Growing up, my family struggled a lot with money. My parents got divorced when I was still in middle school and my mom was left to raise 5 children all on her own. I wasn’t the typical child who got to hang out with my friends and go to movies growing up. Instead, I spent my days staying home and teaching my mom to read and write. On warm hot summer days when everyone was at the pool, I was at work trying to squeeze in a few extra hours to meet the month’s rent. When 4 o’clock rolled by during the weekdays and Arthur, my favorite show came on, I was in my room helping my mom write off checks for utility payments. I remember staying up until 1 am on school nights finishing up honors assignments that I hadn’t had time to do since I had worked all evening. Things got so bad to the point where my family and I had to live in different motels for some time and even in a shelter at one point. Regardless of how bad things got, my family and I always had people in our corner willing to help us. This prompted me to want to dedicate the rest of my life to helping different groups of people struggling. Fast-forwarding to today, I am currently a junior at the University of Pittsburgh where I am majoring in Political Science and work towards obtaining a certificate in Non-Profit Management. I hope to someday establish my own non-profit organization aimed at providing social services to families struggling with poverty throughout Pittsburgh the way my family and I did over the years. Growing up in a poor community, I was able to see first-hand just how difficult and detrimental it is to live in poverty. I cannot count on my fingers how many times my siblings and I went to bed hungry or freezing cold in the winter when our gas was shut off because he hadn't been able to afford the month's utility payments. No one, especially no child, should have to live this way. I spent the first decade and a half of my life not even living but fighting to simply survive. If I can find a way to offer even the smallest bit of assistance to other struggling families through Pittsburgh, I want to be able to do just that. In fact, that is just what I plan to do. To better prepare myself for my future in assisting others, I have spent the past 2 years volunteering and helping people through different organizations and programs throughout the Pittsburgh area. I have worked with Jumpstart, a national organization aimed at bridging the kindergarten readiness gap within urban communities. Further, I have served as a mentor for Strong Women Strong Girls where I meet with a group of young girls each week and conduct lesson plans centered around female empowerment and leadership. Also, I spend a lot of time tutoring with Keep-It-Real where I dedicate a few hours each week tutoring young children from the Somali-Bantu community here in Pittsburgh. I am also involved in numerous other organizations here on my campus that all work to assist different communities throughout Pittsburgh. I say all of this to show you all that I am deeply committed to finding ways to assist all people within different communities and plan to dedicate the rest of my career towards doing so.

Growing up, my family struggled a lot with money. My parents got divorced when I was still in middle school and my mom was left to raise 5 children on her own. I wasn’t the typical child who got to hang out with my friends and go to movies growing up. Instead, I spent my days staying home and teaching my mom to read and write. On warm hot summer days when everyone was at the pool, I was at work trying to squeeze in a few extra hours to meet the month’s rent. There were times when my siblings and I had to live out of our car or in cheap motels because we could not afford to live in our home. We even had to live in a shelter for a few months at one point. I am sharing my story, not to gain sympathy, but to simply show where my passion and commitment towards helping others has stemmed from. Living this life taught me the importance of being willing to help and assist others. Despite struggling so much throughout my young adult life, I managed to graduate high school at the top of my class and get accepted into my dream college. Fast-forwarding to today, I am currently a sophomore at the University of Pittsburgh where I am majoring in Political Science and work towards obtaining a certificate in Non-Profit Management. I hope to someday establish my own non-profit organization aimed at providing social services to families struggling with poverty throughout Pittsburgh the way my family and I did over the years. Growing up in a poor community, I was able to see first-hand just how difficult and detrimental it is to live in poverty. I cannot count on my fingers how many times my siblings and I went to bed hungry or freezing cold in the winter when our gas was shut off because he hadn't been able to afford the month's rent. No one, especially no child, should have to live this way. I spent the first decade and a half of my life not even living but fighting to simply survive. If I can find a way to offer even the smallest bit of assistance to other struggling families through Pittsburgh, I want to be able to do just that. In fact, that it just what I plan to do. To better prepare myself for my future in assisting others, I have spent the past 2 years volunteering and helping people through different organizations and programs throughout the Pittsburgh area. I have worked with Jumpstart, a national organization aimed at bridging the kindergarten readiness gap within urban communities. Also, I currently mentor under Strong Women Strong Girls where I meet with a group of young girls each week and conduct lesson plans centered around female empowerment and leadership. Further, I spend a lot of time tutoring with Keep-It-Real where I dedicate a few hours each week tutoring young children from the Somali-Bantu community here in Pittsburgh. Equally important, I currently serve as an ambassador for the Pitt To You Program where I represent the University of Pittsburgh in a global setting. I am also involved in numerous other organizations here on my campus that all work to assist different communities throughout Pittsburgh. This summer, I even plan on working closely with the community outreach members representing Representative Jake Wheatley of the 19th congressional district. I say all of this to show you all that I am deeply committed to finding ways to assist all people within different communities.

