"I just think you're too optimistic." I've heard these words and similar ones throughout my life. Several people have made me feel like my hopes, dreams, and aspirations were too much. That I dream too big. But I often feel like I'm not dreaming big enough. There are all these sayings like "The world is your oyster," but if you take that and run with it, people seem surprised. I know that I have so much more to do in this world, and so much more I want to accomplish, and a big part of that is inspiring young people to believe in themselves and take a chance on their future like I did. Over the years, I have had the privilege to teach, tutor, mentor, and advise hundreds of young people across the country. Right now, I am developing a resource document for a young woman who is hoping to go to college in fall 2026. I hope to provide guidance on applying for schools, securing funding, and other gems for success free of charge. More importantly, I hope to build a connection with her so that she sees me as someone she can trust and turn to for help and support, and inspire her to dream big. In the past ten years, I have stepped away from working directly with children and families professionally and moved to working on policy and systems change to try and make the world better for everyone. Specifically, I help government agencies dream big, identifying when and how they could do things differently within the agencies they lead, and help provide the resources to turn strategic plans into action. My work centers on innovations within government and creates a space where others can reimagine what we want our current and future society to look like. I am incredibly excited to continue this work and bridge my professional and academic goals as a doctoral student. As a doctoral student, I am looking to combine my experience and interests in fields like social work, public health, policy, sociology, and others to help design systems and policies that work to ensure the well-being of everyone. I hope to leverage my coursework to do things like create multisystem frameworks, evaluate guaranteed income pilot programs, and uplift strategies for bringing community members into policy design and implementation, and my dissertation will focus on one of these topics as well. As an applied doctoral student, I anticipate that my research will be utilized in government agencies, and I am excited about the possibility of creating something that will positively impact systems across the country. As a first-generation college student, I know what it means to not understand what comes next in your life. To have to craft a vision for your next phase without understanding how to get there. But throughout the years and with the help of amazing mentors, I have turned many visions into reality. My next vision, to receive my doctoral degree, is right around the corner, and I can't wait to receive it and keep changing the world with it.

"It's too complicated, too time-consuming...where will we get funding to do that?" These are phrases I hear when talking to government leaders about integrating community voice into policy design and implementation, or having those who use government programs be part of the planning and delivery of these services. Essentially, leaders say it sounds good in theory, but operationalizing it seems impossible. As a Black woman who has utilized government services, hearing that incorporating voices like mine seems too difficult is discouraging. Currently, I help agency leaders implement innovations and pilots in my full-time role while pursuing my doctorate in public health policy part-time. As an entrepreneur, I would like to deepen this work by providing technical assistance and consultation to agency leaders through my firm. I wasn't always interested in entrepreneurship. Ironically, I saw it as too complicated and too time-consuming, and I wondered where I might get the funds to launch it. But I plan to use the same argument for myself that I will use with my future clients: I will figure it out. I want to launch this business I believe my experience in research and policy is valuable to support government transformation. Additionally, government leaders have stated that sometimes they need a little extra support to turn an idea into a project/pilot and I want to be that support. There is a lot of work to be done in this area, and while I do a small portion of it in my current role, I hope to leverage my doctoral degree to do more of this work in depth. I am excited about the opportunity to use my dissertation to build a project that will launch my public policy consulting firm and demonstrate my expertise in this area. Ultimately, I see my business as a win-win for all groups by helping communities get involved in policy, helping agencies gather and implement community feedback, creating policies that include the voices of community members, and continuing to serve others using my gifts while creating financial stability for myself. After many years in this field, I can't see myself doing anything else, and I wake up every day excited to make a difference. My passion for innovation in government has allowed me to support the creation of programs and systems that have only been imagined before. Despite this, integrating community members into policy is not done as often or well as it could be, and I want to change that. I look forward to continuing to transform communities and government, but with the launch of this firm, to transform my own life as well.

Marian Wright Edelman, born in 1939 in South Carolina, Spelman College and Yale Law School grad, is someone who inspires me. Civil rights activist and founder of the Children’s Defense Fund, Marian Wright Edelman is someone who exemplifies excellence and lifting others as we climb and does not get enough recognition for her impact on the world. I met Mrs. Edelman back in 2009. I didn’t know much about her then, but over the years I have learned just how amazing she is. Someone who is not only compassionate and intelligent, but has a track record of improving the lives of children for decades, including mine. Marian W. Edelman has won groundbreaking lawsuits and helped pass critical legislation on behalf of children. But that’s just a small part of the reason she inspires me. A recipient of her Beat the Odds scholarship program in 2009, her program ensured I had a laptop, funding, and mentorship during college. She isn’t someone who talks the talk or only focuses on larger systemic issues. She recognizes the importance of providing care and support to every youth, which is exactly what her organization the Children’s Defense Fund does. One of the other things that inspires me about Mrs. Edelman is her ability to break barriers and do what others thought was impossible or unconventional at the time. From being the first Black woman to pass the Mississippi bar to starting CDF that continues to lead national policy change today, she inspires me to believe that I can do what’s never been done before or what may seem unattainable to others. True leadership means courage and blazing a trail for you and many others behind you. She also inspires me to use my resources to pull others up. She offered me an internship in her office when I didn’t have any other offers. She made sure that the internship would not leave me struggling to pay for food and housing in D.C. Working with her team was the first professional experience I could add to my resume, and led to many open doors down the line. She and her team transformed my college experience, and I am forever grateful. Some so many Black men and women have inspired me to keep going and to reach my full potential. I am grateful for each person who has poured into me, and my only hope is to inspire as many others as I can along the way.

