The future is bright! This is a common state but what does it mean to be bright. Is it full of stress? Is it good? Is it filled with a family and having friends? The world may never know, but my goals have been set to try to help people both inside and out. My goal is to become a general surgeon and save lives by giving people the care and support they need during some of the most difficult moments of their lives. To reach this goal, I know that education will be one of the most important parts of my journey. Continuing my education will allow me to gain the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to become the best surgeon I can be, while opening up a pro-bono surgical clinic, allowing people who cannot afford healthcare to get the proper care that they need and deserve. This scholarship would help me continue my education and bring me one step closer to achieving my dream. It would also give me the confidence and motivation to keep going, especially when the path becomes challenging. I know that becoming a general surgeon will not be an easy journey. There will be long nights, difficult classes, and moments when I may question myself as I have already experienced some, but I want to remember why I started. I am working toward a career where I can make a difference in someone's life and be there for people during some of their hardest moments. Every challenge I face throughout my education will help prepare me for the responsibility that comes with being a surgeon and helping people to feel better and comfortable with their care. This scholarship would mean more to me than just financial support. It would show me that someone believes in my goals and is willing to invest in my future. Knowing that someone sees potential in me would motivate me to work even harder and make the most of the opportunity I have been given. I want to take this support and turn it into something that benefits not only me, but also the people I hope to serve in the future, especially the underserved populations. I may not know exactly what my future will look like, but I know what I want to work toward. I want a future where I can save lives, help people, and make a meaningful difference in my community. This scholarship would help me to continue my education and have the confidence to go forth with my goals. Most importantly, I want to make the most of this opportunity and prove that the investment made in my future can become an investment in the lives of others and their paths and journeys that they choose to take.

Education has always been close to my heart. It is something that my parents have instilled in me to care about and utilize to the point that I have continued education even to pursing a masters degree in Biochemistry. Education is something that should not be taken for granted, especially as an African American woman, there were times before that this life was not even promised as slavery was enforced to not allow people of color to not learn how to read nor write and even in this day of media, we still lack education as we are basing our knowledge off of what is short-form content instead of reading books and trying to decipher what is actually being said from politicians and reading policies. Also with the new age of AI generated information and material like Gemini and ChatGPT, we fail to use our opinions and thoughts and follow what AI has generated for us, losing the process of education and failing when learning. Education means to learn and try to understand the world around one's self. This is why I try to read books because I know that there is always something that I can learn from another person's experiences, research, perspective and creativity, when reading both nonfiction and fiction books. I also enjoy talking to my peers because sometimes having a conversation with someone who thinks differently can teach me something that I may not have considered before, expanding both my opinion and theirs as well. I believe that education does not always have to happen inside of a classroom, but can happen through a conversation, a book, a documentary, exploring nature and even through listening to a podcast. Podcasts and documentaries allow me to hear different perspectives and learn about topics that I may not have encountered on my own. Media has such a large influence on our everyday lives, and I want to understand how it is shaping the way that we think, communicate, and view the world daily. I do not want to simply consume information and never truly think or question it. I want to research it and formulate my own thoughts on it, allowing for true knowledge to be unlocked and push past the overconsumption of information without truly digesting it. Education is about being curious enough to ask questions and humble oneself to understand that one will never know everything. It is about taking the time to learn instead of immediately accepting whatever information is placed in front of me. Whether I am reading a book, discussing an issue with my peers or simply watching YouTube, I want to remain an active participant in my education. I believe that education gives us the ability to think for ourselves and understand other people, while still making informed decisions about the world we live in. Lastly, education gives one the opportunity to continue growing, and even though I am 4'11, I never want to stop growing. Thank you so much for reading this!

What does it mean to truly love yourself? This question has always been something I have pondered, since I was young. I would always look at myself and compare myself to my peers, questioning why was I not skinny like them or light-colored like my counterparts as I attended predominantly white institutions for most of my years here. I even doubted my self-worth and my reasoning for being on this Earth. I felt terrible, especially when I looked in the mirror or was faced with a compliment, not because I did not deserve it but because I thought the individuals around me were lying to me or that I did not do enough to be appreciated. It was a twisted mindset that I felt trapped in and did not know how to fix. One of the biggest ways I have been impacted is through my experiences with mental health. For a long time, I struggled to understand myself and how I truly felt. I held a lot inside and internalized every conversation, good or bad, because I did not always know how to talk about my emotions and felt like a burden when I did. I felt like I was keeping parts of myself hidden, and because of that, I never really knew the truth about myself, causing distance between friends and family. Even now, I still struggle with understanding certain parts of who I am, but I have learned that it is okay to still be figuring myself out. Therapy has played a huge role in helping me learn how to love myself. It gave me an outlet to talk about things that I have kept inside for so long and go through certain situations that have been on my mind for so long that have bothered me. Therapy has allowed me to get out the words without feeling judged and getting a clear mindset on the situation. I also started using affirmations to remind myself that I am worthy, that my feelings matter, and that I deserve to be here. Another important part of my healing has been learning to talk openly with my parents. Being able to tell them about my struggles instead of keeping everything to myself has helped me to realize that I did not have to handle everything alone. Opening up has not always been easy, but it has helped me become more comfortable with who I am and has taught me that asking for help is not a weakness and deserves to be done. Not to mention, when I was 16, I attempted suicide, but I survived. This experience changed how I see life and the people around me. I become determined to be a light for others and make sure they always have a friendly face during their hardest moments. This is one reason I work in a hospital, where I can help people feel seen, heard, and cared for. I know how much a simple smile or kind word can mean and go along way. I am still learning to love myself, but I am proud to be alive and see how far I have come.

This scholarship is one step closer to my dreams. I deserve this scholarship because if I receive it, I will be giving back to the community through my time and efforts. I love helping people through being serving at the food bank, volunteering at the hospital and help sort and pack medical supplies at MedWish. By investing in me, you are investing in the future and all that I have and plan to do. My goal is to help people who cannot help themselves, which is why I plan to open a pro-bono surgical clinic, allowing people who cannot afford healthcare to get the proper care that they need. I am determined to achieve this goal, and I am willing to put in the work that it takes to get there. Coming from a low-income family, I understand that the path to becoming a physician will not be easy, especially since none of my family has done it before, but I have never allowed this to stop me. I have had the privilege of attending undergraduate school and now graduate school. I have also had the opportunity to coauthor and coedit a book for a nonprofit organization, while becoming an ambassador for Women Empowering Nations, which is another nonprofit that educates women across the nation both professionally and personally. I am pursuing my graduate degree with the hope and prayers of one day attending medical school and becoming a physician and surgeon, who can help the underrepresented and inspire women to pursue their dreams even if the odds are against them. While pursuing my education, I have also had to work and help support my family. I currently work as a patient-care nursing assistant and therapy aide, where I have the opportunity to care for patients, learn from the different healthcare teams, and gain experiences that strengthen my application and desire to help others. Also, I get the chance to learn how to better communicate and implement change in the medical language, reducing perceived access. Outside of work, school and church, I also help my family's affairs and contribute financially toward the house bills. Balancing school, work, family responsibilities and goals have taught me responsibility, discipline, time management, and how to lean on my support system for help. What gives me an advantage is not that my journey has been easier than someone else's, but that I have learned how to keep going when things are difficult. I know what it means to work for what I want, to make sacrifices and to just survive. I am committed to my goals, and I know with the grace of God I can achieve them. Overall, this scholarship will help me continue my pursuit of education without losing sight of the reason I started. It will help to alleviate some current stress. I am willing to work for this dream, and I am determined to make the most of every opportunity given to me. I hope you all have a great day, and thank you for reading my essay and application.

My favorite lyrics from Olivia Rodrigo is from her song, "Driver's License." This song encompasses the heartbreak of loving someone and even in your biggest achievements, you cannot get over them. It is about how all these plans that they had still resurfaces through every experience and place that they travel. For me though, my favorite part of the song is "I know we weren't perfect but I've never felt this way for no one." This part does not just describe love but the feeling of it. It resonates with me most because it looks at the positives, explaining how I got the chance to love, even when it was not picture-perfect. This connects with me on a personal level because as I was growing up I always struggle with love and felt like I would never receive it. When I first got my heart broken, I realize that I could love and that even though it hurt, it had made me human, which felt amazing. It made me feel like I finally had feelings and although it hurt, it was a life lesson that pushed me to be my better self. This moment of sadness and resonation to the lyrics describe the triumphs and challenges of my life because even though life is not perfect, it has always been something that I have learned to love. It has had it ups and downs, but I am truly blessed to live another day. My heartbreak taught me that pain does not always have to be something negative. Sometimes, pain can show us how deeply capable we are of caring for others, helping us to understand ourselves better and grow from those moments. One of the biggest challenges in my life has been learning how to accept that not everything will go the way I want it to. I have had moments where I wished I could change the past or avoid certain experiences because they were painful. However, I have learned that those experiences helped shape the person I am today, making me truly appreciate every moment of life. Just like the lyrics recognize that a relationship was not perfect while still appreciating the feelings that came from it, I have learned to appreciate the experiences in my own life, even when they were difficult. Ultimately, these lyrics remind me that life does not have to be perfect to be meaningful. I can experience heartbreak, sadness, and disappointment while still being grateful for the opportunity to love and grow. My challenges have taught me important lessons, while my triumphs have shown me that I am stronger than I sometimes realize. The song reminds me that moving forward does not mean forgetting the past. It means accepting what happened, learning from it, and continuing to live and love despite it.

Being present in a space that is full of women has always been a challenge for me because I have never felt that I fit the title of a woman. My shoelaces were always untied, I could not cook, I could barely walk, I was loud and did not control my emotions well, resulting in anger surfacing. I felt that due to not fitting in, I had no right to be around women because I always just assumed they were judging me or that their opinions or phrases were against me and rude. This caused me to despise being around women. It was not until I joined a sorority which was the biggest challenge for me and learned how to handle all women, while still being uniquely myself. It taught me women's empowerment and knowing that all women come from different backgrounds but to learn how to handle them with care and listen to them without concern or judgement. Now, through being in a sorority, I have learned to listen and not judge, while taking criticism and picking and choosing what I want to change about myself. I also learned that uplifting women is through care and compassion. It is checking in on the women around you and making sure they are okay. It is looking at your surrounds and finding things to compliment on others, giving them a sense of joy during their day, making them feel special. Outside of the sorority, I work as a therapy aide and patient care nursing assistant, where I help patients of all ages and genders get the treatment and care needed while they are away from their homes, assisting them with their daily chores of getting dressed, going to the restroom, eating and just documenting observed symptoms, while taking their vital signs. This simple act of assistance helps these patients feel like humans. It helps show women that they can do anything and achieve their dreams one day at a time. Every time I enter a room, I greet my patients with dignity, letting them know that they are not alone. This allows for them to feel like people and not just their illness. This encourages all women to pursue their goals and to persist in working in healthcare even when the odds are against them. Through working and volunteering at the food bank and church, I have been able to meet some amazing young women and speak life into them, especially through our children's church ministry. I have helped them find different opportunities for scholarships, jobs and allowing them to have an outlet for life. I have even taken on a few children and young teenagers as my mentees because I have learned so much about them and truly care about their future and want them to be their best selves, even when they feel like the odds are against them. Overall, I have had the privilege of helping empower women of all ages to keep going, to achieve their dreams and to find their passions through my job, sorority, volunteer opportunities and church activities. I have been granted the chance to hopefully be apart of many people's lives and have been a voice to help them keep going. I thank you for reading my application, and I hope you all have a blessed day!

My life has taught me how to survive. Growing up in a low-income household is not as typical as the movies describe; yes, you may have to deal with not having food in the refrigerator until payday. You may have to wait in line at food banks for fresh produce and Thanksgiving meals. Most importantly, it teaches you perseverance. It pushes one to find ways to make ends-meet, even when you feel the odds against you. It caused me to learn how to work at an early age by babysitting, dog sitting and water plants. It helped me to sell chocolates and water bottles on the streets, making money for my school clothes and gym shoes. Although these experiences may seem small, they taught me responsibility, communication, independence, and the value of earning what I have. Instead of allowing my situation to define me, I have learned to use them as motivation to build a better future and as a foundation to help others in my circumstances. My life has taught me how to survive, but I want to do more than survive. I want to create opportunities for myself and help others through creating a pro-bono surgical clinic, allowing people who cannot afford healthcare to get proper treatment and care. My goal is to give people care and inspire them to pursue their goals of working where ever their heart desires. I am actively working toward my goals by continuing my education, working in the hospital as an clinical technician and therapy aide. I am meeting people and networking to expand my community to set myself up for success to change the futures of others for the better. Overall, my upbringing brought challenges, but it has benefitted my future and pushed me to bring others to success as well.

The best feeling is being greeted by a woman who is your doctor. It is a sense that she understands you and will not judge what you have to say. It is the best feeling because you just know she cares. This is the type of feeling I want to provide. I want to make people feel safe in their own skin, allowing them a chance to choose their care and what they want for themselves. Also, I want to allow other African American women to see that they belong in this field, even though it is male-dominated and there are few minorities in the field. Not to mention, I also chose medicine because it has become a second home to me. It has helped me to feel comfortable in the challenges of life and to keep pursuing my goals. It has pushed me to understand rejection and redirection, teaching me how to grow in my understanding of who I am and what I need to do. Medicine and STEM have taught me how to understand the complicated things of life and navigate how to conquer them, showing me that relying on others and trusting myself is how one keeps going. Another lesson it has taught me is to network and always be kind because one never knows who they will meet and what connections they may have. This idea of STEM has always been a home that is not just about comfort but about challenging me to be my best self, pushing me to do things that have positively changed my life, and understanding what I need to learn from to do better after each different experience. With my love of STEM, I believe I can make a difference not just in my presence but also in my impact. I want to open a pro bono surgical clinic so people who cannot afford healthcare can get the proper care they need. This would allow treatment for everyone, increase medical literacy, diversify care, and remove perceived barriers to access, giving people a chance at measurable goals and a higher likelihood of success. This project has been dear to my heart for so long, since I am part of the low-income bracket and had to choose between going to the doctor's office or having groceries for the next week. This project will grow in my hands, and through my commitment to STEM, I know I will be able to help women like myself and grow generations of females in these STEM-fields.

This is honestly the scariest journey of my life. As I pursue higher education, I feel more and more out of place. I notice that in most of my higher education classes, there is a smaller class size of minorities, and most of the students seem like they have their lives together through having a large amount of research experience, volunteering opportunities, leadership roles and study abroad life-changing internships. As a low-income student that has never left the country nor the state primarily, I feel so out of place and that I have to work ten times harder than my counterparts who have the financial background to get them to the next level. Plus, being an only child, who wants to go to medical school, while her parents have not even thought about being doctors themselves is the hardest parts of this journey. I do not have someone in my immediate or extended family who can tell me what classes to take, different opportunities to apply for, how to prepare for the MCAT, what schools to look at and how to craft my resume and application to get into my desired schools and impress the admissions committees. I have had to learn much of this process on my own and asking for help. I have had to talk to my counselors and do research pertaining to what schools reflect what I want for my future and how I want to help. This leads to my biggest concern about entering higher education and continuing my goal of becoming a general surgeon is that I will always feel like I am catching up. I worry that not having the same resources, connections, or experiences as my peers will prevent me from reaching my goals. However, being an outsider has also taught me how to advocate for myself and find hidden opportunities. My hopes for higher education are not only to success academically but also to become someone who can create a path for others who feel like they are lost or confused like I once did and sometimes still do feel. I want to attend medical school and become a surgeon who understands that a patient's background can shape the way they experience healthcare and how they should be treated. I want to break the medical language barrier and help remove perceived access in medical treatment. My journey has shown me how intimidating it can be to enter a system without knowing all the rules, and I want to use that understanding to make others feel seen and supported. I may not have grown up knowing how to navigate higher education, but I am learning, and I just have to keep reminding myself that. Every challenge has forced me to become more independent, resilient, and determined. My path may look different from those around me, but I have come to understand that being an outsider does not mean I do not belong, but that I have to learn to fight for my place and to help others to get into that space to. Thank you so much for reading my application, and I hope you have a blessed day!

Growing up, I always said I wanted to become a doctor. I had no reasoning behind it besides the time when I first told my grandmother I wanted to be a singer, and she rejected the idea and said explicitly that doctors make more money, so I will be a doctor. Now, I know that sounds cruel but in a family where we barely have anyone that graduated college, being a doctor was an ambitious goal that required dedication, pressure and love for the care of others. For a while, I did not think I had it in me. I did not like people, I barely liked to talk, and I surely did not see all my days stuck in a hospital. It sounded like an absolute nightmare growing up, but I still pursued the goal to make my parents and grandparents proud. A pivotal moment for my direction in healthcare was when I went to visit my grandfather in the hospital. He was diagnosed with late onset Alzheimer's that was rapidly progressing. Each day I would walk in, he would not recognize me or confuse me with one of my cousins. It was such a sad time because I felt like I was losing the memories and presence of a person that was still in front of me. During his stay, I would help him go to the bathroom, talk to the nurses about his care, ask him about his pain levels, make sure that all his treatments and care was up-to-date. While I was caring for him, I started to enjoy what I was doing. I started to see the joy in taking care of people and giving them a voice when they feel like they have lost it all. It was nice to spend time with the other patients, especially his roommates and learn about their past experiences and background, having the opportunity to explore places I have never been to and listen to stories I never knew was possible. Plus, it was beautiful seeing family come together to take care of a loved one. This experience is something that brought me to medicine fully. It made me want to be a voice for the quieted, specifically elderly, low-income and minority people who are coming into the hospital feeling alone. I want to help them by limiting the medical language barrier and removing perceived access, allowing for them to get treatment that best fits their needs. I believe that I can make a difference through my career by just representing an African American woman in healthcare that is normally male and Caucasian-dominated. Also, a main goal of mine is to open a pro-bono surgical clinic, allowing people who cannot afford healthcare to get the proper care that they need without worrying about the cost of the care. This will allow people of all races, ethnicities and backgrounds to go to the doctor's office and get treatment, allowing for them to live longer and another day for themselves and their families.

Debt has been a major stressor in my life. It has woken me up at night and has forced me to pay close attention to many of my spending habits. As a graduate student who has had to take on many of my own educational and personal expenses, I have learned that managing debt requires a lot of thought, discipline, sacrifice, prayers, and willingness to seek help, reminding myself to keep going even when it gets hard or I want to be more free with my spending. Instead of allowing my debt to control my future, I am actively creating a plan to address it and become financially independent and free. One of the most important parts of my plan is to reduce the amount of money I need to borrow in the first place. I have committed a set aside time of two hours each day to writing essays and submitting scholarship applications through Bold.org. I understand that this route is an exact promise of funding, but I believe that through consistent effort can make it possible to attract viewers to my applications and make me a primary applicant and win the scholarship. Plus, with this time, I am improving my writing skills and hopefully repaying my future through lowering my debt each day. Not to mention, I also work as a full-time nightshift patient-care nursing assistant, while continuing my education. Most of the money I earn from this job goes directly into my high-yield savings account as I do not have many expenses, since I still live with my parents and pay minimal rent fees. My goal is to build savings while allowing my money to earn interest, giving me a financial cushion for future expenses and reducing my need to rely on credit cards and/or additional loans and funding. Plus, the building of this account will allow me to pull out more money when time comes and I have to start paying my loans. Working full-time while continuing my education is challenging, but I recognize that the sacrifices I make now can provide greater financial stability in the future. I also work as needed as a therapy aide. I use this income towards investments. My goal is to allow my money to grow over time through investment returns and compound growth By developing the habit of saving and investing now, I hope to create another source of financial security that will benefit me long after I graduate and start medical school. I have also had to address credit card debt that accumulated while I was in undergraduate. This debt was due to having to buy textbooks, school supplies, and other necessities because my family was not financially able to cover many of my expenses as they are in a one-income household. When I receive extra money from family members or celebrations, I use it to pay down my credit card balance instead of spending it on unnecessary purchases. Also, I have started to utilize the trend of saying and writing down what I want and then waiting a few days to see if I really need it and then determining if I want to buy it or not. Overall, through scholarships, hard work, savings, investing and budgeting, I am taking control of my financial future, hoping to graduate debt-free, so that when I start medical school, I will have less to worry about.

I want to help people. This phrase is probably the most generic statement you have heard, but in my life, it has always been a passion of mine. As a black Biochemistry graduate student, I have been raised by my parents and grandparents to help people through the simplest acts of holding the door open for them when they are entering a building to serving throughout church and at the nursing home by feeding people in the local community to making care packages and backpacks for the youth and young adults going to school. These small moments and actions were not about me but about the positive emotions that were casted on the faces of the individuals impacted by these events. It gave me light seeing that they were feeling better about themselves and their lives even as they are struggling day-to-day. Plus, I enjoy the conversations and learning about their past, present and future aspirations. These moments have defined my passion and has helped me to understand what I want to pursue and how I want to help people on my own accord. My goal is to become a general surgeon and open a pro-bono surgical clinic, allowing people who cannot afford healthcare to get the proper care that they need. This is my why for why I chose to further my education. I already love the topic, but also, I love that with higher education, it opens doors that will allow me to expand my skills and save lives that were not sometimes promised a second chance due to financial, educational and/or physical background. This ideal of having a chance to fix my community, while still providing jobs in the low-income environment and removing the medical language barrier and perceived access. Also, by becoming a physician, I am helping others to see more minorities in a male-dominated and majority Caucasian field. This will push others to pursue their goals and join the STEAM fields without fear of not fitting in because they will be expand the space and improving diversity in these fields, giving more voice to the underrepresented. I have witnessed first-hand what it is like to not be heard in a medical space, and I want to allow all to feel heard no matter the occasion. Overall, this scholarship will help me achieve my dreams of helping others, furthering the opportunity for me to lower my debt and change lives. This scholarship is an opportunity to represent a community and foundation that truly wanted to give back to the community in more ways than one. I hope that you select me because this will give me the opportunity to work towards a goal that many have been against for awhile now, especially with backlash from administration and people in higher roles in different hospitals that frown upon certain races in the work-field. Thank you so much for reading this application! I hope you all have a great rest of your day!

AI has definitely been a shift in my generation. It is like a protagonist that has captivated the audience through its narration, ideas, advice and timely edits to papers and text messages. This protagonist has the appeal to take control of the whole room without the audience even knowing. Now, in my opinion, that is a good and bad thing. I think I have seen more AI information at my school then on how to work a computer. AI has become a new policy in higher education. It has shaped how people write and sound, depicting their ideas and finding ways that only AI, whom looks at the many different algorithms and probabilities can decide is probable or not. It has even changed science, causing one to question certain aspects of paper and instead of reading through countless hours of work, it can be summarized in less than five minutes. It has literally shortened the time of the thought process, allowing for the brain to think of different ideas that can be computerized and contemporized to make sense to each generation. My experience with AI has been interesting. I recently took a class on algorithmic culture, where we focused on the algorithms, specifically AI and how it is used in the media, sciences and healthcare. What sparked my interest the most is how AI is being used to help diagnose patients. It is used to help give simple care to patients like advising to get medical treatment if sickness is severe or telling them to take a Tylenol or ibuprofen to relieve a headache. It has reduced some of the in-patient visits to the doctor's office and medical rooms. Not to mention, AI has been used to collect information on patients before the visits and has even been now known to scribe during appointments, allowing for real time updates on care. I have been in the process of discussing and creating an application for emergency rooms that organize patients in order to prevent cross contamination and infection. I believe that depending on certain care needs, the room can be divided in sections that allow for primary care to be utilized for the important cases. Plus, it will allow certain patients to get proper treatment and get rooms in a timely fashion. I think this application will notify the front desk workers as well if a patient has not been seen in less than 30 minutes, showing that the patient is being neglected and needs care. This will make each patient feel important without overworking the staff. It will keep everyone safe as well and allow for proper treatment through symptom-based care. Overall, AI is taking over. My plan is to utilize AI to help healthcare get to the next level in the most exceptional way.

When I was younger, I thought my grandmother were always wrong. She was nagging me and telling me what I was doing wrong and how I needed to act like a lady. She constantly tried to redirect me when I was making choices that were extreme, but I refused every time, thinking my choices were correct no matter the occasion. I wanted to learn the hard way because I did not trust their insight. This caused conflict in my relationship with her as I just refused to listen to their critiques and opinions because I was tired of not being allowed to experience my life without the weight of her voice in the back of my head. As I got older, her opinions and advice started to make more sense. Her saying to not go to certain spaces made it more clear that it was not about control but protection as I am her only alive grandchild. I realized after a while that her care was different than what I expected. She wanted and still wants the best for me, which is why she gives the advice that she does, while asking others in similar situations for help to give me the correct path to take. She has always been a great role model, but at times, I just felt that her opinions and directions were outdated as a new time has come and a lot has changed since she was my age. What I failed to realize was that her way was the proper way. She taught me how to have values and not force myself to submit to a man that did not want me. She explained what being the prize was and how it is important to care for and about yourself, while finding time to take care of others. She expressed how family is a vital sign of life, showing how their support is what keeps us going. As I look at my grandma, I realize her love was through all that she did for me, and I am just now starting to appreciate it to the fullest. Through her goals of loving and caring for me, she showed me what helping others truly is, which is why I have devoted my life to working in the healthcare system. I have been pursuing becoming a physician for the last five years, working as a nursing assistant and volunteering throughout many other hospitals. My goal is to become a general surgeon and open a pro-bono surgical clinic, giving people who cannot afford healthcare a second chance at life. Overall, I owe this goal and achieving to God and my grandma who continually pushed me to help others, even when I thought I did not have the opportunity or resources to help them.

I love to help people. All my life I have worked in the church. I started out just ushering and singing in the choir at my missionary Baptist church, and when I moved to another church, I quickly took on the role of a leader. This role of being a young leader was not easy. I had the opportunity to help with protests against drug and gang violence, help organize food pantries, cultivate an afterschool and weekend environment for ages 12 - 18 to have clean fun without being on the streets all while still singing and doing production and camera. Working in these environments has been great experience. It has allowed me to verbalize my plans and actually take action on them. Plus, it has taught me how to appease all age groups without compromise one over the other. It has also opened my eyes to the real needs of my community and how I can help, giving me the opportunity to network and grow my understanding of how the area works and organizes its events and policies. In addition to working in the church, I dedicated most of my Mondays to volunteering at the food bank. I have always loved feeding the homeless, especially during Thanksgiving, and one way to continually do that is to go on Mondays to the repack center and help organize the produce and pack bags that will be distributed at different centers and in other organizations. It will reach children and adults in need and who cannot afford food at this time. While doing this, I have grown to love the hard labor of packing the food because it has allowed me to learn how to use a tape gun, open and close boxes and how to redistribute supplies. The food bank has caused me to think outside of the box and also appreciate what I have in my fridge. It has helped me network with many individuals in the neighborhoods and find other volunteer opportunities that deal with reading and working in the hospital. Lastly, I have started volunteering in the ICU, where I can help patients navigate where to go and restock areas for the nurses. This has allowed me to work in a high-intensity place, where many things can possibly go unnoticed and be the eyes and ears of the quiet areas. This position has been interesting so far because it has caused nurses to open their spaces to help which they are not really used to and give the patient a friendly face that they can see when they need help or just want someone to talk to. Overall, I have been working throughout the community to help people and give them the opportunity to feel like a human again.

I am Desiree Smith. I am a problem-solver, child of God, leader, care taker, author, friend and daughter. I am an only child, who loves everyone she meets. I am a determined graduate student with a goal to get into medical school, while still being apart of many diverse organizations and finishing another book. I am a person that just wants to help her family and make them proud as they have supported me throughout all my endeavors. Lastly, I am a survivor of a suicide attempt and a person who struggles with clinically diagnosed depression and anxiety. Looking back, I always had issues with my emotions. I always felt like I felt too much of every emotion but most of all sadness. Every time someone said something hurtful or offensive, I could never just brush it off but instead I would cry about it for days and dwell on it for hours on end. I would regret not saying anything or not saying enough. I would hold alot in and just explode on the closest individual, causing them to take the burden of my words and destructive actions. It was not until I had enough and decided to quiet the thoughts that things changed. I made a plan and acted on it. I wanted to stop hurting the people I loved and proved them with some peace. When taking the pills, I did not care about not waking up but about finally being free of the pain. It was not until the side effects started to happen that I started to regret my decisions, so in that moment, I called on the Lord, asking HIm for a second chance. I knew I was not worthy of HIs mercy but all I could think about was maybe this was a mistake. I thought maybe my family deserved to keep their daughter and how much pain I would cause others. After becoming unconscious and waking up a while later, I was relieved to have lived. This experience opened up alot of of issues in my life and family and how we hide our emotions from each other. This led to family and individual therapy, where we found ways to readjust our mindsets and counteract our negative thoughts and feelings. These conversations allowed us to learn how to speak to each other respectfully and know that we can lean on each other for support. This mistake reshaped my experience on Earth, making me appreciate all that I have in my life. Now, although we did not continue family therapy, I still attend biweekly appointments by myself to talk about my overthinking, sadness, ambitions and goals and how to not neglect myself to appease others. This moment in time defined my life no longer making me a victim but a survivor as I have the opportunity to live another day and truly help others to feel comfortable in their skin and feel like a person that matters because they do matter.

Growing up in the hospital changed my life for the better. Ever since I was born, I have been in and out of the hospital for head, heart and spine issues. Now, normally a child who has been faced with looking at doctors for most of her developmental years hates it, but for me, I embraced it. I loved talking to the doctors and nurses, getting a clear understanding of what was happening to my body and having the opportunity to ask questions, increasing my curiosity of medicine. This caused me to love medicine. It challenged me throughout my childhood, continuing my intrigue and genuine interest. These experiences dealing with the amazing nurses, doctors and staff, helped me to find my passion and goal of becoming a general surgeon. Also, it has helped me to realize that I want to give back to my community through opening a pro-bono surgical clinic, allowing people who cannot afford healthcare to get the proper care that they need and deserve without the fear of breaking the bank and having to reduce or avoid treatment. This will help many low-income families receive treatment, improving their health and giving them a second chance at life. Plus, with this, the clinic will give back to the community through different environmental events and food bank services, while supplying jobs at a close proximity to the neighboring towns. By being so close in proximity, it will allow people in those areas to have jobs that do not require much travel, especially with the high gas prices. Not to mention, this clinic will help increase racial diversity, improving medical language and eliminating perceived assess as the clinic will be experiencing first-hand what the area is contributing and experiencing. By being an African American female surgeon, it will inspire other young females and minorities to achieve their dreams of being in medicine and learn to take care of their families. It is important for me to be in medicine because it helps to make people of diverse backgrounds to feel more comfortable in a space that is so closed-off and secluded. It will make them feel heard and maybe even allow them to break down their barriers and speak their truth and express their pain or issues. With increasing racial diversity, it is allowing people the chance to see themselves in their doctors and have hope that they can help them on a more personal level. With my goal of becoming a physician and surgeon, I hope to give people the chance to speak up for themselves and truly collaborate on their health and future, giving them a second chance at life and a say in their path of care. Overall, the people in those hospital visits a long time ago, helped me to want to help others as well and through that I am not just relieving their pain but giving them a chance to feel comfortable in this process.

Reading used to be the bane of my exist. It was something I absolutely hated. It was the part of the day I dreaded at bedtime to the point that once my dad said, "Once upon a time...," I was already asleep. It was not until I turned 10 years old that things shifted. I had a teacher that read this book called the Secrets of Droon. It opened my eyes to imagine what the world could be like and honestly helped me to create objects and drawings that I had never thought about before. I improved in my problem-solving as I was thinking outside of the box and creating solutions to many problems that were not thought of. This first step in finding the right series for me to read, allowed me to imagine what the world could be like and how to handle conflicts and obstacles as the main characters faced many. The characters taught me hope as well and how through it all with family you can conquer everything. This series shaped my goals of wanting to help people and save the world per se, since it made me realize my passion for people. The goal is to become a general surgeon and to truly help people to feel comfortable in their skin and to choose their own adventure through having a second chance. These books were just a start for me. It allowed me to look at the world in a new light, where I can find different solutions and help people in low-income environments. I have established a desire to build a clinic that will help people who cannot afford healthcare to get treatment and have a choice in their care, while seeing individuals that are similar to their background and race. I want the clinic to be in a low-income neighborhood, where individuals from the community can work there, since it will be in walking distance from their homes. Also, I want the clinic to have programs that give back to the community, using three pillars promoting the environment, financial education, and youth involvement. I want to help the community grow not just through care but through all aspects, so that if the clinic were to disappear the impact will still be present in the people and the knowledge will still be there among them. Overall, books have been a space for me to think and challenge myself. It started at the age of 10 and has shaped my goals and plans for the rest of my life.

What I desired most as a person with mental health issues and diagnosed depression and anxiety is a listening ear. I wanted someone that listened to me and gave me the chance to voice my thoughts and not just shut them down. I wanted a person to be there for me through just caring about what I had to say and not just when it was harmful words. I needed someone that showed they cared through their actions and words. This is the unique contribution that I plan to give the world to make mental health care affordable and accessible to anyone who needs support because listening is affordable, and anyone can do it. Plus, with proper training, all people can learn to listen properly and with intention to bring people together and make them feel heard. By providing classes in schools to listen with care, it can help young children to learn to care about their classmates and talk with love and dedication. By just teaching them to listen, it can bring them together and make them feel loved and reduce the rate of suicides across all ages.

The church has had a part in my life that has made me who I am today. It has impacted my way of doing service and finding different ways of helping others in ways I did not know was possible. It has pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me to use my creativity in ways I did not know was possible from working and leading a lighting system and team to producing amazing content for the services. Also, it allowed me to serve inaugural Supreme Court inductions, funerals, church services, weddings and youth empowerment events, creating a space for people to enjoy and get hyped for the Lord. It has helped me to make connections in places and people I thought would judge me, opening my eyes to the love the Lord has for all its people. My church has allowed me to become the person I am today and made me to see the problems in my community that have been quieted for too long, leading for me to help with a protest to end the drug epidemic in Cleveland and organize a health fair and back-to-school drive for children and people in low income households. This church has blessed me to work in the jail system as well especially during the Christmas holiday, where we adopt a child for Christmas and get them the gifts that their parents cannot afford at the moment due to being incarcerated. Being at church has shaped my desire to work in the community and gave me the target issues that I want to help relieve in my community specifically dealing with food insecurity, perceived access in medical care and the inattentiveness to the youth in the area. Finding these targets have prepared me to volunteer at the food bank during the week, write for a nonprofit blog that allows for minority young voices to be heard and shared across all populations, and work as a patient care nursing assistant and therapy aide to help explain procedures and care to the patients of underserved populations, allowing for them to be properly cared for and understood. These three tasks have helped me to reach these targets one day at a time, hopefully helping and serving the people in my community. My local church has helped contribute to my service so much by teaching me what work ethic is, how having drive is what matters and making sure I always know my why for why I do things and to continue to have a plan for all occasions.

Growing up, I always felt different. I felt like I had too many emotions and took everything too seriously to the point that I prayed every night for the Lord to take my feelings away. This led me to just being hurt by the world through friendships, relationships and school. I took life harder than others, hating myself and the world, just living life day-by-day with no concern for tomorrow. This affected my friendship and family relationships as I did not want to do much and mainly wanted to stay in bed and sleep. Not to mention, I would feel bad for my actions and try to force myself out of bed even when I did not feel like it. I felt like my dreams and goals were never going to happen and that life was not worth living. It was not until I got medicated that I was able to function at a normal rate. I started to enjoy life and actually understand what it was like to be happy. I interacted with friends and family differently, actually listening to what they had to say and taking their criticism and using it to my advantage. I found out that through medication and talking to a therapist, life is alright. It has its ups and downs, but there is a light always at the end of the tunnel. It took time to get better, but I am honestly thankful for all the support, relationships and care that has been along the way. Through it all, I have gained so many relationships that I plan to keep with me until the end of time.

Growing up, I have always wanted to make an impact on people's lives through community service. Whether working and volunteering at the hospital or simply listening to people and helping them get through their day no matter if it is through giving a smile, making a joke or a simple check-in, I have learned that making people feel heard and understood can have a meaningful impact. My goal is to always make people feel heard and understood. This goal is the ultimate goal but is expanded to help people on a more clinical level by working as a patient care technician and therapy aide, while pursuing a Masters of Science in Biochemistry to prepare for medical school as I start to apply in this next upcoming cycle. Through this goal, I want to become a general surgeon that increases medical language, removing the language barrier, allowing all people of different backgrounds to get care and a second chance to move and live. Not to mention, with becoming a surgeon, I want to open a pro-bono surgical clinic for people who cannot afford healthcare, especially targeting underrepresented communities. This clinic will not just provide care but will give people more jobs in the area that is walking distance from their homes, causing for lack of a vehicle to not be an issue for the person. Plus, with this clinic, it is eliminating perceived accessibility as the clinic will know what the community has to offer for its patients without prescribing or giving a regime that is not possible for the patient's lifestyle. This clinic will give back to the community through service like clean-up days, food drives, and book club and donations, opening the door for many people to not have to suffer from lack of knowledge, nutrition and clutter. Also, it will allow the environment to be cleaned and have more flowers and trees to grow, giving more oxygen to the environment, allowing for less patients to have lung issues or constrictions. This dream and goal was inspired through my upbringing, we have always lived in low-income areas, where either there are really young people crowding the streets or older people staying in the house and only leaving to drive to doctor's appointments. Each environment opened my eyes to the many perspectives and backgrounds that are in this world, and my goal is to try to learn how to cater to each one, giving them the care they desire and need. Through living in these different areas, I want people to have second chances, where they can live another day for themselves and their families. Overall, the goal is to help people, and I believe this clinic will do just that. I also believe that once I become a surgeon I will be able to help people in more ways than one through better care and having a minority on the team that will inspire other little girls to work in the male-dominated STEM fields, showing that no matter who you are, you can achieve your dreams and change the world.

