Motherhood is extremely rewarding, and I see my children as a wonderful blessing. I am a single mother of four children. I was orphaned at the age of fifteen, and was sent to foster care. I have not had any parental support to rely on. I have struggled to make ends meet. I have worked multiple jobs and currently rely on government assistance in order to support myself and my children. I am now finishing my Bachelor's Degree in Organizational Leadership at Brandman University. After completing my Bachelor's Degree, I will continue on to earn my MBA Degree. Without a Master's Degree, it is difficult to find employment opportunities sufficient to cover our rent and bills. I am highly skilled and knowledgeable, yet I am still offered minimum wage and I am required to start over from entry level positions. Minimum wage is not a living wage. It is not enough to cover the cost of living in California. I am no longer eligible for the Pell Grant, as I have reached the maximum limit. Therefore, I have to borrow student loans to fund my education, which I will be required to pay back. I will need to be awarded multiple Scholarships in order to attend Brandman University full time. Federal Student Loans will only cover part-time attendance. I have earned a 3.9 cumulative GPA, as I have worked hard in all of my classes, and will continue to do so. When I earned my Associate's Degree in 2006, I represented my graduating class as Valedictorian and gave a speech in front of 2000 people. I spent hours writing, editing, practicing and preparing my speech. I take my leadership opportunities very seriously. I owned a yoga and meditation center a few years ago. I taught meditation and breath work, and managed the yoga instructors and sales team who worked for the company. My diplomatic approach to leadership is fair and just. I focus on equality and respect. When I managed others, I would say, "Let's find a solution together." I actively listened to my team, and gave each person my time and attention. My team and I worked together to build an atmosphere that was calm and peaceful, which encouraged everyone to focus on developing creativity and wellness in a healthy environment. Working together as a cohesive team, we provided a unique opportunity for an under-served community to learn, grow, and become healthier. Holistic health and wellness is a passion of mine; I will incorporate this aspect into my future career in human rights advocacy. Motherhood has made me a better, more compassionate leader and manager. As a mother, I am often required to multitask. I have learned to balance my various responsibilities. I prepare nutritious meals for myself and my children, focusing on quality. We also exercise together as a family. Furthermore, my daughter has successfully completed her first year of college and will soon begin her second year. She is intelligent and diligently earned straight A's in school. We will both need to finish our degrees in order to be gainfully employed. Therefore, I will need to apply for loans for myself and for my daughter's education. Tuition, books, and school supplies are costly; however, it will be worth the expense and the effort that is required in order to be successful in our future endeavors. My children inspire me to work hard to improve myself and our lives in every way possible. Thank you for the opportunity.

My mother raised me as a single parent, until she committed suicide when I was fifteen, leaving me orphaned. She had suffered from untreated depression and alcoholism, and had been a victim of domestic violence and abuse. My dad was never active in my life; he was an abusive raging alcoholic. My father had beaten my mother and several other victims, and was in and out of jail several times as a result. My older brother also committed suicide due to inadequately treated depression and alcoholism. If my parents and brother had received the adequate, thorough and supportive mental health care that they needed, all of our lives could have been better. I was sent to foster care when I was fifteen. Although I was earning straight A's in school, I was struggling with grief and depression. I have also been diagnosed with anxiety, OCD, BPD, and C-PTSD. I was sent away to a juvenile lockdown facility for troubled teens with emotional problems when I was seventeen. The facility was ill-equipped to treat patients with mental health conditions. The staff focused on "tough love" strategies, forced compliance, and punishment. Many of us were abused and neglected there. My shoulder was torn by a guard at the facility, causing a permanent injury. The "therapy" was inadequate, and focused on blaming and shaming patients, breaking us down and destroying our self-esteem. I knew there had to be a better way to help people who are struggling, and I was determined to find it. I have studied psychology, sociology, child development, guidance and counseling. Through my educational endeavors, I have learned that addiction and alcoholism are a symptom of untreated mental health issues, abuse and neglect. Those who are incarcerated and/or institutionalized are usually victims themselves. They were unjustly punished, when what they needed most was help and support. Early intervention is key. If people are able to receive the services they need early on, it can help to stop the cycle, and to build a better path and future for everyone. I am currently finishing my Bachelor's Degree in Organizational Leadership at Brandman University. After earning my Master's Degree, I will apply to law school to become a Civil Rights Attorney. I feel that everyone deserves the opportunity to become happier, healthier, stronger and more fulfilled. I will focus on starting non-profit educational programs, support groups, and community services that are free to the public. I will continue my work in the field of human rights advocacy, and I will focus on the marginalized members of society, those who are often overlooked and ignored. I will serve as a voice for those who have been scared or forced into silence, and I will help empower them to find their own voice, and use their voice to express themselves in the ways that are most important and meaningful to them. We are no longer victims- We are survivors. I have been working as a volunteer peer counselor for various human rights organizations since 2008. I work with victims of domestic violence and institutional abuse. Most have been "lost in the system" of mental health/ psychiatric facilities, foster care, jail, prison, rehab facilities and other institutions. I take the time to provide a listening ear and provide a "safe space" for support and non-judgment. I encourage people to believe in themselves, to see their value as a worthwhile human being, and help empower them to turn their lives around. I have talked people out of suicide, and into living and thriving. There is always hope. People send me messages out of the blue, telling me that they have read my posts, and that they look to me as a source of inspiration. We will find a way to build happier, more fulfilling, and more purposeful lives, together.

