"When you're blessed, it's mandatory to bless others" is a quote my mentor often said, and it has always stuck with me. Choosing social work wasn't something I'd decided on until I began applying to colleges in 2023, my senior year of high school. But it was that quote that helped me decide. I gained an understanding that my accomplishments, the scholarships I was awarded, and my access to education and community were because of hard work, yes, but also because I was blessed with these opportunities and people who cared enough to give me a chance and help me build the skills to reach success. I knew that my career path had to be one that I would be able to help others gain skills, resources, and whatever else they needed to feel the effects of their blessings to hopefully create a cycle of people helping people just because they were helped once. I wanted to change the way people viewed help, just as my view on the help I got changed. Since starting the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program at Morgan State University, I learned quickly that I wouldn't be able to help everybody. That my hope for helping people would look different and be more difficult than I initially thought. As I learned more about this field, I knew that working with people would look different depending on what company I work for, which speciality I choose, or how willing the person I may work with will be. Helping people would be battling systems that have been around for years, the access that a client may have to resources, and anything else from policies to burnout that may interrupt my goal for helping someone. I was seeing quickly how many layers to social work there are and how much I could do within this field. As I enter my last year of the BSW program, I've decided that my youth was when I was most influenced. I want to work with young people in urban communities through forms of leadership, arts programming, and other forms of community engagement. Like that qoute i started with the root of my choice in social work is to give back. I hope to use my community connections, artistry, and background in programming development to provide a community arts center where youth will be able to recieve accessible therapy, art programming, and resources they need.

Finding my “WHY” One of the most important things I strive to live by every day in work as an artist, mentor, leader, entrepreneur, and individual is that "when you are blessed, it is mandatory that you bless others" - Joni Holifield. Being A mentor/leader over two years has reminded me of how much power and value there is in helping or influencing others through what I do. In the fall of 2021, I began mentoring the most energetic, voiceless, and authentic youth group at an Enoch Pratt library in east Baltimore. The first-ever session with the teens was initially a one-time thing where I and a co-mentor would provide a space for the youth to talk about their hardships and trauma. As facilitators of the session, we would share stories and strategies of how youth can work towards addressing the trauma and hardships they shared. This first session was heartfelt; the youth shared stories of the death of family members and experiencing racism and discrimination from teachers and staff at the library. They shared hardships with parents or guardians and interpersonal conflicts with peers or friends. We discussed their goals for their upcoming academic responsibilities as 8th and 7th graders. After allowing the youth and judgment-free space, they offered us one by being respectful and attentive as we shared our current and past experiences with school, parents, and death. We shared various condolences, curious questions, and even advice from the youth about us. Time spares no one, and shortly after our hour session ended and as we said bye to the youth, they asked the question that led to many more sessions just like these "Can you both come back for more sessions?". We have been mentoring the youth at the library since 2021, and we still do sessions there. We have had sessions where we laugh, cry, sit quietly or eat pizza. Nevertheless, in every last session, we watched slowly as the 8th graders grew into 9th graders and the 7th graders into 8th graders and how they treated and cared for each other in their unique ways—through this mentoring journey, learning how impactful someone could be. Even in the slightest way of holding conversations with other youth and discussing topics or issues we all experience. Learning the "why" of leadership and that it is more than just a job, I am changing lives, mindsets, and generations through mentoring. Understanding from some point that whatever I choose in life has to include mentoring and positively impacting others. Considering my interests, like being an artist and entrepreneur, and loving research, community, and psychology. I plan to find a home in one of these interests during my journey after high school to further my work of helping and guiding others. Refusing to use my leadership, resources, and voice would be ignoring my purpose. Striving to carry the purpose of using my blessing to bless others and changing the lives of youth in my community my work as a mentor has to continue.

The artwork of Jima Chester My drive as an artist comes from my passion for making my portrait art become the embodiment of subjective art or subjectivity . Through my time developing as an artist, painting became one of my main mediums. I adapted the style of faceless paintings, bright or earth tone color backgrounds, and creating swirls and bumps of texture with heavy body acrylic paint. By combining these different aspects of art, I can receive responses to the art that I hold dear to my heart. Hearing phrases of amazement is always something an artist wants to hear. Still, hearing people express how they can visualize themselves, family, or friends in one of the pieces keeps my discipline for art intact. What keeps me returning to my easel whenever I want to create art is remembering the unforgettable memories I have made as an artist. Hearing the young black girls' awe over which print of my paintings looked like them in their favorite hairstyle. I aim to make people and my community feel appreciated and represented through art. I love creating every day, but as a mentor and leader in the community, doing something you love is good–but doing something you love that has purpose is even better. Being a portrait artist is not something I see as limiting but empowering. I highlight essential things in a portrait beside the face, such as hair, clothes, and colors. While doing this, I love exploring a more abstract or bold route for portraying these parts of portraits. Instead, it's through using palette knives, my fingers, or a combination of various colors. These techniques and processes of creating are my way of expressing myself in the painting through these details and aspects, practicing and making the art my own and unique to me.

