture was my interest and, in turn, my major. The way a space could influence people’s emotions, how they interacted with one another, and the way they moved through the space always intrigued me, so it felt right. As I progressed through my major, however, I began to comprehend just how versatile architecture could be. At its core, architecture is not just about the physical elements, such as buildings, but about the intentions in crafting environments and the emotions they evoke. With this newfound discovery, I found myself fascinated with production design. Storytelling, thought-provocation, intentional space-making: production design was just architecture of the screen, and I couldn’t hide my excitement at this revelation. The small closet under the stairs that Harry Potter called home for years? The ever-changing buildings in Inception? Wakanda’s iconic afro-futuristic city in Black Panther? Even Coraline’s eerie “other world”! These are more than just sets or CGI, they’re what make the film believable and allow the viewer to get lost in the space. This is what I want to do. This is the magic I want to create. My love for design and human experiences is what led me here, and what continues to drive me forward. I’ve been working tirelessly to become a production designer. Cutting museum boards and foamcore at three in the morning in an empty studio. Setting 35-minute alarms just to rest my eyes before diving back into a design, knowing the deadline won’t wait. I’m even taking both film and architecture courses to bridge the gap between disciplines. I’ve even been involved in clubs to sharpen my skills, even stepping into leadership positions to push myself beyond my comfort zone. Along the way, I’ve entered and won an architecture competition, served as head set designer for a play, and worked as a production designer for a school short film. Every project, every late night, every risk I take is all for the sake of my dream, and I have no plans on stopping anytime soon. I’m not sure I am worthy of my dreams in the eyes of others, but I know for sure that my love for production design is genuine. I know that the time and effort I’ve put into my craft are undeniable, and I know for certain that I’m not done. My dream is something I hold dear, understanding it may shift and grow as I do. But no matter what form it takes, I’ll keep chasing it with the same urgency that keeps me cutting foamcore at three in the morning, or setting 35-minute alarms just to rest my eyes. The starting point may not have a price tag, but I hope my journey will pay off.

Being the first in my family to go to college is like trying to make ice cream on the moon. It’s exciting, yet scary, and unprecedented. There’s no past down blueprint to follow, and certainly no guarantee of success. But like any daring mission, if it matters enough, you find a way. When I got accepted into college, I was thrilled. Every late night, every moment of doubt, and all the stress I endured had paid off. After walking on campus for the first time, however, I was struck with uncertainty. No longer would my parents be there to hold my hand and spoon-feed me the answers to all my problems. I was left to face situations that even they've yet to experience. Still, I welcomed the fear and stepped into the uncharted territory, hoping it could lead to something extraordinary. Originally, traditional residential and commercial space architecture was my interest and, in turn, my major. The way a space could influence people’s emotions, how they interacted with one another, and the way they moved through the space always intrigued me, so it felt right. As I progressed through my major, however, I began to comprehend just how versatile architecture could be. At its core, architecture is not just about the physical elements, such as buildings, but about the intentions in crafting environments and the emotions they evoke. With this newfound discovery, I found myself fascinated with production design. Storytelling, thought-provocation, intentional space-making: production design was just architecture of the screen, and I couldn’t hide my excitement at this revelation. The small closet under the stairs that Harry Potter called home for years? The ever-changing buildings in Inception? Wakanda’s iconic afro-futuristic city in Black Panther? Even Coraline’s eerie “other world”! These are more than just sets or CGI, they’re what make the film believable and allow the viewer to get lost in the space. This is what I want to do. This is the magic I want to create. To do so, I’ll continue to pursue a degree in architecture, with a minor in cinematic arts, learning as much as I can in both fields of study. In the future, I hope to put all my studying to good use and work as a production designer for film and television. Rather than just curating beautiful views, I want to be known for giving stories life. Even more than that, I want to design spaces that offer a sense of wonder, comfort, joy, and excitement. If even one person can feel that, I’ll consider it a success. Earlier, I mentioned that being the first means fear, and I still believe that. You’re forced to build bridges and connections where none existed before. However, as I continue my education, I notice that this fear can, has, and will turn into excitement for what’s next to come. Going forward, I’ll continue to bear this pressure gifted to me by my family and keep their hopes, beliefs, and aspirations for me at the forefront of my mind with every step. I’ll also remember I’m not just doing this for myself, or even just for my family, but for the worlds I’ve yet to build and experience that are waiting for me.

People and old mom-and-pop shops whizzed past the window as my mother drove down Seven Mile and Gratiot. She’d decided that my younger brother and I just had to visit her childhood home. The cracked and pothole-filled pavement guided us on our bumpy ride to our destination. Finally, my mother turned down her old street. Burned-down and boarded-up homes lined either side of the street., and my mother took her time explaining all the great times she had while riding her bike and skipping rope with her friends as a child. Eventually, we stopped in front of what used to be my mother's home, and for the first time, I truly took in the situation. The now-empty lot stared back at us, and the growing weeds waved in the wind. We looked at the remorseful sight for a few seconds longer before driving to return home. On the way home, I began to notice that the people along the street weren’t just walking by but living there, and the shops in the area were all but closed down. I remember the feeling of grief and confusion washing over me at the sights I just saw, and as I grew in age I realized that these sights weren’t only seen in East Detroit, but around the world. Inequality is an imbalance of presented opportunities and resources between two or more groups; a bias or favoring of one group over another. Inequalities occur for a multitude of reasons including, gender, race, ethnicity, and status. In our society, it takes on multifarious forms, like poverty. Poverty is a vast concern globally and generally leads to unsanitary living conditions, insufficient housing, and even homelessness. These are the execrable matters I hope to combat and avert with my designs as a future architect. I believe preeminent architecture isn’t all about elaborate and ornamental design but how it functions and who it serves. I maintain that design should lessen the struggles of homeless minorities as housing is not a privilege but a right. An omnipresent imbalance in the living conditions of those in our society exists. It is evident as extravagant high-rises cast shadows onto slums, rowhouses, and shantytowns. It is evident as neighborhoods that once housed numerous families are deserted and abandoned. There is a need for a new style of housing. There is a demand for a new style of housing, one that is efficient and will roof every head and shelter everybody: sustainably, purposefully, and boldly. In the future, I aspire to work collectively with fellow architects and those suffering from social injustices to innovate communities and shelters that improve the overall quality of life and safety for minorities. I desire to create spaces that redefine what architecture is and should be, not only for my community but for the world.

As a child, my two favorite things to do were to ask questions and to draw. I’d ask questions to any and everyone that’d listen, and those who didn’t know that asking questions was one of my favorite pastimes would indulge me with a few answers before sending me to my next victim. After countless numbers of questions, my mother found a way to outsmart me. She’d lead me to ask a question about how something looked, and then, in turn, ask what I think something looked like and send me on my way to draw whatever the topic was. In hindsight, that was a genius way to stop the barrage of questions, but at the time I was just excited to show someone my vision. Today, I still love to ask questions and attempt to plan and draw up solutions for them. However, now, the questions are bigger and more important than just me. Inequality is an imbalance of presented opportunities and resources between two or more groups; a bias or favoring of one group over another. Inequalities occur for a multitude of reasons including, gender, race, ethnicity, and status. In our society, it takes on multifarious forms, like poverty. Poverty is a vast concern globally and generally leads to unsanitary living conditions, insufficient housing, and even homelessness. These are the execrable matters I hope to combat and avert with my designs as a future architect. I believe preeminent architecture isn’t all about elaborate and ornamental design but how it functions and who it serves. I maintain that design should lessen the struggles of homeless minorities as housing is not a privilege but a right. An omnipresent imbalance in the living conditions of those in our society exists. It is evident as extravagant high-rises cast shadows onto slums, rowhouses, and shantytowns. It is evident as neighborhoods that once housed numerous families are deserted and abandoned. There is a need for a new style of housing. There is a demand for a new style of housing, one that is efficient and will roof every head and shelter everybody: sustainably, purposefully, and boldly. I plan to study how to achieve this new style of housing while at university. By majoring in architecture and minoring in social justice and foreign languages such as Chinese, I’ll not only be able to grasp design techniques and the licensure necessary to create architectural designs, but I’ll also be able to study other social injustices that could be used to alleviate with an architectural reset and gain languages skill that would allow me to share my learnings on a global scale. In the future, I aspire to work collectively with fellow architects and those suffering from social injustices to innovate communities and shelters that improve the overall quality of life and safety for minorities. I desire to create spaces that redefine what architecture is and should be, not only for my community but for the world. I know this will be difficult to accomplish in a field where black women make up less than 5% of the workforce, but I’m ready for the challenge.

I remember the feeling of confusion washing over me at the sight of the empty lot that once was filled by my mother’s childhood home. The surrounding burned and boarded homes littered with homeless minorities added sorrow to the mix. As I grew in age I realized that these sights weren’t only seen in East Detroit, but around the world. Inequality is an imbalance of presented opportunities and resources between two or more groups; a bias or favoring of one group over another. Inequalities occur for a multitude of reasons including, gender, race, ethnicity, and status. In our society, it takes on multifarious forms, like poverty. Poverty is a vast concern globally and generally leads to unsanitary living conditions, insufficient housing, and even homelessness. These are the execrable matters I hope to combat and avert with my designs as a future architect. I believe preeminent architecture isn’t all about elaborate and ornamental design but how it functions and who it serves. I maintain that design should lessen the struggles of homeless minorities as housing is not a privilege but a right. An omnipresent imbalance in the living conditions of those in our society exists. It is evident as extravagant high-rises cast shadows onto slums, rowhouses, and shantytowns. It is evident as neighborhoods that once housed numerous families are deserted and abandoned. There is a need for a new style of housing. There is a demand for a new style of housing, one that is efficient and will roof every head and shelter everybody: sustainably, purposefully, and boldly. I plan to study how to achieve this new style of housing while at university. By majoring in architecture and minoring in social justice and foreign languages such as Chinese, I’ll not only be able to grasp design techniques and the licensure necessary to create architectural designs, but I’ll also be able to study up on other social injustices that could be used to alleviate with an architectural reset and gain languages skill that would allow me to share my learnings on a global scale. In the future, I aspire to work collectively with fellow architects and those suffering from social injustices to innovate communities and shelters that improve the overall quality of life and safety for minorities. I desire to create spaces that redefine what architecture is and should be, not only for my community but for the world. I know this will be difficult to accomplish in a field where black women make up less than 5% of the workforce, but I’m ready for the challenge.

1. Why do you deserve this scholarship? Hmm, tough question. I don’t really know. But I do know I deserve a refund for the donuts I got the other day. They were full of holes. 2. What are your academic and/or career goals? I want a job with one of those spinny chairs so I can spin around in the chair and use my desk as leverage. Speaking of spinny chairs I flew out of one while spinning in it as a child and got in trouble with my mom, so if I ever do get a spinny chair it’ll have to be a secret from her. 3. Tell me about a time you’ve overcome an obstacle. In 5th grade, I participated in an obstacle course and won. There was no prize though unless you count the shiny burn I got while sliding down the inflatable slide.