I am diagnosed with Major Depression, Anxiety, OCD, BPD, and C-PTSD. I was orphaned at the age of fifteen and sent to foster care. My mother and brother have committed suicide as the result of untreated Depression and alcoholism. Wrought with grief, I was sent to a juvenile lockdown facility for troubled teens with emotional problems when I was seventeen. The staff was abusive at the facility. Most youth and adult programs are not equipped to adequately treat patients with emotional and/ or mental health issues. Instead, they focus on forced compliance, punishment and rigid structure to try to mold patients into good citizens. A "tough love" approach does not involve any love or support. It breaks people down and destroys their self-esteem. I pledge to help end the stigma against mental health patients and victims of domestic violence and abuse. Everyone deserves the opportunity to build a happy, healthy, fulfilling life with purpose. I have been volunteering as a human rights advocate and mental health peer counselor since 2008. I have taken courses in psychology, sociology, child development, and guidance & counseling. I am an active member of Survivors Speak, WWASP Survivors, Breaking Code Silence, and other human rights advocacy programs. We work together to reform existing programs and to shut down the abusive facilities for human rights violations. I provide a listening ear to those who need to talk. I offer advice when needed or requested. I hold space in a non-judgmental way for those who are struggling. I have talked people out of suicide, and into choosing to live and thrive. I work hard to give people hope and inspiration. It's never too late to turn one's life around and build something better, more purposeful and more meaningful. I am currently finishing my Bachelor's in Organizational Leadership at Brandman University. After earning my Master's Degree, I plan to apply to law school to become a Civil Rights Attorney, to be a full time advocate, for those who need help. I will open non-profit programs as a "safe space" for education, support, and free services for the community.

I am a single mother of four children. I am finishing my Bachelor's Degree in Business and Organizational Leadership at Brandman University. I will earn my MBA and then apply to law school to serve the community as a Civil Rights Attorney. Human Rights Advocacy is important to me because I am a survivor of institutional abuse and domestic violence. I was orphaned at age fifteen when my mother committed suicide. I lost everything I knew and loved. My father was never in my life. I was sent to foster care, where I was mistreated. I poured myself into my studies and focused on school. I knew that a college degree would be my only chance for success, and survival, in life. I was then sent away to WWASP Cross Creek Manor, a juvenile lockdown facility for troubled teens with emotional problems, due to my grief. I was never arrested and hadn't committed a crime. I was told that, as a minor, I had no rights. I was a well behaved straight-A student with no discipline problems. I was abused and neglected at Cross Creek Manor. Many of us were. During the first or second week, I said I was feeling claustrophobic and wanted to sit where I could see a door. A guard picked me up, with the desk, took me to an isolation room, and held me down in a stress position, shoved my face into the floor, and pulled my arms and legs behind my back, pinning me down. The guard tore my shoulder, causing a permanent injury that required physical therapy as an adult. I remained in solitary confinement for a week. The room was the size of a tiny closet with no windows and one door. It was my first of three visits to solitary. My wisdom teeth grew in shortly after I arrived at Cross Creek. I expressed that I was in pain, but was denied medical treatment for months. My jaw swelled shut and I was unable to eat. When I finally saw a dentist, he diagnosed me with an infection caused by impacted wisdom teeth. He had to pry my mouth open with a metal device because it was locked shut. The dentist said I needed surgery, but I had to take antibiotics for a week to treat the infection before he could operate. Eventually, my wisdom teeth were extracted. A group of WWASP survivors and I have since had Cross Creek and other facilities shut down for human rights violations. After Cross Creek, I graduated high school with Honors. I then earned my AA degree Summa Cum Laude in 2006, as class Valedictorian. I was a single mom with two children at the time. I have always worked hard to accomplish my goals and follow my dreams, in spite of any obstacles I encountered. My personal battles have taught me compassion. Overcoming and healing from the inhumane treatment I experienced is what gave me my purpose. I will further my education to become an attorney so I can advocate for the rights of other survivors of abuse.

