I hail from the home of an educator and parents of Caribbean birth. Therefore, education was always of the utmost importance in our household. I am the 4th of 5 children. My mom would use a quote from the great Malcolm X that saturates in our souls to this very day. “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” I have maintained a GPA of 3.5 throughout high school ending with a district cumulative GPA of 4.1 while being very active with both school and Travel basketball. I learned that education is a combination of the foundation of life skills plus street smarts. Education is everything we experience about life and how to best conduct ourselves daily. Education can allow you to become the best version of yourself, learning about what interests you, what you excel in, and becoming self-aware and conscious about the world around you. It can help you establish your place in the world, help you feel complete, confident, and independent. My hard work in school aligned with the solid foundation my parents provided, the good schools I attended, and the support network I have available to me from friends, family members, teachers, and coaches. I attend one of the Best High Schools in my state, with a nationally known athletic reputation for several sports, including basketball. I have the best of both worlds going for me as a scholar-athlete. I received seven college acceptances to quality schools and have a career goal of becoming a Veterinarian. Veterinarian demographics show that 85.4% of vets are White, 5.5% are Hispanic, 1.7% are Black or African American, 0.3% are Native American, and 1.9% report as unknown. This field needs ethnic diversity. Women make up 80% of the Veterinary workforce. Therefore, African American males are missing in this field. I desire to enter this field not only because of my compassion and love for animals. I want to encourage other young Black males to bring diversity into a predominately white female and male-dominated career. I have had many opportunities I'm grateful to have experienced. However, I have also experienced a few missed opportunities. I have received acceptance to 7 great schools that I am not able to afford. My parents will have three children attending college at the same time. Financially they are just not able to contribute towards college for us. Unfortunately, I do not qualify for financial aid, despite my mom being a teacher and my dad a custodian. The Federal Government thinks my parents make too much money. Just thinking of the financial burden is disheartening. College students unfairly start their life off in debt to pay for a college education in America. A sad but true reality. I am still working hard applying for scholarships hoping that I have enough to pay for my college education. Presently, I can only afford to attend my local community college by finding a job. Thank you for the opportunity!

My passion has guided me to pursue a career in Veterinary medicine. This field will allow me to express the love and affection I hold for animals of all species. My motivation to pursue this dream comes from my compassion for animals. I knew that if I went to school and worked hard maintaining decent grades, it was the start of my path into this career. As once said by the Great Malcolm X, "Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today." My 2nd passion is basketball. Basketball has taught me countless things and has molded me into the person I am today. In my opinion, basketball is not just a sport. It means so much more. I began my journey when I was at the tender age of 4. By joining a youth basketball team at my local youth enrichment center. The game of basketball built on my level of commitment, keeping me focused. This experience has prepared me for many challenges that I have faced throughout the years. I played for multiple school teams, community teams, and travel teams. I have experienced the good, bad and ugly. A few coaches genuinely cared about improving my technique and ensuring I was successful in every aspect of my life. However, as I mentioned previously, I have had to endure unpleasant obstacles. In the past, I had coaches who made it their mission to break me down. They held me back from my full potential because they never had faith in my talent. They focused on my other peers who were taller than 6ft, with me only coming in at 6ft at the time. For a while, I started to doubt my talent, which had a critical impact on my mental, physical, and emotional well-being. I had to learn to respond to this type of negativity by doing the following; First, I had to sit back and self-reflect, asking myself, “Is there any truth in what was being said? I worked even harder on working on my game and proving them wrong. If there was no validity in what was said, then I had to let go of the negativity and move on. Second, my parents helped me fight that negativity made sure they gave me constructive and positive criticism to help me grow and become a better athlete. Looking back on my life, I have concluded that I am an extremely fortunate young man compared to many of my peers. I have two loving parents who are still together and exposed me to many positive experiences in life, including surrounding me with animals of all kinds and signing me up for youth basketball clubs and travel ball teams. They never gave up on me and believed in my true potential, which has carried me a very long way. Even though I had both positive and negative experiences with coaches, I learned and grew from each experience, molding me into a stronger, more determined, committed, and goal-driven individual. I know each morning I will wake up with joy in my heart because for me being a Veterinarian or a Zoologist will not be considered a job in my eyes. The next step on my journey will be attending a prestigious university where I can be allowed to continue pursuing my dreams. However, I need financial assistance to meet my goals. This scholarship would assist me in pursuing my passion.

