The explanation for the person I am today, why I am in college to be a nurse and why I will continue to volunteer and do good in the world will not change. My freshman year of HS my mom left my dad with just me and my sister because of a DV situation. My sister attempted to take her life during this time. The long road to her stabilization was very hard for me mentally. I felt as if I was on the outside always walking on eggs shells yet so protective of her all while I going through the realization on my own regarding my dad and the damage he caused. Recently, my mom & sister were involved in a devasting yet life-altering car accident. As I sat in the trauma center scared out of my mind, I was in awe of the nurses working furiously to save my mom's life. It was at that point, 16 years old - I knew being a nurse would be my career path. From there I will also seek my DNP. My mom is & has been a single parent/sole provider for me & my sister for as long as I can remember. She never once was not there for me when I was bullied because of my size, race or my sexuality. She was always the loudest cheering from the stands or wearing the brightest colors at our PRIDE parade. My mother taught me to walk with my head held high & help others. Jr High and Covid was a very dark time for me mentally, I struggled tremendously. When mom came home from the hospital unable to care for herself, I quit my job to take care of her while also working to finish my Junior year in HS. The stress of the accident and the uncertainty of life was hard on my mental health. In my Senior year, I was taking dual college courses to obtain my CNA license. Having real-world clinical experience aided me in my compassion toward patients. I know that I will be able to bring compassion, empathy, sense of peace & hopefully save someone's life just like those nurses did for my mom and sister. My mom’s injuries will never heal but she is here, & her strength will stay with me long into my career as a nurse. I know that I can represent the new "nurse" one who is a POC, part of the LGBTQ community and has struggled w/mental health. I am relatable. My sister Joslyn was brutally murdered in 2014. I watched the devasting toll going to court every month took on my mom until the trial & sentencing were complete in 2017. She didn't want us to bottle up so much hate, so we started to volunteer at a local food pantry each week. We saw this as an outlet for those even less fortunate than us. We still do this today. My mom alone brought my sister & me out of extreme poverty. We are also domestic abuse survivors. All the obstacles I have watched my mom overcome to get me where I am today will propel me in being an exceptional & compassionate nurse. I understand that everyone has a backstory & most likely not a pretty one. Yet everyone deserves good care & I'm not afraid to get dirty to provide it. I will give exceptional hands-on patient care to every person regardless of their skin color, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation. People are people and just need a helping hand every now and again.

The explanation for the person I am today, why I am in college to be a nurse and why I will continue to volunteer and do good in the world will not change. My freshman year of HS my mom left my dad with just me and my sister because of a DV situation. My sister attempted to take her life during this time. The long road to her stabilization was very hard for me mentally. I felt as if I was on the outside always walking on eggs shells yet so protective of her all while I going through the realization on my own regarding my dad and the damage he caused. Recently, my mom & sister were involved in a devasting yet life-altering car accident. As I sat in the trauma center scared out of my mind, I was in awe of the nurses working furiously to save my mom's life. It was at that point, 16 years old - I knew being a nurse would be my career path. From there I will also seek my DNP. My mom is & has been a single parent/sole provider for me & my sister for as long as I can remember. She never once was not there for me when I was bullied because of my size, race or my sexuality. She was always the loudest cheering from the stands or wearing the brightest colors at our PRIDE parade. My mother taught me to walk with my head held high & help others. Jr High and Covid was a very dark time for me mentally, I struggled tremendously. When mom came home from the hospital unable to care for herself, I quit my job to take care of her while also working to finish my Junior year in HS. The stress of the accident, and the uncertainty of life was hard on my mental health. In my Senior year, I was taking dual college courses to obtain my CNA license. Having real-world clinical experience aided me in my compassion toward patients. I know that I will be able to bring compassion, empathy, sense of peace & hopefully save someone's life just like those nurses did for my mom and sister. My mom’s injuries will never heal but she is here, & her strength will stay with me long into my career as a nurse. I know that I can represent the new "nurse" one who is a POC, part of the LGBTQ community and has struggled w/mental health. I am relatable. My sister Joslyn was brutally murdered in 2014. I watched the devasting toll going to court every month took on my mom until the trial & sentencing were complete in 2017. She didn't want us to bottle up so much hate, so we started to volunteer at a local food pantry each week. We saw this as an outlet for those even less fortunate than us. We still do this today. My mom alone brought my sister & me out of extreme poverty. We are also domestic abuse survivors. All the obstacles I have watched my mom overcome to get me where I am today will propel me in being an exceptional & compassionate nurse. I understand that everyone has a backstory & most likely not a pretty one. Yet everyone deserves good care & I'm not afraid to get dirty to provide it. I will give exceptional hands-on patient care to every person regardless of their skin color, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation. People are people and just need a helping hand every now and again.

