My name is Jasmine. I am a mother of four, an autistic woman, and a survivor of unimaginable adversity. I lost my father to addiction when I was seven and my mother when I was twelve. After her death, I entered the foster care system, where I experienced years of instability and trauma. Between the ages of twelve and twenty, I was trafficked. These experiences shaped who I am, but they did not define my future. I made a choice to survive and to create a life of purpose. My journey into healthcare began more than twenty years ago when I started working as a Certified Nursing Assistant. I later became a Medication Technician and eventually a Licensed Vocational Nurse. Over the years, I have cared for countless patients with compassion and dignity. My own experiences with trauma have taught me the value of empathy. I know what it feels like to be vulnerable, unheard, and afraid. That is why I approach nursing not only with clinical skills but with a deep desire to help people feel safe and seen. Recently, my passion has shifted more specifically toward mental health. I lost my twenty-three-year-old sister to addiction and mental illness. One of my brothers is currently living on the street, struggling with schizophrenia and heroin addiction. Two of my other brothers are battling substance abuse as well. These tragedies have strengthened my resolve to make a difference in the mental health system. I know how easily people can fall through the cracks when they are not given the care and support they need. Now, I am returning to school to pursue my Registered Nurse license. My long-term goal is to become a Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and open a trauma-informed mental health clinic. I want to offer accessible and compassionate care to individuals who have experienced trauma, addiction, and mental illness. I want to be the person I once needed—someone who listens, understands, and believes in the potential for healing. As an autistic woman, I bring a unique perspective to nursing. My neurodivergence helps me process the world differently. I notice small details others might miss. I bring structure, empathy, and deep focus to my work. My lived experience with autism also helps me connect with others who feel misunderstood or overlooked. I want to show that our differences are strengths and that our stories can be powerful tools for change. Balancing motherhood, work, and school is not easy, but it is a challenge I embrace fully. Everything I do is rooted in my desire to build a better future for my children and to show them that no matter where you start, you can choose where you go. I want them to see that healing is possible and that they, too, can make an impact in this world. Nursing is not just my career. It is my calling. Through it, I will continue transforming my past into purpose and use my voice to advocate for those who have been silenced. I believe in the power of care, and I am ready to use that power to help others heal.

My name is Jasmine. I am a mother of four, an autistic woman, and a survivor of unimaginable adversity. I lost my father to addiction when I was seven and my mother when I was twelve. After her death, I entered the foster care system, where I experienced years of instability and trauma. Between the ages of twelve and twenty, I was trafficked. These experiences shaped who I am, but they did not define my future. I made a choice to survive and to create a life of purpose. My journey into healthcare began more than twenty years ago when I started working as a Certified Nursing Assistant. I later became a Medication Technician and eventually a Licensed Vocational Nurse. Over the years, I have cared for countless patients with compassion and dignity. My own experiences with trauma have taught me the value of empathy. I know what it feels like to be vulnerable, unheard, and afraid. That is why I approach nursing not only with clinical skills but with a deep desire to help people feel safe and seen. Recently, my passion has shifted more specifically toward mental health. I lost my twenty-three-year-old sister to addiction and mental illness. One of my brothers is currently living on the street, struggling with schizophrenia and heroin addiction. Two of my other brothers are battling substance abuse as well. These tragedies have strengthened my resolve to make a difference in the mental health system. I know how easily people can fall through the cracks when they are not given the care and support they need. Now, I am returning to school to pursue my Registered Nurse license. My long-term goal is to become a Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and open a trauma-informed mental health clinic. I want to offer accessible and compassionate care to individuals who have experienced trauma, addiction, and mental illness. I want to be the person I once needed—someone who listens, understands, and believes in the potential for healing. As an autistic woman, I bring a unique perspective to nursing. My neurodivergence helps me process the world differently. I notice small details others might miss. I bring structure, empathy, and deep focus to my work. My lived experience with autism also helps me connect with others who feel misunderstood or overlooked. I want to show that our differences are strengths and that our stories can be powerful tools for change. Balancing motherhood, work, and school is not easy, but it is a challenge I embrace fully. Everything I do is rooted in my desire to build a better future for my children and to show them that no matter where you start, you can choose where you go. I want them to see that healing is possible and that they, too, can make an impact in this world. Nursing is not just my career. It is my calling. Through it, I will continue transforming my past into purpose and use my voice to advocate for those who have been silenced. I believe in the power of care, and I am ready to use that power to help others heal.

