About 1/3 of African-American women experience hair loss at some point in their lives. While hair shedding is normal—about 100 to 150 hairs a day—hair loss otherwise known as alopecia is very common in African-American women. There are three types of alopecia: central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA), Traction alopecia, and breakage. Although CCCA is a genetic autoimmune disease and traction alopecia often comes from tightly pulled hairstyles like braids and weaves, these issues are further worsened by nutrient deficiencies. For example, iron deficiency and/or anemia and vitamin D deficiency and/or rickets. Researchers have found that anemia—a "serum ferritin threshold of <15 ng/mL"—is 2 to 3 times more likely to occur in black women and vitamin D deficiency impacts approximately 76% of the African American population, with average serum levels far below the recommended threshold of 30 ng/mL. Although conclusive studies verifying that iron and vitamin D reversing hair loss and thinning are lacking, there is significant evidence that points to individuals deficient in either nutrient are more likely to have greater hair loss than those who are not. Iron helps maintain oxygen supply to dividing hair follicles in the anagen phase. When the follicles don't have enough oxygen supply for energy when dividing, this results in thin hair, excessive shedding, slower regrowth and fragile hair strands. Vitamin D is involved in all three stages of the hair growth cycle but most importantly helps during the anagen phase to stimulate the hair follicle to mature into a hair follicle with creating "outer root sheath, the inner root sheath, and the hair shaft." Without sufficient vitamin D hair strands are weaker and easier to shed because they don’t have all of their "armor" on. The purpose of this project: CHEWED (Cultivating Healthy Eating for Wellness, Education, and Development) is to improve the quality of life and increase black women's confidence in their hair by improving iron intake and vitamin D consumption. In this way we hope to strengthen the hair and therefore omit alopecia. The goal of CHEWED is to put emphasis on how your diet can also be a big contributor to the status of your hair. Although low iron and low vitamin D intake alone may not always be the cause of thinning hair and shedding, other diseases that are often found in those that are anemic or vitamin D deficiency do cause alopecia as a side effect. As a community we have to stop trying to find quick fixes to our hair because the best remedies for our hair are things we do consistently. A lifestyle change could be the answer to so many years and money wasted on new products. This project is about instilling nutrition as a building block for preventing and treating health issues that could and ultimately do often lead to alopecia. Hair is an important aspect of life as a woman. When you don’t feel confident in your hair, in your skin, it's hard to go through your day without harping on it. Having long hair is not necessarily the goal for black women, but healthy hair. I believe that improving hair health through diet changes can help improve quality of life for women and more specifically black women. What may be ruining our hair could be lurking on our plates.

BEING MY BROTHER'S KEEPER: MY MISSION TO HEAL THROUGH NUTRITION In the Bible, when Cain asked God, "Am I my brother's keeper?" he believed the answer was no. Too often, this sentiment is shown through our society today—a dismissive "it's not my job" mentality that manifests through a careless glance towards the less fortunate. But I reject this philosophy with every fiber of my being. I am my brother's keeper, and our daily choices have a butterfly effect, creating a hurricane of change that can heal our broken communities one action at a time. My calling as my brother's keeper has led me to confront one of the most heartbreaking yet overlooked crises in America: the systematic denial of quality food to low-income Black communities. Growing up in Georgia, I have witnessed this injustice firsthand—from the food deserts of downtown Atlanta to the rural fields of Monroe. Families are trapped in cycles of poor nutrition not by choice, but by circumstance. And behind each statistic of what should be very avoidable disease is a human story—a working mother feeding her children processed meals because the nearest grocery store is miles away, a family watching their health deteriorate because no one ever taught them that food could be medicine. These families need support, but they are being failed by a system that places profit over people. This reality makes my skin crawl, and only fuels my determination to be the change that I want to see in the world. At Howard University, where I am pursuing my degree in nutrition, I am not merely studying food science—I am preparing for war against inequality. My education is my weapon, and functional medicine will be my strategy. I plan to return to Georgia to establish a nonprofit farmers market that will serve as more than just a food distribution center. It will be a safe space for the community where fresh fruits and vegetables are accessible and affordable, where nutrition education replaces ignorance. This farmers market will be revolutionary—not just providing food, but providing knowledge. Through cooking demonstrations and nutrition workshops, I will empower my community to understand that healthy eating is not a luxury, it is not impossible to achieve, it is a fundamental right. I will show them that diabetes and heart disease are not inevitable death sentences but preventable and treatable conditions. When we truly become our brother's keepers, transformation will come. Too many times, I have watched my people pushed aside, overlooked by a healthcare system that treats symptoms rather than addressing root causes. I refuse to stand and watch. My mission extends beyond individual healing; it is about breaking generational cycles of poor health, economic instability, and social injustice. When I feed my community, I am not just nourishing their bodies—I am giving them a better shot at life. A healthier shot at life. This scholarship represents more than financial assistance; it is an investment in a movement, in the belief that one person, armed with knowledge and driven by love for their community, can create a hurricane of change that will be felt for generations. I am my brother's keeper, and I will not rest until every family in my community has access to the nutrition they deserve. The time for change is now, and I am ready to be apart of it.