I have always dreamed of building something I can call my own. I wanted it to be something that truly helped people and give them a second chance at life. Ever since I was young, I have wanted to open a pro-bono surgical clinic, allowing people who cannot afford healthcare to get the proper care they deserve without having to pay out-of-pocket. This lack of health insurance is primarily in minority and underserved populations causing for them to die early due to preventable deaths. My goal is to give them a chance at better care, where they feel welcomed and included. This clinic will help increase medical language and break the language barrier, giving them the care that will be beneficial and realistic to their environment. Also, I want to allow them to have the opportunity to work at the clinic, allowing for more jobs in the area. For location, my goal is to have it in the center of an underserved population to provide access and reachability, where they can travel there in case of emergencies just through walking or bike riding, since many people lack cars due to the high price of gas and car insurance. This dream is what I am building through meeting with representatives of all backgrounds and participating in conversations about what spaces need a clinic and that are inaccessible to many. Also, I want to focus on a place that is a food desert, since they are not receiving nutritious food options, meaning they are more likely to have health risks. These conversations have pushed me to challenge my thinking and find grants and support for my goal, especially through networking and just joining different events that allow me to share my ideas and plans. While I am building this, I am also building a commitment to myself to help my family through working hard and saving money for their rainy days. My goals is to allow my family to live freely and have the chance to breath for once, since they have sacrificed so much for me. Overall, my goal is to help people and provide comfort to my family, giving everyone a second chance at life.

Imagine coming home to your uncle passed out on the basement couch with a needle in his arm. If you are like me, you probably panicked and did not know how to respond to this situation, especially being sixteen years old and living a cushy life in the suburbs, so you quickly call your mom and dad. They tell you a set-by-set plan of how to help your uncle and get him awake. After awhile, you take the initiative and ask him if he wants help and how can I as a person help him to get better for his children. He starts explaining how his addiction has escalated and how he needs treatment, so we schedule him to get checked into a treatment facility an hour away. I help pack his clothes and drive him there. We also discarded the remaining drugs, so he would not relapse on the way to the facility. This experience enlightened me because it taught me that in life you have to make hard decisions and have to ask the difficult questions. If it was not for my support system, I would not have known how to respond. This moment connects with the kind of healthcare professional I am working to become, I want to be a surgeon that can handle challenging decisions and talk the patient through their care and making the difficult decisions that could help them live another day. I want to be a physician that can push through the issues and can be the light for the person in trouble. With my uncle, I was able to help him to get better and help him become sober. This moment is what defines my standard of care because I want to give people the chance to grow and have the choice to be who they want to be. I have always loved to take care of people, but this experience defined it because I had to nurse my uncle back to health while my parents were away and then prepare him for his transfer to the facility. It showed me the love for people and helped me to realize that no matter who the person is and what their circumstance is, I want to help and provide them with care. Overall, this experience caused a wide awakening for me, allowing me to know what I want to do. It has opened my eyes to my goals, pushing me to continue to help people and give them a second chance at life.

I am Desiree Smith. I am a gamechanger, a community member, a child of God and a caregiver. I work as a patient-care nursing assistant and therapy aide. These two jobs are setting me up for a career in medicine to hopefully become a general surgeon and possibly open a pro-bono surgical clinic, allowing people who cannot afford healthcare to get the proper care that they need without breaking the bank or paying out of pocket. This will allow people of all genders, races and religions to have the choice to be treated and have a say in how they will be treated, providing them the chance to not have to live in fear and avoid the doctor's office. This dream has always been on my heart ever since I was little and I had to go to the urgent clinic to get a splinter out of my thumb, and they lacked all the medical equipment to help me to get it out. Luckily, with a lot of maneuvering and makeshift supplies, they were able to get the splinter out and cut half of my nail off. This should have been an easier process but because of the lack of funds they had no choice but to make use of the materials that they had. I want to prevent this experience from happening to other people in my income bracket, helping them to get quality care without the pain of spending thousands of dollars to live another day. Not to mention, in my free time, I love to serve the community through the food bank, volunteering at MetroHealth hospital and my church. Furthermore, I am a part of a nonprofit organization called Only Being You, where I have coauthored and coedited a book for the organization, where it empowers minority voices to have feel heard. During this time, I also became an ambassador for Women Empowering Nations, which supports young women in professional environments. I also love to read fiction books, specifically thrillers and mysteries because I like to figure out the endings and create theories of who the killer or victim is or would be. These books challenge me and help me to think outside of the box and get into the heads of the protagonists and crime solvers. Lastly, I love spending time with my family. They are my why and the reason for why I keep going to pursue my goals. They have always been by my side and continue to support me through my ups and downs. These are all the things that define me as the person I am today and what contributes to my goals for the future. I want to make an impact and am slowly but surely achieving that dream through meeting with individuals of different backgrounds and interviewing them about my plans and seeing if this dream is possible. Overall, I want to thank you for reading about me, and I hope this gives you a glimpse or picture of who I am.

Working is what I have been called to do. Ever since I was young, I have always loved to dedicate my time to serving others and just not sitting down. One of my favorite hobbies that I love to do is to work in my church, especially as a light technician and youth leader. These two occupations allow me to do what I love. Plus, I also get the opportunity to pursue a masters in Biochemistry and work a full-time job as a patient-care nursing assistant. These four responsibilities have taught me work ethic at its finest. It has allowed me to experience inspiration and struggle, while working through dedication and commitment to a team and my goals. I have always loved medicine and singing to the point that I started making songs about medicine to study properly in my anatomy, general chemistry and biology classes. Some aspects of my life that are important and make me who I am is that I am a child of God, an only child and have a support system that will love me through all my struggles. I feel like through being a child of God I have God to always lean on even in the easiest and hardest times. He has helped me to know that I need to stay rooted in Him for I am nothing without Him. Through this big transition into post-graduation life, I have been leaning on Him more and creating a routine that allows me to start with Him first thing in the morning and utilize scriptures throughout the day to get me through it. Not to mention, with being an only child, I have learned resistance and to trust in myself even when I sometimes doubt myself. As the main child, I have gotten most of the attention which has taught me to not take my parents for granted and truly appreciate and honor them through all my words and actions. Lastly, through all the constant shifts and changes in my life as I am trying to be the first doctor in my family, my support system has been my outlet when I just need someone to talk to or complain to. They have been their through my chaotic times, allowing me to just let it all out and know that I have people to lean on when I am in trouble or feel lost. Overall, I am just Desiree. Not to mention, this scholarship will help me through my masters program, allowing me to continue to pursue my dream of medicine and becoming a general surgeon. This scholarship will push me and let me know that I have support in all ways. It will give me the courage to keep going and to be my best self in this rough stage of life. Also, it will give me the inspiration to know that I am not alone and that people from all across are rooting for me to achieve my dreams. I truly want to help people, and with this scholarship, you all will not just be investing in me but the future people that I help through my passion for service and medicine.

Living the life of my dreams has always been the goal. With this life of my dreams, I plan to have a family that I can love and support, while continuing to build my platform and community, helping people in poverty and youth to have a second chance. I also plan on still having a career where I can help people each day to feel better and have another opportunity to live in this world. Growing up, I have always dreamed of my future. At first, I wanted to be a singer, who traveled around the world, sharing my passion for people and giving people the inspiration to achieve their goals. After experiencing my grandmother's dismay at my dreams, my dreams quickly pivoted to becoming a doctor, and that desire to help others has continued. This desire has not just expanded to the hospitals and nursing homes, but also to the shelters and underrepresented populations in the community and the churches. To describe my dream life, it would be to have stability and the opportunity to show love to others through my work and hobbies. I would wake up and start my day slowly with prayer and journaling. After I would prepare breakfast for my husband and children, and then take them to school. After I would go into the hospital, I would be a general surgeon and start my rounds and then manage surgeries for the day. Then by 6pm, I would be driving home to prepare dinner for my kids and then help with their homework and decompress for the night with my husband. During the weekends, my family would utilize the slogan, "Work hard, play hard," and we would most likely either go feed the impoverished people through the food bank, help with the book drives and find a festival or farmers market to go to. Also, on Sundays, it would be our days of rest, where we go to church, worship, serve on our church ministries, and then take the day to go to eat, relax and decompress from all the stressors of the previous week and the week ahead. I would devote my time to my family, community and church, trying to help all that I can while I am still living. Also, I would have a foundation to help young children survive the public school system and have a school supplies drive, where I raise money throughout the year to help children who have parents in the prison system. The goal is to help children in more ways than one, allowing them to know they are not alone in this journey called life. My ideal life is something that I have been crafting ever since I was young, and it is meant to be slowed down, meaning having time for myself, my family, friends, community and church. Overall, this is a dream I hope to one day accomplish. Thank you so much for this opportunity, and I hope you enjoyed reading about the life of my dreams.

Bringing these three adjectives and words together is so strong. They reflect a community member who is willing to help at all costs. They want to help improve their environment by possibly bringing justice to the community, writing a book to bring awareness to their personal struggles, helping others to feel heard or to provide comfort for their family and friends, and giving them an outlet to speak and express their opinions and emotions. A Purposeful, Responsible, and Productive community member is a testament to the future and how the world will be, especially with their love and support. One of my life goals is to become a general surgeon and open a pro-bono surgical clinic, allowing people who cannot afford healthcare to get their surgical needs met. This clinic will not just help patients but provide a stable income for its community and workers because it will help unemployed people to have jobs that will not cause them to have to pay for gas or transportation, as it will be in their neighborhoods. It will allow them to help their community through serving and learning about the people, helping with tax improvements, having a stable income, giving the people a chance to feel like humans again and not just numbers on a statistic of minority people who are low-income, addicted or dying of a preventable disease or illness. I want to decrease the stigma of minority people and give them a platform for their voices to be heard and that starts with the clinic and can expand to community events like free blood pressure screenings, food bank services, bike and water bottle giveaways, a community garden, water testing for lead, exercise groups and classes and so much more. I want to be a Purposeful, Responsible, and Productive community member. I want to help my people to live and have a second chance at life, but with more resources that prepare and comfort them through the process of life. Also, even while talking about future goals, I try to enact this in my current daily life by serving in church, volunteering at my local senior center and food bank, doing cancer research, participating in clinical trials to allow more minorities to have a presence in the making of medicines so that they can help all people and not just the majority. Also, I have coauthored and coedited a book that allows minority voices to feel heard and acknowledged. I am currently serving as the president of the Black Latinx Asian STEM Society, a medical volunteer and a hospital volunteer, and an athletic training assistant at my school. I am trying to help as many people as possible, including by being a mentor to my friends and underclassmen, providing them with the chance to have resources that not many people know about, and giving them guidance on how to manage stress and move through each day. Overall, my goal is to continue to be a Purposeful, Responsible, and Productive community member, helping not just my local community, but hopefully expanding to the global community.

One day, while I was at church serving in the media ministry as a light technician, the pastor caught my attention as he said, "Everything leaks when God is last." This quote really spoke to me, causing me to question where in my life I have not put God first and how I can put Him first in all that I do. Mind you, I work in the church as a light technician and young adult leader. Additionally, I serve as a leader and am part of the many executive teams in my school. This caused a shift in my leadership style, prompting me to find different ways to show God in how I lead and to put Him first before all. I have started praying before I start my cancer research and conduct meetings. This quiets my mind and allows God into the space, focusing me on the present moment and not other things that I need to do. This has allowed me to be more calm throughout my discussions and effectively conduct business, including getting done with meetings in under an hour and a half, increasing attendance in general body meetings for my STEM societies and volunteer programs, better understanding my readings for research and speaking to everyone with respect and separating my current personal struggles or issues with my professional settings. Also, I have been more open about my faith in my social media because I used to fear the judgement of others and what they would feel about me "forcing" religion down their throat with my posts, but through that quote, I have learned that God is the most important thing in my life and what I post might not please others, but I am serving God which is more important especially because I want to go Heaven and hear God say, "Welcome my good and faithful servant." Therefore, through acts of putting God first, I have been able to pursue Him and feel His presence more. A time when I led or inspired others through my faith was when I got the opportunity to sing at my school's gospel concert. This was a required performance for a class, but I was not required to lead a song, yet I felt like I had to. The song was Imagine Me by Kirk Franklin. This song has always been a testament to my faith and life because I struggle with depression and anxiety. I always dream about a better future, but I never take the steps to get there. It was not until I put God first that all the pieces of my life started to fit together. So, when singing this song, I started to explain my testimony about my life and my bad decisions, but also how God led me here today to be on the stage to share it. It was beautiful and freeing, not just me sharing, but the number of people who walked up to me, thanking me and explaining to me how I had helped them. It was a good feeling to know that God spoke through me and touched my heart and others, including unbelievers as well. It shaped my future, showing me that I desire to help people see God in the way I act. I want my life to reflect who God is, showing that He truly loves all. I want to bring light to others and give them a chance at a better life. This is one of the reasons I aspire to be a physician and help underprivileged communities.

This scholarship funding will make a significant difference in my academic journey by helping me afford essential school materials, particularly textbooks. As a Biology major and Communication minor at Denison University, I am deeply invested in my education, but the high cost of textbooks, especially for STEM courses, has often been a barrier. There have been many times when I have struggled to afford the required materials, forcing me to search for cheaper alternatives or attempt to access free versions online, which unfortunately has even resulted in my laptop being exposed to viruses. Receiving this scholarship would alleviate some fo that financial pressure and allow me to focus more on my studies and less on how I will cover my academic expenses. It would not only support my success in the classroom, but also reinforce my passion for holistic health and healing, which is at the heart of my long-term goals. I aspire to become a general surgeon and eventually open a pro-bono surgical clinic that serves individuals in underserved and uninsured communities. However, my commitment to healing goes far beyond performing surgical procedures. I believe that true, lasting health is achieved through a holistic approach, one that nurtures the mind, body, and spirit. Holistic healing acknowledges that physical health cannot be separated from emotional and mental well-being. Far too often, people in marginalized communities are treated for their symptoms without their environment, trauma, or access to resources being taken into account. My vision is to create a clinic that not only provides free surgical care but also offers support in areas like mental health counseling, nutrition education, preventative care, and community wellness initiatives. I want every patient who walks through my doors to feel cared for, respected, and understood, not just as a medical case, but as a whole person with unique needs, histories, and dreams. I hope to break the cycles of neglect and inequality that have long plagued low-income and minority communities when it comes to healthcare. This scholarship will help me get closer to making that dream a reality by easing the financial burdens that often stand in the way of students like me. With your support, I can continue my studies, deepen my understanding of both science and communication, and build a foundation rooted in empathy, equity, and whole-person healing. I am committed to using my education, my experiences, and my passion to transform lives by treating the illness and truly helping people heal internally and externally.

Have you ever wanted to give up? Well, I am not going to lie. I have tried to give up many times, from failing to pass my driver's license test the first time to failing my first undergraduate Biology exam. These might seem like small challenges or setbacks to some, but for me, I felt like the world was ending, especially because I had put so much time and effort into all that I did. I had to learn to change my mindset and realize that setbacks and rejections are just redirections. It took me time to acknowledge that I needed to change my mindset and focus on being better and understanding the material. I started by watching YouTube videos dedicated to shifting one's mindset and finding new ways to learn. I also asked people for help and advice, specifically when it came to learning to drive, maneuver, and parallel park. I was vulnerable with my peers about my struggles to gain the knowledge I needed to change. I pushed myself out of my comfort zone just to get better, not just for myself but for my future. My goal in life is to become a general surgeon and open a pro bono surgical clinic for people who cannot afford healthcare. I have dealt with my parents, having to figure out how to afford for me to go to the hospital when I had the flu. I have dealt with going to the food bank and waiting hours just for groceries because I had to have surgery on my back a month prior, and we could not pay the bills. I do not want other people to have to deal with that, especially children who should not have to fear getting sick. They deserve the chance to just be kids and experience the fun and messiness of childhood with no responsibilities, which I was not afforded the chance of. Overall, my greatest achievement to date is changing my mindset and learning to ask for help. I learned to be comfortable with the uncomfortable and move to improve from it. Coming from a household with not much and going into a world that rejects people of low-income and does not give them many chances for success because of the dollars that they lack, I learned to fight for what I believe and break the stereotypes. I learned how to be me and help others through mentorship to change their mindsets and be better as well.

My dreams have always been the compass guiding my life. They have given me the strength to push through adversity, stay focused on what matters, and grow from my mistakes without dwelling on them for long. From a young age, I knew I wanted to pursue a path that would allow me to give back and serve others in my community meaningfully. This path has led me to my greatest aspiration, which is to become a general surgeon and open a pro-bono surgical clinic for people who cannot afford healthcare so that they can get the treatment they need and deserve. This dream did not come out of nowhere. It was shaped by my background of growing up in a community where access to quality healthcare was limited, where families like mine had to choose between bills and medical care. I have seen firsthand how a lack of resources can impact a person's health, dignity, and future. This reality fuels my commitment to change the system and be a part of the solution. My passion for helping others shows up in everything I do. Whether I am volunteering at the hospital, leading as the President of the Black Latinx Asian STEM Society (BLASS), or uplifting my peers as a teaching assistant and cheerleader, I strive to serve with purpose, compassion, and joy. Each of these roles has deepened my understanding of leadership, service, and the power of community and God. Above all, I want to make my family proud. They have sacrificed so much to give me opportunities they never had, and I carry their resilience with me every step of the way and remind myself each day. Their love is what grounds me, even as I chase my dreams to change the world. They have continued to support me through the good and bad, and all I can say is thank you to them and try my hardest not to let them down. My story is one of faith, service, and determination. I know where I come from, and I know where I am going. With continued support and hard work, I am determined to turn my passion into lasting change for my community and those who need it most. Thank you so much for this opportunity. This scholarship will help me to continue my education in my last year of undergraduate and be able to graduate with my other classmates.

I am Desiree Smith, a visionary dedicated to helping the world become a better place, specifically concerning the issues of lack of healthcare, food insecurities, and the public school-to-prison pipeline system. I am also a lover of community service, reading, God, and being my most authentic and helpful self. Throughout my life, I have always wanted to help people from carrying the milk up the stairs for my grandmother to serving in the nursing home and homeless shelters during the holidays. I always wanted to help others who the world had turned their backs on. Many of these beliefs were instilled by my parents but also through my church and dedication to serving God. I have always been an avid believer in God from praying for others to controlling the lights and camera during praise and worship to being head of the lighting board, and learning how to navigate and organize a team. I have learned how to be comfortable with the uncomfortable, how to use my voice when needed and to not be silenced like this world intends for me as an African American female to be. I am currently a junior in college, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Biology, with the desire to pursue a medical degree in the near future. My goal is to become a general surgeon and open a pro-bono surgical clinic allowing people who cannot afford healthcare insurance to get proper medical attention without the fear of paying extreme out-of-pocket payments. This goal for a career has been implemented through my own experiences and my desire to help those who cannot help themselves. Also, this goal will not just improve the patients' lives but also the communities around the area, allowing for more jobs in the area, and increasing the area's income. In my pastime, I read books and newspapers to stay up to date on different things and to use my imagination and creativity, write for a nonprofit organization called Only Being You that expands minority voices, plan events for my school and organizations, and work as an athletic training room assistant and residential advisor. Also, I watch television, specifically Paramount+ and also write scholarships to help pay for my schooling. Not to mention, I am also a cheerleader for my collegiate football and basketball team and during the off-season, I try to workout during the week to keep my agility and flexibility. These pastimes and schooling leave me continually busy, but I always try to make time for my family, especially during the school breaks, by taking them to the movies or cooking them a meal. Overall, this scholarship will help set me up for my future. It will allow someone to invest in me and give me a chance to make a difference in not just my life but in so many other people. This scholarship will be a blessing in my life, and I truly thank you for this opportunity and for even reading my application. I hope you have an amazing day and rest of your week!

Growing up, I saw firsthand how inequality shaped life. I have felt the pangs of food insecurity, watched family members struggle within the public school-to-prison pipeline system, and witnessed the devastating consequences of inadequate healthcare in minority communities. These experiences did more than open my eyes, they fueled my purpose. I refuse to accept a world where a person's zip code determines their life expectancy, where children go to school hungry, and where a lack of opportunities forces brilliant minds into cycles of poverty and incarceration. My passion lies in changing these realities, and I plan to use my education, skills, and advocacy to build a future where no one is left behind. One of the most urgent issues I want to tackle is healthcare inequality. Minority communities face disproportionate barriers to medical care, leading to preventable illnesses, suffering, and even death. As a future general surgeon, I plan to open a pro-bono surgical clinic to provide lifesaving care to those who cannot afford it. But healthcare goes beyond surgery, it requires addressing the root causes of poor health, including poverty, lack of nutrition, and chronic stress from systemic oppression. That is why my vision extends beyond the operating room. Food insecurity is another issue I am passionate about solving. I know what it is like to worry about where the next meal will come from, and I have seen how hunger affects a child; 's ability to focus in school, dream big, and reach their full potential. I want to create sustainable solutions that ensure every child has access to nutritious food, whether through community programs, policy reform, or direct service initiatives. No child should have to choose between going to bed hungry or asking for help. Beyond healthcare and food security, I am determined to disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline that continues to rob young African American men of their futures. Too many children are criminalized instead of nurtured, punished instead of supported, and left without guidance or opportunities. I want to advocate for mentorship programs, educational reforms, and resources that uplift rather than condemn. Every child deserves a fair chance to succeed, not a system that sets them up for failure. Mental health is another pillar of my advocacy. In many minority communities, mental health struggles are ignored, dismissed, or stigmatized, leaving individuals to suffer in silence. I want to break this cycle by promoting accessible mental health resources, reducing stigma, and ensuring mental well-being is treated with the same urgency as physical health. A healthy mind is just as important as a healthy body, and no one should be ashamed to seek help. Through leadership, problem-solving, and relentless advocacy, I will dedicate my life to changing these realities. I am service-oriented, visionary, and faith-driven, and I believe in fighting for a world where healthcare, education, and opportunity are rights, not privileges. This is more than a career path for me, it is my purpose and I hope to show that in the future.

My mother has truly changed my life in ways I could never have imagined. Growing up, our relationship was not always easy. There were moments when I felt unloved, times when I struggled with envy and seasons of misunderstanding. But as I have grown, I have come to realize just how much my mother loves me. She has been my rock, my guide, and my greatest inspiration. It is because of her unwavering love and sacrifice that I have become the person I am today. My mother, Cassandra Smith, is a woman of immeasurable strength and devotion. She made sacrifices that, at the time, I did not fully understand. She gave up her own ambitions, career, and independence to ensure that I had every opportunity to succeed with the most love and support present. She dedicated her time and energy to making sure that I had access to dance and piano lessons, nurturing my skills and creativity, creating an open and honest environment in my household, and instilling in me. She shielded me from the harshness of the world, providing a safe space for me to express myself and my understanding of life and the world. More than anything, my mother instilled in me a faith in God. I am an avid believer and love to attend church and spend time in my bible. From an early age, she introduced me to His presence, showing me that I am never alone. She was the one who placed my first Bible in my hands, the one who took me to my first church service, and the one who knelt beside me in prayer when I faced challenges, telling me to pray with my heart and focus on others. She taught me to lean on God in both triumph and struggle, reminding me that through Him, all things are possible. Her faith in God became my faith and more, giving me a foundation for what it is currently. She helped me to love God with all my heart and to know that He has me no matter what. Through my mother's guidance, I have learned the value of hard work and resilience. She has always believed in my potential, pushing me to strive for excellence in my academics and in every endeavor I pursue. When I doubted myself, she reminded me that I was and still am capable of achieving my dreams. Because of her, I have not only earned good grades but have developed a love for learning and putting my trust in God and His plan. My mother has been the greatest blessing in my life. She has shown me that love is not just in words but in actions, sacrifices and faith in God. Because of her, I am driven to achieve my goals, pursue my passions, and become the best version of myself. With her love and God's guidance, I can accomplish anything as well as I have become a better person determined to achieve my goals and love others to the best of my ability.

Being a Black female is one of the hardest things in life from having to fear being perceived as a threat to being only recognized as a sex symbol and not a human being. Black women are downplayed by society, only showing their independence and strength, never expressing their emotions and self-care for their mental health. I, as a black woman, struggle just to fit in because I never feel like enough. I am always either too white or too black in different environments and never just me, Desiree, and sometimes in this world one just needs to be themselves to benefit the world. I am a writer for a nonprofit organization, a published author and editor, a global leader, an advocate for minority rights, and a dreamer and achiever. Also, I love helping others by tutoring my cheerleaders and young children, working in the Ben Franklin community garden, and volunteering in my church and community by managing the lights, singing in the praise team, working the concession stands, serving during teen church, and being open to conversations. I believe that each positive interaction one has can improve the Earth and make someone pass along that positivity to another. In addition, my future career goal is to be a general surgeon, allowing me to save lives, cure people of their diseases, and help them with their needs. I plan to impact them through my caring attitude and honesty. My goal in life is to save, improve, and help continue the lives of others. By preserving a life, I am helping a person to see their grandchildren and enjoy themselves and what they were put on this Earth for. I hope to impact and inspire others, dreaming of being in my field because there are not many African Americans partaking in medicine. In pursuing this goal, I am also showing others that they can achieve their dreams if they choose to. I want to become this surgeon not just for myself but for others as well. I want to be a figure in the community, helping them realize that their opinions, dreams, achievements, and voices matter and that they should never be silenced, even when society says they should. Not to mention, I want to be able to bring back different opportunities to my Black community, showing them unique and positive experiences in the medical field, helping to recognize the multiple fields one can partake in, and helping save lives. One of my main goals is to create a pro-bono surgical clinic to allow patients who lack health care to obtain the necessary surgeries and care they deserve. I desire to give them the care they need to survive and continue their daily lives; plus, by giving them the help they need, I am allowing them to continue to impact and improve the economy. This surgical clinic is not to benefit me but to provide an opportunity for low-income families to live another day and be treated as equals, feeling like they are humans and not just mistakes and regrets. This clinic will be home to treatment centers, giving people access to the community, giving them more jobs, and providing more opportunities for money, accessibility, and benefits.

Growing up, I always had a knack for taking care of babies, from knowing when they were tired or hungry to being willing to babysit my cousins no matter the occasion. I loved putting smiles on the babies's faces and seeing the love and hint of curiosity in their eyes as they explored and looked at the world. This love for children is the foundation of my pro-life position. I cannot imagine ending a baby's life, even in utero. A baby's right to life is evident from the moment its heartbeat begins, a clear sign of humanity and vitality. They deserve the chance to live, grow, and experience the beauty of life. My pro-life stance was further solidified when I joined the Right to Life club at my high school. Through this club, I heard powerful testimonies from mothers whose children survived abortion attempts, which deeply moved me and reinforced my Christian upbringing and moral values. I also had the privilege of attending the March for Life, where I experienced the intense emotion, care, and solidarity shared by everyone present. It was a profoundly supportive environment, one that underscored the belief that every life, no matter the circumstances, is precious and deserves a second chance, even before birth. I also believe that promoting the value and dignity of all human beings means extending care and respect to every stage of life. I volunteer at the Food Bank, serve the homeless food during the holidays, and volunteer at the hospital, assisting patients. These experiences remind me that every life, no matter how small, old, or vulnerable, has inherent worth. Through these actions, I strive to be a voice for the voiceless and a light for those in need. My belief in the value of life guides everything I do and fuels my passion to advocate for the dignity of all human beings, especially the unborn. I hope to continue this mission throughout my life, promoting a culture of love, respect, and unwavering support for life at every stage. Looking ahead, I am committed to expanding my advocacy and support for life in meaningful ways. I plan to pursue a healthcare career, specifically as a general surgeon, where I can continue to make a difference for vulnerable individuals. By providing compassionate care and practical resources, I hope to empower women and others to have a second chance at life and to grow in their understanding of their lives and know all of their choices. My journey has taught me that promoting life is not just about words, it is about action, compassion, and standing firm in the belief that every person is a unique and irreplaceable gift. The small acts of kindness I perform, whether babysitting, handing out meals to the homeless, or offering comfort to a patient, are my way of living out this belief and moral.

Simone Biles is one the most amazing gymnasts I have ever seen, especially in this recent Olympics. She took down most of her competitors and conquered even through the struggles. Plus, with her height of 4'8'', she is unstoppable, especially because she defies the odds of others and proves everyone wrong. She makes African American history come alive, inspiring others to pursue their dreams and partake in their goals without the fear of judging them. She also diversifies gymnastics, showing minorities they can do anything they put their minds to with the right help and determination. Simone Biles is not only a powerhouse in gymnastics but also a symbol of resilience and courage. Her openness about her mental health challenges during the Olympics was inspiring, showing the world that even the greatest athletes face struggles and are not perfect, encouraging people to prioritize their well-being and take care of themselves. This vulnerability, paired with her unparalleled skill and grace, makes her a role model for athletes and fans alike. She is also a Christian and values her faith, acknowledging it every chance she gets. She shows her faith and does not shy away from it, which is another reason why I cheer her on during the Olympics. Simone's story teaches us to embrace our individuality, work hard, and preserve despite obstacles and people hating on our pathway to success. Cheering for her is not just about supporting an athlete but celebrating strength, diversity and the limitless potential of the human spirit.

My paternal grandmother was one of the hardest-working people I know. Although she did not have a job, she was a stay-at-home mother who fostered over 20 kids, determined to provide them a chance for a better future and a chance to relax from their hectic family lives, showing them the comfort and honesty they deserve. Also, with her addition of 6 biological children, she could afford them the chance of having a mother fully present and able to cater to their needs. Her ability to balance so much with grace seemed almost impossible, yet she did it. She was a visionary, a problem-solver, and above all, a woman with an unshakeable commitment to kindness and care. Her selflessness and dedication have profoundly shaped my values. Watching her give so much of herself taught me the importance of empathy, resilience, and community. Because of her, I strive to approach life with an open heart and a willingness to help others in need. Her legacy inspires me daily to live with purpose and to honor the humanity in everyone I meet. Even after her passing due to breast cancer that metastasized, my grandmother's influence continues to guide me. Her actions taught me that true strength lies in generosity and that success is not measured by personal gain but by our positive impact on others. I often find myself reflecting on her ability to see potential in people and create opportunities for them, even when resources were scarce. Her legacy has inspired me to pursue a path where I can make a difference in the lives of others, just as she did. Whether it is volunteering in my community, offering a listening ear to a friend, or striving to create change in my career as a student, I carry her values with me. My goal to become a general surgeon and open a pro-bono surgical clinic is inspired by her because she took the time to help people who could not help themselves. I want to provide people with the chance to get a second opportunity at life and grow in their understanding of who they are through surgical needs and treatments. She showed me that compassion and hard work can change lives, and it is a lesson I hope to pass on to others. Her loss was deeply painful, but it also brought a sense of clarity about the kind of person I want to be. I want to honor her memory by embodying the qualities she held dear to her heart like resilience, love, and an unwavering belief that people deserve to be granted goodness. With the values that she instilled in me, I will be able to bring her spirit with me and share it with everyone around me.

Growing up, I was not athletically inclined. I struggled to run and keep up with my peers during physical activities, which often left me feeling discouraged. However, everything changed when I discovered cheerleading. Now, as a college cheerleader, I have found a passion that challenges me to grow, both as an athlete and as a person. Cheerleading is about so much more than stunts and routines. It is about teamwork, leadership, and resilience. Cheering at the collegiate level has pushed me to new heights, both literally and figuratively. It requires discipline, time management, and an unwavering commitment to excellence and precision. Balancing academics with rigorous practices, games, and competitions has taught me how to prioritize my goals, passion, and extracurriculars. It also has taught me lessons on compassion and supporting others. Not to mention, it has also supplied me the chance to gain confidence in my skills and in my understanding of material as well as catch on to material and move quickly, improving my knowledge, memory, and resilience. One of the most rewarding aspects of being a college cheerleader is the opportunity to represent my school and serve as a role model for others. Whether it is performing in front of a crowd or supporting my teammates behind the scenes, I take pride in being a source of positivity and motivation. Cheerleading has taught me that success is not achieved alone, it is the result of collaboration, trust, and mutual encouragement. The lessons I have learned and continue to learn throughout my career as a cheerleader will be implemented throughout my future. Cheerleading has given me a unique perspective on leadership, perseverance, and the value of community, lessons that I will carry into every aspect of my life. In my academic and professional pursuits, I aim to bring the same dedication and positive energy that cheerleading instilled in me. Also, with these skills, I am confident that they will help in my future aspiration of becoming a general surgeon and opening a pro-bono surgical clinic, allowing people without health insurance to get the proper care that they need. Moreover, my journey as a cheerleader has continually inspired me to give back to my community. It has encouraged me to pursue my passion of helping others, while also creating a platform for minority voices to be heard and express themselves to the best of their abilities. As someone who struggled with athleticism at first, I understand the importance of perseverance and self-belief, and I hope to help others see their potential regardless of where they start. Ultimately, cheerleading has shaped not only who I am but also who I aspire to beL a leader, a role model, a positive force in the lives of others and a person who encourages their community, uplifting and supporting all.

Growing up in a low-income household is very interesting. It shows perseverance, understanding that not all people are granted the same opportunities and experiences and that life is hard, but with the right people and determination, it can change. From a young age, I understood that achieving my goals would require hard work, determination, and overcoming obstacles. Watching my parents balance working job after job with no pay increase and still finding the time to raise me inspired me to approach my challenges with the same grit and resilience, while still showing love to others. These experiences shaped my values and ignited my desire to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. This fueled my desire to become a general surgeon and open a pro-bono surgical clinic, allowing people in low-income communities or who cannot afford healthcare to have the chance to meet their medical needs and get a second chance at life. Currently, I am actively working toward my goals through pursuing higher education, volunteering at the food bank, and community health programs, and seeking opportunities to mentor younger students with similar backgrounds and interests. These efforts are small but lead me one step closer to achieving my dreams and helping others. My background showed me that no matter what background or past, they matter, and as a community, we need to show everyone that they matter.

I decided to pursue education to save people. Now I know that sounds like a cliche, but ever since I was around the age of 3 or 4, I have always wanted to give back to my community from distributing my food to everyone around me to checking on people when they coughed or sneezed. These few examples explain my fascination and care for others at an early age. This leads me to now, I have been pursuing education in healthcare for about 3 years in higher education and I can admit it is not easy at all, but what keeps me going is the drive and compassion to help others. I want to give people a second chance that they never thought they had. Many low-income households do not get the opportunity to go to see the doctor due to not having health insurance and being unable to avoid the treatments out of pocket. This causes them to be at a higher percentage of deaths due to preventable illnesses. This reality is what drives my passion for healthcare and my determination to make a difference. Through education and action, I aim to be part of the solution, advocating for equitable and accessible healthcare for all, removing medical language barriers, and creating collaborative environments for the patient and physician. This will allow for better patient-physician interactions, encouraging patients to take care of themselves and continue with their yearly check-ups. My ultimate goal is to open a pro-bono surgical clinic, allowing people who cannot afford healthcare to get the proper treatments and care. Also, with this clinic being in low-income communities, it allows for accessibility due to lack of transportation and job and volunteer opportunities for people in the area, giving them a chance to increase their economic status while improving their lives. I have faced challenges throughout my academic journey, from demanding coursework to balancing personal responsibilities, but my determination remains steadfast. I am fueled by the belief that every effort I make today will enable me to serve others tomorrow. I see education not just as a pathway to a career but as a means to create change in the lives of individuals who need it the most and have become forgotten by society. Overall, through my studies, I have gained a deeper understanding of the disparities in our healthcare system, and I commit to addressing these inequalities over time.

I am Desiree Smith, a dedicated Biology major, minoring in Communication while pursuing a Pre-medicine track. I am a hard worker, dedicated, and committed to serving the community by working at the food bank and in my organizations, and I bring cheer to the community as a cheerleader for my school's football and basketball teams. I attended Denison University, which is a small liberal arts school that has allowed me the advantage of being a residential advisor and getting a rounded education, helping me to discuss different topics of the world. Not to mention, being at this school, has allowed me the chance to spend more time with my family, since they are only two hours away, while also gaining some independence. This balance has not only enriched my college experience but has shaped my aspirations and values. My time as a residential advisor has given me the chance to build leadership and communication skills, create bonds with all my residents, and handle conflicts, helping me grow into a more empathetic and understanding individual. Being a cheerleader has taught me teamwork and resilience while also letting me spread positivity and school spirit, which also helped me to learn to look past the negatives of life and focus on the future. With these two experiences in my mind, they have trained me in aspects that I want to have for the future. My goal is to attend medical and become a general surgeon, where I can combine my passion for biology, anatomy, communication, and my dedication to community service. Another goal of mine is to open a pro-bono surgical clinic allowing people who cannot afford healthcare insurance to get the proper care they deserve and need. I want to open this clinic in an underserved area, allowing for distance to not be a factor in them getting treatment. The clinic will also benefit the residents in the area because there will be more opportunities for work. Not to mention, with this, I will be able to increase diverse medical language, restricting perceived accessibility and actually giving people treatments and care that they can utilize in the future. This is important because many underserved people die of unnecessary deaths, if we just had the right people and care for them, and I want to reduce those deaths and give people a second chance at life and with their families. This scholarship will allow me the opportunity to help others. It will grant me the chance to continue to pursue my goal of school especially due to my parents' financial situation, I cannot afford to continue schooling. I have to pay about $3,000 for the upcoming semester this scholarship will be a blessing because it will cover the amount so that I can continue my education. This scholarship will continue my passion to help people, giving me the chance to give others a second chance at a future. Thank you so much for reading this and have a great and blessed rest of your day!

