Throughout my life, education has always symbolized possibility; a door that never fully closed, even when circumstances made it feel just out of reach. As a woman over 50 living with disabilities, returning to college wasn't a conventional choice, but one born of purpose, determination, and hope. “Strength, courage, and wisdom, it’s been inside of me all along”; India Irie When I enrolled at California State University, Dominguez Hills, I stepped into a world vastly different from the one I left behind years ago. While navigating classrooms filled with students decades younger than me, learning to balance health challenges with academic rigor, and manage financial strain. Every obstacle has tested my resolve. Yet, with every exam passed and every paper submitted, I’ve built a new chapter of my life, grounded in self-belief and resilience. My disability has taught me to be patient; age has taught me perspective. Together, they have forged a quiet strength that inspires me not only to complete my degree but also to motivate others to reclaim their dreams, regardless of their stage in life. This collective resilience empowers me to pursue my ambitions while supporting those around me in their journeys. Now, more than ever, I recognize the importance of sharing this inspiration and encouraging others to believe that it's never too late to chase their aspirations. I study not only to improve myself but also to inspire others, especially women facing adversity, that the pursuit of knowledge is timeless. Securing this scholarship would significantly lighten the financial strain I face in my final academic year at CSUDH, allowing me to focus wholeheartedly on my studies and achieve my educational goals. By honing in on what genuinely matters, I can fully dedicate myself to completing my degree while transforming my diverse experiences into impactful actions. Whether through mentorship, advocacy, or community service, I am committed to navigating significant change in the lives of others and creating a lasting, positive impact on my community. Which is why I choose to uplift and encourage my classmates to continue on with this educational race, as this path will allow us to impact thousands of people and make our community a better place. One person at a time or one solution at a time. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to share my journey. This scholarship isn’t just an investment in my education; it’s an affirmation that courage, perseverance, and purpose still matter.

Throughout my life, education has always symbolized possibility; a door that never fully closed, even when circumstances made it feel just out of reach. As a woman over 50 living with disabilities, returning to college wasn't a conventional choice, but one born of purpose, determination, and hope. “Strength, courage, and wisdom, it’s been inside of me all along”; India Irie When I enrolled at California State University, Dominguez Hills, I stepped into a world vastly different from the one I left behind years ago. While navigating classrooms filled with students decades younger than me, learning to balance health challenges with academic rigor, and manage financial strain. Every obstacle has tested my resolve. Yet, with every exam passed and every paper submitted, I’ve built a new chapter of my life, grounded in self-belief and resilience. My disability has taught me to be patient; age has taught me perspective. Together, they have forged a quiet strength that inspires me not only to complete my degree but also to motivate others to reclaim their dreams, regardless of their stage in life. This collective resilience empowers me to pursue my ambitions while supporting those around me in their journeys. Now, more than ever, I recognize the importance of sharing this inspiration and encouraging others to believe that it's never too late to chase their aspirations. I study not only to improve myself but also to inspire others, especially women facing adversity, that the pursuit of knowledge is timeless. Securing this scholarship would significantly lighten the financial strain I face in my final academic year at CSUDH, allowing me to focus wholeheartedly on my studies and achieve my educational goals. By honing in on what genuinely matters, I can fully dedicate myself to completing my degree while transforming my diverse experiences into impactful actions. Whether through mentorship, advocacy, or community service, I am committed to navigating significant change in the lives of others and creating a lasting, positive impact on my community. Which is why I choose to uplift and encourage my classmates to continue on with this educational race, as this path will allow us to impact thousands of people and make our community a better place. One person at a time or one solution at a time. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to share my journey. This scholarship isn’t just an investment in my education; it’s an affirmation that courage, perseverance, and purpose still matter.

Throughout my life, education has always symbolized possibility; a door that never fully closed, even when circumstances made it feel just out of reach. As a woman over 50 living with disabilities, returning to college wasn't a conventional choice, but one born of purpose, determination, and hope. “Strength, courage, and wisdom, it’s been inside of me all along”; India Irie When I enrolled at California State University, Dominguez Hills, I stepped into a world vastly different from the one I left behind years ago. While navigating classrooms filled with students decades younger than me, learning to balance health challenges with academic rigor, and manage financial strain. Every obstacle has tested my resolve. Yet, with every exam passed and every paper submitted, I’ve built a new chapter of my life, grounded in self-belief and resilience. My disability has taught me to be patient; age has taught me perspective. Together, they have forged a quiet strength that inspires me not only to complete my degree but also to motivate others to reclaim their dreams, regardless of their stage in life. This collective resilience empowers me to pursue my ambitions while supporting those around me in their journeys. Now, more than ever, I recognize the importance of sharing this inspiration and encouraging others to believe that it's never too late to chase their aspirations. I study not only to improve myself but also to inspire others, especially women facing adversity, that the pursuit of knowledge is timeless. Securing this scholarship would significantly lighten the financial strain I face in my final academic year at CSUDH, allowing me to focus wholeheartedly on my studies and achieve my educational goals. By honing in on what genuinely matters, I can fully dedicate myself to completing my degree while transforming my diverse experiences into impactful actions. Whether through mentorship, advocacy, or community service, I am committed to navigating significant change in the lives of others and creating a lasting, positive impact on my community. Which is why I choose to uplift and encourage my classmates to continue on with this educational race, as this path will allow us to impact thousands of people and make our community a better place. One person at a time or one solution at a time. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to share my journey. This scholarship isn’t just an investment in my education; it’s an affirmation that courage, perseverance, and purpose still matter.