Finding my “WHY” One of the most important things I strive to live by every day in work as an artist, mentor, leader, entrepreneur, and individual is that "when you are blessed, it is mandatory that you bless others" - Joni Holifield. Being A mentor/leader over two years has reminded me of how much power and value there is in helping or influencing others through what I do. In the fall of 2021, I began mentoring the most energetic, voiceless, and authentic youth group at an Enoch Pratt library in east Baltimore. The first-ever session with the teens was initially a one-time thing where I and a co-mentor would provide a space for the youth to talk about their hardships and trauma. As facilitators of the session, we would share stories and strategies of how youth can work towards addressing the trauma and hardships they shared. This first session was heartfelt; the youth shared stories of the death of family members and experiencing racism and discrimination from teachers and staff at the library. They shared hardships with parents or guardians and interpersonal conflicts with peers or friends. We discussed their goals for their upcoming academic responsibilities as 8th and 7th graders. After allowing the youth and judgment-free space, they offered us one by being respectful and attentive as we shared our current and past experiences with school, parents, and death. We shared various condolences, curious questions, and even advice from the youth about us. Time spares no one, and shortly after our hour session ended and as we said bye to the youth, they asked the question that led to many more sessions just like these "Can you both come back for more sessions?". We have been mentoring the youth at the library since 2021, and we still do sessions there. We have had sessions where we laugh, cry, sit quietly or eat pizza. Nevertheless, in every last session, we watched slowly as the 8th graders grew into 9th graders and the 7th graders into 8th graders and how they treated and cared for each other in their unique ways—through this mentoring journey, learning how impactful someone could be. Even in the slightest way of holding conversations with other youth and discussing topics or issues we all experience. Learning the "why" of leadership and that it is more than just a job, I am changing lives, mindsets, and generations through mentoring. Understanding from some point that whatever I choose in life has to include mentoring and positively impacting others. Considering my interests, like being an artist and entrepreneur, and loving research, community, and psychology. I plan to find a home in one of these interests during my journey after high school to further my work of helping and guiding others. Refusing to use my leadership, resources, and voice would be ignoring my purpose. Striving to carry the purpose of using my blessing to bless others and changing the lives of youth in my community my work as a mentor has to continue.

Finding my “WHY” One of the most important things I strive to live by every day in work as an artist, mentor, leader, entrepreneur, and individual is that "when you are blessed, it is mandatory that you bless others" - Joni Holifield. Being A mentor/leader over two years has reminded me of how much power and value there is in helping or influencing others through what I do. In the fall of 2021, I began mentoring the most energetic, voiceless, and authentic youth group at an Enoch Pratt library in east Baltimore. The first-ever session with the teens was initially a one-time thing where I and a co-mentor would provide a space for the youth to talk about their hardships and trauma. As facilitators of the session, we would share stories and strategies of how youth can work towards addressing the trauma and hardships they shared. This first session was heartfelt; the youth shared stories of the death of family members and experiencing racism and discrimination from teachers and staff at the library. They shared hardships with parents or guardians and interpersonal conflicts with peers or friends. We discussed their goals for their upcoming academic responsibilities as 8th and 7th graders. After allowing the youth and judgment-free space, they offered us one by being respectful and attentive as we shared our current and past experiences with school, parents, and death. We shared various condolences, curious questions, and even advice from the youth about us. Time spares no one, and shortly after our hour session ended and as we said bye to the youth, they asked the question that led to many more sessions just like these "Can you both come back for more sessions?". We have been mentoring the youth at the library since 2021, and we still do sessions there. We have had sessions where we laugh, cry, sit quietly or eat pizza. Nevertheless, in every last session, we watched slowly as the 8th graders grew into 9th graders and the 7th graders into 8th graders and how they treated and cared for each other in their unique ways—through this mentoring journey, learning how impactful someone could be. Even in the slightest way of holding conversations with other youth and discussing topics or issues we all experience. Learning the "why" of leadership and that it is more than just a job, I am changing lives, mindsets, and generations through mentoring. Understanding from some point that whatever I choose in life has to include mentoring and positively impacting others. Considering my interests, like being an artist and entrepreneur, and loving research, community, and psychology. I plan to find a home in one of these interests during my journey after high school to further my work of helping and guiding others. Refusing to use my leadership, resources, and voice would be ignoring my purpose. Striving to carry the purpose of using my blessing to bless others and changing the lives of youth in my community my work as a mentor has to continue. Im also an artist and my drive as an artist comes from my passion for making my portrait art become the embodiment of subjective art or subjectivity . Being awarded this scholarship would help continue my journey of pursuing higher education to further my work in the community and provide change for the young people who are like me.