Free expression allows for the sharing of ideas. It leads people to find new ways of treatment and acknowledge faults and solutions. Free expression allows for the avoidance of discomfort. Certain tools and thoughts can allow for the breakthrough of new instruments that can change the way we cure diseases and help others. It also prepares physician to be more patient-centered in their approaches because they will not be limited anymore, leading to more ethical considerations and collaborations. Having free expression in medicine gives patients a way to express their concerns freely without fear of judgment, allowing them to receive proper care. This idea of free expression in patient-physician relationships makes for shared decision-making, moving the stress off of the doctor and giving the patient the chance to have a voice in what happens to them. This communication fosters trust and personalized treatment plans that avoid perceived accessibility and decrease injustices in healthcare. Not to mention, free expression grants the chance for feedback and improvement of physicians benefiting the future of medicine. Some ways to protect and bolster free expression in healthcare are through advocating for policies that protect free expression and promoting guidelines that encourage open dialogue in clinical settings. Having these new policies and guidelines in place creates a model and sets an atmosphere for collaboration, honesty, feedback, and engagement in care. It structures a new world of care that is unbiased and truly meant for all. Another way is to have training in place that promotes new ideas of care and communication, which enhance cultural competence, active listening, and the use of diverse innovations for care. Continued education and training expand people's ideals of care and the system of medical language and knowledge. Overall, these two ways of free expression give a chance for a new world that promotes unity and eliminates biases in care.

Looking at people who cannot afford healthcare, I witness and observe they are people of my skin color. They do not get proper treatment because of the color of their skin and the educational barrier constructed by the past and encouraged by the world. This disadvantage pained me causing me to find passion in helping people. I wanted to help people feel good again and be recognized as humans, giving them a second chance at life and a new passion for loving their families before it is too late. This caused me to form the idea of opening my own pro-bono surgical clinic allowing people who cannot afford healthcare to get the proper care they need and deserve. This clinic will be organized and constructed in a low-income area, giving people who do not have vehicles, accessibility to the clinic as well, as reaching the community in a new way. Plus, an in-community clinic, allows for the resources in the area to be used, limiting perceived accessibility, and gives intentional care and treatment that is possible for the patient to do. Not to mention, this pro-bono surgical clinic will allow more jobs in a wide array of areas. These jobs include janitors, cooks, nurses, physicians, surgeons, assistants, and more. These jobs will allow the economy to increase, giving back to the community while giving people the chance to have an income without the issue of paying for gas or transportation. The purpose of this is to supply more jobs for the community, giving them the chance to expand their resumes. This idea of working in your neighborhood gives people more connection to their community and environment, creating a family and not just neighbors. Additionally, it will increase safety in the area due to accessibility to a clinic and with community members working in the area, they can report concerns and express to the clinic how it can do better for its people. Overall, this clinic is not just a business plan but a way for the future to improve in marginalized areas. It can constitute change, giving people a chance at a better life, and improving their health, environment, and economic status. This idea is for the community, inspired to help the community to grow and become unified. This plan has always been important to me since I was young and with my drive and determination, I cannot wait to implement it in the world.

One of the best parts about Love Island is the challenges. It keeps people on their toes, allowing them to see where chemistry lies and uncover hidden secrets. For my challenge, it would not be competitive but more of a soul-searching experience, where they experience breathing exercises and practice meditation each day and document it. The objective would be who cares more about themselves and is willing to commit to a long-term goal or challenge. This challenge would not be mentioned initially but recommended. Then, for a week, we should observe the islanders and watch if they follow the instructions given. If they follow it, the couple that completes the most days and talks about what they wrote each day after the exercises receives a date, but the islanders that refuse to do it, have to clean the villa for a week. This challenge is important because it helps to see if one can commit to a plan and a goal of caring for themselves. Plus, it teaches them self-care and how to regulate their breathing over time, making it a lifelong lesson from the villa. My main goal of this challenge is to encourage islanders to take care of themselves before they try to pursue love and how when they work together, they must know when to take a step back and breathe instead of continually arguing or talking.

My teenage experience was very lost. I stayed in the house, meaning I did not do much and only studied. I was more focused on academics. With this in mind, the lyrics that I used were "can't hear my thoughts" which is because, in my teenage years, I barely thought. I did not think about my present and living in the moment. All I focused on was my future, meaning I did not make any decisions that helped me socially. Plus, during my teenage years, also I did not think much about myself. I kept putting a boy first that did not even want me. I was consumed with thoughts of him all my time in school to the point that I let him drag my heart through the mud just for a laugh, making my feelings a joke, yet I still don't think because if he calls, I always answer. This lyric captures the essence of adolescence and the challenges that come with it because, in hindsight, not many people think when it comes to love, especially because at a young age, at least for me, I craved it. This craving is what led me to be heartbroken and lose trust in love, which happens to so many women because they start to put their trust and their hearts into a boy's hands who does not even have a fully developed brain. This craving was also pressured by my peers because, in many adolescents, we seek validation through romantic partnerships in order to expand our happiness and emotional stability, and when it ends, we lose a part of ourselves that we did not know we even had to begin with. This lyric shows how lost adolescent are and how they are filled with other people's decisions and past choices. They are judged continually and influenced by the actions of others, which is why it is so hard for them to think. The worst part is as they get older and it is time for them to think by themselves, they will be completely lost, looking for someone to guide their hand through each decision and doctor's appointment they make. Overall, this lyric really touches the essence/innocence of adolescence but also how it leads to challenges in the future with already damaging effects on one's heart, mind and mental health. Looking forward, I hope this music will be able to touch others and see the light and darkness in how we, as individuals, touch young people and how what we think, say and do influence how they grow.

What matters more, your time or your mental health? When looking at this question, I always thought of mental health as one of my least worries, especially because I was more focused on my time and how I spent it. I wanted and still desire to become a doctor, where having the best grades, extracurriculars, and goals are the main priorities in order to get into a medical school. This passion and desire caused me to neglect my mental health, forgetting to take time for myself because I was more focused on being busy and adding opportunities and accomplishments to my resume to stand out. These times of busyness were only distractions from my negative thoughts, identifying how I was not good enough or worth living. While always being occupied, I started to believe that I was fine and that maybe all my worries, fears, and dislikes of myself had been terminated, but one day, as I was sitting in bed unable to sleep, my mind started to wonder. I started to dwell on the past, present, and future, thinking about all my mistakes and the what-ifs of life. This moment in time caused me to have a panic attack, making it hard to breathe as tears were coming down my eyes, and the thoughts not only continued but increased in negativity and became more realistic as if it were my reality. These thoughts consumed me, and by the grace of God, one of my parents had heard the gasping for air and sniffling and came into my room. When they saw the scene, they quickly embraced me, which did not help much in reality, but the words that they were saying to me that were of positivity broke me even more because in my head I could not believe them. I did not want to believe them. The fact that my parents can have a different view of me that is so positive, but here, I was struggling to recognize my worth, broke me because I knew that my head was completely lost. After this, we decided to get me a therapist to avoid episodes like this again. As time has passed, my mental health has gotten worse and has even caused me to have outbursts, but in all honesty, I have high and low days. These days make me stronger though because it helps me to learn how to communicate with my family and friends about my feelings, and if, I just need some time to myself. Overall, even though my plans cause a large amount of stress and time taken away from me, I still want to pursue them and help others in my situation or worse. I want to make people feel comfortable in themselves and their future, giving people a second chance at life and a way to remove the pain. This plan to help people is what continues my goals as well as pushes me to get the treatment and care I need for myself.

What is a better life for me? Looking at that question, I always imagined life as a mom and doctor with my lawyer/business husband and 5 children, being financially free and stable, allowing for us to have time to travel, spend time with the children, and just help people in the process while loving God through it all. For my life to be aligned with this goal and plan, the three things that I would like to promise a future version of myself I will commit to is to give myself grace, persistence, and kindness. Being a part of the STEM community and majoring in Biology with a passion for pursuing a medical degree, I put a lot of pressure on myself to have the perfect grades, extracurriculars, friends, and attributes to fit into an application for medical school. This pressure has caused my mental health to decline and denied me time to just think about life and my goals because I am so busy, helping others through community service and leadership roles, working three jobs on campus to have money to spend on essentials and to study continually to keep my GPA to obtain medical application reviewers' attention. Also, I have to find ways to get clinical hours to increase my interpersonal communication skills help others to improve their health, and get my feet wet in different specialties. I need the grace to understand that in life not everything is going to go to plan, but as long as I keep trying I can achieve my goals. With this grace comes persistence, since I have to be able to keep going as I have faced and will face more obstacles, especially being a minority and female in this field of interest. I must keep trying no matter what find new ways to meet the requirements for my medical applications and give myself time to grow in my understanding of myself. Lastly, for kindness, I need to start showing more kindness to others in different ways, one of my main goals is to help people in the future and the present. I want to find unique ways of doing service to reach more people of different backgrounds and not just through serving in my church and the Cleveland Food Bank. I want to start volunteering at the medical center, sports events for abled and disabled children, book donating events, and more. This scholarship fits into that image because it is based on my passion for STEM and how I strive to make a difference in my life and others, while also inspiring other minorities to pursue their goals. This scholarship will be investing in my passion, purpose, and persistence, encouraging me to continue and allowing me the opportunity to keep going, especially since my tuition is increasing, and my family cannot afford it, since my father is a delivery driver, and my mother is a secretary for a middle school. My parents only want the best for me even if they cannot afford it, which is why they are so supportive of my schooling even if they have to sacrifice living their lives for my education. Also, at this time, the only way for me to continue my schooling is through loans that will most likely increase due to my desire for medical school. I continue to work on campus during the school year as well as on my breaks to have some funding for my essentials and buy groceries for myself and my family. Overall, thank you for this opportunity and for reading my application.

What is something that you love.... my country. Growing up I have always heard the war stories from my grandfather's time in the Korean War and how he was so dedicated to helping others and fighting for his country. This passion ignited mine, helping me to identify how my country has helped me to have free speech and democracy without the fear of dictatorship and being quieted. With his passion, it allowed me to further my knowledge of the military and its different aspects and sectors. It helped me to realize the benefits of the military including not just fighting for the rights of this country and its people but also the personal and professional developmental opportunities such as college assistance, medical benefits, and knowledge that will last a lifetime and improve their families' futures. Not to mention, I have an interest in clinical work with a desire to be a general surgeon. By joining the military, I will be able to help the service on a more personal level, especially in the military treatment facilities, which allow for direct care of injured civilians and soldiers. This care and high-paced environment will allow me to adapt and grow in decision-making, surgical skills, interpersonal communication, and situational awareness. These skills will improve the military in many ways, plus it allows me to get treated at a faster rate, eliminating overcrowding in the treatment centers and giving all adequate care. This idea of having more workers in the treatment centers gives them more accessibility and inclusivity in treatments, helping the patients to feel more comfortable during their recoveries and ready to get back to protecting the country. Through being a part of the military, I will be able to protect a country and its soldier who are sacrificing their lives in combat to keep me and others safe. I want to help these people directly that is what motivates me to keep pursuing a career in the military even though it is sometimes frowned upon to partake in due to the dangerous environment, this country has helped my family to feel freer in the world, giving them a chance at more jobs, opportunities and chances of being happy and living the dreams that they have always desired. This idea of working in the military has always been a dream of mine, and I hope one day to pursue it and help not just my country but the soldiers in combat.

"If you get really good grades, this is where you can go." My father told me these words at 3 years old as he drove me through Gilmour Academy, a high-ranking college prep high school in an upper part of Northeast Ohio. This school was a dream of his, a way for my path to success to start and that is what it was. Once my father told me these words, I immediately took action and started to study harder, obtaining a high-grade point average from kindergarten to middle school. I was in multiple clubs and volunteered in my church for the children's, teens, and media ministries. I was doing all this for a purpose and that was to make myself and my father proud because he and I deserved a chance at a better future, where we did not have to fear not having food on the table and going to second-hand stores to find basic necessities that were not always promised to be there or in working/good condition. I wanted to make a way for my father to be able to experience a life that he did not get growing up, and he wanted the same for me. By saying these words to me, my father ignited a passion in me to achieve my goals of higher education and passion for science and learning. His intention with these words was to have a physical dream that I could drive by and talk about and process. Not to mention, besides his words, he was also the person who stayed up until the middle of the night, helping me figure out math problems and building/painting some of my projects for an art class when I had another project due in another more time-consuming class. He was the one that was proofreading my essays and if he was not available he would find someone else to do it. He has always been in my corner and if he was unable to, he would find someone else to help me. Even now, as a college student, I am constantly dealing with some imposter syndrome and my father always takes action by coming down to campus which is two hours away to comfort me by taking me to dinner or just going to take me to a park to talk so that I can relax for a few hours and get my thoughts and fears out of my head and vocalized. These moments when he takes time out of his day to visit me, support my actions of continuing school even when it gets hard. Overall, my father has been a continual supporter of my educational goals and helps me through each pathway by just talking to me about it and hearing my thoughts to find people who can help me further my passion and try to find unique opportunities for scholarships and internships.

Why am I here? Growing up, I have always asked that question, trying to understand the importance of my goals and what I want to do with my life as well as trying to find my purpose. Through trying to find my purpose, has led me to look at and try different things, finding my passion in helping people from serving meals at St. Augustine on Thanksgiving Day and becoming a regular volunteer at the Cleveland Food Bank, while also becoming an avid reader and lover of science. By taking the time to find me, I have been able to discover my love for helping people and the world and how I want to make a positive impact on their lives. I love to bring smiles to their faces through community service, but I also have the desire to help them in more ways than one through medicine, allowing them a chance at a second life with less pain and fear of the world. This question has also led me to choose how I want to pursue medicine and become a general surgeon, allowing me to see an immediate change in my patient's health and be able to accurately help without the complications of prescription pills, hoping that they are efficient. It has helped me to acknowledge my true interest and love for people and wanting to give them a second chance at life and happiness. The many times I have been in urgent clinics and that have had no supplies or the times where I had to fear the bill I was going to be charged after going to the emergency room for pneumia is unacceptable. This lack of treatment shows biased in society and how people who are more financial stable receive better care rather than the people who are more likely in need of the care due to inaccessible and tarnished housing, decreasing job markets due to their continual demand for education that is inaccessible and food deserts. By learning about these aspects of life in school and in my own studies, I was recognize that a big goal of mine is to open a pro-bono surgical clinic, allowing people who cannot afford healthcare to get the proper care they need and deserve for all deserve a second chance at another day to make things right with their life and for their families. Overall, over the years, I have learned a lot about myself but most importantly, I learned what matters to me and have continued to fight to achieve these dreams each day through doing community service to know the community, partake in summer cancer research to expand my interests in STEM and see the different occupations offered, taking online classes to further my education at the fraction of the cost and more. I am determined to achieve this dream and will not give up until this dream becomes my reality.

As I look back, I think of a time when I believed my fight could be over, but in my present state, I realize I have to keep fighting in order to accomplish my goal of becoming a general surgeon and opening up a pro-bono surgical clinic allowing for people who cannot afford healthcare insurance to get the proper care that they need, while also giving back to the community through supplying more jobs, health accessibility and lowering that language barrier between physician and patient, improving their relationship over time. Plus, this allows minorities to not fear the doctor but learn to love them and all the advantages they offer. I have overcome adversity in many ways from being an African American and Native American female in STEM at my predominantly-white institution, where I am one of the two only minorities in my class and am faced with many prejudices about my intelligence, causing me to have to prove myself in order to join group projects and make friends in these classes. In my institution, I have had many setbacks some based on the color of my skin and others based on the imposter syndrome I feel as I step through the doors of my classes and during teacher's office hours, especially when the teacher suggests pick a different major if I am not willing to feel left behind or discouraged all the time. Some of these moments broke me but also taught me to realize who I am as a person, helping me to realize my worth and know that God has a plan for me. Through seeing basically no minorities in my classes, I had to find inspiration in myself to keep going especially when things got tough. It also taught me to speak up about my desires, dreams, and goals and be willing to ask for help because as many people have told me "closed mouths don't get fed." This phrase has been implemented in all that I do and has led me to be able to get many opportunities including shadowing doctors at the Ohio State Wexler Medical School and doing cancer research at Case Comprehensive Cancer Center and Cleveland Clinic. Overall, these opportunities have helped to identify my passion for medicine and people. I hope to be able to help people in the future with this pro-bono surgical clinic, giving them a second chance at life.

When it comes to portraying Spider-Man, Tom Holland stands out as a favorite for me, and it is not just because of his impressive athleticism or his ability to bring Peter Parker to life with a boyish charm that captures the essence of youth and occasional immaturity. One of the most striking aspects of Tom Holland's portrayal is his background in dance, which lends a unique dimension to Spider-Man's agility and acrobatics. His training in gymnastics and dance enables him to perform many of his own stunts, adding an authentic and dynamic quality to Spider-Man's movements. Whether swinging through the skyscrapers of New York or engaging in acrobatic combat, Holland's physicality makes Spider-Man's actions feel both exhilarating and believable. Moreover, Holland's youthful tone and energetic persona perfectly embody the youthful exuberance of Peter Parker. From his debut in "Captain America: Civil War" to his solo adventures in films like "Spider-Man: Homecoming" and "Spider-Man: Far From Home," Holland portrays Peter as a teenager navigating the challenges of high school while grappling with the responsibilities of being a superhero. His portrayal captures the awkwardness, humor, and earnestness of adolescence, making Peter Parker's journey relatable and compelling. What I appreciate most about Tom Holland's Spider-Man is his ability to balance humor with vulnerability. His quick wit and occasional immaturity are endearing, showcasing a character who is still learning and growing. Yet, beneath the jokes and youthful banter, Holland portrays Peter Parker's inner struggles and moral dilemmas with sincerity and depth. Whether facing off against villains or grappling with personal losses, Holland's performance brings emotional authenticity to Spider-Man's story. Furthermore, Holland's portrayal benefits from his interactions within the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), particularly his mentorship under Tony Stark (Iron Man). These relationships provide layers of character development and emotional resonance, highlighting Peter Parker's growth from a wide-eyed novice to a hero grappling with the weight of his choices. In conclusion, Tom Holland's portrayal of Spider-Man has redefined the character for me in ways that resonate deeply. His background in dance enhances the physicality of Spider-Man's movements, his youthful tone captures the essence of Peter Parker's journey through adolescence, and his ability to blend humor with vulnerability creates a character who feels both relatable and heroic. As Tom Holland continues to evolve in the role, I look forward to seeing how he further shapes Spider-Man's legacy, solidifying his place as my favorite interpretation of the web-slinger.

My journey has been shaped by challenges that have fueled my determination to make a positive impact on the world, particularly in addressing social issues that resonate deeply with me. As a minority student, I have encountered significant obstacles, including financial hardships and systemic racism, which have underscored the urgent need for advocacy and change. In pursuit of my higher education, I am currently majoring in Biology with a minor in Communication. This academic path reflects my commitment to reshaping medical communication to be more inclusive and accessible, particularly for marginalized communities. My ultimate goal is to establish a pro-bono surgical clinic that provides essential treatments to individuals who cannot afford them. This initiative aims to bridge healthcare disparities and ensure equitable access to quality medical care, irrespective of financial status. Beyond my academic pursuits, I actively contribute to my community through volunteer work at the Cleveland Food Bank. This experience has been transformative, allowing me to witness firsthand the challenges of food insecurity and the resilience of those affected. Through volunteering, I have grown to appreciate the privileges I have and developed a deeper empathy for others. Serving meals on Thanksgiving Day has been especially impactful, as I am able to provide support and foster a sense of community among those in need. It has reinforced my belief in the importance of compassionate action and community solidarity in addressing social inequalities. In addition to my volunteer activities, I am committed to promoting diversity and equity in STEM fields. As a future physician of color, I am passionate about inspiring and mentoring African American women and minorities, encouraging them to pursue careers in science and medicine. Through sharing my personal journey and experiences, I aim to empower others to overcome barriers and achieve their aspirations. My approach to making a positive impact is grounded in empathy, resilience, and a belief in the transformative power of education and advocacy. I am dedicated to leveraging my education and future career to advocate for marginalized and underserved communities, working towards a future where everyone has equal opportunities to thrive. In summary, my personal and academic journey has equipped me with the skills and determination to address critical social issues, particularly in healthcare and education. I am committed to making a lasting impact by promoting equity, fostering diversity, and advocating for positive change in our communities and beyond. Through my experiences and aspirations, I strive to inspire others to join me in creating a more just and inclusive society where everyone's potential can be realized.

"Being a minority is hard." This phrase echoes throughout my life, spoken by friends, and family, and observed in societal attitudes. In my community, this sentiment holds true as I've navigated numerous challenges, including financial struggles, workplace and classroom racism, and facing systemic barriers due to my skin color. These obstacles have tested my resolve, but they haven't deterred me from pursuing my dream of becoming a general surgeon. Over my twenty years, I've worked multiple campus jobs to maintain a 3.5 GPA, ensuring I can afford tuition and essentials like textbooks. In my journey toward higher education, I've chosen to major in Biology with a minor in Communication. My goal is to reshape medical communication to be more inclusive and accessible, paving the way for underrepresented voices in healthcare. I envision establishing a pro-bono surgical clinic to provide critical treatments to those unable to afford them, aiming to bridge healthcare disparities in marginalized communities. As a future physician of color, I am driven to inspire African American women and minorities in STEM fields, demonstrating that dreams are achievable despite societal challenges and stereotypes. Through my pursuits, I aim to dismantle barriers and empower others to pursue their aspirations, regardless of societal expectations. Being a minority is undeniably challenging, but it has also fueled my resolve to challenge stereotypes and pave the way for others. By pushing past these limitations and embracing resilience, I believe we can create a more inclusive and equitable society where every individual has the opportunity to achieve their dreams, regardless of their background. My experiences have taught me that adversity can be overcome with determination and a commitment to making a positive impact in our communities. Despite financial hardships and societal biases, I have remained steadfast in my academic pursuits, driven by a desire to create meaningful change. Each day, I am motivated by the potential to break down barriers in healthcare and educational access, advocating for equity and representation in STEM fields. As I look to the future, I see myself not only as a skilled surgeon but also as a mentor and advocate for aspiring students from underrepresented backgrounds. I aim to foster a supportive environment where diversity is celebrated and all individuals are empowered to reach their full potential. By sharing my journey and lending a helping hand, I hope to inspire others to pursue their dreams with courage and determination, knowing that together, we can build a brighter and more inclusive future for all.

Leaving my uncle at the homeless shelter was one of the most difficult experiences of my life. In my childhood memories, my uncle was a vibrant and caring person who enjoyed connecting with others and making lasting impressions. He was selfless, always ready to lend an ear or offer assistance, regardless of his own agenda. However, as I grew older, I witnessed a troubling transformation. He became increasingly withdrawn, sleeping excessively, speaking incoherently, and resorting to desperate measures like selling his belongings and seeking money from family members. This drastic change bewildered me; the uncle I knew seemed to vanish before my eyes. The turning point came when he lost a close friend to drug addiction. With nowhere else to turn, my family invited him to stay with us temporarily. One day, my mother discovered a package containing heroin hidden under his bed. It was a heartbreaking realization that my uncle was battling addiction, and despite our efforts to support him, we could no longer trust him in our home. This led to the agonizing decision to take him to a homeless shelter. This memory has left an indelible mark on me, shaping my values and aspirations. It fuels my determination to pursue higher education with a clear purpose: to empower African American women to achieve their ambitions despite the challenges they may face within their families and communities. Aspiring to become a general surgeon and establish a pro-bono surgical clinic, I aim to provide essential care and support to underserved individuals, bridging gaps in healthcare access and fostering stronger patient-physician relationships. My uncle's struggle has taught me the importance of resilience, compassion, and the impact of societal factors on individuals' well-being. By dedicating myself to medicine and community service, I aspire to create meaningful change and advocate for those who have been marginalized by circumstances beyond their control. Witnessing my uncle's struggle with addiction has deeply influenced my path forward. His journey has instilled in me a profound commitment to advocating for those who cannot advocate for themselves and fighting battles that are worth fighting. I am determined to use my education and future career as a general surgeon not only to provide critical medical care but also to empower individuals to overcome societal challenges and achieve their fullest potential. My uncle's story is a constant reminder that with compassion, perseverance, and dedication, we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of others, ensuring that every person receives the support and care they deserve.

During my recovery from back surgery, I grappled with depression and a fixation on mortality. It was a challenging time, marked by introspection and a struggle to find meaning in my circumstances. Amidst this emotional turmoil, the release of "The Fault in Our Stars" proved to be a transformative experience. The film's poignant portrayal of life's unpredictability resonated deeply with me. It underscored the importance of embracing every moment, regardless of its challenges and cherishing the connections that define our existence. One of the film's most profound messages was its depiction of love, an enduring force that transcends adversity and defies expectations. Seeing characters navigate their own struggles with illness and loss, yet still finding love and meaning, gave me a newfound sense of hope and resilience. It encouraged me not only to accept my own scars, both physical and emotional but also to open myself to the possibility of love and connection. "The Fault in Our Stars" inspired me to reassess how I approached life. Rather than dwell on negativity or suppress difficult emotions, I was compelled to confront them head-on. The film's portrayal of characters who openly grappled with their fears and vulnerabilities taught me the value of authenticity and emotional honesty. It made me realize that true growth comes from experiencing and processing our emotions, rather than burying them beneath a facade of strength. After watching the movie, I was driven to delve deeper into its themes by reading the book. The novel offered a richer exploration of the characters' inner lives and further reinforced the film's message of embracing life's complexities. It moved me to tears with its raw portrayal of human emotions and its exploration of love as a transformative force. The book's narrative not only deepened my understanding of the characters' journeys but also provided a more intimate look at their struggles and triumphs. In conclusion, "The Fault in Our Stars" profoundly impacted my perspective on life and my own journey of healing. It awakened a desire within me to not only embrace my own vulnerabilities but also to advocate for others to do the same. By encouraging people to confront their emotions and grow from them, I hope to foster a community where authenticity and empathy thrive. Inspired by the film and book's portrayal of love and resilience, I am committed to helping others navigate their emotional landscapes and discover their inner strength.

Working for my community has been a cornerstone of my life, starting from a young age when I began serving the homeless on Thanksgiving mornings at St. Augustine's Church in Downtown Cleveland, Ohio. This early experience ignited my passion for community service and set me on a path of continual engagement and contribution. The seeds of this commitment were planted by my mother, whose selflessness and generosity profoundly influenced me. She not only encouraged me to serve on those Thanksgiving mornings but also exemplified a spirit of giving that transcended personal grievances. Her willingness to give the clothes off her back to make others happy, even those who had wronged her, instilled in me a deep-rooted desire to help others in various ways. Witnessing her acts of kindness taught me the true meaning of empathy and compassion, shaping my character and guiding my actions. Today, I continue to give back to my community in multiple capacities. I volunteer biweekly at the Cleveland Food Bank, where I sort food packages and organize produce, ensuring that families in need have access to nutritious meals. This role has taught me the importance of addressing food insecurity and has shown me how collective efforts can make a significant difference in combating hunger. In my local neighborhood, I serve at different events, distributing medical and social information to help residents stay healthy and informed about upcoming community activities. By providing these resources, I hope to empower my neighbors with the knowledge they need to lead healthier lives and stay connected with community support systems. Additionally, I contribute to my church's media ministry, where I control and monitor the lights, stage quality, and videography. Through this role, I have had the privilege of participating in significant moments such as weddings, church services, and funerals. These experiences have allowed me to facilitate and document joyous occasions and solemn ceremonies, bringing people together and creating lasting memories. The technical skills I have developed in this role have also enhanced my ability to contribute to my community in unique and impactful ways. My involvement in these various community activities has broadened my perspective and deepened my understanding of the diverse needs within my community. Each volunteer opportunity has been a learning experience, teaching me the value of teamwork, resilience, and the importance of addressing systemic issues with compassion and dedication. I have come to appreciate the interconnectedness of different community efforts and how each small act of service contributes to a larger impact. Through these efforts, I believe I am making a meaningful impact on my community and helping to build a brighter future. My dedication to community service is not just about the actions I take but the values I uphold—compassion, generosity, and a commitment to improving the lives of those around me. I am determined to continue this journey, seeking new ways to serve and uplift my community, and I am eager to bring this same passion and dedication to my future endeavors. In conclusion, my commitment to community service is an integral part of who I am. It has shaped my identity, driven my actions, and fueled my aspirations. As I embark on the next chapter of my life, I am confident that my experiences and the values instilled in me will guide me in making a positive and lasting impact. I am eager to continue serving, learning, and growing, with the ultimate goal of creating a more compassionate and equitable world for all.

BBooks have always been my sanctuary, offering solace in tumultuous times and enlightenment in moments of introspection. Yet, in recent years, my literary journey has been profoundly enriched by the emergence of #BookTok, a vibrant community within TikTok that has revolutionized how I discover and engage with literature. Within this dynamic space, the recommendations of fellow bibliophiles have not only adorned my bookshelf but also ignited a passion for storytelling and connection that transcends the confines of the digital realm. This essay delves into the pivotal titles influenced by #BookTok and their profound impacts on both the collective discourse and my personal odyssey through the literary landscape. Nestled among the curated treasures of my bookshelf lies "The Song of Achilles" by Madeline Miller, a work that resonates with me on a deeply personal level. Miller's masterful retelling of ancient mythology serves as a mirror reflecting the complexities of human emotion, inviting me to explore themes of love, sacrifice, and destiny through the lens of timeless storytelling. As I journeyed alongside Patroclus and Achilles, I found echoes of my own struggles and triumphs, forging a connection to the characters and their world that lingers long after the final page has turned. Similarly, "We Were Liars" by E. Lockhart holds a special place in my literary repertoire, its enigmatic narrative weaving a web of intrigue and revelation that continues to captivate my imagination. Lockhart's exploration of family dynamics and the elusive nature of truth resonates with my own quest for understanding in a world shrouded in uncertainty. Through the novel's twists and turns, I found myself grappling with profound questions of identity and perception, challenging preconceived notions and embracing the power of storytelling to illuminate hidden truths. And then, there is "A Court of Thorns and Roses" by Sarah J. Maas, a saga that beckons me into a world of magic and adventure, where heroines defy convention and destinies are forged in the fires of adversity. Maas's immersive storytelling and richly imagined universe offer an escape from reality, allowing me to lose myself in a tapestry of romance, intrigue, and self-discovery. Through the trials and triumphs of Feyre Archeron, I am reminded of my own resilience and capacity for growth, inspiring me to embrace the unknown with courage and conviction. These titles stand not only as literary works but as companions on my journey of self-discovery and growth. Through their pages, I have found solace, inspiration, and connection, forging bonds with fellow readers that transcend the boundaries of time and space. From impassioned discussions on representation and inclusivity to the formation of virtual cohorts bound by shared literary ardor, these books have kindled flames of connection that illuminate the vast expanse of the literary cosmos. In conclusion, my curated bookshelf, inspired and curated by #BookTok recommendations, embodies the transformative power of literature in my life. Within its confines, I find refuge, inspiration, and a sense of belonging that transcends the limitations of the physical world. As I continue to navigate the ever-expanding tapestry of literary realms, I am grateful for the connections forged and insights gleaned from these cherished tomes. In a world where words wield the power to unite and inspire, my #BookTok-inspired bookshelf stands as a testament to the enduring magic of literature and its capacity to shape and enrich our lives.

Growing up, I have always loved science and math, as they came naturally to me. As a child with anxiety, these subjects provided a sense of ease and helped me connect with fellow students, making lifelong friends. My early experiences with math and science sparked a passion that has only grown stronger over the years. Beyond my love for science and math, I am an avid reader, dedicated to community service, and proud to be a distinguished student, family member, and friend. My community has always been important to me, and I have consistently sought ways to give back. Whether helping at my church’s media team or children’s and teen ministries, face painting, or selling raffle tickets at school and city events, these experiences have made me more aware of the issues in my community and driven me to find solutions. They have also helped me build strong connections, turning friends and colleagues into family. Through these interactions, I have learned to care deeply for others and identify key issues that are often overlooked, such as health. Many in my community avoid doctor’s appointments and necessary medications due to barriers like medical jargon, racial and economic disparities, and mistrust of the healthcare system. This disconnection has resulted in preventable diseases and early deaths. Witnessing this has inspired me to pursue a medical degree, with the goal of specializing as a general surgeon. My dream is to open a pro bono surgical clinic, providing accessible healthcare to those who cannot afford it. This clinic would alleviate the fear of financial strain and ensure that people receive the care they need. My aim is to inspire minorities to pursue their passions and seek specialized treatment tailored to their needs, addressing the unique challenges they face and improving overall health outcomes. I am committed to overcoming the barriers that prevent access to quality healthcare. To prepare for this journey, I have taken numerous science courses and actively participated in extracurricular activities. I have volunteered at local hospitals, shadowed doctors, and gained firsthand experience in patient care. These experiences have reinforced my desire to make a difference in the medical field. Additionally, I have balanced my academic pursuits with working multiple jobs to support my education. This has taught me the value of hard work, resilience, and time management. My involvement in various community service projects has also allowed me to develop leadership skills and a deep understanding of the needs of my community. My ultimate goal is to create a healthcare environment where everyone feels represented and understood. By combining my passion for science and math with my dedication to serving others, I believe I can bring about meaningful change. I am determined to use my education and experiences to bridge the gap in healthcare disparities and provide compassionate, inclusive care to all. In summary, my personal experiences have fueled my ambition to become a medical doctor who breaks down barriers and provides compassionate, inclusive care. I am determined to use my education and experiences to make a meaningful difference in the medical field and in the lives of those who need it most.

Throughout my life, I have noticed a lack of representation for individuals like myself in the medical field. My experiences with healthcare have been marked by interactions with doctors who come from the same majority background, lifestyle, and color, failing to represent me fully. This lack of representation has led to misdiagnoses, unnecessary surgeries, and prescriptions due to the educational and racial barriers between my family and our physicians. Despite these challenges, I found a sense of belonging in hospitals and clinics. I was intrigued by the patients I encountered, often asking them about their experiences and seeking ways to help. This early desire to assist others ignited my passion to become a medical doctor. I aspire to break down medical, educational, racial, and financial barriers, ensuring that everyone receives the care they need and deserve. My goal is to bring more diversity into the medical field and provide care tailored to minority communities, incorporating both traditional and modern medicine. Additionally, I plan to establish a pro-bono surgical clinic to offer quality healthcare to those who cannot afford it, giving them a second chance at life regardless of their financial status. The idea of a pro-bono surgical clinic stemmed from my upbringing in a low-income household, where we often feared we could not afford medical care. My family made significant sacrifices to ensure I received necessary back surgery and proper asthma treatment. No family should have to choose between medical care and basic needs like food. Healthcare should be a guaranteed right, irrespective of financial stability. These financial hardships have driven me to work harder than many of my peers, both academically and socially. While taking multiple science classes to prepare for medical school, I also worked two to three jobs on campus and held leadership positions in campus organizations to foster a supportive community and afford my education. These experiences have honed my determination and work ethic, qualities that are essential in the medical field. They have shaped me into a person committed to improving the lives of others and ensuring that no one has to endure the struggles my family faced. In summary, my personal experiences have fueled my ambition to become a medical doctor who breaks down barriers and provides compassionate, inclusive care. I am determined to use my education and experiences to make a meaningful difference in the medical field and in the lives of those who need it most.

This year so far has been interesting, but the song from the 1989 (Taylor's Version) soundtrack would be This Love. This Love contains a new story for Taylor, it was when she was trying new rhythms and beats. It was a time for change for her, which is exactly how this year has been for me. This year has taught me so much about people and how it takes time to grow and change but it is worth it in the long run. This song sounds whimsical but in actuality, it has a greater meaning and talks about how love can be lost, but one can hope for it to come again especially if it is truly love. It also shows the duality of love and how it is not just all good but if one really cares about the person, the love and experience will be engraved in their heart forever. This song identifies how my love for people has been challenged, teaching me to not give my heart to everyone if I truly care about them. This year has enlightened me that not everyone has good intentions nor deserves all your love because in the end, one can end up crushed and broken having to pick up the pieces of themselves slowly but surely and by themselves, which means that it will take time to heal. Healing is something I have always struggled with and if I am being honest, Taylor Swift's music is one of the soundtracks that helps me feel better, it helps me learn to express my feelings and not hide who I am as a person. Her songs have been on repeat since the beginning of the year because I want my love this year to not be taken for granted but to be respected. I know love is not always pretty or exciting and even sometimes daunting but I want to experience love that is true and not just a lie to be used and taken advantage of. I want my love this year to be a source of strength, healing, and growth for myself. This Love shows the beautiful complexities and importance of love and how in the journey of love, it should be enjoyed and grown from especially in the shared experiences that have found meaning and fulfillment in relationships. This year is going to be beautiful and the help of This Love will help me navigate the idea that life is not always perfect, but it can be amazing.

