Ever since I can remember I knew I wanted to work in the medical field; I would always tell my family and friends I was going to be a doctor and persuaded my mom and older sisters to let me "practice" doing check-ups on them. I initially wanted to be a surgeon but after learning all the different specialties and job routes nursing has, I eventually decided on nursing. My plan for the future is to get my degree in nursing and eventually become a nurse practitioner with my own practice. I would like to specialize in obstetrics and gynecology, but I would like to focus on family medicine as well. I plan to open one of Seattle's first Black-owned medical clinics that employs Black medical providers and support staff because that is unheard of here. I've never had a Black doctor and after seeing so many people asking for recommendations for Black medical and mental health providers on social media I realized the need for a clinic that is full of people that look like us. The fact that so many people are looking for spaces like this shows how much representation matters and how much more comfortable patients are when they feel like they can relate to their provider. After seeing an all-Black doctor's office in Atlanta, it encouraged me and also proved to me spaces like that are attainable. While in school I am also taking a CNA-program which is a requirement to the nursing program I am applying for. This means I will have to either cut back on my hours or look for a new job that can better accommodate my class schedule. This time I am so determined to finish school that I'm no longer allowing work to be an excuse so this scholarship will help supplement income lost from me cutting my hours back at my job. This scholarship will only not help ease my stress (because I've always worked full time so this is new to me) but also contribute to my success with school. Limiting the amount of stress is my main focus while in school because I know how easily anxious I can get and I need to be in the best mental space to be the best student I can be. Helping people is something I've always been passionate about and I am excited to embark on this journey to saving lives and making positive changes while bringing representation to the medical field.

Ever since I was little I knew I wanted to work in the medical field. From being excited for the days my mom took my sister and I to work with her at the hospital to always asking for a doctor's kit for Christmas and birthdays', I knew helping people was what I wanted to dedicate my life to. I initially wanted to be a surgeon but once I grew older and discovered all the different things nurses can do and specialize in (and even have their own practice!), I decided on nursing as my career path. I would eventually like to become a nurse practitioner specializing in midwifery and open up my own clinic someday. I currently work as a scheduler/receptionist at a clinic and it's very disheartening having to constantly reschedule patients who require a interpreter but we are unable to find one for them in time (even if we schedule a month out or more). Having to tell someone I know you have this issue, and we have to keep pushing back getting you the care you need because of language barrier is hard. Everyone thinks medicine is so high-tech and innovative and while it is, it's sad that in 2023 we are still facing issues on providing adequate care for patients of all backgrounds for something as "simple" as language (that should be a basic standard, patients need to be able to communicate with their providers) and shows us how far we have to go. I also personally know people who refuse to go to the doctor's office because of their experiences with providers making them feel uncomfortable, or downplaying their worries, or just feeling like they're outright being judged by the person there to help them. Medical facilities should be a safe space for patients, I believe that in order to provide equal and quality care amongst patient’s honesty is very important. Patient's need to feel comfortable sharing sensitive information. Though, it's hard to maintain or even receive honesty from patients if you are treating them differently based on stereotypes or personal bias. I don't only want to change the medical field through the way patients perceive providers, but I also want to create an environment where we not only call out inequalities but also brainstorm ways to solve them and make sure they do not happen again. I believe by creating a more welcoming medical environment that can change the world as a whole because health is very important to every single one of us. Our health is essential to our livelihood and how much we enjoy life. I believe everyone has the right to receiving equal quality care as well as having access to that care and I know I will have a part in making healthcare more accessible and equitable for everyone. I strive to not only be a provider but an advocate for all patients as well.

I grew up fortunate enough to experience my great-grandma, I say experience because elders in our family hold so much knowledge, stories, and advice it's unlike any other relationship I have experienced. I learned so much about myself and my history whenever we visited her in California, and I felt so proud of the family I come from after every conversation we had. So, I hoped the same for my children to be able to experience their great-grandparents. Unfortunately, all of my grandparents passed away before I turned 18 years old. All of their deaths affected me deeply, though my paternal grandma's death definitely affected me the most because I looked at her as the strongest woman on Earth. I was young when my other grandparents passed and while I was sad, I didn't grasp the impact of what death does to a family as well as individually. So, to be old enough to comprehend and feel what loss does, and to lose the matriarch of our family was tough. To think of the strength, she had to sit through my high school graduation despite all the pain she was in just to see me graduate meant the world to me. Sadly, she passed less than a month after my graduation, so it really put into hindsight how much she fought to see certain milestones; once again being the strongest person I know. Seeing how much she loved me and went out of her way to show love while being ill made me want to love harder and let people know as often as I can that I love them. Seeing how hard she fought gives me the courage to not give up on myself and my goals; she fought one of the toughest battles, so I always tell myself "no excuses" when I want to give up. She emphasized the importance of family and community, and my sisters and I are very serious about keeping the traditions she taught us alive. From taking turns hosting Kwanzaa to cooking gumbo for New Years, we use everything she taught us to keep the family unit close. Though life is tough navigating without my grandma and I wish she could be here, I look forward to her smiling down on me and cheering me on when I walk across the stage with my nursing degree.