My name is Jasmine. I am a mother of four, an autistic woman, and a survivor of unimaginable adversity. I lost my father to addiction when I was seven and my mother when I was twelve. After her death, I entered the foster care system, where I experienced years of instability and trauma. Between the ages of twelve and twenty, I was trafficked. These experiences shaped who I am, but they did not define my future. I made a choice to survive and to create a life of purpose. My journey into healthcare began more than twenty years ago when I started working as a Certified Nursing Assistant. I later became a Medication Technician and eventually a Licensed Vocational Nurse. Over the years, I have cared for countless patients with compassion and dignity. My own experiences with trauma have taught me the value of empathy. I know what it feels like to be vulnerable, unheard, and afraid. That is why I approach nursing not only with clinical skills but with a deep desire to help people feel safe and seen. Recently, my passion has shifted more specifically toward mental health. I lost my twenty-three-year-old sister to addiction and mental illness. One of my brothers is currently living on the street, struggling with schizophrenia and heroin addiction. Two of my other brothers are battling substance abuse as well. These tragedies have strengthened my resolve to make a difference in the mental health system. I know how easily people can fall through the cracks when they are not given the care and support they need. Now, I am returning to school to pursue my Registered Nurse license. My long-term goal is to become a Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and open a trauma-informed mental health clinic. I want to offer accessible and compassionate care to individuals who have experienced trauma, addiction, and mental illness. I want to be the person I once needed—someone who listens, understands, and believes in the potential for healing. As an autistic woman, I bring a unique perspective to nursing. My neurodivergence helps me process the world differently. I notice small details others might miss. I bring structure, empathy, and deep focus to my work. My lived experience with autism also helps me connect with others who feel misunderstood or overlooked. I want to show that our differences are strengths and that our stories can be powerful tools for change. My Hispanic background has also given me a deep appreciation for the importance of family, resilience, and cultural understanding. Growing up, I saw how language barriers and cultural stigma could keep people from accessing mental health care. These experiences have made me especially passionate about serving communities where people often suffer in silence. My cultural identity helps me see the world through a lens of inclusion and compassion. I believe that healing should be available to everyone, no matter their background. Balancing motherhood, work, and school is not easy, but it is a challenge I embrace fully. Everything I do is rooted in my desire to build a better future for my children and to show them that no matter where you start, you can choose where you go. I want them to see that healing is possible and that they, too, can make an impact in this world. Nursing is not just my career. It’s my calling. Through it, I will continue transforming my past into purpose and use my voice to advocate for those who have been silenced. I believe in the power of care, and I am ready to use that power to help others heal

My name is Jasmine. I am a mother of four, an autistic woman, and a survivor of unimaginable adversity. I lost my father to addiction when I was seven and my mother when I was twelve. After her death, I entered the foster care system, where I experienced years of instability and trauma. Between the ages of twelve and twenty, I was trafficked. These experiences shaped who I am, but they did not define my future. I made a choice to survive and to create a life of purpose. My journey into healthcare began more than twenty years ago when I started working as a Certified Nursing Assistant. I later became a Medication Technician and eventually a Licensed Vocational Nurse. Over the years, I have cared for countless patients with compassion and dignity. My own experiences with trauma have taught me the value of empathy. I know what it feels like to be vulnerable, unheard, and afraid. That is why I approach nursing not only with clinical skills but with a deep desire to help people feel safe and seen. Recently, my passion has shifted more specifically toward mental health. I lost my twenty-three-year-old sister to addiction and mental illness. One of my brothers is currently living on the street, struggling with schizophrenia