Strong, independent, boss, grinder. So often in the black community, we view these as desirable and any antonyms to these words as weak, less than, and pathetic. We are expected to do everything perfectly, never failing, and of course, it is expected that we go above and beyond these already hefty expectations. These aren’t only outside pressures but pressure from within our homes and ourselves. Growing up I was expected to be able to take care of my younger sibling and younger cousins, despite being a child myself. If I mentioned that I struggled to do this my comment would be brushed off and instead, I was told that “everyone is struggling, do your part”, “others have it worse”, or “this is easy compared to what you’ll experience in the real world”. And that is true. Everyone does have their own struggles, and others were and still are worse off than me, but if I’m constantly comparing myself to the one suffering the most, when will I be able to acknowledge that I’m in pain? When will I be able to acknowledge that I’m tired, burned out, or just over everything? When? In the black community –and many other minority communities as I’ve come to learn–, the answer is typically never or when you’re gone. Whichever comes first. This complete lack of empathy and void of awareness has led to great loss and close calls for me and my loved ones. During high school, I talked to a friend every day, constantly talking, cracking jokes, and hanging out after classes. However, one day I couldn’t get a hold of her. One day turned to two. Two days turned to three, then finally she came back to class smiling like always. When I asked her where she’d been all this time, she told me that she’d been in the hospital after a failed suicide attempt, laughed it off, and continued to her next class. My heart dropped. She was smiling like always but it was only at that moment that I realized just how fake and forced that smile was. I felt like a failure of a friend for not being able to notice her pain. For not being there as a pillar to support her and for not being someone she could trust enough to ask for help. The guilt I felt for not noticing her pain made me nauseous. This wasn’t my first close call with a loved one, and it definitely wasn’t my last. However, it was the one that led me to change my way of interacting with others to prevent these situations. A way that I changed was that I began to acknowledge. I began to acknowledge feelings, emotions, thoughts, and anything else another person wanted to share. I believe one of the leading causes of suicide is feeling misunderstood or alone. To prevent this I attempt to make sure everyone around me feels heard. I do my best to empathize with them and understand their feelings instead of brushing them off and branding them as weak as I’ve heard many others do. They aren’t weak. It takes just as much, if not more, strength and courage to admit that you need help or that you’re suffering as it does to grit your teeth and push through the problem. Something I believe is wrong with the world today is the idea that everything has to be presented perfectly. Everything has to be spic and span and no one can have flaws or faults. This ideal is breaking down and increasingly being debunked, however, it still holds much power over our heads. This is especially seen in minority communities, where they feel that they’re already at a disadvantage because of their race and ethnicity, so they have to be more than perfect in every other sense, with no room for failure or breaks. I want everyone to know this is not the case. It’s okay to ask for help. It’s okay to be tired and in pain. It’s okay to want to take a breather. It’s okay to not be okay. You’re not alone in these thoughts, and acknowledging these feelings is the first step to putting an end to them. You can do it. I believe you can.

Inequality is an imbalance of presented opportunities and resources between two or more groups; a bias or favoring of one group over another. Inequalities occur for a multitude of reasons including, gender, race, ethnicity, and status. In our society, it takes on multifarious forms, like poverty. Poverty is a vast concern globally and generally leads to unsanitary living conditions, insufficient housing, and even homelessness. These are the execrable matters I hope to combat and avert with my designs as a future architect. I believe preeminent architecture isn’t all about elaborate and ornamental design but how it functions and who it serves. I maintain that design should lessen the struggles of homeless minorities as housing is not a privilege but a right. An omnipresent imbalance in the living conditions of those in our society exists. It is evident as extravagant high-rises cast shadows onto slums, rowhouses, and shantytowns. It is evident as neighborhoods that once housed numerous families are deserted and abandoned. There is a need for a new style of housing. There is a demand for a new style of housing, one that is efficient and will roof every head and shelter everybody: sustainably, purposefully, and boldly. In the future, I aspire to work collectively with fellow architects and those suffering from social injustices to innovate communities and shelters that improve the overall quality of life and safety for minorities. I desire to create spaces that redefine what architecture is and should be, not only for my community but for the world. I will create spaces that redefine what architecture is and should be: a tool to better our existence and reflect and document who we are as a people united.

Dark gray clouds rolled in, completely masked by the cloak of the night sky. The first drop tapped my window, gently coaxing me to the cold glass. Relentlessly, rain drifted down, landing tenderly on anything it could reach: the trees, bikes, the roof. The rain continued and the once melodic pitter-patters transformed into heavy drumming. Wind slashed the side of the house as a blinding beam illuminated my dimly lit room. Chasing after the flare, a thunderous clap shook the walls. Hulking rainfall filled my ears once again, paired with the intermittent splash from hurried drivers and the ceaseless trickling from the overburdened gutter. My eyes fluttered shut as I welcomed Mother Nature’s refrain. For the first time that day, I’d found peace. Listening to the rain is a means to momentarily sedate time. I’m constantly hauled along with the rapid pace of today’s society with fast food, high-speed internet, and speedy service. Consequently, at times I covet a leisurely break from everything. During times of rain, I take that break. The storm erodes inklings of stress and frustration, clearing up any muddiness in my mind. I’m contemplative and take more time than others to opt for certain decisions. Due to this, my mind occasionally goes into overdrive as I’m often rushed to commit to choices hurriedly. However, as the sky grows murky, my head becomes clearer. After the rain dissipates, clouds lift, and the only thing left lingering is a blanket of fresh raindrops and the musk of the wet earth, I’m refreshed and roaring to tackle the obstacles that once seemed insurmountable. Rain is my refresher. Nature is my healer.

It was dinner time, and as the oldest at home at the moment, I was given the task of ordering pizza. After much deliberation, I picked up the phone and began to dial the number. As the phone rang, I clutched it tighter in my grasp, knowing that if I didn’t it’d slip from the clamminess of my hands. I held my breath as the ringing continued, praying that no one would answer. Unfortunately, they did. The welcoming voice offered a greeting and quickly moved on to my order. I took one last deep breath and opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. I tried again. Nothing. Tears pricked my eyes as the frustration began to set in. I gave one last futile attempt before finally, I hung up. My younger brother ordered dinner that night. I’ve suffered from stuttering for as long as I can remember. In no way has it made life easier. Everyday activities become chores with the relentless barrage of fumbled words, followed by an absence of voice. At times, the paralyzing fear of the incapability to form coherent sentences kept me from communicating with others. However, the desire to be capable of completing everyday tasks and the encouragement from loved ones led me to stammer my way through countless conversations, and eventually, my words began to flow easier. My stutter may have led to innumerable hardships as my life progressed, but it also gifted me the ability to be compassionate and patient. Due to a prolonged unease with speaking, I’ve become an avid listener. Constantly aiming to carefully analyze what someone is saying, and empathize with their struggles, just as others have done for me. It also taught me that with my family by my side, I could do anything.

Generosity means to give more than you receive in plentiful and bountiful amounts. It means to give others thoughtful and caring thoughts, actions, and even material objects. Generosity to me means to help better those around you, to care for them like family. I believe generosity can also be seen as a way to expel the inequalities seen in the world. Inequality is an imbalance of presented opportunities and resources between two or more groups; a bias or favoring of one group over another. Inequalities occur for numerous reasons including, gender, race, ethnicity, and status. In our society, it takes on multifarious forms, like poverty. Poverty is a vast concern globally and generally leads to unsanitary living conditions, insufficient housing, and even homelessness. These are the execrable matters I hope to combat and avert with my designs as a future architect. I believe architecture isn’t all about elaborate and ornamental design but how it functions and who it serves. Design should lessen the struggles of homeless minorities as housing is not a privilege but a right. An omnipresent imbalance in living conditions in our society exists. It’s evident as extravagant high-rises cast shadows onto slums and rowhouses. It's evident as neighborhoods that once housed numerous families are deserted and abandoned. There is a need for a new style of housing that’s efficient and will roof every head. Currently, I am unable to do much on the frontlines to combat homelessness, however, this is why I study. To innovate solutions, I’m studying architecture, other social inequities, and foreign languages to combat poverty in this country, and even learn more from other countries. In the future, I aspire to work collectively with fellow architects and those suffering from social injustices to innovate communities that improve the overall quality of life for all.

People and old mom-and-pop shops whizzed past the window as my mother drove down Seven mile and Gratiot. She’d decided that she wanted to visit her childhood home and my younger brother and I decided to tag along. The cracked and pothole-filled pavement guided us on our bumpy ride to our destination. Finally, my mother turned down her old street. Burned down, and boarded up homes lined either side of the street., and my mother took her time explaining all the great times she had while riding her bike and skipping rope with her friends as a child. Eventually, we stopped in front of what used to be my mother's home. The now-empty lot stared back at us, and the growing weeds waved in the wind. We looked at the remorseful sight for a few seconds longer before driving to return home. On the way home, I began to notice that the people along the street weren’t just walking by but living there, and the shops in the area were all but closed down. I remember the feeling of grief and confusion washing over me at the sights I just saw, and as I grew in age I realized that these sights weren’t only seen in East Detroit, but around the world. Inequality is an imbalance of presented opportunities and resources between two or more groups; a bias or favoring of one group over another. Inequalities occur for a multitude of reasons including, gender, race, ethnicity, and status. In our society, it takes on multifarious forms, like poverty. Poverty is a vast concern globally and generally leads to unsanitary living conditions, insufficient housing, and even homelessness. These are the execrable matters I hope to combat and avert with my designs as a future architect. I believe preeminent architecture isn’t all about elaborate and ornamental design but how it functions and who it serves. I maintain that design should lessen the struggles of homeless minorities as housing is not a privilege but a right. An omnipresent imbalance in the living conditions of those in our society exists. It is evident as extravagant high-rises cast shadows onto slums, rowhouses, and shantytowns. It is evident as neighborhoods that once housed numerous families are deserted and abandoned. There is a need for a new style of housing. There is a demand for a new style of housing, one that is efficient and will roof every head and shelter everybody: sustainably, purposefully, and boldly. In the future, I aspire to work collectively with fellow architects and those suffering from social injustices to innovate communities and shelters that improve the overall quality of life and safety for minorities. I desire to create spaces that redefine what architecture is and should be, not only for my community but for the world. I will create spaces that redefine what architecture is and should be: a tool to better our existence and reflect and document who we are as a people united.

The best way to convince someone to attend college is to first understand what dislikes or concerns they have about attending in the first place. Is it the cost? The time required to obtain a degree? Studying? Self-doubt? Something entirely different? Understanding this will help me better be able to create a plan to possibly encourage them to pursue college. If the problem has to do with financials, I’d point out the many scholarship search engines, grants, merit scholarships, government assistance, and even– as a last resort– loans. I’d also encourage them to apply to an in-state school and even a community college for lower tuition rates. A community college may also be a great idea for someone who doesn’t have any interest in spending a significant amount of time in school but still desires to further their education. If the thing holding my peer back is the idea of studying and spending excessively long hours doing something they find boring, I’d introduce them to many fun methods of studying. There are ways to turn your study session into a game or even have a study group with peers. They can also reward themselves after studying as a sort of incitement to study. These are all ideas I have to convince a peer to attend college, however, if they genuinely don’t want to attend college I don’t want to force them to do something they don’t want or force my beliefs onto them. I may mention the benefits of college such as a higher salary after graduation, but I’ll also support them in all their endeavors, regardless of whether that includes college or not.

People and old mom-and-pop shops whizzed past the window as my mother drove down Seven mile and Gratiot. The cracked and pothole-filled pavement guided us on our bumpy ride to our destination. Finally, my mother turned down an old street. Burned down, and boarded up homes lined either side of the street. This wasn’t a sight new to me as an East Detroit native. Eventually, we stopped in front of what used to be my mother's home. The now-empty lot stared back at us, and the growing weeds waved in the wind. We looked at the remorseful sight for a few seconds longer before driving to return home. On the way home, I began to notice that the people along the street weren’t just walking by but living there, and the shops in the area were all but closed down. I remember the feeling of grief and confusion washing over me at the sights I just saw, and as I grew in age I realized that these sights weren’t only seen in East Detroit, but around the world. Inequality is an imbalance of presented opportunities and resources between two or more groups; a bias or favoring of one group over another. Inequalities occur for a multitude of reasons including, gender, race, ethnicity, and status. In our society, it takes on multifarious forms, like poverty. Poverty is a vast concern globally and generally leads to unsanitary living conditions, insufficient housing, and even homelessness. These are the execrable matters I hope to combat and avert with my designs as a future architect. I believe preeminent architecture isn’t all about elaborate and ornamental design but how it functions and who it serves. I maintain that design should lessen the struggles of homeless minorities as housing is not a privilege but a right. An omnipresent imbalance in the living conditions of those in our society exists. It is evident as extravagant high-rises cast shadows onto slums, rowhouses, and shantytowns. It is evident as neighborhoods that once housed numerous families are deserted and abandoned. It was these sights that I witnessed growing up in East Detroit that drove me to fight for housing equality. There is a need for a new style of housing. There is a demand for a new style of housing; one that is efficient and will roof every head and shelter everybody: sustainably, purposefully, and boldly. In the future, I aspire to work collectively with fellow architects and those suffering from social injustices to innovate communities and shelters that improve the overall quality of life and safety for minorities. I desire to create spaces that redefine what architecture is and should be, not only for my community but for the world. I know this will be difficult to accomplish in a field where black women make up less than 5% of the workforce, but I’m ready for the challenge.