Ever since I can remember I've always wanted to work in the medical field; every single Christmas I asked my mom for a stethoscope. First, she started off gifting me the plastic doctor kits and then eventually progressed to gifting me an actual stethoscope and scrubs. I initially wanted to be a surgeon but once I reached middle school and discovered all the things nurses can do like having their own practice, performing certain procedures, and all the different specialties nursing has I decided this was the path for me. An experience with nurses I'll never forget and inspired me even more to earn my degree was with the NICU nurses who took such great care of my nephew before he passed. I'll never forget when they sat my family and I in a room getting ready to tell us my nephew was not expected to live through the night, how the nurses connected with us. It felt like it was their loss too and I could tell our hurt, hurt them. Also, I was pleasantly shocked when three of the nurses who took care of my grandma in her last moments came to her memorial service. I never heard of medical providers coming to memorial or funeral services for patients, I always thought they care for you and just go on with their lives when the need for care ends. They made me realize the significant connections you build with patients and how that care extends from the hospital and can really impact people's lives. I plan to take the empathy and care they showed my family and I, and pay it forward. I would like to eventually become a nurse practitioner with a specialty in obstetrics and gynecology. I think it's important to create comfortable and equal environments for all patients because unfortunately there are discrepancies in medical care. Patients should never feel like their concerns are unheard or they are being judged by their background. I would also like to get experience working in the NICU and mother-baby since I have such a great connection to those areas. Providing adequate care that people feel resonates with them and genuinely makes their lives better is the main goal I have for my future in nursing. I currently work as a scheduler and receptionist at a major hospital in Washington state. My job is really what pushed me to want to further my education and earn my degree; I'm already gaining experience and I truly enjoy being able to help people so I want to elevate how much I can help. Before this, I was working as a COVID-19 tester at the height of the pandemic testing hundreds of patients a day. To a lot of people, me working as a COVID-19 tester was "crazy" to them, everyone was concerned about me catching COVID (which I never did thankfully!) but I viewed that job as my first step into working in the medical field during a crisis. As a nurse, I can't call out from work because I'm "scared of getting sick". To be in the medical field I think you need a fearless attitude and I think I really gained that through my experience as a tester. Nursing is something I've been passionate about since childhood and I'm glad my encounters pushed me to act on my passion. I'm looking forward to beginning this journey and how all my previous experiences and new experiences to come will contribute and benefit it.

I always dream of being a philanthropist, I thoroughly enjoy being able to help others especially in a time of crisis. I would donate to not only make mental health care more affordable for everyone but also to raise awareness about what dealing with mental illness is actually like. Since elementary school I knew something was different about me and it wasn't until years later and being misdiagnosed numerous times I was finally diagnosed with anxiety and depression my junior year of high school. It wasn't until then I learned mental illnesses can make you physically sick, I always thought it was just in your head. I think spreading awareness will not only help people who are going through something with getting diagnosed and treated correctly but also helps with misinformation about mental health. It isn't about being "crazy" and it can affect anyone at any time.

Ever since I can remember I've always wanted to work in the medical field; every single Christmas I asked my mom for a stethoscope. First, she started off gifting me the plastic doctor kits and then eventually progressed to gifting me an actual stethoscope and scrubs. I initially wanted to be a surgeon but once I reached middle school and discovered all the things nurses can do like having their own practice, performing certain procedures, and all the different specialties nursing has I decided this was the path for me. An experience with nurses I'll never forget and inspired me even more to earn my degree was with the NICU nurses who took such great care of my nephew before he passed. I'll never forget when they sat my family and I in a room getting ready to tell us my nephew was not expected to live through the night, how the nurses connected with us. It felt like it was their loss too and I could tell our hurt, hurt them. Also, I was pleasantly shocked when three of the nurses who took care of my grandma in her last moments came to her memorial service. I never heard of medical providers coming to memorial or funeral services for patients, I always thought they care for you and just go on with their lives when the need for care ends. They made me realize the significant connections you build with patients and how that care extends from the hospital and can really impact people's lives. I plan to take the empathy and care they showed my family and I, and pay it forward. I would like to eventually become a nurse practitioner with a specialty in obstetrics and gynecology. I think it's important to create comfortable and equal environments for all women patients because unfortunately there are discrepancies in medical care. Patients should never feel like their concerns are unheard or they are being judged by their background. I would also like to get experience working in the NICU and mother-baby since I have such a great connection to those areas. Providing adequate care that people feel resonates with them and genuinely makes their lives better is the main goal I have for my future in nursing. I currently work as a scheduler and receptionist at a major hospital in Washington state. My job is really what pushed me to want to further my education and earn my degree; I'm already gaining experience and I truly enjoy being able to help people so I want to elevate how much I can help. Before this, I was working as a COVID-19 tester at the height of the pandemic testing hundreds of patients a day. To a lot of people, me working as a COVID-19 tester was "crazy" to them, everyone was concerned about me catching COVID (which I never did thankfully!) but I viewed that job as my first step into working in the medical field during a crisis. As a nurse, I can't call out from work because I'm "scared of getting sick". To be in the medical field I think you need a fearless attitude and I think I really gained that through my experience as a tester. Nursing is something I've been passionate about since childhood and I'm glad my encounters pushed me to act on my passion. I'm looking forward to beginning this journey and how all my previous experiences and new experiences to come will contribute and benefit it.

