I am 43 years young, and have been through many trials and tribulations through life which have led me to pursue a higher education. Growing up in Chicago is not easy at all, it has its great qualities, but the bad out weigh the good. Chicago has made me want better for myself, and especially for my three children. Two years ago really was my huge turning point in life for me I lost my innocent brother to gun violence, he was walking home from work and was robbed and killed. This event changed my life forever. I was talking courses, and was almost finished when it happened. I was in the courses that really hit home for the events happening within my life, and I had to pause to collect myself due to it being very hard to not interact or respond to discussions and courses without personal feeling. Taking a course that actually tells you how you should be treated, what methods of care should go into the work, or what resources are available to you when an incident happens, and the department your working with makes this seem like a blatant lie when you know the truth makes the event even harder. From everything I gathered, and was witness to it made me what to become an advocate for the people who can not speak or for the families that were treated like mine. This event changed everything for me because it showed me where my help was needed. We went through three advocates! The first one stopped due to a corruption case he had, the second lost her son a week after my brother in the same exact way, and the third just stopped communicating. This showed me how much there is a lack of care, and concern in Chicago for victims and families of the victims. Two years later still hurting, but very determined I am back in school and hoping to finish these last courses to get my bachelors to make a difference in the legal system. I do not want anyone to feel the way my family feels after losing a loved one who was truly innocent, hard working, a citizen, and who could not be protected in broad daylight. One person may not be able to change the world, but that one person could plant a seed to grow. I plan to use everything in me to be a reliable advocate for those in need.

I believe I am different because I honestly treat and talk to others, how I would like to be treated. I try to be the best person I can be in life. I do things like no one is watching, because you should not do something for acknowledgement or personal gain. When you are doing something it should be from the goodness in your heart. Acts of kindness take little to nothing, and we all should think positive and with love and light in mind. I have a unique way of befriending or becoming an associate with almost anyone if they are willing. I was a waitress for many years, and I had to learn how to interact with people from all over the world. Being a waitress taught me to use my unique qualities to personally adjust, and interact with my guest which made the experience better for both sides. Talking to or having the ability to talk to anyone, anywhere is not as simple as it sounds. Getting people to interact or respond is also not easy, but it comes easy to me even in the most awkward situations I can always shine a little light. Doing good things should be a normal activity in everyone’s life. Being friendly, speaking with others should be an open, and everyday experience. Having the ability to just talk like no one is listening has been my thing since a child, and I love spreading my unique personality and way with words with people. I love that I have the gift of gab, which allows me to openly communicate with people in any situation. My children often tell me how well I speak to people, or ask how I get the confidence to go in front of big crowds and speak. I tell them to just be themselves and project, speak clearly, be authentic, and try to inspire with your words and thoughts. I use my uniqueness as a tool I gather information, I access situations and can read rooms. My unique way with words, and speaking helps to control many situations and it honestly helped me to teach my children that words can be just as strong as being physical. My daughter told me she used my talk down method to a bully in school. She stopped accessed the situation and was able to stop someone from getting bullied with words, so she taught me that my actions sometimes speak louder than my words.

Everything about me is awkward or stands out! I wanted to start by giving condolences. I lost my little brother two years ago now, to gun violence in Chicago also this caught my eye because he was bullied for being different and was robbed and killed and they didn't know him, but he himself was working a temp job, and really struggling to make even the money they took. I honestly had to say that my awkwardness in my eyes, comes from me being too upfront, people really can not take honestly. I am often left fighting with my thoughts on how I should present what I am about to say or, how it may affect the people I am speaking with so much that it's become a burden. My honesty is not the only thing that makes me awkward, I mean have you ever met someone that’s just a physical copy of what Murphy’s Law means that’s me anything that can happen will happen to me! I lack hand, foot, and eye coordination so I could never walk in a straight line. I was always popular, but VERY socially awkward. I fall up stairs, I speak in movie and music verses. I believe in things most people do not like ghost, but from personal experiences. My crazy makes me awkward, but I feel in a good way. I’m funny, a great listener, non judgmental. Everything that I disliked about my awkward beings are what makes me great! This makes me, ME!!! The noises I make when sand touches my skin(eeeyuckkk), or my paranoia about things I really shouldn’t worry about like little people(no harm meant I’m terrified, again personal experiences!!!). The biggest thing that’s awkward to others, but not myself is how I treat people. I give everyone respect and treat them how I would like to be treated. I didn’t realize how important that maybe to someone until my face was paralyzed, and I found how cruel people really are! I never realized how me genuinely greeting someone with care who had very visible scars, or defects within personal appearance with kind words really could just boost that persons confidence or day until it was me that had the issue. My awkwardness is taking the time to see someone who is hurt and stopping to help . My awkwardness is being the underdog but staying positive and pushing through. My awkwardness is me standing up for the person who won’t stand up for themselves. EVERYTHING about me is awkward, but that awkwardness make me the best person possible.