1. One attribute about myself is that I deeply care. I aspire to help people and offer them a second chance at life, even when they feel they do not deserve it. Growing up in a low-income household and attending a private school, I witnessed the stark contrast in care and medical treatment. I observed how those who could afford acne medication enjoyed clear skin, while those who couldn't underwent ridicule and bullying for having a bumpy face, a condition beyond their control due to hormones. These experiences always saddened me because no one should be mistreated based on their economic and racial status. Observing these disparities motivated me to pursue a career as a doctor/surgeon, with the goal of providing minorities and individuals in low-income households the opportunity to receive proper care without the burden of exorbitant and taxing payments for surgery. My aim is to ensure they live longer and have access to accessible treatment. This is an impact I envision achieving in the future because I believe no one should live in fear of lacking healthcare or facing financial barriers to receive necessary treatment. The idea of offering accessible healthcare to those who cannot afford it holds great importance for me, especially since I have personally experienced the disadvantages of my social and economic status, feeling separated from the world and recognized as a minority. This experience deeply affected me, and I do not want anyone else to go through such hardships. These issues need to be addressed, and in the future, I hope to solve these issues that go unnoticed by the majority. 2. STEM is something that has always troubled and inspired me. It was the first thing that made me want to strive in school and not just passively experience it. STEM pushed me, challenging my mindset and fostering a better understanding and appreciation for what I was and am learning. This concept of STEM has helped me discover my passion. Through STEM, I've learned more than just striving for good grades; it's about the excitement of truly grasping and applying information. STEM continually excites me because I genuinely care about the topics and how I can apply them in the future to help those in need. Moreover, I plan to leverage information technology within STEM to provide much-needed resources for minority communities, providing them with accessible care through technology and virtual visits as well as giving medical resources that do not promote perceived access but instead changes the medical language to authentic to each person that is encountered. There is a lack of medical sources catering to African Americans and other minority races. By creating an outlet with resources for free and accessible care, it will offer people the opportunity to belong and live longer, ultimately reducing the increasing death rate among minorities in recent years. Furthermore, media should not limit where medical language and information are available. By establishing more electronic outlets for minority medical assistance, individuals will be able to access the treatment they need, especially if they have been suffering for an extended period. 3. Challenges are a part of life, but one has to overcome them to achieve their dreams. Recently, I took a class called Multicellular Biology. This class was meant to challenge and potentially cause those uninterested in biology to drop out because it was known to be a difficult course. Despite hearing rumors about how it led people to quit, I was ready to fight for my grade. Initially, after taking my first exam and submitting my first paper, I was confident but was unfortunately met with some terrifying grades, resulting in an overall score of 69%. Despite thinking I was doing everything I could, I met with my professor to inquire about ways to improve my grade and enhance my understanding of the material. We scheduled weekly Tuesday meetings to discuss course material and my confusion. Additionally, I visited the writing lab two days every week to ensure my lab reports were concise, clear, and understandable. I meticulously went through the rubrics, ensuring all necessary materials were included in the paper and understanding the experiment details, asking questions when needed. Moreover, I sought assistance from a personal tutor, a peer learning strategist, and a peer study group, exploring various study methods and finding more understandable analogies to comprehend topics. The class forced me to make time I didn't even know I had. It made me less social, focusing on something that truly mattered to me - improving my grade and understanding the material for the future. I wasn't studying for a test; I was studying to retain information, wanting to prove to myself and the professor that I could make us both proud. As I undertook these actions to change my grade, I gradually witnessed an increase in my understanding and an improvement in my grade. This brought me joy but also instilled fear because I realized the extent of what it took to be my very best. I wasn't prepared for all the sacrifices I would have to make to achieve that grade. Ultimately, I ended up with a B in the class, resulting in an improved GPA and a more adequate Biology GPA, giving me hope for the future.

One of the best movies alive does not have a high percentage of rotten tomatoes. This movie is Fast and Furious 7. This movie is about a few items that I am interested in and connected with, including cars, friendship, family, and strength/power. I love this film so much and would choose to watch it because when I was younger, it was the film that my maternal grandfather and I used to watch, acknowledging how family is blood no matter what. This movie helped me to realize the importance of family, even when you do not want it, and how family should always be there for you when it is important. My maternal grandfather believed that each story had a plot that was meant to impact or remind the viewer of a part of their life, and at the moment, he was right. When watching this film, I view the plot but I also see the memories of my grandfather and I sitting and enjoying the film together and talking about all the cool action and fighting movements and movies. Our time together is and was watching this film. Not to mention, this film aids me in having a connection with my paternal grandfather who loved cars. My paternal grandfather was always trying to race someone on the highway or go to car shows and acknowledge the beauty, exterior, and interior of a car especially when it was a classic like a Mustang or Cadillac car. These cars are shown throughout the film, giving me a closer and special connection to my grandfathers, giving me comfort when I miss them, so to watch only this film for the rest of my life gives me the chance to feel both of their presence again at the same time. Also, Fast and Furious 7 pays tribute to Paul Walker, one of the original cast members who tragically died in a car crash. In the ending credits, they play the song See You Again by Charlie Puth, which reminds me of my deceased paternal grandmother. We used to play that song for her at her funeral, remembering that even though we do not see her right now, we will see her again in Heaven. She was a strong woman, always willing to love people at their best and worst, and that film reminds me to continue following in her image of caring for others despite their wrongs and mistakes. Overall, this film does have a great plot, but it has many great and sorrowful moments for me and my family. By watching it, I get the chance to reminisce on the beautiful moments that I have had with them.

Mental health determines many factors in my life. Growing up I never knew what mental heath was, it was not mentioned in my household unless it was concerning an event in the news where my family would degrade the person by calling them crazy. I was blinded by their opinions, considering and believing that mental health is based on craziness. It was not until I was affected by mental health that I realized how detrimental my parents' and grandparents' thinking was and how it slowly started to impact me and my mental health. When I, first, was diagnosed after having a few breakdowns, my mother would continually refer to me as crazy to my distant relatives as well as a "ticking time bomb," failing to realize how those words could and did hurt me. She did not appreciate nor acknowledge my feelings in the discovery and instead was almost disgusted in herself, believing that she failed in raising me. This hurt because I felt as though I was a mistake. I felt as though I was not appreciated and should not be an issue and cause my parents this much pain. I felt destroyed that I could have something wrong with me and after talking to my therapist, I valued to never have anyone else feel this way because having a mental illness does not mean that something is wrong with you, it means that one processes their emotions differently. These moments with my grandparents and parents have allowed me to acknowledge how important mental health is because knowledge of mental health and taking care of one's mental health aids one in being their unique self without the fear of being judged or mistreated. It helps one to recognize their wants and desires in life without the opinions of others interfering. It gives them the chance to be themselves and not let others' opinions cloud their judgments and inner thoughts. One way I maintain my mental wellness is by praying to God about everything. Praying is one action that gives me balance and peace throughout the day. It helps me recognize the rights and wrongs of my day and acknowledge how to fix them in the future. Another way I maintain my mental health is through talking about my feelings, I meet bi-weekly with a therapist to talk about my feelings and emotions, trying to get to the root of each interaction that has been bothering me. Plus, I like to talk to my friends and peers to just let out the anxiety in that moment. These two actions help me to not bottle up my feelings and lose myself in the long run. Overall, mental health is important because it defines and helps one to know their morals, beliefs, and what truly provides them happiness.

Looking at life, I was always scared of the future, always feeling not prepared and ready to fail, yet I wanted to succeed. Mental health has been a huge factor in my life, determining each step I take and how I act and feel. Recently, I was diagnosed with depression, social anxiety, and general anxiety. Getting this diagnosis explained a lot of situations and relationships for me, it explained why I would get nervous when meeting new people and how, at times, I would get extremely sad, wanting to change my career paths. These illnesses caused me so many problems but by being noticed I was able to recognize the factors for why I felt these ways and how to change my attitude about life to be positive. Not to mention, by having this diagnosis, I started to understand the world, fearing it a little less because this world is just lost and needs to be found. When one takes time to learn more about themselves, they will see a new light in their eyes, helping others to receive that light as well. These diagnoses have not set me back but have taught me to take care of myself first before anyone else because I matter too.

Challenges are a part of life but one has to overcome them to achieve their dreams. Recently, I took a class called Multicellular Biology. This class was meant to challenge as well as cause people who were uninterested in biology to drop out because it was a hard class. Now, I had heard all the rumors about the class and how it causes people to just drop out, but I was ready to take on a fight for my grade. Initially, when I took my first exam and submitted my first paper, I was confident but was sadly welcomed with some terrifying grades, leading to my overall score to be 69%. I thought I was doing all that I could, so I met with my professor, asking her about what should I do to get my grade up and understand the material better, we scheduled weekly Tuesday meetings to talk about course material and my confusion. Also, I went to the writing lab two days out of every week to make sure my lab reports were short, concise, and understandable. I read through the rubrics religiously, making sure I had all the materials I needed in the paper and knew what was happening throughout the experiments, asking questions when lost. Not to mention, I also met with a personal tutor, peer learning strategist, and peer study group, finding many ways to study and to continue to learn more understandable analogies to topics. The class pushed me to make time that I did not even know I had. It caused me to be less social and focus on something that truly mattered to me, which was getting a better grade and understanding the material for the future. I was not studying for a test. I was studying to retain the information. I wanted to prove to myself and the professor that I could make us both proud. As I was doing all of these actions to change my grade, I slowly saw an increase in my understanding as well as my grade improving. This brought me joy but also fear because I realized what it took to be my very best, but what I was not prepared for was all the sacrifices I would have to make to get that grade. Overall, I ended up with a B in the class, giving me an improved GPA and a more adequate Biology GPA, giving me hope for the future.

My Auntie Betty was one of the kindest and caring people that I know. From the time I was born to about six years old, I was raised by my aunt as she took care of me while my grandparents and parents worked throughout the week. She took me and picked me up from preschool and kindergarten each day, teaching me to write, cut, and read in the hours after school as well. She also taught me how to properly get dressed, brush my teeth, and read my Bible, but one thing that I learned through her actions was to be kind. My aunt continually took care of her family and friends by making their meals for dinner and sending them by way of her husband or taking on the messy role of potty-training me even though she did not have to. My aunt cared for me and even taught me how to be me. I still remember her laugh and the way when she entered each room, it would light up because each person in the room knew that she was willing to help them if they ever needed it. Even though she taught me how to do all these wonderful things, she always taught me how to be myself. As a child, I loved to suck on my thumb, now I understand the issues and the lifelong damage to your teeth that comes with sucking on your thumb for all your life, but the ways I was treated by my family members when I sucked on my thumb was disheartening. I was either yelled at or hit and the thing was it was not by my parents but by some cousins that did not really did not care about me but about the fact that in some way they felt like I was disrespecting them by sucking on my thumb. Every time I encountered these moments with these family relatives, I would burst into tears, feeling like a disappointment. It was not until my aunt saw me crying one day that and learned what was happening and took initiative. She told me to not let them treat me this way and had a talk with them explaining the circumstances to them and how I needed to grow out of it and not be forced out of it. She truly cared about me. To some of those relatives, she seemed like the problem, but to me, she made me feel like I mattered. This feeling of love has continued throughout my life, causing me to vow to treat people with the utmost respect, never letting my actions or words make others feel like my cousins made me feel. She caused me to treat people with respect and to love them no matter what, teaching me how to show others how much I love them in my words and actions, and to allow them to learn to grow and not force it. My aunt cared about others and myself, which is all that I can ask for and learn from.

I recently finished a book called The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli, and I believe everyone should read it at least once. This book is about a plus-sized girl who has many crushes but is scared to act on them. Now, I understand from reading that top description, it just sounds like a YA novel, but it is so much more. This book recognizes and supports LGBTQIA+ and its family dynamic, including the struggles that go on in one's household and how the Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage affected these households, bringing them pride. This idea of having a novel that incorporates allyship as well as acknowledging different diversities, genders, and sexualities all living on one accord, allows for more families to read it and be more receptive to change and differences. This is a small map to show how we can all live together in the world without the injustices of society and societal standards weighing down on us. Not to mention, another part of this book that connects with me especially is that no matter the body shape or size or color, one can find love if one's heart is acceptive of it. For many parts of my life, I have been told to lose a couple of pounds and the reason for my failed love life is because of my weight, causing me to try every form and way of losing it. This book allowed me to appreciate my skin and weight, knowing that I should love who I am no matter what. This book, if read by all, would allow for weight to be normalized in the world, showing that we should not reject people just because of their size, but base our decisions and perceptions of people on their personalities and moral beliefs. This book will hopefully open one's eyes to show that love is not subjective but is meant for everyone in many ways not just romantically but through a family dynamic as well and how communication is key to continuing a relationship even when it gets difficult. Overall, this book is a small step towards change and allows for both sides to be addressed, acknowledged, and recognized.

I love my paternal grandfather. My paternal grandfather was a veteran, stationed during the Korean War. When he was alive, he did not mention much about his time there, but only that he never wanted to go back. The only objects we have to symbolize his service that was left behind were the United States flag from his funeral and his photo before he was sent off. My grandfather never wanted to talk about that time in his life, but one could easily tell by the way he acted that he had been a part of the military. Some tell-all signs were the fact that he always followed a schedule to the point of no distractions. He always polished his boots and artillery that he had in the house by hand and always ate fast due to the time he did not want to waste when experiencing life. A memory that I will not forget from my grandfather was a tough love story. During the year, 2013, my family was cited for having cracks in our driveway, demanding that we only had one to two months to get it fixed or my dad would have to go to jail for some time for not fulfilling the citation on his house. I was shocked that the community I loved so much could do this to us just because of some small cracks in the road. After finding out the news, my parents had to take action quickly, so they called many contractors to get statements and pricing for the damage to be fixed, which was up to $4000. This is and was a lot of money for our family especially because during that time, my father, who was the main point of income in our family, could not work due to paperwork issues and miscommunication about my father's illness, so he could not pay for the work to be done on our home. This led to my family having to find ways to get the money, we asked many people including my aunts, uncles, and even cousins. When we asked my paternal grandfather for help as he was one of our last hopes, he quickly said no. He believed that with God's help, we could get the issue solved and that he would pray for us, but would not give his money to us because my father should be able to take care of his household. This broke me because my father was trying to work but was denied the chance at that moment due to his illness. We tried to explain to him the issue, but he was very persistent in his no, so we had to find another way to achieve the funds before my father would be in trouble. In the end, we were able to get loaned the money from family relatives, but to have my grandfather turn us away broke me. This experience taught me a lesson to always be prepared no matter what, leading me to spend more time helping with my family finances and finding cheaper contractors on file so that in case we were ever faced with that again we had options, and we could better afford it. This moment broke me but pushed me to know what I want, be prepared, and have a plan for the worst at all times. Also, he taught me to love someone through the pain. I felt betrayed by my grandfather, but I never let that stop me from loving him or treating him with respect, which is why I believe this story is important.

STEM is a blessing and a curse but I love every minute of it. I am a part of the STEM community through the science aspect. I am a Biology major who is in love with the idea and pursuit of a profession in internal medicine, hoping to become a general surgeon. Medicine and science have always fascinated me from staying up late reading anatomy books and learning how the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell to even causing me to apply for a summer cancer biology research opportunity, which allowed me to attend and do research in Cleveland Clinic's cancer biology laboratory, dealing with kidney cancer cell lines. Science and medicine have driven my life, and I just cannot get enough of it. Science has always been something that I have struggled with from failing to understand labels on the periodic table to the pattern for the increase in atomic size versus the increase in electronegativity, and yes, as you can see the periodic table was a struggle for seventh grade me. After a lot of memorizing and dedicated time to looking at this table, I have learned to appreciate it and properly understand it. Now, these struggles in science only encouraged me to pursue a career in STEM because I want and need the challenge, and also I enjoy the feeling of figuring out a problem after a few days or weeks of complications and pondering over it. It might feel daunting in the moment, but it is an exciting and relieving feeling, after it is completed. As I continue in STEM, I plan to become a general surgeon and help my community. When becoming a general surgeon, I plan to open a pro-bono surgical clinic allowing people who cannot afford healthcare to get affordable and accessible care that they deserve. Many minority and LGBTQIA+ people are scared to go to the doctors to get treatment due to lack of representation and lack of interpersonal communication between patient and physician due to the racialized and limited medical language that is rooted in the medical training. With this in mind, I plan to break these barriers allowing for more collaboration and information in the doctor's visits, giving the patient a feeling of being heard and appreciated in their care because it is their body and health that is on the line. Not to mention, while also listening and creating a relationship with the patient, hiring more minority people in the clinic, will allow for more diverse representation, encouraging families and children to pursue their goals no matter what society says. This goal of mine has been grounded in the challenges and obstacles I have faced all my life. and I plan to change that for others by giving them that open door that I had to push through so that they will not give up but keep going and achieve their dream of being a minority in medicine.

Each day I have this burden on my back called student loan debt. This burden overwhelms my thoughts and actions, always making me think and restrict my ways of living in order to be able to pay off my debt since my parents cannot at the moment help with the financing of my schooling. My financial situation has affected my education to a great extent in both positive and negative ways. In the positive direction, having this great amount of debt and my family not being able to afford nor help me achieve any of my educational goals has caused me to push myself to do my very best in school and to be resistant in finding scholarships to continue my education and to work in order to help and afford my hygiene products, food, and books for the week and semester. This has helped me to be resilient, learning how to account for a budget and working towards my goals slowly but surely. Not to mention, it has helped me to be determined with my dreams of becoming a general surgeon, by not being scared of reaching out to professionals in my dream careers or any medicine-related fields, learning from their habits, daily lives, past mistakes, and life lessons. This has helped me to set forth my goals, pursuing many opportunities, scholarships, and leadership roles in my clubs at my university. In the negative direction, this debt and lack of financial support from my family members have caused me much stress, having me to navigate how to survive in this economy by working three jobs in school as well as working during the summer and winter breaks. This dream of mine has pushed me to think ahead of the game and be focused more on my goals than having a social life. While having this debt, I have had to spend less time with family and friends to pay for next semester's finances, even to the point where I am filling out this scholarship on the way to my grandmother's birthday dinner. Each day has been filled with work, causing me to never really get a break from school and the financial burdens. This scholarship will lead me to achieve my dreams by bringing me one step closer to paying for my books and a little bit of my school debt. This scholarship will encourage me to keep going and not give up on my goals even though society and my financial status are telling me otherwise. This scholarship will further support my dream of becoming a general surgeon and opening a clinic that removes the restrictive medical language, allowing LGBTQIA+ and minority communities to feel accepted and be treated properly. Furthermore, with this dream, I want to help people who cannot afford healthcare, giving them affordable and accessible care, supplying them with the treatment they deserve, and increasing the collaboration and communication between the patient and physician, encouraging them to not fear the doctor but be more willing to go and get treated.

Mental illness is something I am getting used to but before I hated the idea of having it and even refused medication for it in fear that I would be judged by my counterparts and mistreated or even worse looked down upon by others. When I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety, I thought it was a mistake, I mean I believe everyone went through what I went through including panic attacks, sudden fears when talking to people and intense times of sadness, which caused me to work throughout the mornings and afternoons and cry all night over my fears, worries, pains and dreams. Over that time in my life, I assumed it was normal until one night I could not imagine living again, I felt that I could not achieve my dreams and that all the obstacles that I was facing could not be conquered. This led me to devise a plan to end my life, but by the grace of God, I lived after my attempt. My attempt caused my family to draw attention to my suffering and mental illness. I initially was quieted about my issues and pain, but it was not until I went into a deep cycle of crying, I started going to a therapist and was properly diagnosed. After this diagnosis, I felt like I failed at life like what I was going through showed that I did not deserve to go to medical school and become a general surgeon, granting me the chance to provide minority people who cannot afford healthcare with affordable care that allows them to be treated as human beings, giving them a second chance at life. I want to change the world through community service and by providing a pro-bono surgical clinic. These people deserve the chance to be treated like people again without the fear of being judged. After talking with my therapist about these concerns, she talked me through how I should not let my overthinking control my decisions and actions, leading me to not fulfill my goals. With this mental illness, I have learned how to talk through my issues and fears and preserve. Even when times get hard, I have learned to push through and learn to control my thoughts and breathe, even when life gets hard. Not to mention, this illness has showed me that I can grow from my past mistakes and learn from them. I want to help people, and in order for me to do that I must help myself first, which is what I am learning to do each and every day.

I am Desiree Smith. I am a Biology student, minoring in Communication, who loves to help people. People have always been important to me, always wanting to provide the best version of myself for them to feel at ease with themselves, the world, and their current situation. I wanted to provide them with comfort and dignity, since these conditions are not promised in society, depending on one's racial, gender, and economic identity. I learned about my love for people through community service, especially when my family and I would go to St. Augustine's church and serve the homeless on Thanksgiving Day, granting us a chance to talk with these people that I used to fear. It gave me the chance to expand my resources and learn from these people who have many different backgrounds and stories and while talking to them I made connections with them, loving every moment of the time that I spent at that church with those caring people. This is one of the reasons why I chose my current career goal which is to become a general surgeon. I want to create an environment that allows for all to receive proper care. I want to inspire people and give them hope in the world, while also allowing them affordable healthcare. Another issue I hope to resolve in my practice is the restriction of medical language, which negatively impacts the LGBTQIA+ and minority communities. This removal of this restriction will allow for proper treatment and care, helping them to feel heard and make each doctor's appointment better than the last, allowing for more collaboration and advised direction than just strict orders without the opinions of the patients themselves. I want to provide people the care they deserve and desire because as humans, they matter and deserve to be shown that they matter. I want to give people who were never really promised a chance at a second chance at life, where they can be happy and healthy, living to help the world and themselves.

My voice is limited. Growing up, I was always told to be quiet or stay in a child's place, but as an only child, I never knew what the child's place was because I never had an example. This persistent pursuit to mind my own business caused me to be a "forced" quiet child even though when given the chance I talked a lot. This silence caused me to find a new form of expression for my thoughts and feelings because they were becoming too much for me to handle on my own since no one wanted to listen to me truly, so I started to write. I started writing in my journal or diary as a typical six-year-old but soon realized that my thoughts were being read without consent from my parents and being shared with other family members and friends, which was so disheartening because it felt as though they were laughing at my feelings. These incidences of leaking my stories caused me to write in context without using real names and fantasizing about the narrative a little to make it seem as though I was making a story and not telling my personal story. This became fun after a while and even got appreciated by my parents as I had them read my stories. They loved the twists and turns of events, even though it was mostly the truth and reality for me as a six to seven-year-old African American girl in a predominantly Caucasian Catholic institution. These writings became a pastime for me, allowing me to express myself, share my story as well as escape the realities and hecticness of school and life. I used writing as a coping mechanism for the rest of my school years, including my first and second years of college, allowing myself to forget about science and the issues of the world for an hour out of my day and focus on a new world where drama still occurs but can stop with a swipe of an eraser. My stories are my control. They can call to attention important issues from voting advocacy to STEM politics and gendered discrimination as well as be light-hearted in some areas, focusing on areas of unrequited love and different family dynamics. My stories reflect a truth of my own, showing a world that I believe could exist if we all tried to care for each other. Now, I do not have anything published but in between getting my undergraduate degree, I hope to one day publish a book, sharing my thoughts and emotions that were once limited to me.

As a sophomore in college, I have grown so much as a person from being a clueless college student, who did not know how to properly time manage to now being a person who is truly taking care of herself and determined to help the world. I am an African American student, pursuing a Biology degree with a minor in Communication on the Pre-Medicine track. I am a part of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and I am public relations for the Black Latinx Asian STEM Society, allowing me to do service for all people and help minorities in STEM to find opportunities and receive guidance on how to obtain the degree and job they want for the future. These two organizations allow me to properly help people by volunteering at food banks and nursing homes as well as help people to get connected in their school and local community, and networking with their neighbors, giving Granville, Ohio more of a collaborative mindset, instead of separating the school from the city. Not to mention, medicine has always been a special part of my life. It has been a tough process from taking organic chemistry to finding time just to sleep, but in the end, it will all be worth it because I will be able to be an internal medicine physician, giving proper care to the people who have not had the chance to receive it due to their financial status. I want to give people a second chance at life and to get their health in order so that they can see and participate in their future and their family's future. Not many people in low-income areas receive proper treatment due to perceived access from physicians and the limited medical language pertaining to different races and genders, and I want to create a space, where all are accepted, allowing them to feel comfortable and be willing to go to the doctor without the fear of being belittled, creating a collaborative treatment and initiating interpersonal communication. By helping the people, whose voices are silenced, I am helping them be heard and treated with the respect they deserve. Plus, by having more minority women in healthcare, I am inspiring others to not give up on their dreams and see that one can achieve their dreams no matter the race or gender, proving society's beliefs and standards wrong. Through becoming a doctor, I want to make a real change and give people the chance to live a positive and healthy life.

Honestly, faith is the main reason why I survive each day. Each day is a struggle, especially for a biology major on the pre-medicine track from conducting cancer biology research during the school year and studying to participating in community service by serving the homeless people of Newark and Cleveland, Ohio food and blessing bags full of feminine products and toys for the children. These opportunities to help others as well as my school community through working in student organizations and on-campus jobs have allowed me to connect with my class and the community, learning their stories and history, gaining knowledge from them and special connections that could last a lifetime. Through helping these people in my daily life, I see God, and my faith is encouraged. Also, by doing these services, I can represent God in my daily life. God has been an important part of my life because when times get hard or homework problems get challenging, I pray. I pray for guidance and understanding. My faith has impacted my future goals because I want to help people get guidance and proper care no matter what level of status they have. I want to save people's lives, helping them live longer, allowing them to get a second chance and to experience the life and treatment they deserve. My faith has always determined the paths that I take, aiding me to stay away from certain behaviors and follow in right path by reading my Bible and praying daily. These moments of connection with God comfort and guide me in my times of stress and loneliness. I love to help people, and each day I ask God to use me in ways to represent and follow Him and His path. Through my faith, I have learned to love people and appreciate them at all stages of life. This has led me to support Pro-Life. Pro-Life is important to me because every life matters, and in some way, it hurts to see young ones die no matter if they are still in the womb. I want to use my education to enact change and support women in their care for children, providing them with knowledge and support to properly take care of their unborn child. A lot of women feel lost when carrying a child and as their doctor, I want to guide them through this long and challenging process and journey, giving them the proper care to bring life into the world and feel as though they can take care of the child with help from proper resources like non-profit organizations that deal with mothers and newborn babies and directing them to feel safe and ready to take care of the child on their own. I want to be light in this time of confusion and darkness, and by being a light, I can hopefully help to keep the child alive.

As a little girl, I was always stuck in the house due to my mother's agoraphobia. It was not until the holidays that my dad and I would go into the community and do service. These moments of being outside without fear of the world were moments that I grew to appreciate. It was time to learn about people's perspectives on life and gain knowledge. Plus, it allowed me to do service for others, seeing all the smiles that were brought to people's faces when they received a good meal for the first time in a while, or when homeless women were pleased to finally get menstrual projects instead of having to just feel dirty and smell of blood. By bringing excitement as well as learning these people's stories, I was able to connect with them and see them for the people they are and not people to fear or look down upon to. Besides being raised to help people and care for people, what inspires me to be involved in my community, is to give people a better experience than they thought they could have. Also, by being involved in the community, I can make lasting connections and relationships that could benefit me on an interpersonal and professional level. Not to mention, every interaction is a lesson from learning how to be patient to learning how to properly set a table or walk an elderly person to and from a table to another table. Each interaction and conversation has helped shape who I am today, which is why I try to be involved so much in my community. One way I have worked to influence change in my different communities is through service. When I am at home on breaks, I volunteer to serve at the Christmas dinner for all the elderly residents as well, and I volunteer as much as I can at the Cleveland Food Bank during my free days of break. I am also soon going to be serving in my church's toy drive for children who have parents in jail, while also participating in it as well by buying gifts for the children that I have selected. Furthermore, when I am in my school community, I promote and influence change through my service, time, and efforts to student organizations and clubs, and my student jobs. These experiences allow me to promote change and unity in my school because I am showing how can contribute without the fear of being in trouble or being overwhelmed. I try to inspire people over time so that they may grow into who they want to be and not what society tells them to be. Overall, I influence change through voicing my opinion and doing service, acting on what I believe is right, and promoting it in my daily life through the way I act and speak.

I have never chosen to pursue STEM. When I was younger, I dreamed of singing, dancing, and being on stage performing. It was something I even pursued until I was 15 years old when I got a splinter in my fingernail. This injury caused me to be in urgent care for six hours. During this visit, they failed to have any equipment to actually take the piece of wood out of my finger, and it took a crafty doctor to use a makeshift utensil to dislodge and cut my fingernail in half without anesthesia. It was painful at the time, but looking back it was disappointing seeing how this urgent care lacked quality care to all, but if it was not for the doctor's persistence and passion, I do not know how this would have turned out. This moment shifted my mindset from singing to helping others. I wanted to help people all along, but never knew how nor if I was capable enough, but I still did not want to pursue STEM. Now, I love science and math, but the idea of dealing with problems each day with absolutely no solutions just hypotheses for future results, caused me to feel stuck with no way of truly helping others. It was not until I realized that through talking with one of my doctors how diverse medicine really is. Medicine is something that can help people with pain, gain strength, slow down their metabolism, and help them live a longer life. It has many paths and specialties, but most importantly, the way pursuing medicine works is amazing and really allows for one to learn and find their passion, due to the rotations in medical school, will allow me to find my passion and learn how to persist in hard times. This idea of pursuing STEM is exciting. It is filled with uncertainty and challenges, but these challenges are chances for growth, and with my desire to work as a doctor/general surgeon, I know I can make it happen. STEM has always interested me, but over time, I have learned that medicine ignites a fire in me, inspiring me to help others in more ways than just community service, but by giving them access to quality care and minority representation. This access to quality care and minority representation allows minority people to get what they deserve as well as to be enlightened and not quieted anymore because, through me, I can help others to learn the options and careers that they can achieve and live in through hard work and dedication.

Life is such an interesting thing and reminds me so much each day of a roller coaster with many twists and turns that one does not see coming. As a Biology student on the pre-medicine track, each day is constant work from writing essays and looking at data in research laboratories to writing scholarships to stay in school and possibly pursue medicine, which has been a dream of mine, since I was nine years old, and it is something I continually strive for. Medicine has been a special part of my life since I was three years old. The reason is that I was always in and out of the hospital for many issues with my lungs, back, and heart, causing the hospital to become a comfort place and second home for me. It was where all my problems and mysteries had solutions. This idea of every problem having a solution inspired me because it showed how through great knowledge, nothing will be unsolved, which drew me to the idea of medicine. Medicine is something that also helps people to continue with life in more ways than one, supplying them the chance to feel like their old selves or a new version of themselves depending on the surgery or treatment and care. Each doctor brings care and compassion to their patient only wanting the best for them. I want to supply people with that care, comfort, and honesty. I want to help them to continue through each day without the physical pain that is due to old age or disfiguring. With this passion, it means I will have to go through a large amount of schooling (i.e. twelve years), meaning that it will cost a large amount of money. With this scholarship, I will be able to continue my goal of becoming a doctor without the weight of student loans on my back, and it will help me to be encouraged and be able to continue in school to get my degree. Not to mention, this scholarship will help me to inspire others to achieve their dreams benefitting not just my future but other minority communities due to having more doctors in America, which will give more representation to children and adults. This idea of representation is important to me because it helps more people of color explore their options and pursue careers that were once not promised to them due to the color of their skin and the way their hair and clothes looked.

Success looks like many things to me. It is something that varies in different stages and moments of my life. At the moment, success to me as a college student in everyday life is to keep going and to continue to my goal of graduating with a high GPA and getting into medical school. This is my overall goal because as a Black female in STEM, I have been faced with many obstacles from professors telling me to be quick right away to losing advantages and interviews due to my skin color. So, to me, walking across the stage to graduate, shows me and others that I did it, that I proved everyone wrong. Also, it demonstrates that I can do anything I want to if I put my mind to it and will achieve my dream of becoming an internal medicine doctor. Not to mention, as a STEM student who struggles with depression, each day is a battle from the high rise/low rise of emotions to the overflowing of homework each day. There is never a dull or quiet moment, and when there is a quiet moment, it is almost unusual. My definition of success during these hard times is to just wake up, continue my day, and not give up. By seeing a positive moment in these hard times, I am succeeding because I am not letting the diagnosis of depression and anxiety conquer who I am and want to be. So just the daily moments of being able to wake up, worship God, and see my family are my definition of success because that means that I have blessings in my life as well as a support system, which is all I can truly ask for. My huge dream of success is to help people. To be able to give disadvantaged people proper treatment and care is the chance to feel loved and like humans and citizens again. I want to give people the comfort that is not always promised to them due to their race, financial status, or mental state. By helping people from all different backgrounds, beliefs, and opinions, I will be able to grow as a person as well as learn from them and all their experiences in life. Lastly, my non-career-oriented definition of success is to get married and have a family. Since I was young and as I get older, I have wanted to get married and have a family, creating future generations of leaders and Christ-loving people, allowing for the world to be filled with love and support. I want to help the world as well as bring life into it. By having a family, I get to learn more about myself and myself, while bringing light into the world. This goal has been personal to me, especially growing up in a working household, I want to supply my child with the chance to experience both parents working as well as spending all their free time with their child, showing them the love and support they deserve. My definitions of success range from personal goals to dreams to help others. One day, I will be successful in all aspects, but for right now, I am pursuing it each and every day. Success is measured to me through my happiness. It is how I maximize who I am, and I cannot wait to succeed and see my future.

Success looks like many things to me. It is something that varies in different stages and moments of my life. At the moment, success to me as a college student in everyday life is to keep going and to continue to my goal of graduating with a high GPA and getting into medical school. This is my overall goal because as a Black female in STEM, I have been faced with many obstacles from professors telling me to be quick right away to losing advantages and interviews due to my skin color. So, to me, walking across the stage to graduate, shows me and others that I did it, that I proved everyone wrong. Also, it demonstrates that I can do anything I want to if I put my mind to it and will achieve my dream of becoming an internal medicine doctor. Not to mention, as a STEM student who struggles with depression, each day is a battle from the high rise/low rise of emotions to the overflowing of homework each day. There is never a dull or quiet moment, and when there is a quiet moment, it is almost unusual. My definition of success during these hard times is to just wake up, continue my day, and not give up. By seeing a positive moment in these hard times, I am succeeding because I am not letting the diagnosis of depression and anxiety conquer who I am and want to be. So just the daily moments of being able to wake up, worship God, and see my family are my definition of success because that means that I have blessings in my life as well as a support system, which is all I can truly ask for. My huge dream of success is to help people. To be able to give disadvantaged people proper treatment and care is the chance to feel loved and like humans and citizens again. I want to give people the comfort that is not always promised to them due to their race, financial status, or mental state. By helping people from all different backgrounds, beliefs, and opinions, I will be able to grow as a person as well as learn from them and all their experiences in life. Lastly, my non-career-oriented definition of success is to get married and have a family. Since I was young and as I get older, I have wanted to get married and have a family, creating future generations of leaders and Christ-loving people, allowing for the world to be filled with love and support. I want to help the world as well as bring life into it. By having a family, I get to learn more about myself and myself, while bringing light into the world. This goal has been personal to me, especially growing up in a working household, I want to supply my child with the chance to experience both parents working as well as spending all their free time with their child, showing them the love and support they deserve. My definitions of success range from personal goals to dreams to help others. One day, I will be successful in all aspects, but for right now, I am pursuing it each and every day. Furthermore, with this scholarship, I will be one step closer to success in my academics as well as in my financial freedom goals. I want to be able to save and help people and with this money, you will be investing not just in me but my family, minority communities, and my passion and goal to help local communities to obtain better healthcare and medical care in general.

While being a black woman in America, I deal with many adversities from the controversy of the way my natural hair looks in public and in the workplace to the over-sexualization of black women. I cannot catch a break, especially as a woman, trying to pursue medicine. Women in medicine are often looked down upon, which is why they are the minority gender in the field. Professors and male peers agonize over you, questioning if you are right for this role and if you should continue to pursue your dreams. These are the moments that set me back, making me question if I am right for this role. If all the efforts, I have put into achieving good grades and caring for people were for something. My dream is to become a general surgeon. I want to help save lives and bring comfort to all families, especially lower-class families who do not get the same treatment as their counterparts due to their financial status and the color of their skin. Most importantly as a doctor, I want to make the hospital feel like a home and not just a four-white wall building that is normally cold, just as the doctors did with me when I went to surgery. I want to help decrease the stigma of people not liking hospitals and give people a chance to enjoy their experiences there and get proper and affordable treatment before it is too late. Furthermore, this adversity from my professors and peers has pushed me to prove them wrong. I want this dream, and no one is going to stop me. This dream has filled my mind, since I was little, allowing me to indulge in the idea of serving the community and giving to people who are looked down upon, helping me to give back to my community in a unique way since they have continually supported my dream, even when I did not deserve it. This adversity did discourage me, but over time, I have taken this threat as a challenge. I have started to work harder in my academics, pursuing different experiences and networking opportunities each day. I use every opportunity, now, as a lesson to grow and understand who I am, creating a strategy to continue to pursue my goals and dreams. Overall, I have overcome adversity through persistence, support and faith, which has continually helped me in my everyday life.