The explanation for the person I am today, why I am in college to be a nurse and why I will continue to volunteer and do good in the world will not change. My freshman year of HS my mom left my dad with just me and my sister because of a DV situation. My sister attempted to take her life during this time. The long road to her stabilization was very hard for me mentally. I felt as if I was on the outside always walking on eggs shells yet so protective of her all while I going through the realization on my own regarding my dad and the damage he caused. Recently, my mom & sister were involved in a devasting yet life-altering car accident. As I sat in the trauma center scared out of my mind, I was in awe of the nurses working furiously to save my mom's life. It was at that point, 16 years old - I knew being a nurse would be my career path. From there I will also seek my DNP. My mom is & has been a single parent/sole provider for me & my sister for as long as I can remember. She never once was not there for me when I was bullied because of my size, race or my sexuality. She was always the loudest cheering from the stands or wearing the brightest colors at our PRIDE parade. My mother taught me to walk with my head held high & help others. Jr High and Covid was a very dark time for me mentally, I struggled tremendously. When mom came home from the hospital unable to care for herself, I quit my job to take care of her while also working to finish my Junior year in HS. The stress of the accident, and the uncertainty of life was hard on my mental health. In my Senior year, I was taking dual college courses to obtain my CNA license. Having real-world clinical experience aided me in my compassion toward patients. I know that I will be able to bring compassion, empathy, sense of peace & hopefully save someone's life just like those nurses did for my mom and sister. My mom’s injuries will never heal but she is here, & her strength will stay with me long into my career as a nurse. I know that I can represent the new "nurse" one who is a POC, part of the LGBTQ community and has struggled w/mental health. I am relatable. My sister Joslyn was brutally murdered in 2014. I watched the devasting toll going to court every month took on my mom until the trial & sentencing were complete in 2017. She didn't want us to bottle up so much hate, so we started to volunteer at a local food pantry each week. We saw this as an outlet for those even less fortunate than us. We still do this today. My mom alone brought my sister & me out of extreme poverty. We are also domestic abuse survivors. All the obstacles I have watched my mom overcome to get me where I am today will propel me in being an exceptional & compassionate nurse. I understand that everyone has a backstory & most likely not a pretty one. Yet everyone deserves good care & I'm not afraid to get dirty to provide it. I will give exceptional hands-on patient care to every person regardless of their skin color, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation. People are people and just need a helping hand every now and again.

The explanation for the person I am today, why I am in college to be a nurse and why I will continue to volunteer and do good in the world will not change. In my freshman year of HS my mom left my dad with just me and my sister because of a DV situation. My sister attempted to take her life during this time. The long road to her stabilization was very hard for me mentally. I felt as if I was on the outside always walking on eggs shells yet so protective of her was terribly hard on me, while going through the healing/realization of my own regarding my dad and the damage he caused. Recently, my mom & sister were involved in a devasting yet life-altering car accident. As I sat in the trauma center scared out of my mind, I was in awe of the nurses working furiously to save my mom's life. It was at that point, 16 years old - I knew being a nurse would be my career path. From there I will also seek my DNP. My mom is & has been a single parent/sole provider for me & my sister for as long as I can remember. She never once was not there for me when I was bullied because of my size, race or my sexuality. She was always the loudest cheering from the stands or wearing the brightest colors at our PRIDE parades or making sure my hair was braided. My mother taught me to walk with my head held high & help others. Jr High and Covid was very dark for me mentally. When mom came home from the hospital unable to care for herself, I quit my job to care for her - for 9 months while also working to finish my Junior year in HS. The stress of the accident and the uncertainty of life was very hard on my mental health. In my Senior year, I was taking dual college courses to obtain my CNA license. Having real-world clinical experience aided me in my compassion toward patients. I know that I will be able to bring compassion, empathy, sense of peace & hopefully save someone's life just like those nurses did for my mom and sister. My mom’s injuries will never heal but she is here, & her strength will stay with me long after my career as a nurse. My sister Joslyn was brutally murdered in 2014. I watched the devasting toll going to court every month took on my mom until the trial & sentencing were complete in 2017. She didn't want us to bottle up so much hate, so we started to volunteer at a local food pantry each week. We saw this as an outlet for those even less fortunate than us. We still do this today. My mom alone brought my sister & me out of extreme poverty. We are also domestic abuse survivors. All the fights/obstacles I have watched my mom overcome to get me where I am today will propel me into an exceptional & compassionate nurse. I understand that everyone has a backstory & most likely not a pretty one. Yet everyone deserves good care & I'm not afraid to get dirty to provide it. I will give exceptional hands-on patient care to every person regardless of their skin color, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation.