Ever since I can remember I've always wanted to work in the medical field; every single Christmas I asked my mom for a stethoscope. First, she started off gifting me the plastic doctor kits and then eventually progressed to gifting me an actual stethoscope and scrubs. I initially wanted to be a surgeon but once I reached middle school and discovered all the things nurses can do like having their own practice, performing certain procedures, and all the different specialties nursing has I decided this was the path for me. I would like to eventually become a nurse practitioner with a specialty in obstetrics and gynecology. I think it's important to create comfortable and equal environments for all women patients especially Black women because there are discrepancies in medical care. Patients should never feel like their concerns are unheard or they are being judged by their background. Providing adequate care that people feel resonates with them and genuinely makes their lives better is the main goal I have for my future career. An experience with nurses I'll never forget and inspired me even more to earn my degree was with the NICU nurses who took such great care of my nephew before he passed. I'll never forget when they sat my family and I in a room getting ready to tell us my nephew was not expected to live through the night, how the nurses connected with us. It felt like it was their loss too and I could tell our hurt, hurt them. I never got the chance to share with them how much their empathy and care meant to my family so I will take my experiences and pay them forward in my career. I currently work in a clinic as a scheduler/receptionist and witnessing the inequalities patients face whether it be due to language, sexual orientation, or race/ethnicity pushed me to want to solve and be a part of the resolution myself. As a Black woman, I know all too well how it feels to be misjudged and misunderstood. I think these life experiences though painful can be used for good, they allow me to be able to connect with people who have faced the same discrimination, but it helps with treating everyone with care because I would not want anyone to feel how I felt in those situations. Nursing is so much more than just providing care; it's creating relationships with people in your community (and sometimes outside of the community) that makes their livelihood better. I plan on positively changing the healthcare field by speaking up when something is not right, spreading awareness about inequalities and speaking with lawmakers to come up with an action-plans on how we can hold medical facilities and/or providers who are doing a disservice to patients. A better healthcare field calls for a better world; where everyone feels seen and cared for.

Ever since I can remember I've always wanted to work in the medical field; every single Christmas I asked my mom for a stethoscope. First, she started off gifting me the plastic doctor kits and then eventually progressed to gifting me an actual stethoscope and scrubs. I initially wanted to be a surgeon but once I reached middle school and discovered all the things nurses can do like having their own practice, performing certain procedures, and all the different specialties nursing has I decided this was the path for me. I would like to eventually become a nurse practitioner with a specialty in obstetrics and gynecology. I think it's important to create comfortable and equal environments for all women patients because there are discrepancies in medical care. Patients should never feel like their concerns are unheard or they are being judged by their background. Providing adequate care that people feel resonates with them and genuinely makes their lives better is the main goal I have for my future career. An experience with nurses I'll never forget and inspired me even more to earn my degree was with the NICU nurses who took such great care of my nephew before he passed. I'll never forget when they sat my family and I in a room getting ready to tell us my nephew was not expected to live through the night, how the nurses connected with us. It felt like it was their loss too and I could tell our hurt, hurt them. Also, the nurses who cared for my grandma during her final moments on earth all came to her funeral. Almost every experience I've had with nurses they have been the light in very dark situations. I never got the chance to share with them how much their empathy and care meant to my family so I will take my experiences and pay them forward in my career. I currently work in a clinic as a scheduler/receptionist and witnessing the inequalities patients face whether it be due to language, sexual orientation, or race/ethnicity pushed me to want to solve and be a part of the resolution myself. I know all too well how it feels to be misjudged and misunderstood. I think these life experiences though painful can be used for good, they allow me to be able to connect with people who have faced the same discrimination, but it helps with treating everyone with care because I would not want anyone to feel how I felt in those situations. Nursing is so much more than just providing care; it's creating relationships with people in your community (and sometimes outside of the community) that makes their livelihood better. I plan on positively changing the healthcare field by speaking up when something is not right, spreading awareness about inequalities and speaking with lawmakers to come up with an action-plans on how we can hold medical facilities and/or providers who are doing a disservice to patients.

My dream version of my future self is a successful nurse practitioner who is working to make the healthcare industry equal for everyone.

Ever since I can remember I've always wanted to work in the medical field; every single Christmas I asked my mom for a stethoscope. First, she started off gifting me the plastic doctor kits and then eventually progressed to gifting me an actual stethoscope and scrubs. I initially wanted to be a surgeon but once I reached middle school and discovered all the things nurses can do like having their own practice, performing certain procedures, and all the different specialties nursing has I decided this was the path for me. I would like to eventually become a nurse practitioner with a specialty in obstetrics and gynecology. I think it's important to create comfortable and equal environments for all women patients because there are discrepancies in medical care especially pertaining to Black women. Patients should never feel like their concerns are unheard or they are being judged by their background. Providing adequate care that people feels resonates with them and genuinely makes their lives better is the main goal I have for my future career. An experience with nurses I'll never forget and inspired me even more to earn my degree was with the NICU nurses who took such great care of my nephew before he passed. I'll never forget when they sat my family and I in a room getting ready to tell us my nephew was not expected to live long, how the nurses connected with us. It felt like it was their loss too and I could tell our hurt, hurt them. Also, the nurses who cared for my grandma during her final moments on earth all came to her funeral. Almost every experience I've had with nurses they have been the light in very dark situations. I never got the chance to share with them how much their empathy and care meant to my family so I will take my experiences and pay them forward in my career. I currently work in a clinic as a scheduler/receptionist and witnessing the inequalities patients face whether it be due to language, sexual orientation, or race/ethnicity pushed me to want to solve and be a part of the resolution myself. As a woman I know all too well how it feels to be misjudged and misunderstood. I think these life experiences though painful can be used for good, they allow me to be able to connect with people who have faced the same discrimination, but it helps with treating everyone with care because I would not want anyone to feel how I felt in those situations. I plan on exuding that comfort and understanding through my career. Nursing is so much more than just providing care; it's creating relationships with people in your community (and sometimes outside of the community) that makes their livelihood better.