I was orphaned at age fifteen. My father was never in my life, and my mother raised me as a single parent. She battled alcoholism and mental illness, and ultimately committed suicide. I had no other family members to rely on for support. I ended up in foster care, and was not allowed to mourn the loss of my family. I was then sent away to a juvenile lockdown facility for troubled teens with emotional problems. I had committed no crime. I have never been arrested, and there was never a trial. I was locked up against my will because I was struggling with grief. I spent seven months in the program, which used “tough love,” destructive criticism, attack therapy, and abusive practices in order to enforce compliance. My shoulder was torn there by a guard, causing a permanent injury. I have been diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and Complex-PTSD as a result of severe trauma. In spite of everything, I choose to work on myself everyday, becoming stronger, wiser, and more resilient. I am a single mom with four children. I need to be strong and serve as a positive role model for them. My children matter most in my life. Human rights advocacy is also extremely important to me. I wish to further my education in Business and Law, and to earn my Juris Doctor degree, in order to become a Civil Rights Attorney. Having no family support, my education is my best option to have a successful career, and to serve the community through advocacy. I currently volunteer my time to helping other survivors of abuse. As I learn to heal myself, I am learning to help guide others to heal themselves as well. As a volunteer, I teach breath work (pranayama), yoga, self massage, nutrition, and gentle movement exercises. Trauma is stored in the body. It is not “all in one's head.” The pain must be acknowledged and felt, and then released in healthy ways. I also counsel my peers and other victims of abuse, especially those who struggle with C-PTSD and the long term effects of trauma. I let them know that everything they feel is okay, and there is no reason to feel ashamed. With positive affirmations and self care techniques, I develop a realistic plan with each individual on their healing journey. Mostly, people need someone to talk to, who isn't going to judge them or shame them. Helping others has helped me build self confidence and it has made me stronger. I plan to develop programs to help the marginalized members of society and those who have been “lost in the system.” I am willing to work hard to finish my degrees. I am currently earning my BA in Organizational Leadership. As a Civil Rights Attorney, I will fight, in partnership with my clients, to give them better opportunities in life. I will serve as a voice for those who have been scared into silence, and I will help empower them to learn to speak up for themselves, through education and community programs. I plan to help former foster youth, struggling single mothers, former inmates, and those with mental health issues or mental illness to become healthier, happier, stronger and more successful in their lives. I want to give them a fighting chance.