My educational journey will help me to achieve my personal goals because, it will give me the knowledge and power to apply to any venture I set forth to accomplish. By having the correct knowledge, skills, and mindset which an education brings, this will push me further in my journey. This will also lead me along the right path to succeed. By making sure that I use the skills achieved in class, this will allow me to conquer any task set upon me. An education is very important, filling your head with knowledge can help in many different ways, but it always gives me the confidence to move forward no matter the task. My educational journey has helped me to improve critical thinking, and also helps to expand professional relationships, and networking. My schooling prepares me for the professional working world, by providing practical skills. An Education can provide hands on working skills, time management, and helps to achieve theoretical knowledge to advance within the career field. This journey provided a support system. My teachers, the students, and even weekly discussions really helped to build character, and provided professional opportunities and guidance. Learning what works for you is very important and this experience has help open the flood gates to conversations, opinions, and discussions that I really stray away from so it gave me the confidence to speak in rooms or step into conversations that I would have never spoken upon or entered. Feedback and honest correspondences gave me great opinions to my work, and depth to the discussions being had. I was able to read, listen, and adapt to the style of learning, speaking, or even the way I understood what I read or what I am doing learning that everything is not about how I see it. This journey helped me to step outside of myself, have no personal feelings or issues, and really just look at what is right in front of me directly, and not the sidelines but the mainstream situation. Education has allowed me to grow into the person that I would like to be, but did not know how to become. My educational journey has taught me how to be an adult! I’ve learned how to conquer fears, be fearless, speak up for myself, understand what’s being said to me, and it has also taught me how to respond, even in the worst situations.

My youngest brother was robbed and killed in March of 2024. I am on a mission to make a difference in the way laws are made and carried out, the way people are treated in situations involving law enforcement and crimes, and make being a youth innocent and safe again. I am from Chicago and our youth really does not have a fighting chance with the way our community is set up. People should not be afraid to walk to the grocery store and walk home which in my brothers situation is how is was murdered. People really do not know the importance of how even the smallest interaction can place a lifetime of doubt, and distrust between the community and law enforcement and the legal system. There are so many stigmas about law in the black community and I would like to make a change by providing legal help and services that the people can depend on to give the correct and appropriate care when needed. Victims rights should be one of the most important laws when dealing with criminal cases and Chicago has a lack of advocates and help needed to fight against the crimes being committed. My goal is to start providing services that focus only on finding advocates, programs, and assistance that can help the people of the community who are dealing with these crimes. Being a family member of a victim of a crime has shown me exactly what the city needs when it comes to helping the people of this community. People quickly lose trust and respect when they are not treated with respect and also are not given adequate help especially in times when someone is grieving. I would like to recruit and gather a team that actually cares, today it is hard to find people who are truly dedicated to the position they hold, some do it for money but I want to make sure the people I work with do it for the community and people they work with and for. There are not many things that can make a person feel differently about a first impression but a victim or family member of a victim should never feel like a burden or as if the people working with them does not care, which is what I dealt with, having someone in your corner that can give you a small bit of mental stability during these times is not easy to do but the people that are assigned should stand for the Oaths and mission statements that they agreed to when accepting their positions and I stand to make that difference within the criminal law system.

I am a 41 year old mother of three from Chicago who is trying to finish my bachelors degree. I want to show my children that they can achieve their goals. My younger brother was murdered recently, and it really gave me insight on how badly victim advocates, and other resources are needed in the city. This scholarship will help me to pay for my courses I have three left and I do not have the financial resources to attend anymore. I am a fighter and I am not giving up especially being so close to the finish line. I really want to make a difference in peoples lives, by being an advocate and starting programs that actually help victims/ family of victims in their time of need. This scholarship will allow me to take a step towards finishing school. I need my degree so I can get professional experience, and achieve my goals to start an advocate center. My family has had a terrible experience with the Chicago Police and the different advocates we have dealt with, and I never want anyone to feel the way my family feels right now after they have suffered from a traumatic event. This tragic event actually made me change my career choice because, I feel we were treated so poorly that I wanted to take a stand. I will be the first person in my family to finish college which is a big deal for me, I have dedicated finishing school in my brothers memory so I can not, and will not give up. I would like to show my children positive examples of how life should be, and getting my degree is one of the biggest examples I can show them. By fighting against the odds, working hard, being focused, and completing the things that you start you can achieve great things. I owe them a better life and environment and this money can help me finish classes. I appreciate the opportunity to apply to this it gives people who need help an opportunity to apply themselves which is the same as the programs that my center will focus on with helping victims children and families. I believe being an advocate can help and people but it can also save lives. The mental and emotional torture a victim or family of victim goes through is different from person to person, but having people with personal experience, care, and help get through one of the hardest times within your life is very important and you would be helping me to accomplish a goal and now life path.