Ever since I can remember I've always wanted to work in the medical field; every single Christmas I asked my mom for a stethoscope. First, she started off gifting me the plastic doctor kits and then eventually progressed to gifting me an actual stethoscope and scrubs. I initially wanted to be a surgeon but once I reached middle school and discovered all the things nurses can do like having their own practice, performing certain procedures, and all the different specialties nursing has I decided this was the path for me. I would like to eventually become a nurse practitioner with a specialty in obstetrics and gynecology. I think it's important to create comfortable and equal environments for all women patients because there are discrepancies in medical care especially pertaining to Black women. Patients should never feel like their concerns are unheard or they are being judged by their background. Providing adequate care that people feels resonates with them and genuinely makes their lives better is the main goal I have for my future career. An experience with nurses I'll never forget and inspired me even more to earn my degree was with the NICU nurses who took such great care of my nephew before he passed. I'll never forget when they sat my family and I in a room getting ready to tell us my nephew was not expected to live long, how the nurses connected with us. It felt like it was their loss too and I could tell our hurt, hurt them. Almost every experience I've had with nurses they have been the light in very dark situations. I never got the chance to share with them how much their empathy and care meant to my family so I will take my experiences and pay them forward in my career. I currently work in a clinic as a scheduler/receptionist and witnessing the inequalities patients face whether it be due to language, sexual orientation, or race/ethnicity pushed me to want to solve and be a part of the resolution myself. As a woman I know all too well how it feels to be misjudged and misunderstood. I think these life experiences though painful can be used for good, they allow me to be able to connect with people who have faced the same discrimination, but it helps with treating everyone with care because I would not want anyone to feel how I felt in those situations. Nursing is so much more than just providing care; it's creating relationships with people in your community (and sometimes outside of the community) that makes their livelihood better.

Ever since I can remember I've always wanted to work in the medical field; every single Christmas I asked my mom for a stethoscope. First, she started off gifting me the plastic doctor kits and then eventually progressed to gifting me an actual stethoscope and scrubs. I initially wanted to be a surgeon but once I reached middle school and discovered all the things nurses can do like having their own practice, performing certain procedures, and all the different specialties nursing has I decided this was the path for me. I would like to eventually become a nurse practitioner with a specialty in obstetrics and gynecology. I think it's important to create comfortable and equal environments for all women patients because there are discrepancies in medical care especially pertaining to Black women. Patients should never feel like their concerns are unheard or they are being judged by their background. Providing adequate care that people feels resonates with them and genuinely makes their lives better is the main goal I have for my future career. An experience with nurses I'll never forget and inspired me even more to go into the nursing field was with the NICU nurses who took such great care of my nephew before he passed. I'll never forget when they sat my family and I in a room getting ready to tell us my nephew was not expected to live long, how the nurses connected with us. It felt like it was their loss too and I could tell our hurt, hurt them. Also, the nurses who cared for my grandma during her final moments on earth all came to her funeral. Almost every experience I've had with nurses they have been the light in very dark situations. I never got the chance to share with them how much their empathy and care meant to my family so I will take my experiences and pay them forward in my career. I currently work in a clinic as a scheduler/receptionist and witnessing the inequalities patients face whether it be due to language, sexual orientation, or race/ethnicity pushed me to want to solve and be a part of the resolution myself. As a Black woman I know all too well how it feels to be misjudged and misunderstood. I think these life experiences though painful can be used for good, they allow me to be able to connect with people who have faced the same discrimination, but it helps with treating everyone with care because I would not want anyone to feel how I felt in those situations. Nursing is so much more than just providing care; it's creating relationships with people in your community (and sometimes outside of the community) that makes their livelihood better. Care doesn't begin nor end when a patient is ill.

My greatest achievement was writing and publishing a poetry book through a writing program called Young Urban Authors my freshman year of high school. My book is titled "Perception" and it's a collective of poems from different perspectives; from a young girl mourning the loss of her mother to a beautiful romantic poem written by a fiancé. I wanted everyone to feel seen and be able to relate to my book in some way. At the time, I didn't realize what a big deal it was to be my age and have a book published. Everyone I told was so ecstatic for me and really helped support by buying the book. Now, I understand the excitement I received from adults when I published my book, I LOVE seeing young people doing positive things because I understand how easy it is to feel pressured to do otherwise. That process taught me dedication; writing a book is not easy. Spending hours on brainstorming, editing, choosing a title, picking a cover; the whole process is very detailed and should not be rushed. Before writing my book, I was into instant gratification; planning something for the future but wanting to achieve it right away. I've always been a goal maker but wanted to see changes right away, I did not really put my full effort towards goals I just hoped to get lucky and somehow accomplish them in a span of three days. Seriously. Of course, that's not always realistic and often led to me being disappointed, discouraged, and/or giving up on a goal altogether. Now I am an avid believer of delayed gratification. "Slow and steady wins the race" My plan for the future is to have a successful career in nursing and just creating. I plan on not only providing medical care through nursing but advocating for underrepresented and/or misrepresented patients. I currently work at a hospital as a scheduler, and I already have come across the inequalities in the medical system. From patients being denied access to proper prompt care due to language barriers or patient’s complaints about pain going unheard due to racial stereotypes. I believe the fix will need to happen within and I plan to be a part of the solution. I would love to start my own medical practice as a nurse practitioner so I can create a comfortable and welcoming environment for all patients. I look forward to being the change the medical field so desperately needs.