Have your dreams ever been crushed in one moment in time? If so, did it feel like your world was falling apart or that you had to start from scratch? Well for me just a couple of days ago, I was faced with this obstacle. On Friday, September 29th, I was supposed to meet virtually with a breast cancer surgeon to learn more about her passion, why she chose it, and what a typical day in her life is like, while also, learning about possible shadowing opportunities in her field. I was excited to meet her and learn about her career, especially since over the summer, I was able to do cancer biology research due to my breast cancer having a huge impact on my past family history. Plus, this interview was to help identify different fields I am interested in and to gain knowledge on them. This interview was meant to open doors and inspire me, but instead, it initially crushed me. During the interview, after restating my reasonings for interviewing her and my desire to gain more knowledge about her career as was stated in my message to her, she quickly shut me down, calling me unprofessional and how I was taking up her time. Then, she proceeded to give me only 5 minutes left of her time to ask one specific question about her career, after her assistant set up a 30-minute block period for the meeting. I was profoundly shaken by her outrage and filled with anxiety as I tried to find the right question to ask. Eventually after searching through my notebook for the "perfect" question, she answered the question by telling me to look up the answer on Google and to come prepared next time. After stating this, she left the meeting. After leaving, I sent her a message thanking her for her time and help. This broke me because I felt like all the hard work I had put into meeting with her had been for nothing and that I was unprofessional and did not know why. I immediately went into action to understand how I could increase my professionalism. I emailed my career coach, and my advisor and talked with one of my teachers, explaining the situation that had just occurred and showing the messages that were transacted, expressing concern about how do I improve my professionalism. After talking with her, she explained that I did nothing wrong and should not give up. What I learned from this experience, is to never give up or back down from a dream that you want to achieve even if it feels like you are going to fail. This experience has pushed me to try my hardest and to be a better student and future doctor because I deserve to win no matter what.

My mother is so amazing. Her compassion and kindness exceed all. She is my inspiration, which is why throughout my life, I have tried to make her proud. Ever since I was young, my mother and I have always clashed from disagreeing about what college to attend to the outfit I am wearing for the day. Each time, we encounter each other, we have a slight disagreement, but those disagreements have never stopped her love for me. Her love goes for miles, every time she meets someone she always smiles at them, asking them about their day. She cares about each individual she encounters and always wants the best to the point that she will take the clothes off of her back to help others. She is truly a person that loves to help others from her annual Thanksgiving service trip to the homeless shelter to serve food to her continued work in the church and the years that she took care of my ill great-grandmother. My mother has sacrificed so much to make other people happy, which is why every day I try to make her proud because she has done so much with all that she has even if it is not that much. Her compassion for strangers has always inspired me to help others at every opportunity I can. This desire to help people has led me to many careers from activist to now finally deciding to become an internal medicine physician, allowing me to help people in need, supplying them with care, compassion, and the honesty that they deserve. When I decided to become a doctor, my mother did not care about the hardship I was about to put myself through, she just cared that I was happy, and since then, she has continually supported me in trying to find cheap versions of the MCAT book, so I can start studying to reminding me every day when things get rough that I am here for a reason and I should never give up no matter what because I am a child of God, and God would not give me too much to handle. My mom has been a continual support in my life from playing the piano for 10 years because I said the piano was pretty to just being there for me on my worst nights. My mother's love has inspired me in all of whom I encounter, trying to represent her to the best of my abilities. Her love and compassion for others is something I aspire to each day!

I admire her honesty and genuineness. Even though she has a great career, she does not let that stop her from being human and making mistakes, while also recognizing those mistakes and trying to improve from them. She does not let the haters get to her or stop her from achieving her dreams. Her realness with the world and the realities of her daily life shows how much she cares about the world and not just her appearance and status. She wants to make a difference and continually uses her platform to represent that, using her voice and platform to make issues more prominent and recognized in her fanbase and community. She does not let society stop her from being her true self and wears whatever she wants to wear, not caring if others like it or not. She defies what society wants and does not care because she wants all people to be comfortable in their skin and represent the person they want to be. She cares and her continual goal for justice is inspiring because, through all the popularity, she still cares about the homeless and injustice. She wants the world to be better and does not care about the continual profit of her movies but how much of an impact she can have on people and helping them to get their needs and live each day to the fullest.

Becoming a medical doctor has been a dream of mine since I was 3 years old. As a child who used to always be in the hospital for major and minor surgeries, I was one of the only people in my family who did not fear it but embraced it. I loved the fresh and clean smells of the room, the smiling faces of the nurses, and the kindness in their hearts as they gave me little gifts after my surgeries from stickers to a coloring book. These moments have always stuck in my head because they helped me to learn what genuine care, honesty, and compassion are. My primary care doctors were like a second family to me, always willing to answer all my questions and check in on how my education was doing and if my career goals ever changed, and happily I would always say, "No, I want to become a doctor still." These moments meant the world to me because they reassured me of my dreams after each encounter since my goal as a medical doctor is to help people as well as provide them the comfort I felt with each doctor's appointment and surgery I went and had. I want to give people that chance for peace and comfort, and with this goal, I also want other African Americans to see themselves in this field since a small amount of minority people are doctors. Some obstacles that I have faced while on this journey are financial circumstances and self-doubt. For financial circumstances, I have been having struggles, trying to afford the MCAT books and classes to prepare to take the test to get into medical school, since it costs so much. Not to mention, in order to obtain the chance to go to medical school, I have to be in undergraduate education first, which is more difficult to afford, since education costs are constantly increasing, especially during inflation. These experiences have taught me how to navigate school and work and learn how to manage money and take out loans as well. It has helped me to learn what financial literacy is and how to prevent a large amount of debt. This issue has caused me to not go quiet and ask for help when needed from extended family members, realizing that my dreams need to come true because so many people are helping me fight for this dream. The other obstacle is self-doubt because after hearing so many people from my past schools say that my dream is unrealistic, it, at one point, got stuck in my head, causing me to almost give up, but through a reevaluation of my goals, I realized that I wanted to continue my goal. This experience pushed me, encouraging me to complete this dream and prove the nay-sayers wrong. Plus, it increased my determination to make it and help people, providing the world with a better place and more comfort.

All my life I struggled with who I was. Being an African American in predominantly white institutions all my life, I have been called the N-word and many other slurs just because of my skin color and looked down upon because of my parents and how I was raised in a different part of town with different parenting styles and beliefs. Plus, while being Christian in a Catholic school, one sees how the Catholics are catered to, by having them receive scholarships for being a part of the parish and other benefits, separating me from my fellow classmates. Each day I had to prove myself, working extra hours on my homework, tutoring my African-American classmates, and trying to help them achieve good grades. I wanted to help them end the stereotype and show that we work hard for everything we do and deserve every blessing we get. By tutoring others, I was able to learn how to control my anger, be more compassionate, and learn patience. I was able to learn how to think outside of the box and cater to different learning habits, behaviors, and disabilities. Through tutoring, I learned more about myself and others. Dealing with the slurs about my skin color as well as trying to prove I belonged caused me to go into a state of severe depression and anxiety, leading me to hate myself. I lost who I was and was only focused on a grade because that grade defined me and who I was. It defined my emotions, my personality and so much more. I did not know who I was, nor did I think I really cared. I was trapped in an endless cycle of working toward a self that I did not know if even mattered to me anymore because those goals that I had when I was young, were not mine but were my parents, since they were living through me. Being in this state, caused so many disconnections with my family, friends, and acquaintances, which led me to go to therapy and get proper care, having to relearn who I was what I wanted for my future, and how I wanted to truly help people for the rest of my life. My desire to help people has led me to want to work in the field of internal medicine, hopefully becoming a general surgeon. With this money, I will be able to continue my commitment and goal of becoming a general surgeon and opening a pro-bono surgical clinic, allowing people who cannot afford healthcare to get the necessary surgeries that they need to continue moving through their daily lives. This money will provide me the opportunity to help people in the future and even now because this money will go towards my education and allow me to continue to find transportation to get to service opportunities so that I can feed the homeless, serve the hungry, and read to children in my local libraries. This money will not be wasted but will be appreciated and help others through my volunteering efforts and continual love and support of others. Lastly, but most importantly, I want to thank you for allowing me this opportunity to share a part of my story. I hope you enjoy the rest of your day.

Although I realize that the questions are written in order, I would like to answer the second question first because my favorite book explains my goals as a writer. One book I recommend is The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. This book has been a part of my life and has been a basis for my decisions since I was 11 years old because I never truly understood the meaning of love and what it meant. I did not know compassion, all I knew was that love was a feeling that we had to feel toward our parents, but what about that love that was not forced or obligated? The love that people felt toward friends and lovers, which was something I struggled with because all I thought about was why should we love when it all results in heartbreak. This book helped me to realize that love needs to be felt to feel human and even though that pain is inevitable, we can try to avoid or prevent it, but the pain will always demand to be felt. These emotions, in all honesty, I did not know I could feel, but after I read the book and cried for about 12 hours and 45 minutes over the course of three days. This book enlightened my heart and mind because for so long I was lost in a world, where I did not know the true meaning of love. I realized that love is something important because it makes us human, helping us feel recognized in a society so lost in appearances and compliments. Love is the basis of life, which is why it deserves to be felt at least once, and as I read, I feel love, which is what I want to present in my writing to my future readers. I want to give them that chance to feel emotions that felt so distant to them, allowing them to become more vulnerable to themselves, and revealing their true values and goals in life. This vulnerability is something needed to give people the chance to grow and accept their emotions and opinions on life. Books are always better than movies because they allow one to perceive those emotions and expressions written in different ways, granting them the ability to dissect the fictional world in a new view, imagining the characters from their point of view and what they believe they will look like. I want the reader to feel included in the writing as if they are in the fictional world with the novel's characters. Besides fictional writing, my other goal for my journalism writing is to provide the most authentic and truthful articles, giving people the facts in a short and concise manner so that it will keep the reader's attention and intrigue. I want to be better at attention to detail and grammar, checking to make sure that I did not miss a period or a comma. These goals will take time to complete, but through practice, I believe anything is possible.

Making a positive impact has been a continual goal of mine since I was a baby. I was always taught to help people, serve the community, and give people opportunities and second chances, since sometimes in this society, second chances are not promised. Second chances are something that I have been lucky to receive many times in my life, especially in my Christian faith journey, but some are not as blessed. My life goal as a person is to give people that chance at redemption and allow them the chance to feel like humans again. Some ways that I do that is by serving in my church, which does a large amount of outreach pertaining to gun control, and food insecurities, and helping school-age African American children have a chance at a better education informing them of their true history, showing them how they matter and what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. fought for. Through serving at my church, I have been able to help with food giveaways, low-income housing community festivals, and more. This has opened my eyes to the world of my people and how we need a change. Plus, I continue to do work at St. Joseph and Augustine on Thanksgiving, where I get to serve and cook food for low-income families as well as create care packages at Cleveland Food Bank for families in need. These opportunities have allowed me to see these many families and talk to them on a personal level, realizing their needs and desires. One thing that is lacking is their quality health services and healthcare since it costs so much money to get treatment and care in cases of emergencies, routine doctor's visits, and different tests including blood and antibody tests. This idea of lack of quality healthcare due to its increasing expense, encourages my idea of opening a pro-bono surgical clinic, allowing for low-income families to be treated with quality care as well as giving people in the local communities a continued resource for employment from custodial staff to writers and public relations officers. There will be many jobs with a wide range of skills to have and learn about. Although this dream will take some time, I continue to have a positive impact as well by working in my school as a medical volunteer, where we go to local nursing homes and make cards and blankets for them as well as a first aid mental health servicer, granting me the chance to take with and direct people to the right services, when struggling with their different mental health problems. Not to mention, I am about to be certified in CPR and will hopefully become an EMT for my college city's local hospital. I love helping people, and I hope to continue that for the rest of my life.

His eyes, you can tell someone loves you through their eyes. Conrad Fisher is a man of many talents, including rejecting his feelings for someone in order to protect himself from his emotions, after dealing with the discovery of his mother's cancer her death. He is dealing with a lot on top of navigating through his feelings for Belly. Conrad Fisher has loved Belly all his life from giving her an infinity necklace at 16 to teaching her how to dance, stopping smoking all because she told him to, giving her his jacket in the car after saying she was not cold due to him knowing her so well and finally to breaking down his walls and expressing his love for her after denying it for so long. Do not get me wrong, I loved Team Jeremiah initially as well, but after reading the books, Jeremiah started liking her the summer she turned pretty, whereas Conrad always loved her no matter what. Plus, Conrad never gives nor gave up on their love because he knew it was strong, not even when she was about to marry his brother. Conrad never gave up, yet in the film, after seeing Conrad dancing with Belly, Jeremiah gave up, fighting for her because he knew their love was too strong and inevitable. Belly is undecisive, but her love for Conrad was always consistent from spending her time trying to find Conrad after he leaves college to spending all night with him to help him pass his finals, while also basically explaining that if she gave him another chance, he should not let it go. She is the only one that makes him happy in his lost times. He wants the best for her and wants to be the person who helps her through it all. He will sacrifice his dignity to make her happy because he loves her. Not to mention, I have always acknowledged that your first love is never forgotten, and when love is continual on both parties, it cannot be stopped. Even Conrad said that Belly is it for him, and she said the same. They love each other to the point that they will do anything to fix it. They just lack communication, and communication is needed for a great relationship. This love story is not over and will continue until the end because, like her infinity necklace, their love is endless and never-ending.

We are rebels. As a person a part of Gen Z, I can honestly say we are in a trap, we are subjected to stereotypes, claiming that we did not go outside, that we lack experience in life and expect everything handed to us, and that we are out of control, when really we are a generation that is more selfish in our dreams and passions, knowing what we want to do with our lives and not backing down from a fight. We are the generation that does not take no for a no and defies the odds, trying to uplift justice and fairness through cancel culture, attempting to diminish racism in itself, while also fighting for financial freedom and to stop global warming through increased use of electric cars, endeavoring to lower our carbon footprint. This generation cares about their world and has stopped living by society's truth and has been determined to come up with their own. This truth is determined by each other, and social media has helped to make a unified meaning of life, which is to achieve our dreams and fight for what we believe is right. While reading the Ode To Millennials-Gen Z, my initial thoughts were that the Great Generation generally ruined the world for future generations, causing us to have to pick up the mess and deal with it while also being blamed for it. Not to mention, the ode shows how lost passed-generations were and how through trial and error, they caused more harm than good for society, yet through their trials and errors, we were able to figure out how to solve our problems and use the resources of the past to expand on the future. This sense of duty that the Great Generation had empowered future generations, but also this sense of duty gave us a sense of joy because, with our act of living, we are helping the world to thrive. After all, we are living for ourselves and the world, making us the rebels of our time and passed-generations, since we are defying the odds and changing the world one step at a time. Being a rebel does not mean being destructive, it means pushing yourself and others to be your and their best self. This rebellion began when we stepped into the world, and we continue to make the world a better place each and every day.

Who am I? What's my name? These were the words, I never thought I would have to ask my grandfather, but then again life happened, and my family was thrown this challenge. My grandfather was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease at the age of 70. It started with him losing his keys, to losing his wallet, to then getting lost on the way to church, to only eating once throughout the week, to even standing up and defying the robbers during a bank heist because he could not register what was really happening and the fear in his grandchild's eyes as she begged him to get on the floor and to safety. These were just the first signs, and at first, no one wanted to believe them, suggesting that maybe he was getting "forgetful" or that it was just a symptom of old age, but after the diagnosis, there were no more excuses. My grandfather had Alzheimer's. This was heartbreaking for my family. We had just lost my paternal grandmother. and now we had to take care of a man that had always wanted to be independent. This diagnosis although painful also pushed my family together. My paternal aunts and uncles had to start dividing up the work with my grandfather, making sure he ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner, driving him to doctors' appointments and church, collecting his tenets' rent payments, and paying his bills on time. This was a lot on them but it was a repayment to their father for all he had done for them in their years of life. This disease also caused relational issues with my grandfather and his children because my grandfather started to become paranoid and rejected help from any of his sons, believing that they were using and stealing from him. This paranoia created many arguments and threats that were said that should not have been stated, but sometimes, he would return to his normal self and calm down and spend some quality time with his sons and laugh and talk. The most painful memory was when my grandfather asked during an outing, where his wife was. He kept on insisting on how late it was and how his wife wanted him home soon. This urgency did not end, but we had to ignore it because he forgot that she had died a year earlier, and we did not want to break the news to him again. We had to keep many secrets from my grandfather because we did not know what he could and could not handle, which is why when he called me by my cousin's name I went along with him in fear that he would become frustrated with me when having to think about his many grandchildrens' names. Over his long battle with Alzheimer's disease, he eventually died at the age of 80 after going to a doctor's appointment, where it was stated he had a few more years to live when in reality, he died that night after leaving the hospital. My grandfather's illness taught me to enjoy the present because you never know when certain moments with a person might be your last. Also, he helped to learn that when life is hard you pray, even though my grandfather did not remember many things, he always prayed. He prayed in the morning and the night, reading his Bible daily and preaching to his grandkids the many blessings God has given to him. He encouraged my faith. helping me to understand that without God I am nothing and through Him, I can do all things because He gives me strength. Each day I think of my grandfather and all the things he did for my family, and what I realized was he never gave up on his dreams and always continued to work towards his goals. He cared for his family and wife and loved them until his last breath. I love my grandfather, and he has helped me to realize that time is important and to cherish the memories I have with people now because who knows when the time will come when I might forget or one of my family members might forget. This disease ruined my family's life, but it did cause us to appreciate the time that we have together now before it is too late.

Science is something that I cannot control, which is why it bothers me so much. Science has never come naturally for me from staying up late trying to memorize the periodic table to crying over why my cells did not grow or became contaminated after an experiment. It has been the bane of my existence in many factors from preventing me from hanging out with my friends because I had twenty pages of notes due the next morning to missing family gatherings due to having a test that could make or break my 4.0 grade average. Science is something that has dictated my happiness for so long and I use to hate it, but now I love it. Besides going to Biology and Chemistry classes throughout the academic year, this year I decided to apply for a cancer program that allowed me the chance to do research and apply my in-class knowledge to outside problems, but I never realized how much information I failed to retain. As I joined the laboratory, I was quickly greeted with anxiety because I was not the smartest in the room and I was even struggling to do basic math i.e. multiplication and division, since I did not understand the scientific phrases that were being thrown at me. Each day I would try to get ahead by reading the articles presented to me, watching videos on the procedures I was supposed to partake in, and studying any notes that I took throughout the day. I tried so hard, but I kept failing. It felt like every time I tried to do something by myself I cracked under pressure because when it was time to do something alone I would panic. One vivid memory of my panic was when I did a Bio-Rad Protein Concentration Assay by myself but did not know where to start because I did not want to make a mistake after they worked so hard on creating the infection and selection. Overall, the Bio-Rad Protein Concentration Assay went well, but with that initial fear, I failed to overcome my anxiety and let my passion for this field take over. I wanted to do great, but would not let myself relax to make myself and my team proud. These initial days of fear subsided, but every once and a while I get a pang of worry. After succeeding with the Bio-Rad Protein Concentration Assay, I felt relief and pride, and I honestly loved that feeling. I loved that I had to work for the feeling and how over time I will be able to achieve this dream of working in Science. Overall, this passion and feeling of working towards my goals have increased my calmness and helped me to understand what is going on in my classes and future classes. Plus, I have become more comfortable with performing tasks in the lab including doing Western Blots and minipreps. These experiences also allowed me to get an interview with one of my school's laboratories, hoping to become a part of her team during the school years. This experience opened my eyes to my love for science and how even though it is a struggle, some of its outcomes are everlasting and unforgettable.

I chose not to be trapped! The word "trapped" is defined by Merriam-Webster as when one is placed in a restricted position. All my life I have seen my family trapped in more ways than one from my mother not having a driver's license and literally being stuck at home to my father being trapped in financial debt, constricting him from achieving financial freedom and going on vacation and genuinely relaxing because he always had to work to lower his debt and stop his interest from increasing. This path of being trapped causes one to lean on others for help to get them out of that feeling and moment of entrapment. When I was 16 years old, I was in my teenage period of entrapment, via not having my driver's license. I wanted to drive to help with the burden of taking me to school each morning and help alleviate my grandmother from going to my mother and me to work every single day at the ripe age of 70 years old. This license was my way to be freed of dependency and struggles. I felt that if I had my driver's license I could relieve many issues concerning my family and friends as well. I wanted to help in one way or another. Now, passing the driver's test was so hard for me. I took extra classes because I kept having a hard time staying under the speed limit and not making sharp right turns. In addition to taking extra driving classes, I also practiced with my dad multiple times as well, practicing how to properly parallel park and look through my mirrors. When the time for the test came, I failed. I cried so hard and even stayed in the car for 5 hours after getting home because I was so ashamed of not accomplishing my dream. After crying for those 5 hours, I picked up my courage and called the license bureau, and reschedule my next test. For this new test, I took my time, focusing on looking through the mirrors to make sure my tires were aligned properly with the cones. I did not want to fail or let the pressure get the best of me. By taking my time and focusing on the important parts of the test, I was able to pass with flying colors. This accomplishment and experience showed me how to take initiative in my life and plan what I want because I am the one who set up the extra driving classes as well as my driving appointments. I was so focused on driving, yet I still was able to achieve high grades in all my classes. I learned how to maneuver through life and not let any obstacles conquer me. This idea of driving was one accomplishment of many, and I cannot wait to achieve more. Overall, what I hope to achieve in the future is to go to medical school and become a doctor, practicing internal medicine and surgery. I want to help people and save their lives. I want to challenge myself as well by pursuing this goal because by becoming a surgeon, I am pushing myself and learning how to handle criticism, preparing me for everyday life and the possibilities that life will throw at me. Being a doctor is all I have wanted to be, and with my motivation, I know I can acquire it.

They say this new society is blind to color, but what they are failing to understand is that this blindness is still allowing the majority to keep the headstart that they have had for the past 50 or more years. Colorblindness is meant to help people of color feel more comfortable in a world that was once controlled by Jim Crow and segregation. This blindness is trying to help all feel united, when really it is causing people to be disadvantaged, forcing them to work ten times or harder than the average individual just to keep up and even try to get ahead of their colleagues and competitors. Recently, Affirmative Action was reevaluated and rejected by the Supreme Court. Affirmative Action allowed for programs and universities to grant special consideration to historically excluded groups, including racial minorities and genders, for example, African Americans and women. This Affirmative Action helped minorities to get to sit at tables and in areas that were once not promised. The reasoning behind the ruling was that it was not constitutional and unjust because it was supplying differences between races when really it was simply allowing people to be considered in schools that they thought they did not have a chance in and allowed them to attend top schools and be apart of top programs, giving them a chance to end the generational curses and become financial free over time. These programs and high-achieving universities required a large amount of work and dedication to be a part of, so affirmative action encouraged minorities to work harder to achieve their dreams because they knew they had a small chance of attending with the help of the Supreme Court's ruling but now that it has been overturned, it has discouraged people from attending colleges and universities since there is a small percentage of them being accepted. Plus, the ruling increased injustice because the ruling did not affect legacy acceptance, which is what helped generations of Caucasians to attend top universities just because their parents went there in the past. After hearing about this decision, I realize how there should be a change in the way society responds to problems of the disadvantage because we as people always come to and acknowledged as the last result, yet are always the subject of the first laws to get rid of, overturn or adjust, failing to come to the minorities of those races with the problems and asking them what they want for solutions. Injustice is a huge issue in America, and it needs to be observed and adjusted. Problems of the disadvantaged need to be fixed with the help of the disadvantaged people because one can not fix their true problems of them unless they know what is truly happening in their lives. Some ways to allow the disadvantaged to have a voice in what happens in their lives is by supplying petitions and even going out into local communities and questioning locals about what they need to feel safe and appreciated in America. Another way is to send out surveys with incentives, giving people a chance to get a small amount of money or a gift as appreciation for caring about themselves and other minorities/people of color. By giving the disadvantaged a voice, we are allowing for real positive change to occur.

My dream house would be built in Boston, Massachusetts. Even though I was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, I have always had a love for the history behind the Boston Tea Party and Paul Revere, so by living there, I will be able to enjoy that history through the monuments daily. Not to mention, this house will have 3 floors with a basement as well, having 4 bathrooms, one on each floor, and 10 bedrooms, 4 on the second and third floors and 2 in the basement, while the living room, dining room, and kitchen will be on the main floor. Also, I plan to have a library and a study combined in my house due to my love for reading, learning, and knowledge in general. In addition, I will also have an indoor movie theater, which would allow me to enjoy some quality family time with my husband and children. An arcade room will be in the basement as well since I love to play games, and it will increase my children's hand-eye coordination and let the home be a place of rest and fun, encouraging competitiveness and persistence. Lastly, as an avid Christian and believer in God, I plan to incorporate a prayer room into my house, probably on the second floor, where it will be a room full of carpeting, pillows, and candles, allowing it to be a place of rest and tranquility. Plus, there will be worship music, filling the room, helping and encouraging to people fill God's presence when they enter it. Overall, this house will represent me and promote growth throughout my family. This home will represent peace and unity for them, giving them the chance to be able to have fun, pray and sleep in just a few floors.

In the 1990s, when you turned on the television, on the screen appeared the Powerpuff Girls and their backstory states that they were made with "sugar, spice, and everything nice." This idea of sugar, spice, and everything nice is rooted in an idea, where profits are being made due to consumer demand and commercial franchises, meaning that this statement is to support how sugar is correlated to niceness, when sweets actually hurt you in the long run. Healthy eating habits are important because as a child with a diabetic parent and family members, what they consume is most important to the effects of their glucose levels and health. When my dad was diagnosed with diabetes, it was a huge adjustment from removing most of the treats from our house due to overconsumption and continual fear of him going into a diabetic coma. This was hard because none of us realized how important sweets were to our emotional health, since it was our comfort foods. It was what we depend on when life got tough. It is what stabilized and distracted us when life was getting hard to handle or my father or mother had a difficult day in the office and on their routes. Sugar was not only our anchor, we were addicted. Due to this restriction, which is not recommended, we had to find other solutions for our sugar habit and addiction. These other solutions were eating fruits like strawberries and watermelon and even trying alternative sweets that have less sugar or sugar substitutes. These sugar substitutes allowed my parents and I to become bakers in the kitchen, learning how to substitute sugar for apple sauce and honey. These substitutes allowed us to obtain that sweetness without the increased glucose levels. During this reconstruction era of my family's life, as we tried to navigate through my father's diagnosis, we learned more about health and its importance, discovering how life is not promised but with a proper diet and daily simple exercise, we will be able to postpone death, allowing for us to continue our bloodline and leave a positive legacy for future generations. The importance of healthy eating habits allows us to live longer and more prosperous lives. It is a form of self-care, showing that we care about ourselves and the world we want to live in. This idea of us focusing on what goes into our bodies also helps us to be present at the moment and what we are eating because when we are eating, we are no longer zoned-out but present in the conversation and beautiful process of how our bodies are being nourished. Through helping my dad through this diagnosis, I was able to see positive aspects in my family's physical and mental appearance from my dad losing 25 pounds to my mom feeling more energized throughout the day and getting more work done around the house. I felt more connected to the world, allowing me to move more and run and jump without being out of breath so quickly. This idea of eating has supplied me with better skin and more energy, helping me to spend more time with my friends and family. Overall, this diagnosis changed our lives, but over time, this life-changing and dangerous diagnosis has turned into a positive, allowing for my family and I to be more connected to the world, and our bodies, and have a better relationship with each other. Our healthy eating habit journey has just begun, but it has already improved our lives, and we cannot wait to see what more it offers.

What do you do when all your dreams are lost? For my dad, on a random day in college, he lost his chance to complete his bachelor's degree in Mathematics. It broke him. He lost this opportunity due to his financial status and lack of availability to pay for college and keep himself afloat, so he chose to work over going to school. This one decision he made 33 years ago, he still regrets today. Math Is what makes him excited. It is what pushes him to think and helps him to understand the world in a new life. Now, this passion for math, for me, was inherited. I love numbers and working through problems with exact solutions and how one can solve any unknown variable through some calculations and thinking through the problem, slowly but surely. Each day, I was always excited about going to my math class, but what I enjoyed most is having that connection to my dad. My dad is one of the most important people in my life, but due to his constant work schedule and being in 2 hours away from me, while I am in college, it is hard to keep in contact all the time. By working on equations, I am remembering our amazing memories from working on my multiplication problems at the crack of dawn, since they were due in a couple of hours to fighting over which answer was correct and then when he was wrong, he would blame Common Core for the confusion. These memories are what help me to continue my pursuit of education because even through frustration, I know that there is a right answer and I can always find x, it just takes a little bit of time. Math has been a very dominant part of my life and has created great memories between me and my father. It is important academically, but always it helps one to never give up as well because one is learning to look at a problem differently. Problems come in many forms, but by knowing the basics, they can achieve and figure out the answer. Math has helped form bad and great memories in my life and has shaped me and my relationships. It is something that I thought I never would use in life, but in actuality, I use it every day and will always in the future.

My family's legacy is dying. As an African American female, I am in a society, where I am a subject of mediocrity due to the color of my skin and my family's past of being in the slave trade. This legacy was forged on mistrust, fear, lies, pain, and suffering. It was full of unnecessary work, helping other races to get ahead in life and make them financially stable, while only leaving them with deepened scars and whip-shaped bruises on their bodies, leaving a marking for the legacy of discrimination and racism. This legacy has encouraged many, for years, to defy the odds and pursue life with optimism, trying to achieve financial freedom and supply their families with happiness; but, when they are knocked down or face too many obstacles, they see those scars again, viewing the pain of the past and how it is affecting the future. This idea of legacy has always been something that I took as a challenge. One thing my grandmother told me was that "I define my destination and that many people will try to stop me, but with the help of God, you can achieve it all," basically saying how I can create my own legacy with determination and persistence. This contested me because I did not know what my destination was and what I was fighting for, so I looked at my peers and what they were doing. They were braiding hair, working side hustles and not putting a lot of time into their grades. What they were gaining was money, which is what I thought a legacy was at that time, but what I was failing to cultivate while working countless hours at summer camps was to form relationships and focus on my grades. It was not until a gentle push from my mother that I got my grades up and could achieve and join the Cum Laude Society and National Honor Society in my alma mater. This achievement was the very first moment, where I learned a small part of my legacy was complete, which was graduating from the high school my dad had always dreamed of attending with the highest honors. The tears in my parents' and grandparents' eyes as I walked across the stage to receive my first step into success, helped me to know that I am on the right path to greatness because I am not ever giving up and will continue to pursue all passions and goals that I have for my life. This moment helped me to realize that I love to learn and cannot imagine a life without it, which is why I always plan to pursue higher education. This small part helped me to expand who I was to be and deep dive into a passion for medicine with the pursuit of becoming a future general surgeon or trauma surgeon. This passion will take a lot of work, but through my drive, I can achieve anything. My family's legacy was dying. It was dying because I was lost, stuck in a timeline of societal standards, where I did not know where I belonged. It was not until I buckled down and learned what I wanted did I learn that my family's legacy is to never give up and not let society stop us from attaining our dreams and creating financial freedom and better things for the future. After all this, I can finally say my family's legacy will last forever!

What do you do when all your dreams are lost? For my dad, on a random day in college, he lost his chance to complete his bachelor's degree in Mathematics. It broke him. He lost this opportunity due to his financial status and lack of availability to pay for college and keep himself afloat, so he chose to work over going to school. This one decision he made 33 years ago, he still regrets today. Math Is what makes him excited. It is what pushes him to think and helps him to understand the world in a new life. Now, this passion for math, for me, was inherited. I love numbers and working through problems with exact solutions and how one can solve any unknown variable through some calculations and thinking through the problem, slowly but surely. Each day, I was always excited about going to my math class, but what I enjoyed most is having that connection to my dad. My dad is one of the most important people in my life, but due to his constant work schedule and being in 2 hours away from me, while I am in college, it is hard to keep in contact all the time. By working on equations, I am remembering our amazing memories from working on my multiplication problems at the crack of dawn, since they were due in a couple of hours to fighting over which answer was correct and then when he was wrong, he would blame Common Core for the confusion. These memories are what help me to continue my pursuit of education because even through frustration, I know that there is a right answer and I can always find x, it just takes a little bit of time. Math has been a very dominant part of my life and has created great memories between me and my father. It is important academically, but always it helps one to never give up as well because one is learning to look at a problem differently. Problems come in many forms, but by knowing the basics, they can achieve and figure out the answer. Lastly, my dad's regret of having to leave school has pushed me to succeed academically and continue to pursue my goal of obtaining my degree with the highest of honors because I am not just accomplishing my goal of completing school, but it is his as well.

Have you ever forgotten about love? Love is something that everyone deserves to experience from the comforting feeling in your chest to the fear and pain that it might end. Love is a whirlwind of things, but it is something that you can never forget, unless you ignore it for so long that you just forget, but in the back of your head, you just want them to stay. Well, for me, what influenced that forgotten love was heartbreak, I was 16 years old when my heart was cracked by this boy in khaki shorts with black hair. This heartbreak caused me to focus on myself and forget about love and the possibilities that it presented. I wanted to love but refused it since I felt I did not deserve it, so I tried to escape. I focused on myself and tried to find a way out of the city that reminded me of his dark brown eyes and bright smile, so I pushed myself, focusing on my studies, trying to be the best academically to find a way out of that town, where each wall of my school produced a memory of what were me and him. This pursuit of escape distracted me from the pain I was suffering and even numbed it for a long time. Even though this escape filled my mind in the back of my head, I kept thinking about the what-ifs. What if I lost weight, would he want me again? What if I tried harder to keep the relationship? Finally, what if he just stayed? What if he stayed through the mistrust and the lack of confidence in the relationship? What if he stayed, when things got rough? What if he did not play with my emotions and heart? These are the thoughts that ran through my head continually, filling each moment of my life with pain and influencing the tears on my pillow each night. After reading this little background, my favorite song on Taylor Swift's '1989' album is 'All You Had To Do Was Stay' because each day that it was all wanted from him. Plus, this song helped me to realize that I cannot force someone to stay and even if I try all I can, love is just a shout in the void, hoping for someone to call back, and he did not call back. This song also helped me to realize that as long as I tried my hardest to help, fix and complete the relationship, (dealing with a partner, family member or friend) I should feel fine with the decision of the other person because I can only control my reactions and not their emotions nor feelings. This song helped me to heal from the pain I was going through during this time, which is why I love it so much! Thank you so much for this opportunity and being able to share my love for Taylor Swift's music! Have a great day!

One's dreams are defined by their passion, their life, and their experience. As a child, who was stuck in the house most of the time due to her mother, who suffered from mild agoraphobia, books were my only escape and the only way to leave the walls of my house and breath the fresh air. These long periods inside the house caused many issues mentally and physically, causing me to have a vitamin D deficiency at a young age and lack common social skills due to only reading books. This caused many problems for me when my mother's phobia subsided because I was welcomed/pushed into a world that I was not used to nor ready for, and the best way I knew to prepare myself was to read. Reading opened up many doors in my life, helping me to learn to communicate, be a better child/teenager, share my feelings effectively, and learn how to handle tough conversations. I love reading realistic fiction and self-help books, but my ultimate favorite book is The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. This book has taught me how to handle tough conversations and learn how life is never promised and appreciate it during the moment. One thing that the book helped me through was my paternal grandmother's death. She died when I was ten years old. She was one of the first deaths that had a major impact on my life because her death was so sudden as the doctors gave her 6 months, and she did not live through the night. After her passing, I had a lot of questions about death, looking at the mistakes I made in that relationship and having many regrets, and desiring the chance to redo them. I was honestly stuck in a mindset of grief and could not escape it. This loss caused me to lose myself. I did not know who I was and tumbled into a major depression. I was barely eating and sleeping, and one day I walked into the Barnes and Noble bookstore to find this book, sitting on one of the shelves. I had seen the trailers of the movie coming out and was fascinated by it. Those trailers I had seen I felt instantly connected to because, with this loss, I lost my feelings to love because I did not understand the point of loving someone when in the end, you were just going to lose them. This book reimagined life for me, allowing me to realize that it is more important to experience that love and cherish time together than to prevent those relationships and isolate yourself since that is harming oneself in the process. All the books I have read have taught me to live in the moment and not fear life for each day can bring great memories and many opportunities to network and experience life.

The freshman 15 is something every college student tries to avoid. The freshman 15 is a stereotype/myth that when one comes to college for the first time due to the buffet-style cafeteria food and all-you-can-eat portions with a lack of fruits or vegetables in sight, they are likely to gain 15 or more pounds. This weight is possibly gained due to the lack of accessibility to the gym due to the gym always being a mile or more away from the residence halls or the increased lack of parental visions, telling one what to eat and cooking their nutritiously balanced meals. The freshman 15 is something I feared throughout my first year. I tried not eating for days after eating one cupcake to make sure I did not gain any more weight than I needed to. I wanted to make sure my parents were proud, showing them that I could take care of myself. This mindset caused me to go into a deep depression, damaging my relationship with food, and causing me to fear it instead of love it. I was not using my meal plan and ended up with over $300 to spend on food at the end of my first semester. This $300 was transferred to the next semester, and with my fear of food subsiding, I started to overeat now that I had to get rid of this meal plan money because the school would not reimburse me any funds at the end of the year. I ate everyday 3-4 meals a day and snacked at night. This affected my weight, causing me to gain more than 10 pounds. I was so disguised with myself and wanted to get help, so I got a therapist. For the first couple of weeks, we talked about my relationship with food and how I was dependent on it to improve or help me cope with my feelings and unfamiliarities of life. After learning about my relationship with food, I started to shift it, forming a new objective and opinion of the food, allowing for it to become a nourishing activity instead of a necessity to help calm my emotions. After changing my thoughts on food, I started to attack the issue of the additional weight. I created a plan in my schedule, allowing me to make time to take that extra mile and a half and walk to the gym to workout, and even made incentives for going to the gym like getting a smoothie after my workout for the day, depending on how long and how much effort I put in. Also, I started to drink more water, researching the benefits of it and discovering why I was always so tired and could never focus in class, which was due to my past continual consumption of Diet Pepsi Max. To drink more water, I would buy a big SMART water from the cafeteria and try to drink at least one every couple of hours, just to make sure I had at least some water in my system, if I could not drink the whole regulated amount. After realizing and modifying my relationship with food and putting more time into myself, I started to lose the pounds that I had gained and, in the process, found some accountability partners and friends. My wellness has helped me to navigate the stresses of life and manage my emotions, helping me to cope with the large amounts of homework. This time that I have put into myself has made me feel calmer, helping me to perform better on tests.