I hail from the home of an educator and parents of Caribbean birth. Therefore, education was always of the utmost importance in our household. I am the 4th of 5 children. Since the day we could understand spoken words our parents will always encourage us about receiving a solid education to set us on the right path for a decent future. My mom would use a quote from Malcolm X that saturates in our souls through this very day. “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.” — Malcolm X I listened to my mother's words of wisdom and always worked hard to get good grades and maintain a good GPA. I have maintained a GPA of 3.5 while being very active with both school and Travel basketball from 2nd grade until the present. I learned that education is a combination of the foundation of life skills plus street smarts. Education is everything we experience about life and how to best conduct ourselves daily. Education can allow you to become the best version of yourself, learning about what interests you, what you excel in, and becoming self-aware and conscious about the world around you. It can help you establish your place in the world, help you feel complete, confident, and independent. My hard work in school aligned with the solid foundation my parents provided, the good schools I attended, and the support network I have available to me from friends, family members, teachers, and coaches. I attend one of the Best High Schools in my state, with a nationally known athletic reputation for several sports, including basketball. I have the best of both worlds going for me as a scholar-athlete. I received seven college acceptances to quality schools and have a career goal of becoming a Veterinarian. Veterinarian demographics show that 85.4% of vets are White, 5.5% are Hispanic, 1.7% are Black or African American, 0.3% are Native American, and 1.9% report as unknown. This field needs ethnic diversity. Women make up 80% of the Veterinary workforce. So, black or African American males are desired in this area. I have many opportunities I am grateful for and all the things that are in my favor, but I have also experienced a few missed opportunities. I applied to three of my top schools pursuing my dream career, LSU, FAMU (HBCU), and FCGU. I was accepted to LSU and awarded a Merit scholarship, but the scholarship is not enough to cover half of the tuition and room and board as an out-of-state student. My parents will have three children attending college at the same time. Financially they are just not able to contribute towards college for us. Unfortunately, I do not qualify for financial aid, despite my mom being a teacher and my dad a custodian. Student financial aid thinks my parents make too much money. Just thinking of the financial burden is disheartening. I face A Similar dilemma with FCGU, as I was not awarded any scholarships and have to come out of pocket for the entire tuition and room and board. As for FAMU, I still have not received an acceptance or denial and submitted my application since February of 2021. However, I did receive an acceptance letter from FMU (HBCU). College students unfairly start their life off in debt to pay for a college education in America. This is a sad but true reality. I am still working hard applying for scholarships hoping that I will be awarded enough to pay for my college education. Thank you for the opportunity!

After the past year of being held hostage to the Covid-19 Pandemic, my biggest inspiration or what moves me in life is “LIFE”! It’s crazy how most of us, especially young people, took waking up every morning for granted just over a year ago. Waking up and taking a breath each day is what motivates me. With this newfound attitude on life, I can’t help but think of a quote I once read. “It’s not dying I’m afraid of, It’s dying without ever having lived that I’m afraid of.”― Craig D. Lounsbrough. With everything going on in the world today, this is the quote that resonates deep within me. I want to make the most of every day and every minute that I have breath in my body. Over the past year, I’ve lost family members, Coaches, and family friends. The crazy thing is the change in my attitude from the onset of this Pandemic to the present day. I walked around with this invincible attitude of nothing will happen to my family or myself. Then, in April, within a week apart, I lost 2 Uncles. We lost our High School Football Coach, and I lost 2 of my basketball coaches by June. Then players on my basketball team began testing positive. People you thought would be around for a lifetime are instantly gone forever. LIFE itself then became my biggest inspiration and that quote became my drive because life is simply not promised to you. I can’t help but wonder if those who left us really lived their lives, and if they had to do it over, would they? With the reoccurring thought of being afraid of dying without ever having lived, I’ve determined that as I embark on adulthood I will LIVE with purpose. There is a fine line between us being here today and gone tomorrow. So, while I am here, my goal is to take advantage of all opportunities open to me in pursuing my dreams and living life with no regrets. I will not limit myself. Starting with me seeking opportunities in pursuit of higher education. Ultimately my goal is to be a Veterinarian and eventually working for or owning a Wildlife Conservation Sanctuary. I am moved by being alive, waking up and taking my first breath of the day, and living every day with a new sense of appreciation as I venture through the world scavenging for my happiness. In memory of my loved ones, I will not be afraid of dying without living because I refuse to merely simply exist! I made it through the Pandemic and I am humbled by the lesson this experience has taught me. Remember, start LIVING, don't just LIVE!

