1. Growing up in East Oakland, I witnessed how inequities in access to healthcare, safe spaces, and nutritious food deeply affected the health of my community. These early observations shaped my values of equity, compassion, and service, and ultimately inspired me to pursue a career in public health and healthcare. Since fifth grade, I have volunteered at local food banks, an experience that grounded me in the importance of addressing food insecurity. During the pandemic, I tutored elementary school students virtually, supporting not only their academics but also their well-being at a time of uncertainty. Most recently, I volunteered with a mental health and suicide prevention organization, which emphasized the importance of empathy, listening, and advocacy in human wellness. My academic and internship experiences have expanded on this foundation. At the Berkeley Free Clinic, I worked to identify barriers to care for underserved patients, and at Tahoe Forest Health System, I supported hospital administration projects that connected clinical care with community health. Together, these experiences have taught me that true wellness requires both clinical solutions and systemic change. These values of equity, compassion, and advocacy drive my passion for human health, and they guide my vision for a career centered on improving lives. 2. To me, empathy is the ability to understand and genuinely value another person’s perspective, even when their circumstances are different from my own. In healthcare, empathy is not only about listening to what patients say but also about noticing what they may not feel comfortable expressing, fear, stigma, or unmet needs. Empathy bridges the gap between clinical expertise and human connection, creating care that is both effective and compassionate. This quality is especially important in the health-related career I hope to pursue, whether in direct patient care or hospital administration. When I shadowed clinical dietitians, I observed that their work extended beyond prescribing nutrition plans, it was about recognizing the personal and cultural contexts that shaped patients’ food choices. A meal plan, no matter how scientifically sound, is ineffective if it does not align with a patient’s lived reality. Similarly, during my internship at Tahoe Forest Health System, I saw how hospital leadership must practice empathy toward both patients and staff when shaping policy, ensuring decisions reflect human needs rather than just financial or operational goals. Practicing empathy also shaped my public health experiences. At the Berkeley Free Clinic, I designed a patient survey to assess barriers to tuberculosis screening and treatment. Speaking with patients showed me that barriers went beyond medical access, concerns about immigration status, work schedules, or fear of stigma all shaped health decisions. By listening and centering their voices, I recognized that solutions had to be flexible, respectful, and human-centered. To ensure my work remains human-centered, I plan to ground all efforts in listening and collaboration. This means engaging patients and communities as partners, not just as recipients of care. It also requires humility, acknowledging that even with training or authority, I may not fully understand someone’s lived experience. By prioritizing open communication, cultural sensitivity, and respect, I can better tailor healthcare solutions to the unique needs of individuals and communities. Empathy is essential to building trust, and trust is the foundation of any successful healthcare relationship. It transforms treatment into healing and policy into meaningful change. My goal is to integrate empathy into every aspect of my career, ensuring that my work reflects not only medical knowledge but also the dignity and humanity of the people I serve

My first introduction to working in healthcare was through the UCSF Summer Student Research Program, where I was placed at the Berkeley Free Clinic. The clinic primarily serves uninsured and underinsured patients, so my time there exposed me to the barriers many community members face in accessing care. I designed and implemented a patient survey to identify challenges in obtaining treatment, particularly around tuberculosis (TB) screening and follow-up. I also conducted research to develop protocols for both Latent Tuberculosis Infection (LTBI) and Active Tuberculosis Disease (ATBD). This experience was formative because it gave me a firsthand look at how social determinants of health, such as housing, income, and immigration status, directly affect people’s ability to stay healthy. I learned that healthcare must go beyond clinical treatment and must also address systemic inequities that keep people from accessing care in the first place. This past summer, I further explored healthcare from a different angle through a Hospital Administration internship at Tahoe Forest Health System with the Health Career Connection (HCC) program. As an intern, I worked on a variety of projects including supporting a Community Health Index mental health directory, conducting research on rural substance use, assisting with donor relations through the hospital foundation, and contributing to community health initiatives. I also attended perioperative governance meetings, hospital board meetings, and Community Health Index planning sessions, which gave me insight into how decisions at the administrative level shape the quality of care patients receive. This experience showed me that hospital administration is not just about managing operations, it’s about ensuring that the hospital remains connected to the needs of the community it serves. In addition to these roles, I have also shadowed clinical dietitians in a hospital setting. Observing dietitians interact with patients and develop nutrition care plans highlighted how essential food and nutrition are in both treatment and recovery. I learned about the critical role dietitians play in managing chronic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and gastrointestinal disorders. This experience resonated deeply with me, as I grew up in East Oakland, a predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhood where food insecurity and limited access to nutritious foods are persistent challenges. Seeing how dietitians use their expertise to empower patients reinforced my own passion for nutrition and its role in preventive medicine. What inspired me to pursue these opportunities is witnessing preventable illnesses disproportionately affect my community. Growing up in a food desert, I became aware of how inequities in nutrition and healthcare access shape long-term health outcomes. These experiences motivated me to major in Global and Public Health Sciences at Cornell University, where I could study the root causes of health disparities while preparing for a career in healthcare. Looking forward, I hope to make a difference by bridging the gap between healthcare systems and underserved communities. I am especially interested in combining clinical care, public health, and hospital administration to ensure that healthcare is both equitable and accessible. Whether through direct patient care as a physician assistant or nurse practitioner, or through leadership roles in healthcare administration, I aspire to create a system that not only treats illness but also prevents it and supports community health

These five traits are important to me because I am passionate about community work. These skills are found in all good leaders and help truly fulfill the missions of community organizations. A community issue I am passionate about is food insecurity and nutrition. It disappointed me to see health disparities happen in the United States because the US has resources to solve these issues within and outside the country, yet they choose not to. As a global community, we cannot get equality and fairness right in health. This inspired me to work extremely hard to continue my education at Cornell University as a Global and Public Health Sciences major to access the best opportunities so I can help my community. As a young Black woman, I approach the world with an intersectional feminist lens. By approaching life with this lens, I can help others and myself by becoming a prominent figure in Public Health, ameliorating health inequalities in my community, and being a positive role model for the next generation. My first educational introduction to health was in fourth grade when my class watched the documentary A Place at the Table about food insecurity. I then discovered a local food bank ten minutes from my home, and now I mainly contribute to my community by volunteering at food banks. This sparked my interest in nutrition and from there I paid attention to the food disparities in my area. My passion for health equity in nutrition inspired me to spend this summer with one of my professors to implement the Youth Engagement & Action for Health (YEAH!) Program for students at a local Boys & Girls Club focusing on food justice. The goal of this program was to have students critically analyze food businesses and present their solutions to change makers in New York City. Having the opportunity to learn about food justice and teach youth about this topic was impactful because I learned about how different places face food justice and give back to the community. When implementing our programming, one of the first challenges we encountered was getting the students to be more passionate and understand how important food justice topics such as nutrition and food marketing truly are. As someone passionate about the subject since elementary school, I entered the classroom with the assumption that the high school students would also know background information about food justice. Once my team realized this was not the case for the students, we altered our lesson plans to emphasize the importance of being knowledgeable about nutrition and how many people have limited access to healthy foods. Now, the students are more engaged in the lessons, and the classroom always gets a little rowdy talking about food justice. This experience made me discover my passion for educating students about health topics. It is important that youth are inspired to make healthy eating choices so they can have brighter futures and hopefully pass down this knowledge to other community members in the future. In my future, I want to continue effectively educating others by meeting students where they are and then taking them to where they need to be. These five traits were essential to have this summer and I will remember them throughout the process where I design health programming by doing my research beforehand and ensuring the lessons will be relevant in the community I will work with.

A community issue I am passionate about is food insecurity and nutrition. It disappointed me to see health disparities happen in the United States because the US has resources to solve these issues within and outside the country, yet they choose not to. As a global community, we cannot get equality and fairness right in health. This inspired me to work extremely hard to continue my education at Cornell University as a Global and Public Health Sciences major to access the best opportunities so I can help my community. As a young Black woman, I approach the world with an intersectional feminist lens. By approaching life with this lens, I can help others and myself by becoming a prominent figure in Public Health, ameliorating health inequalities in my community, and being a positive role model for the next generation. My first educational introduction to health was in fourth grade when my class watched the documentary A Place at the Table about food insecurity. I then discovered a local food bank ten minutes from my home, and now I mainly contribute to my community by volunteering at food banks. This sparked my interest in nutrition and from there I paid attention to the food disparities in my area. My passion for health equity in nutrition inspired me to spend this summer with one of my professors to implement the Youth Engagement & Action for Health (YEAH!) Program for students at a local Boys & Girls Club focusing on food justice. Having the opportunity to learn about food justice and teach youth about this topic was impactful because I learned about how different places face food justice and give back to the community. When implementing our programming, one of the first challenges we encountered was getting the students to be more passionate and understand how important food justice topics such as nutrition and food marketing truly are. As someone passionate about the subject since elementary school, I entered the classroom with the assumption that the high school students would also know background information about food justice. Once my team realized this was not the case for the students, we altered our lesson plans to emphasize the importance of being knowledgeable about nutrition and how many people have limited access to healthy foods. Now, the students are more engaged in the lessons, and the classroom always gets a little rowdy talking about food justice. This experience made me discover my passion for educating students about health topics. It is important that youth are inspired to make healthy eating choices so they can have brighter futures and hopefully pass down this knowledge to other community members in the future. In my future, I want to continue effectively educating others by meeting students where they are and then taking them to where they need to be. Once people truly understand how their diet plays a role in preventive medicine, cases of preventable illnesses can decline.