Life is all about experience. Experiencing situations that are amazing, horrifying, confusing, and even awe inspiring. Life is supposed to encompass all of these things and be summarized as satisfying. However, for some people life is just full of misery and hardship. My goal in life is to be someone who lessens those hardships for other, for example, those suffering from inequalities. Inequality is an imbalance of presented opportunities and resources between two or more groups; a bias or favoring of one group over another. Inequalities occur for numerous reasons including, gender, race, ethnicity, and status. In our society, it takes on multifarious forms, like poverty. Poverty is a vast concern globally and generally leads to unsanitary living conditions, insufficient housing, and even homelessness. These are the execrable matters I hope to combat and avert with my designs as a future architect. I believe preeminent architecture isn’t all about elaborate and ornamental design but how it functions and who it serves. I maintain that design should lessen the struggles of homeless minorities as housing is not a privilege but a right. An omnipresent imbalance in the living conditions of those in our society exists. It’s evident as extravagant high-rises cast shadows onto slums, rowhouses, and shantytowns. It's evident as neighborhoods that once housed numerous families are deserted and abandoned. There is a need for a new style of housing. There is a demand for a new style of housing, one that is efficient and will roof every head and shelter everybody: sustainably, purposefully, and boldly. In the future, I aspire to work collectively with fellow architects and those suffering from social injustices to innovate communities that improve the overall quality of life for all. That is what I believe is my goal in life. The meaning of life.

It was dinner time, and as the oldest at home at the moment, I was given the task of ordering pizza. After much deliberation, I picked up the phone and began to dial the number. As the phone rang, I clutched it tighter in my grasp, knowing that if I didn’t it’d slip from the clamminess of my hands. I held my breath as the ringing continued, praying that no one would answer. Unfortunately, they did. The welcoming voice offered a greeting and quickly moved on to my order. I took one last deep breath and opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. I tried again. Nothing. Tears pricked my eyes as the frustration began to set in. I gave one last futile attempt before finally, I hung up. My younger brother ordered dinner that night. I’ve suffered from stuttering for as long as I can remember. In no way has it made life easier. Everyday activities become chores with the relentless barrage of fumbled words, followed by an absence of voice. At times, the paralyzing fear of the incapability to form coherent sentences kept me from communicating with others. However, the desire to be capable of completing everyday tasks and the encouragement from loved ones led me to stammer my way through countless conversations, and eventually, my words began to flow easier. My stutter may have led to innumerable hardships as my life progressed, but it also gifted me the ability to be compassionate and patient. Due to a prolonged unease with speaking, I’ve become an avid listener. Constantly aiming to carefully analyze what someone is saying, and empathize with their struggles, just as others have done for me. It also taught me that with my family by my side, I could do anything.

I enjoy watching my family enjoy themselves. I enjoy watching the lines on the side of my mother’s mouth deepen as her smile widens. I enjoy watching my father’s cheekbones rise and turn his eyes to mini crescent moons as he unleashes a booming laugh, with the ability to have everyone in the room following suit. I even enjoy the snaggletooth that peeks out of my younger brother's mouth– no matter how annoying he is– as he snickers at whatever new video he’s watching. At times like that, I feel that he truly resembles our mother. Watching my grandmother cook is also a joy of mine. I love eating her beef stew with cornbread, and every time I ask her what’s her secret to making it taste as tender and flavorful as it does, she says love and happiness. A very corny answer in my opinion, but seeing her sing and dance around the kitchen as she prepares the dish, makes me believe every word. I also savor the interactions between my aunt and her children: twin girls the age of two. Women are dominating in my family as one can see. As my aunt gazes at her girls, you can see the love swirling in her eyes. Of course, you can tell that she’s tired, as she’s been wearing the same clothes for a few days. However, you can tell that she believes it’s all worth it as she coddles them both with a sigh of “you’re mommy’s babies”. These are the interactions that I get to see almost every day. These simple interactions are possible because my family is happy, healthy, and filled with love. I'm so grateful for these scenes that give me a sense of calm and a desire to protect these moments.

Inequality is an imbalance of presented opportunities and resources between two or more groups; a bias or favoring of one group over another. Inequalities occur for numerous reasons including, gender, race, ethnicity, and status. In our society, it takes on multifarious forms, like poverty. Poverty is a vast concern globally and generally leads to unsanitary living conditions, insufficient housing, and even homelessness. These are the execrable matters I hope to combat and avert with my designs as a future architect. I believe preeminent architecture isn’t all about elaborate and ornamental design but how it functions and who it serves. I maintain that design should lessen the struggles of homeless minorities as housing is not a privilege but a right. An omnipresent imbalance in the living conditions of those in our society exists. It’s evident as extravagant high-rises cast shadows onto slums, rowhouses, and shantytowns. It's evident as neighborhoods that once housed numerous families are deserted and abandoned. There is a need for a new style of housing. There is a demand for a new style of housing, one that is efficient and will roof every head and shelter everybody: sustainably, purposefully, and boldly. Due to the recent emphasis on social justice, I’ve learned that if I want things to change for the better, I need to be the change. With this in mind, I plan to study how to achieve this new style of housing. I’ll major in architecture with minors in social justice and a foreign language such as Chinese to help me gain the skills to innovate an architectural reset. A cultural reset. In the future, I aspire to work collectively with fellow architects and those suffering from social injustices to innovate communities that improve the overall quality of life for all.

Inequality is an imbalance of presented opportunities and resources between two or more groups; a bias or favoring of one group over another. Inequalities occur for numerous reasons including, gender, race, ethnicity, and status. In our society, it takes on multifarious forms, like poverty. Poverty is a vast concern globally and generally leads to unsanitary living conditions, insufficient housing, and even homelessness. These are the execrable matters I hope to combat and avert with my designs as a future architect. I believe preeminent architecture isn’t all about elaborate and ornamental design but how it functions and who it serves. I maintain that design should lessen the struggles of homeless minorities as housing is not a privilege but a right. An omnipresent imbalance in the living conditions of those in our society exists. It’s evident as extravagant high-rises cast shadows onto slums, rowhouses, and shantytowns. It's evident as neighborhoods that once housed numerous families are deserted and abandoned. There is a need for a new style of housing. There is a demand for a new style of housing, one that is efficient and will roof every head and shelter everybody: sustainably, purposefully, and boldly. Due to the recent emphasis on social justice, I’ve learned that if I want things to change for the better, I need to be the change. With this in mind, I plan to study how to achieve this new style of housing. I’ll major in architecture with minors in social justice and a foreign language such as Chinese to help me gain the skills to innovate an architectural reset. A cultural reset. In the future, I aspire to work collectively with fellow architects and those suffering from social injustices to innovate communities that improve the overall quality of life for all.

I remember the feeling of confusion washing over me at the sight of the empty lot that once was filled by my mother’s childhood home. The surrounding burned and boarded homes littered with homeless minorities added sorrow to the mix. As I grew in age I realized that these sights weren’t only seen in East Detroit, but around the world. Inequality is an imbalance of presented opportunities and resources between two or more groups; a bias or favoring of one group over another. Inequalities occur for numerous reasons including, gender, race, ethnicity, and status. In our society, it takes on multifarious forms, like poverty. Poverty is a vast concern globally and generally leads to unsanitary living conditions, insufficient housing, and even homelessness. These are the execrable matters I hope to combat and avert with my designs as a future architect. I believe architecture isn’t all about elaborate and ornamental design but how it functions and who it serves. Design should lessen the struggles of homeless minorities as housing is not a privilege but a right. An omnipresent imbalance in living conditions in our society exists. It’s evident as extravagant high-rises cast shadows onto slums and rowhouses. It's evident as neighborhoods that once housed numerous families are deserted and abandoned. There is a need for a new style of housing that’s efficient and will roof every head. Currently, I am unable to do much on the frontlines to combat homelessness, however, this is why I study. To innovate solutions, I’m studying architecture, other social inequities, and foreign languages to combat poverty in this country, and even learn more from other countries. In the future, I aspire to work collectively with fellow architects and those suffering from social injustices to innovate communities that improve the overall quality of life for all.

I enjoy watching my family enjoy themselves. I enjoy watching the lines on the side of my mother’s mouth deepen as her smile widens. I enjoy watching my father’s cheekbones rise and turn his eyes to mini crescent moons as he unleashes a booming laugh, with the ability to have everyone in the room following suit. I even enjoy the snaggletooth that peeks out of my younger brother's mouth– no matter how annoying he is– as he snickers at whatever new video he’s watching. At times like that, I feel that he truly resembles our mother. Watching my grandmother cook is also a joy of mine. I love eating her beef stew with cornbread, and every time I ask her what’s her secret to making it taste as tender and flavorful as it does, she says love and happiness. A very corny answer in my opinion, but seeing her sing and dance around the kitchen as she prepares the dish, makes me believe every word. I also savor the interactions between my aunt and her children: twin girls the age of two. Women are dominating in my family as one can see. As my aunt gazes at her girls, you can see the love swirling in her eyes. Of course, you can tell that she’s tired, as she’s been wearing the same clothes for a few days. However, you can tell that she believes it’s all worth it as she coddles them both with a sigh of “you’re mommy’s babies”. These are the interactions that I get to see almost every day. There are downs in my family, yes, but when I see everyone taking time to relish in the time spent together, it gives me a sense of calm and a desire to protect these scenes.

I enjoy watching my family enjoy themselves. I enjoy watching the lines on the side of my mother’s mouth deepen as her smile widens. I enjoy watching my father’s cheekbones rise and turn his eyes to mini crescent moons as he unleashes a booming laugh, with the ability to have everyone in the room following suit. I even enjoy the snaggletooth that peeks out of my younger brother's mouth– no matter how annoying he is– as he snickers at whatever new video he’s watching. At times like that, I feel that he truly resembles our mother. Watching my grandmother cook is also a joy of mine. I love eating her beef stew with cornbread, and every time I ask her what’s her secret to making it taste as tender and flavorful as it does, she says love and happiness. A very corny answer in my opinion, but seeing her sing and dance around the kitchen as she prepares the dish, makes me believe every word. I also savor the interactions between my aunt and her children: twin girls at the age of two. Women are dominating in my family as one can see. As my aunt gazes at her girls, you can see the love swirling in her eyes. Of course, you can tell that she’s tired, as she’s been wearing the same clothes for a few days. However, you can tell that she believes it’s all worth it as she coddles them both with a sigh of “you’re mommy’s babies”. These are the interactions that I get to see almost every day. There are downs in my family, yes, but when I see everyone taking time to relish in the time spent together, it gives me a sense of calm and a break from my usually busy thoughts.