"We will now begin departures for our flight to Ghana." I'm ready to board the plane—another trip across the world to explore and learn more about the beautiful cultures around me. Inspired by my Ghanaian friends, I get to see their homeland and share it with my children. What paid for this trip? The revenue from my business as a consultant. I am excited to restart my doctoral degree journey and look forward to finishing school and working to support government agencies in improving systems and services for families. My dream is to build a consulting firm, inspire others, and use the funds from my firm to travel and learn about history and cultures worldwide. I've heard phrases like "I'm not sure that's possible" often in life. But to me, nothing is off limits. My dad, a lifelong learner, always encouraged me to read and learn. Growing up, we didn't have the internet, but I loved books and encyclopedias, reading everything I could get my hands on. This love for reading grew even stronger in college as I pursued a Spanish language and literature degree. Upon graduation, I spent time working with children and families, both English and Spanish-speaking, and realized the need to improve the systems that families encounter to truly make a difference. This led me to dual master's degrees in social work and public administration. As a master's student, I took additional doctoral courses in sociology, criminology, and urban planning to understand how these disciplines approach solving social issues that families face. All of these led to my work in public policy and systems change. As a public policy professional, I help government leaders design and implement innovations within human services programs, specifically around child welfare prevention and pushing government agencies to coordinate with each other more effectively. My work connects research to policy and practice and allows the opportunity to continue learning and building knowledge. I enjoy my work, and my organization and supervisor are excited about how I can integrate my doctoral research and interests to grow the organization. But I'm looking for more than that. While I know that my talents are appreciated, I know that Black women are undervalued in the workforce, and I often feel that my voice is suppressed by the voice of leadership and the organization. I plan to use the doctoral degree to expand my expertise and build out my consulting firm to support organizations looking to transform government policy, practice, and research. This firm will serve as the foundation for generational wealth and financial freedom for me and my future family. Growing up, I've seen a lot of friends and family let life beat them down. They've given up on their dreams and taken what life gave them. I recognize the systemic forces that have affected them and affect me too, but I refuse to stop. And with the support of my community, I can keep going. I know that my dreams can come true, and I cannot wait to be on that plane to explore the world and live the life of my dreams. Thank you for the opportunity to apply.

"Self-care." Nowadays it's a buzzword that probably doesn't mean much to most people. But self care to me means sleep, nutritious food, and boundaries. It's about prioritizing myself in a world that tells us to prioritize everything but. I believe self care has led to my success as a student and will help me finish my doctorate degree and maintain my mental health. Recently, someone told me the easiest thing we can do to take care of ourselves is to get sleep - and I agree. According to research, there are many negative health impacts of inadequate sleep. I know that my cognitive functioning is low when I don't have enough sleep. Research also tells us that processing information, like coursework, is done in our sleep. So, sleep is not only beneficial healthwise, it is critical for information processing and knowledge retention. For doctoral students, comprehensive exams and dissertation research often require us to make connections across courses and recall information. Sleep is critical to success, which is why it is a priority for me. Nutritious foods are also critical for cognitive functioning and energy levels, and as someone who often has long days, this is important for my mental health and wellbeing. Prioritizing fruits, vegetables, fiber, and other nutrients allows me to put in a full workday and then attend class, go to the gym, or attend community events. As someone with IBS, diet and mental health are heavily interconnected for me, as both food and mental stress worsen IBS symptoms. Therefore, eating well is not only helpful, it is necessary for me to function well on a daily basis. Lastly, setting boundaries helps me make my mental health a priority. Years of therapy helped me understand the importance of boundaries and rules. For me, that means being clear with myself about what I will and will not do and what I will and will not tolerate. From setting bedtimes to silent evenings for decompression, I know that setting limits helps keep me grounded and balanced. For all of the busy days, I need those quiet days to help me get to the finish line. Working full-time and pursuing a doctorate is a journey. But I'm thankful for the lessons learned and growth thus far. As someone who has attended therapy, I recognize how hard it is to change or implement the things that would allow us to prioritize mental health. Despite this, I look forward to continuing to push myself to get creative and courageous about putting myself first in this world, and I hope to continue encouraging others to do the same.