Throughout my life, education has always symbolized possibility; a door that never fully closed, even when circumstances made it feel just out of reach. As a woman over 50 living with disabilities, returning to college wasn't a conventional choice, but one born of purpose, determination, and hope. “Strength, courage, and wisdom, it’s been inside of me all along”; India Irie When I enrolled at California State University, Dominguez Hills, I stepped into a world vastly different from the one I left behind years ago. While navigating classrooms filled with students decades younger than me, learning to balance health challenges with academic rigor, and manage financial strain. Every obstacle has tested my resolve. Yet, with every exam passed and every paper submitted, I’ve built a new chapter of my life, grounded in self-belief and resilience. My disability has taught me to be patient; age has taught me perspective. Together, they have forged a quiet strength that inspires me not only to complete my degree but also to motivate others to reclaim their dreams, regardless of their stage in life. This collective resilience empowers me to pursue my ambitions while supporting those around me in their journeys. Now, more than ever, I recognize the importance of sharing this inspiration and encouraging others to believe that it's never too late to chase their aspirations. I study not only to improve myself but also to inspire others, especially women facing adversity, that the pursuit of knowledge is timeless. Securing this scholarship would significantly lighten the financial strain I face in my final academic year at CSUDH, allowing me to focus wholeheartedly on my studies and achieve my educational goals. By honing in on what genuinely matters, I can fully dedicate myself to completing my degree while transforming my diverse experiences into impactful actions. Whether through mentorship, advocacy, or community service, I am committed to navigating significant change in the lives of others and creating a lasting, positive impact on my community. Which is why I choose to uplift and encourage my classmates to continue on with this educational race, as this path will allow us to impact thousands of people and make our community a better place. One person at a time or one solution at a time. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to share my journey. This scholarship isn’t just an investment in my education; it’s an affirmation that courage, perseverance, and purpose still matter.

Throughout my life, education has always symbolized possibility; a door that never fully closed, even when circumstances made it feel just out of reach. As a woman over 50 living with disabilities, returning to college wasn't a conventional choice, but one born of purpose, determination, and hope. “Strength, courage, and wisdom, it’s been inside of me all along”; India Irie When I enrolled at California State University, Dominguez Hills, I stepped into a world vastly different from the one I left behind years ago. While navigating classrooms filled with students decades younger than me, learning to balance health challenges with academic rigor, and manage financial strain. Every obstacle has tested my resolve. Yet, with every exam passed and every paper submitted, I’ve built a new chapter of my life, grounded in self-belief and resilience. My disability has taught me to be patient; age has taught me perspective. Together, they have forged a quiet strength that inspires me not only to complete my degree but also to motivate others to reclaim their dreams, regardless of their stage in life. This collective resilience empowers me to pursue my ambitions while supporting those around me in their journeys. Now, more than ever, I recognize the importance of sharing this inspiration and encouraging others to believe that it's never too late to chase their aspirations. I study not only to improve myself but also to inspire others, especially women facing adversity, that the pursuit of knowledge is timeless. Securing this scholarship would significantly lighten the financial strain I face in my final academic year at CSUDH, allowing me to focus wholeheartedly on my studies and achieve my educational goals. By honing in on what genuinely matters, I can fully dedicate myself to completing my degree while transforming my diverse experiences into impactful actions. Whether through mentorship, advocacy, or community service, I am committed to navigating significant change in the lives of others and creating a lasting, positive impact on my community. Which is why I choose to uplift and encourage my classmates to continue on with this educational race, as this path will allow us to impact thousands of people and make our community a better place. One person at a time or one solution at a time. I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to share my journey. This scholarship isn’t just an investment in my education; it’s an affirmation that courage, perseverance, and purpose still matter.