I am extremely passionate about health equity because of my educational and personal experiences in the United States. It disappoints me to see health disparities happen because the U.S. has resources to solve these issues within and outside the country, yet they choose not to. As a global community, we cannot get equality and fairness right in health. As a young Black woman, I approach the world with an intersectional feminist lens. By approaching life this way, I can help others and myself by becoming a prominent figure in Public Health, ameliorating health inequalities in the United States, and being a positive role model for the next generation. Although I have huge aspirations for my health career now, my contributions started small. My first educational introduction to health was in fourth grade when my class watched the documentary A Place at the Table about food insecurity. I then discovered a local food bank ten minutes from my home, and now I mainly contribute to my community by volunteering at food banks. This sparked my interest in nutrition and from there I continuously paid attention to the food disparities in my area. Although there are many food banks and pantries in the San Francisco Bay Area, their locations are often not accessible to everyone in need. I live in East Oakland, a predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhood where few people continue their education to college. East Oakland is listed as a low-income and low-food-access neighborhood in the San Francisco Bay Area. Living in a food desert is stressful because you are unaware of when you can access nutritious foods. Eating healthy foods is important because poor nutrition is one of the main causes of chronic diseases. These non-communicable diseases are common in the United States and are difficult and expensive to treat. Yet, the risk of having them can be lowered simply by healthy eating, regular exercise, and sufficient sleep. My passion for health equity in nutrition inspired my decision to continue my education at Cornell University as a Global and Public Health Sciences major to access the best opportunities. This summer, I am working with one of these professors to implement her Youth Engagement & Action for Health! Program for students at a local Boys & Girls Club focusing on food justice. Having the opportunity to learn about food justice and teach youth about this topic has been extremely impactful because I got to learn about other communities facing food justice besides my own. This experience also made me discover my passion for educating students about health topics. During the school year I had the opportunity to speak with a WIC nutritionist who shared her experiences with the program. One thing that stood out to me was the lack of cultural sensitivity in foods covered by the program and how this drove her to obtain her Masters of Public Health degree so she can manage a WIC office and become a powerful change maker. These female health professionals have made me explore nutrition from different angles and made me truly realize how nutrition is part of many structural issues in society such as racial disparities and unaffordable housing. I am extremely grateful that these professionals believed and invested in me because without these opportunities my public health experience would be very narrow. There is so much value to hands-on experiences such as implementing health programing and speaking to health professionals about their field. Without their guidance, I would not have learned as much as I have about nutrition and my career goals would be very different.

I have worked hard my entire life to earn the opportunities I have received, and I value and take full advantage of those opportunities. Despite the difficulty of traveling 30 miles for middle school, I got up before 6 AM every weekday to get there, and it was worth every minute of early mornings. Attending an all-girls middle school was a worthwhile decision because it has shaped the person I am today. Being surrounded by women and girls, celebrating International Women's Day, and studying the impact of women from different social categories was an incredibly enriching experience and has shaped my goals to pursue public health. My family and I then worked even harder so I could attend boarding school on the East Coast. There, I was an International Baccalaureate diploma recipient, a boarding student prefect, a soprano in the school choir, and a four-year varsity cross country member. As someone who strives for excellence in education, I cannot take a chance to win a scholarship for granted. My experiences motivate me to improve the health of others. My hard work, commitment to education, and the Eric W. Larson Memorial STEM Scholarship will allow me to complete my health equity career goals. I am extremely passionate about all things related to health equity because of my educational and personal experiences in the United States. It disappoints me to see health disparities happen because the U.S. has resources to solve these issues within and outside the country, yet they choose not to. As a global community, we cannot achieve equality and fairness in health. As a young Black woman, I approach the world with an intersectional feminist lens. By approaching life with this lens, I can help others and myself by becoming a prominent figure in Public Health, educating others on healthy eating practices, and being a positive Black woman role model for the next generation. Although I have huge aspirations for my health career now, my contributions started small. My first educational introduction to health was in fourth grade when my class watched the documentary A Place at the Table about food insecurity. I learned about the struggles of hunger, food deserts, and obesity in the United States at an early age. I then discovered a local food bank ten minutes from my home, and now I mainly contribute to my community by volunteering at food banks. This sparked my interest in nutrition, and then I continuously paid attention to the food disparities in my area. Although there are many food banks and pantries in the San Francisco Bay Area, their locations are often inaccessible to everyone in need. I live in East Oakland, a predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhood where few people continue their education to college. East Oakland is listed as a low-income and low-food-access neighborhood in the San Francisco Bay Area. Living in a food desert is stressful because you are unaware of when you can access nutritious foods. Although I am lucky to have parents who prioritized feeding me healthy foods, many individuals living in food deserts do not have this luxury. Eating healthy foods is important because poor nutrition is one of the main causes of chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. These non-communicable diseases are common in the United States and are often difficult and expensive to treat. Yet the risk of having them can be lowered simply by healthy eating, regular exercise, and sufficient sleep. My passion for health equity in nutrition inspired me to continue my education at Cornell University as a Global and Public Health Sciences major to access the best opportunities. Many of my classes are taught by Registered Dietician Nutritionists who have incredible insights about how nutrition is essential to maintaining good health. This summer, I am working with one of these course instructors to implement the Youth Engagement & Action for Health! Program for students at a local Boys & Girls Club focusing on food justice. Having the opportunity to learn about food justice and teaching youth about this topic has been extremely impactful because I learned about other communities facing food justice besides my own. When implementing our programming, one of the first challenges we encountered was getting the students to be more passionate and understand how important food justice topics such as nutrition and marketing truly are. As someone passionate about the subject since elementary school, I entered the classroom with the assumption that the high school students would also know background information about food justice. Once my team realized this was not the case for the students, we altered our lesson plans to emphasize the importance of being knowledgeable about nutrition and how many people have limited access to healthy foods. Now, the students are more engaged in the lessons, and the classroom always gets a little rowdy talking about food justice. This experience made me discover my passion for educating students about health topics. These allied health professionals have made me explore nutrition from different angles, and I realized how nutrition is part of many health issues in society, such as infectious and non-infectious diseases. I am extremely grateful that these professionals believed in and invested in me because my public health experience would have been narrow otherwise. In the future, I want to continue effectively educating others by meeting students where they are and then taking them to where they need to be. Once people truly understand how their diet plays a role in preventive medicine, cases of preventable illnesses can decline.

A public health issue I am passionate about is food insecurity and nutrition. My first educational introduction to health was in fourth grade when my class watched the documentary A Place at the Table about food insecurity. I then discovered a local food bank ten minutes from my home, and now I mainly contribute to my community by volunteering at food banks. This sparked my interest in nutrition and from there I paid attention to the food disparities in my area. My passion for health equity in nutrition inspired my decision to continue my education at Cornell University as a Global and Public Health Sciences major to access the best opportunities. Many of my classes are taught by Registered Dietician Nutritionists who have incredible insights about how nutrition is essential to maintaining good health. During the school year I had the opportunity to speak with a WIC nutritionist who shared her experiences with the program. One thing that stood out to me was the lack of cultural sensitivity in foods covered by the program and how this drove her to obtain her Masters of Public Health degree so she can manage a WIC office and become a powerful change maker. This summer, I worked with one of my instructors to implement the Youth Engagement & Action for Health! Program for students at a local Boys & Girls Club focusing on food justice. Having the opportunity to learn about food justice and teach youth about this topic was impactful because I learned about how different communities face food justice. This experience also made me discover my passion for educating students about health topics. In the future, I want to continue effectively educating others by meeting students where they are and then taking them to where they need to be. Once people truly understand how their diet plays a role in preventive medicine, cases of preventable illnesses can decline. As someone who strives for excellence in education, I cannot take a chance to win a scholarship for granted. My experiences motivate me to improve the health of others. My commitment to education, hard work, and the From Anna & Ava Scholarship will allow me to complete my career goal. As a young Black woman, I approach the world with an intersectional feminist lens. By approaching life with this lens, I can help others and myself by becoming a prominent figure in Public Health, ameliorating health inequalities in the United States, and being a positive Black woman role model for the next generation.