The explanation for the person I am today, why I am in college to be a nurse and why I will continue to volunteer and do good in the world will not change. My freshman year of HS my mom left my dad with just me and my sister because of a DV situation. My sister attempted to take her life during this time. The long road to her stabilization was very hard for me mentally. I felt as if I was on the outside always walking on eggs shells yet so protective of her while going through the realization on my own regarding my dad and the damage he caused. Recently, my mom & sister were involved in a devasting yet life-altering car accident. As I sat in the trauma center scared out of my mind, I was in awe of the nurses working furiously to save my mom's life. It was at that point, 16 years old - I knew being a nurse would be my career path. From there I will also seek my DNP. My mom is & has been a single parent/sole provider for me & my sister for as long as I can remember. She never once was not there for me, somehow she made a way - when I was bullied because of my size, race or my sexuality. She was always the loudest cheering from the stands or wearing the brightest colors at our PRIDE parade. My mother taught me to walk with my head held high & help others. Jr High and Covid were very dark times for me mentally. When mom came home from the hospital unable to care for herself, I quit my job to take care of her for 9 months while also working to finish my Junior year in HS. The stress of the accident and the uncertainty of life was very taxing on my mental health. In my Senior year, I was taking dual college courses to obtain my CNA license. Having real-world clinical experience aided me in my compassion toward patients. I know that I will be able to bring compassion, empathy, sense of peace & hopefully save someone's life just like those nurses did for my mom and sister. My mom’s injuries will never heal but she is here, & her strength will stay with me long into my career as a nurse. My sister Joslyn was brutally murdered in 2014. I watched the devasting toll going to court every month took on my mom until the trial & sentencing were complete in 2017. She didn't want us to bottle up so much hate, so we started to volunteer at a local food pantry each week. We saw this as an outlet for those even less fortunate than us. We still do this today, and volunteer every week. My mom alone brought my sister & me out of extreme poverty. We are also domestic abuse survivors. All the obstacles I have watched my mom fight/overcome to get me where I am today will propel me into being an exceptional & compassionate nurse. I understand that everyone has a backstory & most likely not a pretty one. Yet everyone deserves good care & I'm not afraid to get dirty to provide it. I will give exceptional hands-on patient care to every person regardless of their skin color, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation as long as I can find a way to pay for it all!

The explanation for the person I am today, why I am in college to be a nurse and why I will continue to volunteer and do good in the world will not change. My freshman year of HS my mom left my dad with just me and my sister because of a DV situation. My sister attempted to take her life during this time. The long road to her stabilization was very hard for me mentally. I felt as if I was on the outside always walking on eggs shells yet so protective of her all while going through the healing/realization of my own regarding my dad and the damage he caused. Recently, my mom & sister were involved in a devasting yet life-altering car accident. As I sat in the trauma center scared out of my mind, I was in awe of the nurses working furiously to save my mom's life. It was at that point, 16 years old - I knew being a nurse would be my career path. From there I will also seek my DNP. My mom is & has been a single parent/sole provider for me & my sister for as long as I can remember. She never once was not there for me when I was bullied because of my size, race or my sexuality. She was always the loudest cheering from the stands or wearing the brightest colors at our PRIDE parade. My mother taught me to walk with my head held high & help others. Jr High and Covid was very dark for me mentally. When mom came home from the hospital unable to care for herself, I quit my job to take care of her for 9 months while also working to finish my Junior year in HS. The stress of the accident, with the uncertainty of life, was very hard on my mental health at 16. In my Senior year, I was taking dual college courses to obtain my CNA license. Having real-world clinical experience aided me in my compassion toward patients. I know that I will be able to bring compassion, empathy, sense of peace & hopefully save someone's life just like those nurses did for my mom and sister. My mom’s injuries will never heal but she is here, & her strength will stay with me long into my career as a nurse. My sister Joslyn was brutally murdered in 2014. I watched the devasting toll going to court every month took on my mom until the trial & sentencing were complete in 2017. She didn't want us to bottle up so much hate, so we started to volunteer at a local food pantry each week. We saw this as an outlet for those even less fortunate than us. We still do this today, every week. My mom brought my sister & me out of extreme poverty. We are also domestic abuse survivors. All the obstacles I have watched my mom fight/overcome to get me where I am today will propel me into being an exceptional & compassionate nurse. I understand that everyone has a backstory & most likely not a pretty one. Yet everyone deserves good care & I'm not afraid to get dirty to provide it. I will give exceptional hands-on patient care to every person regardless of their skin color, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation.

In my freshman year of HS my mom left my dad with just me and my sister because of a DV situation. My sister attempted to take her life during this time. The long road to her stabilization was very hard for me mentally. I felt as if I was on the outside always walking on eggs shells yet so protective of her while I was going through my own healing and realization regarding my dad and the damage he caused. Recently, my mom & sister were involved in a devasting yet life-altering car accident. As I sat in the trauma center scared out of my mind, I was in awe of the nurses working furiously to save my mom's life. It was at that point, 16 years old - I knew being a nurse would be my career path. From there I will also seek my DNP. My mom is & has been a single parent/sole provider for me & my sister for as long as I can remember. She never once was not there for me when I was bullied because of my size, race or my sexuality. She was always the loudest cheering from the stands or wearing the brightest colors at our PRIDE parade. My mother taught me to walk with my head held high & help others. Jr High bullied years and Covid were very dark times for me mentally. When mom came home from the hospital unable to care for herself, I quit my job to take care of her for 9 months while also working to finish my Junior year in HS. The stress of the accident and the uncertainty of life was very taxing on my mental health. In my Senior year, I was taking dual college courses to obtain my CNA license. Having real-world clinical experience aided me in my compassion toward patients. I know that I will be able to bring compassion, empathy, sense of peace & hopefully save someone's life just like those nurses did for my mom and sister. My mom’s injuries will never heal but she is here, & her strength will stay with me long into my career as a nurse. My sister Joslyn was brutally murdered in 2014. I watched the devasting toll going to court every month took on my mom until the trial & sentencing were complete in 2017. She didn't want us to bottle up so much hate, so we started to volunteer at a local food pantry each week. We saw this as an outlet for those even less fortunate than us. We still do this today. My mom alone brought my sister & me out of extreme poverty. We are also domestic abuse survivors. Every single obstacle and fight I have watched my mom overcome to get me where I am today will assist me in being an exceptional & compassionate nurse. I understand that everyone has a backstory & most likely not a pretty one. Yet everyone deserves good care & I'm not afraid to get dirty to provide it. I will give exceptional hands-on patient care to every person regardless of their skin color, religious beliefs, sexual orientation or mental state.