“Hidden Figures” (2016) is an inspiring film based on the true story of three brilliant African American women: Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Johnson. Who worked at NASA during the space race. Despite facing racial and gender discrimination, they played crucial roles in one of the greatest achievements in history. Launching astronaut John Glenn into orbit. Their intelligence, resilience, and integrity reminds me that greatness often comes from those who are often overlooked. I remember a time when I doubted myself after experiencing a panic attack that led me to be down for six to eight months. During this time I discovered that I held unresolved childhood and physical trauma. After seeking help from my primary physician, therapist, and psychiatrist, an action plan was discovered and implemented. Initially thinking I wasn’t strong enough to handle all of what was happening or to embrace what my diagnosis was, I had to embrace my reality. Although there is a stigma surrounding mental health, stress, anxiety, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), therapy and healing. It was important for me to take it on ten toes down. I proceed to embrace the medications and coping skills. Giving myself the opportunity to take a step back from everything and everyone. I gave myself the well deserved time to show up for me for once. I discovered that after several medications, it didn't work for me as a result I developed more issues to include depression. After seeing an acupuncturist, I found that while talking out my issues with my therapist, journaling, applying coping skills, treatments and taking herbs worked better for my healing. “Life doesn’t get easier or more forgiving, we get stronger and more resilient.” -Steve Maraboli. This experience made me confront the issues that I seemingly brushed under the rug. I had to acknowledge that childhood and physical trauma were a part of my journey. To embrace how I felt about the various acts. How they affected my current existence. How they triggered emotions and pressure points. There was a moment in my life when I felt completely overwhelmed, but looking back, it was the beginning of discovering my strength in owning me and not allowing what happened to me to take from me. “The oak fought the wind and was broken, the willow bent when it must and survived .” - Rober Jordan. I developed my voice, and the ability to speak up for myself, remove myself from situations, people and experiences that are not in my best interest. It’s ok to say no, this is not ok and don't talk to me in that tone. I learned that I had been a people pleaser and over compensated to keep the peace and/or keep the relationships. “It's your reaction to adversity, not adversity itself that determines how your life’s will develop.” - Dieter F. Uchtdorf. I didn’t think I had what it took, but that experience taught just how capable I really am to stand up for myself. For example, what led me to be triggered from my past was the ongoing racism and harassment I experienced in my role at my former employer. Feeling pressured to outperform the other human resource specialist was a constant experience that I endured on the job. Working overtime hours unpaid, being responsible for teaching the newly hired higher band specialist and supervising a team and not being compensated for it. That ultimately took a toll on me and I thought I was having a heart attack. This led me to go to the emergency room and the healing journey began. Experiencing this did not come without challenges, pivots, self discovery, alienation, disassociation, no support, homeless, loss and career sabotage. Who I gained is a woman who found that the person who loves her the most (GOD) will never fail me. “You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it.” - Margaret Thatcher. Like the women in Hidden Figures, I faced a challenge that seemed too big, but here is what happened after my medical leave.

Throughout my life, education has always symbolized possibility; a door that never fully closed, even when circumstances made it feel just out of reach. As a woman over 50 living with disabilities, returning to college wasn't a conventional choice, but one born of purpose, determination, and hope. “Strength, courage, and wisdom, it’s been inside of me all along”; India Irie When I enrolled at California State University, Dominguez Hills, I stepped into a world vastly different from the one I left behind years ago. While navigating classrooms filled with students decades younger than me, learning to balance health challenges with academic rigor, and manage financial strain. Every obstacle has tested my resolve. Yet, with every exam passed and every paper submitted, I’ve built a new chapter of my life, grounded in self-belief and resilience. My disability has taught me to be patient; age has taught me perspective. Together, they have forged a quiet strength that inspires me not only to complete my degree but also to motivate others to reclaim their dreams, regardless of their stage in life. This collective resilience empowers me to pursue my ambitions while supporting those around me in their journeys. Now, more than ever, I recognize the importance of sharing this inspiration and encouraging others to believe that it's never too late to chase their aspirations. I study not only to improve myself but also to inspire others, especially women facing adversity, that the pursuit of knowledge is timeless. Securing this scholarship would significantly lighten the financial strain I face in my final academic year at CSUDH, allowing me to focus wholeheartedly on my studies and achieve my educational goals. By honing in on what genuinely matters, I can fully dedicate myself to completing my degree while transforming my diverse experiences into impactful actions. Whether through mentorship, advocacy, or community service, I am committed to navigating significant change in opportunity to share my journey. My journey allows me the opportunity to encourage my classmates to continue to press forward in their education, because I know that they will impact thousands of people with what they are learning in these courses. Our mission is to leave the world better than we found it. One life at a time by serving them with meals, sharing gently used clothes, an encouraging word, a water bottle, and a monetary gift when I can. This scholarship isn’t just an investment in my education; it’s an affirmation that courage, perseverance, and purpose still matter.