Being the first in my family to graduate college is very extremely important to me because it is not an easy task to accomplish. I am a 41 year old mother of three and working, taking care of a family, and going to school can get overwhelming, but when you have people that depend on you, the stress really does not matter you have to do whatever it is you have to do to provide and make sure those people are ok no matter what. I am pursuing a bachelors degree in science applied criminal Justice, I live in Chicago and really would like to make a difference in the community. I want to b able to provide programs for adults and youth that are meaningful and can help them to get out of Chicago to better themselves. I would like to become an advocate for victims and family of victims because I recently became a victim of a crime and was not handled with the proper consideration and care I want to be that shining light for someone else and never any them to feel how myself and my family has felt while dealing with our situation. Chicago needs help in many departments for example there are a lack of youth and juvenile programs that keep kids off the street and away from gangs and violence, there are also not many safe spaces where the youth can participate in meaningful activities that can further help their growth and I want to set up an organization that can provide those types of activities. I want to help adults and the youth find ways to increase life expectancy in Chicago for youth. I want to make more than a difference, I want to provide an alternative to violence build bridges not burn them and create new horizons through educating. I would like to help build a foundation that is indestructible give people hope again and work with the youth because they are our future leaders they need guidance and reassurance every step of the way by helping to place traditional values in modern settings and allowing new ideas to emerge can be the saving light for many youth. I want to provide opportunities for educational growth, make a setting where open kindness and wanting to do better is awarded. My long term goals are to provide more opportunities, programs, and find financial help to support the youth and adults struggling to get an education to do better but can not because the do not have the correct “credit”score or money to learn. I feel an education should be free especially when the world requires people to have to be employed

Being a non traditional student has made me understand the importance of being organized, keeping a set schedule, planning, and basically being accountable for every action that I take. Working online as a student is much more difficult than it may seems because you really have to set goals, focus, and make sure you are properly preparing yourself to understand and actually learn without having a physical person that can help to guide you much like life. In earlier years I would find myself making mistakes, and not managing my time properly which did not give me the results that I wanted, but as I got comfortable and got into a system on how to work and manage my time while working a full time job, and taking care of three children it gave me a formula that I use in life. Non traditional learning has taught me that I am strong and capable of researching, and really make a huge statement through words. Sometimes it can be easy for a person’s personality to be shown in public, but it is very difficult in writing, words can be misconstrued when actual feelings and a visual image is not present. I have more pride in the work that I do because of non traditional learning due to the fact that I know I put forth everything in me to achieve my goals and succeed. Non traditional learning has also helped me to better understand many of the careers and narrow down what field would be best for me because many of my classmates were already working either in the field I was interested or a related field. Through our discussions you gather information from experienced professionals so there are multiple fields and learning streams in one setting. Non traditional learning has allowed me the time and space to focus on what really matters within my life, and also helped me to find a way to accomplish my future goals because I can work around my job and children’s schedules still coming out on top and with good grades it gives me a sense of accomplishment. I do not feel I would have learned as much in writing if I had taken the traditional route because I found the way I that I learn best through non traditional learning, it made me put more faith and effort into myself and what I have going on, making me be more aware of what and who I am relying on when reading or for any matter, and opened my mind making me decide on a different career route.

I am a 41 year old mother of three who would like to use this scholarship as a chance to continue to better life for my children. In March my younger brother as murdered and I want to use my degree to become a victims advocate and really give people the help and be there for them unlike the police and advocates have been in my own situation. I plan on making a difference in my community of Chicago which needs help in many different ways. I have dedicated my goals and accomplishments towards my brothers memory he never would give up, he was determined, and helped anyone he could and I want to continue in his honor. Chicago is a beautiful but very dangerous place and it has made me realize how much one persons efforts can do. I plan on making programs for the youth, victims, and family of victims of crime to better advocate that people do care that they suffered through a traumatic event, they/their loved ones are important and actually help them to get through the upcoming events involving the situation. I have children so it is important to be an example show the highest level of excellence and strive to do and be the best to show them how they should be in life. I will be the first to finish college in my family and it has taken years but I will not give up this scholarship will help me to finish my bachelors so that I can get a career instead of a job a career will provide for my family. I am so close to finishing and ran out of aid. I have struggled in life and I never give up the experiences that I have lived through has made me a better person because I understand what it takes to actually work hard for something you want to achieve and to accomplish it which makes it ten times better. I have to finish school because it will help me to become the person I would like to be it will show my children who they can be, and if they work hard what they can accomplish. Most importantly to me my graduation is dedicated to my brother I have really been on an emotional roller coaster and I can always hear my brother tell me I got this and it makes me push further so I know “we” got this and I’m never giving up I will accomplish everything I hav mentioned plus more because I’m not only doing it for myself I am doing it for my kids and most of all for my brother John and his memory.