The explanation for the person I am today, why I am in college to be a nurse and why I will continue to volunteer and do good in the world will not change. My freshman year of HS my mom left my dad with just me and my sister because of a DV situation. My sister attempted to take her life during this time. The long road to her stabilization was very hard for me mentally. I felt as if I was on the outside always walking on eggs shells yet so protective of her. She had inpatient, outpatient, counseling, psych appts for over a year to get her meds right. Her constant mood-altering episodes was terribly hard on me, while going through the realization on my own regarding my dad and the damage he caused. Recently, my mom & sister were involved in a devasting yet life-altering car accident. As I sat in the trauma center scared out of my mind, I was in awe of the nurses working furiously to save my mom's life. It was at that point, 16 years old - I knew being a nurse would be my career path. From there I will also seek my DNP. My mom is & has been a single parent/sole provider for me & my sister for as long as I can remember. She never once was not there for me when I was bullied because of my size, race or my sexuality. She was always the loudest cheering from the stands or wearing the brightest colors at our PRIDE parade. My mother taught me to walk with my head held high & help others. Jr High and Covid was a very dark time for me mentally. When mom came home from the hospital unable to care for herself, I quit my job to take care of her for 9 months while also working to finish my Junior year in HS. The stress of the accident, the uncertainty of it all was very taxing on my mental health. In my Senior year, I was taking dual college courses to obtain my CNA license. Having real-world clinical experience aided me in my compassion toward patients. I know that I will be able to bring compassion, empathy, sense of peace & hopefully save someone's life just like those nurses did for my mom and sister. My mom’s injuries will never heal but she is here, & her strength will stay with me long into my career as a nurse. My sister Joslyn was brutally murdered in 2014. I watched the devasting toll going to court every month took on my mom until the trial & sentencing was complete in 2017. She didn't want us to bottle up so much hate, so we started to volunteer at a local food pantry each week. We saw this as an outlet for those even less fortunate than us. We still do this today. My mom alone brought my sister & me out of extreme poverty. We are also domestic abuse survivors. I believe all the obstacles I have watched my mom overcome to get me where I am today will assist me in being an exceptional & compassionate nurse. I understand that everyone has a backstory & most likely not a pretty one. Yet everyone deserves good care & I'm not afraid to get dirty to provide it. I will give exceptional hands-on patient care to every person regardless of their skin color, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation.

The explanation for the person I am today, why I am in college to be a nurse and why I will continue to volunteer and do good in the world will not change. In my freshman year of HS my mom left my dad with just me & my sister because of a DV situation. My sister attempted to take her life during this time. The long road to her stabilization was very hard for me mentally. I felt as if I was on the outside always walking on eggs shells yet so protective of her while I was going through my own realization regarding my dad and the damage he caused. Recently, my mom & sister were involved in a devasting yet life-altering car accident. As I sat in the trauma center scared out of my mind, I was in awe of the nurses working furiously to save my mom's life. It was at that point, 16 years old - I knew being a nurse would be my career path. From there I will also seek my DNP. My mom is & has been a single parent/sole provider for me & my sister for as long as I can remember. She never once was not there for me when I was bullied because of my size, race or my sexuality. She was always the loudest cheering from the stands or wearing the brightest colors at our PRIDE parade. My mother taught me to walk with my head held high & help others. Jr High and Covid were a very dark times for me mentally. When mom came home from the hospital unable to care for herself, I quit my job to take care of her for 9 months while also working to finish my Junior year in HS. The stress of the accident and the uncertainty of it all was very taxing on my mental health. In my Senior year, I was taking dual college courses to obtain my CNA license. Having real-world clinical experience aided me in my compassion toward patients. I know that I will be able to bring compassion, empathy, sense of peace & hopefully save someone's life just like those nurses did for my mom and sister. My mom’s injuries will never heal but she is here, & her strength will stay with me long into my career as a nurse. My sister Joslyn was brutally murdered in 2014. I watched the devasting toll going to court every month took on my mom until the trial & sentencing were complete in 2017. She didn't want us to bottle up so much hate, so we started to volunteer at a local food pantry each week. We saw this as an outlet for those even less fortunate than us. We still do this today. My mom alone brought my sister & me out of extreme poverty. We are also domestic abuse survivors. I believe all the obstacles I have watched my mom overcome to get me where I am today will assist me in being an exceptional & compassionate nurse. I understand that everyone has a backstory & most likely not a pretty one. Yet everyone deserves good care & I'm not afraid to get dirty to provide it. I will give exceptional hands-on patient care to every person regardless of their skin color, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation. Just as the nurses who saved my mom's & sisters lives treated us during those very scary days.