I am extremely passionate about health equity because of my educational and personal experiences in the United States. It disappoints me to see health disparities happen because the U.S. has resources to solve these issues within and outside the country, yet they choose not to. As a global community, we cannot get equality and fairness right in health. As a young Black woman, I approach the world with an intersectional feminist lens. By approaching life this way, I can help others and myself by becoming a prominent figure in Public Health, ameliorating health inequalities in the United States, and being a positive role model for the next generation. Although I have huge aspirations for my health career now, my contributions started small. My first educational introduction to health was in fourth grade when my class watched the documentary A Place at the Table about food insecurity. I then discovered a local food bank ten minutes from my home, and now I mainly contribute to my community by volunteering at food banks. This sparked my interest in nutrition and from there I continuously paid attention to the food disparities in my area. Although there are many food banks and pantries in the San Francisco Bay Area, their locations are often not accessible to everyone in need. I live in East Oakland, a predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhood where few people continue their education to college. East Oakland is listed as a low-income and low-food-access neighborhood in the San Francisco Bay Area. Living in a food desert is stressful because you are unaware of when you can access nutritious foods. Eating healthy foods is important because poor nutrition is one of the main causes of chronic diseases. These non-communicable diseases are common in the United States and are difficult and expensive to treat. Yet, the risk of having them can be lowered simply by healthy eating, regular exercise, and sufficient sleep. My passion for health equity in nutrition inspired my decision to continue my education at Cornell University as a Global and Public Health Sciences major to access the best opportunities. This summer, I am working with one of these course instructors to implement the Youth Engagement & Action for Health! Program for students at a local Boys & Girls Club focusing on food justice. Having the opportunity to learn about food justice and teach youth about this topic has been extremely impactful because I got to learn about other communities facing food justice besides my own. This experience also made me discover my passion for educating students about health topics. During the school year I had the opportunity to speak with a WIC nutritionist who shared her experiences with the program. One thing that stood out to me was the lack of cultural sensitivity in foods covered by the program and how this drove her to obtain her Masters of Public Health degree so she can manage a WIC office and become a powerful change maker. These allied health professionals have made me explore nutrition from different angles and made me truly realize how nutrition is part of many structural issues in society such as racial disparities and unaffordable housing. I am extremely grateful that these professionals believed and invested in me because without these opportunities my public health experience would be very narrow. There is so much value to hands-on experiences such as implementing health programing and speaking to allied health professionals about their field. Without their guidance, I would not have learned as much as I have about nutrition and my career goals would be very different.

I am examining Mr. Robinson’s life achievements from the perspective of Quaker tradition. I attended George School, which is a Friends High School, and with this experience I have come to respect and admire Quaker values. George School aims to develop are the pursuit of truth, community, equality, service (summarized as a responsibility to others), and personal integrity (summed up in the phrase "let your life speak.") The signature achievement of Jackie Robinson was to let the inner light of his life shine. Mr. Robinson had talent, or you could call it a gift, and he let it shine and speak loudly. Far too many people are discouraged too early in life and hide their light, whereas despite facing a variety of obstacles that would have seemed insurmountable to many people, Mr. Robinson persevered and was able to leave a lasting legacy for others. The example of his life serves as a reminder that others can too and should let their inner lights or talents shine. Quakers believe that the benefits of diversity mean that we will all benefit individually and collectively when we let our lights shine because everyone has the light of God inside. Another life achievement of Mr. Robinson was service. As early as high school, Mr. Robinson was an accomplished and recognized athlete in numerous sports. He definitely could have enjoyed good treatment if he remained quiet and went along with segregation. Instead, Mr. Robinson let his inner light shine and spoke up against injustice. Despite having so much to lose in high school, he spoke out against the detention of a black friend and ended up getting arrested. Fortunately, Mr. Robinson received a suspended sentence and continued his journey. After joining the military, he did not settle for just being enlisted. Mr. Robinson knew his worth and applied to be an officer. As a result of protests against unfair admission policies, Mr. Robinson attended OCS and became an officer. After becoming an officer, Mr. Robinson faced discriminatory treatment and was ordered to move to the back of a bus, and he refused. Again, Mr. Robinson did not back down in the face of discrimination and was determined to let his light shine. His sense of personal integrity was so strong that he could not let someone throw a blanket over his inner light, and he risked losing his commission to stay true to his strong character. I come from a predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhood in California, where few people continue their education to college. Similar to Jackie Robinson, I face adversity because of my race, and I cannot let that stop me from achieving my goals. As a young Black woman, I approach the world with an intersectional feminist lens. By approaching life with this lens, I am motivated to work hard to value and take full advantage of the opportunities I receive. My commitment to education, Quaker values, and the Black Leaders Scholarship will allow me to complete my career goals of becoming a prominent figure in Public Health, ameliorating health inequalities in the United States, and being a positive Black woman role model for the next generation.

A public health issue I am passionate about is food insecurity and nutrition. My first educational introduction to health was in fourth grade when my class watched the documentary A Place at the Table about food insecurity. I then discovered a local food bank ten minutes from my home, and now I mainly contribute to my community by volunteering at food banks. This sparked my interest in nutrition and from there I paid attention to the food disparities in my area. My passion for health equity in nutrition inspired my decision to continue my education at Cornell University as a Global and Public Health Sciences major to access the best opportunities. Many of my classes are taught by Registered Dietician Nutritionists who have incredible insights about how nutrition is essential to maintaining good health. This summer, I worked with one of my instructors to implement the Youth Engagement & Action for Health! Program for students at a local Boys & Girls Club focusing on food justice. Having the opportunity to learn about food justice and teach youth about this topic was impactful because I learned about how different communities face food justice. This experience also made me discover my passion for educating students about health topics. I live in East Oakland, a predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhood where few people continue their education to college. East Oakland is listed as a low-income and low-food-access neighborhood in the San Francisco Bay Area. Living in a food desert is stressful because you are unaware of when you can access nutritious foods. Although I am lucky to have parents who prioritized feeding me healthy foods, many individuals living in food deserts do not have this luxury. Eating healthy foods is important because poor nutrition is one of the main causes of chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. These non-communicable diseases are common in the United States and are often difficult and expensive to treat. Yet the risk of having them can be lowered simply by healthy eating, regular exercise, and sufficient sleep. In the future, I want to continue effectively educating others by meeting students where they are and then taking them to where they need to be. Once people truly understand how their diet plays a role in preventive medicine, cases of preventable illnesses can decline. As someone who strives for excellence in education, I cannot take a chance to win a scholarship for granted. My experiences motivate me to improve the health of others. My commitment to education, hard work, and the Bright Lights Scholarship will allow me to complete my career goal. As a young Black woman, I approach the world with an intersectional feminist lens. By approaching life with this lens, I can help others and myself by becoming a prominent figure in Public Health, ameliorating health inequalities in the United States, and being a positive Black woman role model for the next generation.

Last year, I spoke to a WIC nutritionist, and one thing she said that stood out to me was how she meets her clients where they are and then takes them to where they need to be. This statement made me think about how healthcare workers interact with people from different backgrounds daily, and the same method to help one patient might not work with another patient. For healthcare professionals to truly help someone, they have to assist the patient in a way that works for them and the patient. I then realized that I have been implementing this concept in my public health experiences, yet never defined the term. Additionally, meeting people where they are is crucial in non-medical settings. As an aspiring health educator, I know it is important to teach health in a way that students can understand. This summer, I am working with a Cornell University professor to implement the Youth Engagement & Action for Health (YEAH!) Program focusing on food justice at the Boys & Girls Club of Harlem. The students will critically analyze food businesses and present their solutions to change makers in New York City. When implementing our programming, one of the first challenges we encountered was getting the students to be more passionate and understand how important food justice topics such as nutrition and marketing truly are. As someone passionate about the subject since elementary school, I entered the classroom with the assumption that the high school students would also know background information about food justice. Once my team realized this was not the case for the students, we altered our lesson plans to emphasize the importance of being knowledgeable about nutrition and how many people have limited access to healthy foods. Now, the students are more engaged in the lessons, and the classroom always gets a little rowdy talking about food justice. This experience made me discover my passion for educating students about health topics. These allied health professionals have made me explore nutrition from different angles, and I realized how nutrition is part of many health issues in society. I am extremely grateful that these professionals believed in and invested in me because my public health experience would have been narrow otherwise. Experiences like these make me truly see the value of people offering their resources to help others. I come from a predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhood in California, where few people continue their education to college. As a young Black woman, I approach the world with an intersectional feminist lens. By approaching life with this lens, I am motivated to work hard to value and take full advantage of the opportunities I receive. As someone who strives for excellence in education, I cannot take a chance to win a scholarship for granted. My commitment to education, hard work, and the Kerry Kennedy Life Is Good Scholarship will allow me to complete my career goals of becoming a prominent figure in Public Health, ameliorating health inequalities in the United States, and being a positive Black woman role model for the next generation.

