Growing up in an urban neighborhood in Minneapolis, Minnesota, I experienced both the beauty and the challenges of my environment. In my early years, life was vibrant and full of joy. I have fond memories of riding up and down Broadway on my colorful bicycle, its handle tassels flying in the wind. I spent countless hours playing outside with my cousins, digging for bugs in my grandma's yard. On hot days, we would walk a few steps up the street to Rodger's Market to grab ice pops and two for a dollar bags of chips. These moments were filled with innocence and happiness, painting a picture of childhood that was far from the negative stereotypes often associated with urban living. However, things began to change in the early 2010s. The increasing violence in our neighborhood made it too dangerous to play outside. The fear of a stray bullet taking our young, innocent lives became a harsh reality. This shift significantly impacted me and my outlook on life, highlighting the importance of safety, education, and community support. Amid these challenges, one thing that was never emphasized, either at school or at home, was financial literacy. My mother worked long hours for the Hennepin County government, and my siblings were often busy with high school extracurricular activities. Unfortunately, my mother struggled with her own financial challenges, having experienced bankruptcy and never achieving the best credit score. Consequently, I was never exposed to the necessity of financial literacy and had to navigate the complexities of money management on my own. During high school, I juggled two jobs, but despite earning an income, I could never seem to manage my money effectively. This lack of financial knowledge made me realize how crucial financial literacy is and how it can significantly impact one’s life. This realization drew me to major in Business Economics with a focus on Finance at North Carolina A&T State University. I saw this path as an opportunity to equip myself with the knowledge and skills I never had growing up. As a rising sophomore, I am dedicated to understanding finance and economics. My goal is to pursue a career in financial law, combining legal and financial knowledge to help others make informed decisions. Currently, I serve as the Treasurer on the executive board of two organizations: MyCanvas, which promotes youth mental health, and Midwest Aggies. I have also accepted an internship at The Pelora Group, a financial advising company, to gain practical experience in the finance industry. After graduation, I aim to make a positive impact on my community, especially in neighborhoods like the one I grew up in. I plan to create programs that teach young people about financial literacy, covering topics like budgeting, saving, investing, and credit management. By spreading this knowledge, I hope to help others build secure financial futures. Financial literacy is a skill that can make or break someone's life, and I want to ensure more people have access to this crucial information. In conclusion, my upbringing has strongly influenced my academic and career choices. Growing up in Minneapolis, I experienced both the joys and the harsh realities of urban life. The lack of financial education in my home and community inspired me to seek a deeper understanding of finance and to share what I learn with others. Through my education, internships, and community involvement, I am committed to helping others achieve financial stability and success.

Growing up in an urban neighborhood in Minneapolis, Minnesota, financial literacy was not something we were taught at school or at home. My mother worked long hours for the Hennepin County government, and my siblings were often busy with high school extracurricular activities. Unfortunately, my mother struggled with her own financial challenges, having experienced bankruptcy and never achieving the best credit score. Consequently, I was never exposed to the necessity of financial literacy and had to navigate the complexities of money management on my own. During high school, I juggled two jobs, but despite earning an income, I could never seem to manage my money effectively. This lack of financial knowledge made me realize how crucial financial literacy is and how it can significantly impact one’s life. This realization drew me to major in Business Economics with a focus on Finance at North Carolina A&T State University. I saw this path as an opportunity to equip myself with the knowledge and skills I never had growing up. Now, as a rising sophomore, I am deeply committed to understanding the intricacies of finance and economics. My experiences have fueled my ambition to pursue a career in financial law. I believe that by combining legal and financial knowledge, I can help others navigate their financial difficulties and make informed decisions. Currently, I serve as the Treasurer on the executive board of two organizations: MyCanvas, which promotes youth mental health, and Midwest Aggies. I have recently accepted an internship at The Pelora Group, a financial advising company, to gain real-world experience in the finance industry. These roles have given me valuable insights and practical skills that will be instrumental in my future career. Post-graduation, I am committed to making a positive impact on my community, particularly in neighborhoods like the one I grew up in. I plan to establish programs that teach financial literacy to young people. By educating them on budgeting, saving, investing, and credit management, I hope to empower them with the tools they need to build secure financial futures. Financial literacy is a skill that can truly make or break one’s life, and I believe that by spreading this knowledge, I can help others avoid the challenges I faced and create a more financially literate community. My upbringing has greatly influenced my academic and career choices. The lack of financial education in my urban neighborhood and home has driven me to seek a deeper understanding of finance and to share that knowledge with others. Through my education, internships, and community involvement, I am committed to making a lasting positive impact and helping others achieve financial stability and success.