After the past year of being held hostage to the Covid-19 Pandemic, my biggest inspiration or what moves me in life is “LIFE”! It’s crazy how most of us, especially young people, took waking up every morning for granted just over a year ago. Waking up and taking a breath each day is what moves me. With this newfound attitude on life, I can’t help but think of a quote I once read. “It’s not dying I’m afraid of, It’s dying without ever having lived that I’m afraid of.”― Craig D. Lounsbrough. With everything going on in the world today, this is the quote that moves me to live and not just exist. To set goals and find purpose. I want to make the most of every day and every minute that I have breath in my body. Over the past year, I’ve lost family members, Coaches, and family friends. The crazy thing is the change in my attitude from the onset of this Pandemic to the present day. I walked around with this invincible attitude of nothing will happen to my family or myself. Then, in April, within a week apart, I lost 2 Uncles. We lost our High School Football Coach, and I lost 2 of my basketball coaches by June. Then players on my basketball team began testing positive. People you thought would be around for a lifetime are instantly gone forever. LIFE itself then became my biggest inspiration because it’s simply not promised to you. I can’t help but wonder if those whom I have left us really lived their lives, and if they had to do it over, would they? With the reoccurring thought of being afraid of dying without ever having lived, I’ve determined that “The world is my Oyster” as I embark on adulthood. If I am lucky enough, then maybe, just maybe, I will find my pearl. There is a fine line between us being here today and gone tomorrow. So, while I am here, my goal is to take advantage of all opportunities open to me in pursuing my dreams and living life with no regrets. I will not limit myself. Starting with me seeking opportunities in pursuit of higher education. Ultimately my goal is to be a Veterinarian and eventually working for or owning a Wildlife Conservation Sanctuary. I am moved by being alive, waking up and taking my first breath of the day, and living every day with purpose as I venture through the world scavenging for my pearl. In memory of my loved ones, I will not be afraid of dying without living because I refuse to merely exist! I made it through the Pandemic, which gives me purpose and moves me to pursue my goals.

This beautiful boy came into my life when he was three months old. He is now 3ys old. Raiden has brought much joy to my life and the fun times never end with him. Where my path leads, he follows. We enjoy cuddling, playing basketball, taking pictures, hanging out by the pool, playing catch, and simply spending time with each other. Raiden is also very sharp! He examines everything around him, figuring things out. He amazes me every day. He has lots of energy and keeps me on my toes. My buddy, my pal, my best friend!