Ever since I can remember I've always wanted to work in the medical field; every single Christmas I asked my mom for a stethoscope. First, she started off gifting me the plastic doctor kits and then eventually progressed to gifting me an actual stethoscope and scrubs. I initially wanted to be a surgeon but once I reached middle school and discovered all the things nurses can do like having their own practice, preforming certain procedures, and all the different specialties nursing has I decided this was the path for me. A major driving force that made me decide to go back to school and earn my degree was witnessing my auntie earning her nursing degree right before she turned 35. She's shown there is no time limit to dreams, as long as you work hard and stay focused it doesn't matter when you started just matters whether you are going to finish or not. I would like to eventually become a nurse practitioner with a specialty in obstetrics and gynecology. I think it's important to create comfortable and equal environments for all women patients because there are discrepancies in medical care especially pertaining to Black women. Patients should never feel like their concerns are unheard or they are being judged by their background. Providing adequate care that people feels resonates with them and genuinely makes their lives better is the main goal I have for my future career. An experience with nurses I'll never forget and inspired me even more to earn my degree was with the NICU nurses who took such great care of my nephew before he passed. I'll never forget when they sat my family and I in a room getting ready to tell us my nephew was not expected to live long, how the nurses connected with us. It felt like it was their loss too and I could tell our hurt, hurt them. Also, the nurses who cared for my grandma during her final moments on earth all came to her funeral. Almost every experience I've had with nurses they have been the light in very dark situations. I never got the chance to share with them how much their empathy and care meant to my family so I will take my experiences and pay them forward in my career. I currently work in a clinic as a scheduler/receptionist and witnessing the inequalities patients face whether it be due to language, sexual orientation, or race/ethnicity pushed me to want to solve and be a part of the resolution myself. As a Black woman I know all too well how it feels to be misjudged and misunderstood. I think these life experiences though painful can be used for good, they allow me to be able to connect with people who have faced the same discrimination, but it helps with treating everyone with care because I would not want anyone to feel how I felt in those situations. Nursing is so much more than just providing care; it's creating relationships with people in your community (and sometimes outside of the community) that makes their livelihood better. Care doesn't begin nor end when a patient is ill.

The book I would choose for everyone to read would be "Tears of a Tiger". I would recommend they read this book during adolescent/high school years, but it resonates with people of all ages I feel like. "Tears of a Tiger" is the first book ever that made me emotional, I felt like I wasn't just reading a book but I was reading the real life journal of the main character Andy. I was able to envision what he was going through, a place I've been in as well and felt like I was going through every bit of emotion with him. Anger, guilt, shame, breaks of happiness, every single emotion. I know a book that makes you cry, who wants to read that? But I think that book garnered so much emotion from me because it was something I can relate to; dealing with grief and holding things in. I think we all in a way can relate to Andy, we've all felt guilty about something or lost someone or something we loved, and it just takes you through what happens when you can't forgive yourself nor forget who you lost. Andy loses his best friend due to a car accident where he was the driver and eventually he cannot fathom the guilt anymore and commits suicide. Not a happy ending either but I think that's what I respect about the book, everything can't be a happy ending and life sometimes eats you up. I think people can also take note of not-to do when grieving from this book. There were so many chances Andy could've chose happiness or chose to live but when we let things, we no longer have control over consume our lives we no longer have control either. Of course, grief isn't a choice, but we ultimately have the choice of how we choose to deal with things. The biggest lesson I got from this book is the power in thoughts, and how we choose what thoughts we feed into.

I'm potentially looking into getting my certification to be a medical assistant while in school. I plan on having a career in nursing (with a specialty in obstetrics and gynecology) and I think being a medical assistant is a perfect way to test out the waters while also gaining experience. With medical assistant experience I will get into the routine or further increase my skills regarding sanitizing equipment, interacting with patients, taking vitals, etc. The medical field can be very intimidating, and you go in scared to make mistakes because it has much higher risk. So, I think familiarizing myself and practicing things I will need to do when I earn my degree will help me go into nursing with a clear and more confident mindset. Currently I am a clinic scheduler and receptionist at a hospital and the joy I get from patient's appreciation when getting scheduled proves I am on the right path. It makes me want more from this field and contribute even more to helping people out. Figuring out a solution to a problem people are having feels very rewarding, and right now the wait times for scheduling an appointment with doctors (in all specialties) is quite a wait so being able to find openings and reassure worried patients is really such a rewarding feeling. Working at a hospital also gives me motivation to further my education and start my career in nursing as I see so many nurses every day and get inspired to one day get where they are. The nurses in my department are all so supportive and encouraging me to get my degree in nursing. With the nursing program I plan to do, I do have to also get my nursing assistant certificate as well. I plan to also explore that area as well once I receive my certification. I think both of these jobs are a great introduction into what I plan to do for the rest of my working career. Both give great hands-on experience with not just patients but also medical equipment and also gives you some familiarity with working in a hospital. I think it's important to explore in the same or similar field you would like to go into because it's one thing to read the duties of a job but another to actually do them. I think it will help boost my confidence when I finally go into nursing because I have so much experience to look back on.

