It is important to be patient because it will help present things in a clear way so that chaos will be minimized. Patience is something I do my very best to exercise on a daily basis. I have witnessed how situations can get out of control when the parties involved are not exercising patience and self-control. Furthermore, being inpatient and hyper can lead to certain health problems such high blood pressure, heart attacks, and/or strokes. I believe that if you practice patience with one's family, work, and your peers that your relations will be healthier and less stressful. Consequently, by me being a patient person it will enable me to achieve my goals, maintain a more positive outlook on life, and make me a less reactive person to stressful situations, which in turn will make me less likely to act irrational or make hasty decisions. So, when I'm faced with a difficult situation, my future looks uncertain, or a something bad happens to me, I learned to stop and take a minute or two to regroup and patiently deal with the problem at hand and always things end up turning out okay. As the old saying goes "patience is a virtue" I have found that this saying is something live by.

The most important things I do to relax and take care of my mental health is I "value myself and my piece of mind while partaking in certain self-care technique's like listening to spiritual music or giving myself a cleansing facial that exfoliates away all the stresses of the world. Because I was born with a condition called "achondroplasia" (dwarfism), I have learned to relax and treat myself with utmost kindness and respect and avoid self-criticism. I always hold myself in high regards in order to protect my piece and self-worth because it is easy to let your mental health take a hit if you let it. Finally, I love to spend quality simply relaxing, joking around, and talking with the two important people to me which is my mom and my big sister because they are my safe place to go when life tries to get me down. Those two will immediately make things better again.

In the last seven years I have done the following acts of service to helps others in my community: I have entertained the residents at the Sunrise Senior Living of Bon Air; I have fed the homeless at Trinity Baptist Church Shelter for Women; I have collected and distributed donations to the Colonial Heights/Chesterfield County Christmas Mother program; I mostly volunteered at two historical African American cemeteries, Evergreen and East End Cemeteries, to clean up overgrown trails and debris that covered famous grave sites like that of Maggie L. Walker and a host of other famous African Americans buried in those cemeteries; lastly, I participated in the Hands-on Greater Richmond cleanup of local parks initiative.

I actively listen to those around me by giving them my undivided attention when they're speaking to me. I make sure that I am not distracted by my cell phone or any type of disruption that will take my attention away from people that wants me to listen to them. For me, listening means being attentive as well as respectful to the person that is talking to you because I would simply expect the same courtesy. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

I would like to share a few interesting facts about myself. I have a condition called Achondroplasia. Achondroplasia is the genetic disorder known as dwarfism. Although, I am "little person", I want you to know that I am destined to do great things. I have an extreme passion for fashion and making things around me beautiful. I aspire to own my own beauty / fashion company that specializes in creating affordable fashions, cosmetics, and beauty trends for little people with dwarfism all over the world simply because everything that is for sale is for average height people and today's amazing fashion trends are not conducive to people with dwarfism. Consequently, my passion for fashion increased over the last few years due to the fact I could not buy the latest fashions because everything was either too big or too long for my small stature. I want to create fashion trends that people with dwarfism would love to wear knowing it was designed especially for them. This is the passion that drives me.

I have had to had to persevere through many difficult situations but the one that sticks out the most is not being able to dress and look fashionable like my friends and not look like a small child because I was born with a condition called as Achondroplasia. Achondroplasia is the genetic disorder known as dwarfism. Yes, that’s right I am a dwarf / little person. I have had to endure the on-going challenge of buying clothes. When I go with my mom to buy clothes for school or special events it is always challenging for us to find clothes that my girlfriends wear because of my short statured size. If we are able to find clothes that fit me, usually they make me look like a little kid. I love wearing fashionable trendy clothes that my girlfriends are wearing but most of the time it’s difficult for my mom and I to find them because of my size and height. Recently, my mom has been able to find stores like Forever 21, JC Penney, and Belk department stores where they sell pants that are crop pants for regular size people, and they end up being pants length on me. Which turns out to be a good thing because my mom will not have to pay a tailor to hem my clothes. There are times when I get clothes especially pants and jeans, and my mom must pay her seamstress friend to hem them up.

Joy to me means without a shout of a doubt the love and support, the open communication, the heartfelt relationship, and the unbreakable bond that I share with both my mom and older sister. Just being able to wake up each and every day knowing that my mom and sister are always there for me and in my corner is the best possible joy that I could have in my life. Furthermore, you see I was born a dwarf which is a condition called achondroplasia. Although, I am a little person, my mom and sister has always told me to be the best person I could be and don't worry about how others see you because they see me and a bright shining star that will always soar too highest. So, I take my mom's and my sister's advice and I always carry myself with dignity, walk with a purpose, and do my absolute best to spread joy all around no matter what the world attempts to throw my way. I am the living, breathing, example of joy!