My freshman year of HS my mom left my dad with just me and my sister because of a DV situation. My sister attempted to take her life during this time. The long road to her stabilization was very hard for me mentally. I felt as if I was on the outside always walking on eggs shells yet so protective of her. She had inpatient, outpatient, counseling, psych appts for over a year to get her meds right. Her constant mood-altering episodes was terribly hard on me, while going through the realization on my own regarding my dad and the damage he caused. Recently, my mom & sister were involved in a devasting yet life-altering car accident. As I sat in the trauma center scared out of my mind, I was in awe of the nurses working furiously to save my mom's life. It was at that point, 16 years old - I knew being a nurse would be my career path. From there I will also seek my DNP. My mom is & has been a single parent/sole provider for me & my sister for as long as I can remember. She never once was not there for me when I was bullied because of my size, race or my sexuality. She was always the loudest cheering from the stands or wearing the brightest colors at our PRIDE parade. My mother taught me to walk with my head held high & help others. Jr High and Covid was a very dark time for me mentally. When mom came home from the hospital unable to care for herself, I quit my job to take care of her for 9 months while also working to finish my Junior year in HS. The stress of the accident, the uncertainty of it all was very taxing on my mental health. In my Senior year, I was taking dual college courses to obtain my CNA license. Having real-world clinical experience aided me in my compassion toward patients. I know that I will be able to bring compassion, empathy, sense of peace & hopefully save someone's life just like those nurses did for my mom and sister. My mom’s injuries will never heal but she is here, & her strength will stay with me long into my career as a nurse. My sister Joslyn was brutally murdered in 2014. I watched the devasting toll going to court every month took on my mom until the trial & sentencing was complete in 2017. She didn't want us to bottle up so much hate, so we started to volunteer at a local food pantry each week. We saw this as an outlet for those even less fortunate than us. We still do this today, every week for 10 hrs. We also work at the local DV shelter on the anniversary of my sisters death. My mom brought my sister & me out of extreme poverty. We are also domestic abuse survivors. All the obstacles I watched my mom overcome to get me where I am today will assist me in being an exceptional & compassionate nurse. I understand that everyone has a backstory & most likely not a pretty one. Yet everyone deserves good care & I'm not afraid to get dirty to provide it. I will give exceptional hands-on patient care to every person regardless of their skin color, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation. Just as the nurses who saved my mom's & sisters lives treated us during those very scary days.

The explanation for the person I am today, why I am in college to be a nurse & why I will continue to volunteer and do good in the world will not change. My freshman year of HS my mom left my dad with just me & my sister because of a DV situation. My sister attempted to take her life during this time. The long road to her stabilization was very hard for me mentally. I felt as if I was on the outside always walking on eggs shells yet so protective of her. Recently, my mom & sister were involved in a devasting yet life-altering car accident. As I sat in the trauma center scared out of my mind, I was in awe of the nurses working furiously to save my mom's life. It was at that point, 16 years old - I knew being a nurse would be my career path. From there I will also seek my DNP. My mom is & has been a single parent/sole provider for me & my sister for as long as I can remember. She never once was not there for me when I was bullied because of my size, race or my sexuality. She was always the loudest cheering from the stands or wearing the brightest colors at our PRIDE parade. My mother taught me to walk with my head held high & help others. Jr High and Covid were a very dark time for me mentally. When mom came home from the hospital unable to care for herself, I quit my job to take care of her for 9 months while also working to finish my Junior year in HS. The stress of the accident and the uncertainty of it all were very taxing on my mental health. In my Senior year, I was taking dual college courses to obtain my CNA license. Having real-world clinical experience aided me in my compassion toward patients. I know that I will be able to bring compassion, empathy, sense of peace & hopefully save someone's life just like those nurses did for my mom and sister. My mom’s injuries will never heal but she is here, & her strength will stay with me long into my career as a nurse. My sister Joslyn was brutally murdered in 2014. I watched the devasting toll going to court every month took on my mom until the trial & sentencing were complete in 2017. She didn't want us to bottle up so much hate, so we started to volunteer at a local food pantry each week. We saw this as an outlet for those even less fortunate than us. We still do this today. My mom alone brought my sister & me out of extreme poverty. We are also domestic abuse survivors. All the obstacles I have watched my mom overcome to get me where I am today will assist me in being an exceptional & compassionate nurse. I understand that everyone has a backstory & most likely not a pretty one. Yet everyone deserves good care & I'm not afraid to get dirty to provide it. I will give exceptional hands-on patient care to every person regardless of their skin color, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation. I will be financially successful provided I can continue to afford to attend University, I will break generational financial, mental and emotional curses.