My unique contribution to making mental health more affordable and accessible is to increase the integration of mental health services into the health care system and elevate them as a prevention resource. My professional experience has primarily focused on prevention, including in the mental health space. As a policy analyst, I helped create a blueprint to redesign a state's children's mental health system to address accessibility. Getting people services earlier can often reduce the amount of treatment needed and prevent more serious cases of mental health. Understanding how to implement universal services was also a large part of my role. As a doctoral student, I have studied mental health at the state, national, and organizational levels. I studied the availability of SED or serious emotional disturbance programs across the country, elevating the need to expand availability. I analyzed positive mental health data at my university, highlighting where the university should increase mental health resources. This spring, I am excited to take Social Determinants of Health, and these funds would help cover that course. I hope to examine how government agencies address affordability and accessibility by integrating mental health services into community well-being programs. I have been directly affected by the lack of mental health services in communities, and while I cannot change the negative impact many of us have felt, I can help create a better future. I have thoroughly enjoyed contributing to improved access and affordability of mental health services and look forward to continuing that work.

"Thoughtful, innovative, and cross-discipline public policy can be one of the most innovative ways to move communities and the country forward, but our pipeline of politicians and policy experts do not reflect the diversity of this country." The idea of innovative cross-discipline public policy led me to pursue a combined master of public administration and master of social work degree. Additionally, I completed masters and PhD elective courses in sociology, criminology, and urban planning to gain a multidisciplinary perspective of social problems. I believe in the need to analyze policy issues from multiple frameworks, and that we have to understand the intersections of various systems (health, social welfare, education, criminal justice, environmental/planning) if we want to create substantive, long-term policy solutions. Before my current role as a policy analyst, I served as a fellow with Florida's Executive Office of the Governor. As a fellow, I also worked on determination reports responsible for determining whether a treatment or medical device should be covered under Medicaid. I often think back to my conversation with the agency's Chief of Staff who said, "All state agencies do important work, but the work that we do here is literally life and death for the people we serve." I will always remember my work in Medicaid, and how we have to make policy decisions with our most vulnerable in mind. More importantly, I think about my own quality of life, and how it changed drastically when Medicaid paid for two surgeries as a child. Even more than understanding my role as a policy analyst, I understood what those policies meant for me, and what it means for many others who look like me. During the fellowship, each fellow is required to submit a policy paper. These papers are expected to present innovative policy solutions addressing Florida's most pressing issues. I am proud to say that my paper was selected as one of the top 3 of 13 papers submitted. My paper challenged Florida's policymakers to redistribute funds to provide student loan repayments as a employee benefit to increase recruitment and retainment for child welfare workers. Because child welfare workers are often underpaid and overworked, there is a constant turnover that affects youth who are going through the system. These youth are predominately youth of color, so addressing this issue could have substantial benefits to our communities. While my paper was not selected for first place, the feedback I received confirmed my belief that we can be creative in how we solve policy problems, if we choose to be. Now as an analyst, I am excited about what I have accomplished so far and my future in public policy. As an analyst working in government oversight and accountability in Virginia, my role involves evaluating state government programs and presenting policy options. So far, I have evaluated and reviewed the performance of the state's debt collection and consumer protection programs in the attorney general's office and provided policy recommendations to the governor and legislature on marijuana legalization. Currently, I am reviewing recent legislative reforms to our state's juvenile justice system. While much of my work in social and racial equity has been informal, I am hoping to directly incorporate those elements into my work moving forward. The desire to better incorporate equity and other factors have led to my decision to return to school. This fall, I am applying to PhD programs in Public Policy and Social Work. As a doctoral student I hope to dive deeper into the ways in which we have and can incorporate equity into the policy development and implementation process. Specifically, how do we design policies that consistently and accurately take into account any past harms that previous policies have caused and how do we implement policies with the understanding that different communities have different resource levels and life experiences that could influence what we see at the program level. My hope is to build my policy and analytical skillset and eventually move up the ranks into a more senior level role in the policy world. Specifically, I hope to one day serve as a policy advisor working in federal government or leader of a nonprofit research/policy think tank. I want to continue to use my skills in data and research to drive policy options that best serve communities of color. The diversity in the public policy field is underwhelming. Currently, I am the ONLY person of color at my agency, and I've heard I am the 2nd Black analyst to ever work there. Sometimes it feels like the world is on my shoulders, but then I see the impact diversity has. Many times I have found myself having a difference in perspective or knowledge about policy issues, and I believe our policy solutions are improved because of this. So I spend my weekends and evenings on phone calls, in zoom meetings, and on social media platforms discussing ways to diversify the field. In addition to moving up as a senior policy expert, my other goal in the policy world is to increase access to this field, so we don't have to keep having an "only" in our policy focused agencies. The public policy world is in need of Black voices, and I am so proud to be one of them.