As I watched my friend hunched over, clutching her stomach from laughter, I began to let out my own laugh, but mine was more unsure and confused than her hearty laugh. Her joyous form contrasted greatly with the lifeless form I’d just seen. It was the latter form that made me call out to my friend, and attempt to give her words of encouragement. After what felt like forever, the once hunched figure straightened out. With a sigh, she breathed out, a "thanks," between chuckles before walking off campus, leaving me with only a hint as to what was funny. The words of encouragement I offered to my busy friend weren’t in English but Korean. Her mother tongue and the language she was currently teaching me. I quickly texted another friend to see where I had gone wrong, learning that the phrase I’d said and the phrase I’d intended to say, was off by one syllable. Which changed the phrase from “please rest” to “please go pee”. After learning my mistake, I was embarrassed, but I’ve also never made that same mistake twice. Making mistakes is a key factor in learning. While it is possible to learn without drawing a fault, you are more likely to remember the right answer after getting it wrong. I love learning and learning new languages is a hobby of mine. Whether I’m learning it from friends, family, media, or anywhere else, I enjoy being able to understand something that was once foreign. Thus far, I’ve dabbled in Korean, Spanish, and even Japanese. I become so excited while studying a language that I jump the gun and start to learn a new language before even becoming fluent in the first one! I’ve now begun focusing on Japanese and I'm excited to see how I'll grow.

I remember the feeling of confusion washing over me at the sight of the empty lot that once was filled by my mother’s childhood home. The surrounding burned and boarded homes littered with homeless minorities added sorrow to the mix. As I grew in age I realized that these sights weren’t only seen in East Detroit, but around the world. Inequality is an imbalance of presented opportunities and resources between two or more groups; a bias or favoring of one group over another. Inequalities occur for a multitude of reasons including, gender, race, ethnicity, and status. In our society, it takes on multifarious forms, like poverty. Poverty is a vast concern globally and generally leads to unsanitary living conditions, insufficient housing, and even homelessness. These are the execrable matters I hope to combat and avert with my designs as a future architect. I believe preeminent architecture isn’t all about elaborate and ornamental design but how it functions and who it serves. I maintain that design should lessen the struggles of homeless minorities as housing is not a privilege but a right. An omnipresent imbalance in the living conditions of those in our society exists. It is evident as extravagant high-rises cast shadows onto slums, rowhouses, and shantytowns. It is evident as neighborhoods that once housed numerous families are deserted and abandoned. There is a need for a new style of housing. There is a demand for a new style of housing, one that is efficient and will roof every head and shelter everybody: sustainably, purposefully, and boldly. I plan to study how to achieve this new style of housing while at university. By majoring in architecture and minoring in social justice and foreign languages such as Chinese, I’ll not only be able to grasp design techniques and the licensure necessary to create architectural designs, but I’ll also be able to study up on other social injustices that could be used to alleviate with an architectural reset and gain languages skill that would allow me to share my learnings on a global scale. In the future, I aspire to work collectively with fellow architects and those suffering from social injustices to innovate communities and shelters that improve the overall quality of life and safety for minorities. I desire to create spaces that redefine what architecture is and should be, not only for my community but for the world. I know this will be difficult to accomplish in a field where black women make up less than 5% of the workforce, but I’m ready for the challenge.

The strength and awareness of the newer generations give me hope. The fact that we know everything isn’t all fine and dandy like we were told as children, and the fact that we’re angry about that shines a light on the one seemingly grim future. There are many inequalities needed to be addressed and this new generation, myself included, want to fix them. Inequalities occur for a multitude of reasons including, gender, race, ethnicity, and status. In our society, it takes on multifarious forms, like poverty. Poverty is a vast concern globally and generally leads to unsanitary living conditions, insufficient housing, and even homelessness. These are the execrable matters I hope to combat and avert with my designs as a future architect. I believe preeminent architecture isn’t all about elaborate and ornamental design but how it functions and who it serves. I maintain that design should lessen the struggles of homeless minorities as housing is not a privilege but a right. An omnipresent imbalance in the living conditions of those in our society exists. It is evident as extravagant high-rises cast shadows onto slums, rowhouses, and shantytowns. There is a need for a new style of housing. There is a demand for a new style of housing, one that is efficient and will roof every head and shelter everybody: sustainably, purposefully, and boldly. In the future, I aspire to work collectively with fellow architects and those suffering from social injustices to innovate communities and shelters that improve the overall quality of life and safety for minorities. I desire to create spaces that redefine what architecture is and should be, and I believe that obtaining my education can assist me with this mission. I look forward to seeing the amazing things that I’ll be able to accomplish in the future. I look forward to the amazing things my pets will accomplish in the future.

The consistent scritch of the graphite as it meets the paper. The indent on my ring finger from gripping the pencil too hard. The sight of my forearm darkened with graphite stamping the paper. These are the sights, the sounds, the feels I experience every day as I sketch. I’ve always loved art. It was my favorite class in elementary school and continued to be in middle school. However, during high school, I focused more on the arts at home rather than at school. Over the years, I’ve experimented with art to find my style. Pencil, chalk, charcoal, clay: I’ve played with many mediums. My main focus, recently, has been painting. Before I strayed away from using paints as they were a bit messy and I felt my skill set wasn’t at the level where I could confidently put them to good use. However, recently, I was able to let go of the way of thinking and have dove right into the acrylics, watercolors, gouaches, and oils. Every day, I hold an art tool in my hand, ready to make a mark. Every day, I sketch a line, and paint a scene, hoping that I’ll be able to improve my artwork and find my voice through my work. Daily, I strive to share my art style.

I remember the feeling of confusion washing over me at the sight of the empty lot that once was filled by my mother’s childhood home. The surrounding burned and boarded homes littered with homeless minorities added sorrow to the mix. As I grew in age I realized that these sights weren’t only seen in East Detroit, but around the world. Inequality is an imbalance of presented opportunities and resources between two or more groups; a bias or favoring of one group over another. Inequalities occur for a multitude of reasons including, gender, race, ethnicity, and status. In our society, it takes on multifarious forms, like poverty. Poverty is a vast concern globally and generally leads to unsanitary living conditions, insufficient housing, and even homelessness. These are the execrable matters I hope to combat and avert with my designs as a future architect. I believe preeminent architecture isn’t all about elaborate and ornamental design but how it functions and who it serves. I maintain that design should lessen the struggles of homeless minorities as housing is not a privilege but a right. An omnipresent imbalance in the living conditions of those in our society exists. It is evident as extravagant high-rises cast shadows onto slums, rowhouses, and shantytowns. It is evident as neighborhoods that once housed numerous families are deserted and abandoned. There is a need for a new style of housing. There is a demand for a new style of housing, one that is efficient and will roof every head and shelter everybody: sustainably, purposefully, and boldly. I plan to study how to achieve this new style of housing while at university. By majoring in architecture and minoring in social justice and foreign languages such as Chinese, I’ll not only be able to grasp design techniques and the licensure necessary to create architectural designs, but I’ll also be able to study up on other social injustices that could be used to alleviate with an architectural reset and gain languages skill that would allow me to share my learnings on a global scale. In the future, I aspire to work collectively with fellow architects and those suffering from social injustices to innovate communities and shelters that improve the overall quality of life and safety for minorities. I desire to create spaces that redefine what architecture is and should be, not only for my community but for the world. I know this will be difficult to accomplish in a field where black women make up less than 5% of the workforce, but I’m ready for the challenge

I enjoy watching my family enjoy themselves. I enjoy watching the lines on the side of my mother’s mouth deepen as her smile widens. I enjoy watching my father’s cheekbones rise and turn his eyes to mini crescent moons as he unleashes a booming laugh, with the ability to have everyone in the room following suit. I even enjoy the snaggletooth that peeks out of my younger brother's mouth– no matter how annoying he is– as he snickers at whatever new video he’s watching. At times like that, I feel that he truly resembles our mother. Watching my grandmother cook is also a joy of mine. I love eating her beef stew with cornbread, and every time I ask her what’s her secret to making it taste as tender and flavorful as it does, she says love and happiness. A very corny answer in my opinion, but seeing her sing and dance around the kitchen as she prepares the dish, makes me believe every word. I also savor the interactions between my aunt and her children: twin girls at the age of two. Women are dominating in my family as one can see. As my aunt gazes at her girls, you can see the love swirling in her eyes. Of course, you can tell that she’s tired, as she’s been wearing the same clothes for a few days. However, you can tell that she believes it’s all worth it as she coddles them both with a sigh of “you’re mommy’s babies”. I listen to my family to show that I love them. I listen to every word muttered and every song hummed. My mother told me that sometimes listening is the best thing we can do to show that we care for someone and since then, I've been all ears.

As I watched my friend hunched over, clutching her stomach from laughter, I began to let out my own laugh, but mine was more unsure and confused than her hearty laugh. Her joyous form contrasted greatly with the lifeless form I’d just seen. It was actually the latter form that made me call out to my friend, and attempt to give her words of encouragement. After what felt like forever, the once hunched figure straightened out. With a sigh, she breathed out, a "thanks," between chuckles before walking off campus, leaving me with only a hint as to what was funny. The words of encouragement I offered to my busy friend weren’t in English but in Korean. Her mother tongue and the language she was currently teaching me. I quickly texted another friend to see where I had gone wrong, learning that the phrase I’d said and the phrase I’d intended to say, was off by one syllable. Which changed the phrase from “please rest” to “please go pee”. After learning my mistake, I was embarrassed, but I’ve also never made that same mistake twice. Making mistakes is a key factor in learning. While it is possible to learn without drawing a fault, you are more likely to remember the right answer after getting it wrong. I appreciate that I’m willing to make mistakes. I love it. Not because I love being wrong, but because it means that I tried. Making mistakes used to make me uncomfortable while learning. However, I’ve learned that this way of thinking was faulty in its own manner. I shouldn’t wish to be comfortable while learning, because that means I’m being complacent and not challenging myself. I love my optimistic style of learning and I continue to learn from my mistakes daily.

I enjoy watching my family enjoy themselves. I enjoy watching the lines on the side of my mother’s mouth deepen as her smile widens. I enjoy watching my father’s cheekbones rise and turn his eyes to mini crescent moons as he unleashes a booming laugh, with the ability to have everyone in the room following suit. I even enjoy the snaggletooth that peeks out of my younger brother's mouth– no matter how annoying he is– as he snickers at whatever new video he’s watching. At times like that, I feel that he truly resembles our mother. Watching my grandmother cook is also a joy of mine. I love eating her beef stew with cornbread, and every time I ask her what’s her secret to making it taste as tender and flavorful as it does, she says love and happiness. A very corny answer in my opinion, but seeing her sing and dance around the kitchen as she prepares the dish, makes me believe every word. I also savor the interactions between my aunt and her children: twin girls the age of two. Women are dominating in my family as one can see. As my aunt gazes at her girls, you can see the love swirling in her eyes. Of course, you can tell that she’s tired, as she’s been wearing the same clothes for a few days. However, you can tell that she believes it’s all worth it as she coddles them both with a sigh of “you’re mommy’s babies”. These are the interactions that I get to see almost every day. The simple pleasures I am lucky enough to share with my loved ones, and the scenes I seek out daily. These moments may seem mundane, but the desire to prolong these moments motivates me to work hard everyday.

I enjoy watching my family enjoy themselves. I enjoy watching the lines on the side of my mother’s mouth deepen as her smile widens. I enjoy watching my father’s cheekbones rise and turn his eyes to mini crescent moons as he unleashes a booming laugh, with the ability to have everyone in the room following suit. I even enjoy the snaggletooth that peeks out of my younger brother's mouth– no matter how annoying he is– as he snickers at whatever new video he’s watching. At times like that, I feel that he truly resembles our mother. Watching my grandmother cook is also a joy of mine. I love eating her beef stew with cornbread, and every time I ask her what’s her secret to making it taste as tender and flavorful as it does, she says love and happiness. A very corny answer in my opinion, but seeing her sing and dance around the kitchen as she prepares the dish, makes me believe every word. I also savor the interactions between my aunt and her children: twin girls the age of two. Women are dominating in my family as one can see. As my aunt gazes at her girls, you can see the love swirling in her eyes. Of course, you can tell that she’s tired, as she’s been wearing the same clothes for a few days. However, you can tell that she believes it’s all worth it as she coddles them both with a sigh of “you’re mommy’s babies”. These are the interactions that I get to see almost every day. The simple pleasures I am lucky enough to share with my loved ones, and the scenes I seek out daily.