The freshman 15 is something every college student tries to avoid. The freshman 15 is a stereotype/myth that when one comes to college for the first time due to the buffet-style cafeteria food and all-you-can-eat portions with a lack of fruits or vegetables in sight, they are likely to gain 15 or more pounds. This weight is possibly gained due to the lack of accessibility to the gym due to the gym always being a mile or more away from the residence halls or the increased lack of parental visions, telling one what to eat and cooking their nutritiously balanced meals. The freshman 15 is something I feared throughout my first year. I tried not eating for days after eating one cupcake to make sure I did not gain any more weight than I needed to. I wanted to make sure my parents were proud, showing them that I could take care of myself. This mindset caused me to go into a deep depression, damaging my relationship with food, and causing me to fear it instead of love it. I was not using my meal plan and ended up with over $300 to spend on food at the end of my first semester. This $300 was transferred to the next semester, and with my fear of food subsiding, I started to overeat now that I had to get rid of this meal plan money because the school would not reimburse me any funds at the end of the year. I ate everyday 3-4 meals a day and snacked at night. This affected my weight, causing me to gain more than 10 pounds. I was so disguised with myself and wanted to get help, so I got a therapist. For the first couple of weeks, we talked about my relationship with food and how I was dependent on it to improve or help me cope with my feelings and unfamiliarities of life. After learning about my relationship with food, I started to shift it, forming a new objective and opinion of the food, allowing for it to become a nourishing activity instead of a necessity to help calm my emotions. After changing my thoughts on food, I started to attack the issue of the additional weight. I created a plan in my schedule, allowing me to make time to take that extra mile and a half and walk to the gym to workout, and even made incentives for going to the gym like getting a smoothie after my workout for the day, depending on how long and how much effort I put in. Also, I started to drink more water, researching the benefits of it and discovering why I was always so tired and could never focus in class, which was due to my past continual consumption of Diet Pepsi Max. To drink more water, I would buy a big SMART water from the cafeteria and try to drink at least one every couple of hours, just to make sure I had at least some water in my system, if I could not drink the whole regulated amount. After realizing and modifying my relationship with food and putting more time into myself, I started to lose the pounds that I had gained and, in the process, found some accountability partners and friends. My wellness has helped me to navigate the stresses of life and manage my emotions, helping me to cope with the large amounts of homework. This time that I have put into myself has made me feel calmer, helping me to perform better on tests.

Are your dreams and passions constructed of your own feel-will and desires, or is it based on what your parents want for you or what you think will make them happy? Life is hard to navigate, especially when you have parents who want you to achieve every dream that they failed to do due to a lack of opportunities, knowledge, and finances. This guidance is helpful in some ways but blocks one from expanding their view of life and careers, failing to acknowledge unique careers and forms of income because one is forced to follow the traditional "stable and successful" routes of life like becoming a doctor and not a real estate agent or having one stream of income instead of investing and having seven streams of income. With parents trying to navigate your life, one loses out on taking risks and learning from the mistakes, which is why college allows one to make mistakes and learn from them without the real-life consequences. The college will enable us to explore what we want for our life and how we plan to achieve those plans. My main goal is to become a general surgeon; through college, I have been able to explore many managerial and secretarial roles including working as a performance tech crew member, allowing me to oversee 5-10 live theater performances and musical concerts from local and major artists. Through this job, I can make spreadsheets, summarizing any issues or damages that occurred through the rehearsals and how to improve for the actual performance date. As well as I oversee, the workers, including the lighting and audio technicians and stagehand, helping them to figure out any issues with the lighting and audio boards, marking the stage, and assisting the performers, making them feel comfortable and ready to bring the audience to fulfillment. This role has helped me expand my knowledge on items I never knew I could learn about, from learning Dante, an audio engineering program, and getting a certificate in it to learning how to communicate with performers and workers, helping the show run smoothly. Another opportunity and potential career that college has brought to my attention is the role of an entrepreneur. Becoming an entrepreneur is risky, but with the help of my many advisors and peer advisors, I can find and plan a product that will benefit a select few people, allowing me to form a market for this possible necessity. I have attended many conferences and meetings that my school has hosted to expand my mindset on product value and how to hack into the minds of others and this new society, helping them to find products they might want or need, basically learning how to advertise that product. These conferences taught me how to negotiate terms and conditions and conduct meetings. These jobs and seminars have helped me to recognize that there is more to life than becoming a doctor. These potential careers will bring me fulfillment, allowing me to tap into my creativity and think outside of the box. They will permit me to take the risk, but with these risks come great success as well, allowing me to hopefully take care of myself and my family. These potential careers of a doctor, stage manager, and entrepreneur are not stationary jobs, but instead push one to step outside of their comfort zone and communicate, expanding their knowledge on culture, health, and finances. With these roles, I am exploring different worlds and diving into cultures and passions never imagined.

Leaders are the truth. For the past couple of years, I have described myself in three words: determined, honest, and a leader. I kept calling myself and hearing others call me a leader, yet never really knowing the actual definition. Every time I thought of what a leader was many definitions and questions came to mind. Was a leader, someone who stays true to their morals and tries to help others stay on the right path? Was a leader someone who got the job or task done in a timely manner? When I thought of the word, leader, I thought of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the man who lead the civil rights movement, putting his heart, health, freedom, and life on the line to help others have the chance to feel equal in a world that was working against people of color. Also, I thought of Kobe Bryant, the man, who spent hours on top of hours in the gym and basketball court to perfect his craft, always demanding more out of his team, helping them to become their most authentic and hardworking selves. These two men are what I call leaders because they did not just push themselves to reap personal benefits, but strived to help others and show society that with determination and persistence, one can achieve their dreams. These figures have expanded my definition of a leader. A leader is the people, they surround themselves with and one's group. It is how one communicates with a group, grows in understanding of the task at hand, and accomplishes it. By being a leader, one has a brand to uphold; they have to follow the laws and beliefs that they project and speak about to others. Leadership does not have to be difficult if one truly believes what they are saying, and as long as it is a topic or group that they believe in and trust, they will be able to achieve it. Leadership is where one has to guide people to success or at least to a lesson of what to do next time to achieve that goal. Leadership is many things, but it requires a group to continue that mission and keep the plan going. Without these leaders' families and support systems, they would just still be having dreams and not taking action on those dreams and making them realities. A leader is many things, but it is based on one's community and the people around them. This definition took a while for me to figure out but after looking at these amazing activists' and players' biographies, I noticed that they always give an acknowledgment to their families or support systems because, without those pushes in the right directions, they might have not achieved as much success as they have currently.

What would you do if you only had one last thing to achieve to make a lasting impression on the world? Would it be to win an NBA championship and break the world record for most points earned in a game, or would it be to create the cure for cancer, causing more lives to continue to live, giving people a chance more time with their families? For me, the last action I want to achieve is to open a pro-bono surgical clinic, allowing people who cannot afford healthcare or pay high out-of-pocket fees for necessary surgeries that will help them continue their everyday tasks. This clinic will be in the inner city of Cleveland or Illinois, where most people of homelessness live. This will allow accessibility to them since they lack transportation to travel besides walking. Not to mention, being in the inner city, it will allow more people to have access to the jobs required for a clinic and will help people in the local community to get experience for their resumes. This will benefit patients, the surrounding community, and community children as well as give the city more government funding. I want to clinic to give people the chance to feel humane again and connected to the world. I want to make people feel at home with the world and themselves, feeling a sense of calmness and relaxation. I want to clinic to feel like a second home, helping people to feel loved and in control of their lives. In addition, this scholarship will help me continue my goal of becoming a general surgeon. This amount of money will help pay for my university books for this upcoming semester since I have to pay for two STEM classes, biology, and chemistry, plus two lecture classes that require a large amount of reading. This scholarship will not only supply with books for the upcoming semester, it will leave me with a small amount of money to save and put into my savings account so that when I am in need, I can use that money. This amount of money will put me one step closer to achieving that chance of opening this clinic and giving people a chance to feel at peace with themselves one last time. I hope that you invest in me and my dream. Thank you so much for this opportunity, and have a great day!

Being faced against a wall in a world where you are a public enemy number sounds hard. Well, for me, that is my life every single day. Since I was 3 years old, I was in predominantly white institutions. I always fought for leadership roles and had to work harder than all my peers and counterparts. Each day I could not let weakness conquer me because if I cried then I was known as a weakling. This caused so many internal issues because I internalized every emotion, failing to express it in any way, causing me to become numb to the world. I was just going through the motions of life as time ticked by. I was on autopilot, failing to show care for others or myself. This numbness affected my relationships with my family and friends because getting good grades was my main priority, and my dignity and emotions became linked to the grades I produced on my report card and paperwork. I was no longer a human but a robot, caught in an endless loop of knowledge and grades, failing to look around at the world and missing the important moments. It was not until I was a freshman in high school that it all changed. On a traumatic yet prosperous day in December, I got my first B+ on a report card. I felt like my life was over, I was crying for days, feeling lost in my identity and what I was supposed to do with my life. I wanted to challenge the teacher, wanted to retake the final exam, I wanted to do so many things, but it was too late. It was over, and I could not do anything about it but cry. I was so distraught my parents started to worry and had to have talks with me about how times have changed and my grades but wellbeing matters too. This did not stop the tears, but it helped me to form a game plan for the future. This game plan consisted of looking at all my weak points and why I am so distraught at the moment and cannot overcome this minor setback. By being in a predominantly white institution, I was challenged and lost myself in the process, but through reevaluating who I was and my goals, I was able to find myself again. I realized that I needed to take care of myself more than worrying about a grade that does not affect who I am as a person. Overall, I have overcome adversity through patience and self-acknowledgment. Not to mention, I want to help the community in the future by creating a pro-bono surgical clinic, allowing people who cannot afford healthcare to get their medical and surgical needs met without paying high out-of-pocket fees. This will allow the homeless to have the chance to live a long life and continue to pursue their goals in a world that is working against them and trying to push them out of neighborhoods. This facility will allow people in local communities to have a place to work without traveling long distances and where they can feel comfortable and safe.

Disney is never going to be forgotten. All my life, Disney movies have set a foundation for my life, teaching me how to be a princess to grow the confidence to face the challenges and obstacles around me, while also reminding me of the family and community that supports me daily throughout all my endeavors. One of my favorite Disney movies is Aladdin. Aladdin's plot deals with the protagonist, Aladdin, who meets Princess Jasmine and immediately falls in love with her, but to gain her hand in marriage, he lies about who he is and states that he is a prince instead of a thief. He wants to impress her with the help of the Genie by wishing for jewels and fame. In the end, Princess Jasmine discovers the truth and accepts and loves him for who he is. This movie addresses how one should not have to fake who they are to please others. This message was something I needed as a kid and still need now because in this twisted society, to achieve your dreams, it takes a lot of confidence and honesty with yourself, since while trying to accomplish your goals, you have to deal with the nay-sayers and haters, causing them to distract you from the purpose and path you were on. By being who you want to be, you cannot get distracted in the mess of the world and only focus on what is called for you and what makes you happy. An example in my life of this is when I wanted to become a singer. When I was between the ages of 3 to 12, I wanted to become a singer, always singing in the halls of my school and grocery stores and even making the lyrics to many of my songs. These songs were a way to express myself in a world, where I was quieted due to my skin color and age. I was always told to be quiet and only to respond and speak when spoken to. This caused me to avoid addressing issues and not know how to speak for myself, leading me to internalize everything everyone said to me. This caused me to lose myself and become trapped in the mindset of pleasing others and making sure my appearance matches the trends of the society and pursuing dreams that were "rational" and "realistic," since I was told by many that singing is a one in a million chance and that it would not happen for me. After watching this movie, I decided to believe in myself and continue to pursue my dream of singing. Now although my dreams have shifted, I still hold on to the belief of not letting others' opinions be a factor in my life. This movie pushed me to put aside my internal hurt and pain and face the truth, which is that I need to know who I am to continue my life and gain the opportunities and dreams that I want to be happy. I learned that I cannot be happy without knowing who I am and what I want for myself is all that matters. When we look at the world, we think we will be rejected because we are our authentic selves, when that is what helps us to feel more connected to the world and others. This movie and many more have given me the chance to grow in my understanding of myself and the world around me. These movies helped me and pushed me to fight against the false narratives of life.

A night to remember...the lights go dark and I cannot see anything. I am in my bed but my breathing starts to slow, and I panic. Mental health has always been a struggle in my life. Ever since I was 10 years old, I have suffered from depression and social and general anxiety, but it was not until I was 18 years old that I started being treated for these illnesses. Before treatment, I felt like I did not belong. I felt like a mistake. I did not know my purpose nor even if I had one. Life just felt meaningless. See the main word mentioned above, it was felt. I felt all these things, but they were never true. These feelings that I was having, were causing conflict in my life. They were separating me from my family, creating unnecessary boundaries and walls that only caused me to go into solitude with my thoughts. This solitude trapped me, only talking to myself and looking at screens and social media, addressing and dreaming of the perfect life that I did not have, increasing my irritability and self-consciousness, and losing control of myself and what I should be. I was lost. Lost in a screen and darkness. My dreams were not my own but what society said was right and as I walked through life, I was no longer myself, but a person stuck in time, going through the phases of life without a feeling of gratitude for the moments. In all honesty, I was present in life but lost in my mind, constantly hearing the words, "You are not good enough!," "What's the point of doing this?," "Do I really want this?," questioning and overthinking every step I took. This trap lost moments of my life that I am still trying to get back and break down those walls that I put up so long ago that I got used to. This illness is never-ending, but with treatment, I feel better each day, feeling a connection to the world and myself. I love my family, and through this process, I am working on gaining those relationships that I lost due to the loss of myself for some time. As the lights went out and my breath slowed, all I thought about was my mother coming into the room, screaming how her only baby was gone. From that moment on, I knew it was time for a change, and the only way I could do that was if I spoke my truth and expressed how I really felt, which is what I did.

Doctors are crucial to life. They are essential to keeping the population alive, providing them with care, love, and support, and even helping them through their toughest battles. A doctor is someone who has to survive many obstacles to help others, putting aside their struggles to conquer the ultimate goal of saving lives and bringing families closer together. I aspire to become a medical doctor because when I was 16 years old, I got a splinter stuck in between my fingernail. This splinter was trapped, and no one could get it out. This caused me to go to urgent care. The urgent care that I went to lacked the necessary tools to do minor surgery to remove the splinter and had to cut my nail in half to remove it with the help of makeshift tools and no anesthesia. This experience inspired me because the doctor's determination was nonstop. She did not want to cause me much pain but knew that in order to prevent future damage and possible limb removal, she had to take action immediately. She pursued the takes with ease and through the pain, I saw that she really cared about me, giving me a sense of belonging even though I was a complete stranger to her, and that is what I want to give to others. I want to give them a chance to feel appreciated, wanted, and accepted, helping them to grow into their real selves without the pressures of their parents and society. By halting their pain, I am presenting them the chance to feel normal again and to be a part of the world and society again. In addition, some books that I have contributed to shaping the person I am today are the Bible, "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green, and my science textbooks. These materials/books have given me a perception of life, allowing me to accept the things I cannot change and pursue and conquer the things that I can. Going deeper into how the books have truly impacted me, the Bible has allowed me to grow my personal relationship with Jesus, allowing me to grow in my faith. Through the Bible, I have learned how to be compassionate, caring, understanding, and honest. Not to mention, "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green urged the necessity to treat people with compassion and love because life is never promised. This book allowed me to appreciate the small moments and learn to love my family on a deeper level. Lastly, all my science textbooks have increased my interest in medicine, furthering my love for science and helping others. While flipping through the pages, I see how life is connected and beautiful, aiding me to look around and take in the fresh air. Overall, these books have formed me into a better person, and I am so grateful for that. Last but not least, a social and charitable activity that has shaped me is when I attended a community service event in Columbus, Ohio, where we planted plants around the neighborhood and learned about how to take care of nature. This experience gave me the ability to talk with people in the community and see what are some of the concerns with the constant gentrification and how to access these concerns. Another event was my annual feeding of the homeless on Thanksgiving in Cleveland, Ohio. This event has a special place in my heart because I get the chance to spend time with people of different backgrounds and give them a freshly cooked meal.

Do you have two homes? Home is a place, where the heart is. It is where one feels comfortable, accepted, appreciated, acknowledged, and cared for. Well, my two homes were Cleveland Clinic and my house in Warrensville Heights. These were two places where I was always there for me and helped me find support in myself and others. It is where I felt loved. As a child, I suffered from scoliosis, asthma, depression, anxiety, physical deformities, and more, causing me to be in the hospital constantly, always going to have X-rays, respiratory treatments, and brace fittings. These continual visits to the hospital encouraged me to start becoming curious about what was happening to my body. I began asking questions during my doctor's appointments, desiring an explanation or definition for every medical term or statement said, always asking what is the cure for it. I was always focused on a cure because I was tired. Tired of wearing a back and head brace, tired of having trouble going to sleep, and tired of being afraid of every encounter that I have. I was tired, and I wanted to know what did I have to do to fix myself and help others in the process. This question kept bothering me because I wanted to bring people peace instead of them having to keep coming to the doctor's office for treatment and not a cure, realizing that treatment only halts the illness but never truly stops it, and I wanted to stop it. I was encouraged to pursue medicine with this question, wanting to see how can I make a difference in people's lives, helping them to see more years than they were promised. With this empowerment, I went to conferences, medical pitch competitions and had interviews with doctors and medical staff. trying to find ways to help others that it permanent. I found many answers, but I could never determine if it was really possible. This interest led to my desire to be hands-on in the medical field, meaning I want to become a general surgeon, allowing for me to help others without the necessity or continual consumption of pills and prescriptions. With surgery, we are fully attacking the issue, providing a possible permanent solution, and it is also cheaper because, after a year post-operation visit, the visits and payments end, giving the adult the chance to be free of debt after the expensive surgery. This idea of ending debt leads me to the idea to address and help people who cannot afford healthcare, by establishing a pro-bono surgical clinic, giving people the surgeries that they need, and helping them to achieve their rights again. Overall, through looking at my past, the medical field was always something that lit my eyes and heart up, bringing me curiosity and courage. The medical field is meant for me, and I cannot wait to tackle it.

Have you ever looked at a bowl of blueberries, I mean, really looked at them? Have you ever noticed how each looks the same yet is different in its own ways? Each blueberry has its own special characteristics that make it unique but help to form a great bowl of fruit. The smallest ones may seem bitter, and yet they can be the sweetest. Since berries are all different, they create a diverse and interesting bowl, changing the eater’s experience. Each blueberry can bring joy, fulfilling its purpose of pleasing others. They are unapologetically themselves, no matter what the strawberry or blackberry tries to conceal. I am a blueberry. I  am the smallest one, often depicted not as I am. People perceive me as quiet and shy, but in actuality, I love to talk and start up conversations with different people, learning about the world and themselves. I am fiercely interested in helping others and I am passionate about creating a free clinic that provides pro bono surgeries for people without healthcare and insurance. This has been a goal of mine since I was eight when I went to my neighborhood urgent care after a splinter was embedded in my nail.  The doctors barely had enough supplies to dislodge the wood, which caused large amounts of pain but inspired me to one day find a way to offer better facilities that provide care without the large expenses. As I approach each day, I discover more about my likes and dislikes. I stand out in society, making a difference in myself and the world, becoming happy with who I am, and not fearing what society will think of me. I love who I am and love to bring joy to others. I am willing to help others and cheer them up. Like a blueberry,  I have protective qualities and am constantly trying to defend my fellow cheerleaders from their negative thoughts by encouraging them in their daily habits.  They can depend on me such as the time when my fellow cheerleader was stressed about her grade in a class and needed someone to talk to.  We assessed the procrastination issues and I offered to tutor her on the Wednesdays before practice, which allow her to better understand the subject and grow in her confidence to ask for help when needed. Part of eating this delicious treat is that it leaves a stain or imprint on your hands.  My teachers consistently share that  I bring joy to a classroom and lighten everyone’s moods. I am remembered because I am determined to be better while encouraging them to find their best selves. I leave a positive mark on my fellow classmates, giving light and happiness to the classroom, and promoting enthusiasm and constant improvement. I want to give back to my community in more ways than one, but to start this pro-bono surgical clinic will save many lives. As I reflect on the blueberry, I realize the similarities yet still see the nuances of difference.  The blueberry showed me that its physical appearance does not matter but its sweetness inside does which connects to people as well, meaning it does not matter what they look like, since they are still beautiful on the inside, which is the most important aspect. Blueberries represent me, and I am starting to embrace that each and every day.

What is an American? America is such an interesting place, filled with many mysteries that are yet to be figured out. Over my 19 years of living, I have wondered what my role is in life and why should I be grateful to live in America, the land of the free. I never looked at all the many opportunities America has from giving me the chance to dress the way I choose to dress to saying whatever I choose fit because America gives one the chance to be themselves without the backlash of the world. I am proud to be an American because I love the idea that we have free speech, love, and more. This land tries not to discriminate and support all that step on it, making the experience dependent on the actions one is willing to take to succeed. Americans have the advantage to achieve the American dream, where they live freely without dictatorship and tyranny. Being an American is hard, yet it has many positive attributes to it like being able to project who you want to be without fear and living in a world, where life is a challenge but each challenge comes with a lesson that lasts a lifetime. One thing though is that when one is looking at an American, one is only free, if they are of a certain skin color because without being Caucasian or white-passing, one receives fewer benefits. This causes one to be subjected to discrimination, financially, physically, and mentally, which hurts the population and the view of the surrounding cities and countries. I would like to change the idea that everyone is equal and actually make people equal by providing them healthcare no matter their economic, social, and cultural status. By treating everyone equally, we are giving them their rights back and treating them with dignity, allowing us to be unified in our country. By looking past race, we are inviting more issues to be solved and help find more diverse and unique solutions to the many problems of America. Not to mention, by depleting the importance of race in all aspects, we are protecting the population and America's people, giving people the chance to grow in their understanding of the world they live in and to appreciate it more. This gives them the chance to stop resisting the world and accept it for what its true intentions are, which are to be unifying and have a purpose for achieving happiness and rights to all. Being American is such an interesting concept that has many factors, but at the moment, I do not regret it.

As I look over my life, it has been interesting, to say the least from taking my uncle to a treatment center after witnessing him doing drugs in my house to going to my dream high school. My life has been full of ups and downs, but one minor event changed my life and vision for my future forever. When I was 16 years old, I got a splinter stuck in between my fingernail. This splinter was trapped, and no one could get it out. This caused me to go to urgent care. The urgent care that I went to lacked the tools to do minor surgery to remove the splinter and had to cut my nail in half to remove it with the help of makeshift tools and no anesthesia. This experience inspired my idea to produce a pro-bono surgical clinic, allowing people who cannot afford surgery and healthcare to get their major and minor surgical needs met at zero to low costs. I want to construct this clinic to help people and help people receive the human rights that they deserve. My main goal is to help people no matter the cost, making them feel comfortable in their skin. Not to mention, while pursuing this dream of helping others, I started to lack care for myself, forgetting to appreciate myself and putting my needs and sleep aside for my dream. This caused me to gain severe depression. I began to hate myself, neglecting to speak positivity into my life and only focusing on school and my dreams. Due to the lack of trust in myself, my dream began to crumble as well because I was becoming hopeless, I believed I had no importance and that my goals in life were not worth anything to anybody. It took time to realize that I was telling myself lies, and through the help of a therapist and my parents' support, I was able to get the help I needed. I started believing in myself again and becoming more positive toward all that I think, say, and do. With the help of therapy, I have been able to express myself in a positive light. My dream of a pro-bono surgical clinic has been ignited because I realize that it is something I want more than anything. I have learned to manage my dreams and myself, orienting all that I do in a day to achieve it all. My mental illness does not define me, but it has inspired me to take action and care for myself and others in beneficial ways.

Mental health has been a struggle for me since I was 6 years old. I have constantly had self-doubt, questioning "Am I good enough?," and "Do I desire what I have?" I was never delighted with myself and all God has blessed me with because I felt like I had done nothing to receive it since I was obese. The idea of weight also depleted my sense of self because while looking at social media and my friends, I noticed that I was always the "big" girl in the room, picked last for sports games, joked about when walking around my high school campus, being called a penguin and pig and more. These experiences caused me to hate myself more because I was no longer Desiree, but instead, I was the number I weighed on the scale. Over time, this mindset caused set back in my friendships and family relationships. I did not trust anyone with my feelings or heart, which is why I kept to myself. I did not want to be judged, so I stayed isolated, stuck in a room, which was just me, a television screen, and one of my favorite companions, food. After about a month of seclusion, I decided to change. I need forms of interaction because I was not liking the person I was becoming. I was becoming lost in a daze of fiction, imagining a life that could be, when I was really afraid to live out my dreams. This burst of care towards myself allowed me to ask for help from my father and friends. I was truthful with them and told them all of my fears. They accepted them and expressed that I needed help, so I went to my doctor, and they got me a therapist. It was an interesting moment because I was putting all my worries, fears, and discouraging comments on the table for her to hear, and she just took all that I had said with ease. She cared about me and asked me some very deep questions about why I felt this way about myself. After talking with the therapist, my mental health, beliefs, and relationships changed. I started partaking in life for myself and experiencing it the way I wanted to and not to please others. My whole life before was based on giving all my energy and strength to others to make them happy, failing to realize that I was not taking time for myself and appreciating all the great things I can offer to this world. I have been influenced by my faith as well by developing a closer relationship with God and understanding Him on a deeper level. As I am getting older, I want to continue my pursuit of myself and God, and by taking care of myself and recognizing who I am, I can achieve anything.

Throughout life, I had dealt with ups and downs from getting a late diagnosis of severe depression and anxiety to taking a new step in my life and going to college. At this new stage in my life, it has been very hard from making sure I complete assignments on time to working two on-campus jobs, hoping that these funds will provide me some stability in the constant months that I stay on campus and to be able to help my family pay their utility bills as they are piling up over time, while my student debt is increasing due to the continual financial issues within my household. During this time, I have learned a lot about myself, and one item that I have learned to value is my resolve. My willingness to achieve and make myself and my parents proud. At an early age, I realized that I love to work and push myself to the limit to achieve and accomplish my goals from getting a good grade on a test by studying for a whole month or a whole night to pushing through my procrastination to completing a last-minute project that was due in a couple of hours. This determination I used to not like due to its damaging effects on my mental health, causing stress and unwanted depression and anxiety fluctuation. It consumed me because I felt like I always had to do something or complete a project, causing me to lose countless hours of sleep. This determination controlled me, making it something I struggled with for most of my life. It was not until when I got to college that I appreciated it. When I first got into college, I started to appreciate my persistence because I constantly helped myself to achieve good grades and further show more dedication toward my work and goals than just pursuing a career that I did not care to participate in. This quality has helped me in my life journey by allowing me to realize the importance of myself and the world. I used to be so focused and lost in partaking in a goal that I failed to realize that through my persistence and willingness to survive I discovered that my determination helped me to conquer a lot of racial discrimination and segregation in my work career and personal life. I have learned to love my goals and dreams on a deeper level and have learned to handle myself with integrity, honesty, and respect through the challenges and diligence in what I want to do with my life.

Have you ever tried to bake banana bread from scratch? Well, it is one of the hardest tasks to accomplish making sure the bananas are just ripe enough and the oven is at the right temperature without the impact of burning the bread, causing it to dry out. Baking bread is a delicate hobby. This idea of baking bread requires patience and causes one to focus on the task at hand and not multitask, which is something I struggle with so often. Paying attention to one item at a time has always been hard for me because I felt that if I was always busy I was never falling behind. The passion for not falling behind was engraved in me as a child since I came from a single-income household, where I did not have as many opportunities as my peers due to the lack of funds. The lack of income caused me to not be able to get tutored like others, but instead, when I had difficulty I had to stay up all night, trying to figure out how to do things on my own. Those moments and nights gave me the mindset that I have to do my very best no matter and I have to push past everyone and everything to achieve my dreams, which is why I am always so busy. Interestingly enough like most people, during the pandemic, I was stuck in the house with nothing but a television and my thoughts and since I did not really favor either of those options I decided to learn how to bake. I had watched my grandmother bake all my life, making cakes, cupcakes, loaves of bread, and more, but I never got the chance to actually do it myself, so I tried. I looked up a recipe for banana bread and started reading the directions. The directions claimed that the whole process would take an hour, so I timed it. I had completed all the steps, all that was left to put it in the oven. I set the oven to 350 degrees and put the bread batter in the oven for 30 minutes. During that waiting time, I started to clean my room but had a creative thought to just be a great daughter and clean the whole house, so I went into my basement to get a broom and mop to sweep and mop the floor. What I failed to do while looking for the essentials for cleaning the house, was to hear the alarm going off. So, when I got upstairs, my bread was burnt. I had to bake relentlessly and put my effort into the bread. I started to dedicate my time to the task and only focused on that to make sure I produced the best bread for my family to enjoy. This point of action helped me to focus on one subject at a time in school and to stop multitasking to bring out the best in my self and each topic I care about.

I hate it! These were the words that a six-year-old Desiree said when her mother asked her why she did not want to go to church to serve food to the homeless and give out candy and hygiene bags. At a young age, I was very selfish. I thought why would I help people when I need help myself. I thought why would I put myself in a stranger's eyesight. I was so scared of the world and self-absorbed that I could not see the benefits of it. It was not until I was about ten that a man walked up to me and asked me why I was smiling and then said that when he normally sees me here I am always sad, so what changed? I was shocked to realize that my private emotions of discomfort were being projected publicly without me knowing. After his statement, I decided to talk to him more and learn about him and his life. I wanted to know more about his past and how did he end up in a homeless shelter. He explained his story but also told me about the bonds that he has made while in the shelter and how all these people have become his new family and friends. This changed my ideas of volunteering, and I started to appreciate it and try to go more often. I liked the community, honesty, and respect that each person showed to each other. They were friendly to me and made me feel welcome. They were no longer strangers in my mind, but people that I wanted to know more about and learn from them. I wanted to learn about their hospitality and achieve the comfort they provide to others. Volunteering at the shelter changed my mindset on life, helping me to realize that no one is a stranger, they are just people we have not met yet and should get to know before judging because no one's personality matches their appearance. Through this service, I have started to appreciate life more and be less selfish, focusing more on others than myself. Lastly, I need this scholarship financially because I want to help people by opening a pro-bono surgical clinic, allowing the homeless and people, who cannot afford nor have healthcare to achieve the necessities and surgeries that they need to live in comfort for the rest of their lives. Still, to do that I have to become a surgeon. To become a surgeon, I have to go to medical school, which is already more than $60,000, so by having this scholarship, I will be able to help pay for my undergraduate education without the need for student loans, which would cause me to be in debt. This scholarship will help me in more ways than one since this will help to pay my tuition, I will be able to work as well and help pay some of my family's past-due bills.

What is the most important thing to me? Is it something based on truth or fiction? Well, for me, my religion is based on the truth. I was born Baptist and went to a family church, where my whole extended and immediate family was the congregation. I was lost in the idea that as long as I believed, I was forever connected to my family and that believing was not a choice but what I had to do. That unrealistic belief that I was obligated to believe in God and follow His commandments, led me to become lost because I was doing service, being kind to my neighbor, and participating in services out of obligation and not desire. This led me to become selfish, as a child, I honestly struggled with likely service because I thought there was no purpose to it besides the obligation to follow His rules. Over time, I knew that being Baptist was not the right denomination for me. Through some different church visits, I found my current home, The Word Church. This church helped me to realize that my faith is not an obligation but my decision and through all that He has done for me, I know I believe and love God. Also, I crafted my relationship with Him, praying to Him in my times of happiness and sadness, reading my Bible, and being my authentic self, representing life and being blessed to make it another year. Not to mention, as a female that suffers from severe depression and anxiety sometimes depending on the day, I am happy and other days I am so sad that I can barely function throughout the day, but through my faith, I keep pushing. I keep pursuing my goals and try to not give up because I know the plans that God has for me. Through my new relationship with God, I started to enjoy doing service and volunteered by going to feed the homeless at food banks just seeing people from different backgrounds and creating friendships with them, really made me happy, which is what inspired me to become a physician assistant because I want to help people in new ways and give them a sense of comfort no matter what they believe, their race or their background. I want to help people achieve and gain their rights to medicine and care. My growing faith has initiated my identity to serve. It has turned my hatred to love and has become the honest passion that I love to do in my free time. With being a future PA, I hope to change and benefit people's lives, removing their pain and finding cures for their sicknesses, and giving them help for the future. Plus, I would love to open a pro-bono clinic, allowing people to have a one-stop shop for all their necessities, without the presence of health insurance.

Being a Black female is one of the hardest things in life from having to fear being perceived as a threat to being only recognized as a sex symbol and not a human being. Black women are downplayed by society, only showing their independence and strength, never expressing their emotions and self-care for their mental health. I, as a black woman, struggle to fit in because I never feel like enough. I am always either too white or too black in different environments and never just me, Desiree, and sometimes in this world, one needs to be themselves to benefit the world. Benefiting the Black community takes time and has to start with people putting aside their prejudices and stereotypes towards their race. It is by being nice to their race and doing good deeds for them, allowing them to carry on that good deed to another, providing hope in the community and a chance for reconciliation and unity. This is something I strive to do each day. Even though I go to predominantly white institutions, I still help my Black community by being a student facilitator in meetings of diversity and inclusion, giving the minority a voice and a seat in the room where only adults are usually present. Also, I love helping others by tutoring my cheerleaders, working in the Ben Franklin community garden, and volunteering in my church and community by managing the lights, singing in the praise team and working the concession stands, and serving during teen church, and by just being open to conversations. Positive interactions can improve the Earth and make someone pass that positivity to another. In addition, my future career goal is to be a general surgeon, allowing me to save lives, cure people of their diseases and help them with their needs. I plan to impact them through my caring attitude and honesty. My goal is to save, improve and help continue the lives of others. By preserving a life, I am helping people see their grandchildren and enjoy themselves and what they were put on this Earth for. I hope to impact and inspire others, dreaming of being in my field because there are not many African Americans partaking in medicine. In pursuing this goal, I am also showing others that they can achieve their dreams if they choose to. I want to be a figure in the community, helping them realize that their opinions, dreams, achievements, and voice do matter and that they should never be silenced, even when society says they should. Not to mention, I want to be able to bring back different opportunities to my Black community, showing them unique and positive experiences in the medical field, helping to recognize the multiple fields one can partake in, and helping save lives. One of my main goals is to create a pro-bono surgical clinic to allow patients who lack health care to obtain the necessary surgeries and care they deserve. I desire to give them the care they need to survive and continue their daily lives; plus, by giving them the help they need, I am allowing them to continue to impact and improve the economy. This surgical clinic is not to benefit me but to provide an opportunity for low-income families to live another day and be treated as equals, feeling like they are humans and not just mistakes and regrets. This clinic will be home to treatment centers, giving people access to the community, giving them more jobs, and providing more opportunities for money, accessibility, and benefits.

The faint breath as I opened my eyes, established that I had woken from my attempt; the attempt that was supposed to stop all of my pain and heartache. The thing that was supposed to cure all my problems, the sleep I needed the most at the time no longer existed. During the pandemic, life was a mess. I was stuck looking at a screen all day and was mostly alone in my house due to my parents being essential workers. I needed someone to talk to but did not because there was nothing to talk about in my mind, and I constantly avoided being a nuisance to others. This caused me to want to disconnect from the world and focus on myself, and what I learned is that I did not like myself and wanted to die. The attempt and self-hatred for myself have shaped my goals, allowing me to learn about myself and what I want for the world, not what everyone expected of me. I have learned to love myself and who I am, realizing that myself is all I have. Also, by joining the medical field, I will give people that comfort that I never had and achieve a chance to make life right for so many people through proper care and love for my profession and people.

What is an American? The definition of an American has been so contorted for some time, some believing that the title is only for one race, but I believe an American is someone who lives in the United States. It does not matter if they are pursuing a dream or just relaxing on the couch for weeks on end. For an African American, being an American is a complex term because, in society, it is broadcasted that being an American is someone who has freewill, lives in a democracy, and is/can pursue the American dream, which is freely living their life and achieving success and money. Unfortunately, my experience of being an American in the concept of what society states it as has not been that easy. I have dealt with racism, misogyny, bias, and prejudices over my nineteen years of living. Most importantly, the United States promotes itself on justice but my fellow African Americans that have died through police brutality or racism/prejudices, they have not received their justice because so many of the police have killed innocent African Americans have been set free, providing the victims' families with no closure, just the knowledge that their child, cousin, uncle, mother, aunt, etc. was lost due to the color of their skin. This idea of losing your life due to one's genetics, in my opinion, does not represent the American dream but forms the American nightmare. In a different circumstance where racism is not a continual factor in my daily life from when I walk into a high-level math class to when I state that I do not like watermelon and chicken, then I would say that being an American is caring about honesty, integrity, and respect while pursuing success financially. It is seeking a world where everyone is comfortable and, via the era of technology, makes people become accountable for their actions and educate themselves on other races, identities, and genders in the world and their surrounding areas. It is trying to achieve peace and allyship throughout all the countries, diminishing the idea of war and creating efforts for world peace. Although the previous paragraph fails to recognize the racism and sexism that occur in today's world, I still believe that this definition of being an American can emerge, but only with the help of everyone, no matter the race, size, gender, sexuality, etc. We all need to unify to make a better United States and to achieve the definition that society has portrayed for so long.

