Growing up I was blessed to have both my mother and father together and in my life. As I got older, I faced the hardships of divorce leading me to suffer through depression and everlasting hurt. In our situation my father cheated and abused my mother resulting in my mom heartbroken and contemplating on what she should do. Due to our money situation my parents could not afford a regular divorce especially with college being my next step in my life. This caused a toxic household with daily drama and petty situations that always effected my sister and me. It resulted in huge financial problems due to the lack of communication and compromise between my parents. Seeing this impacted me so differently making me feel like I was a mistake and the situations like this were my fault because I was the oldest. It took long for me to realize the problems my parents suffered were not my fault. But simply the actions of my father and how my mother handled them. The way my mom and dad divorce played out it impacted the way I view relationships as well. Throughout the years of my childhood, she taught me to hold values of trust, love, and forgiveness which led her to stay with him for as long as she did. My mother always emphasized that maybe a person can change if you just continue to love them. Due to her believing this it caused more hurt down the line creating a even deeper effect of hurt for my mother. In my relationships today valuing the same values my mother did I value forgiveness and love more than anything. Resulting in me to do the same things my mother did providing second and third chances in relationships to people who did not deserve it. Divorce also impacted the relationships with my parents. I feel this way because I was always in the middle of all the drama because it stayed in the same house for so long. For years I expressed my pain and hurt of always having to pick a side when I always loved my parents equally. It hugely impacted the relationship with my father because we were always the ones being lied to. Always the last to find out information regarding his many lives and situations he put us through. For a while I blamed my mother for staying so out the loop and not taking action on what she was suffering through. It took years of and lack of understanding to rebuild the relationship with my mom. Also, taking time to realize how a real relationship is supposed to be. Not accepting dishonesty and disloyalty. Today I work towards finding love in a man who does not act like my father and not allowing people to get second and third chances when disloyalty and dishonesty shows. Now living in a single-parent household in my teenage years, I have witnessed firsthand the sacrifices my mother has made to provide for me. Attending a Catholic private school has not always been easy financially, but my mother has worked tirelessly to ensure I receive the best education possible. To support her efforts, I have taken on responsibilities of my own working while maintaining strong academic performance and participating in sports. Balancing these commitments has taught me resilience, time management, and the importance of perseverance. This experience has shaped my decision to pursue nursing, a field where I can use my skills to help others navigate their own challenges with strength and compassion.

If my life were a movie, it would be a scene from the movie Hidden Figures. The movie Hidden Figures has deeply impacted my life and also relates to it because I am striving to become a nurse as a black woman. It portrays the remarkable and overlooked contributions of three African American women to NASA’s space program in the 1960s. (Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson) Watching these women navigate systemic racism and sexism to break barriers in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) was incredibly powerful and motivating. This has driven me to pursue a path in STEM through nursing. In the movie the scene includes the main character (Katherine Johnson) enjoying her STEM class as a child. Actively participating and always eager to learn more which is exactly how I was at that young age. Her parents noticed her love for science and was invited to put her into more challenging classes. When I was ten, I had the opportunity to participate in a program called Girls for Science. This introduced me to the world of STEM. In this program I discovered my love for science and gained a greater appreciation for how black women have historically been pioneers in STEM even when their contributions were unrecognized. The experience opened my eyes sparking a passion to pursue a career that combined my love for science with a desire to help others. Another scene that captures my life journey or future is when Katherine's mother passed away. Her Mother was always there for her rooting for her despite all the adversity and discrimination pushed her way which played a major role in her to keep going after she passed. The passing of my grandmother played a major role in my decision to pursue nursing as she's raised me since day one. Her illness was a painful experience. The feeling of helplessness and the lack of understanding around her condition was deeply frustrating. It wasn't until I met a doctor and nurse who truly listened and took the time to understand my family's concern and my feelings. Despite her passing just like Katherine's mother my grandmother supported my interest in science no matter what, encouraging me to pursue the field of STEM, and pushing me to challenge myself. Because of her I am where I am today her illness opened my eyes to the importance of individualized care and the power of listening to patients. I want to become a nurse so I can be the voice of compassion for others just as she was for everyone including me. The film Hidden Figures showed me the impact that one person’s determination and intelligence can have even when faced with discrimination. Diversity in the field of science amongst black women is so huge even today! Black women in science often face intersecting challenges related to both race and gender, but despite these barriers, many have made groundbreaking contributions across various disciplines, including physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, and medicine. This movie showed me I can make a difference in the medical field and honor my grandmother's legacy by becoming the kind of healthcare professional that our community needs providing adequate care to ALL.

From a young age, I have always been fascinated by the healthcare field, but it was my own experience as a patient that solidified my desire to become a nurse. A soccer injury left me with a dislocated kneecap, and I was suddenly faced with a difficult decision. Several doctors insisted that surgery was my only option, but something within me urged caution. I felt overwhelmed, uncertain, and afraid that I was being pushed toward an unnecessary procedure. It wasn't until I met a doctor and nurse who truly listened and took the time to understand my family's concern and my feelings that I realized how critical compassion and patient advocacy are in healthcare. This experience opened my eyes to the importance of individualized care and the power of listening to patients. I want to become a nurse so I can be the voice of compassion for others. Nurses are often the first and most consistent point of contact for patients. I believe that nurses not only play a critical role in delivering physical care but also in supporting the emotional and mental well-being of those they serve. My personal experience has fueled my passion for this care, and I am committed to providing the same level of attention, empathy, and care that I received during that time in my life. There were moments when the pressure of excelling in all areas felt overwhelming. At times, I struggled to keep up with deadlines, especially during peak sports seasons or before important events for my extracurriculars. However, these experiences taught me valuable lessons in organization and prioritization. I learned how to set clear goals and create a balance between my academic and athletic ambitions. By creating structured daily routines and developing a strong work ethic, I was able to maintain a solid academic performance while pursuing my passions outside of the classroom. My decision to pursue a career in nursing is deeply personal and driven by a strong desire to make a difference. My experiences as a patient, my commitment to community service, and my passion for compassionate, evidence-based care have all shaped my path. Nursing is not just a profession to me it's a calling that aligns with my values, my skills, and my vision for the future. I am eager to embark on this journey, knowing that it will be both challenging and rewarding. No matter where my career takes me, my ultimate goal will always remain the same: to be a nurse who provides exceptional care, uplifts others, and advocates for those in need. Nursing is more than a job; it is a lifelong commitment to healing, learning, and making a positive impact in the lives of others. I am ready to take on this responsibility with dedication, integrity, and a heart full of compassion.