Growing up, my family struggled a lot with money. My parents got divorced when I was still in middle school and my mom was left to raise 5 children on her own. I wasn’t the typical child who got to hang out with my friends and go to movies growing up. Instead, I spent my days staying home and teaching my mom to read and write. On warm hot summer days when everyone was at the pool, I was at work trying to squeeze in a few extra hours to meet the month’s rent. There were times when my siblings and I had to live out of our car or in cheap motels because we could not afford to live in our home. We even had to live in a shelter for a few months at one point. I am sharing my story, not to gain sympathy, but to simply show where my passion and commitment towards helping others has stemmed from. Living this life taught me the importance of being willing to help and assist others. Despite struggling so much throughout my young adult life, I managed to graduate high school at the top of my class and get accepted into my dream college. Fast-forwarding to today, I am currently a sophomore at the University of Pittsburgh where I am majoring in Political Science and work towards obtaining a certificate in Non-Profit Management. I hope to someday establish my own non-profit organization aimed at providing social services to families struggling with poverty throughout Pittsburgh the way my family and I did over the years. Growing up in a poor community, I was able to see first-hand just how difficult and detrimental it is to live in poverty. I cannot count on my fingers how many times my siblings and I went to bed hungry or freezing cold in the winter when our gas was shut off because he hadn't been able to afford the month's rent. No one, especially no child, should have to live this way. I spent the first decade and a half of my life not even living but fighting to simply survive. If I can find a way to offer even the smallest bit of assistance to other struggling families through Pittsburgh, I want to be able to do just that. In fact, that it just what I plan to do. To better prepare myself for my future in assisting others, I have spent the past 2 years volunteering and helping people through different organizations and programs throughout the Pittsburgh area. I have worked with Jumpstart, a national organization aimed at bridging the kindergarten readiness gap within urban communities. Through my work with Jumpstart, I have worked with my amazing team to design lesson plans for young pre-schoolers and have spent a few hours each week working with these students. Also, I currently mentor under Strong Women Strong Girls where I meet with a group of young girls each week and conduct lesson plans centered around female empowerment and leadership. Further, I spend a lot of time tutoring with Keep-It-Real where I dedicate a few hours each week tutoring young children from the Somali-Bantu community here in Pittsburgh. Equally important, I currently serve as an ambassador for the Pitt To You Program where I represent the University of Pittsburgh in a global setting. In this role, I connect with incoming international Pitt students and find ways to provide these students with information and resources aimed at ensuring they have a comfortable and successful transition to their new college lives. I am also involved in numerous other organizations here on my campus that all work to assist different communities throughout Pittsburgh. This summer, I even plan on working closely with the community outreach members representing Representative Jake Wheatley of the 19th congressional district. I say all of this to show you all that I am deeply committed to finding ways to assist all people within different communities.

Growing up, my family struggled a lot with money. My parents got divorced when I was still in middle school and my mom was left to raise 5 children on her own. I wasn’t the typical child who got to hang out with my friends and go to movies growing up. Instead, I spent my days staying home and teaching my mom to read and write. On warm hot summer days when everyone was at the pool, I was at work trying to squeeze in a few extra hours to meet the month’s rent. There were times when my siblings and I had to live out of our car or in cheap motels because we could not afford to live in our home. We even had to live in a shelter for a few months at one point. I am sharing my story, not to gain sympathy, but to simply show where my passion and commitment towards helping others has stemmed from. Living this life taught me the importance of being willing to help and assist others. Despite struggling so much throughout my young adult life, I managed to graduate high school at the top of my class and get accepted into my dream college. Fast-forwarding to today, I am currently a sophomore at the University of Pittsburgh where I am majoring in Political Science and work towards obtaining a certificate in Non-Profit Management. I hope to someday establish my own non-profit organization aimed at providing social services to families struggling with poverty throughout Pittsburgh the way my family and I did over the years. Growing up in a poor community, I was able to see first-hand just how difficult and detrimental it is to live in poverty. I cannot count on my fingers how many times my siblings and I went to bed hungry or freezing cold in the winter when our gas was shut off because he hadn't been able to afford the month's rent. No one, especially no child, should have to live this way. I spent the first decade and a half of my life not even living but fighting to simply survive. If I can find a way to offer even the smallest bit of assistance to other struggling families through Pittsburgh, I want to be able to do just that. In fact, that it just what I plan to do. To better prepare myself for my future in assisting others, I have spent the past 2 years volunteering and helping people through different organizations and programs throughout the Pittsburgh area. I have worked with Jumpstart, a national organization aimed at bridging the kindergarten readiness gap within urban communities. Also, I currently mentor under Strong Women Strong Girls where I meet with a group of young girls each week and conduct lesson plans centered around female empowerment and leadership. Further, I spend a lot of time tutoring with Keep-It-Real where I dedicate a few hours each week tutoring young children from the Somali-Bantu community here in Pittsburgh. Equally important, I currently serve as an ambassador for the Pitt To You Program where I represent the University of Pittsburgh in a global setting. I am also involved in numerous other organizations here on my campus that all work to assist different communities throughout Pittsburgh. This summer, I even plan on working closely with the community outreach members representing Representative Jake Wheatley of the 19th congressional district. I say all of this to show you all that I am deeply committed to finding ways to assist all people within different communities.

