I grew up in a part of Los Angelos that had a food desert. Majority of the fresh food there in grocery stores were bad, and the environment wasn’t exactly safe, so my family and I were often forced to eat fast foods and stay in doors. I saw the bad habits we were developing. Members of my family were soon getting diagnosed with various diseases like hypertension and diabetes, and I became scared for their lives. This past year, my grandmother had a terrible health scare and had to be admitted to the hospital for over 7 weeks. She was set to be discharged and receive home health physical therapy to strengthen her body and readapt to living in her home. This was the goal, but unfortunately her time was due and she was never able to utilize those services. I’ll admit, while she was on the older side, I was and still am convinced with proper education, dietary management, and regular exercise, she would’ve had a few more years left in her, enough to at least see me graduate. I pursued a career in healthcare, and I recently became an NYU graduate and became a physical therapist, and I stand by my words. I want to educate my community about the effects of poor dietary management and lack of exercise and the lifelong affects that may occur, especially with the ever growing debt of the American healthcare system. I want to help people manage their pain, improve how they move, and bring their health back into their own hands. During my clinical rotations, I worked with patients who didn’t have the resources to seek out the care they needed until their conditions had worsened. Many of them were from marginalized communities, just like mine, and I felt a deep responsibility to help them navigate the healthcare system and improve their quality of life. But while I’m passionate about my work, student debt has been a constant shadow. I’ve been able to secure a position at a reputable clinic, and I’m excited to begin my career, but with student loans hanging over my head, it’s hard to focus on the things that matter most—I hope to one day become a professor and open up an orthopedic/wound care clinic. If I were to receive the Charles Cheesman Student Debt Reduction Scholarship, the impact would be transformative. The money I save on loan payments would allow me to take the next steps toward my goals without the constant worry of how I’ll pay down my debt. I would use a portion of the savings to further my education by attending specialized training in areas like wound care and chronic pain, which would allow me to better serve my patients. Continuing education is essential in my field, and this scholarship would provide me the financial breathing room to pursue these opportunities. In addition to investing in my professional growth, I also plan to use the money saved to work toward opening my own practice. My dream is to create a healthcare facility that provides affordable, high-quality physical therapy to individuals in underserved communities. I want to offer services that are culturally competent and accessible, especially for people who have historically been overlooked by mainstream healthcare systems. The cost of starting a business is substantial, and the debt I carry has made it difficult to save the capital I need. This scholarship would give me the financial flexibility to start laying the foundation for that vision.

When I was a child, my grandmother told me a story. She attended Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, and told me the empowerment she felt listening to a man of his color lead a powerful movement. She emphasized that we must treat others well and advocate for them, especially when they lack a voice. She ended the story by saying there is still work to be done, and I should contribute to creating a more progressive society. Since then, I have lived by those words. As I pondered which field I should pursue, I always kept in mind that I wanted to pursue a field with a lack of diversity, somewhere I could be a mentor, role model, and leader for women and people of color to look to when seeking healthcare and chasing their dreams in a similar field. My identity and experiences have made me confident that I can be in such a position, and I can create a positive influence in making our community more diverse, inclusive, and equitable for each of its members. While I was a volunteer at Karate for All, a facility where therapy is implemented in the form of karate, I worked with a hypersensitive child with autism. Initially, he was resistant. Each time I attempted to help him mimic a karate form, he quickly moved away. When we practiced building his communication skills he refused to speak whenever I maintained eye contact for too long. I understood that each person has the potential to learn, though each may require a different education to be taught the same lesson, so I took the initiative to speak with his parents and the occupational therapist to gauge how to address his sensory problems so he may learn efficiently. I began a more reactive communication strategy with him. I asked for consent before moving him, and if he did not, I would point to where I would want him. I made less eye contact with him, but I slowly made more each time we spoke to build his communication skills. He later grew more comfortable around me, allowing me to help him better. He also participated and communicated more which was shown by his increased motor skills which were evident in his improved karate technique. In today’s climate, it occasionally feels as though my life does not matter. I have had multiple encounters with healthcare professionals and educators that have underestimated my illnesses and ailments or my abilities as a student. I was not treated with equity, and I was excluded from treatments and educational courses throughout my youth. Fortunately, I was resilient to such treatments with the support of family and friends, but many are not as privileged. Currently, only 5% of all practicing physical therapists are Black or African American. As a proud, multiracial woman of African American, White, and Japanese descent, I want to contribute to making this profession more diverse. I'm going back to my community, which is currently underserved and building a more equitable community where each person has accessible resources to better their health. It'll be a long road, but I know with time, I will build my community so that it is no longer underserved, that each person can receive the healthcare they deserve.