My love of art was something that permanently resided within me and is something that always will. I was experimental and creative but ultimately destructive in my family's eyes when I created my first art piece by drawing on the walls. Art came in the forms of dancing, singing, cutting up clothes to make new ones, drawing or doodling, and fixing or creating things around me. I practiced these art forms all the time growing up, which developed my love for art as a lifestyle. I began painting during the pandemic as it was one of the mediums I had yet to try, and after painting my first canvas, I fell absolutely in love and wanted to feel the same every day. This awakening of mine through painting led me to own a business as an artist and the art program I created and designed in early 2022. My drive as an artist comes from my passion for making my portrait art become the embodiment of subjective art or subjectivity. Through my time developing as an artist, painting became one of my main mediums. I adapted the style of faceless paintings, bright or earth tone color backgrounds, and creating swirls and bumps of texture with heavy body acrylic paint. By combining these different aspects of art, I can receive responses to the art that I hold dear to my heart. Hearing phrases of amazement is always something an artist wants to hear. Still, hearing people express how they can visualize themselves, family, or friends in one of the pieces keeps my discipline for art intact. What keeps me returning to my easel whenever I want to create art is remembering the unforgettable memories I have made as an artist. Hearing the young black girls' awe over which print of my paintings looked like them in their favorite hairstyle. I aim to make people and my community feel appreciated and represented through art. I love creating every day, but as a mentor and leader in the community, doing something you love is good–but doing something you love that has purpose is even better. Being a portrait artist is not something I see as limiting but empowering. I highlight essential things in a portrait besides the face, such as hair, clothes, and colors. While doing this, I love exploring a more abstract or bold route for portraying these parts of portraits. Instead, it's through using palette knives, my fingers, or a combination of various colors. These techniques and processes of creating are my way of expressing myself in the painting through these details and aspects, practicing and making the art my own and unique to me. My favorite artist is Ernest shaw, one of the many reasons I love his work and him as an artist is that I often feel connected to his works. Especially his portrait art, and because of his background of being born and raised in the same city and neighborhood I grew up in, he is my role model for what a happy, successful, and fulfilling artist is. Seeing his murals, shows, and community impact through his work inspired me as a community activist and artist. It is reassuring to see artists who look like me and come from the same environment, and can make a living out of doing what they love. And a constant reminder that 8 - year old me, who also wanted to be an artist, can still become an artist regardless of my circumstance.

Finding my “WHY” One of the most important things I strive to live by every day in work as an artist, mentor, leader, entrepreneur, and individual is that "when you are blessed, it is mandatory that you bless others" - Joni Holifield. Being A mentor/leader over two years has reminded me of how much power and value there is in helping or influencing others through what I do. In the fall of 2021, I began mentoring the most energetic, voiceless, and authentic youth group at an Enoch Pratt library in east Baltimore. The first-ever session with the teens was initially a one-time thing where I and a co-mentor would provide a space for the youth to talk about their hardships and trauma. As facilitators of the session, we would share stories and strategies of how youth can work towards addressing the trauma and hardships they shared. This first session was heartfelt; the youth shared stories of the death of family members and experiencing racism and discrimination from teachers and staff at the library. They shared hardships with parents or guardians and interpersonal conflicts with peers or friends. We discussed their goals for their upcoming academic responsibilities as 8th and 7th graders. After allowing the youth and judgment-free space, they offered us one by being respectful and attentive as we shared our current and past experiences with school, parents, and death. We shared various condolences, curious questions, and even advice from the youth about us. Time spares no one, and shortly after our hour session ended and as we said bye to the youth, they asked the question that led to many more sessions just like these "Can you both come back for more sessions?". We have been mentoring the youth at the library since 2021, and we still do sessions there. We have had sessions where we laugh, cry, sit quietly or eat pizza. Nevertheless, in every last session, we watched slowly as the 8th graders grew into 9th graders and the 7th graders into 8th graders and how they treated and cared for each other in their unique ways—through this mentoring journey, learning how impactful someone could be. Even in the slightest way of holding conversations with other youth and discussing topics or issues we all experience. Learning the "why" of leadership and that it is more than just a job, I am changing lives, mindsets, and generations through mentoring. Understanding from some point that whatever I choose in life has to include mentoring and positively impacting others. Considering my interests, like being an artist and entrepreneur, and loving research, community, and psychology. I plan to find a home in one of these interests during my journey after high school to further my work of helping and guiding others. Refusing to use my leadership, resources, and voice would be ignoring my purpose. Striving to carry the purpose of using my blessing to bless others and changing the lives of youth in my community my work as a mentor has to continue.