For me friendship simply means that one person that I can absolutely count on when the chips are down and things are tough and that person would never, ever leave your side. Friendship also means to me that the one person is my mirror, my confidant, my ultimate ride or die person in my life. Consequently, this would be the person you would do whatever took to make all is right in their world and vice versa. No matter what comes up in life that true fiend would say without hesitation, "I'm there for you! Say no more, just tell me when and where, and I'm there." A true friendship is so rare these days because in order to be my friend there has to be a such a strong bond that you can't describe in words because it so precious beyond measure. I can best some up what friendship means to me by saying that anytime you get a chance to have an unexplainable connection to someone other than your family and they feel the absolute same way do whatever you have to nurture, cultivate, and protect that connection because that is truly a blessed relationship for life.

Because I was born with significant physical challenges that has had a profound effect on my as a whole, I have always looked at life in an optimistic way. In good and in bad, having a strong positive outlook on life has gotten me through some life's toughest moments. Life has always taught me to have confidence and self-esteem in who I am and to cherish what God has blessed me with. The reason I say this is because what you don't is I was born with a condition called as Achondroplasia. Achondroplasia is the genetic disorder known as dwarfism. Yes, that is right I am a dwarf (3’ 11” tall), and this condition is a daily challenge in which I must work to overcome a lot of problems in my everyday life. Although I am Little Person, I am destined to do great things. I love fashion and making things around me beautiful and upbeat. I aspire to own my own beauty / fashion company that specializes in creating the latest fashion and beauty trends for little people because everything that is for sale is for people much taller than I am. So, by being optimistic in my talents and by using my passion for fashion I am destined to create trendy clothes, shoes, and accessories for other little people like me that are short statured so that they can feel confident in themselves and not worry about not looking like peers. So, with enthusiasm, optimism, and a bit of spunk, I am on my way to college to study business to become an entrepreneur that specializes in bringing the desires, cares, and trend setting styles to the Little People all over America.

Hello, my name is Jessica Saunders, and I am a Little Person. This my life as a young woman who was born with a condition called as Achondroplasia. Achondroplasia is the genetic disorder known as dwarfism. Yes, that is right I am a dwarf (3’ 11” tall), and this condition is a daily challenge in which I must work to overcome a lot of problems in my everyday life. Although I am Little Person, I am destined to do great things. I love fashion and making things around me beautiful and upbeat. I aspire to own my own beauty / fashion company that specializes in creating the latest fashion and beauty trends for little people because everything that is for sale is for average height. So, by using my passion for fashion I will be able create trendy for other young people that are short statured so that they can feel confident in themselves and not worry about looking like peers. So, therefore I want to go to college to study business to be an entrepreneur that specializes in bringing the desires, cares, and trend setting styles to the Little People of America (LPA) community. Moreover, because I am faced with certain physical challenges that I will never really be able to overcome such as my biggest personal challenge of buying clothes is my main reason for going to college to earn a business degree and to study fashion. When I go with my mother to buy clothes for school or special events it is always challenging for us to find clothes that my girlfriends wear because of my short statured size. If we can find clothes that fit me, usually they make me look like a little kid. I love wearing fashionable trendy clothes that my girlfriends are wearing but most of the time it is difficult for my mother to find them because of my size and height. Recently, my mother has been able to find stores like Forever 21, JC Penney, and Belk department stores where they sell pants that sell crop pants for regular size people, and they end up being pants length on me. Which turns out to be a good thing because my mother does not have to pay a tailor to hem my clothes. There are times when I get clothes especially pants and jeans, and my mother must pay an expensive tailor to hem them up. So, no matter what comes my way I will always manage life challenges with style, grace, and enthusiasm to follow my dreams and go after what I want and that is to be a formidable fashion influencer in the LPA community and the rest of the world. Therefore, I will apply for as many scholarships as I possibly can, apply for paid internships, and work part-time to expand on my entrepreneur fashion and cosmetology business in order to avoid having to carry huge amount of college debt post college.