Last year, I spoke to a WIC nutritionist, and one thing she said that stood out to me was how she meets her clients where they are and then takes them to where they need to be. This statement made me think about how healthcare workers interact with people from different backgrounds daily, and the same method to help one patient might not work with another patient. For healthcare professionals to truly help someone, they have to assist the patient in a way that works for them and the patient. I then realized that I have been implementing this concept in my public health experiences, yet never defined the term. Additionally, meeting people where they are is crucial in non-medical settings. As an aspiring health educator, I know it is important to teach health in a way that students can understand. This summer, I am working with a Cornell University professor to implement the Youth Engagement & Action for Health (YEAH!) Program focusing on food justice at the Boys & Girls Club of Harlem. The students will critically analyze food businesses and present their solutions to change makers in New York City. When implementing our programming, one of the first challenges we encountered was getting the students to be more passionate and understand how important food justice topics such as nutrition and marketing truly are. As someone passionate about the subject since elementary school, I entered the classroom with the assumption that the high school students would also know background information about food justice. Once my team realized this was not the case for the students, we altered our lesson plans to emphasize the importance of being knowledgeable about nutrition and how many people have limited access to healthy foods. Now, the students are more engaged in the lessons, and the classroom always gets a little rowdy talking about food justice. This experience made me discover my passion for educating students about health topics. These allied health professionals have made me explore nutrition from different angles, and I realized how nutrition is part of many health issues in society. I am extremely grateful that these professionals believed in and invested in me because my public health experience would have been narrow otherwise. Based on my public health experiences, meeting people where they are is one of the best ways to help someone and teach them your message. In the future, I want to continue effectively educating others by meeting students where they are and then taking them to where they need to be. In my public health career, I will remember this lesson when designing programming by gathering information and ensuring the programming will be relevant in the community I will work with. Through discussions with health professionals, I predict this concept will soon become mainstream in healthcare.

Last year, I spoke to a WIC nutritionist, and one thing she said that stood out to me was how she meets her clients where they are and then takes them to where they need to be. This statement made me think about how healthcare workers interact with people from different backgrounds daily, and the same method to help one patient might not work with another patient. For healthcare professionals to truly help someone, they have to assist the patient in a way that works for them and the patient. I then realized that I have been implementing this concept in my public health experiences, yet never defined the term. Additionally, meeting people where they are is crucial in non-medical settings. As an aspiring health educator, I know it is important to teach health in a way that students can understand. This summer, I am working with a Cornell University professor to implement the Youth Engagement & Action for Health (YEAH!) Program focusing on food justice at the Boys & Girls Club of Harlem. The students will critically analyze food businesses and present their solutions to change makers in New York City. When implementing our programming, one of the first challenges we encountered was getting the students to be more passionate and understand how important food justice topics such as nutrition and marketing truly are. As someone passionate about the subject since elementary school, I entered the classroom with the assumption that the high school students would also know background information about food justice. Once my team realized this was not the case for the students, we altered our lesson plans to emphasize the importance of being knowledgeable about nutrition and how many people have limited access to healthy foods. Now, the students are more engaged in the lessons, and the classroom always gets a little rowdy talking about food justice. These allied health professionals have made me explore nutrition from different angles, and I realized how nutrition is part of many health issues in society. I am extremely grateful that these professionals believed in and invested in me because my public health experience would have been narrow otherwise. Experiences like these make me truly see the value of people offering their resources to help others. I come from a predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhood in California, where few people continue their education to college. As a young Black woman, I approach the world with an intersectional feminist lens. By approaching life with this lens, I am motivated to work hard to value and take full advantage of the opportunities I receive. As someone who strives for excellence in education, I cannot take a chance to win a scholarship for granted. My commitment to education, hard work, and the Kalia D. Davis Memorial Scholarship will allow me to complete my career goals of becoming a prominent figure in Public Health, ameliorating health inequalities in the United States, and being a positive Black woman role model for the next generation.

Last year, I spoke to a WIC nutritionist, and one thing she said that stood out to me was how she meets her clients where they are and then takes them to where they need to be. This statement made me think about how healthcare workers interact with people from different backgrounds daily, and the same method to help one patient might not work with another patient. For healthcare professionals to truly help someone, they have to assist the patient in a way that works for them and the patient. I then realized that I have been implementing this concept in my public health experiences, yet never defined the term. Additionally, meeting people where they are is crucial in non-medical settings. As an aspiring health educator, I know it is important to teach health in a way that students can understand. This summer, I am working with a Cornell University professor to implement the Youth Engagement & Action for Health (YEAH!) Program focusing on food justice at the Boys & Girls Club of Harlem. The students will critically analyze food businesses and present their solutions to change makers in New York City. When implementing our programming, one of the first challenges we encountered was getting the students to be more passionate and understand how important food justice topics such as nutrition and marketing truly are. As someone passionate about the subject since elementary school, I entered the classroom with the assumption that the high school students would also know background information about food justice. Once my team realized this was not the case for the students, we altered our lesson plans to emphasize the importance of being knowledgeable about nutrition and how many people have limited access to healthy foods. Now, the students are more engaged in the lessons, and the classroom always gets a little rowdy talking about food justice. This experience made me discover my passion for educating students about health topics. These allied health professionals have made me explore nutrition from different angles, and I realized how nutrition is part of many health issues in society. I am extremely grateful that these professionals believed in and invested in me because my public health experience would have been narrow otherwise. In the future, I want to continue effectively educating others by meeting students where they are and then taking them to where they need to be. As a young Black woman, I approach the world with an intersectional feminist lens. By approaching life with this lens, I can help others and myself by becoming a prominent figure in Public Health, ameliorating health inequalities in the United States, and being a positive Black woman role model for the next generation. In my public health career, I will remember this lesson when designing programming by gathering information and ensuring the programming will be relevant in the community I will work with. Through discussions with health professionals, I predict this concept will soon become mainstream in healthcare.

A public health issue I am passionate about is food insecurity and nutrition. My first educational introduction to health was in fourth grade when my class watched the documentary A Place at the Table about food insecurity. I then discovered a local food bank ten minutes from my home, and now I mainly contribute to my community by volunteering at food banks. This sparked my interest in nutrition and from there I paid attention to the food disparities in my area. My passion for health equity in nutrition inspired my decision to continue my education at Cornell University as a Global and Public Health Sciences major to access the best opportunities. Many of my classes are taught by Registered Dietician Nutritionists who have incredible insights about how nutrition is essential to maintaining good health. This summer, I worked with one of my instructors to implement the Youth Engagement & Action for Health! Program for students at a local Boys & Girls Club focusing on food justice. Having the opportunity to learn about food justice and teach youth about this topic was impactful because I learned about how different communities face food justice. This experience also made me discover my passion for educating students about health topics. I live in East Oakland, a predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhood where few people continue their education to college. East Oakland is listed as a low-income and low-food-access neighborhood in the San Francisco Bay Area. Living in a food desert is stressful because you are unaware of when you can access nutritious foods. Although I am lucky to have parents who prioritized feeding me healthy foods, many individuals living in food deserts do not have this luxury. Eating healthy foods is important because poor nutrition is one of the main causes of chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. These non-communicable diseases are common in the United States and are often difficult and expensive to treat. Yet the risk of having them can be lowered simply by healthy eating, regular exercise, and sufficient sleep. In the future, I want to continue effectively educating others by meeting students where they are and then taking them to where they need to be. Once people truly understand how their diet plays a role in preventive medicine, cases of preventable illnesses can decline. As someone who strives for excellence in education, I cannot take a chance to win a scholarship for granted. My experiences motivate me to improve the health of others. My commitment to education, hard work, and the Frederick and Bernice Beretta Memorial Scholarship will allow me to complete my career goals. As a young Black woman, I approach the world with an intersectional feminist lens. By approaching life with this lens, I can help others and myself by becoming a prominent figure in Public Health, ameliorating health inequalities in the United States, and being a positive Black woman role model for the next generation.