"Life is not a wish-granting factory." The world promises so much for a person's life from love and heartbreak to success and devastation, but what it fails to make realistic or recognize is death, which is what most people fear. Death is the unknown, and in The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, he addresses how life is intertwined with death. It identifies how an illness, like cancer, can shift people's perceptions, attitudes, and opinions and how the disease affects the patient. This book is my favorite book of all time because even though it is fiction, it still addresses issues that the world fails to recognize. They want us to look at people with cancer as their disease, failing to acknowledge that they are still people and deserve to be treated the way they desire. This book challenges me to see how life is affected after losing a loved one and how easily the heart falls in love when unprovoked. Love can not be guarded, even when death comes into play. I would have everyone read this book to change their perception of death and others, teaching them how to live through loss and love. It will allow them to understand the hope that life brings, to enjoy life, and follow in their purpose, willing them to put in the effort and not shy away from their fears of death. As the book states, "there will be a time where all of us are dead," so live out one's dreams and accomplish all that one wants because if one fails to live life, they just wasted what someone dreams they had or the extra time they wish they could receive. This book will inspire everyone to live in the present and focus on what they want for themselves and the world and not on the concept of death and when it will occur.

On April 18, 2014, I lost my paternal grandmother to cancer, but the most hurtful point was that during her untimely death, I was at my maternal cousin's birthday party at Chik-fil-A. This moment broke me because instead of being with my grandmother, who needed me the most, I was busy having fun. I wanted to see my grandmother but kept prolonging it because I thought I had time. See, time is the issue. I thought I had time, but this time I could never get back. The time and memories I lost to putting my family last and fun first. This day has been engraved in my mind since I was 10 years old. It changed my mindset about time, life, and purpose. I started putting my family first, talking to them more frequently about my life and creating memories with them, showing them the love that I failed to do for so long because I thought that love was a guarantee and but I realized that love is shown through actions. This loss pushed me to be kinder towards others, recognizing that one never knows what the other is going through or if that is their last encounter with them for the rest of their life. Not to mention, this loss allowed me to learn to fight for what I believe in and to care for my family, friends, and associates to the highest of my efforts, which helped to shift my passion from singing to becoming a general surgeon. Through constant care for others, I started to love caring and appreciating others. This loss redirected my selfishness to selflessness, which provoked my idea to open a pro-bono surgical clinic, allowing people to have the chance to get their surgical needs accomplished, without the hassle of not having healthcare and not having enough money to pay the increasingly high medical bills. This loss helped me to conquer myself and appreciate myself, others, and the world through balance and care.

What is the point of looking in a mirror? Is it to look at yourself or the person you want to be? For me, it was the exact opposite, I could not look in the mirror. For four or more months, my depression was at an all-time high to the point that I was disgusted with how I looked. I no longer felt good enough. My grades were fine, even some might consider excellent, especially for someone who has given up, but for me, grades were my life preserver, and that mirror was my destroyer because every time I looked in it. I saw someone who I did not want to be. I saw the excess fat and rolls on my stomach. I was a person I never wanted to be. It was not until I was eighteen that I felt more connected to myself and my body, deciding to face my fears of the truth in the mirror. What helped me to confront my reality was by taking the first step towards recovery by contacting a therapist. I could not afford one on my own, so I decided to go through my school, which appointed free counseling services. This first step was terrifying because I had to face the world and all it promised. I had to talk about my past, present, and dreams for the future. I was no longer stuck in that shell but slowly cracking to become a new person. Throughout the therapy appointments, I learned more about myself and how to handle situations and create boundaries. This inspired growth in my friendships, family relationships, and how I encounter people. It allowed me to no longer be what other people wanted me to be but to accept the things that I cannot change and to change the things that I can. Now, this road is not over, though. I still struggle to be myself because performing a facade for so long just became a natural response. The fake me created comfort for all yet destroyed who I really was, causing my opinions, beliefs, and morals to be damaged in the process. By talking with the therapists and partaking in homework for the sessions, I have challenged others and myself to face uncomfortable situations and conversations, showing that I cannot please everyone, but my content is all that matters. These appointments have allowed me to gradually walk up to the mirror, but I am not there yet to see who I truly am, but I cannot wait until I finally get that chance.

How does one truly positively impact the world around them? Can one person change the world? Society shows otherwise. Well, I believe that one can, but with the right mindset, morals, support, and ideas. Some way to benefit the world is by just being oneself. It is by being nice to a person and doing a good deed to give someone hope in society and bring them joy. This is something I strive to do each day. I love helping others by tutoring my cheerleaders, working in the Ben Franklin community garden, or volunteering in my church and community. I believe that each positive interaction one has can improve the Earth and make someone pass along that positivity to another. In addition, my future career goal is to be a general surgeon, allowing me to save lives, cure people of their diseases and help them with their needs. I plan to impact them through my caring attitude and honesty. My goal in life is to save, improve and help continue the lives of others. By preserving a life, I am helping a person to see their grandchildren and enjoy themselves and what they were put on this Earth for. I hope to impact and inspire others, dreaming of being in my field because there are not many African Americans partaking in medicine. In pursuing this goal, I am also showing others that they can achieve their dreams if they choose to. I want to become this surgeon not just for myself but for others as well. I want to be a figure in the community, helping them realize that their opinions, dreams, achievements, and voice do matter and that they should never be silenced, even when society says they should. One of my main goals is to create a pro-bono surgical clinic to allow patients who lack health care to obtain the necessary surgeries and care they deserve. I desire to give them the care they need to survive and continue their daily lives; plus, by giving them the help they need, I am allowing them to continue to impact and improve the economy. This surgical clinic is not to benefit me but to provide an opportunity for low-income families to live another day and be treated as equals, feeling like they are humans and not just mistakes and regrets. This clinic will be home to treatment centers, giving people access to the community, giving them more jobs, and providing more opportunities for money, accessibility, and benefits.

Throughout my life, finances have been a big part of my life, but I have constantly failed to learn about them. My family always complained about the lack of funds, yet failed to explain how to save that money and create those new sources of income and funds to balance the increase of bills and medical payments that were causing a sufficient dent in our family funds. These experiences of having no financial literacy pushed me to achieve a new idea of spending and how to earn money. To educate me and be financially literate, I started, first, by researching stocks and bonds and seeing how stocks are a passive income because it requires the least amount of effort, so I asked my family to buy me stocks instead of presents, hoping that with these stocks in the future, it will be able to help me pay off my student loans without a large amount of interest attached to it. Plus, I have also started to read more books and watch more podcasts and talks about finance from many financial accountants, CEOs, and entrepreneurs like Larese Purnell, Tiffany Aliche, Keith Wyche, and Ali Abdaal. In these podcasts and interviews, they talk about the importance of saving money, and to do that is by having an inaccessible saving account so that it cannot easily be emptied when wanting to buy something and one does not have the money in the general banking account. Not to mention, I have also been educated by doing a course through U.S. Bank that educated college undergraduates on the importance of saving and how about 20% or more of your income should go into your savings account and about 50% should go towards necessities and 30% should go towards discretionary items, which are nonessential expenses like fast food, vacations, and unnecessary shopping sprees or Starbucks runs. These courses, interviews, and podcasts have furthered my information on financial literacy, allowing me to learn how to save and hopefully be able in the future to obtain multiple forms and streams of income. To educate others, I plan on sending them videos and short clips to give them different facts about income. As a society, we have decreased attention rates, these short videos will hopefully increase their interest in the topic, leading to more research. Furthermore, I will recommend books and courses/scholarship courses that require one to learn about finances to earn a chance at winning a scholarship to help pay for college. Also, I will introduce them to their college financial aid office, which for me was a great tool in helping me to understand my finances because they have many resources and tips to get started and prepare them to minimize their expenses and expand their wealth in many new and innovative ways. With just one talk with their financial aid office, they will access and learn about different scholarships, the differences between credit and debit cards and their importance, and more. Just one conversation, book, or podcast can change and benefit a person's perspective and ideas on wealth and finances for the rest of their lives.

Songs' messages are subjective to what has happened in one's life, so how could one decipher the "true" meaning? In all honesty, the meanings are known by what one believes, which is why I picked the song, You Found Me by The Fray. I found this song when I could not describe myself or who I wanted to be. I was lost. I was insecure about my emotions, mental and physical health, and social relationships, and I did not know how to save myself from this ocean of emotions and fears I was drowning in. Listening to this song describes my life of desiring to give up and how hopeless I felt in a world constantly moving even when I wanted it to stop. The most important part of the song is how it talks about how it is never too late to be found, even if you feel like it is. This part shows how life can change instantly if one is willing to reach out and help others. In my life, I believed that there is always a point of being too late, but as long as you are found, there is a possibility to change the outcome and/or future. Furthermore, by found, I mean one can be found in many ways from being heard and able to vocalize their inner thoughts and opinions to being physically found and saved from a disaster that could have cost so much pain and suffering, showing how by just reaching out and making yourself uncomfortable to help another is one way to find someone.

1) What is my purpose? This is a constant question on everyone's minds to the point that when you search it on the internet thousands of results pop up. This is something I have never really struggled with because I have constantly been pursuing prosperity with my purpose of becoming a general surgeon. Imagine a little kid going into surgery; the beeping of the machines and the sweat dripping from the doctors' faces. Now, usually, this would scare a nine-year-old, but in actuality, it brought me comfort, which is why my intended major is Biology. I have always loved medicine, reading anatomy books, and taking forensic science, biology, and chemistry classes. I am furthering my knowledge of medicine and sciences by fulfilling my surgical goals and bringing opportunities back to my community with each course that I take and the time that I put into achieving my goals. Becoming a general surgeon, allows me to save lives, cure people of their diseases and help them with their needs. I plan to impact them through my caring attitude and honesty. My goal in life is to save, improve and help continue the lives of others. By preserving a life, I am helping people to see their grandchildren and enjoy themselves and what they were put on this Earth for. In pursuing this goal, I am using all my time and effort to help others by serving in homeless shelters, watching different medical and surgical videos on Youtube, and emailing different physicians to ask for shadowing opportunities and if they are available to be interviewed and answer any specific questions that I have, showing my dedication to serving others. One of my main goals is to create a pro-bono surgical clinic to allow patients who lack health care to obtain the necessary surgeries they deserve. I desire to give them the care they need to survive and continue their daily lives; plus, by giving them the help they need, I am allowing them to continue to impact and improve the economy. This surgical clinic is not to benefit me but to provide an opportunity for low-income families to live another day and be treated as equals, feeling like they are humans and not just mistakes and regrets. This clinic will be home to treatment centers, giving people access to the community, more jobs, and more opportunities for money, accessibility, and benefits. 2)Managing time is one of the hardest things to do from the constant running and plans of the day to when going to be and thinking about all the things one failed to do. Procrastination is one of my worst traits and something that I, unfortunately, struggle with. Managing time requires one to have time, which I do not have. I am constantly doing something from working in my college lunch room to doing homework to participating in clubs by writing essays and creating budget accounts. I am forever busy, which is why time is never nice to me. Time is something that most people take for granted because they failed to realize its purpose of it. They think time is giving no matter what, failing to realize that it is a gift that can be taken away, especially when a paper is due in 20 minutes. Time goes by fast and the more one fails to take time and look around the time that one needed will be gone. My time management affected my life. It caused me to always be working and never have time to talk with my family and friends. I was always lost in the concept of time. Slowly my friendships and relationships with my family and God started to diminish causing conflicts in my relationships. I wanted to spend time with these people, but time never let me have the chance. When I wanted to sit down and pray or read my Bible, I would always be paused by an alarm clock telling me that it was time for my next class or when my parents wanted to spend time together but I had an assignment due at 11:59 pm that I needed to finish. Time was never on my side. Time is always moving and I never seem to have the chance to catch up to it. I believe that I can improve my time management through communication with myself and my family, setting a calendar and having a planner, and planning my weeks in advance so that I may have time set for certain aspects of my life. This planning will help me to comprehend fully what I have to do in a week. This will allow me to better prepare for random events that might occur like family time to spending time with friends. A planner will be one step to success.

Imagine a little kid going into surgery, the beeping of the machines, and the sweat dripping from the doctors' faces. This usually would scare a nine-year-old, but it brought me comfort. I have always loved medicine, reading anatomy books, and taking forensic science, biology, and chemistry classes all my life. I plan to further my knowledge of medicine and sciences by fulfilling my surgical goals and bringing opportunities back to my community. In addition, my future career goal is to be a general surgeon, allowing me to save lives, cure people of their diseases and help them with their needs. I plan to impact them through my caring attitude and honesty. My goal is to save, improve and help continue the lives of others. By preserving a life, I am permitting people to see their grandchildren and enjoy themselves and what they were put on this Earth for. I hope to impact and inspire others, dreaming of being in my field because there are not many African Americans partaking in medicine. In pursuing this goal, I am also showing others that they can achieve their dreams if they choose to. I want to become this surgeon not just for myself but for others as well. I want to be a figure in the community, helping them realize that their opinions, dreams, achievements, and voice do matter and that they should never be silenced, even when society says they should. One of my main goals is to create a pro-bono surgical clinic to allow patients who lack health care to obtain the necessary surgeries and respect they deserve. I desire to give them the care they need to survive and continue their daily lives; plus, by giving them the help they need, I am allowing them to continue to impact and improve the economy. This surgical clinic is not to benefit me but to provide an opportunity for low-income families to live another day and be treated as equals, feeling like they are humans and not just mistakes and regrets. This clinic will be home to treatment centers, giving people access to the community, more jobs, and more opportunities for money, accessibility, and benefits. This clinic will serve the people, allowing me to get quality care and not have to deal with the increased medical bill debt. This clinic will save lives while being stable for the community and each day I strive to make this opportunity possible.

How does one choose to help others? What is the first step? Well, action is the first step, which is higher education in my pathway. My goal is to create a pro-bono surgical clinic to allow patients who lack health care to obtain the necessary surgeries and care they deserve. I desire to give them the care they need to survive and continue their daily lives; plus, by giving them the help they need, I am allowing them to continue to impact and improve the economy. This surgical clinic is not to benefit me but to provide an opportunity for low-income families to live another day and be treated as equals, feeling like they are humans and not just mistakes and regrets. This clinic will be home to treatment centers, giving people access to the community, giving them more jobs, and providing more opportunities for money, accessibility, and benefits In addition, my future career goal is to be a general surgeon, allowing me to save lives, cure people of their diseases and help them with their needs, which is what higher education can help me achieve. I plan to impact them through my caring attitude and honesty. My goal in life is to save, improve and help continue the lives of others. By preserving a life, I am helping a person to see their grandchildren and enjoy themselves and what they were put on this Earth for. I hope to impact and inspire others, dreaming of being in my field because there are not many African Americans partaking in medicine. In pursuing this goal, I am also showing others that they can achieve their dreams if they choose to. I want to become this surgeon not just for myself but for others as well. I want to be a figure in the community, helping them realize that their opinions, dreams, achievements, and voices matter and that they should never be silenced, even when society says they should. Higher education will help me pursue this goal, allowing me to have a background in medicine and communications, and preparing me to handle the hands-on work for the clinic. Plus, higher education will provide opportunities for networking with my professors and classmates. I will have access to research opportunities and library resources that are not fully acknowledged or known by the public. With higher education, I am preparing to understand my goal further and figure out my why.

How does one choose to help others? What is the first step? Well, action is the first step, which is higher education in my pathway. My goal is to create a pro-bono surgical clinic to allow patients who lack health care to obtain the necessary surgeries and care they deserve. I desire to give them the care they need to survive and continue their daily lives; plus, by giving them the help they need, I am allowing them to continue to impact and improve the economy. This surgical clinic is not to benefit me but to provide an opportunity for low-income families to live another day and be treated as equals, feeling like they are humans and not just mistakes and regrets. This clinic will be home to treatment centers, giving people access to the community, giving them more jobs, and providing more opportunities for money, accessibility, and benefits In addition, my future career goal is to be a general surgeon, allowing me to save lives, cure people of their diseases and help them with their needs, which is what higher education can help me achieve. I plan to impact them through my caring attitude and honesty. My goal in life is to save, improve and help continue the lives of others. By preserving a life, I am helping a person to see their grandchildren and enjoy themselves and what they were put on this Earth for. I hope to impact and inspire others, dreaming of being in my field because there are not many African Americans partaking in medicine. In pursuing this goal, I am also showing others that they can achieve their dreams if they choose to. I want to become this surgeon not just for myself but for others as well. I want to be a figure in the community, helping them realize that their opinions, dreams, achievements, and voices matter and that they should never be silenced, even when society says they should. Higher education will help me pursue this goal, allowing me to have a background in medicine and communications, and preparing me to handle the hands-on work for the clinic. Plus, higher education will provide opportunities for networking with my professors and classmates. I will have access to research opportunities and library resources that are not fully acknowledged or known by the public. With higher education, I am preparing to understand my goal further and figure out my why.

Throughout life, I had dealt with ups and downs from getting a late diagnosis of severe depression and anxiety to taking a new step in my life and going to college. At this new stage in my life, it has been very hard from making sure I complete assignments on time to working two on-campus jobs, hoping that these funds will provide me some stability in the constant months that I stay on campus and to be able to help my family pay their utility bills as they are piling up over time, while my student debt is increasing due to the continual financial issues within my household. During this time, I have learned a lot about myself, and one item that I have learned to value is my resolve. My willingness to achieve and make myself and my parents proud. At an early age, I realized that I love to work and push myself to the limit to achieve and accomplish my goals from getting a good grade on a test by studying for a whole month or a whole night to pushing through my procrastination to completing a last-minute project that was due in a couple of hours. This determination I used to not like due to its damaging effects on my mental health, causing stress and unwanted depression and anxiety fluctuation. It consumed me because I felt like I always had to do something or complete a project, causing me to lose countless hours of sleep. This determination controlled me, making it something I struggled with for most of my life. It was not until when I got to college that I appreciated it. When I first got into college, I started to appreciate my persistence because i constantly helped myself to achieve good grades and further show more of a dedication toward my work and goals than just pursing a career that I did not really care to participate in.This quality has helped me in my life journey by allowing me to the realize the importance of myself and the world. I used to be so focused and lost in partaking in a goal that I failed to realize that through my persistence and willingness to survive I discovered that my determination helped me to conquer a lot of racial discriminations and segregations in my work career and personal life. I have learned to love my goals and dreams on a deeper level and have learned to handle myself with integrity, honesty and respect through the challenges and diligence in what I want to do with my life.

Imagine standing up on a stage, about to sing for a school that you believe will judge you if you fail, while your mother is yelling at you to remember all the words since your grandparents and extended family are out there ready to hear your special talent. Well, that is what I had to deal with as a 7-year-old. I was about to show my talents, heart, and soul to the world. I was about to sing a song that I had loved for only two weeks. Now, this is not a sad ending because I did end up singing, earning applause from the crowd. I learned that I love to sing and always have, but that I also like the idea of challenges and trying to conquer them. I learned to adapt in that moment of fright by being open with my teacher whom I was scared of. She taught me to honor my mother's wishes and not give up on myself since I was accountable for wanting to perform in the first place. I grew up in that moment. I learned that I have to face my fears and work to accomplish my dreams. This experience shows family is a big focus in my life and that I always try to please them by making my best efforts. My community is supportive and powerful, always willing to give a helping hand no matter the circumstance. This has shaped what I want to get out of my college experience because it has helped me to decide that I want a place that I can call home. I want to be able to pursue my goal of becoming a general surgeon, while also researching cryogenics. As Hopkins prides itself on big ideas and research, I want to use that advantage to save and cure lives, while also trying to discover innovations for reproduction and the postponing of death. Long ago I was that scared little girl, walking on stage, but now I am ready to take on the world, embracing and learning from my mistakes. Furthermore, a dream family vacation would be to Disney World. This is one of my dream places that I have never been to and since it is known as the "happiest place in the world" I want to allow my family to experience that removing all their struggles and worries for a few days and just live in the moment and bond with each other and the Disney community around us. Plus, I feel like this will allow for some barriers to be broken, helping my parents to feel like children again and get that experience of relaxing.

How does one truly positively impact the world around them? Can one person change the world? Society shows otherwise. I believe one can, but with the right mindset, morals, support, and ideas. I think that being nice to someone and doing a good deed to give someone hope in society, bringing them joy will promote positive change. This is something I strive to do each day. I love helping others by working in the Ben Franklin community garden or volunteering in my church and community by working the food pantry or watching children while their parents are in service or dealing with their busy lives. I believe that each positive interaction can improve the Earth and make someone pass along that positivity to another. Some other ways I can promote positivity are through my actions and future career. My plan to change the world is to save lives, cure people of their diseases, and help them with their needs by becoming a general surgeon. I want to make people feel comfortable in their skin, not having to deal with their recurring pain. I plan to impact them through my caring attitude and willingness to get the job done effectively and efficiently. My goal in life is to save, improve and help continue the lives of others. By preserving a life, I am helping a person to see their grandchildren and enjoy themselves and what they were put on this Earth for. I desire to help them continue in their purpose and see their dreams and future fall into place. I hope to impact and inspire others, dreaming of being in my field because there are not many African Americans partaking in medicine, and by being a part of this community, I am inspiring diversity and inclusion, helping children to see various careers that they have for the future. In pursuing this goal, I am showing others that they can achieve their dreams if they choose to. I want to become this surgeon not just for myself but for others as well. I want to be a figure in the community, helping them realize that their opinions, dreams, achievements, and voice do matter and that they should never be silenced, even when society says they should. One of my main goals is to create a pro-bono surgical clinic to allow patients who lack health care to obtain the necessary surgeries and care they deserve. I desire to give them the care they need to survive and continue their daily lives; plus, by giving them the help they need, I am allowing them to continue to impact and improve the economy. This surgical clinic is meant to provide an opportunity for low-income families to live another day and be treated as equals. This clinic will be home to treatment centers, giving access to the community, and providing more jobs and opportunities for money, accessibility, and benefits. This clinic is not just to benefit the people but the world, providing people with a sense of hope, change, and the possibility of care for all.

How does one truly positively impact the world around them? Can one person change the world? Society shows otherwise. I believe one can, but with the right mindset, morals, support, and ideas. I think that being nice to someone and doing a good deed to give someone hope in society, bringing them joy will promote positive change. This is something I strive to do each day. I love helping others by working in the Ben Franklin community garden or volunteering in my church and community by working the food pantry or watching children while their parents are in service or dealing with their busy lives. I believe that each positive interaction can improve the Earth and make someone pass along that positivity to another. Some other ways I can promote positivity are through my actions and future career. My plan to change the world is to save lives, cure people of their diseases, and help them with their needs by becoming a general surgeon. I want to make people feel comfortable in their skin, not having to deal with their recurring pain. I plan to impact them through my caring attitude and willingness to get the job done effectively and efficiently. My goal in life is to save, improve and help continue the lives of others. By preserving a life, I am helping a person to see their grandchildren and enjoy themselves and what they were put on this Earth for. I desire to help them continue in their purpose and see their dreams and future fall into place. I hope to impact and inspire others, dreaming of being in my field because there are not many African Americans partaking in medicine, and by being a part of this community, I am inspiring diversity and inclusion, helping children to see various careers that they have for the future. In pursuing this goal, I am showing others that they can achieve their dreams if they choose to. I want to become this surgeon not just for myself but for others as well. I want to be a figure in the community, helping them realize that their opinions, dreams, achievements, and voice do matter and that they should never be silenced, even when society says they should. One of my main goals is to create a pro-bono surgical clinic to allow patients who lack health care to obtain the necessary surgeries and care they deserve. I desire to give them the care they need to survive and continue their daily lives; plus, by giving them the help they need, I am allowing them to continue to impact and improve the economy. This surgical clinic is meant to provide an opportunity for low-income families to live another day and be treated as equals. This clinic will be home to treatment centers, giving access to the community, and providing more jobs and opportunities for money, accessibility, and benefits. This clinic is not just to benefit the people but the world, providing people with a sense of hope, change, and the possibility of care for all.

Life is but a fairy tale. I did not have my dream life. I struggled. At times, I did not know what was going to be for dinner because there was nothing in the refrigerator, yet my parents still made a way to try to make life feel at home. These moments defined me from driving around to see the Christmas lights that people hung up in wealthy neighborhoods to watching movies together on the couch, while we talk about our dreams for me and the future. These moments set me aside from my peers and allowed me to feel love even though I did not have the funds that everyone else had. At a young age, my mental health started to deplete, yet no one knew. I concealed it, acting as though life was full of sunshine and rainbows, yet in actuality, it was filled with trauma, sadness, constant forgiveness, and growth, but overall it helped me to be the person I am today. I was constantly depressed, not liking the image in the mirror, and always regretting every word that I spoke, causing me to not make many friends in elementary school, but it was not until high school that my mental health issues increased substantially, leading me to attempt during the pandemic. This moment changed my life forever. Now what impacted me was not the fact that I live, but the impact my life had on so many people. As a person that struggles with severe depression, social anxiety, and general anxiety, my brain started to confuse my thoughts, making me believe that the love my family had for me was a lie and that they were only using me since my mother does not drive and does not clean the house consistently. I thought I was a maid and chauffeur and nothing more. It was not until after the attempt that life seemed different. It was not good or bad, but it was unique. I started to appreciate the special moments more and started to look around at the world and not just at a computer or phone screen, as everyone did during the pandemic. During this time of rehabilitation, even though I did not attend rehab, I took time to focus on my needs and to forget about the constant pressures and social standards of society. This helped me to form my dreams for the future and what I desired to do, which is to become a general surgeon. This idea of becoming a surgeon was influenced by my constant desire to learn, my willingness and love to help others, and the idea that I want to be able to create a comfortable lifestyle for my family that I was not able to receive as a child. I desire to improve and change lives for the better and help people who cannot afford healthcare receive their rights to care and live another day. I want to be able to create a home full of honesty, integrity, respect, and love that I received as a child that I forgot about as I got older. This love I want to share with the world and by becoming a general surgeon, I want to fight against societal normalities and inspire young African American males, females, and non-binary people that they can achieve their dreams and can change the world in many ways and not just in sports or working in a hair salon and that there are many ways to accomplish their dreams and passions. My dreams are to inspire, save lives and learn to understand myself better.

Why is college so tricky? Desiring to go to college is one achievement, but completing it is another because it has so many challenges that one must conquer besides having good grades. It is making sure you pay tuition on time, stay afloat with your social life, be in clubs to create networking opportunities, and sometimes work on campus to improve your resume and have money to pay for utilities and college, itself, while also trying to fill out scholarships in the hope that one of them picks you so that you can lessen your college debt. College is one of the most momentous concepts in my family that was never questioned, but what was asked was how I was going to afford it. This led to my father and I filling out a Parent Plus loan, taking out $17,000 to pay for my room and board, meal plan, and the rest of my school tuition for the year. This large amount of money that was taken out shocked me and the idea that I had to pay it back made me value my funds, inspiring me to start creating a plan to earn money to address my current student loan debt. First, I got two student jobs, allowing for continual income, teaching me the value of money and how hard labor makes me appreciate it more. I work about 10.5 hours a week and get paid $10.50 per hour. I receive a paycheck biweekly, and each time, I earn a paycheck, I put about 50% of it in my saving account to avoid using it. Second, I fill out scholarships as well every weekend, hoping that one of the scholarships will help me. Third, I meet with my school's financial wellness department monthly on how to handle my debt and always ask about an increase in financial aid. Fourth, I try to sell some of my clothes and books to earn some money to put in my savings account. Finally, I try to improve my crafts by reading more and listening to podcasts on how to increase revenue and earn more money, learning new skills and I try to earn top grades to achieve more benefits like scholarships and financial aid for future medical school applications and processes that I will have to go through. Plus, I believe that by learning new skills, like coding, copywriting, and digital marketing. Each aspect of my life revolves around trying to cancel my student loan debt since my family has so much debt already and is trying to stay afloat in a world that just keeps trying to tear them done. I want to have generational wealth for my family and my future family and children. I want to work hard and struggle now so that in the future, my family nor I will have to worry about that. This idea of debt is time and life-consuming, but hopefully, through my constant persistence and plans, I will be able to achieve my goal of not having debt by the time I graduate college and medical school.

How does one truly positively impact the world around them? Can one person change the world? Society shows otherwise. Well, I believe that one can, but with the right mindset, morals, support, and ideas. I believe that just being nice to someone and doing a good deed to give someone hope in society and bring them joy will promote positive change. This is something I strive to do each day. I love helping others by working in the Ben Franklin community garden or volunteering in my church and community by working the food pantry or watching the children, while the parents are in service or dealing with their busy lives. I believe that each positive interaction can improve the Earth and make someone pass along that positivity to another. My plan to change the world is by becoming a general surgeon, allowing me to save lives, cure people of their diseases and help them with their needs. I want to make people feel comfortable in their skin and no longer have to deal with their recurring pain. I plan to impact them through my caring attitude and willingness to get the job done in an effective and efficient manner. My goal in life is to save, improve and help continue the lives of others. By preserving a life, I am helping a person to see their grandchildren and enjoy themselves and what they were put on this Earth for. I am helping them to continue in their purpose and to see their dreams and future fall into place. I hope to impact and inspire others, dreaming of being in my field because there are not many African Americans partaking in medicine, and by being a part of this community, I am inspiring diversity and inclusion, helping children to see various careers that they have for the future. In pursuing this goal, I am showing others that they can achieve their dreams if they choose to. I want to become this surgeon not just for myself but for others as well. I want to be a figure in the community, helping them realize that their opinions, dreams, achievements, and voice do matter and that they should never be silenced, even when society says they should. Having more minorities in the healthcare field, it will allow for more comfortability concerning minorities, and plus, it will encourage minority youth to partake in this field as well, supplying them with another way to escape the stereotypes and societal standards. One of my main goals is to create a pro-bono surgical clinic to allow patients who lack health care to obtain the necessary surgeries and care they deserve. I desire to give them the care they need to survive and continue their daily lives; plus, by giving them the help they need, I am allowing them to continue to impact and improve the economy. This surgical clinic is meant to provide an opportunity for low-income families to live another day and be treated as equals. This clinic will be home to treatment centers, giving access to the community, and providing more jobs and opportunities for money, accessibility, and benefits.

Being a Black female is one of the hardest things in life from having to fear being perceived as a threat to being only recognized as a sex symbol and not a human being. Black women are downplayed by society, only showing their independence and strength, never expressing their emotions and self-care for their mental health. I, as a black woman, struggle just to fit in because I never feel like enough. I am always either too white or too black in different environments and never just me, Desiree, and sometimes in this world one just needs to be themselves to benefit the world. Benefiting the Black community takes time and has to start with people putting aside their prejudices and stereotypes towards their race. It is by being nice to their race and doing good deeds for them, allowing for them to carry on that good deed to another, providing hope in the community and a chance for reconciliation and unity. This is something I strive to do each day. Even though I go to a predominantly white institution, I still help my Black community by being a student facilitator in meetings of diversity and inclusion, giving the minority a voice and a seat in the room, where only adults are usually present. Also, I love helping others by tutoring my cheerleaders, working in the Ben Franklin community garden, and volunteering in my church and community by managing the lights, singing in the praise team and working the concession stands, and serving during teen church, and by just being open to conversations. I believe that each positive interaction one has can improve the Earth and make someone pass along that positivity to another. In addition, my future career goal is to be a general surgeon, allowing me to save lives, cure people of their diseases and help them with their needs. I plan to impact them through my caring attitude and honesty. My goal in life is to save, improve and help continue the lives of others. By preserving a life, I am helping a person to see their grandchildren and enjoy themselves and what they were put on this Earth for. I hope to impact and inspire others, dreaming of being in my field because there are not many African Americans partaking in medicine. In pursuing this goal, I am also showing others that they can achieve their dreams if they choose to. I want to become this surgeon not just for myself but for others as well. I want to be a figure in the community, helping them realize that their opinions, dreams, achievements, and voice do matter and that they should never be silenced, even when society says they should. Not to mention, I want to be able to bring back different opportunities to my Black community, showing them unique and positive experiences in the medical field, helping to recognize the multiple fields one can partake in, and helping save lives. One of my main goals is to create a pro-bono surgical clinic to allow patients who lack health care to obtain the necessary surgeries and care they deserve. I desire to give them the care they need to survive and continue their daily lives; plus, by giving them the help they need, I am allowing them to continue to impact and improve the economy. This surgical clinic is not to benefit me but to provide an opportunity for low-income families to live another day and be treated as equals, feeling like they are humans and not just mistakes and regrets.

How does one truly positively impact the world around them? Can one person change the world? Society shows otherwise. Well, I believe that one can, but with the right mindset, morals, support, and ideas. I believe that just being nice to someone and doing a good deed to give someone hope in society and bring them joy will promote positive change. This is something I strive to do each day. I love helping others by working in the Ben Franklin community garden or volunteering in my church and community by working the food pantry or watching the children, while the parents are in service or dealing with their busy lives. I believe that each positive interaction can improve the Earth and make someone pass along that positivity to another. My plan to change the world is by becoming a general surgeon, allowing me to save lives, cure people of their diseases and help them with their needs. I want to make people feel comfortable in their skin and no longer have to deal with their recurring pain. I plan to impact them through my caring attitude and willingness to get the job done effectively and efficiently. My goal in life is to save, improve and help continue the lives of others. By preserving a life, I am helping a person to see their grandchildren and enjoy themselves and what they were put on this Earth for. I am helping them to continue in their purpose and to see their dreams and future fall into place. I hope to impact and inspire others, dreaming of being in my field because there are not many African Americans partaking in medicine, and by being a part of this community, I am inspiring diversity and inclusion, helping children to see various careers that they have for the future. In pursuing this goal, I am showing others that they can achieve their dreams if they choose to. I want to become this surgeon not just for myself but for others as well. I want to be a figure in the community, helping them realize that their opinions, dreams, achievements, and voice do matter and that they should never be silenced, even when society says they should. One of my main goals is to create a pro-bono surgical clinic to allow patients who lack health care to obtain the necessary surgeries and care they deserve. I desire to give them the care they need to survive and continue their daily lives; plus, by giving them the help they need, I am allowing them to continue to impact and improve the economy. This surgical clinic is meant to provide an opportunity for low-income families to live another day and be treated as equals. This clinic will be home to treatment centers, giving access to the community, and providing more jobs and opportunities for money, accessibility, and benefits.

As a little child, my mother and I would always go shopping for Christmas gifts and food for the food drive at my school during the Thanksgiving and December holidays. I constantly questioned her, suggesting that we shop for me instead of for other people. I believed that giving to people that did not care about others was a waste of money because, in my perspective, we were pleasing people who did not deserve the gift. After expressing this thought to my mother, she ridiculed me, explaining that giving is not supposed to be in expectation of receiving. My mother told me that if one wants to be a good person, one must be willing to give and not be selfish with their money, actions, time, energy, and voice. While learning how to give, I grew to despise it. I wanted to buy items for myself, but it was not until one Thanksgiving when my mother woke me up at dawn to get dressed to serve the homeless at St. Augustine’s church. I rejected the idea and was scared of getting hurt, stolen, or robbed due to the stigma that society explains that homeless people are robbers, thieves, and kidnappers to earn money for drugs. I failed to question why they did these things and went along with the stigma. Once we got there, I was shocked to see how friendly everyone was and how they each had a story to tell. There was even this man I loved talking to because he had a different story each time I spoke to him, and his perspective of life was full of gratitude and not anger. He was always listening to me when I spoke. He even remembered me as I continued to serve there each year. Serving the homeless changed my mindset about life and showed me how to be grateful for what I had in that current moment and not focus on the things that I do not have. Also, I learned to not judge a book by its cover; through my time there, my stereotypes of the people I was meeting slowly changed and became positive thoughts. I liked hearing their stories and expressing their opinion on specific political and social topics because it was not an opinion or perspective I was used to encountering. The spirit of giving my time affected how I see people now. It has helped me to see the goodness in others and how society is corrupt. Through offering my time and energy, I have grown to appreciate the items I have in my home and, now, love meeting new people and expanding my compassion, honesty, and thinking. The spirit of giving is about putting aside one’s needs for others who need it the most. By giving away oneself, they are showing honor to another person, making them feel as though they are human, providing them the rights they deserve, and a chance to use their voices to represent their beliefs and no longer be silent.