and heroin addiction. Two of my other brothers are battling substance abuse as well. These tragedies have strengthened my resolve to make a difference in the mental health system. I know how easily people can fall through the cracks when they are not given the care and support they need. Now, I am returning to school to pursue my Registered Nurse license. My long-term goal is to become a Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and open a trauma-informed mental health clinic. I want to offer accessible and compassionate care to individuals who have experienced trauma, addiction, and mental illness. I want to be the person I once needed—someone who listens, understands, and believes in the potential for healing. As an autistic woman, I bring a unique perspective to nursing. My neurodivergence helps me process the world differently. I notice small details others might miss. I bring structure, empathy, and deep focus to my work. My lived experience with autism also helps me connect with others who feel misunderstood or overlooked. I want to show that our differences are strengths and that our stories can be powerful tools for change. Balancing motherhood, work, and school is not easy, but it is a challenge I embrace fully. Everything I do is rooted in my desire to build a better future for my children and to show them that no matter where you start, you can choose where you go. I want them to see that healing is possible and that they, too, can make an impact in this world. Nursing is not just my career. It is my calling. Through it, I will continue transforming my past into purpose and use my voice to advocate for those who have been silenced. I believe in the power of care, and I am ready to use that power to help others heal.

My name is Jasmine. I am a mother of four, an autistic woman, and a survivor of unimaginable adversity. I lost my father to addiction when I was seven and my mother when I was twelve. After her death, I entered the foster care system, where I experienced years of instability and trauma. Between the ages of twelve and twenty, I was trafficked. These experiences shaped who I am, but they did not define my future. I made a choice to survive and to create a life of purpose. My journey into healthcare began more than twenty years ago when I started working as a Certified Nursing Assistant. I later became a Medication Technician and eventually a Licensed Vocational Nurse. Over the years, I have cared for countless patients with compassion and dignity. My own experiences with trauma have taught me the value of empathy. I know what it feels like to be vulnerable, unheard, and afraid. That is why I approach nursing not only with clinical skills but with a deep desire to help people feel safe and seen. Recently, my passion has shifted more specifically toward mental health. I lost my twenty-three-year-old sister to addiction and mental illness. One of my brothers is currently living on the street, struggling with schizophrenia and heroin addiction. Two of my other brothers are battling substance abuse as well. These tragedies have strengthened my resolve to make a difference in the mental health system. I know how easily people can fall through the cracks when they are not given the care and support they need. Now, I am returning to school to pursue my Registered Nurse license. My long-term goal is to become a Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and open a trauma-informed mental health clinic. I want to offer accessible and compassionate care to individuals who have experienced trauma, addiction, and mental illness. I want to be the person I once needed—someone who listens, understands, and believes in the potential for healing. As an autistic woman, I bring a unique perspective to nursing. My neurodivergence helps me process the world differently. I notice small details others might miss. I bring structure, empathy, and deep focus to my work. My lived experience with autism also helps me connect with others who feel misunderstood or overlooked. I want to show that our differences are strengths and that our stories can be powerful tools for change. Balancing motherhood, work, and school is not easy, but it is a challenge I embrace fully. Everything I do is rooted in my desire to build a better future for my children and to show them that no matter where you start, you can choose where you go. I want them to see that healing is possible and that they, too, can make an impact in this world. Nursing is not just my career. It is my calling. Through it, I will continue transforming my past into purpose and use my voice to advocate for those who have been silenced. I believe in the power of care, and I am ready to use that power to help others heal.