A significant public health issue I am passionate about is food insecurity and nutrition. My first educational introduction to health was in fourth grade when my class watched the documentary A Place at the Table about food insecurity. I learned about the struggles of hunger, food deserts, and obesity in the United States at an early age. I then discovered a local food bank ten minutes from my home, and now I mainly contribute to my community by volunteering at food banks. This sparked my interest in nutrition and from there I continuously paid attention to the food disparities in my area. My passion for health equity in nutrition inspired my decision to continue my education at Cornell University as a Global and Public Health Sciences major to access the best opportunities. Many of my classes are taught by Registered Dietician Nutritionists who have incredible insights about how nutrition is essential to maintaining good health. This summer, I am working with one of these course instructors to implement the Youth Engagement & Action for Health! Program for students at a local Boys & Girls Club focusing on food justice. Having the opportunity to learn about food justice and teach youth about this topic has been extremely impactful because I got to learn about other communities facing food justice besides my own. This experience also made me discover my passion for educating students about health topics. I live in East Oakland, a predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhood where few people continue their education to college. East Oakland is listed as a low-income and low-food-access neighborhood in the San Francisco Bay Area. Living in a food desert is stressful because you are unaware of when you can access nutritious foods. Although I am lucky to have parents who prioritized feeding my sibling and I healthy food choices, many individuals living in food deserts do not have this luxury. Eating healthy foods is important because poor nutrition is one of the main causes of chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. These non-communicable diseases are common in the United States and are often difficult and expensive to treat. Yet the risk of having them can be lowered simply by healthy eating, regular exercise, and sufficient sleep. One idea I have to make healthy foods more accessible is to build multiple gardens in community spaces such as churches. Donations would hopefully supply most of the gardening supplies needed. Seeds can also be gathered for free or at a discounted price from imperfect produce that will not be sold in grocery stores. These gardens would be volunteer based, so community members are empowered to grow their own nutritious food. Once the plants are ready to be harvested, the community organizations with gardens can distribute what they have grown to their members and the public as well. It disappoints me to see health disparities happen because the U.S. has resources to solve these issues within and outside the country, yet they choose not to. As a global community, we cannot get equality and fairness right in health. As a young Black woman, I approach the world with an intersectional feminist lens. By approaching life with this lens, I can help others and myself by becoming a prominent figure in Public Health, ameliorating health inequalities in the United States, and being a positive Black woman role model for the next generation.

My passion for all things related to health equity motivates me to embody the B.A.B.Y. L.O.V.E. spirit. It disappoints me to see health disparities happen because the U.S. has resources to solve these issues within and outside the country, yet they choose not to. As a global community, we cannot get equality and fairness right in health. As a young Black woman, I approach the world with an intersectional feminist lens. By approaching life with this lens, I can help others and myself by becoming a prominent figure in Public Health, ameliorating health inequalities in the United States, and being a positive Black woman role model for the next generation. Although I have huge aspirations for my allied health career now, my contributions started small. My first educational introduction to health was in fourth grade when my class watched the documentary A Place at the Table about food insecurity. I learned about the struggles of hunger, food deserts, and obesity in the United States at an early age. I then discovered a local food bank ten minutes from my home, and now I mainly contribute to my community by volunteering at food banks. This sparked my interest in nutrition and from there I continuously paid attention to the food disparities in my area. Although there are many food banks and pantries in the San Francisco Bay Area, their locations are often not accessible to everyone in need. I live in East Oakland, a predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhood where few people continue their education to college. East Oakland is listed as a low-income and low-food-access neighborhood in the San Francisco Bay Area. Living in a food desert is stressful because you are unaware of when you can access nutritious foods. Although I am lucky to have parents who prioritized feeding my sibling and I healthy food choices, many individuals living in food deserts do not have this luxury. Eating healthy foods is important because poor nutrition is one of the main causes of chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. These non-communicable diseases are common in the United States and are often difficult and expensive to treat. Yet the risk of having them can be lowered simply by healthy eating, regular exercise, and sufficient sleep. My passion for health equity in nutrition inspired my decision to continue my education at Cornell University as a Global and Public Health Sciences major to access the best opportunities. Many of my classes are taught by Registered Dietician Nutritionists who have incredible insights about how nutrition is essential to maintaining good health. This summer, I am working with one of these course instructors to implement the Youth Engagement & Action for Health! Program for students at a local Boys & Girls Club focusing on food justice. Having the opportunity to learn about food justice and teach youth about this topic has been extremely impactful because I got to learn about other communities facing food justice besides my own. This experience also made me discover my passion for educating students about health topics. As someone who strives for excellence in education, I cannot take a chance to win a scholarship for granted. My experiences motivate me to improve the health of others. My commitment to education, B.A.B.Y. L.O.V.E. spirit, and this scholarship will allow me to complete my career goal.

I come from a predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhood in Oakland, California, where few people continue their education to college. I have worked hard my entire life to earn the opportunities I have received, and I value and take full advantage of those opportunities. My family and I worked hard so I could attend boarding school on the East Coast where I was an IB diploma recipient, a dormitory prefect, a soprano in my school choir, and a four-year varsity cross country member. This fueled my decision to continue my education at Cornell University to access the best opportunities. On campus, I am mainly involved in three public health-related organizations, Planned Parenthood Generation Action, GlobeMed at Cornell, and the Cornell Social Consultants Program. Planned Parenthood Generation Action aims to educate others on women’s and non-binary issues on campus and make reproductive resources more accessible. GlobeMed at Cornell is a club that meets to discuss global health issues and raise money for local Ithaca and international organizations rather than promoting voluntourism. The Cornell Social Consultants Program is part of Cornell Health and aims to create interventions that decrease sexual violence and improve the sexual culture on campus. Additionally, I became interested in taking care of hair, skin, and nails at a young age. Growing up as a Black girl, I recognized that assumptions were made about me because of my skin color and knew that I must look presentable to make a good impression on others. Grooming oneself well and dressing well gives others the impression that you strive for excellence. About 5% of U.S. dermatologists identified as Black or African American, and an even smaller percentage are Black women. I am interested in studying health and ultimately becoming a dermatologist. My interest in all things related to hair, skin, and the disparate treatment of Black women as medical patients inspire this career goal. The first time I remember seeing a dermatologist was in elementary school for my scalp. When I arrived, the dermatologist picked through my coily hair with awe, and I immediately knew this visit would not be helpful. After examining my scalp, he concluded that everything was normal, but he acknowledged that he had very little information on Black hair and skin. The doctor recommended a drugstore shampoo that might help me, but I was already using that, and it was not working. On another occasion, I went to my regular pediatrician, and she prescribed a cleanser that caused serious burns on my back. Although she is an amazing Black woman doctor, these experiences demonstrated that there is not adequate training on Black skin in medical schools. These experiences made me realize that few medical professionals specialize in Black hair and skin. I have inferred that my dermatological experiences are frequent amongst Black people because of a lack of diversity in dermatology. This leads me to believe that the scientific studies of Black women have not made it into medical fields yet, including dermatology. I participated in an internship program with Kaiser Permanente, a national hospital consortium, where I learned about medical careers and public health through lectures and online courses. Doing this program during a pandemic reinforced my interest in Black people in public health. In addition to being a dermatologist, public health will further my understanding of how to create healthy habits within my community. By approaching life with an intersectional feminist lens, I can help others and myself by becoming a dermatologist, treating dermatological conditions of Black people appropriately, and being a positive Black woman role model for the next generation.

I am extremely passionate about all things related to health equity because of my educational and personal experiences in the United States. It disappoints me to see health disparities happen because the U.S. has resources to solve these issues within and outside the country, yet they choose not to. As a global community, we cannot get equality and fairness right in health. As a young Black woman, I approach the world with an intersectional feminist lens. By approaching life with this lens, I can help others and myself by becoming a prominent figure in Public Health, ameliorating health inequalities in the United States, and being a positive Black woman role model for the next generation. Although I have huge aspirations for my allied health career now, my contributions started small. My first educational introduction to health was in fourth grade when my class watched the documentary A Place at the Table about food insecurity. I learned about the struggles of hunger, food deserts, and obesity in the United States at an early age. I then discovered a local food bank ten minutes from my home, and now I mainly contribute to my community by volunteering at food banks. This sparked my interest in nutrition and from there I continuously paid attention to the food disparities in my area. Although there are many food banks and pantries in the San Francisco Bay Area, their locations are often not accessible to everyone in need. I live in East Oakland, a predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhood where few people continue their education to college. East Oakland is listed as a low-income and low-food-access neighborhood in the San Francisco Bay Area. Living in a food desert is stressful because you are unaware of when you can access nutritious foods. Eating healthy foods is important because poor nutrition is one of the main causes of chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. These non-communicable diseases are common in the United States and are often difficult and expensive to treat. Yet the risk of having them can be lowered simply by healthy eating, regular exercise, and sufficient sleep. My passion for health equity in nutrition inspired my decision to continue my education at Cornell University as a Global and Public Health Sciences major to access the best opportunities. Many of my classes are taught by Registered Dietician Nutritionists who have incredible insights about how nutrition is essential to maintaining good health. This summer, I am working with one of these course instructors to implement the Youth Engagement & Action for Health! Program for students at a local Boys & Girls Club focusing on food justice. Having the opportunity to learn about food justice and teach youth about this topic has been extremely impactful because I got to learn about other communities facing food justice besides my own. During the school year I had the opportunity to speak with a WIC nutritionist who shared her experiences with the program. One thing that stood out to me was the lack of cultural sensitivity in foods covered by the program and how this drove her to obtain her Masters of Public Health degree so she can manage a WIC office and become a powerful changemaker. These health professionals made me truly realize how nutrition is part of many structural issues in society. I am extremely grateful that these professionals believed and invested in me because without their guidance, I would not have learned as much as I have about nutrition and my career goals would be very different.