During elementary school I would always get these really bad stomach aches and then I would start panicking eventually leading to me calling my parents and getting picked up early. This happened at least three times a month. That feeling would always go away then come back, eventually one night I was in tears from the pain and my mom decided to take me to the ER where I diagnosed with acid reflux. I knew what I was experiencing was not a "stomach" issue but more so a "feeling" issue because the pain would go away when I got home. Though as a child I thought I had no other option but to accept the diagnosis and continued not knowing I had a mental illness until high school. My sophomore year I was finally correctly diagnosed with anxiety and depression. At first, I didn't really understand what having a mental illness meant, I was scared of being labeled as "crazy" so I kept it to myself. It was also confusing because people never talk about how mental illnesses can affect you physically and trick you into feeling "sick" (hence all the stomach aches and panic; I was having a panic attack). Eventually I accepted my "new life". I started talking with my mom more about how I was feeling. I started building a better relationship with God, working out and journaling. Of course, mental illness is something I will always live with, and I get random panic attacks still but finding a natural remedy that I can bring with me everywhere has definitely helped. I plan on having a career in nursing and giving back to community not just through healthcare but also advocating for voices that often go unheard. I currently work in a medical clinic and the inequalities that exist in the medical field based on race, language, sexual orientation is ridiculous. In a perfect world, medicine should not discriminate. How can we provide adequate care to those in need if we're too many judging people about what we see on the outside? I think my experience with mental health and just as a Black woman helps with not judging what we see on the outside. So many times, I was battling things and was judged for not smiling enough or being to myself. I don't want anyone to ever feel like they're being judged for things they can't control because I know it feels so hopeless in those situations. I plan on joining organizations, talking to lawmakers, doing whatever I can to make the medical world as comfortable for everyone as possible. Also, spreading awareness is key. The amount of people who unaware of the disparate mortality rates Black women and babies face during childbirth is astonishing. If there's an inequality call it out, but don't just stop there. I truly feels it takes just one person to believe they can change something, and once you act on that belief the support will follow.

My favorite thing about Disney is the confidence and representation it gives everyone but especially little girls (me included!). Growing up I've watched everything from The Lion King to Lilo & Stitch to Halloweentown. Basically, I didn't care about the genre, I just love Disney movies. It never resonated with me until adulthood how witnessing women in all aspects (as a princess, as a warrior, as business owners, and so much more) makes you feel like you can do anything. Being shown as a child there are no limits to dreaming and making those dreams happen gave me the push, I never knew I needed until adulthood. I believe I am bold, fierce, and determined because of what I watched. Recently, my mom and two sisters joined me to watch the new Little Mermaid. Of course, I loved the movie and what it represented but watching that movie really made me think, all these little girls from all over are going to be so proud seeing themselves on the screen. As a child I didn't think like that, I just enjoyed the action and humor from the movies but now I realize why for generations people LOVE Disney movies; often times groups who didn't feel represented were able to see themselves on television. No matter how big or small the role, your experience in some way is being conveyed on television. That is a big deal. It makes you feel seen. Seeing people who look like you makes you feel invincible and builds. I think about how much I would've loved to see the new Ariel as a child, I had locs growing up and boy the joy I had when I saw Halle was casted for the lead. I endured many negative comments about my hair so for it to be deemed beautiful in this movie was such a delight to watch. I was also fortunate enough to experience Disneyland with my family as a child and hope to experience with my nephew (and maybe kids!) soon. That trip was such a remarkable trip for me because I usually am not a fan of amusement parks or deep water but that day, I rode every rollercoaster I could, got on every boat ride I could, that day I had no fears and it showed. My mom and I still talk and joke about how fearless I was that trip, I think she's still shocked about it till this day. Overall, Disney gave me a really happy childhood and unbeknownst to me also shaped me for adulthood. I am so happy future generations are getting to experience the representation we did. Thank you, Disney!

Ever since I can remember I've always wanted to work in the medical field; every single Christmas I asked my mom for a stethoscope. First, she started off gifting me the plastic doctor kits and then eventually progressed to gifting me an actual stethoscope and scrubs. I initially wanted to be a surgeon but once I reached middle school and discovered all the things nurses can do like having their own practice, preforming certain procedures, and all the different specialties nursing has I decided this was the path for me. A major driving force that made me decide to go back to school and earn my degree was witnessing my auntie earning her nursing degree right before she turned 35. She's shown there is no time limit to dreams, as long as you work hard and stay focused it doesn't matter when you started just matters whether you are going to finish or not. An experience with nurses I'll never forget and inspired me even more to earn my degree was with the NICU nurses who took such great care of my nephew before he passed. I'll never forget when they sat my family and I in a room getting ready to tell us my nephew was not expected to live long, how the nurses connected with us. It felt like it was their loss too and I could tell our hurt, hurt them. Also, the nurses who cared for my grandma during her final moments on earth all came to her funeral. Almost every experience I've had with nurses they have been the light in very dark situations. I never got the chance to share with them how much their empathy and care meant to my family so I will take my experiences and pay them forward in my career. I currently work in a clinic as a scheduler/receptionist and witnessing the inequalities patients face whether it be due to language, sexual orientation, or race/ethnicity pushed me to want to solve and be a part of the resolution myself. As a Black woman I know all too well how it feels to be misjudged and misunderstood. I think these life experiences though painful can be used for good, they allow me to be able to connect with people who have faced the same discrimination, but it helps with treating everyone with care because I would not want anyone to feel how I felt in those situations. Nursing is so much more than just providing care; it's creating relationships with people in your community (and sometimes outside of the community) that makes their livelihood better. Care doesn't begin nor end when a patient is ill.