The explanation for the person I am today, why I am in college to be a nurse and why I will continue to volunteer and do good in the world will not change. My freshman year of HS my mom left my dad with just me and my sister because of a DV situation. My sister attempted to take her life during this time. The long road to her stabilization was very hard for me mentally. I felt as if I was on the outside always walking on eggs shells yet so protective of her. She had inpatient, outpatient, counseling, psych appts for over a year to get her meds right. Her constant mood-altering episodes were terribly hard on me while going through the realization on my own regarding my dad and the damage he caused. Recently, my mom & sister were involved in a devasting yet life-altering car accident. As I sat in the trauma center scared out of my mind, I was in awe of the nurses working furiously to save my mom's life. It was at that point, 16 years old - I knew being a nurse would be my career path. From there I will also seek my DNP. My mom is & has been a single parent/sole provider for me & my sister for as long as I can remember. She never once was not there for me when I was bullied because of my size, race or my sexuality. She was always the loudest cheering from the stands or wearing the brightest colors at our PRIDE parade. My mother taught me to walk with my head held high & help others. Jr High and Covid was very dark time for me mentally. When mom came home from the hospital unable to care for herself, I quit my job to take care of her for 9 months while also working to finish my Junior year in HS. The stress of the accident and the uncertainty of it all was very taxing on my mental health. In my Senior year, I was taking dual college courses to obtain my CNA license. Having real-world clinical experience aided me in my compassion toward patients. I know that I will be able to bring compassion, empathy, sense of peace & hopefully save someone's life just like those nurses did for my mom and sister. My mom’s injuries will never heal but she is here, & her strength will stay with me long into my career as a nurse. My sister Joslyn was brutally murdered in 2014. I watched the devasting toll going to court every month took on my mom until the trial & sentencing were complete in 2017. She didn't want us to bottle up so much hate, so we started to volunteer at a local food pantry each week. We saw this as an outlet for those even less fortunate than us. We still do this today. My mom alone brought my sister & me out of extreme poverty. We are also domestic abuse survivors. I believe all the obstacles I have watched my mom overcome to get me where I am today will assist me in being an exceptional & compassionate nurse and eventual DNP. I understand that everyone has a backstory & most likely not a pretty one. Yet everyone deserves good care & I'm not afraid to get dirty to provide it. I will give exceptional hands-on patient care to every person regardless of their skin color, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation.

The explanation for the person I am today, why I am in college to be a nurse and why I will continue to volunteer and do good in the world will not change. My freshman year of HS my mom left my dad with just me and my sister because of a DV situation. My sister attempted to take her life during this time. The long road to her stabilization was very hard for me mentally. I felt as if I was on the outside always walking on eggs shells yet so protective of her. She had inpatient, outpatient, counseling, psych appts for over a year to get her meds right. Her constant mood altering episodes was terribly hard on me, while going through the realization on my own regarding my dad and the damage he caused. Recently, my mom & sister were involved in a devasting yet life-altering car accident. As I sat in the trauma center scared out of my mind, I was in awe of the nurses working furiously to save my mom's life. It was at that point, 16 years old - I knew being a nurse would be my career path. From there I will also seek my DNP. My mom is & has been a single parent/sole provider for me & my sister for as long as I can remember. She never once was not there for me when I was bullied because of my size, race or my sexuality. She was always the loudest cheering from the stands or wearing the brightest colors at our PRIDE parade. My mother taught me to walk with my head held high & help others. Jr High and Covid was a very dark time for me mentally. When mom came home from the hospital unable to care for herself, I quit my job to take care of her for 9 months while also working to finish my Junior year in HS. The stress of the accident, the uncertainty of it all was very taxing on my mental health. In my Senior year, I was taking dual college courses to obtain my CNA license. Having real-world clinical experience aided me in my compassion toward patients. I know that I will be able to bring compassion, empathy, sense of peace & hopefully save someone's life just like those nurses did for my mom and sister. My mom’s injuries will never heal but she is here, & her strength will stay with me long into my career as a nurse. My sister Joslyn was brutally murdered in 2014. I watched the devasting toll going to court every month took on my mom until the trial & sentencing was complete in 2017. She didn't want us to bottle up so much hate, so we started to volunteer at a local food pantry each week. We saw this as an outlet for those even less fortunate than us. We still do this today. My mom alone brought my sister & me out of extreme poverty. We are also domestic abuse survivors. I believe all the obstacles I have watched my mom overcome to get me where I am today will assist me in being an exceptional & compassionate nurse. I understand that everyone has a backstory & most likely not a pretty one. Yet everyone deserves good care & I'm not afraid to get dirty to provide it. I will give exceptional hands-on patient care to every person regardless of their skin color, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation. Just as the nurses who saved my mom's & sisters lives treated us during those very scary days.

The explanation for the person I am today, why I am in college to be a nurse and why I will continue to volunteer and do good in the world will not change. Recently, my mom & sister were involved in a devasting yet life-altering car accident. As I sat in the trauma center scared out of my mind, I was in awe of the nurses working furiously to save my mom's life. It was at that point, 16 years old - I knew being a nurse would be my career path. From there I will also seek my DNP. My mom is & has been a single parent/sole provider for me & my sister for as long as I can remember. She never once was not there for me when I was bullied because of my size, race or my sexuality. She was always the loudest cheering from the stands or wearing the brightest colors at our PRIDE parade. My mother taught me to walk with my head held high & help others. When mom came home from the hospital unable to care for herself, I quit my job to take care of her for 9 months while also working to finish my Junior year in HS. In my Senior year, I was taking dual college courses to obtain my CNA license. Having real-world clinical experience aided me in my compassion toward patients. I know that I will be able to bring compassion, empathy, sense of peace & hopefully save someone's life just like those nurses did for my mom and sister. My mom’s injuries will never heal but she is here, & her strength will stay with me long into my career as a nurse. My sister Joslyn was brutally murdered in 2014. I watched the devasting toll going to court every month took on my mom until the trial & sentencing was complete in 2017. She didn't want us to bottle up so much hate, so we started to volunteer at a local food pantry each week. We saw this as an outlet for those even less fortunate than us. We still do this today 10 hrs a week. My mom alone brought my sister & me out of extreme poverty. We are also domestic abuse survivors. We complete random acts of kindness & complete a supply/$ drive on the anniversary of my sister's death & give to out local DV shelter. I believe all the obstacles I have watched my mom overcome to get me where I am today will assist me in being an exceptional & compassionate nurse. I understand that everyone has a backstory & most likely not a pretty one. Yet everyone deserves good care & I'm not afraid to get dirty to provide it. I will give exceptional hands-on patient care to every person regardless of their skin color, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation. Just as the nurses who saved my mom's & sisters lives treated us during those very scary days.