There are several ways in which food can negatively affect the black community. Black communities often lack access to fresh fruits and vegetables and are filled with convenience stores and fast food restaurants that encourage low-nutrient food. Not only is the system work against us in this way, but we ourselves perpetuate this diet by eating traditional soul food without moderation. Like macaroni, fried chicken, sweet potato pie, and on and on. These kinds of foods in large and consistent amounts can lead to serious health problems, which are prevalent in the black community. Growing up in a black family I have noticed a frequent occurrence of health issues that are disregarded as everyday problems. African Americans are 3 times more likely to experience symptoms of diabetes, heart disease, IBS, and much more. However, many African Americans never delve deeper to find the root of these issues mainly because they don't have financial access to them. What's more is that most studies on these diseases are performed on the white American population, so remedies are also catered to this population. After being diagnosed with IBS myself, and discovering how this illness disproportionately affects the black community, I have developed an interest in nutrition and the way food can help heal the body. My goal is to provide the black community with a more accessible way to prevent and treat these illnesses; through food. One of the pillars of African American culture is our food, I believe that by guiding African Americans through how food can make a great impact on health, we can strengthen our community and significantly reduce the negative results of unhealthy eating. Changing diet can be difficult but if we want to grow as a community we need to make changes ASAP. Children are growing up and seeing their grandparents die by 65 because of heart conditions. That is not normal. By studying at college as a nutrition major, I will be given the tools to make this goal of healing my community, a reality. I will be surrounded by people the same underrepresented people that I want to help in the future. This will allow me to have an immersive first-hand understanding of how lifestyle contributes to the health of the body. I hope to take it because their goals are the same as mine: to create a medical field that ALL people can depend on.

In 1900 BC, Mesopotamia, the first joke was told. It was a fart joke. Ah, yes, the humor of the digestive system. A familiar yet taboo topic that always seems to draw out a laugh. As a child, I too cracked fart jokes, my mother, however, found my humor distasteful. She warned me, ¨Be careful what you joke about, because it just might come back to bite you in the butt¨. Little did I know, my mother was right. On my first day of high school, I wobbled into Monroe Area Highschool, I found my seat in advisement and waited for the bell to ring. My adviser welcomed my class and went on to alleviate my unsureness about navigating high school. Still, I felt anxious but I couldn’t pinpoint why. Then I had this ominously familiar feeling in the pit of my stomach. I adjusted in my seat almost 30 times, sucked in my stomach, held my breath, and contemplated asking to go to the restroom. But it was too late, I was about to fart. My mind was racing and my heart was beating out of my chest, but I tried to stay inconspicuous as I silently let it rip. Heads turned, faces were scrunched, and I braced myself for the most embarrassing moment of my high school career. Here it comes, I thought. Fortunately for me, no one could find the culprit. However, the relief was short-lived, because I had to fart again. This went on all throughout high school and caused me to be very insecure. I would drown myself in perfume and work alone to avoid embarrassment. I hated myself, and my issues only got worse as I began to experience stomach pain daily. Grudgingly I went to my mother about it. ¨I told you so¨, her grin seemed to say, and everything came full circle. I became the butt of my jokes. My mom suggested I go to the doctor, so we did. However, one after the other they all told me there was nothing wrong. But I knew something was off. Finally, in the spring of my sophomore year, I was diagnosed with IBS or Irritable Bowel Syndrome. An intestinal disorder causing pain in the belly, gas, diarrhea, and constipation. I was so frustrated, but this whole pity party thing was getting old. So I posed a question to myself:  ¨Would you rather regret missing out on your own life or feel embarrassed for a few minutes because you passed gas?¨ Right at that moment, I made the decision I wouldn’t let my life pass me by because of my own insecurities.  After my diagnosis, I did everything I felt IBS stopped me from enjoying before. As a result, my junior year of high school was the best year of my life. I went to a football game. I tried out for volleyball and made Varsity. I joined Spanish Club and became president. I had sleepovers with my best friends and met people that made me feel at home. It wasn't so scary after all. Despite everything IBS put me through, I’m thankful for everything it taught me. IBS helped me overcome my anxiety instead of obsessing over everything that could go wrong. While I still struggle with IBS today, because I have lowered my anxiety level so much, I experience symptoms less and less. I learned that life is a treasure to never take for granted. So instead, I bask in the gift that is the present and continue to crack fart jokes.