Ever since I can remember I've always wanted to work in the medical field; every single Christmas I asked my mom for a stethoscope. First, she started off gifting me the plastic doctor kits and then eventually progressed to gifting me an actual stethoscope and scrubs. I initially wanted to be a surgeon but once I reached middle school and discovered all the things nurses can do like having their own practice, preforming certain procedures, and all the different specialties nursing has I decided this was the path for me. A major driving force that made me decide to go back to school and earn my degree was witnessing my auntie earning her nursing degree right before she turned 35. She's shown there is no time limit to dreams, as long as you work hard and stay focused it doesn't matter when you started just matters whether you are going to finish or not. An experience with nurses I'll never forget and inspired me even more to earn my degree was with the NICU nurses who took such great care of my nephew before he passed. I'll never forget when they sat my family and I in a room getting ready to tell us my nephew was not expected to live long, how the nurses connected with us. It felt like it was their loss too and I could tell our hurt, hurt them. Also, the nurses who cared for my grandma during her final moments on earth all came to her funeral. Almost every experience I've had with nurses they have been the light in very dark situations. I never got the chance to share with them how much their empathy and care meant to my family so I will take my experiences and pay them forward in my career. I currently work in a clinic as a scheduler/receptionist and witnessing the inequalities patients face whether it be due to language, sexual orientation, or race/ethnicity pushed me to want to solve and be a part of the resolution myself. As a woman I know all too well how it feels to be misjudged and misunderstood. I think these life experiences though painful can be used for good, they allow me to be able to connect with people who have faced the same discrimination, but it helps with treating everyone with care because I would not want anyone to feel how I felt in those situations. Nursing is so much more than just providing care; it's creating relationships with people in your community (and sometimes outside of the community) that makes their livelihood better. Care doesn't begin nor end when a patient is ill.

Ever since I can remember I've always wanted to work in the medical field; every single Christmas I asked my mom for a stethoscope. First, she started off gifting me the plastic doctor kits and then eventually progressed to gifting me an actual stethoscope and scrubs. I initially wanted to be a surgeon but once I reached middle school and discovered all the things nurses can do like having their own practice, preforming certain procedures, and all the different specialties nursing has I decided this was the path for me. A major driving force that made me decide to go back to school and earn my degree was witnessing my auntie earning her nursing degree right before she turned 35. She's shown there is no time limit to dreams, as long as you work hard and stay focused it doesn't matter when you started just matters whether you are going to finish or not. An experience with nurses I'll never forget and inspired me even more to earn my degree was with the NICU nurses who took such great care of my nephew before he passed. I'll never forget when they sat my family and I in a room getting ready to tell us my nephew was not expected to live long, how the nurses connected with us. It felt like it was their loss too and I could tell our hurt, hurt them. Also, the nurses who cared for my grandma during her final moments on earth all came to her funeral. Almost every experience I've had with nurses they have been the light in very dark situations. I never got the chance to share with them how much their empathy and care meant to my family so I will take my experiences and pay them forward in my career. I currently work in a clinic as a scheduler/receptionist and witnessing the inequalities patients face whether it be due to language, sexual orientation, or race/ethnicity pushed me to want to solve and be a part of the resolution myself. As a Black woman I know all too well how it feels to be misjudged and misunderstood. I think these life experiences though painful can be used for good, they allow me to be able to connect with people who have faced the same discrimination, but it helps with treating everyone with care because I would not want anyone to feel how I felt in those situations. Nursing is so much more than just providing care; it's creating relationships with people in your community (and sometimes outside of the community) that makes their livelihood better. Care doesn't begin nor end when a patient is ill.