Let’s love. I enjoy watching my family enjoy themselves. I enjoy watching the lines on the side of my mother’s mouth deepen as her smile widens. I enjoy watching my father’s cheekbones rise and turn his eyes to mini crescent moons as he unleashes a booming laugh, with the ability to have everyone in the room following suit. I even enjoy the snaggletooth that peeks out of my younger brother's mouth– no matter how annoying he is– as he snickers at whatever new video he’s watching. At times like that, I feel that he truly resembles our mother. Watching my grandmother cook is also a joy of mine. I love eating her beef stew with cornbread, and every time I ask her what’s her secret to making it taste as tender and flavorful as it does, she says love and happiness. A very corny answer in my opinion, but seeing her sing and dance around the kitchen as she prepares the dish, makes me believe every word. I also savor the interactions between my aunt and her children: twin girls the age of two. Women are dominating in my family as one can see. As my aunt gazes at her girls, you can see the love swirling in her eyes. Of course, you can tell that she’s tired, as she’s been wearing the same clothes for a few days. However, you can tell that she believes it’s all worth it as she coddles them both with a sigh of “you’re mommy’s babies”. These are the interactions that I get to see almost every day. There are downs in my family, yes, but when I see everyone taking time to relish in the time spent together, it gives me a sense of calm and a desire to protect these scenes.

I enjoy watching my family enjoy themselves. I enjoy watching the lines on the side of my mother’s mouth deepen as her smile widens. I enjoy watching my father’s cheekbones rise and turn his eyes to mini crescent moons as he unleashes a booming laugh, with the ability to have everyone in the room following suit. I even enjoy the snaggletooth that peeks out of my younger brother's mouth– no matter how annoying he is– as he snickers at whatever new video he’s watching. At times like that, I feel that he truly resembles our mother. Watching my grandmother cook is also a joy of mine. I love eating her beef stew with cornbread, and every time I ask her what’s her secret to making it taste as tender and flavorful as it does, she says love and happiness. A very corny answer in my opinion, but seeing her sing and dance around the kitchen as she prepares the dish, makes me believe every word. I also savor the interactions between my aunt and her children: twin girls the age of two. Women are dominating in my family as one can see. As my aunt gazes at her girls, you can see the love swirling in her eyes. Of course, you can tell that she’s tired, as she’s been wearing the same clothes for a few days. However, you can tell that she believes it’s all worth it as she coddles them both with a sigh of “you’re mommy’s babies”. These are the interactions that I get to see almost every day. There are downs in my family, yes, but when I see everyone taking time to relish in the time spent together, it gives me a sense of calm and a desire to protect these scenes.

Inequality is an imbalance of presented opportunities and resources between two or more groups; a bias or favoring of one group over another. Inequalities occur for numerous reasons including, gender, race, ethnicity, and status. In our society, it takes on multifarious forms, like poverty. Poverty is a vast concern globally and generally leads to unsanitary living conditions, insufficient housing, and even homelessness. These are the execrable matters I hope to combat and avert with my designs as a future architect. I believe preeminent architecture isn’t all about elaborate and ornamental design but how it functions and who it serves. I maintain that design should lessen the struggles of homeless minorities as housing is not a privilege but a right. An omnipresent imbalance in the living conditions of those in our society exists. It’s evident as extravagant high-rises cast shadows onto slums, rowhouses, and shantytowns. It's evident as neighborhoods that once housed numerous families are deserted and abandoned. There is a need for a new style of housing. There is a demand for a new style of housing, one that is efficient and will roof every head and shelter everybody: sustainably, purposefully, and boldly. Due to the recent emphasis on social justice, I’ve learned that if I want things to change for the better, I need to be the change. With this in mind, I plan to study how to achieve this new style of housing. I’ll major in architecture with minors in social justice and a foreign language such as Chinese to help me gain the skills to innovate an architectural reset. A cultural reset. In the future, I aspire to work collectively with fellow architects and those suffering from social injustices to innovate communities that improve the overall quality of life for all

I remember the feeling of confusion washing over me at the sight of the empty lot that once was filled by my mother’s childhood home. The surrounding burned and boarded homes littered with homeless minorities added sorrow to the mix. As I grew in age I realized that these sights weren’t only seen in East Detroit, but around the world. Inequality is an imbalance of presented opportunities and resources between two or more groups; a bias or favoring of one group over another. Inequalities occur for numerous reasons including, gender, race, ethnicity, and status. In our society, it takes on multifarious forms, like poverty. Poverty is a vast concern globally and generally leads to unsanitary living conditions, insufficient housing, and even homelessness. These are the execrable matters I hope to combat and avert with my designs as a future architect. I believe architecture isn’t all about elaborate and ornamental design but how it functions and who it serves. Design should lessen the struggles of homeless minorities as housing is not a privilege but a right. An omnipresent imbalance in living conditions in our society exists. It’s evident as extravagant high-rises cast shadows onto slums and rowhouses. It's evident as neighborhoods that once housed numerous families are deserted and abandoned. There is a need for a new style of housing that’s efficient and will roof every head. Currently, I am unable to do much on the frontlines to combat homelessness, however, this is why I study. To innovate solutions, I’m studying architecture, other social inequities, and foreign languages to combat poverty in this country, and even learn more from other countries. In the future, I aspire to work collectively with fellow architects and those suffering from social injustices to innovate communities that improve the overall quality of life for all.

Harry Potter, Katniss Everdeen, Beatrice Prior, and Percy Jackson: are the heroes of the story. They saved the town, found love, and did it all before the age of twenty. Exploring and accomplishing far beyond what was expected of them, those are the paladins. However, the real world isn’t like that. I’m currently twenty years old, living with my parents, and with a non-existent love life: I’m far from living the main character's lifestyle. Even though this is the case, I don’t feel like a failure and this is most likely due to one of my favorite novels: The Rest of Us Just Live Here, by Patrick Ness. The story follows the lives of a group of teenagers just trying to navigate their everyday lives while acknowledging that they aren’t the heroes of the story. I feel that my ability to relate to the story makes it all the more important to me. I may not be saving the town from an alien invasion, but hopefully, my studying architecture can help me rebuild it, right? This book makes it clear that you don’t have to do anything spectacular to be important.

The Gleaners, an oil on canvas painting by Jean-Francois Millet, depicts women in poverty scavenging a field for forgotten strands of wheat. This piece is grim and gloomy not only in the color palette but in meaning, yet I find it inspiring. Why? This is because it brings attention to a global crisis: poverty. Poverty is a vast concern globally and generally leads to unsanitary living conditions, insufficient housing, and even homelessness. These are the execrable matters I hope to combat and avert with my designs as a future architect. I believe preeminent architecture isn’t all about elaborate and ornamental design but how it functions and who it serves. I maintain that design should lessen the struggles of homeless minorities as housing is not a privilege but a right. An omnipresent imbalance in the living conditions of those in our society exists. It is evident as extravagant high-rises cast shadows onto slums, rowhouses, and shantytowns. There is a need for a new style of housing. There is a demand for a new style of housing, one that is efficient and will roof every head and shelter everybody: sustainably, purposefully, and boldly. In the future, I aspire to work collectively with fellow architects and those suffering from social injustices to innovate communities and shelters that improve the overall quality of life and safety for minorities. I desire to create spaces that redefine what architecture is and should be: a tool to better our existence and reflect and document who we are as a people united. Looking at this painting leads me to persevere through any struggles in order to make this wish a reality. To be able to make the history captured in the painting just that: history. As our future should be brighter and full of color.

People and old mom-and-pop shops whizzed past the window as my mother drove down Seven mile and Gratiot. She’d decided that she wanted to visit her childhood home and my younger brother and I decided to tag along. The cracked and pothole-filled pavement guided us on our bumpy ride to our destination. Finally, my mother turned down her old street. Burned down, and boarded up homes lined either side of the street., and my mother took her time explaining all the great times she had while riding her bike and skipping rope with her friends as a child. Eventually, we stopped in front of what used to be my mother's home. The now-empty lot stared back at us, and the growing weeds waved in the wind. We looked at the remorseful sight for a few seconds longer before driving to return home. On the way home, I began to notice that the people along the street weren’t just walking by but living there, and the shops in the area were all but closed down. I remember the feeling of grief and confusion washing over me at the sights I just saw, and as I grew in age I realized that these sights weren’t only seen in East Detroit, but around the world. Inequality is an imbalance of presented opportunities and resources between two or more groups; a bias or favoring of one group over another. Inequalities occur for a multitude of reasons including, gender, race, ethnicity, and status. In our society, it takes on multifarious forms, like poverty. Poverty is a vast concern globally and generally leads to unsanitary living conditions, insufficient housing, and even homelessness. These are the execrable matters I hope to combat and avert with my designs as a future architect. I believe preeminent architecture isn’t all about elaborate and ornamental design but how it functions and who it serves. I maintain that design should lessen the struggles of homeless minorities as housing is not a privilege but a right. An omnipresent imbalance in the living conditions of those in our society exists. It is evident as extravagant high-rises cast shadows onto slums, rowhouses, and shantytowns. It is evident as neighborhoods that once housed numerous families are deserted and abandoned. There is a need for a new style of housing. There is a demand for a new style of housing, one that is efficient and will roof every head and shelter everybody: sustainably, purposefully, and boldly. I plan to study how to achieve this new style of housing while at university. By majoring in architecture and minoring in social justice and foreign languages such as Chinese, I’ll not only be able to grasp design techniques and the licensure necessary to create architectural designs, but I’ll also be able to study other social injustices that could be alleviated with an architectural reset and gain languages skill that would allow me to share my learnings on a global scale. In the future, I aspire to work collectively with fellow architects and those suffering from social injustices to innovate communities and shelters that improve the overall quality of life and safety for minorities. I desire to create spaces that redefine what architecture is and should be, not only for my community but for the world.

It was dinner time, and as the oldest in the house at the moment, I was given the task of ordering the pizza that night. After much deliberation, I picked up the phone and began to dial the number. As the phone rang, I clutched it tighter in my grasp, knowing that if I didn’t it’d slip from the clamminess of my hands. I held my breath as the ringing continued, praying that somehow I’d be able to get through that call. Finally, I heard it. The welcoming voice of the stranger offered a greeting and quickly moved on to my order. I took one last deep breath and opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. I tried again. Nothing. Tears pricked my eyes as frustration began to set in. I knew what I wanted to say, why couldn’t I just say it? I gave one last futile attempt before finally, I hung up. My younger brother ordered the pizza that night. It was dinner time, and as the oldest in the house at the moment, I was given the task of ordering the pizza that night. After much deliberation, I picked up the phone and began to dial the number. As the phone rang, I clutched it tighter in my grasp, knowing that if I didn’t, it’d slip from the clamminess of my hands. I held my breath as the ringing continued, praying that somehow I’d be able to get through the call. Finally, I heard it. The welcoming voice of the stranger offered a greeting and quickly moved on to my order. I took one last deep breath and opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. I tried again. Nothing. Tears pricked my eyes as frustration began to set in. I knew what I wanted to say, why couldn’t I just say it? I gave one last futile attempt before finally, I hung up. My younger brother ordered the pizza that night. I’ve suffered from stuttering for as long as I can remember. In no way has it made my life easier. Everyday activities become chores with the relentless barrage of fumbled words, followed by an absence of voice. At times, the paralyzing fear of the incapability to form coherent sentences kept me from communicating with others. However, the desire to interact with those around me was greater than the angst, prompting me to challenge my stutter head-on. Making phone calls, ordering at restaurants, and initiating conversations with my peers: I exploited every opportunity to refine my articulation. I desired the ability to execute tasks others effortlessly accomplished daily. It was essential. With this goal in mind, I stammered my way through countless conversations, and eventually, my words began to flow easier than my tears. My stutter may have led to innumerable hardships as my life progressed, but it also gifted me the ability to be compassionate and patient. Due to a prolonged unease with speaking, I’ve become an avid listener. Constantly aiming to carefully analyze what someone is saying, and empathize with their struggles, just as others have done for me. Today, I’m comfortable with my uncomfortable enunciation, but I’ll continue to wrestle the words out of my mouth until I have the final say.