Growing up, my family struggled a lot with money. My parents got divorced when I was still in middle school and my mom was left to raise 5 children on her own. I wasn’t the typical child who got to hang out with my friends and go to movies growing up. Instead, I spent my days staying home and teaching my mom to read and write. On warm hot summer days when everyone was at the pool, I was at work trying to squeeze in a few extra hours to meet the month’s rent. There were times when my siblings and I had to live out of our car or in cheap motels because we could not afford to live in our home. We even had to live in a shelter for a few months at one point. I am sharing my story, not to gain sympathy, but to simply show where my passion and commitment towards helping others has stemmed from. Living this life taught me the importance of being willing to help and assist others. Despite struggling so much throughout my young adult life, I managed to graduate high school at the top of my class and get accepted into my dream college. Fast-forwarding to today, I am currently a sophomore at the University of Pittsburgh where I am majoring in Political Science and work towards obtaining a certificate in Non-Profit Management. I hope to someday establish my own non-profit organization aimed at providing social services to families struggling with poverty throughout Pittsburgh the way my family and I did over the years. Growing up in a poor community, I was able to see first-hand just how difficult and detrimental it is to live in poverty. I cannot count on my fingers how many times my siblings and I went to bed hungry or freezing cold in the winter when our gas was shut off because he hadn't been able to afford the month's rent. No one, especially no child, should have to live this way. I spent the first decade and a half of my life not even living but fighting to simply survive. If I can find a way to offer even the smallest bit of assistance to other struggling families through Pittsburgh, I want to be able to do just that. In fact, that it just what I plan to do. To better prepare myself for my future in assisting others, I have spent the past 2 years volunteering and helping people through different organizations and programs throughout the Pittsburgh area. I have worked with Jumpstart, a national organization aimed at bridging the kindergarten readiness gap within urban communities. Through my work with Jumpstart, I have worked with my amazing team to design lesson plans for young pre-schoolers and have spent a few hours each week working with these students. Also, I currently mentor under Strong Women Strong Girls where I meet with a group of young girls each week and conduct lesson plans centered around female empowerment and leadership. Further, I spend a lot of time tutoring with Keep-It-Real where I dedicate a few hours each week tutoring young children from the Somali-Bantu community here in Pittsburgh. Equally important, I currently serve as an ambassador for the Pitt To You Program where I represent the University of Pittsburgh in a global setting. In this role, I connect with incoming international Pitt students and find ways to provide these students with information and resources aimed at ensuring they have a comfortable and successful transition to their new college lives. I am also involved in numerous other organizations here on my campus that all work to assist different communities throughout Pittsburgh. This summer, I even plan on working closely with the community outreach members representing Representative Jake Wheatley of the 19th congressional district. I say all of this to show you all that I am deeply committed to finding ways to assist all people within different communities. Given this, my greatest achievement to date is that I am and always have been resilient. I managed to make something of myself despite having so little as a child.