After the past year of being plagued with the Covid-19 Pandemic, my biggest inspiration in life is LIFE! It’s crazy how we took waking up every morning for granted just over a year ago. After this experience, my drive is waking up and taking a breath each new day. I want to make the most of my life moving forward. Over the past year, I've lost family members, Coaches, and family friends. The crazy thing is the change in my attitude from the onset of this Pandemic to the present day. I walked around with this invincible attitude of nothing will happen to myself or my loved ones. Then, in April, within a week apart, I lost 2 Uncles. We lost our High School Football Coach, and I lost 2 of my basketball coaches by June. Then players began testing positive. People you thought will be around for a lifetime are instantly gone forever. LIFE itself then became my biggest inspiration because it is simply not promised to you. “The world is my Oyster” as I embark on adulthood. If I am fortunate, maybe I will find my pearl. There is a fine line between us being here today and gone tomorrow. So, while I am here, I will take advantage of all opportunities open to me in pursuing my dreams. Starting with me seeking opportunities in pursuit of higher education. I am driven by being alive and living every day with a purpose. Corona also had a direct impact on my immediate family. My mom, dad, and younger brother all tested positive. I was terrified about what this meant because so many people were dying from it. My mom and younger brother both have Asthma, which is an underlying condition, and we did not know how they would respond to having Corona. Thankfully they are all safe, and the symptoms were not too harsh on their bodies. They are still dealing with residual effects, but they are alive. I share this story also to explain why I am driven by waking up every morning and how LIFE inspires me. I am blessed to have my parents and my younger brother with me. For many, this is not the case. My parents are still around to see me be the first male in our family to attend college. Without this scholarship, my chances of attending college will be limited. Unfortunately, the United States Government believes my parents, a schoolteacher, and custodian make too much money. I shake my head because this is so far from the truth. Can you imagine the financial burden to put four children through college with no grants, no scholarships, and no aide? The only thing available is student loans. We live in a crazy world which at times makes no sense at all. However, as long as I can wake up every morning and take a deep breath, I will continue to be driven and inspired by LIFE. I am also a student Athlete, so due to my rigorous sports schedule, I was unable to work while in High School and earn money to save. Financially, without scholarships and grants, I am limited in pursuing my dream of becoming a Veterinarian. I believe you would never accomplish something you never start. Like it is said in Basketball, "100% of missed shots are the shots not taken!" Winning this scholarship will definitely give me purpose and faith that I can accomplish anything I set out to do. It will inspire and encourage me to continue applying for scholarships to help me attend college and be the first black male in my family to earn a college degree. Not only a college degree but pursue a Medical Degree in Veterinary Medicine. My lifelong dream is to become a Veterinarian. This year has truly shaped my plans to pursue my dreams and making every moment count. Due to my personal experience with the Covid-19 Pandemic, I have learned how to appreciate life in pursuit of a brighter future. I've discovered how to make the most of every moment of every day and live with purpose. This Pandemic has taught me to do better and be better, not only for myself but for others. I’ve seen communities of every color, creed, and religion come together as one. We all need each other because a closed fist is mightier than an open hand. Together we can build a brighter future!

After the past year of being plagued with the Covid-19 Pandemic, my biggest inspiration in life is “LIFE”! It’s crazy how we took waking up every morning for granted just over a year ago. My drive is waking up and taking a breath each new day. I want to make the most of my life. Over the past year, I’ve lost family members, Coaches, and family friends. The crazy thing is the change in my attitude from the onset of this Pandemic to the present day. I walked around with this nonchalant attitude of nothing will happen to me, or my family. Then, in April, within a week apart, I lost 2 Uncles. We lost our High School Football Coach, and I lost 2 of my basketball coaches by June. Then players began testing positive. People you thought will be around for a lifetime were instantly gone forever. LIFE itself then became my biggest inspiration because it’s simply not promised to you. “The world is my Oyster” as I embark on adulthood. If I am lucky enough then maybe, just maybe, I will find my pearl. There is a fine line between us being here today and gone tomorrow. So, while I am here, I will take advantage of all opportunities open to me in pursuing my dreams. Starting with me seeking opportunities in pursuit of higher education. I am driven by being alive and living every day with a purpose to my fullest potential. Corona also had a direct impact on my immediate family. My mom, dad, and younger brother all tested positive. I was terrified about what this meant because so many people were dying from it. My mom and younger brother both have Asthma, which is an underlying condition, and we did not know how they would respond to having Corona. Thankfully they are all safe, and the symptoms were not too harsh on their bodies. They are still dealing with residual effects, but they are alive. I share this story also to explain why I am driven by waking up every morning and how LIFE inspires me. I am blessed to have my parents and my younger brother with me. For many, this is not the case. My parents are still around to see me be the first male in our family to attend college. Without this scholarship, my chances of attending college will be limited. Unfortunately, the United States Government believes my parents, a schoolteacher, and custodian make too much money. I shake my head because this is so far from the truth. Can you imagine the financial burden to put four children through college with no grants, no scholarships, and no aide? The only thing available is student loans. We live in a crazy world which at times makes no sense at all. However, as long as I can wake up every morning and take a deep breath, I will continue to be driven and inspired by LIFE.