I enjoy watching my family enjoy themselves. I enjoy watching the lines on the side of my mother’s mouth deepen as her smile widens. I enjoy watching my father’s cheekbones rise and turn his eyes to mini crescent moons as he unleashes a booming laugh, with the ability to have everyone in the room following suit. I even enjoy the snaggletooth that peeks out of my younger brother's mouth– no matter how annoying he is– as he snickers at whatever new video he’s watching. At times like that, I feel that he truly resembles our mother. Watching my grandmother cook is also a joy of mine. I love eating her beef stew with cornbread, and every time I ask her what’s her secret to making it taste as tender and flavorful as it does, she says love and happiness. A very corny answer in my opinion, but seeing her sing and dance around the kitchen as she prepares the dish, makes me believe every word. I also savor the interactions between my aunt and her children: twin girls the age of two. Women are dominating in my family as one can see. As my aunt gazes at her girls, you can see the love swirling in her eyes. Of course, you can tell that she’s tired, as she’s been wearing the same clothes for a few days. However, you can tell that she believes it’s all worth it as she coddles them both with a sigh of “you’re mommy’s babies”. These are the interactions that I get to see almost every day. There are downs in my family, yes, but when I see everyone taking time to relish in the time spent together, it gives me a sense of calm and a desire to protect these scenes.

“Look them in the eyes to show that you’re focused. Don’t interrupt, but summarize key points and ask questions to show engagement. Be patient while the other is talking, even if they’re taking a bit to get to the main point of their story. On that note, watch your facial expressions. You don’t want to come off as upset or even overjoyed while the other person is talking. If you fail to do any of these things, apologize and ask them to continue” These are things I keep in mind while speaking with others. They’re things that either others have done for me, or things I wished others would have taken into account while speaking to me today and especially in the past when I had a stutter. I’d suffered from stuttering for as long as I can remember. In no way did it make my life easier. Everyday activities become chores with the relentless barrage of fumbled words, followed by an absence of voice. At times, the paralyzing fear of the incapability to form coherent sentences kept me from communicating with others. However, the desire to be capable of completing everyday tasks and the encouragement from loved ones led me to stammer my way through countless conversations, and eventually, my words began to flow easier. My stutter may have led to innumerable hardships as my life progressed, but it also gifted me the ability to be compassionate and patient. Due to a prolonged unease with speaking, I’ve become an avid listener. Constantly aiming to carefully analyze what someone is saying, and empathize with their struggles, just as others have done for me. Today, I'm comfortable with my still slightly uncomfortable way of speaking, and this is only due to the people who listened silently as I fumbled through conversations.

I remember the feeling of confusion washing over me at the sight of the empty lot that once was filled by my mother’s childhood home. The surrounding burned and boarded homes littered with homeless minorities added sorrow to the mix. As I grew in age I realized that these sights weren’t only seen in East Detroit, but around the world. Inequality is an imbalance of presented opportunities and resources between two or more groups; a bias or favoring of one group over another. Inequalities occur for numerous reasons including, gender, race, ethnicity, and status. In our society, it takes on multifarious forms, like poverty. Poverty is a vast concern globally and generally leads to unsanitary living conditions, insufficient housing, and even homelessness. These are the execrable matters I hope to combat and avert with my designs as a future architect. I believe architecture isn’t all about elaborate and ornamental design but how it functions and who it serves. Design should lessen the struggles of homeless minorities as housing is not a privilege but a right. An omnipresent imbalance in living conditions in our society exists. It’s evident as extravagant high-rises cast shadows onto slums and rowhouses. It's evident as neighborhoods that once housed numerous families are deserted and abandoned. There is a need for a new style of housing that’s efficient and will roof every head. Currently, I am unable to do much on the frontlines to combat homelessness, however, this is why I study. To innovate solutions, I’m studying architecture, other social inequities, and foreign languages to combat poverty in this country, and even learn more from other countries. In the future, I aspire to work collectively with fellow architects and those suffering from social injustices to innovate communities that improve the overall quality of life for all.

As I watched my friend hunched over, clutching her stomach from laughter, I began to let out my own laugh, but mine was more unsure and confused than her hearty laugh. Her joyous form contrasted greatly with the lifeless form I’d just seen. It was actually the latter form that made me call out to my friend, and attempt to give her words of encouragement. After what felt like forever, the once hunched figure straightened out. With a sigh, she breathed out, a "thanks," between chuckles before walking off campus, leaving me with only a hint as to what was funny. The words of encouragement I offered to my busy friend weren’t in English but in Korean. Her mother tongue and the language she was currently teaching me. I quickly texted another friend to see where I had gone wrong, learning that the phrase I’d said and the phrase I’d intended to say, was off by one syllable. Which changed the phrase from “please rest” to “please go pee”. After learning my mistake, I was embarrassed, but I’ve also never made that same mistake twice. I believe this to be the key to living a life full of health and longevity: laughter. While it was a bit embarrassing to make such a mistake, especially in front of a native speaker, it would’ve been even worse if I stressed myself out over one simple fault. Being able to laugh at yourself when you do something slightly wrong, and having others there to laugh along with you and even correct you, will carry you a long way.

Inequality is an imbalance of presented opportunities and resources between two or more groups; a bias or favoring of one group over another. Inequalities occur for a multitude of reasons including, gender, race, ethnicity, and status. In our society, it takes on multifarious forms, like poverty. Poverty is a vast concern globally and generally leads to unsanitary living conditions, insufficient housing, and even homelessness. These are the execrable matters I hope to combat and avert with my designs as a future architect. I believe preeminent architecture isn’t all about elaborate and ornamental design but how it functions and who it serves. I maintain that design should lessen the struggles of homeless minorities as housing is not a privilege but a right. An omnipresent imbalance in the living conditions of those in our society exists. It is evident as extravagant high-rises cast shadows onto slums, rowhouses, and shantytowns. There is a need for a new style of housing. There is a demand for a new style of housing, one that is efficient and will roof every head and shelter everybody: sustainably, purposefully, and boldly. In the future, I aspire to work collectively with fellow architects and those suffering from social injustices to innovate communities and shelters that improve the overall quality of life and safety for minorities. I desire to create spaces that redefine what architecture is and should be: a tool to better our existence and reflect and document who we are as a people united.

It was dinner time, and as the oldest at home at the moment, I was given the task of ordering pizza. After much deliberation, I picked up the phone and began to dial the number. As the phone rang, I clutched it tighter in my grasp, knowing that if I didn’t it’d slip from the clamminess of my hands. I held my breath as the ringing continued, praying that no one would answer. Unfortunately, they did. The welcoming voice offered a greeting and quickly moved on to my order. I took one last deep breath and opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. I tried again. Nothing. Tears pricked my eyes as the frustration began to set in. I gave one last futile attempt before finally, I hung up. My younger brother ordered dinner that night. I’ve suffered from stuttering for as long as I can remember. In no way has it made life easier. Everyday activities become chores with the relentless barrage of fumbled words, followed by an absence of voice. At times, the paralyzing fear of the incapability to form coherent sentences kept me from communicating with others. However, the desire to be capable of completing everyday tasks and the encouragement from loved ones led me to stammer my way through countless conversations, and eventually, my words began to flow easier. My stutter may have led to innumerable hardships as my life progressed, but it also gifted me the ability to be compassionate and patient. Due to a prolonged unease with speaking, I’ve become an avid listener. Constantly aiming to carefully analyze what someone is saying, and empathize with their struggles, just as others have done for me. It also taught me that with my family by my side, I could do anything.

Inequality is an imbalance of presented opportunities and resources between two or more groups; a bias or favoring of one group over another. Inequalities occur for numerous reasons including, gender, race, ethnicity, and status. In our society, it takes on multifarious forms, like poverty. Poverty is a vast concern globally and generally leads to unsanitary living conditions, insufficient housing, and even homelessness. These are the execrable matters I hope to combat and avert with my designs as a future architect. I believe preeminent architecture isn’t all about elaborate and ornamental design but how it functions and who it serves. I maintain that design should lessen the struggles of homeless minorities as housing is not a privilege but a right. An omnipresent imbalance in the living conditions of those in our society exists. It’s evident as extravagant high-rises cast shadows onto slums, rowhouses, and shantytowns. It's evident as neighborhoods that once housed numerous families are deserted and abandoned. There is a need for a new style of housing. There is a demand for a new style of housing, one that is efficient and will roof every head and shelter everybody: sustainably, purposefully, and boldly. I plan to study how to achieve this new style of housing. By majoring in architecture and minoring in social justice and foreign languages such as Chinese, I’ll not only be able to grasp design techniques and the licensure necessary to create architectural designs, but I’ll also be able to study other social injustices that could be alleviated with an architectural reset and gain language skill necessary to share my learnings on a global scale. In the future, I aspire to work collectively with fellow architects and those suffering from social injustices to innovate communities that improve the overall quality of life for all.

Inequality is an imbalance of presented opportunities and resources between two or more groups; a bias or favoring of one group over another. Inequalities occur for a multitude of reasons including, gender, race, ethnicity, and status. In our society, it takes on multifarious forms, like poverty. Poverty is a vast concern globally and generally leads to unsanitary living conditions, insufficient housing, and even homelessness. These are the execrable matters I hope to combat and avert with my designs as a future architect. I believe preeminent architecture isn’t all about elaborate and ornamental design but how it functions and who it serves. I maintain that design should lessen the struggles of homeless minorities as housing is not a privilege but a right. An omnipresent imbalance in the living conditions of those in our society exists. It is evident as extravagant high-rises cast shadows onto slums, rowhouses, and shantytowns. There is a need for a new style of housing. There is a demand for a new style of housing, one that is efficient and will roof every head and shelter everybody: sustainably, purposefully, and boldly. In the future, I aspire to work collectively with fellow architects and those suffering from social injustices to innovate communities and shelters that improve the overall quality of life and safety for minorities. I desire to create spaces that redefine what architecture is and should be: a tool to better our existence and reflect and document who we are as a people united.