My mother's experience with mental health has profoundly shaped my goals, relationships, and understanding of the world. In recent years, she has struggled with anxiety and depression, particularly during my last few years at home before I went off to college. It was incredibly hard for me to watch her go through these episodes without seeking the help she needed. This struggle highlighted the existing stigmas around mental health within the Black community, where seeking help is often seen as a weakness rather than a necessity. Seeing my mother, a strong Black woman, grapple with mental health issues in silence was a turning point for me. It not only affected me emotionally but also drove me to think critically about these stigmas. I became passionate about this topic as I realized how damaging these misconceptions can be. The reluctance to seek help due to fear of judgment or cultural expectations leads to untreated mental health issues and unnecessary suffering. This passion became a catalyst in my life. In the summer of 2023, I participated in a program called Girls With Impact. Here, we learned the essentials of running a business. By the end of the program, I had created a business venture named "To the Root," a collective recognition apparel brand aimed at raising awareness about mental health in the Black community. This venture allowed me to channel my passion into a concrete project with real-world impact. My ideas gained recognition, and I was chosen to attend the Nestlé Venture Competition in Arlington, VA, where I had the opportunity to pitch my brand. This experience not only validated my efforts but also reinforced my commitment to addressing mental health stigmas in the Black community. It became clear to me that raising awareness was not enough; there needed to be actionable solutions to break down these barriers. Looking forward, my goal is to start an organization dedicated to ending the negative stigmas surrounding mental health within the Black community. This organization will focus on both education and direct support, aiming to connect individuals with mental health resources and professionals who understand their unique cultural contexts. Access to doctors and professionals who look like us and share similar experiences can make a significant difference in treatment and support. My mother's struggle with mental health issues has had a lasting impact on my goals, relationships, and worldview. It has deepened my empathy, strengthened my resolve, and clarified my purpose. I understand the importance of mental health education and the urgent need for culturally competent resources. In the future, I hope to create a society where mental health is openly discussed and treated with the seriousness it deserves, ensuring that people, especially within the Black community, can receive the help they need without fear of judgment.

My name is Jasmir Turner, and I will be an incoming freshman at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University for the fall semester. I will be studying Biological Engineering with the aspiration to become a Pharmaceutical Scientist. Most people are familiar with the work of your typical pharmacists. However, you would be surprised by the number of people who do not know about the life-changing actions of pharmaceutical scientists. I chose this specific major for many reasons, but one sticks out more than the plethora of others. The main reason is black communities' evident and rightful mistrust of the health industry and professionals. As a black woman myself, I can say from a personal bias that the health care industry is not built for our well-being as it is well known for continuously undermining the concerns and issues of black women. Although I am only one person, I feel as if I do have the ability to make a difference in evolving the pharmaceutical industry to change the outlook and the bias of black people and black women in particular. This is one of my biggest life goals, and I aspire to be able to achieve it.

My name is Jasmir Turner, and I am an incoming freshman at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University for the fall semester. I will be studying Biological Engineering with the aspiration to become a Pharmaceutical Scientist. Most people are familiar with the work of your typical pharmacists. However, you would be surprised by the number of people who do not know about the life-changing actions of pharmaceutical scientists. I chose this specific major for many reasons, but one sticks out more than the plethora of others. The main reason is the evident and rightful mistrust of black communities towards the health industry and health professionals. As a black woman myself, I can say from a personal bias that the health care industry is not built for our well-being as it is well known for continuously undermining the concerns and issues of black women. Although I am only one person, I feel as if I do have the ability to make a difference in evolving the pharmaceutical industry to change the outlook and the bias of black people and black women in particular. With such a massive goal in mind that will impact the black community, I must attend an HBCU. One of the main reasons I committed to NCAT was that it is the number one producer of black STEM graduates. Keeping that fact in mind and having a motivated department of people working towards similar goals, I will have the drive to make it happen.