While I was a sports medicine intern, I worked a soccer match that resulted in an injury of one of the athletes. The physical therapist and I ran to care for her. Once it was determined she had suffered an ACL tear, she underwent surgery. After she recovered we began her on a treatment plan that was used on a different athlete who had suffered the same injury a year prior. Under supervision, I along with co-interns began her rehabilitation regime. For the first couple of months, we had reached a point where she regained proper body alignment, controlled basic movements such as walking, increased her overall core and lower extremity strength, and increased proprioception. Her progress was moving along efficiently, so we were ready to move onto the next stage of her recovery in continuing to strengthen her involved knee, as well as begin eccentric neuromuscular control exercises and increase her dynamic flexibility. The patient began to feel hopeful. A few weeks following, I noticed she began to plateau, and not too long after, she retrogressed. We spoke with the patient and informed her that her recovery period may take longer than expected. She tried to remain positive, but her dejection became quickly evident. She still attended therapy, but she lacked the same effort that she previously had, despite the words of encouragement we gave her. I was worried that her lack of effort would affect her progression, so I pulled her aside to get a sense of how she was feeling. She vented about her progression, and she confessed her fear and hopelessness of never recovering. I shared some stories of injured professional athletes who had setbacks but ultimately recovered and returned to play. I also acknowledged the pain she felt and reassured the validity of her feelings. I informed her that I was worried that her lack of effort may cause a toll on her progression and that I would be with her throughout her recovery for any support she would need, as long as she committed full effort during this journey. From then on, we continued to work together, and once the physical therapist found a recovery regime that best suited her, she progressed, and she made a full recovery and returned to play in time for her final year. Prior to this patient, I failed to realize that physical therapy goes beyond the physical rehabilitation of the body. I displayed acts of sympathy, but would never dive deeper than that, as I did not understand how necessary it was for recovery. Since the brain contains immediate connections to each part of the body, when a blocked mind is present, the body’s recovery process may become blocked as well. I began taking a more proactive and supportive role when I assisted each patient. I became more attentive to any relevant problem occurring with the patient, and I began to verbally offer support and suggested resources they could utilize. I also took a few more classes in psychology, human stress and clinical sports psychology specifically, to better understand the mind and its effect on the body to improve my ability to provide better care for my patients. I believe this helped generate a better rapport with my patients and improved the rehabilitation environment into a more open and supportive one. This experience has led me to constantly reevaluate myself so I can be a more well-rounded applicant and an adaptive clinician. I will continue to ensure every patient is mentally and emotionally supported throughout their rehabilitation process to promote a more successful and holistic health outcome.