Waking to the screams of my sister rolling in pain plagued me as a child. My oldest sister Morgan started experiencing symptoms of arthritis when she was in 8th grade and from there it quickly escalated. She went to doctor after doctor before there was an actual diagnosis made. Rheumatoid arthritis in her knees. She would limp, sometimes she couldn't even stand, and she especially struggled when she played her favorite sport, volleyball. She was depressed, she felt handicapped. It made me sick to think about how she had to deal with this illness from such a young age. Being a Seventh-day-Adventist, a religion focusing on health, we grew up eating lots of healthy foods. You would think that being healthier would have deterred her from getting this condition but it didn't seem to help much. However, there was an aspect of our religion we had overlooked: vegetarianism/veganism. My family still ate meat, but one day my sister took it upon herself to stop eating meat as many arthritis patients found that stopping meat consumption lowered the inflammation in their joints. I knew how hard sticking with such a drastic diet change would be for my sister, as meat is such a staple part of the human diet. I decided to join her on her vegetarian journey in support of her. Having someone to hold her accountable would be helpful. At first, it was hard, we craved meat every day as we watched the rest of my family eat their protein-packed dinners. In the beginning, we caved and ate some of my mother's glorious cooking, however as time wore on I noticed that I longed for meat less and less. It got to the point where the smell of meat made me feel nauseated. To my sister's relief, the diet change helped significantly and she could go back to regular activities like running and playing her favorite, volleyball. As time wore on though my sister's symptoms of arthritis diminished for whatever reason and she went back to eating meat. On the other hand, I stayed with the diet, it just seemed like it was a part of who I was. Being vegetarian opened my eyes to see how badly the meat industry treats its animals and the horrible chemicals that they are injected and cleaned with. This directly translates to lots of health conditions in Americans today and hormones have a significant effect on the growth of children today. Because of this, I promised myself to educate myself and others on how to treat their bodies with respect by what they put in their stomach, and eventually, that led to my interest in nutrition. Curing people by only the food they eat can make such a huge impact on the illness rate in America and even the world. If I can just change the life of one person through food that would be enough for me.

Waking to the screams of my sister rolling in pain plagued me as a child. My oldest sister Morgan started experiencing symptoms of arthritis when she was in 8th grade and from there it quickly escalated. She went to doctor after doctor before there was an actual diagnosis made. Rheumatoid arthritis in her knees. She would limp, sometimes she couldn't even stand, and she especially struggled when she played her favorite sport, volleyball. She was depressed, she felt handicapped. It made me sick to think about how she had to deal with this illness from such a young age. Being a Seventh-day-Adventist, a religion focusing on health, we grew up eating lots of healthy foods. You would think that being healthier would have deterred her from getting this condition but it didn't seem to help much. However, there was an aspect of our religion we had overlooked: vegetarianism/veganism. My family still ate meat, but one day my sister took it upon herself to stop eating meat as many arthritis patients found that stopping meat consumption lowered the inflammation in their joints. I knew how hard sticking with such a drastic diet change would be for my sister, as meat is such a staple part of the human diet. I decided to join her on her vegetarian journey in support of her. Having someone to hold her accountable would be helpful. At first, it was hard, we craved meat every day as we watched the rest of my family eat their protein-packed dinners. In the beginning, we caved and ate some of my mother's glorious cooking, however as time wore on I noticed that I longed for meat less and less. It got to the point where the smell of meat made me feel nauseated. To my sister's relief, the diet change helped significantly and she could go back to regular activities like running and playing her favorite, volleyball. As time wore on though my sister's symptoms of arthritis diminished for whatever reason and she went back to eating meat. On the other hand, I stayed with the diet, it just seemed like it was a part of who I was. Being vegetarian opened my eyes to see how badly the meat industry treats its animals and the horrible chemicals that they are injected and cleaned with. This directly translates to lots of health conditions in Americans today and hormones have a significant effect on the growth of children today. Because of this, I promised myself to educate myself and others on how to treat their bodies with respect by what they put in their stomach, and eventually, that led to my interest in nutrition. Curing people by only the food they eat can make such a huge impact on the illness rate in America and even the world. If I can just change the life of one person through food that would be enough for me.