Ever since I was in elementary school, I knew there was something wrong; I often would experience really painful stomach aches and this sense of panic that would often call for my parents to pick me up early from school. After a trip to the ER, I was diagnosed with acid reflux thought I knew the issue really wasn't my stomach because those painful feelings always went away when I got home. My sophomore year of high school while dealing with bullying and a love one's terminal illness, suicidal thoughts went through my mind and that scared me. I knew I didn't want to die, I wanted to live but life just felt like it had no purpose. Those thoughts scared me enough that I called my primary care provider's office and set up an appointment. 2015 was the year I was diagnosed with clinical depression and anxiety. I went in there with the idea I was depressed but anxiety. About what? Now when I think back to all those stomach aches in elementary school it all makes sense, I was having panic attacks. When I was younger hearing the word "mental health" meant whatever was going on internally inside the head not realizing mental illnesses can and often does affect you physically as well. I think me sharing my mental health status with my boyfriend brought us closer, I was nervous sharing my mental illnesses with him because I didn't want to be labeled as "crazy", but shockingly he just kept apologizing to me for all the times he didn't understand why I kept to myself or didn't respond to him right away. I think that's the hardest part, trying to make loved ones realize you aren't mad or annoyed with them it's just sometimes quietness is the only thing that brings me sanity. My mom is starting to understand more because I know my mental illness probably affected her the most outside of me. Her, my sisters, and I always spent a lot of time together and the change in my personality made her feel as though I wasn't interested in hanging out with them anymore when in fact that was one of the rare times, I felt true joy at that time. It's just hard explaining to people how hard it is to talk yourself into doing "basic" things are and though I don't think she still fully understands I think she's working towards it. She checks on me and how I am feeling a lot more and has given me plenty of self-care books that I still use till this day. Mental illness in a funny way teaches understanding, and that what's on the surface is not what it always seems so it's always good to just check in with each other and never assume how someone else feels towards you. Now, I'm no longer feeling ashamed of my mental illness. I'm doing this journey of life while battling a villain that unfortunately will never just go away but I know how to handle them now.

Being a first-generation college student pushes me to take education and getting my degree more serious. Though, I am the one doing all the schoolwork and studying, in a way this degree is a degree for not just me but my whole family. I just want them to know everything they sacrificed, provided, and the support they gave while I was in school (and in life in general) is not in vain. I have such big dreams because my parents taught me not to let anything limit me and I take that with me career wise as well. I don't just want to be a registered nurse, I want to get my master’s degree and eventually become a nurse practitioner with my own clinic specializing in obstetrics and gynecology. I'm sure my goals may change to me earning a doctorate in nursing someday. I plan on using anything that is seen as a "barrier" or "disadvantage" as motivation for me while earning my degree. It's up to you to decide how you will let things affect you and knowing that I can inspire younger generations in my family and knowing being the first to earn a college degree will bring a better life to my family and I just pushes me to not give up. That's how we were raised, if one of us accomplishes something it is a win for all of us.

I lost both grandparents to cancer before the age of 18. Growing up, I always imagined my children being able to have a relationship with their great-grandparents as I was lucky enough to experience my great-grandparents and their family stories. Unfortunately, I am not very close with my mom’s side but my dad’s parents were like model grandparents; Sunday dinners at their house, sleepovers every other weekend with my cousins at their house, still buying the Christmas gift my parents said was too expensive for me. I truly enjoyed my Nya Nya (grandma) and Baba (grandpa) and couldn't wait for my kids and my sister’s kid to experience them. The day before I started 5th grade at a new school, I lost my grandpa due to a blood clot following surgery he had while battling cancer. I knew he was sick, but I really just didn't understand the magnitude at that age, I always expected him to come back home with us eventually. Then, four days before my 18th birthday my grandma passed away after her battle with breast cancer. Her death really shook me because I still had accomplishments, I wanted her to be there for. I know this is cliche but it really showed me we get one life and how important it is to just let people know you love them. We've always been a hugging family but I started saying "I love you" more, checking in on my sisters randomly, making sure to send my parents a "good morning" text every morning. Death in a weird way, made me value life more. We all know death is inevitable though it seems to hit us in the most unexpecting ways, but after the grief and adjusting to a new way of life I feel like in the end it's always made me reflect on myself. What do I want people to be able to take from my life? What have I taught someone? It just teaches you death is never in vain, and you gain something from it. We all in some way plan for the future and expect certain people to be there for those things. I had to learn to not let it affect my desire for those plans because those who passed on are still cheering me on up above. Things unfortunately can never go as we plan but it's truly up to us to decide how and if the show must go on regardless!

I am 24 years old, and this fall will be an incoming college freshman. Every time I write or say that, it shocks me. Not because I don't think I'm smart enough or college isn't for me but because I was once so embarrassed to admit that. Running into high school classmates who already graduated and being asked "so what are you doing?" was something I dreaded. Initially, when I first graduated high school in 2017, I went straight to college for nursing. I was excited, most of my tuition was paid for, and I was finally one step closer to achieving a lifelong dream of mine; being a nurse. Though, life hit me unexpectedly. That year in 2017 I lost 5 family members; one after the other after the other. It was like once I was finally able to grieve and come to terms with this "new life" without someone, someone else I loved passed. It was extremely hard when my 1st born nephew passed a few days shy of turning one month because we all looked at him as a gift from God after experiencing so much death, just to experience it again unfortunately. It was overwhelming, I love God but during that time I questioned him. How am I supposed to focus when it seems I can't catch a break? Why my family? Eventually, I chose to take a break from school after finishing out a quarter. The plan was always to go back soon but I started working full-time and I honestly lost sight of what was important to me. Working in healthcare I make good money, but it was never about money when I really thought about it. I want to be a nurse because I love helping people, because I want to create a practice that empowers people and does not discriminate, I want to be a nurse to change if not the world at least our healthcare system. So, this winter I finally took the plunge and decided to enroll in school again. It's scary but I didn't want to use my family's passing as an excuse but rather as motivation. Now, I have so many eyes watching me from above and I want to make them proud. I've shared my dreams of nursing with everyone including those who passed so I want to prove they aren't just dreams but will eventually become my reality.