I am extremely passionate about all things related to health equity because of my educational and personal experiences in the United States. It disappoints me to see health disparities happen because the U.S. has resources to solve these issues within and outside the country, yet they choose not to. As a global community, we cannot get equality and fairness right in health. As a young Black woman, I approach the world with an intersectional feminist lens. By approaching life with this lens, I can help others and myself by becoming a prominent figure in Public Health, ameliorating health inequalities in the United States, and being a positive Black woman role model for the next generation. Although I have huge aspirations for my health career now, my contributions started small. My first educational introduction to health was in fourth grade when my class watched the documentary A Place at the Table about food insecurity. I learned about the struggles of hunger, food deserts, and obesity in the United States at an early age. I then discovered a local food bank ten minutes from my home, and now I mainly contribute to my community by volunteering at food banks. This sparked my interest in nutrition and from there I continuously paid attention to the food disparities in my area. Although there are many food banks and pantries in the San Francisco Bay Area, their locations are often not accessible to everyone in need. I live in East Oakland, a predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhood where few people continue their education to college. East Oakland is listed as a low-income and low-food-access neighborhood in the San Francisco Bay Area. Living in a food desert is stressful because you are unaware of when you can access nutritious foods. Although I am lucky to have parents who prioritized feeding me healthy foods, many individuals living in food deserts do not have this luxury. Eating healthy foods is important because poor nutrition is one of the main causes of chronic diseases. These non-communicable diseases are common in the United States and are often difficult and expensive to treat. Yet the risk of having them can be lowered simply by healthy eating, regular exercise, and sufficient sleep. My passion for health equity in nutrition inspired my decision to continue my education at Cornell University as a Global and Public Health Sciences major to access the best opportunities. These professors have made me explore nutrition from different angles and made me truly realize how nutrition is part of many structural issues in society. I am extremely grateful that these professionals believed in me because without these opportunities my public health experience would be very narrow. As someone who strives for excellence in education, I cannot take a chance to win a scholarship for granted. My experiences motivate me to improve the health of others. My hard work, commitment to education, and this scholarship will allow me to complete my career goals and access more amazing opportunities.

Although this essay prompt asks"What could go wrong?", in my opinion there are plenty of things already wrong and steps should be taken to make sure things go right. Just as Mr. Dario Rossi said before his passing, we should never give up and keep working towards our goals. It disappoints me to see health disparities happen globally because the US has resources to solve these issues within and outside the country, yet they choose not to. As a global community, we cannot get equality and fairness right in health. This inspired my decision to continue my education at Cornell University as a Global and Public Health Sciences major to receive the best opportunities. Although I have huge aspirations for my health career now, my contributions started small. My first educational introduction to health was in fourth grade when my class watched the documentary A Place at the Table about food insecurity. I learned about the struggles of hunger, food deserts, and obesity in the United States at an early age. I then discovered a local food bank ten minutes from my home, and now I mainly contribute to my community by volunteering at that food bank. Along with food insecurity, I have noticed problems with the vaccine distribution in my predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhood in Oakland, CA. When COVID-19 vaccination centers were assigned, they opened first in predominantly white neighborhoods. This was inconvenient for people of color who were more at risk for catching coronavirus. In addition to where I live, racial disparities in healthcare are also relevant in my school community. For my Chemistry class, we visited Trenton, New Jersey, a majority Black city, to test for lead. We found unsafe lead levels in water and paint in buildings such as houses, libraries, schools, and hospitals. My high school raised money to buy water filters for the homes in Trenton, but there was little we could do for the public buildings. I was struck with sadness and terror when I realized that families and children were drinking contaminated water thirty minutes from that school in the third wealthiest county in Pennsylvania. There, we never had to worry about drinking water safety. It was shocking to see so little happening when my community has the resources. As a young Black woman, I approach the world with an intersectional feminist lens. By approaching life with this lens, I can help others and myself by becoming a prominent figure in Public Health, ameliorating racial health inequalities in the United States, and being a positive Black woman role model for the next generation. I have worked hard my entire life to earn the opportunities I have received, and I value and take full advantage of those opportunities. As someone who strives for excellence in education, I cannot take a chance to win a scholarship for granted. My experiences motivate me to improve the health of others. My hard work, commitment to education, and the Rossi and Ferguson Memorial Scholarship will allow me to complete this goal.

Public Health interests me because it takes an interdisciplinary approach to health by combining science and social factors on a local scale. This past summer, I participated in an internship program with Kaiser Permanente, a national hospital consortium. I learned about medical careers and public health through lectures and online courses. Doing this program during a pandemic reinforced my interest in Black people in public health. Public health will further my understanding of how to create healthy habits within my community. It disappoints me to see health disparities happen in the United States because the US has resources to solve these issues within and outside the country, yet they choose not to. As a global community, we cannot get equality and fairness right in health Although I have huge aspirations for my health career now, my contributions started small. My first educational introduction to health was in fourth grade when my class watched the documentary A Place at the Table about food insecurity. I learned about the struggles of hunger, food deserts, and obesity in the United States at an early age. I then discovered a local food bank ten minutes from my home, and now I mainly contribute to my community by volunteering at that food bank. Along with food insecurity, I have noticed problems with the vaccine distribution in my predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhood in Oakland, CA. When COVID-19 vaccination centers were assigned, they opened first in predominantly white neighborhoods. This was inconvenient for people of color who were more at risk for catching coronavirus. In addition to where I live, racial disparities in healthcare are also relevant in my school community. For my freshman year Intensive Chemistry class, we visited Trenton, New Jersey, a majority Black city, to test for lead. We found unsafe lead levels in water and paint in buildings such as houses, libraries, schools, and hospitals. My school raised money to buy water filters for the homes in Trenton, but there was little we could do for the public buildings. I was struck with sadness and terror when I realized that families and children were drinking contaminated water thirty minutes from my school in the third wealthiest county in Pennsylvania. At my school, we never have to worry about drinking water safety. It was shocking to see so little happening when my community has the resources. Additionally, I became interested in taking care of hair, skin, and nails at a young age. Growing up as a Black girl, I recognized that assumptions were made about me because of my skin color and knew that I must look presentable to make a good impression on others. I am interested in studying health sciences and ultimately becoming a dermatologist. My interest in all things related to hair, skin, and the disparate treatment of Black women as medical patients inspire this career goal. The first time I remember seeing a dermatologist was in elementary school for my scalp. When I arrived, the dermatologist picked through my coily hair with awe, and I immediately knew this visit would not be helpful. After examining my scalp, he acknowledged that he had very little information on Black hair and skin. The doctor recommended a drugstore shampoo that might help me, but I was already using that, and it was not working. On another occasion, I went to my regular pediatrician, and she prescribed a cleanser that caused serious burns on my back. Although she is an amazing Black woman doctor, these experiences demonstrated that there is not adequate training on Black skin in medical schools. These experiences made me realize that few medical professionals specialize in Black hair and skin. I have inferred that my dermatological experiences are frequent amongst Black people because of a lack of diversity in dermatology. This leads me to believe that the scientific studies of Black women have not made it into medical fields yet, including dermatology. This past summer, I participated in an internship program with Kaiser Permanente, a national hospital consortium. I learned about medical careers and public health through lectures and online courses. Doing this program during a pandemic reinforced my interest in Black people in public health. In addition to being a dermatologist, public health along with health sciences will further my understanding of how to create healthy habits within my community. As a young Black woman, I approach the world with an intersectional feminist lens. By approaching life with this lens, I can help others and myself by becoming a prominent figure in Public Health, ameliorating racial health inequalities in the United States, and being a positive Black woman role model for the next generation.

My dream life involves helping people in the field of dermatology. The first time I saw a dermatologist was in elementary school for my scalp. When I arrived, the dermatologist picked through my coily hair with awe, and I immediately knew this visit would not be helpful. After examining my scalp, he concluded that everything was normal. He acknowledged that he knew little information on Black hair and skin and recommended a drugstore shampoo I was already using, but it did not work. I once went to my pediatrician, and she prescribed a cleanser that caused serious burns on my back. Although she is an amazing Black woman doctor, these experiences demonstrated that there is not adequate training on Black skin in medical schools. I have inferred that these experiences are frequent amongst Black people because of a lack of diversity in dermatology. Additionally, few medical professionals specialize in Black dermatology. About 5% of U.S. dermatologists identified as Black or African American, and an even smaller percentage are Black women. I am interested in studying Public Health and ultimately becoming a dermatologist. My interest in hair, skin, and the disparate treatment of Black women as medical patients inspire this goal. My interest in Black women also comes from my middle school experiences. Attending an all-girls middle school and being surrounded by women and girls, celebrating International Women's Day, and studying the impact of women from various social categories shaped the person I am today. These experiences make me a person who cares about human rights, diversity, and inclusion. My dream is to one day ameliorate this inequality through my valuable higher education.