My name is Jasmine. I am a mother of four, an autistic woman, and a survivor of severe childhood trauma. I lost my father to addiction when I was seven and my mother when I was twelve. After her death, I entered the foster care system and was trafficked from the ages of twelve to twenty. These experiences could have broken me, but instead, they lit a fire inside me. I chose to survive and transform my life into something meaningful. For over twenty years, I have worked in healthcare. I began as a Certified Nursing Assistant, then became a Medication Technician, and eventually a Licensed Vocational Nurse. I lead by example every day—showing up for my patients with compassion, consistency, and a deep understanding of what it means to feel invisible. As a team member, I often take initiative in mentoring newer staff, helping them handle emotionally challenging cases and encouraging trauma-informed care. I step into leadership naturally, often advocating for patients who may not have anyone else speaking up for them. I also lead at home. As a single mother of four, I model resilience and responsibility for my children. I show them through my actions that your past does not determine your future. I teach them about empathy, about pushing through fear, and about building something better even when the odds are against you. The tragic loss of my twenty-three-year-old sister to addiction and mental illness was a turning point. One of my brothers is homeless and struggles with schizophrenia and heroin addiction. Two other brothers fight battles with alcoholism and drug use. I have witnessed firsthand how broken and under-resourced our mental health system is. These personal losses are not just pain—they are a call to action. Now, I am returning to school to pursue my Registered Nurse license with the ultimate goal of becoming a Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. My vision is to open a trauma-informed mental health clinic that will serve individuals and families like mine—people living with mental illness, trauma, and addiction who have been neglected by the system. I want to change that outcome by providing care that is grounded in compassion, education, and trust. As an autistic woman, I bring strengths that make me a unique and effective leader. I have an extraordinary eye for detail, a structured approach to challenges, and a powerful sense of empathy for others who feel misunderstood or excluded. I advocate not only for patients, but also for colleagues who need support or clearer communication. My neurodivergence has helped me become an innovative thinker and a strong listener—two qualities that are critical in any nursing environment. Leadership to me is not about position or title. It is about showing up with integrity, using your voice when others are silent, and doing the hard work even when no one is watching. Whether in my workplace, my community, or my home, I lead through service. I have lived through what many patients cannot put into words. I understand trauma not from a textbook but from lived experience. That understanding allows me to connect, support, and uplift those around me. Returning to school is a step toward my larger purpose. It is how I will turn pain into progress and give others the care I once needed. Nursing is not just what I do—it is who I am. And I am ready to lead, serve, and heal.

From Survivor to Healer My name is Jasmine. I am a mother of four, an autistic woman, and a survivor of severe childhood trauma. I lost my father to addiction when I was seven and my mother when I was twelve. After her death, I entered the foster care system and was trafficked from the ages of twelve to twenty. These experiences could have broken me, but instead, they became the foundation of my strength. I chose to survive and turn my pain into purpose. I have worked in healthcare for over twenty years. I started as a Certified Nursing Assistant, advanced to a Medication Technician, and became a Licensed Vocational Nurse. Each role taught me the value of presence, patience, and empathy. I lead by example in every workplace I enter. I often take initiative to support new staff, guide them in trauma-informed care, and advocate for patients who need someone to speak for them. Leadership to me is not about authority, it is about service and responsibility. I step in when others hesitate and make sure patients are treated with dignity and understanding. I also lead within my own home. As a single mother, I am raising my four children with love, structure, and hope. I teach them that where you start in life does not determine where you can go. They see me study, work, and persevere. Through me, they learn resilience, compassion, and the value of using your experiences to help others. The turning point in my career path came when I lost my twenty-three-year-old sister to addiction and mental illness. One of my brothers is currently homeless, living with schizophrenia and a heroin addiction. Two other brothers are also struggling with substance abuse. These tragedies have shaped my commitment to mental health care. I have seen the consequences of neglect, the damage caused by a system that does not understand or respond to trauma. These losses have shown me how urgent the need is for mental health providers who truly care. I am now returning to school to earn my Registered Nurse license. My ultimate goal is to become a Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and open a trauma-informed mental health clinic. I want to provide compassionate, accessible care to people living with mental illness, addiction, and deep emotional pain. I want to be the kind of provider who listens, who understands, and who believes healing is possible no matter what someone has been through. As an autistic woman, I bring a unique perspective to nursing. My neurodivergence gives me the ability to focus deeply, notice subtle details, and understand others who feel different or misunderstood. I have learned to use my traits as strengths. I lead with empathy, consistency, and a strong sense of purpose. I believe that difference does not limit potential. It enhances it. This step in my journey is about more than a degree. It is about answering a calling I have felt for years. It is about showing my children that even the most painful stories can have powerful endings. It is about using everything I have been through to lift others up. Nursing is not just what I do. It is who I am. And I am ready to lead, to serve, and to heal.

