One problem I’m deeply obsessed with solving is youth homelessness and housing insecurity. It’s not just a cause I care about, it’s a lived reality I’ve been close to for most of my life. As someone with a background in the foster care system and someone who has experienced what it’s like to feel uprooted, unseen, and unheard, I understand how housing is more than a roof over your head, it’s a basic human right that impacts everything else: your safety, your mental and physical health, your education, and your ability to dream about a future. I realized just how important this issue was to me when I joined the Youth Advisory Board (YAB) for the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP). I wasn’t just showing up to share my story, was sitting at the table with local government leaders, nonprofits, and housing programs to shape the systems that serve vulnerable youth. Over time, I went from participant to president of the board, leading conversations, organizing listening sessions, and advocating for youth-informed solutions. I even wrote a letter in support of a major YHDP HUD grant to fund youth-centered housing solutions in our region. That process showed me the power of youth leadership and made me realize: we don’t just need a seat at the table, we need to help design the table. What drives me is the knowledge that this issue is both preventable and solvable when youth voices are taken seriously. I’ve seen how policy often fails to address the unique needs of young adults navigating unstable housing, especially those aged 18 to 25 who are aging out of foster care, managing trauma, or facing systemic barriers because of race, gender identity, or socioeconomic background. My long-term goal is to continue fighting this issue through research, advocacy, and social neuroscience. I want to investigate how chronic stress caused by unstable housing affects brain development, mental health, and long-term health outcomes, and use that knowledge to inform public policy. To me, solving youth homelessness isn’t just about handing out keys, it’s about transforming how we treat young people in crisis and building systems where they are safe, supported, and empowered. It’s a problem I will never stop working on. I am someone who turns lived experience into purpose, who leads with both intellect and heart. I’m not afraid to ask hard questions, feel deeply, or show up fully. I bring fire, empathy, and resilience into everything I do, and I’m building a future where research, advocacy, and humanity are inseparable. I’m not just going places. I’m creating space for others to rise with me.