Howard will always hold a special place in my heart because it is here that I have learned who I am outside of what everyone has always told me to be. I chose to attend Howard because I wanted to be surrounded by others who are deeply committed to uplifting our communities and advancing social change. Growing up in Seattle and attending a PWI, I was the minority and often felt the weight of being underrepresented in academic and outside spaces. The experiences I had shaped my desire to study ethnic-based psychology and sociology so I could better understand how culture, identity, and systemic forces impact mental health and community well-being. Moving in freshman year and being surrounded by people of color on and off campus demonstrated what Black excellence in scholarship and career looks like. Black management at home was rare but here it became a new normal and affirmed my passion for helping other Black kids see and achieve more. For the first time I felt like I truly had a village-- I was supported by my friends, had opportunities to pursue business endeavors on campus, and had professors passionate about their work, which pushed me deeper into mine. I aspire to open a series of counseling firms and community centers for youth of color nationwide, providing practical resources as well as career and educational opportunities, and I strongly believe Howard has kept my dream alive and shown me it is possible.

Mental health care shouldn't be a privilege, yet for too many young people in BIPOC communities, it often feels out of reach. I want to change this by creating accessible mental health resources that combine art and creative expression, psychology, and community-based approaches, meeting all youth where they are. Art has the power to heal in ways that traditional therapy sometimes cannot, and as someone who grew up immersed in studio arts, dance, and theatre, art became my lifeline when I faced adversity. My personal experience navigating trauma, stress, uncertainty, and cultural expectations has strengthened my commitment to ensuring that no young person feels isolated or silenced. As a student pursuing a career in psychology and social work, I’ve witnessed firsthand how inaccessibility and stigma prevent young people from seeking help and I aim to address this by harnessing the power of community restoration and expressive healing. My goal is to break down the stereotypes and stigmas that too often tell Black and Brown youth that asking for help is weakness, replacing them with a culture that celebrates mental wellness as strength, as well as address barriers that prevent access to treatment, such as prohibitive costs. By creating spaces where mental health is normalized and support is available through workshops, community projects, and online resources, I am confident I can make care accessible, culturally responsive, and a source of strength, while fostering a generation of Black and Brown youth who see asking for help as an act of courage.

I grew up in church with parents who were leaders in ministry and as a result was raised to take care of those around me because that is what we are called to do as believers. While I was always contributing, my personal involvement began in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic left food banks overwhelmed and families struggling across the greater Seattle area. My church called on volunteers to step in and I answered by helping pack wellness bags and driving with fellow church members and community officials to distribute food and hygiene supplies to people experiencing homelessness and food insecurity. Those moments downtown, speaking with individuals who were often overlooked by society, shifted something in me as I began to see shared qualities between myself and the youth we encountered on the streets. It was then I realized that service is not only about meeting basic needs but also about creating space for joy and hope in which people can truly encounter Christ in and through me. Shortly after volunteering, I began a nonprofit outreach ministry offering free dance lessons to children and youth experiencing poverty, called K-dance. The name plays off the word “cadence,” symbolizing rhythm, movement, and forward momentum with a K for Kingdom and my name, Kalieyah. I was able to make a difference firsthand by instilling values and building children's confidence through something as simple as positive affirmations that spoke life over them. My goal was not just to teach choreography but to provide a safe place where children could feel seen, heard, and celebrated, even in the midst of difficult circumstances. The work I started continues to shape me as it has taught me that faith without action is incomplete, and that even small gestures—whether a bag of food, a kind word, or a dance class—can ripple outward to have a big impact. My drive comes from knowing that poverty and injustice are not struggles one person can fight alone; it takes a community and while my church gave me the foundation of service, my own faith pushed me to create something of my own that acknowledges those who are overlooked, in a way that uses the gifts given to me. Since graduating high school and moving to college across the country, I have left my parents church and joined another in Washington DC, where I continue regular community service monthly as well as lead Bible study at my school. Today, I carry that same cadence forward as I stay involved in praise dance and aim to walk in purpose, leading with love, and striving to create change wherever God calls me.

My name is Kalieyah. I'm 18 and a high school senior in Seattle. I am interested in pursuing a career in psychology and social work; I will counsel children and teens with mental illness and substance use disorders. I plan to open a series of national community centers to help get kids off the streets and give them somewhere to go. I hold a strong belief that there needs to be more education on substance use and how to both avoid it and assist others in their recovery. Unfortunately, many young people start using and abusing drugs to cope with life stressors or trauma and are never able to break the cycle they have entered. Substance use disorder is a serious condition and education about it in school curriculums would help to normalize the issue and draw awareness to it. It not only affects the people struggling but ripples out to everyone around them and those in the communities. I have many friends that I've watched become addicted to various substances. The fentanyl epidemic in Washinton state has taken a toll on youth here. Many people have either gotten laced or knowingly begun using or taking "blues" or fake per costs. Unfortunately, many students have become hooked on various drugs and developed addictive tendencies that caused many people around me to change or stop progressing positively. One of my friends that lost his battle took his own life and his sisters while using. I have seen the good in people struggling as well as the bad that tries to kill them. It is heartbreaking to watch someone you once knew to be so successful, beautiful, and/ or bright fall into substance use and lose themselves completely. I hate to watch people I know or love fall down or throw away their hard work so I aim to help them find care or treatment, and progress and recover. Education on substances, substance use and other options to replace drug use is extremely important as people are dying every day and youth are normalizing substance dependence. I want to help people recover by teaching about the use of substances and substance disorder, as well as addiction and breaking the cycle of both addiction and dependency on drugs from all aspects. This plan starts with education on what's going on, why encouraging this behavior is wrong, how to help others you see struggling, where to find resources for you or those around you and more. I hope to make a positive impact on others and society as a whole by helping to aid in recovery and present other coping options for those struggling with substance use disorders.