From Survivor to Healer My name is Jasmine. I am a mother of four, an autistic woman, and a survivor of unimaginable adversity. I lost my father to addiction when I was seven and my mother when I was twelve. After her death, I entered the foster care system, where I experienced years of instability and trauma. Between the ages of twelve and twenty, I was trafficked. These experiences shaped who I am, but they did not define my future. I made a choice to survive and to create a life of purpose. My journey into healthcare began more than twenty years ago when I started working as a Certified Nursing Assistant. I later became a Medication Technician and eventually a Licensed Vocational Nurse. Over the years, I have cared for countless patients with compassion and dignity. My own experiences with trauma have taught me the value of empathy. I know what it feels like to be vulnerable, unheard, and afraid. That is why I approach nursing not only with clinical skills but with a deep desire to help people feel safe and seen. Recently, my passion has shifted more specifically toward mental health. I lost my twenty-three-year-old sister to addiction and mental illness. One of my brothers is currently living on the street, struggling with schizophrenia and heroin addiction. Two of my other brothers are battling substance abuse as well. These tragedies have strengthened my resolve to make a difference in the mental health system. I know how easily people can fall through the cracks when they are not given the care and support they need. Now, I am returning to school to pursue my Registered Nurse license. My long-term goal is to become a Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and open a trauma-informed mental health clinic. I want to offer accessible and compassionate care to individuals who have experienced trauma, addiction, and mental illness. I want to be the person I once needed—someone who listens, understands, and believes in the potential for healing. As an autistic woman, I bring a unique perspective to nursing. My neurodivergence helps me process the world differently. I notice small details others might miss. I bring structure, empathy, and deep focus to my work. My lived experience with autism also helps me connect with others who feel misunderstood or overlooked. I want to show that our differences are strengths and that our stories can be powerful tools for change. Balancing motherhood, work, and school is not easy, but it is a challenge I embrace fully. Everything I do is rooted in my desire to build a better future for my children and to show them that no matter where you start, you can choose where you go. I want them to see that healing is possible and that they, too, can make an impact in this world. Nursing is not just my career. It is my calling. Through it, I will continue transforming my past into purpose and use my voice to advocate for those who have been silenced. I believe in the power of care, and I am ready to use that power to help others heal. I found out about this scholarship on Google

From Survivor to Healer My name is Jasmine. I am a mother of four, an autistic woman, and a survivor of unimaginable adversity. I lost my father to addiction when I was seven and my mother when I was twelve. After her death, I entered the foster care system, where I experienced years of instability and trauma. Between the ages of twelve and twenty, I was trafficked. These experiences shaped who I am, but they did not define my future. I made a choice to survive and to create a life of purpose. My journey into healthcare began more than twenty years ago when I started working as a Certified Nursing Assistant. I later became a Medication Technician and eventually a Licensed Vocational Nurse. Over the years, I have cared for countless patients with compassion and dignity. My own experiences with trauma have taught me the value of empathy. I know what it feels like to be vulnerable, unheard, and afraid. That is why I approach nursing not only with clinical skills but with a deep desire to help people feel safe and seen. Recently, my passion has shifted more specifically toward mental health. I lost my twenty-three-year-old sister to addiction and mental illness. One of my brothers is currently living on the street, struggling with schizophrenia and heroin addiction. Two of my other brothers are battling substance abuse as well. These tragedies have strengthened my resolve to make a difference in the mental health system. I know how easily people can fall through the cracks when they are not given the care and support they need. Now, I am returning to school to