As a child, my two favorite things to do were to ask questions and draw. I’d ask questions to any and everyone that’d listen, and those who didn’t know that asking questions was one of my favorite pastimes would indulge me with a few answers before sending me to my next victim. After countless numbers of questions, my mother found a way to outsmart me. She’d lead me to ask a question about how something looked, and then in turn ask what I think something looked like and send me on my way to draw whatever the topic was. In hindsight, that was a genius way to stop the barrage of questions, but at the time I was just excited to show someone my vision. Today, I still love to ask questions and attempt to plan and draw up solutions for them. However, now, the questions are bigger and more important than just me. Inequality is an imbalance of presented opportunities and resources between two or more groups; a bias or favoring of one group over another. Inequalities occur for a multitude of reasons including, gender, race, ethnicity, and status. In our society, it takes on multifarious forms, like poverty. Poverty is a vast concern globally and generally leads to unsanitary living conditions, insufficient housing, and even homelessness. These are the execrable matters I hope to combat and avert with my designs as a future architect. I believe preeminent architecture isn’t all about elaborate and ornamental design but how it functions and who it serves. I maintain that design should lessen the struggles of homeless minorities as housing is not a privilege but a right. An omnipresent imbalance in the living conditions of those in our society exists. It is evident as extravagant high-rises cast shadows onto slums, rowhouses, and shantytowns. It is evident as neighborhoods that once housed numerous families are deserted and abandoned. It was these sights that I witnessed growing up in East Detroit that drove me to fight for housing equality, even though it took me a bit of time to realize this dream. There is a need for a new style of housing. There is a demand for a new style of housing, one that is efficient and will roof every head and shelter everybody: sustainably, purposefully, and boldly. In the future, I aspire to work collectively with fellow architects and those suffering from social injustices to innovate communities and shelters that improve the overall quality of life and safety for minorities. I desire to create spaces that redefine what architecture is and should be, not only for my community but for the world. I know this will be difficult to accomplish in a field where black women make up less than 5% of the workforce, but I’m ready for the challenge.

As a child, my two favorite things to do were to ask questions and draw. I’d ask questions to any and everyone that’d listen, and those who didn’t know that asking questions was one of my favorite pastimes would indulge me with a few answers before sending me to my next victim. After countless numbers of questions, my mother found a way to outsmart me. She’d lead me to ask a question about how something looked, and then in turn ask what I think something looked like and send me on my way to draw whatever the topic was. In hindsight, that was a genius way to stop the barrage of questions, but at the time I was just excited to show someone my vision. Today, I still love to ask questions and attempt to plan and draw up solutions for them. However, now, the questions are bigger and more important than just me. Inequality is an imbalance of presented opportunities and resources between two or more groups; a bias or favoring of one group over another. Inequalities occur for a multitude of reasons including, gender, race, ethnicity, and status. In our society, it takes on multifarious forms, like poverty. Poverty is a vast concern globally and generally leads to unsanitary living conditions, insufficient housing, and even homelessness. These are the execrable matters I hope to combat and avert with my designs as a future architect. I believe preeminent architecture isn’t all about elaborate and ornamental design but how it functions and who it serves. I maintain that design should lessen the struggles of homeless minorities as housing is not a privilege but a right. An omnipresent imbalance in the living conditions of those in our society exists. It is evident as extravagant high-rises cast shadows onto slums, rowhouses, and shantytowns. It is evident as neighborhoods that once housed numerous families are deserted and abandoned. It was these sights that I witnessed growing up in East Detroit that drove me to fight for housing equality, even though it took me a bit of time to realize this dream. There is a need for a new style of housing. There is a demand for a new style of housing, one that is efficient and will roof every head and shelter everybody: sustainably, purposefully, and boldly. In the future, I aspire to work collectively with fellow architects and those suffering from social injustices to innovate communities and shelters that improve the overall quality of life and safety for minorities. I desire to create spaces that redefine what architecture is and should be, not only for my community but for the world. I know this will be difficult to accomplish in a field where black women make up less than 5% of the workforce, but I’m ready for the challenge. If literary works such as Becoming, an autobiography about Michelle Obama, The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, an autobiography about Issa Rae, and the classic novel, The Color Purple, have taught me anything, it’s that black women can achieve any and everything they put their minds to. Regardless of how impossible others believe it to be.

Inequalities occur for a multitude of reasons including, gender, race, ethnicity, and status. In our society, it takes on multifarious forms, like poverty. Poverty is a vast concern globally and generally leads to unsanitary living conditions, insufficient housing, and even homelessness. These are the execrable matters I hope to combat and avert with my designs as a future architect. I believe preeminent architecture isn’t all about elaborate and ornamental design but how it functions and who it serves. I maintain that design should lessen the struggles of homeless minorities as housing is not a privilege but a right. An omnipresent imbalance in the living conditions of those in our society exists. It is evident as extravagant high-rises cast shadows onto slums, rowhouses, and shantytowns. There is a need for a new style of housing. There is a demand for a new style of housing, one that is efficient and will roof every head and shelter everybody: sustainably, purposefully, and boldly. In the future, I aspire to work collectively with fellow architects and those suffering from social injustices to innovate communities and shelters that improve the overall quality of life and safety for minorities. I desire to create spaces that redefine what architecture is and should be, and I believe me obtaining my education can assist me with this mission.

Inequalities occur for a multitude of reasons including, gender, race, ethnicity, and status. In our society, it takes on multifarious forms, like poverty. Poverty is a vast concern globally and generally leads to unsanitary living conditions, insufficient housing, and even homelessness. These are the execrable matters I hope to combat and avert with my designs as a future architect. I believe preeminent architecture isn’t all about elaborate and ornamental design but how it functions and who it serves. I maintain that design should lessen the struggles of homeless minorities as housing is not a privilege but a right. An omnipresent imbalance in the living conditions of those in our society exists. It is evident as extravagant high-rises cast shadows onto slums, rowhouses, and shantytowns. There is a need for a new style of housing. There is a demand for a new style of housing, one that is efficient and will roof every head and shelter everybody: sustainably, purposefully, and boldly. In the future, I aspire to work collectively with fellow architects and those suffering from social injustices to innovate communities and shelters that improve the overall quality of life and safety for minorities. I desire to create spaces that redefine what architecture is and should be, and I believe education can assist me with this mission.

It was dinner time, and as the oldest at home at the moment, I was given the task of ordering pizza. After much deliberation, I picked up the phone and began to dial the number. As the phone rang, I clutched it tighter in my grasp, knowing that if I didn’t it’d slip from the clamminess of my hands. I held my breath as the ringing continued, praying that no one would answer. Unfortunately, they did. The welcoming voice offered a greeting and quickly moved on to my order. I took one last deep breath and opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. I tried again. Nothing. Tears pricked my eyes as the frustration began to set in. I gave one last futile attempt before finally, I hung up. My younger brother ordered dinner that night. I’ve suffered from stuttering for as long as I can remember. In no way has it made life easier. Everyday activities become chores with the relentless barrage of fumbled words, followed by an absence of voice. At times, the paralyzing fear of the incapability to form coherent sentences kept me from communicating with others. However, the desire to be capable of completing everyday tasks and the encouragement from loved ones led me to stammer my way through countless conversations, and eventually, my words began to flow easier. My stutter may have led to innumerable hardships as my life progressed, but it also gifted me the ability to be compassionate and patient. Due to a prolonged unease with speaking, I’ve become an avid listener. Constantly aiming to carefully analyze what someone is saying, and empathize with their struggles, just as others have done for me. It also taught me that with my family by my side, I could do anything.

As I watched my friend hunched over, clutching her stomach from laughter, I began to let out my own laugh, but mine was more unsure and confused than her hearty laugh. Her joyous form contrasted greatly with the lifeless form I’d just seen. It was actually the latter form that made me call out to my friend, and attempt to give her words of encouragement. After what felt like forever, the once hunched figure straightened out. With a sigh, she breathed out, a "thanks," between chuckles before walking off campus, leaving me with only a hint as to what was funny. The words of encouragement I offered to my busy friend weren’t in English but in Korean. Her mother tongue and the language she was currently teaching me. I quickly texted another friend to see where I had gone wrong, learning that the phrase I’d said and the phrase I’d intended to say, was off by one syllable. Which changed the phrase from “please rest” to “please go pee”. After learning my mistake, I was embarrassed, but I’ve also never made that same mistake twice. Making mistakes is a key factor in learning. While it is possible to learn without drawing a fault, you are more likely to remember the right answer after getting it wrong. I appreciate that I’m willing to make mistakes. I love it. Not because I love being wrong, but because it means that I tried. Making mistakes used to make me uncomfortable while learning. However, I’ve learned that this way of thinking was faulty in its own manner. I shouldn’t wish to be comfortable while learning, because that means I’m being complacent and not challenging myself. I love my optimistic style of learning and can’t wait to see what else I learn in the future.

It was dinner time, and as the oldest at home at the moment, I was given the task of ordering pizza. After much deliberation, I picked up the phone and began to dial the number. As the phone rang, I clutched it tighter in my grasp, knowing that if I didn’t it’d slip from the clamminess of my hands. I held my breath as the ringing continued, praying that no one would answer. Unfortunately, they did. The welcoming voice offered a greeting and quickly moved on to my order. I took one last deep breath and opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. I tried again. Nothing. Tears pricked my eyes as the frustration began to set in. I gave one last futile attempt before finally, I hung up. My younger brother ordered dinner that night. I’ve suffered from stuttering for as long as I can remember. In no way has it made life easier. Everyday activities become chores with the relentless barrage of fumbled words, followed by an absence of voice. At times, the paralyzing fear of the incapability to form coherent sentences kept me from communicating with others. However, the desire to be capable of completing everyday tasks led me to stammer my way through countless conversations, and eventually, my words began to flow easier. My stutter may have led to innumerable hardships as my life progressed, but it also gifted me the ability to be compassionate and patient. Due to a prolonged unease with speaking, I’ve become an avid listener. Constantly aiming to carefully analyze what someone is saying, and empathize with their struggles, just as others have done for me. Today, I’m comfortable with my uncomfortable enunciation, but I’ll continue to wrestle the words out of my mouth until I have the final say.

Inequality is an imbalance of presented opportunities and resources between two or more groups; a bias or favoring of one group over another. Inequalities occur for a multitude of reasons including, gender, race, ethnicity, and status. In our society, it takes on multifarious forms, like poverty. Poverty is a vast concern globally and generally leads to unsanitary living conditions, insufficient housing, and even homelessness. These are the execrable matters I hope to combat and avert with my designs as a future architect. I believe preeminent architecture isn’t all about elaborate and ornamental design but how it functions and who it serves. I maintain that design should lessen the struggles of homeless minorities as housing is not a privilege but a right. An omnipresent imbalance in the living conditions of those in our society exists. It is evident as extravagant high-rises cast shadows onto slums, rowhouses, and shantytowns. There is a need for a new style of housing. There is a demand for a new style of housing, one that is efficient and will roof every head and shelter everybody: sustainably, purposefully, and boldly. As an influential figure, I’d aspire to work collectively with architects and those suffering from social injustices to innovate communities and shelters that improve the overall quality of life and safety for minorities. I’d desire to help advocate for spaces that redefine what architecture is and should be, and I believe my status as an influential figure could assist me with this mission. Being an influencer would put me in touch with a myriad of people from all different backgrounds who’d either relate and/or feel strongly about equity in architecture as I do, and give me the hands needed to make waves in this department.

“The ability to admit when you need help is a characteristic of a person who wishes to achieve bigger and better things,” my Grandmother shared this wisdom with me from the time I was young and continues to do so now. Due to this saying, I’m able to confidently state that I need help financing my education. My family’s financial situation is in a gray area, as we don’t have enough money to fund my post secondary education, yet, we make just enough that we aren’t allotted much help from government programs and other need-based aid. We’re trapped. However, this scholarship can be a break in the clouds, as it’d provide the funds necessary to sponsor my education. Winning this scholarship will not only rid my family and I of the worries of my college costs, but it’ll also allow me to focus on other pressing matters such as inequities in our society. Especially those presented in my desired field of study and professionalism: architecture. Inequality is an imbalance of presented opportunities and resources between two or more groups; a bias or favoring of one group over another. Inequalities occur for a multitude of reasons including, gender, race, ethnicity, and status. In our society, it takes on multifarious forms, like poverty. Poverty is a vast concern globally and generally leads to unsanitary living conditions, insufficient housing, and even homelessness. These are the execrable matters I hope to combat and avert with my designs as a future architect. I believe preeminent architecture isn’t all about elaborate and ornamental design but how it functions and who it serves. I maintain that design should lessen the struggles of homeless minorities as housing is not a privilege but a right. An omnipresent imbalance in the living conditions of those in our society exists. It is evident as extravagant high-rises cast shadows onto slums, rowhouses, and shantytowns. There is a need for a new style of housing. There is a demand for a new style of housing, one that is efficient and will roof every head and shelter everybody: sustainably, purposefully, and boldly. In the future, I aspire to work collectively with fellow architects and those suffering from social injustices to innovate communities and shelters that improve the overall quality of life and safety for minorities. I desire to create spaces that redefine what architecture is and should be, and I believe this scholarship can assist me with this mission. Not only through the funding to do so, but through the sense of responsibility and honor, that’ll push me to make my dreams a reality.