The explanation for the person I am today, why I am in college to be a nurse and why I will continue to volunteer and do good in the world will not change. Recently, my mom & sister were involved in a devasting yet life-altering car accident. As I sat in the trauma center scared out of my mind, I was in awe of the nurses working furiously to save my mom's life. It was at that point, 16 years old - I knew being a nurse would be my career path. From there I will also seek my DNP. My mom is & has been a single parent/sole provider for me & my sister for as long as I can remember. She never once was not there for me when I was bullied because of my size, race or my sexuality. She was always the loudest cheering from the stands or wearing the brightest colors at our PRIDE parade. My mother taught me to walk with my head held high & help others. When mom came home from the hospital unable to care for herself, I quit my job to take care of her for 9 months while also working to finish my Junior year in HS. In my Senior year, I was taking dual college courses to obtain my CNA license. Having real-world clinical experience aided me in my compassion toward patients. I know that I will be able to bring compassion, empathy, sense of peace & hopefully save someone's life just like those nurses did for my mom and sister. My mom’s injuries will never heal but she is here, & her strength will stay with me long into my career as a nurse. My sister Joslyn was brutally murdered in 2014. I watched the devasting toll going to court every month took on my mom until the trial & sentencing was complete in 2017. She didn't want us to bottle up so much hate, so we started to volunteer at a local food pantry each week. We saw this as an outlet for those even less fortunate than us. We still do this today. My mom alone brought my sister & me out of extreme poverty. We are also domestic abuse survivors. I believe all the obstacles I have watched my mom overcome to get me where I am today will assist me in being an exceptional & compassionate nurse. I understand that everyone has a backstory & most likely not a pretty one. Yet everyone deserves good care & I'm not afraid to get dirty to provide it. I will give exceptional hands-on patient care to every person regardless of their skin color, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation. Just as the nurses who saved my mom's & sisters lives treated us during those very scary days.

The explanation for the person I am today, why I am in college to be a nurse and why I will continue to volunteer and do good in the world will not change. Recently, my mom & sister were involved in a devasting yet life-altering car accident. As I sat in the trauma center scared out of my mind, I was in awe of the nurses working furiously to save my mom's life. It was at that point, 16 years old - I knew being a nurse would be my career path. From there I will also seek my DNP. My mom is & has been a single parent/sole provider for me & my sister for as long as I can remember. She never once was not there for me when I was bullied because of my size, race or my sexuality. She was always the loudest cheering from the stands or wearing the brightest colors at our PRIDE parade. My mother taught me to walk with my head held high & help others. When mom came home from the hospital unable to care for herself, I quit my job to take care of her for 9 months while also working to finish my Junior year in HS. In my Senior year, I was taking dual college courses to obtain my CNA license. Having real-world clinical experience aided me in my compassion toward patients. I know that I will be able to bring compassion, empathy, sense of peace & hopefully save someone's life just like those nurses did for my mom and sister. My mom’s injuries will never heal but she is here, & her strength will stay with me long into my career as a nurse. My sister Joslyn was brutally murdered in 2014. I watched the devasting toll going to court every month took on my mom until the trial & sentencing was complete in 2017. She didn't want us to bottle up so much hate, so we started to volunteer at a local food pantry each week. We saw this as an outlet for those even less fortunate than us. We still do this today. My mom alone brought my sister & me out of extreme poverty. We are also domestic abuse survivors. I believe all the obstacles I have watched my mom overcome to get me where I am today will assist me in being an exceptional & compassionate nurse. I understand that everyone has a backstory & most likely not a pretty one. Yet everyone deserves good care & I'm not afraid to get dirty to provide it. I will give exceptional hands-on patient care to every person regardless of their skin color, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation. Just as the nurses who saved my mom's & sisters lives treated us during those very scary days.