pursue my Registered Nurse license. My long-term goal is to become a Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and open a trauma-informed mental health clinic. I want to offer accessible and compassionate care to individuals who have experienced trauma, addiction, and mental illness. I want to be the person I once needed—someone who listens, understands, and believes in the potential for healing. As an autistic woman, I bring a unique perspective to nursing. My neurodivergence helps me process the world differently. I notice small details others might miss. I bring structure, empathy, and deep focus to my work. My lived experience with autism also helps me connect with others who feel misunderstood or overlooked. I want to show that our differences are strengths and that our stories can be powerful tools for change. Balancing motherhood, work, and school is not easy, but it is a challenge I embrace fully. Everything I do is rooted in my desire to build a better future for my children and to show them that no matter where you start, you can choose where you go. I want them to see that healing is possible and that they, too, can make an impact in this world. Nursing is not just my career. It is my calling. Through it, I will continue transforming my past into purpose and use my voice to advocate for those who have been silenced. I believe in the power of care, and I am ready to use that power to help others heal.

Breaking Cycles to Build Futures Substance abuse and violence shaped the earliest years of my life. I was born to parents who struggled with addiction. My father died when I was seven. My mother died when I was twelve. From that point on, I was placed in foster care and became a victim of child trafficking from ages twelve to twenty. I grew up without safety or support, constantly facing instability, fear, and trauma. I learned too early how often young Black girls are unseen, unheard, and unprotected. These experiences did not end with me. I lost my twenty-three-year-old sister to the devastating impact of mental illness and addiction. One of my brothers lives on the street, battling both schizophrenia and heroin addiction. Another struggles with alcoholism, and a third with both alcoholism and crack. These are not distant stories. They are part of my daily life. They are reminders of what happens when proper mental health care, intervention, and support are missing in our communities. Despite all that I endured, I kept moving forward. I began working in healthcare as a teenager. Over the past twenty years, I have worked my way up from a Certified Nursing Assistant to a Licensed Vocational Nurse. Through my work, I have cared for patients in some of their most difficult moments. I have seen firsthand how broken our healthcare system is, especially for African American women and families affected by trauma and substance use. I realized that healing takes more than medical knowledge. It takes compassion, cultural understanding, and a commitment to seeing each person as whole and worthy. Now, I am returning to school to earn my Registered Nurse degree with the goal of becoming a Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. My dream is to open a trauma-informed mental health clinic that serves African American women and families. I want to provide care that understands the complexity of generational trauma, addiction, and mental illness. I want to build a safe space where African American women are heard, believed, and supported. As a West African American woman, a survivor, and a mother of four, I carry the weight of what I have lived through—but I also carry a deep sense of purpose. I understand the unique challenges Black women face when seeking help. Too often, our pain is ignored or minimized. Our strength is mistaken for not needing support. I want to change that narrative. I want to help create systems of care where African American women receive the mental health treatment they deserve, where communication between providers is clear, and where coordination of services is rooted in trust and dignity. Higher education is not just a personal goal. It is the pathway that will allow me to bring change to my community. It will help me build something that did not exist for me—a safe, healing place for women who have been through trauma and addiction. I want my children and every woman I serve to know that their past does not define them. What matters most is how we rise. I am committed to using my nursing degree to break cycles, build futures, and ensure that African American women are no longer left behind in their pain, but lifted up into healing.