I find it disheartening that we have to call it utopian. We deserve so much better than this, and I fully believe we will get there, but it's been so ingrained outside and within the community that mental health is not something to take seriously. It's so painfully obvious that we are hurting, and we are either shamed for looking for help, or we lack the adequate resources to get any help. I'm angry that it's taking this long to get proper mental health for us, but looking back, I see that we are slowly healing, and I hope we can continue to make strides in creating a better system for our people to get proper mental health help. So instead of calling it utopian, I will call it a future. In my future, I hope to see more black healthcare professionals. In my present, about 5% of healthcare professionals are Black. My future will hold a much bigger percentage. I hope to walk into a facility and see the faces of workers that reflect the faces of the community. I hope these faces understand the community, exist within the community, and speak the language of the community. I hope they work for the community, that they are open to any differences that may exist within the community, that they strive to make a better community. My future holds societal acceptance of mental health existing. People will know that mental health problems exist and will encourage others to seek help. I hope to see that there is no longer a stigma around those with mental health problems. I know many of us need to feel that empowerment in doing things for ourselves, but never accepting help can only lead to further mental health issues. The people of my future are no longer afraid to ask for help because my future no longer shames those for asking. My future is 100% attainable but it starts at systemic changes. It starts at people accepting that due to epigenetic factors, transgenerational trauma exists. The trauma that our ancestors went through during slavery exists within us. We need to understand that help is nothing to be ashamed of. We need to understand that some communities lack resources for help and we need to allocate more resources to the black community. We need to understand that healthcare disparities are not due to race, but due to racism. We need to advocate for changes at the systemic level, and once we do so, we can finally begin to see reparations. We will see black people getting the help they need. We will see an overall improvement of health within the black community. We will see a further decline in healthcare disparities. This is my future.

My taste in music fluctuates as quickly as the weather changes throughout the day in Southern California. If we took a car ride, my wide range in taste would definitely spark a discussion, as it seems I never listen to the same music. Despite my ever-changing taste in music, there is one particular song that resonates close to me. I have been given peace through this song, ever since first hearing it’s melodies play through the radio. On a rainy day, while sitting in the den of my home, I paced back and forth. My black father had just been pulled over by a policeman. Nothing had happened, but I was overwhelmed with stress and anxiety from the events that could have transpired like they have in the past for others. I did not know how to express my emotions to my family without fighting the urge to swallow my tears. I decided to go outside, despite the downpour of the rain, and illustrate to them my inner feelings. I picked a random song, and began to dance. As the first note hit, my ears picked up. I felt my heart beating to the rhythm of the drums. My body flowed along with the melodies brought by the piano. Each beat struck me with a new form of excitement. I felt my pain rinsing away along with the rain. I was guided to my happy place: my serenity, my refuge. For the first time, as I swayed to the rhythm of the music, I was able to truly communicate to my loved ones as I poured my heart into each movement I made. “Somebody Else” by the 1975 provided an outlet towards communication and inner peace that I have never experienced with any other song. It is not the lyrics that consume me, but the instrumentals themselves. I can feel tranquillity slowly sweep away tension from my bones and encapsulate my being with every harmonious tune orchestrated. I can float like a cloud passing through the sunny skies. I feel as though I can breathe, and in that moment, I feel as though I matter, that my family matters, that we are able to push through all the stress and anxieties we face. I feel as though I was given a gift with the song. A gift that I will cherish forever.