As I watched my friend hunched over and clutching her stomach from laughing, I began to let out my own laugh, but mine was more unsure and confused than her hearty laugh. Her joyous form contrasted greatly with the once lifeless form I’d just seen dragging around our high school campus. It was actually the latter form that made me call out to my friend, and give her words of encouragement. Or at least attempt to. After what felt like forever, the once hunched figure straightened out and began to wipe her eyes. With a sigh, she breathed out, a "thanks," between chuckles before walking off campus, leaving me with only a hint as to what was funny. The words of encouragement I offered to my busy friend weren’t in English but in Korean. The mother tongue of the friend and language teacher who had just left me without an explanation. I quickly texted another Korean friend to see where I had gone wrong, learning that the phrase that I’d said and the phrase I’d intended to say, were off by one syllable. However, this one syllable changed the phrase from “please rest” to “please go pee”. After learning of my mistake, I was embarrassed, but I’ve also never made that same mistake twice. Making mistakes is a key factor in learning a new language, and moments like this are one of the reasons I love challenging myself to learn a new language and culture. I study a language every day. Whether it’s Japanese, Korean, or Spanish: I spend at least half an hour each day learning and reviewing vocabulary and grammar. Language is accumulative, and also requires care and maintenance as it is so easy to forget everything you’ve learned. I take this as a challenge and watch films, listen to music/podcasts, and even read novels in my target languages in order to upkeep my language skills. It’s exciting when I’m watching a show in my target language, or conversing with someone who speaks the language fluently and I understand even just one word of what was said. It may not seem like a lot, but one word can add up to one sentence, and a series of sentences is a conversation, which is my ultimate goal. I want to be able to travel around the world and speak to locals in their native tongue. I want to be able to immerse myself in a new culture and country and truly experience it, and not just on a tourist level. Learning a foreign language is a gateway to a plethora of relationships and experiences that I wish to encounter. It’s a plus that while on the journey, I’m genuinely enjoying what learning a new language has to offer, and how just by learning a new language I’ve been able to make deeper connections to those around me and spread more joy. Even if that joy is the result of a failed attempt at a new language.

Growing up, one of my Dad’s favorite lines, outside of his corny jokes, was “if you stay ready, you don’t have to get ready”. This became a motto in our household, and it’s something I’ve been taught to apply in my everyday life through school, relationships, and even in my financial planning. My parents emphasized saving money while my brother and I were growing up, and I found this to be a precious life skill. With our savings, we could put money to the side for bigger and better adventures that we had planned for the future, and we could also put money to the side for more important things like an emergency fund. Less predictable and unfortunate events occur daily and can happen to anyone, so being prepared for the worst is also a way to stay ahead in finances. I was taught that around 20% of your income should be allotted for things of high priority such as an emergency fund, setting up for retirement, or even paying off any debt I’ve accumulated. Since learning that I should be around 20% of my income on savings I’ve been working hard to put that amount to the side with every coming paycheck. I want to truly embody my Father’s mantra and be prepared for anything the future may have in store for me.

Playlist Name: “Not Really Burned Out, Just a Little Charred” Playlist By: DAY’s Dreams Tracks: 1. Nobody- Mitski 2. Better Days- NEIKED, Mae Muller, Polo G 3. Stargazing- FRUIT (Cover by. The Neighbourhood) 4. June Gloom- Allie X 5. Lovely- Billie Eilish, Khalid 6. Scaredy Cat- DPR IAN 7. Panic Room- Au/Ra

Tokyo Revengers is an anime/manga that has left a lasting impression on me. Although it's a relatively new anime, with only one season and an ongoing manga, it has already taught me a myriad of lessons. One lesson being it’s okay to cry. Growing up I was always told to stop crying, as it wasn’t going to fix anything and would hinder productivity. Through the anime’s protagonist, Takemichi Hanagaki, I’ve learned that crying isn’t weak, so much as it captures you in a vulnerable position. However, being able to show your tears to others and confront the emotions that you’re experiencing is actually a sign of strength. The Crybaby Hero also taught me that no matter how futile a situation may seem or how scared you are, the only thing you can do, you should do, is try. For these reasons, Tokyo Revengers has a special place in my heart.

It was dinner time, and as the oldest in the house at the moment, I was given the task of ordering the pizza that night. After much deliberation, I picked up the phone and began to dial the number. As the phone rang, I clutched it tighter in my grasp, knowing that if I didn’t, it’d slip from the clamminess of my hands. I held my breath as the ringing continued, praying that somehow I’d be able to get through the call. Finally, I heard it. The welcoming voice of the stranger offered a greeting and quickly moved on to my order. I took one last deep breath and opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. I tried again. Nothing. Tears pricked my eyes as the frustration began to set in. I knew what I wanted to say, why couldn’t I just say it? I gave one last futile attempt before finally, I hung up. My younger brother ordered the pizza that night. I’ve suffered from stuttering for as long as I can remember. In no way has it made my life easier. Everyday activities become chores with the relentless barrage of fumbled words, followed by an absence of voice. At times, the paralyzing fear of the incapability to form coherent sentences kept me communicating with others. However, the desire to interact with those around me was greater than the angst, prompting me to challenge my stutter head-on. Making phone calls, ordering at restaurants, initiating conversations with my peers: I exploited every opportunity to refine my articulation. I desired the ability to execute tasks others effortlessly accomplished daily. It was essential. With this goal in mind, I stammered my way through countless conversations, and eventually, my words began to flow easier than my tears. I always resented my grapple with words and the troubles I put others through as they helped me overcome them. However, it was after listening to Clairo’s music that I found a comforting prospect to my stutter. Clairo’s music has helped me find the beauty in this situation, which I once thought was ugly. Especially with the album Immunity. It’s shown me that bad situations can be looked upon positively and that they should be looked at with optimism. Hardships are just that, hard, so looking for the break in the clouds and blue sky will create a sense of buoyancy. A feeling of hope. A feeling of hope similar to that found in Clairo’s music. For example, while looking upon my fight with stuttering fondly, I found that it gifted me the ability to be compassionate and patient. Due to a prolonged unease with speaking, I’ve become an avid listener. Constantly aiming to carefully analyze what someone is saying, and empathize with their struggles, just as others have done for me. Today, I’m comfortable with my uncomfortable way of speaking, but I’ll continue to wrestle the words out of my mouth until I have the final say.

It was dinner time, and as the oldest in the house at the moment, I was given the task of ordering the pizza that night. After much deliberation, I picked up the phone and began to dial the number. As the phone rang, I clutched it tighter in my grasp, knowing that if I didn’t it’d slip from the clamminess of my hands. I held my breath as the ringing continued, praying that somehow I’d be able to get through that call. Finally, I heard it. The welcoming voice of the stranger offered a greeting and quickly moved on to my order. I took one last deep breath and opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. I tried again. Nothing. Tears pricked my eyes as the frustration began to set in. I knew what I wanted to say, why couldn’t I just say it? I gave one last futile attempt before finally, I hung up. My younger brother ordered the pizza that night. Growing up I was cursed with a stutter. The struggle to enunciate may have led to innumerable hardships as my life progressed, but it also gifted me the ability to be compassionate and patient. Due to a prolonged unease with speaking, I’ve become an avid listener. Constantly aiming to carefully analyze what someone is saying, empathize with their struggles, and work with them to find a solution just as others have done for me. Working to combat the hardships of others is something I hope to continue to do, but in a much greater sense than what I’ve been doing. Inequality is an imbalance of presented opportunities and resources between two or more groups; a bias or favoring of one group over another. Inequalities occur for a multitude of reasons including, gender, race, ethnicity, and status. In our society, it takes on multifarious forms, like poverty. Poverty is a vast concern globally and generally leads to unsanitary living conditions, insufficient housing, and even homelessness. These are the execrable matters I hope to combat and avert with my designs as a future architect. I believe preeminent architecture isn’t all about elaborate and ornamental design but how it functions and who it serves. I maintain that design should lessen the struggles of homeless minorities as housing is not a privilege but a right. An omnipresent imbalance in the living conditions of those in our society exists. It is evident as extravagant high-rises cast shadows onto slums, rowhouses, and shantytowns. It is evident as neighborhoods that once housed numerous families are deserted and abandoned. There is a need for a new style of housing. There is a demand for a new style of housing, one that is efficient and will roof every head and shelter everybody: sustainably, purposefully, and boldly. I plan to study how to achieve this new style of housing while at university. By majoring in architecture and minoring in social justice and foreign languages such as Chinese, I’ll not only be able to grasp design techniques and the licensure necessary to create architectural designs, but I’ll also be able to study up on other social injustices that could be alleviated with an architectural reset and gain languages skill that would allow me to share my learnings on a global scale. In the future, I aspire to work collectively with fellow architects and those suffering from social injustices to innovate communities and shelters that improve the overall quality of life and safety for minorities. I desire to create spaces that redefine what architecture is and should be, not only for my community but for the world.

As a child, my two favorite things to do were to ask questions and to draw. I’d ask questions to any and everyone that’d listen, and those who didn’t know that asking questions was one of my favorite pastimes would indulge me with a few answers before sending me to my next victim. After countless numbers of questions, my mother found a way to outsmart me. She’d lead me to ask a question about how something looked, and then in turn ask what I think something looked like and send me on my way to draw whatever the topic was. In hindsight, that was a genius way to stop the barrage of questions, but at the time I was just excited to show someone my vision. Today, I still love to ask questions and attempt to plan and draw up solutions for them. However, now, the questions are bigger and more important than just me. Inequality is an imbalance of presented opportunities and resources between two or more groups; a bias or favoring of one group over another. Inequalities occur for a multitude of reasons including, gender, race, ethnicity, and status. In our society, it takes on multifarious forms, like poverty. Poverty is a vast concern globally and generally leads to unsanitary living conditions, insufficient housing, and even homelessness. These are the execrable matters I hope to combat and avert with my designs as a future architect. I believe preeminent architecture isn’t all about elaborate and ornamental design but how it functions and who it serves. I maintain that design should lessen the struggles of homeless minorities as housing is not a privilege but a right. An omnipresent imbalance in the living conditions of those in our society exists. It is evident as extravagant high-rises cast shadows onto slums, rowhouses, and shantytowns. It is evident as neighborhoods that once housed numerous families are deserted and abandoned. There is a need for a new style of housing. There is a demand for a new style of housing, one that is efficient and will roof every head and shelter everybody: sustainably, purposefully, and boldly. I plan to study how to achieve this new style of housing while at university. By majoring in architecture and minoring in social justice and foreign languages such as Chinese, I’ll not only be able to grasp design techniques and the licensure necessary to create architectural designs, but I’ll also be able to study up on other social injustices that could be used to alleviate with an architectural reset and gain languages skill that would allow me to share my learnings on a global scale. In the future, I aspire to work collectively with fellow architects and those suffering from social injustices to innovate communities and shelters that improve the overall quality of life and safety for minorities. I desire to create spaces that redefine what architecture is and should be, not only for my community but for the world. I know this will be difficult to accomplish in a field where black women make up less than 5% of the workforce, but I’m ready for the challenge.