1. Why do you deserve this scholarship? - I want a Chanel purse so I can carry my pet Chihuahua SAMANTHA to class with me. While HE is small, HIS educational opportunities should not be limited by the fact that HE'S a dog. 2. What are your academic and/or career goals? - I want to become a professional water slide tester, at Sea World. I enjoy riding waterslides, especially the ones at Sea World. I really want to go to Florida. 3. Tell me about a time you’ve overcome an obstacle. - I once broke my phone, so I had to go to my carrier and get a new one. The woman helping me at the desk was quite rude if I remember correctly.

I come from a predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhood in Oakland, California, where few people continue their education to college. I have worked hard my entire life to earn the opportunities I have received, and I value and take full advantage of those opportunities. My family and I worked hard so I could attend boarding school on the East Coast. At my current school, I am an IB diploma candidate, a dormitory prefect, a soprano in my school choir, and a four-year varsity cross country member. Additionally, despite the difficulty of traveling 30 miles for my previous school, I got up before 6 AM every weekday to get there, and it was worth every minute of early mornings. Attending an all-girls middle school was a worthwhile decision because it has shaped the person I am today. Being surrounded by women and girls, celebrating International Women's Day, and studying the impact of women from different social categories was an incredibly enriching experience and has shaped my goals to pursue public health. Additionally, I became interested in taking care of hair, skin, and nails at a young age. Growing up as a Black girl, I recognized that assumptions were made about me because of my skin color and knew that I must look presentable to make a good impression on others. Grooming oneself well and dressing well gives others the impression that you strive for excellence. About 5% of U.S. dermatologists identified as Black or African American, and an even smaller percentage are Black women. I am interested in studying health and ultimately becoming a dermatologist. My interest in all things related to hair, skin, and the disparate treatment of Black women as medical patients inspire this career goal. The first time I remember seeing a dermatologist was in elementary school for my scalp. When I arrived, the dermatologist picked through my coily hair with awe, and I immediately knew this visit would not be helpful. After examining my scalp, he concluded that everything was normal, but he acknowledged that he had very little information on Black hair and skin. The doctor recommended a drugstore shampoo that might help me, but I was already using that, and it was not working. On another occasion, I went to my regular pediatrician, and she prescribed a cleanser that caused serious burns on my back. Although she is an amazing Black woman doctor, these experiences demonstrated that there is not adequate training on Black skin in medical schools. These experiences made me realize that few medical professionals specialize in Black hair and skin. I have inferred that my dermatological experiences are frequent amongst Black people because of a lack of diversity in dermatology. This leads me to believe that the scientific studies of Black women have not made it into medical fields yet, including dermatology. This past summer, I participated in an internship program with Kaiser Permanente, a national hospital consortium. I learned about medical careers and public health through lectures and online courses. Doing this program during a pandemic reinforced my interest in Black people in public health. In addition to being a dermatologist, public health will further my understanding of how to create healthy habits within my community. By approaching life with an intersectional feminist lens, I can help others and myself by becoming a dermatologist, treating dermatological conditions of Black people appropriately, and being a positive Black woman role model for the next generation.

At an early age, I became interested in taking care of hair, skin, and nails. Growing up as a Black girl, I recognized that assumptions were made about me because of my skin color and knew that I must look presentable to make a good impression on others. Grooming oneself well and dressing well gives others the impression that you strive for excellence. About 5% of U.S. dermatologists identified as Black or African American, and an even smaller percentage are Black women. I am interested in studying health and ultimately becoming a dermatologist. My interest in all things related to hair, skin, and the disparate treatment of Black women as medical patients inspire this career goal. The first time I remember seeing a dermatologist was in elementary school for my scalp. When I arrived, the dermatologist picked through my coily hair with awe, and I immediately knew this visit would not be helpful. After examining my scalp, he concluded that everything was normal, but he acknowledged that he had very little information on Black hair and skin. The doctor recommended a drugstore shampoo that might help me, but I was already using that, and it was not working. On another occasion, I went to my regular pediatrician, and she prescribed a cleanser that caused serious burns on my back. Although she is an amazing Black woman doctor, these experiences demonstrated that there is not adequate training on Black skin in medical schools. These experiences made me realize that few medical professionals specialize in Black hair and skin. I have inferred that my dermatological experiences are frequent amongst Black people because of a lack of diversity in dermatology. This leads me to believe that the scientific studies of Black women have not made it into medical fields yet, including dermatology. This past summer, I participated in an internship program with Kaiser Permanente, a national hospital consortium. I learned about medical careers and public health through lectures and online courses. Doing this program during a pandemic reinforced my interest in Black people in public health. In addition to being a dermatologist, public health will further my understanding of how to create healthy habits within my community. My connection to feminism will remain important to me during college. I am interested in joining a Black women’s medical organization and doing activities that consider the intersectionality of race in women’s rights. By approaching life with an intersectional feminist lens, I can help others and myself by becoming a dermatologist, treating dermatological conditions of Black people appropriately, and being a positive Black woman role model for the next generation.

My aspirations are my everything. At an early age, I became interested in taking care of hair, skin, and nails. The first time I saw a dermatologist was in elementary school for my scalp. He acknowledged that he knew little information on Black hair and skin and recommended a drugstore shampoo I was already using, but it did not work. I inferred that this happens frequently amongst Black people because of a lack of diversity in dermatology. My interest in all things related to hair, skin, and the disparate treatment of Black women as medical patients inspire this career goal.

I would use the $1000 Youssef University’s College Life Scholarship to pay for my education. I come from a predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhood in California, where few people continue their education to college. I have worked hard my entire life to earn the opportunities I have received, and I value and take full advantage of those opportunities. Despite the difficulty of traveling 30 miles for school, I got up before 6 AM every weekday to get there, and it was worth every minute of early mornings. Attending an all-girls middle school was a worthwhile decision because it has shaped the person I am today. Being surrounded by women and girls, celebrating International Women's Day, and studying the impact of women from different social categories was an incredibly enriching experience and has shaped my goals to pursue public health. My family and I then worked even harder so I could attend boarding school on the East Coast. At my school, I am an IB diploma candidate, a boarding student prefect, a soprano in my school choir, and a four-year varsity cross country member. As someone who strives for excellence in education, I cannot take a chance to win a scholarship for granted. Having this money will allow me to pursue my dreams of studying health at a higher level. My experiences motivate me to improve the health of others. My hard work, commitment to education, and the Youssef University’s College Life Scholarship will allow me to complete this goal.

At an early age, I became interested in taking care of hair, skin, and nails. Growing up as a Black girl, I recognized that assumptions were made about me because of my skin color and knew that I must look presentable to make a good impression on others. Grooming oneself well and dressing well gives others the impression that you strive for excellence. About 5% of U.S. dermatologists identified as Black or African American, and an even smaller percentage are Black women. I am interested in studying health and ultimately becoming a dermatologist. My interest in all things related to hair, skin, and the disparate treatment of Black women as medical patients inspire this career goal. The first time I remember seeing a dermatologist was in elementary school for my scalp. When I arrived, the dermatologist picked through my coily hair with awe, and I immediately knew this visit would not be helpful. After examining my scalp, he concluded that everything was normal, but he acknowledged that he had very little information on Black hair and skin. The doctor recommended a drugstore shampoo that might help me, but I was already using that, and it was not working. On another occasion, I went to my regular pediatrician, and she prescribed a cleanser that caused serious burns on my back. Although she is an amazing Black woman doctor, these experiences demonstrated that there is not adequate training on Black skin in medical schools. These experiences made me realize that few medical professionals specialize in Black hair and skin. I have inferred that my dermatological experiences are frequent amongst Black people because of a lack of diversity in dermatology. This past summer, I participated in an internship program with Kaiser Permanente, a national hospital consortium. I learned about medical careers and public health through lectures and online courses. Doing this program during a pandemic reinforced my interest in Black people in public health. In addition to being a dermatologist, public health will further my understanding of how to create healthy habits within my community. My connection to feminism will remain important to me during college. I am interested in joining a Black women’s medical organization and doing activities that consider the intersectionality of race in women’s rights. By approaching life with an intersectional feminist lens, I can help others and myself by becoming a dermatologist, treating dermatological conditions of Black people appropriately, and being a positive Black woman role model for the next generation.