A Life Rewritten Through Love and Purpose I was not born into safety or stability. My earliest years were filled with chaos, addiction, and trauma. I lost my father at seven and my mother at twelve, both to drug addiction. I survived child trafficking, moved through the foster system, and for a long time, believed I would never know what it meant to be truly cared for. But then my life changed. I was adopted by a single mother who saw past the pain in my eyes and chose to give me something I had never had before, a real chance. Being raised by a single mom gave me more than just a roof over my head. It gave me an example of strength, perseverance, and unconditional love. She worked hard, sacrificed daily, and poured every ounce of herself into making sure I had a future that looked nothing like my past. She showed me that one person’s decision to love, to fight, and to show up can transform a life. Her example is the foundation of the woman I have become. Now, as a mother of four and a woman who has worked in healthcare for over twenty years, I carry her lessons with me every day. I began as a Certified Nursing Assistant and worked my way up to a Licensed Vocational Nurse. I have walked alongside people in their most vulnerable moments and learned that healing takes more than medicine. It takes compassion, patience, and presence, qualities my mom embodied even when life was difficult. Losing my twenty-three-year-old sister to addiction and mental illness, seeing one brother become homeless due to schizophrenia and drug addiction, and watching others battle alcoholism only deepened my calling. These painful losses taught me that access to mental health care is not just a need. It is a right. Too many people, especially in communities of color, fall through the cracks. I want to change that. I am now returning to school to pursue my RN with the goal of becoming a Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. I plan to open a trauma-informed, culturally competent clinic focused on serving underserved and marginalized communities. I want to reach people like my siblings, people who are often judged before they are helped. I want to be the nurse who listens, the provider who sees the full person, and the advocate who makes sure no one is left behind. My identity is layered. I am autistic, multiracial, West African American, Portuguese, Hispanic, and part Middle Eastern. I am also a survivor. I was shaped by adversity, but I am not defined by it. I am defined by my determination to break generational cycles and build a life of meaning for myself and my children. I want to show them that your past does not dictate your future. What matters is the choice to rise. Being raised by a single mother taught me that one person can change everything. Now, I want to be that person for others. I want to pour into my community the way my mom poured into me, through love, through action, and through a belief that even one life saved is worth it all.

Carving Hope from Shared Healing Community, for me, has never been something I was simply born into. It is something I had to build, piece by piece, through pain, persistence, and purpose. As someone who grew up in the foster system, lost both parents to addiction, and survived child trafficking, community was not a given. But it became the thing that saved me, shaped me, and inspired me to return that same love and safety to others. Working in healthcare for over twenty years, I have seen the best and worst of what people go through. I started as a Certified Nursing Assistant and worked my way up to becoming a Licensed Vocational Nurse. Along the way, I found that community is not just the place you live. It is the people you choose to show up for and the people who show up for you. One moment that changed me happened during the pandemic when my facility was short-staffed and overwhelmed. Families were not allowed to visit, patients were scared, and staff were burning out. I began organizing after-hours check-ins with residents who were emotionally deteriorating. I sat with them, listened to their stories, and reminded them they were not forgotten. It started informally, but word spread, and soon coworkers were asking to join. We formed a small circle of support, each volunteering extra time to offer presence and comfort. That experience taught me the deepest form of care is not always clinical. It is human connection. And sometimes, that is what saves lives. That same spirit of showing up extends beyond my workplace. As a mother of four, I have mentored other young mothers in my neighborhood who are raising children on their own. Many of them carry trauma, just like I do. We have built our own informal network of support. We share rides to school, meals when someone is short, and emotional check-ins when someone is struggling. In helping them, I have healed parts of myself. I have learned that kindness is not always grand or public. Sometimes it looks like bringing diapers to a neighbor without asking for anything in return. When I lost my twenty-three-year-old sister to mental illness and addiction, and another of my brothers became homeless due to schizophrenia and drug use, it shattered me. But I also saw in my grief a deeper calling. I realized my community, especially communities of color and trauma survivors, are starving for mental health care that understands their lived experience. That is why I am now returning to school to pursue my RN, with the goal of becoming a Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. I want to open a trauma-informed, culturally competent mental health clinic to serve people like my siblings. People who fall through the cracks. Community has taught me that resilience is not about surviving alone. It is about letting others hold your pain when it gets too heavy, and then doing the same for someone else when you are able. Every connection I have made, from patients to neighbors to mothers on the edge of giving up, has shown me that we can build something strong even from the most broken parts of our stories. I used to think hope was something you either had or did not. Now I know it is something we can grow in each other, one small act at a time.