The explanation for the person I am today, why I am in college to be a nurse and why I will continue to volunteer and do good in the world will not change. Recently, my mom & sister were involved in a devasting yet life-altering car accident. As I sat in the trauma center scared out of my mind, I was in awe of the nurses working furiously to save my mom's life. It was at that point, 16 years old - I knew being a nurse would be my career path. From there I will also seek my DNP. My mom is & has been a single parent/sole provider for me & my sister for as long as I can remember. She never once was not there for me when I was bullied because of my size, race or my sexuality. She was always the loudest cheering from the stands or wearing the brightest colors at our PRIDE parade. My mother taught me to walk with my head held high & help others. When mom came home from the hospital unable to care for herself, I quit my job to take care of her for 9 months while also working to finish my Junior year in HS. In my Senior year, I was taking dual college courses to obtain my CNA license. Having real-world clinical experience aided me in my compassion toward patients. I know that I will be able to bring compassion, empathy, sense of peace & hopefully save someone's life just like those nurses did for my mom and sister. My mom’s injuries will never heal but she is here, & her strength will stay with me long into my career as a nurse. My sister Joslyn was brutally murdered in 2014. I watched the devasting toll going to court every month took on my mom until the trial & sentencing was complete in 2017. She didn't want us to bottle up so much hate, so we started to volunteer at a local food pantry each week. We saw this as an outlet for those even less fortunate than us. We still do this today. My mom alone brought my sister & me out of extreme poverty. We are also domestic abuse survivors. I believe all the obstacles I have watched my mom overcome to get me where I am today will assist me in being an exceptional & compassionate nurse. I understand that everyone has a backstory & most likely not a pretty one. Yet everyone deserves good care & I'm not afraid to get dirty to provide it. I will give exceptional hands-on patient care to every person regardless of their skin color, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation. Just as the nurses who saved my mom's & sisters lives treated us during those very scary days. I have been and continue to be confronted w/adversity and mental issues daily. I have to keep moving for myself, for my sister that passed away, and for my mom and the endless sacrifices she made for me. Mostly for me and for my drive to help as many people as possible. I attend a counseling sessions, seek medical attention, take prescriptions when required, use art and music therapy, journal and meditation as ways to help get me to the next day/week/month and so on.

The explanation for the person I am today, why I am in college to be a nurse and why I will continue to volunteer and do good in the world will not change. Recently, my mom & sister were involved in a devasting yet life-altering car accident. As I sat in the trauma center scared out of my mind, I was in awe of the nurses working furiously to save my mom's life. It was at that point, 16 years old - I knew being a nurse would be my career path. From there I will also seek my DNP. My mom is & has been a single parent/sole provider for me & my sister for as long as I can remember. She never once was not there for me when I was bullied because of my size, race or my sexuality. She was always the loudest cheering from the stands or wearing the brightest colors at our PRIDE parade. My mother taught me to walk with my head held high & help others. When mom came home from the hospital unable to care for herself, I quit my job to take care of her for 9 months while also working to finish my Junior year in HS. In my Senior year, I was taking dual college courses to obtain my CNA license. Having real-world clinical experience aided me in my compassion toward patients. I know that I will be able to bring compassion, empathy, sense of peace & hopefully save someone's life just like those nurses did for my mom and sister. My mom’s injuries will never heal but she is here, & her strength will stay with me long into my career as a nurse. My sister Joslyn was brutally murdered in 2014. I watched the devasting toll going to court every month took on my mom until the trial & sentencing was complete in 2017. She didn't want us to bottle up so much hate, so we started to volunteer at a local food pantry each week. We saw this as an outlet for those even less fortunate than us. We still do this today. My mom alone brought my sister & me out of extreme poverty. We are also domestic abuse survivors. I believe all the obstacles I have watched my mom overcome to get me where I am today will assist me in being an exceptional & compassionate nurse. I understand that everyone has a backstory & most likely not a pretty one. Yet everyone deserves good care & I'm not afraid to get dirty to provide it. I will give exceptional hands-on patient care to every person regardless of their skin color, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation. Just as the nurses who saved my mom's & sisters lives treated us during those very scary days.

The explanation for the person I am today, why I am in college to be a nurse and why I will continue to volunteer and do good in the world will not change. Recently, my mom & sister were involved in a devasting yet life-altering car accident. As I sat in the trauma center scared out of my mind, I was in awe of the nurses working furiously to save my mom's life. It was at that point, 16 years old - I knew being a nurse would be my career path. From there I will also seek my DNP. My mom is & has been a single parent/sole provider for me & my sister for as long as I can remember. She never once was not there for me when I was bullied because of my size, race or my sexuality. She was always the loudest cheering from the stands or wearing the brightest colors at our PRIDE parade. My mother taught me to walk with my head held high & help others. When mom came home from the hospital unable to care for herself, I quit my job to take care of her for 9 months while also working to finish my Junior year in HS. In my Senior year, I was taking dual college courses to obtain my CNA license. Having real-world clinical experience aided me in my compassion toward patients. I know that I will be able to bring compassion, empathy, sense of peace & hopefully save someone's life just like those nurses did for my mom and sister. My mom’s injuries will never heal but she is here, & her strength will stay with me long into my career as a nurse. My sister Joslyn was brutally murdered in 2014. I watched the devasting toll going to court every month took on my mom until the trial & sentencing was complete in 2017. She didn't want us to bottle up so much hate, so we started to volunteer at a local food pantry each week. We saw this as an outlet for those even less fortunate than us. We still do this today. My mom alone brought my sister & me out of extreme poverty. We are also domestic abuse survivors. I believe all the obstacles I have watched my mom overcome to get me where I am today will assist me in being an exceptional & compassionate nurse. I understand that everyone has a backstory & most likely not a pretty one. Yet everyone deserves good care & I'm not afraid to get dirty to provide it. I will give exceptional hands-on patient care to every person regardless of their skin color, religious beliefs, or sexual orientation. Just as the nurses who saved my mom's & sisters lives treated us during those very scary days.