The social justice issue I want to influence if given the opportunity is food insecurity, especially in children. According to Feed America, more than 38 million people, including 12 million children, face food insecurity in the United States. According to the United Nations, more than 800 million people go hungry or face food insecurity every day. Food security in children is one of the most urgent social justice issues globally. Every human being has a right to a sufficient quantity of affordable and nutritious food. Research has documented birth defects, lower nutrient intakes, cognitive and other issues associated with poor health. I am outraged to see other humans suffering from health disparities because of a lack of food when there is an excess of food in many countries. I am willing to get into good and necessary trouble to address and make people aware of this issue. Wealthy countries such as the United States have the resources to help solve this issue within and outside its borders, yet, shockingly, we choose not to. As important members of the global community, we need to have equality and fairness, especially when it comes to food availability. My first educational introduction to food insecurity was in fourth grade when my class watched the documentary A Place at the Table. We learned about the prevalence of hunger, food deserts, and obesity in the United States at a young age. As an impressionable child who had taken my relative privilege for granted, my mind opened to the struggles of other children my age. Triggered by that documentary, my family and I discovered a local food bank ten minutes from my house. Today, I still fight food insecurity by volunteering at food banks in my hometown and with my school. During an internship I had with Girls Who Code, I had the opportunity to fight food insecurity around the world. There are many places facing food insecurity, but it is especially severe in Yemen. The World Food Program estimates that 16.2 million people in Yemen are food insecure. Famine, food insecurity, and hunger are significant parts of the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. The World Food Program estimates over 2.3 million Yemeni children are suffering from malnutrition. To help, I created a website that contains information and ways for people to fight food insecurity and make a difference in the lives of people in Yemen. The main steps I encouraged in my website were: educating yourself, signing petitions, donating directly, and developing aid networks. Like John Lewis, I want to fight for change and challenge inequality, especially when solving the problem of global hunger. I believe that will put the world on a path to peace and stability.

At a young age, I became interested in taking care of hair, skin, and nails. Growing up as a Black girl, I recognized that assumptions were made about me because of my skin color and knew that I must look presentable to make a good impression on others. Grooming oneself well and dressing well gives others the impression that you strive for excellence. About 5% of U.S. dermatologists identified as Black or African American, and an even smaller percentage are Black women. I am interested in studying health and ultimately becoming a dermatologist. My interest in all things related to hair, skin, and the disparate treatment of Black women as medical patients inspire this career goal. The first time I remember seeing a dermatologist was in elementary school for my scalp. When I arrived, the dermatologist picked through my coily hair with awe, and I immediately knew this visit would not be helpful. After examining my scalp, he concluded that everything was normal, but he acknowledged that he had very little information on Black hair and skin. The doctor recommended a drugstore shampoo that might help me, but I was already using that, and it was not working. On another occasion, I went to my regular pediatrician, and she prescribed a cleanser that caused serious burns on my back. Although she is an amazing Black woman doctor, these experiences demonstrated that there is not adequate training on Black skin in medical schools. These experiences made me realize that few medical professionals specialize in Black hair and skin. I have inferred that my dermatological experiences are frequent amongst Black people because of a lack of diversity in dermatology. This past summer, I participated in an internship program with Kaiser Permanente, a national hospital consortium. I learned about medical careers and public health through lectures and online courses. Doing this program during a pandemic reinforced my interest in Black people in public health. In addition to being a dermatologist, public health will further my understanding of how to create healthy habits within my community. My connection to feminism will remain important to me during college. I am interested in joining a Black women’s medical organization and doing activities that consider the intersectionality of race in women’s rights. By approaching life with an intersectional feminist lens, I can help others and myself by becoming a dermatologist, treating dermatological conditions of Black people appropriately, and being a positive Black woman role model for the next generation.

I was recently accepted into Cornell University's College of Human Ecology to study Global and Public Health Sciences. This major interests me because it takes an interdisciplinary approach to health by combining science and social factors on local and worldwide scales. As an intellectually curious person, I want to study at Cornell because of intriguing courses such as Medical Ethnobotany and Public Health Nutrition that incorporate food and its relevance in health. Moreover, joining the WHO/PAHO Collaborating Center, the first World Health Organization center for nutrition in the United States will be crucial to my education. Working alongside professors like Dr. Julia Finkelstein to influence the WHO guidelines is an opportunity I would not take for granted. Although I have huge aspirations for my health career now, my contributions started small. My first educational introduction to health was in fourth grade when my class watched the documentary A Place at the Table about food insecurity. I learned about the struggles of hunger, food deserts, and obesity in the United States at an early age. I then discovered a local food bank ten minutes from my home, and now I mainly contribute to my community by volunteering at that food bank. Along with food insecurity, I have noticed problems with the vaccine distribution in my predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhood in Oakland, CA. When COVID-19 vaccination centers were assigned, they opened first in predominantly white neighborhoods. This was inconvenient for people of color who were more at risk for catching coronavirus. In addition to where I live, racial disparities in healthcare are also relevant in my school community. For my freshman year Intensive Chemistry class, we visited Trenton, New Jersey, a majority Black city, to test for lead. We found unsafe lead levels in water and paint in buildings such as houses, libraries, schools, and hospitals. My school raised money to buy water filters for the homes in Trenton, but there was little we could do for the public buildings. I was struck with sadness and terror when I realized that families and children were drinking contaminated water thirty minutes from my school in the third wealthiest county in Pennsylvania. At my school, we never have to worry about drinking water safety. It was shocking to see so little happening when my community has the resources. It is also alarming to know that severe health issues are happening in other countries. This is why I want to develop a global understanding of health issues such as the humanitarian crisis in Yemen. The Yemen Civil War since 2011 has impoverished many families and children and led to a food crisis and acute malnutrition for over 2.3 million children. Knowing how others can help from outside a country is crucial during these times. It disappoints me to see health disparities happen in other countries and the United States in the world today. Wealthy countries such as the United States have the resources to help solve these issues within and outside their countries, yet they choose not to. As a global community, we cannot get equality and fairness right in health. I plan to help ameliorate these inequalities by capitalizing on the valuable information I will learn at Cornell’s College of Human Ecology.

At an early age, I became interested in taking care of hair, skin, and nails. Growing up as a Black girl, I recognized that assumptions were made about me because of my skin color and knew that I must look presentable to make a good impression on others. Grooming oneself well and dressing well gives others the impression that you strive for excellence. About 5% of U.S. dermatologists identified as Black or African American, and an even smaller percentage are Black women. I am interested in studying health and ultimately becoming a dermatologist. My interest in all things related to hair, skin, and the disparate treatment of Black women as medical patients inspire this career goal. The first time I remember seeing a dermatologist was in elementary school for my scalp. When I arrived, the dermatologist picked through my coily hair with awe, and I immediately knew this visit would not be helpful. After examining my scalp, he concluded that everything was normal, but he acknowledged that he had very little information on Black hair and skin. The doctor recommended a drugstore shampoo that might help me, but I was already using that, and it was not working. On another occasion, I went to my regular pediatrician, and she prescribed a cleanser that caused serious burns on my back. Although she is an amazing Black woman doctor, these experiences demonstrated that there is not adequate training on Black skin in medical schools. These experiences made me realize that few medical professionals specialize in Black hair and skin. I have inferred that my dermatological experiences are frequent amongst Black people because of a lack of diversity in dermatology. This past summer, I participated in an internship program with Kaiser Permanente, a national hospital consortium. I learned about medical careers and public health through lectures and online courses. Doing this program during a pandemic reinforced my interest in Black people in public health. In addition to being a dermatologist, public health will further my understanding of how to create healthy habits within my community. In college, I am interested in joining a Black women’s medical organization and doing activities that consider the intersectionality of race in women’s rights. By approaching life with an intersectional feminist lens, I can help others and myself by becoming a dermatologist, treating dermatological conditions of Black people appropriately, and being a positive Black woman role model for the next generation. I am a strong candidate for the Melaninwhitecoats Podcast Annual Scholarship because of my unique background. I come from a predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhood in California, where few people continue their education to college. I have worked hard my entire life to earn the opportunities I have received, and I value and take full advantage of those opportunities. Despite the difficulty of traveling 30 miles for school, I got up before 6 AM every weekday to get there, and it was worth every minute of early mornings. My family and I then worked even harder so I could attend boarding school on the East Coast. At my school, I am an IB diploma candidate, a boarding student prefect, a soprano in my school choir, and a four-year varsity cross country member. As someone who strives for excellence in education, I cannot take a chance to win a scholarship for granted. Having this money will allow me to pursue my dreams of studying health at a higher level. My experiences motivate me to improve the health of others. My hard work, commitment to education, and the Melaninwhitecoats Podcast Annual Scholarship will allow me to complete this goal.