"Wakanda Forever" The year Black Panther was announce, my family was shocked with glee. We had never seen a heroic figure that resembled us, and we were thrilled to witness black excellency, as we are rarely represented in that kind of light. Together, my family attended the theater to see the premier of Black Panther. I watched my little cousins dress us as T'Challa for weeks after we watched it. They felt strong, empowered, and believed they could be heroes too. That film demonstrated how important it is to have a diverse population give representation to all groups of people, to demonstrate success as an achievable pursuit regardless of any differences one may possess. Representation affects our psych entirely. We tend to look towards our society to form our identities, and with more representation, the more motivated these marginalized groups feel to pursue success. Chadwick Boseman's portrayal of the Black Panther gave us that representation, and he encouraged the Black and African American community to feel seen and strive for their goals. This man is my role model. He contributed to creating a more diverse system, which encourages all students to strive for their goals. Evidence indicates that there is a distrust in the healthcare system from the perspective of Black and African American individuals, which prevents many people in this community from seeking help. It also prevents people from pursuing professions that seems unattainable due to the lack of diversity. As I pondered which field I should pursue, I was reminded of Chadwick Boseman working to become the Black Panther, the dedication that it took, and the greater purpose that came with his presence as a man of color being portrayed as a superhero. He changed the perspective that superheroes have a certain look, and brought comfort to the Black and African American community knowing all aspirations are possible. I always kept Chadwick Boseman's legacy in mind when pondering fields, and I kept in mind that I wanted to pursue a field with a lack of diversity so I could be a mentor, role model, or leader for women or African Americans to look to when seeking help for their health or chasing their dreams in similar fields. Within the physical therapy (PT) profession, only about 5% of all current practicing PTs are Black or African American. Upon learning this, I ventured into understanding the profession more, and after extensive research and observation, and I know this is the profession for me. Despite having a cancer diagnosis and undergoing a substantial amount of treatment, Chadwick Boseman continued to be the Black Panther. Needless to say, that was remarkable, and incredibly inspiring. He understood the importance of his presence on screen, and his presence created a powerful movement within the Black and African American community. He used his platform and voice to give the Black and African American community a platform and a voice. The strength that it took for him to work, because he understood the greater purpose of his position, is extraordinary. It's indescribable. He was an incredible role model, and I want to create that same dedication and strength in his honor. I want to continue doing his work, to create a better society, to bring representation to the marginalized. I am becoming a physical therapist. I am pursing my degree so that I may establish a clinic to give back to my community and help to poor and underserved as best as I can. I want to build trust within the Black and African American community so they feel comfortable seeking help for their health. I want to inspire young students to chase their dreams despite their background. I want to give the people a voice. I know the work that it takes to establish that kind of movement, and I know that if Chadwick Boseman did it, then I can do it as well, and I can inspire others to follow suit and continue this chain reaction in creating a better society. Thank you Chadwick Boseman, may you rest in peace.

My boss fired me. A couple years ago, I was interning at a physical therapy clinic. The main physical therapist (PT), my boss, held high expectations of me. I was required to learn and memorize a high level of anatomy and physiology and to better assist at rehabilitation exercises, like knowing how to target a specific muscle during an exercise, and learning how to communicate that to a patient. I took his teachings for granted, and I began to flake. I was busy trying to finish up my classes, and I was also working a part time job while searching for a second one, so my focus was not on physical therapy. This became clearly evident, as I stopped being as proactive. I stopped taking initiative on tasks, like clearing tables, asking questions, and I overall stopped building my skills that would help me during physical therapy school and beyond. Eventually, I got the email to stop coming in, to stop wasting his time, to set my priorities, or find a different career. Needless to say, that hurt. I did not realize how poorly I was behaving until then, and I was so ashamed of myself. I genuinely did not realize I was behaving that way. I was embarrassed, but after that day, I told myself I was never going to let anyone down that way or embarrass myself like that ever again. So I took a hard look at myself to change my ways. I did not have any alternative in terms of pursuing a career. I did not have a plan B if physical therapy does not work out. I knew that physical therapy was the career for me, and so I reflected on my behavior, and I began to prioritize my tasks in a manner of importance that allows me to perform much more efficiently. This allows me to accomplish all tasks while also optimizing my ability to become a good physical therapist. I document and plan my actions more thoroughly and purposely, and I continue to reflect my actions. When I had the chance to intern at a different physical therapy clinic, I maintained an open line of communication and constantly inquired about my performance and looked for rooms for improvement. I took lead on many case studies with my co-interns to discuss treatment plans and rehabilitation techniques to ensure that the patients are receiving the best quality of care. I continue to prioritize my tasks and complete them in a timely fashion to maintain efficiency in the work environment. I have significantly improved as a worker and as a life-long learner, I have learned to seek criticism in order to improve, and I've learned how to communicate better to create a healthier environment. While I was deeply hurt by the words of my previous PT, I am thankful for that failure, as I now will never fail to meet anyone's expectations, a skill I believe will help me become the best PT that I can.

My three friends and I flew from Los Angelos to Washington D.C. to attend the March For Our Lives event. We felt the cries of our fellow classmates and friends and we felt the importance of attending such a rally that works to create a safer society against gun violence. We knew the potential dangers of attending a rally where emotions are at an all-time high, but we knew we wanted to be a part of this movement and protested the White House to work harder to make schools safer.