As a child who for most of her life was considered either obese or underweight, I know a lot about obtaining a healthy lifestyle. I have dealt with the conversations of possibly becoming a diabetic if I were to continue down the path I have chosen to take. These are the moments that impacted me the most, signifying a point of disappointment in myself and how I was a disappointment to my family. Through having these conversations, my mental health slowly declined, leading to more issues mentally and physically. After a while, I started to appreciate and find the importance of a healthy lifestyle, seeing how much energy a person can obtain and how they can become more productive each day through their constant self-care. With just one hour of daily workout, I felt better, had a clear mind, and had more energy. I felt different on a positive note. I was no longer saddened by my appearance but more appreciative of the work and dedication I put into it. This shift changed my perspective of life, causing me to no longer push my feelings and pain away but to embrace it and push myself to be my best self. Plus, self-care, working out, and eating healthy is a form of love; it is showing yourself that you matter. It is putting yourself first and showing the world that you are important and not just a bystander in life. By promoting and working towards a healthy lifestyle, one is pushing themselves to pursue their goals and challenge themselves to the best of their ability. In actuality, a healthy lifestyle is not just about eating the right amounts of food and working out, but it is about showing that you matter and are important to not just yourself but the world around you. In other words, a healthy lifestyle is important because it allows me to care for myself to live to have kids, be successful, pursue my goals and not let the negativity and societal standards live to see another day. By caring for oneself, by writing in your journal for thirty minutes, eating a salad a day, or just by meditating for ten minutes before work or school, you are allowing the world to change and benefit from your existence. The positivity that you receive from living a healthy life, radiates off of your skin, making everyone else’s day better.

For my father, he never went to college. He never got the chance to turn over the tassel and to be welcomed in to a world of many opportunities; instead, he was forced to work. He never got the chance to be a college student, but instead got the chance to be a newspaper boy, a bagger at Dave's Supermarket and a mailman and now a FedEx carrier. He never got the chance to get a degree, which is all he wanted. He wanted to achieve his greatest goal which was a lifetime of opportunities. My father represents to me why higher education is important. Higher education is not just about getting a sheet of paper but learning to explore different aspects of a major or minor. It is about observing different types of arts, sciences and mathematics to get a better understanding of what you prefer. College is about experimenting, meaning it is about learning about yourself and what you want for your life. It is about pursuing your goals and learning independence in a safe and controlled environment. Higher education is something that I have always wanted in my life. It is something that I have strived to achieve each and every day of my life from looking at BuzzFeed quizzes about which college I am going to attend to watching dorm room tours for prominent college in my area. I wanted to grow up fast, yet with higher education, it just allows you to fully become yourself and grow in your goals, understanding your fears as well. Higher education is also required in this society because it helps one to achieve a job and be promoted to a new level and title. Higher education does not just help one to recognize themselves, but is required to pursue professions in today's society. Without a college degree, one can barely become a fry cook at McDonalds because jobs either require experience or a college degree. Overall, higher education is important to me because I want to achieve my father's dreams, while also learning about myself and my goals in the future. Higher education opens up many opportunities for exploration and networking opportunities. This process of college is scary but through determination and motivation, it can be some of the greatest and challenging times of your life, which is why it shapes you to become a person ready to handle and conquer societal standards.

How does one truly positively impact the world around them? Can one person change the world? Society shows otherwise. Well, I believe that one can, but with the right mindset, morals, support, and ideas. Some ways to benefit the world is by just being oneself. It is by being nice to a person and doing a good deed to give someone hope in society and bring them joy. This is something I strive to do each day. I love helping others by tutoring my cheerleaders, working in the Ben Franklin community garden, or volunteering in my church and community. I believe that each positive interaction one has can improve the Earth and make someone pass along that positivity to another. In addition, my future career goal is to be a general surgeon, allowing me to save lives, cure people of their diseases and help them with their needs. I plan to impact them through my caring attitude and honesty. My goal in life is to save, improve and help continue the lives of others. By preserving a life, I am helping a person to see their grandchildren and enjoy themselves and what they were put on this Earth for. I hope to impact and inspire others, dreaming of being in my field because there are not many African Americans partaking in medicine. In pursuing this goal, I am also showing others that they can achieve their dreams if they choose to. I want to become this surgeon not just for myself but for others as well. I want to be a figure in the community, helping them realize that their opinions, dreams, achievements, and voice do matter and that they should never be silenced, even when society says they should. One of my main goals is to create a pro-bono surgical clinic to allow patients who lack health care to obtain the necessary surgeries and mental care they deserve. I desire to give them the care they need to survive and continue their daily lives; plus, by giving them the help they need, I am allowing them to continue to impact and improve the economy. This surgical clinic is not to benefit me but to provide an opportunity for low-income families to live another day and be treated as equals, feeling like they are humans and not just mistakes and regrets. This clinic will be home to treatment centers, giving people access to the community, giving them more jobs and providing more opportunities for money, accessibility, and benefits.

Eating food is one of the easiest and most important things to do in one’s life, which is why most of my life prioritized it. I thought that if I did not eat, I was a disappointment, wasteful and ungrateful. I believed that if I weighed less, everything else would not matter, leading me to be underweight at 9. Unfortunately, that quickly changed to me overeating after my grandmother had a long talk with me, begging me to eat so I could stay alive and not have an eating disorder. During that moment, I started associating food with pleasing my parents’ wishes, and soon, it became a comfort issue. I turned to food as a way to handle my stress afterschool I had a McDonald's meal as a snack, leading me to eat four to five meals a day. This caused a dramatic fluctuation in my weight, and although I was not eating at McDonald's every day, I started not understanding portion control. This experience of constantly eating and large portion sizes caused a fluctuation in my weight, leading to me being overweight, out of breath when walking up a flight of stairs, and just walking and talking became a difficulty. I wanted to change, but I did not know where to start. I hated looking at myself in the mirror and seeing the excess rolls on my belly. The idea of looking different from one’s classmates and teachers, who are all of a slimmer status hurts the mind, causing me to lose my self-worth, but the most drastic shift that allowed me to change was when my church opened up a fitness camp for female teenagers, allowing for them to exercise and eat healthier. This program happened on Wednesdays, allowing me to be motivated by others and work with a group of other individuals in the same situation as me. After participating in this program, I have maintained the change by adapting to eating more fruits and vegetables, having more water with my meals, and just going outside more and participating in life. As I gained more weight, I became more introverted, fearing that people were judging me, so once I had more faith in myself through constant daily affirmations and journaling endeavors. I started having more confidence in myself, my emotions, and my determination. Realizing that this weight is not just a physical issue has challenged me to see that the true issue is my negative mindset towards myself. By believing in myself, I know these changes with continue to happen, and I will improve each day.

Imagine sitting at a kitchen table on a Sunday afternoon after church, talking to your family about life, and then continuing the day by watching a movie or the current sports game on television. The sleepy atmosphere fills the room after sitting for hours hearing a long-winded sermon about how God loves and wants the best for you. Now, these moments sound dainty, but in actuality, these are the moments that I appreciated. They showed me the definition of family. These moments of just sitting around and doing nothing contributed to my love for family time. The cliché is that family is the most important thing in one's life, but it is. It shapes a person and their morals, allowing them to pursue what they have always been taught. From a child on, I have been taught and trained to be a Christian from going to church every Sunday and Wednesday to praying every day. They even made me active in the church from being a junior usher to singing in the choir. Through this constant practice, I started to form my relationship with God, learning how to be in the world but not of it, striving to not drink, have sex before marriage and cheat. Even though at times, I did disagree with some of my jobs in the church and the continual work, I grew to love it. I loved working for God and as it initially was meant to just please my parents and grandparents, it grew to be just something I loved to do and desired to do on the daily basis. I owe a lot to my family from teaching me how to draw, the countless hours working on homework with me to showing me my future profession. As a child, I dreamed of becoming a singer. I, even, was Hannah Montana for eight years straight, showing my love for music and enthusiasm to sing instantaneously, but that dream was short-lived when my grandmother asked me about my goals in life at the ripe age of ten. At that young age, my dreams and goals were relentless and reachable, so I told her my plans, and, of course, she told me to think more practically, focusing on how to make a stable income, leading her to inform me that the most reasonable and financially secure job is by becoming a doctor. This moment crushed me because that was something I was dreaming about, but to please my grandparent, I changed my goals, I started working harder in school, achieving top grades until the end of my high school career. This idea of becoming a doctor and pleasing my family pushed me past my limits. I was no longer myself but a shadow of their dreams for my life. The one thing that truly saved me was the pandemic because this pause helped me to figure out what I wanted to do and if my dreams were my dreams and not my family's. After the long conversation with myself, I realized that through all my hard work, my parent's and grandparents' dreams had become my own, meaning that I want to pursue medicine. In all honesty, family is a great resource, but over time, their opinions can overshadow your thoughts, making you just a reflection of them, not making you authentic. My dreams are now mine, but it took time to realize that. By separating myself from the shadow of my family's wants and desires, I have become my true self.

The faint breath as I opened my eyes, establishing that I had woken from my attempt; the attempt that was supposed to stop all of my pain and heartache. The thing that was supposed to cure all my problems, giving me the sleep I needed the most at the time no longer existed. During the pandemic, life was a mess. I was stuck looking at a screen all day and was mostly alone in my house due to my parents being essential workers. I needed someone to talk to but did not because, in my mind, there was nothing to talk about, and I constantly avoided being a nuisance to others by expressing my feelings, which is why I always put up a facade of the truth and my emotions. I had no one, not a single person to talk to. This led to me feeling isolated, and instead of talking to my parents about this issue, I instead started talking to myself and the only thing I could say was that I hate myself. I could not think of anything positive about myself, all I wanted to do was stop being not good enough. I was tired of having emotional outbreaks and being known as the joke at my school due to the constant bullying that occurred throughout my four years. I just wanted it all to stop. I wanted my mistakes and misfortunes to end, so I took life into my hands. After a long conversation with myself, I knew my time has ended. I had no purpose. All I was doing was wasting time, breath, and air for others to use. I had no point to live besides making my parents happy. The only issue is all my life I had been trying to please my parents, I did everything to make it up to them for giving me the gift of life, but through that time, I never lived for myself, not ever knowing what I wanted to do with my life. I was lost because I never put myself first, but on my responsibilities, goals, and the dreams others wanted for me. That night, I faced a disagreement, where my grandparents picked at every characteristic and personality trait I had, causing me to feel worthless and like a ghost shell. I was no longer me. This moment set my decisions in motion to end it all. I went to my room and took almost all the sleeping pills in the bottle bought for me, meant to help my insomnia, but I really wanted to stop the pain, heartbreak, sorrow, and regret, so I took them. I just wanted to sleep and I did, but as my breath slowed, and I could feel my heart slowing, I thought about my mother walking into my room and seeing her only child gone from the world. I thought about the pain my dad would feel as his favorite and only child left the world. I instantly regretted what I was doing, so I prayed to the only being I knew who could save me, which was God. After my prayer, I was lucky enough to wake up fourteen hours later with just a headache and temporary blurred vision. I quickly informed my parents, telling them how I was feeling and how I wanted to have the chance to live, but would need their help to do so. Overall, after that experience, life has had its ups and downs, but I am slowly working towards becoming a better self that looks at the world and myself positively.

Being a Black female is one of the hardest things in life from having to fear being perceived as a threat to being only recognized as a sex symbol and not a human being. Black women are downplayed by society, only showing their independence and strength, never expressing their emotions and self-care for their mental health. As a black woman, I struggle to fit in because I never feel like enough. I am always either too white or too black in different environments and never just me, Desiree, and sometimes in this world, one needs to be themselves to benefit the world. Benefiting the Black community takes time and has to start with people putting aside their prejudices and stereotypes towards their race. It is by being nice to their race and doing good deeds for them, allowing them to carry on that good deed to another, providing hope in the community and a chance for reconciliation and unity. This is something I strive to do each day. Even though I go to a predominantly white institution, I still help my Black community by being a student facilitator in meetings of diversity and inclusion, giving the minority a voice and a seat in the room where only adults are usually present. Also, I love helping others by tutoring my cheerleaders, working in the Ben Franklin community garden, and volunteering in my church and community by managing the lights, singing in the praise team and working the concession stands, and serving during teen church and by just being open to conversations. I believe that each positive interaction one has can improve the Earth and make someone pass along that positivity to another. In addition, my future career goal is to be a general surgeon, allowing me to save lives, cure people of their diseases and help them with their needs. I plan to impact them through my caring attitude and honesty. My goal in life is to save, improve and help continue the lives of others. By preserving a life, I am helping a person to see their grandchildren and enjoy themselves and what they were put on this Earth for. I hope to impact and inspire others, dreaming of being in my field because there are not many African Americans partaking in medicine. In pursuing this goal, I am also showing others that they can achieve their dreams if they choose to. I want to become this surgeon not just for myself but for others as well. I want to be a figure in the community, helping them realize that their opinions, dreams, achievements, and voice do matter and that they should never be silenced, even when society says they should. One of my main goals is to create a pro-bono surgical clinic to allow patients who lack health care to obtain the necessary surgeries and care they deserve. I desire to give them the care they need to survive and continue their daily lives; plus, by giving them the help they need, I am allowing them to continue to impact and improve the economy. This surgical clinic is not to benefit me but to provide an opportunity for low-income families to live another day and be treated as equals, feeling like they are humans and not just mistakes and regrets. This clinic will be home to treatment centers, giving people access to more jobs and opportunities for money, accessibility, and benefits.

Being a Black female is one of the hardest things in life from having to fear being perceived as a threat to being only recognized as a sex symbol and not a human being. Black women are downplayed by society, only showing their independence and strength, never expressing their emotions and self-care for their mental health. As a black woman, I struggle to fit in because I never feel like enough. I am always either too white or too black in different environments and never just me, Desiree, and sometimes in this world, one needs to be themselves to benefit the world. Benefiting the Black community takes time and has to start with people putting aside their prejudices and stereotypes towards their race. It is by being nice to their race and doing good deeds for them, allowing them to carry on that good deed to another, providing hope in the community and a chance for reconciliation and unity. This is something I strive to do each day. Even though I go to a predominantly white institution, I still help my Black community by being a student facilitator in meetings of diversity and inclusion, giving the minority a voice and a seat in the room where only adults are usually present. Also, I love helping others by tutoring my cheerleaders, working in the Ben Franklin community garden, and volunteering in my church and community by managing the lights, singing in the praise team and working the concession stands, and serving during teen church and by just being open to conversations. I believe that each positive interaction one has can improve the Earth and make someone pass along that positivity to another. In addition, my future career goal is to be a general surgeon, allowing me to save lives, cure people of their diseases and help them with their needs. I plan to impact them through my caring attitude and honesty. My goal in life is to save, improve and help continue the lives of others. By preserving a life, I am helping a person to see their grandchildren and enjoy themselves and what they were put on this Earth for. I hope to impact and inspire others, dreaming of being in my field because there are not many African Americans partaking in medicine. In pursuing this goal, I am also showing others that they can achieve their dreams if they choose to. I want to become this surgeon not just for myself but for others as well. I want to be a figure in the community, helping them realize that their opinions, dreams, achievements, and voice do matter and that they should never be silenced, even when society says they should. Not to mention, I desire to bring different opportunities to my Black community, showing the unique and positive experiences in the medical field, helping to recognize the multiple fields one can partake in, and helping save lives. One of my main goals is to create a pro-bono surgical clinic to allow patients who lack health care to obtain the necessary surgeries and care they deserve. I desire to give them the care they need to survive and continue their daily lives; plus, by giving them the help they need, I am allowing them to continue to impact and improve the economy. This surgical clinic is not to benefit me but to provide an opportunity for low-income families to live another day and be treated as equals, feeling like they are humans and not just mistakes and regrets. This clinic will be home to treatment centers, giving people access to more jobs and opportunities for money, accessibility, and benefits.

How does one truly positively impact the world around them? Can one person change the world? Society shows otherwise. Well, I believe that one can, but with the right mindset, morals, support, and ideas. Some ways to benefit the world is by just being oneself. It is by being nice to a person and doing a good deed to give someone hope in society and bring them joy. This is something I strive to do each day. I love helping others by tutoring my cheerleaders, working in the Ben Franklin community garden, or volunteering in my church and community. I believe that each positive interaction one has can improve the Earth and make someone pass along that positivity to another. Through my community, I have volunteered at my church, the homeless shelter during Thanksgiving, helped at the Food Bank, served at the Ben Franklin community gardens, etc. I have been an active leader, attending my monthly neighborhood meetings and becoming a leader in my community church. I work at my high school summer camp, allowing me to meet new children, network, and obtain different ideas and perspectives on life. These many experiences and opportunities have led me to learn what a leader truly is, which is someone who pursues life for others and supports people, giving them opportunities to grow. As an active leader, my number one priority is to help others. I love to learn about others by being a helping hand in their daily activities like taking in their groceries for my elderly neighbors or partaking in conversation with them when they are sitting alone. I enjoy having conversations with them and developing from their ideas. By actively listening and supporting them through conversations, manual labor, etc., I am allowing them a chance to be noticed, loved, and appreciated. I am creating bonds to improve their and my livelihood, granting others compassion, clarity, and respect for themselves and others. By visiting my elderly neighbors and community members, I am allowing people to have their voices heard and help them to find the words to express themselves. An active leader does not require one to do a different task constantly but to be present in the community and the lives of others. One of my favorite tasks is working at my summer camp because it allows me to interact with children and allows for them to see diversity in their lives, teaching them to adjust and love different races and skin colors. This glimpse of color helps them to start questioning life, helping them to form their own opinions of different races and not what society wants them to learn. It does not only impact me but others in the future, providing a possible change and a more diverse and accepting environment and world.

How does one truly positively impact the world around them? Can one person change the world? Society shows otherwise. Well, I believe that one can, but with the right mindset, morals, support, and ideas. Some ways to benefit the world is by just being oneself. It is by being nice to a person and doing a good deed to give someone hope in society and bring them joy. This is something I strive to do each day. I love helping others by tutoring my cheerleaders, working in the Ben Franklin community garden, or volunteering in my church and community. I believe that each positive interaction one has can improve the Earth and make someone pass along that positivity to another. In addition, my future career goal is to be a general surgeon, allowing me to save lives, cure people of their diseases and help them with their needs. I plan to impact them through my caring attitude and honesty. My goal in life is to save, improve and help continue the lives of others. By preserving a life, I am helping a person to see their grandchildren and enjoy themselves and what they were put on this Earth for. I hope to impact and inspire others, dreaming of being in my field because there are not many African Americans partaking in medicine. In pursuing this goal, I am also showing others that they can achieve their dreams if they choose to. I want to become this surgeon not just for myself but for others as well. I want to be a figure in the community, helping them realize that their opinions, dreams, achievements, and voice do matter and that they should never be silenced, even when society says they should. One of my main goals is to create a pro-bono surgical clinic to allow patients who lack health care to obtain the necessary surgeries and care they deserve. I desire to give them the care they need to survive and continue their daily lives; plus, by giving them the help they need, I am allowing them to continue to impact and improve the economy. This surgical clinic is not to benefit me but to provide an opportunity for low-income families to live another day and be treated as equals, feeling like they are humans and not just mistakes and regrets. This clinic will be home to treatment centers, giving people access to the community, giving them more jobs, and providing more opportunities for money, accessibility, and benefits.

Student debt has been the obstacle that has been conquering my mind and heart for the past couple of months, especially since I sent in my enrollment deposit for Denison University. After learning about what student loans were, I realized that I will be in debt for most of my life, considering I want to go through twelve years of schooling to become a doctor. Now, I do understand that student loans are meant to help during that time, but after that time, it is when life becomes a struggle. Student loans do not just affect your debt, but also your credit, buying a house, having relationships, making decisions, receiving a job, etc. Through some research and planning, I plan to address my student loan debt by opening up a savings account. This savings account will hold half of the funds I have earned during my summer job each year, allowing me to have at least some finances to pay off the first payment of my debt. This savings account will help me save and learn to practice conscientious spending habits. Not to mention, I will also be paying the interest each month, granting the debt to not increase after the four years but stay the same. This information will prevent me from having an increased debt after the four years and give me accessibility in my spending. Another factor is that I used federal student loans instead of using a credit card company’s loans because, in case of another pandemic or emergency, federal loans sanction the stopping of payments, while with credit companies, they can continue their interest payments. In addition to all of these items, I have continually been applying for scholarships, trying to pay my tuition and books to prevent my parents from continuing their Parent Plus loan and becoming in debt. If none of these other options lessen my payment plans, I will join the Peace Corp or Teachers of America, which work with decreasing loan debt, trying to help the world but also benefit from it. Also, by voting, I can help my loans improve because, depending on the President, I could have no loans, or after a few years, I could have less to pay, which is both beneficial and permits me to positively impact the economy, since, with less debt, I will most likely invest more into society and around my neighboring towns. Debt is one of the hardest things to erase because it dominates people’s decisions, impacting their futures and prosperity. I hope through these small actions, I will be able to decrease my debt.

Eating food is one of the easiest and most important things to do in one’s life, which is why most of my life prioritized it. I thought that if I did not eat, I was a disappointment, wasteful and ungrateful. I believed that if I weighed less, everything else would not matter, leading me to be underweight at 9. Unfortunately, that quickly changed to me overeating after my grandmother had a long talk with me, begging me to eat so I could stay alive and not have an eating disorder. During that moment, I started associating food with pleasing my parents’ wishes, and soon, it became a comfort issue. I turned to food as a way to handle my stress afterschool I had a McDonald’s meal as a snack, leading me to eat four to five meals a day. This caused a dramatic fluctuation in my weight, and although I was not eating at McDonald’s every day, I started not understanding portion control. This experience of constantly eating and large portion sizes caused a fluctuation in my weight, leading to me being overweight, out of breath when walking up a flight of stairs, and just walking and talking became a difficulty. I wanted to change, but I did not know where to start. I hated looking at myself in the mirror and seeing the excess rolls on my belly. The idea of looking different from one’s classmates and teachers, who are all of a slimmer status hurts the mind, causing me to lose my self-worth, but the most drastic shift that allowed me to change was when my church opened up a fitness camp for female teenagers, allowing for them to exercise and eat healthier. This program happened on Wednesdays, allowing me to be motivated by others and work with a group of other individuals in the same situation as me. After participating in this program, I have maintained the change by adapting to eating more fruits and vegetables, having more water with my meals, and just going outside more and participating in life. As I gained more weight, I became more introverted, fearing that people were judging me, so once I had more faith in myself through constant daily affirmations and journaling endeavors. I started having more confidence in myself, my emotions, and my determination. Realizing that this weight is not just a physical issue has challenged me to see that the true issue is my negative mindset towards myself. By believing in myself, I know these changes with continue to happen, and I will improve each day.

As a child who for most of her life was considered either obese or underweight, I know a lot about obtaining a healthy lifestyle. I have dealt with the conversations of possibly becoming a diabetic if I were to continue down the path I have chosen to take. These are the moments that impacted me the most, signifying a point of disappointment in myself and how I was a disappointment to my family. Through having these conversations, my mental health slowly declined, leading to more issues mentally and physically. After a while, I started to appreciate and find the importance of a healthy lifestyle, seeing how much energy a person can obtain and how they can become more productive each day through their constant self-care. With just one hour of daily workout, I felt better, had a clear mind, and had more energy. I felt different on a positive note. I was no longer saddened by my appearance but more appreciative of the work and dedication I put into it. This shift changed my perspective of life, causing me to no longer push my feelings and pain away but to embrace it and push myself to be my best self. Plus, self-care, working out, and eating healthy is a form of love; it is showing yourself that you matter. It is putting yourself first and showing the world that you are important and not just a bystander in life. By promoting and working towards a healthy lifestyle, one is pushing themselves to pursue their goals and challenge themselves to the best of their ability. In actuality, a healthy lifestyle is not just about eating the right amounts of food and working out, but it is about showing that you matter and are important to not just yourself but the world around you. In other words, a healthy lifestyle is important because it allows me to care for myself to live to have kids, be successful, pursue my goals and not let the negativity and societal standards live to see another day. By caring for oneself, by writing in your journal for thirty minutes, eating a salad a day, or just by meditating for ten minutes before work or school, you are allowing the world to change and benefit from your existence. The positivity that you receive from living a healthy life, radiates off of your skin, making everyone else’s day better.

As a child who was considered either obese or underweight for most of her life, I know a lot about obtaining a healthy lifestyle. I have dealt with the conversations of possibly becoming a diabetic if I were to continue down the path I have chosen to take, but overall I have learned from those moments. I have started to appreciate and find the importance of a healthy lifestyle, seeing how much energy a person can obtain and how they can become more productive each day through their constant self-care. Plus, touching on the topic of self-care, working out, and eating healthy is a form of love; it is showing yourself that you matter. By promoting and working towards a healthy lifestyle, one is pushing themselves to pursue their goals and challenge themselves to the best of their ability. In actuality, a healthy lifestyle is not just about eating the right foods and working out, but it is about showing that you matter and are essential to not just yourself but the world around you.

In this current recession, some might consider that $1,000 is not enough money to do anything with but what they fail to realize is that this money can kick start so many opportunities, leading to a multitude of profits and benefits, supplying experience and lessons. If I were to receive $1,000, I would, first, put 50% of that into stock, increasing my possible profits in the future. This money would hopefully increase, allowing for me to use that money on paying for my future medical school debt and to buy some real estate to profit off of. 10% of the money will be tithed to my church, to thank God for giving me this opportunity. Furthermore, with the additional 40% of my $1,000, I would save and use it for my college education, pay for my Denison dining experience, and partially for some of my tuition which is what I am struggling to pay at the moment. The reason why I would do this money on these specific items and experiences is that I want to be able to use my money responsibly. This money will help me in more than one way and directing me complete my goals and achieve my dreams of attending and graduating from college with a Bachelor of Science, with a major in Biology, and heading to medical school. This money could be used in many ways, but I believe this is the best option to maximize its benefits.

What does clearing one's mind mean? According to Gymglish.com in 2022, it means "to empty [one's] head of all thoughts," to see things more clearly. Now, as a person who is in the National Honor Society, editor-in-chief of her Yearbook, Cum Laude Society member, and captain of the cheerleading team, I rarely have time to clear my brain and just relax, but during those quiet summer months and moments, I use many different resources to relieve my stress. Sometimes I read a fiction book, allowing me to dissociate from my stressful life and immerse myself in a fantasy or realistic love story that has a better ending than my constant homework and filing of scholarship essays. Also, I love to take a moment and just reassess my reasoning for why I am doing these extracurriculars, clubs, and programs, and after a while, I have conversations with my friends, expressing my concerns and happy moments in my life. By talking to my friends, I can detach from the scenario and say how I am feeling without overthinking it. I can be myself without having to filter my thoughts, actions, or words. In the past, I did not know how to control my stress and emotions. I never cleared my mind because I believed that was how one lost their success. I failed to realize that by putting oneself first through having a self-care day, talking to a friend, listening to music, and reading books, one is helping themselves by teaching how to control their emotions and to adapt to different circumstances and situations in their life. Plus, praying, if one is religious, promotes one to have someone to talk to and cry their hearts out because, to them, their God is listening. Having that God in their life gives them a sense of peace since they are being watched, protected, and loved. Not to mention, by praying, one is submitting themselves to their mistakes, past and present, granting them the chance to grow and no longer dwell on the past but pursue the future. Overall, clearing one’s mind is hard, but with effort and determination, the benefits will support one in the long run. My favorite method for clearing my mind, can help others but not in the same way because everyone is different. The path to clearing one’s mind is hard but can indirectly help one to continue to live longer, have more substantial success, and help others to see that their lives and mental health do matter.

Imagine standing up on a stage, about to sing for a school that you believe will judge you if you fail, while your mother is yelling at you to remember all the words since your grandparents and extended family are out there ready to hear your special talent. Well, that is what I had to deal with as a 7-year-old. I was about to show my talents, heart, and soul to the world. I was about to sing a song that I had loved for only two weeks. Now, this is not a sad ending because I did end up singing, earning applause from the crowd. I learned that I love to sing and always have, but that I also like the idea of challenges and trying to conquer them. I learned to adapt in that moment of fear by being open with my teacher that I was scared. She taught me to honor my mother's wishes and not give up on myself, since I was accountable for wanting to perform in the first place. I grew up in that moment. I learned that I have to face my fears and work to accomplish my dreams. This experience shows family is a big focus in my life and how I always try to please them by making my best efforts. My family is my biggest influence that has constantly pushed me to be my best self. They have taught me to challenge my curiosities and societal standards. Furthermore, my community is continually supportive and powerful, always willing to give a helping hand no matter the circumstance. This has shaped what I want to get out of my college experience because it has helped me to decide that I want a place that I can call home. I want to be able to pursue my goal of becoming a general surgeon, while also researching cryogenics. Through science and math classes, I have grown to love the idea of medicine and how the body works. These classes have taught me to focus on the big ideas and research, supporting my plans to save and cure lives, while also trying to discover innovations for reproduction and the postponing of death. These discoveries can change the future for the better, allowing for the increase in population, improving the environment and economy. Long ago, I was that scared little girl, walking on stage, but now I am ready to take on the world, embracing and learning from my mistakes.

"Life is not a wish-granting factory." The world promises so much for a person's life from love and heartbreak to success and devastation, but what it fails to make realistic or recognize is death, which is what most people fear. Death is the unknown, and in The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, he addresses what it feels like to have projected towards your life. It identifies how an illness, like cancer, can shift people's perceptions, attitudes, and opinions of you and how the illness changes one. People always list the symptoms of cancer as depression, when depression is a result of death soon. This book is my favorite book of all time because even though, it is fiction, it still addresses issues that the world fails to recognize or talk about. They want us to look at people with cancer as their disease, failing to recognize that they still are people and deserve to be treated the way they desire and not the way society demands us to, which is through pity. The book challenges one to see what life is like after losing a loved one and how easily the heart falls in love when unprovoked. I did enjoy the fact that the book prioritizes how love can not be guarded, even when death comes into play. Life is not a wish-granting factory, but we get to choose what the factory produces and how it impacts people's lives. The Fault in Our Stars teaches that love is not just a shout into the void, but a possibility for all if one chooses.

Did you know that the Earth is round and not flat? Well until 240 B.C., people thought the Earth was flat. They believed that if one made it to the edge of the world, they would fall off and die. By around 500 B.C., most ancient Greeks believed that Earth was round. But they had no idea how big the planet was until about 240 B.C., when Eratosthenes devised a clever method of estimating its circumference. This is my favorite scientific discovery because it required not just math and science but logical thinking and constant experimentation. This discovery pushed people past their comfort zone, allowing for them to feel comfortable exploring the world and what it has to offer. One change in thinking improved the world allowing for more technological advancements and understandings of animals and migration. One person's decision to believe and test a societal norm changed the lives of many making the world more accessible to everyone.

Inclusivity is the biggest problem facing the world right now. The United States only celebrated people of color and queer for a month, continuing to promote the American dream without recognizing the different races, ethnicities and genders in the community. By demonstrating and supporting more inclusive experiences, events and holidays, it will allow for more people to feel welcomed into the world possibly decreasing the amount suicides that take place due to people not feeling accepted in certain environments. Plus. by having more diverse books and lessons taught in schools, it could allow for students to decrease in bullying showing that differences are not bad but actually important in improving the world by creating different solutions and unearthing unnoticed issues in the world. By having more diversely educated schools, this prepares students for the real world, causing them to not be culture-shocked in different environments, leading to less hate crimes and unconscious bias because one will not be following the stereotypes but actually learning for different sources about the cultures and atmospheres of ancestors and present day people. Inclusivity is what has been trying to be promoted recently, but the promotion only occurs after a racial or gender killing/hate crime that has been publicized by the media. I believe that if we educate the children, it can lead to a beneficial shift in the current day narrative of life, allowing for more people to feel comfortable in their skin and identity. Furthermore, by educating the children, it can impact their households, preparing and changing the mindsets of their families and helping them to have much needed conversations about their beliefs, morals and attitudes towards life.

One practical solution for helping more people who struggle with mental health is to have more talks and allow people to stop censoring their feelings on social media but instead express them because as a viewer, the lack of emotions cause one to feel as though they are alone in their feelings. I struggle so much with my mental health, and in the past, I use to filter myself as I walked into school. I was no longer sad but numb. I would put on a smile and laugh to make others happy, when I was dying inside, if I had saw one of my favorite Youtubers express their true feelings on their channel, I probably would have been willing to stop having to put on that mask of happiness. I followed all that I saw and even had the same answer to the "how are you" question, which was always fine because no one told me nor showed me that I do not always have to be fine and have to worry about "bringing down the mood" or causing someone else to be sad, but instead to be willing to put a label on my emotions and understand them for myself. One unpractical solution is to provide people with free therapy, giving people who cannot afford nor have healthcare to have someone, medically licensed, to give advice and help one to get their feelings on paper.

Creativity is such a powerful that has many definitions and examples from singing to dancing to drawing to miming. Creativity is just thinking outside of the box, not conforming to the laws of society and what they consider normal. It is expressing oneself in a different way than just conversations. I apply creativity in my life through my constant singing everywhere I go from the shower to when I am shopping in Target. I use creativity to be my true self, express my emotions through reading, singing and dancing. In actuality, creativity has allowed me to be more open with myself, emotions and morals. It has allowed me to access who I want to be and not what society demands of me. Through my comedically nature and jokes, I share with people, who I am. I use this creativity to come out of my shell and express the Desiree that no one has seen or known for some time.

1) I do not really deserve this! I mean everyone deserves this opportunity, but I struggle to know how I stand out from the others. I really need this scholarship because I plan to attend medical school which is an additional $70,000 in student loans, which means I will have to pay my debt for more than 20 years. 2) My academic/career goals are to just keep learning, to keep pursuing the goal of making my parents and I proud and help others. My goals are not based solely on academics but are based off of positively impacting the lives of others. 3) I overcome obstacles everyday, one, because I am 4'10, and, two, I am African American. Every day I am lucky to live because there is always someone better, taller, smarter or more good-looking than me.

What is pro-life to me? It is keeping a baby alive, giving it a chance to experience a life that was not originally promised to them. It is sacrificing one's pride to give one the opportunity to live, have experiences and, hopefully, change the world for the better. Before I was born, my parents were very dishearten over the difficulty of producing a baby. It was not until my mother found out about my conception, was she thrilled over my new-coming into the world. The only issue was after each check-up more and more issues occurred, starting with having possible extra chromosomes, flat foot syndrome, scoliosis, possible diabetes, and etc. These constant new possible disorders and diseases kept being announced, causing my mother to worry of my birth and the pain she will have to endure of having to take care of me after birth; it even got to a point where my grandmother requested that I be aborted because of the difficulties and special needs required for a child of my type. Now, it was not until I was born that they were blessed to have me with no complications and no disorders of the matter, but the fact that abortion was in conversations is the issue. They were almost willing to get rid of me. Hearing this story changed my life, it caused me to believe that all babies have the write to live and have the chance to dream. My possible death could caused my parents' whole lives to be different. All my success, achievements and challenging conversations have helped each an every person I encounter and to imagine that I almost did not have the opportunity hurts my soul, which is why I believe that all people should live. Some actions and activities I will take to promote the value and dignity of all human beings, especially the unborn, is by participating in the March for Life in Washington, D.C. and by creating a pro-bono surgical clinic allowing for people who cannot afford healthcare to receive the aid they need. This will benefit not just the born but the unborn because by caring for the parents, we are allowing for the unborn to have no complications in their births and cause less fear for the parents of insurance issues during constant medical visits and the birthing bill after the baby is born. Lastly, I plan to devise letters to my state senator and representative, explaining the consequences of abortions and explaining how safe sex education should be more dominant in the education to avoid students from having unnecessary abortions at young ages. Children are not taught about sex, or safe sex for that matter. They need education to protect themselves, which could actually help them save lives.

Have you ever looked at a bowl of blueberries, I mean, really looked at them? Have you ever noticed how each looks the same yet is different in its own ways? Each blueberry has its own special characteristics that make it unique but help to form a great bowl of fruit. The smallest ones may seem bitter, and yet they can be the sweetest. Since berries are all different, they create a diverse and interesting bowl, changing the eater’s experience. Each blueberry can bring joy, fulfilling its purpose of pleasing others. They are unapologetically themselves, no matter what the strawberry or blackberry tries to conceal. I am a blueberry. I am the smallest one, often depicted not as I am. People perceive me as quiet and shy, but in actuality, I love to talk and start up conversations with different people, learning about the world and themselves. I am fiercely interested in helping others and I am passionate about creating a free clinic that provides pro bono surgeries for people without healthcare and insurance. This has been a goal of mine since I was eight when I went to my neighborhood urgent care after a splinter was embedded in my nail. The doctors barely had enough supplies to dislodge the wood, which caused large amounts of pain but inspired me to one day find a way to offer better facilities that provide care without the large expenses. As I approach each day, I discover more about my likes and dislikes. I stand out in society, making a difference in myself and the world, becoming happy with who I am, not fearing what society will think of me. I love who I am and love to bring joy to others. I am willing to help others and cheer them up. Like a blueberry, I have protective qualities and am constantly trying to defend my fellow cheerleaders from their negative thoughts by encouraging them in their daily habits. They can depend on me such as the time when my fellow cheerleader was stressed about her grade in a class and needed someone to talk to. We assessed the procrastination issues and I offered to tutor her on the Wednesdays before practice, which allow for her to better understand the subject and grow in her confidence to ask for help when needed. Part of eating this delicious treat is that it leaves a stain or imprint on your hands. My teachers consistently share that I bring joy to a classroom and lighten everyone’s moods. I am remembered because I am determined to be better while encouraging them to find their best selves. I leave a positive mark on my fellow classmates, giving light and happiness to the classroom, promoting enthusiasm and constant improvement. As I reflect on the blueberry, I realize the similarities yet still see the nuances of difference. The blueberry showed me that its physical appearance does not matter but its sweetness inside does which connects to people as well, meaning it does not matter what they look like, since they are still beautiful on the inside, which is the most important aspect. Blueberries represent me, and I am starting to embrace that each and every day.