Hello my name is Jessica Saunders and what makes me happy the most is that I am a "little person" and very proud of it! I was born with a condition called "achondroplasia" which is a form of dwarfism. Dwarfism causes me not only to be short stature, but it also makes my limbs bow. I have had to deal with painful bowing of my legs that it caused so much distress on me and my family. At one point my legs were so bowed that it hurt to walk. So, when I got old enough my mom took me to a special children’s hospital in Delaware where there was a specialist that could help me have straight legs and walk without pain. The doctor in Delaware operated on both of my legs. He broke my legs at the knee and ankles then twisted my legs straight and put me in casts from the waist down for six months. After the casts came off I had to physical therapy three times week to relearn how to walk again. Having this done was not only hard on me but it was also hard for my mom to see in such pain all the time. But I got through it and now my legs are straight. I still have muscle pain but that is something I have deal with because of the dwarfism. My reason for telling you all this is that no matter the difficulties I endured has not change my positive outlook on life and what I want to do with my life. I am so very happy to be such a "lil diva"! I walk with such pride and self confidence that it makes me feel 6 feet tall. Being a little person makes me oh so very happy.

Hello, my name is Jessica Saunders, and I am a Little Person. This my life as a young woman who was born with a condition called as Achondroplasia. Achondroplasia is the genetic disorder known as dwarfism. Yes, that is right I am a dwarf (3’ 11” tall), and this condition is a daily challenge in which I must work to overcome a lot of problems in my everyday life. Although I am Little Person, I am destined to do great things. I love fashion and making things around me beautiful and upbeat. I aspire to own my own beauty / fashion company that specializes in creating the latest fashion and beauty trends for little people because everything that is for sale is for average height. So, by using my passion for fashion I will be able create trendy for other young people that are short statured so that they can feel confident in themselves and not worry about looking like peers. So, therefore I want to go to college to study business to be an entrepreneur that specializes in bringing the desires, cares, and trend setting styles to the Little People of America (LPA) community. Moreover, because I am faced with certain physical challenges that I will never really be able to overcome such as my biggest personal challenge of buying clothes is my main reason for going to college to earn a business degree and to study fashion. When I go with my mother to buy clothes for school or special events it is always challenging for us to find clothes that my girlfriends wear because of my short statured size. If we can find clothes that fit me, usually they make me look like a little kid. I love wearing fashionable trendy clothes that my girlfriends are wearing but most of the time it is difficult for my mother to find them because of my size and height. Recently, my mother has been able to find stores like Forever 21, JC Penney, and Belk department stores where they sell pants that sell crop pants for regular size people, and they end up being pants length on me. Which turns out to be a good thing because my mother does not have to pay a tailor to hem my clothes. There are times when I get clothes especially pants and jeans, and my mother must pay an expensive tailor to hem them up. So, no matter what comes my way I will always manage life challenges with style, grace, and enthusiasm to follow my dreams and go after what I want and that is to be a formidable fashion influencer in the LPA community and the rest of the world...

Hello my name is Jessica Saunders and I am a Little Person. This my life as a young woman who was born with a condition called as Achondroplasia. Achondroplasia is the genetic disorder known as dwarfism. Yes, that’s right I am a dwarf (3’ 11” tall), and this condition is a daily challenge in which I must work to overcome a lot of problems in my everyday life. Although I am Little Person, I am destined to do great things. I love fashion and making things around me beautiful and up beat. I aspire to own my own beauty / fashion company that specializes in creating the latest fashion and beauty trends for little people because everything that is for sale is for average height. So by using my passion for fashion I will be able create trendy for other young people that are short statured so that they can feel confident in themselves and not worry about looking like peers. So, this is why I want to go to college to study business in order to be an entrepreneur that specializes in bringing the desires, cares, and trend setting styles to the Little People of America (LPA) community. Moreover, because I am faced with but will never really be able to overcome my personal challenge of buying clothes is my main reason for going to college to earn a business degree and study fashion. When I go with my mother to buy clothes for school or special events it is always challenging for us to find clothes that my girlfriends wear because of my short statured size. If we are able to find clothes that fit me, usually they make me look like a little kid. I love wearing fashionable trendy clothes that my girlfriends are wearing but most of the time it’s difficult for mother to find them because of my size and height. Recently, my mother has been able to find stores like Forever 21, JC Penney, and Belk department stores where they sell pants that sell crop pants for regular size people, and they end up being pants length on me. Which turns out to be a good thing because my mother don't have to pay a tailor to hem my clothes. There are times when I get clothes especially pants and jeans, and my mother must pay an expensive seamstress to hem them up. So, no matter what comes my way I will always handle life challenges with style, grace, and enthusiasm in order to follow my dreams and go after what I want and that is to be a formidable fashion influencer in the LPA community and the rest of the world.