Rising From the Roots—My Journey to Healing Through Nursing I have spent more than two decades working in healthcare, starting as a Certified Nursing Assistant and rising to Licensed Vocational Nurse. My journey has been anything but easy, but it has shaped me into a woman of deep empathy, strength, and purpose. As a mother of four, a woman over 30 returning to school, and a survivor of some of life’s hardest trials, I now stand determined to become a Registered Nurse and eventually a Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. This path is not just a career; it is my calling. The Margaret A. Briller Scholarship represents not only financial relief but a powerful affirmation that stories like mine matter and that healing, both personal and communal, is possible. I was born to two parents struggling with addiction. I lost my father at age seven and my mother at age twelve. My childhood was spent in and out of foster homes, and by the time I was a teenager, I had already survived trafficking and multiple forms of trauma. These experiences could have broken me, but instead, they ignited something fierce inside me. I knew I wanted to help people, and I knew I wanted to heal. At eighteen, I began working as a CNA. The work was hard, but it gave me dignity, purpose, and the first real glimpse of my own strength. Over the years, I advanced my credentials, became a Medication Technician and later an LVN. I worked in long-term care, home health, and rehabilitation settings, witnessing the gaps in mental health care up close. I saw how trauma, addiction, and untreated mental illness cycle through families and communities, especially among people of color and low-income populations. That cycle took my twenty-three-year-old sister just two years ago. She died battling both addiction and mental health issues. One of my brothers now lives on the streets, addicted to heroin and suffering from untreated schizophrenia. Two others are caught in their own battles with alcohol and drug use. I have watched my family get swallowed by systems that too often fail the most vulnerable. But I refuse to be silent or still. I am autistic, multiracial, West African American, Portuguese, Hispanic, and part Middle Eastern, and I have spent my entire life being underestimated or overlooked. Yet, I have built a career, raised four children, and now return to school so I can make an even greater impact. My long-term goal is to become a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with a focus on trauma-informed care. I want to open a clinic that specifically supports underserved and marginalized people, those whose stories are complex, whose pain runs deep, and whose access to compassionate, culturally informed care has always been limited. Returning to school as a working mother with a full household is both exhilarating and overwhelming. Financially, the burden is significant. Tuition, books, childcare, transportation, and all the necessities of balancing school and parenting add up quickly. Receiving the Margaret A. Briller Scholarship would ease that burden in a way that would allow me to focus on learning and giving my best to my patients and professors. More than that, it would symbolize that my journey, the pain, the persistence, the passion, is not in vain. It would tell my children that no matter how difficult your past, your future is still yours to claim. I plan to use my nursing degree to be a vessel for hope. I want to walk into rooms others avoid, to serve people others give up on. I know what it feels like to be lost, abandoned, and invisible. I have lived through it. But I have also lived through the other side, the small moments of dignity, the nurses who did not look away, the people who saw worth in me when I could not see it myself. I want to be that person for someone else. Margaret A. Briller believed in the transformative power of nursing, and so do I. For me, nursing is not just science and skill. It is storytelling, advocacy, and healing. I carry with me not just a resume, but a testimony. One of survival, strength, and unshakable purpose. With this scholarship, I can move forward in that purpose. I can become the nurse, the practitioner, the woman I was always meant to be. And I can do it not just for myself, but for my children, my community, and all those who still believe that even the most broken stories can become powerful beginnings.