To the man with a dream, I do not think I have had the opportunity to reflect on our relationship these past several years. You do not know this, but I often refer to you as the main with a dream. Your calm, focused, kind demeanor exudes such incredulous awe and wisdom that I find myself striving to be at least half the person you are. When my teachers, counselors, and peers doubted my ability to perform at a high academic level, and I began to believe them, you sat me down without a single evidence of doubt in your eyes, and told me his dream. You fell into a sleep and saw my growth and independence years beyond now, and instantly knew, you saw into the future. You knew of my success, and knew what I could achieve. You told me to always dream, and continue working towards my dreams. That support was immaculate, and I do not think I can ever repay that, no matter what I do. Without a single doubt, I know I am only here because of your limitless support and motivation. Through every struggle, hardship, and obstacle, youth maintained such a youthful, yet wise spirit. You held my hand, and pushed me towards success. When my mother had left, I felt lost without a home, but you helped me understand that a home is not a place, apartment, or house. My home is where you are. Dad, as far as the distance between Earth and the stars, I am so incredibly thankful to have you as my father. I have been blessed with the greatest gift, and that gift is you. Sincerely, Your favorite

A few years ago, my parents took a leap and joined the small business community. They opened a kickboxing studio. With plans to pass their business onto me, they permitted my attendance at weekly meetings. I picked up several skills, like learning how to create and maintain a balance sheet, and how to sell a membership to an apprehensive client, which requires a unique sort of persuasion of advocating on behalf of their own health. I share my parents’ passion in promoting nutrition and physical fitness in our community, but I want to take it a step further. I plan on creating a joint physical therapy department, so that I can incorporate rehabilitation as well. I genuinely believe exercise is medicine, and optimizing healthcare through means of promoting body movement and rehabilitation will in turn minimize costly expenses one may encounter at a physician’s office, like preventable surgeries or unnecessary opioid prescriptions. Once I get my doctorate in physical therapy, my plans to create this department and take this business to promote better overall health in my community will be set in motion. In my time of planning the future of the business, I have created immediate, 5 year, 10 year, and 20 year goals. Immediately following graduation, I will establish the physical therapy department. I want to provide affordable healthcare geared towards treating musculoskeletal related issues, as these are the most common, but I plan on being a diverse physical therapist so that I can treat all issues of the body, so that I may treat every person that needs help. This department will give higher considerations for the kickboxing members, but all patients are welcomed for any issues. I will be taking this time to aggressively advocate, market, and promote the physical therapy department and the profession itself to sway kickboxing members and outside patients to choose me as one of their main healthcare providers. In 5 years, I want to take over some of the managerial roles. I will be hiring additional physical therapist(s) to assist me in the physical therapy department. I will be focusing more of my efforts in creating better marketing strategies and working to provide a product that best fits the needs of my clients and patients. In 10 years, as I fully take over the business, I want to establish an internship program not only to mentor and inspire students, especially minority students, to pursue and advocate for the physical therapy profession, but also assist any physical therapist to alleviate some of the workload. In 20 years, I hope to generate enough funds to establish a pro bono clinic specifically geared towards the underserved, low-income community. I will still maintain management roles, but I will dedicate more of my time serving this community. My overall goal is to create a business so I can help my community, and I hope to mentor young minds to follow suit to create a better society.

Books. Books are great tools to use when learning personal finances. Many authors provide descriptive examples on how to develop financial literacy and optimize wealth. “Rich Dad Poor Dad” by Robert Kiyosaki, “The Millionaire Next Door” by Thomas J. Stanley, and “I Will Teach You to be Rich” by Ramit Sethi are good beginner books to get you started. These books describe how to build wealth, how true millionaires live, and avenues one can take to generate wealth. As for the youth, subscribe to the David Ramsey show on YouTube and follow Gary Vee on tik tok. Both do well to educate. Gary also brings more positivity and motivation, especially for the youth to achieve their goals.

@hollaywillums My kitty's name is Chevy After a long, hard day of working at the kitty factory, Chevy likes to plop himself right in the middle of mom's bed and take a nice long nap.