My educational goal is to earn my Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree. My career goal is to become a Civil Rights Attorney and to serve the community as a human rights advocate. I was orphaned at age fifteen and became a ward of the state. I had no support system, and was then sent to a juvenile lockdown facility for troubled teens with emotional problems. I was not allowed to grieve / mourn the loss of my family. I spent seven months in the program, which used “tough love,” destructive criticism, attack therapy, and abusive practices in order to enforce compliance. My shoulder was torn there by a guard, causing a permanent injury. I have been diagnosed with Complex-PTSD as a result of severe trauma. Even though the goal of the program was to break us down, I never lost my will to live. In fact, my experience has driven my passion for human rights advocacy. I choose to work on myself everyday, becoming stronger, wiser, and more resilient. My purpose in life is to serve the community, to help others in any way I can. I have been volunteering as a human rights advocate for other survivors of abuse since 2008. As I learn to heal myself, I am learning to guide others to help find the strength within themselves to heal as well. I teach a variety of self-care practices and techniques, including breath work (pranayama), self-massage, yoga, healthy diet, gentle movement exercises, holistic health and wellness. I counsel my peers who struggle with C-PTSD, anxiety, depression, and the long-term effects of trauma. I encourage others to believe in themselves, and to embrace their emotions, letting them know that everything they feel is okay. Suppression and repression will only cause the pain to remain. We must work through it by talking about our experiences, and through body movement and massage, as trauma is stored in the body. It is not “all in one's head” as previously believed. Healing takes time. I develop a realistic plan for each individual on their healing journey, which may include referrals to doctors and medication, if necessary. Though natural remedies and self-care practices are highly recommended within the holistic approach to healing. Mostly, people just need someone to talk to, and I give them my time, as I may be their only lifeline when they reach out for help and support. Several of my fellow survivors and I have been able to work together to get some of the abusive lockdown facilities shut down permanently. The work we are doing for our community has a positive impact. Many people get “lost in the system.” If they are institutionalized long-term, it can cause them great difficulty within society, and it may lead to recidivism. Nearly all of the current issues can be traced back to trauma. I plan to develop programs with positive strategies for helping former inmates, foster youth, struggling mothers, and those with mental health issues to become healthier, happier, stronger and more successful in their lives. They are worthy of much more than the hand they have been dealt. I will help my clients get the resources they need to move forward with confidence and meet their goals. As a Civil Rights Attorney, I will serve as a voice for the marginalized who have been forced into silence, and I will help empower them to speak up for themselves. Everyone deserves to have their voice heard and an opportunity to become the best version of themselves.

I serve as an ally for survivors of abuse. I was orphaned at age fifteen, sent to foster care as a ward of the state, and then was sent to a juvenile lock-down facility for “troubled teens” with emotional problems. I was not allowed to grieve or mourn the loss of my family. I spent seven months in the program, which used “tough love,” destructive criticism, attack therapy and abusive practices in order to enforce compliance. My shoulder was torn there by a guard, causing a permanent injury. I have been diagnosed with Complex-PTSD as a result of severe trauma, and I choose to work on myself everyday, becoming stronger, wiser, and more resilient. I spent most of my life shy, withdrawn, and with low self esteem. Because of what I experienced as a teen girl, I am now volunteering as a human rights advocate for other survivors. As I learn to heal myself, I am also learning to help guide others to heal themselves as well. I teach breath work (pranayama) techniques, yoga, holistic health and wellness (including education in diet, exercise, and herbs or supplements that meet the specific needs of each individual). I help others through massage therapy, reiki, and gentle movement exercises, as trauma must be worked out of the body. It is not “all in one's head.” I counsel my peers, both men and women, who struggle with C-PTSD and the long term effects of trauma. I encourage them to believe in themselves. With positive affirmations and self care, I develop a realistic plan for each individual on their healing journey. Helping others has helped me to build self confidence. It has made me strong. Many survivors of trauma and abuse tend to struggle for a long time. They may not be able to work to support themselves, nor can they afford therapy or a life coach, or any services that would otherwise be available to well-adjusted individuals employed in a career with a steady income. I am often their only lifeline. Mostly, people just need someone to talk to. I have been active in many of the survivors' groups since 2008; I also volunteered for a suicide hotline for one of the groups. It takes a strong character to talk people out of suicide, and into LIVING. Recently, a fellow survivor came to me, asking me to lead a group involved in human rights advocacy and education. Now, I know human rights advocacy and support is truly my calling. I feel honored. So many people are in desperate need of help. They don't have any resources, so it has become my job as a volunteer to point them in the right direction; to make sure they learn that they deserve to be happy and healthy; to see the good inside themselves; and to develop new habits that will make them more successful in the long run. The survivors of abuse have been told their whole lives that they are not “good enough” and I help them to realize they are worthy of so much more, that they have the right to not only ask for, but demand, more. Everyone deserves to be happy, healthy, and thriving. I wish to further my education in Business and Law, so that I can serve more of the community through advocacy. I will serve as a voice for those who are too afraid to speak, for they may have been forced into silence. I will help them get the resources they need to truly thrive and be successful.