Growing up, my family struggled a lot with money. My parents got divorced when I was still in middle school and my mom was left to raise 5 children on her own. I wasn’t the typical child who got to hang out with my friends and go to movies growing up. Instead, I spent my days staying home and teaching my mom to read and write. On warm hot summer days when everyone was at the pool, I was at work trying to squeeze in a few extra hours to meet the month’s rent. There were times when my siblings and I had to live out of our car or in cheap motels because we could not afford to live in our home. We even had to live in a shelter for a few months at one point. I am sharing my story, not to gain sympathy, but to simply show where my passion and commitment towards helping others has stemmed from. Living this life taught me the importance of being willing to help and assist others. Despite struggling so much throughout my young adult life, I managed to graduate high school at the top of my class and get accepted into my dream college. Fast-forwarding to today, I am currently a sophomore at the University of Pittsburgh where I am majoring in Political Science and work towards obtaining a certificate in Non-Profit Management. I hope to someday establish my own non-profit organization aimed at providing social services to families struggling with poverty throughout Pittsburgh the way my family and I did over the years. Growing up in a poor community, I was able to see first-hand just how difficult and detrimental it is to live in poverty. I cannot count on my fingers how many times my siblings and I went to bed hungry or freezing cold in the winter when our gas was shut off because he hadn't been able to afford the month's rent. No one, especially no child, should have to live this way. I spent the first decade and a half of my life not even living but fighting to simply survive. If I can find a way to offer even the smallest bit of assistance to other struggling families through Pittsburgh, I want to be able to do just that. In fact, that it just what I plan to do. To better prepare myself for my future in assisting others, I have spent the past 2 years volunteering and helping people through different organizations and programs throughout the Pittsburgh area. I have worked with Jumpstart, a national organization aimed at bridging the kindergarten readiness gap within urban communities. Through my work with Jumpstart, I have worked with my amazing team to design lesson plans for young pre-schoolers and have spent a few hours each week working with these students. Also, I currently mentor under Strong Women Strong Girls where I meet with a group of young girls each week and conduct lesson plans centered around female empowerment and leadership. Further, I spend a lot of time tutoring with Keep-It-Real where I dedicate a few hours each week tutoring young children from the Somali-Bantu community here in Pittsburgh. Equally important, I currently serve as an ambassador for the Pitt To You Program where I represent the University of Pittsburgh on a global setting. In this role, I connect with incoming international Pitt students and find ways to provide these students with information and resources aimed at ensuring they have a comfortable and successful transition to their new college lives. I am also involved in numerous other organizations here on my campus that all work to assist different communities throughout Pittsburgh. This summer, I even plan on working closely with the community outreach members representing Representative Jake Wheatley of the 19th congressional district. I say all of this to show you all that I am deeply committed to finding ways to assist all people within different communities.

Growing up, my family struggled a lot with money. My parents got divorced when I was still in middle school and my mom was left to raise 5 children on her own. I wasn’t the typical child who got to hang out with my friends and go to movies growing up. Instead, I spent my days staying home and teaching my mom to read and write. On warm hot summer days when everyone was at the pool, I was at work trying to squeeze in a few extra hours to meet the month’s rent. There were times when my siblings and I had to live out of our car or in cheap motels because we could not afford to live in our home. We even had to live in a shelter for a few months at one point. I am sharing my story, not to gain sympathy, but to simply show where my passion and commitment towards helping others has stemmed from. Living this life taught me the importance of being willing to help and assist others. Despite struggling so much throughout my young adult life, I managed to graduate high school at the top of my class and get accepted into my dream college. Fast-forwarding to today, I am currently a sophomore at the University of Pittsburgh where I am majoring in Political Science and work towards obtaining a certificate in Non-Profit Management. I hope to someday establish my own non-profit organization aimed at providing social services to families struggling with poverty throughout Pittsburgh the way my family and I did over the years. Growing up in a poor community, I was able to see first-hand just how difficult and detrimental it is to live in poverty. I cannot count on my fingers how many times my siblings and I went to bed hungry or freezing cold in the winter when our gas was shut off because he hadn't been able to afford the month's rent. No one, especially no child, should have to live this way. I spent the first decade and a half of my life not even living but fighting to simply survive. If I can find a way to offer even the smallest bit of assistance to other struggling families through Pittsburgh, I want to be able to do just that. In fact, that it just what I plan to do. To better prepare myself for my future in assisting others, I have spent the past 2 years volunteering and helping people through different organizations and programs throughout the Pittsburgh area. I have worked with Jumpstart, a national organization aimed at bridging the kindergarten readiness gap within urban communities. Through my work with Jumpstart, I have worked with my amazing team to design lesson plans for young pre-schoolers and have spent a few hours each week working with these students. Also, I currently mentor under Strong Women Strong Girls where I meet with a group of young girls each week and conduct lesson plans centered around female empowerment and leadership. Further, I spend a lot of time tutoring with Keep-It-Real where I dedicate a few hours each week tutoring young children from the Somali-Bantu community here in Pittsburgh. Equally important, I currently serve as an ambassador for the Pitt To You Program where I represent the University of Pittsburgh on a global setting. In this role, I connect with incoming international Pitt students and find ways to provide these students with information and resources aimed at ensuring they have a comfortable and successful transition to their new college lives. I am also involved in numerous other organizations here on my campus that all work to assist different communities throughout Pittsburgh. This summer, I even plan on working closely with the community outreach members representing Representative Jake Wheatley of the 19th congressional district. I say all of this to show you all that I am deeply committed to finding ways to assist all people within different communities.