Hello, my name is Leilani Pryor, and I am an advocate for mental health and its upcoming role in black/hispanic communities as a member of both myself. Igniting Change Through Psychology and Mental Health Advocacy From an early age, I have been fascinated by the complexity of the human mind—how cognition, emotion, and experience shape behavior. My passion for STEM is in psychology and neuroscience, fields that bridge science and human experience. Unlike traditional medicine, psychology is a field where scientific inquiry intersects with people in a subjective way, shaping how individuals heal, grow, and engage with the world. I was inspired by a fascination with dreams and consciousness as a little girl. I spent hours viewing videos, reading books, and exploring how the brain constructs reality. The fascination only became stronger as I observed the ways in which mental health disorders were often ignored in my community. The lack of resources and on matters like anxiety, depression, and trauma made my journey towards psychiatry personal to me. My desire to learn and improve mental health care became more than an interest—it became my mission. The Challenges I Hope to Overcome Mental illness continues to be stigmatized in the majority of communities, especially in those of color. Most go undiagnosed and untreated because they lack the money to afford quality care or even access it. I want to turn this around by becoming a psychiatrist who not only treats patients but also fights for policies that expand mental health education and treatment. With my STEM career, I hope to create or bring aid to low-cost, culturally related therapy programs and push psychological research that centers on diverse voices. How Books Have Shaped My STEM Goals Books played a crucial role in my understanding of psychology and mental health. I enjoy reading older novels such as “Astral Projection, Ritual Magic, and Alchemy” by S.L. MacGregor Matthews, who shows an earlier spiritual viewpoint on the human psyche while presenting factual stories on how ritual magic and astral projection impacted citizens of the 18th century. To many communities today, spirituality is in very close ties to the human mind which is something I find very admirable; the background knowledge I gain from reading books like these has proven very relevant as I move forward and specialize in psychology. My Educational Roadmap & The Role of This Scholarship Pursuing a career as a psychiatrist involves rigorous education, research, and training. I will study for an undergraduate degree in psychology and medical school with a focus in psychiatry. Along the way, I would like to pursue research on neurodivergence, mental illness, and recovery from traumatic experiences, ensuring psychological interventions are evidence-based and tailored to different populations. As a member of the middle class, however, financial constraints make this very difficult. Even with the scholarships I have now, I will still pay 20,000 per year while receiving a bachelors at FIU. The majority of scholarships focus on high-merit or high-need students, placing students such as myself in the difficult position of being too economically secure to qualify for need-based aid yet not enough to afford college without assuming heavy loans. This scholarship would bridge the gap, allowing me to focus on my research, studies, and advocacy rather than financial distress. It would grant me the freedom to search for internships, design community outreach programs, and carry out research driving mental health innovation. Turning Passion Into Impact This award would not only pay for my education but also kindle my fire: to create a world where mental health is dealt with the same urgency as physical health. Whether through policy reform, innovative therapy methods, or AI-engineered resources that offer mental health services, I would like to ensure that no one must suffer in silence due to a lack of resources or information. Through STEM, I will work toward a world in which mental health care is available, individualized, and rooted in both scientific discovery and human empathy. This scholarship would not be financial support alone—it would be the beginning of a lifetime career. This is the first step towards ensuring an accessible environment for people of color such as myself.

My name is Leilani Pryor, and I am committed to mental health awareness and access. As a Black woman, I have grown up in a community where mental health discussions are always dismissed or misinterpreted. Stigma regarding mental health in so many communities—and especially in communities of color—has left so many without the resources or support they need. Seeing it firsthand has impacted my drive to be a psychiatrist, where I can bridge the gap between mental healthcare and those who need it the most. I believe everyone should have access to loving, educated treatment, and I hope to be at the forefront of eliminating the barriers that prevent it from happening. Throughout my education, I've worked to create a positive impact in my community. Perhaps my most profound experience has been with HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America), where I co-founded "angelmindset_sas," an Instagram page dedicated to creating awareness about mental health. We created daily content regarding stress management, self-kindness, social anxiety, and other critical topics to ensure mental health information was available to students who might otherwise lack it. It allowed me to see firsthand the amazing influence education and awareness can have and cemented my commitment to disseminating mental health facts in an engaging, clear, and timely format. Additionally, I have been involved in Agents of Change, a program in which I am able to mentor and tutor students who are in lower grades. This has been an incredibly rewarding experience because I have seen firsthand the difference that a solid support system and mentorship can make in a child's confidence and success. What I realized through this work is that education and mental health go hand in hand—a student cannot succeed academically if they are failing emotionally. My professional goals are not just treating mental illness, but keeping people, especially young people, with skills to build resilience and adapt to adversity positively. As I enter college, I know that the money factor will be one of my greatest barriers. Having been brought up in a middle-class family, I don't fit into a high level of need-based aid, but tuition costs, textbook costs, and living expenses still represent a very real problem. All aside, I plan to make my education a viable choice by asking for grants, taking work-study positions, and exhausting resources when mapping out my budget. One obstacle I see ahead is the academic difficulty of pursuing a pre-med and psychology course of study while at an Honors college next fall (FIU Honors!) Becoming a psychiatrist is a lengthy process consisting of medical school, residency, and then attending before I can call myself Dr. Pryor in the future. However, I am not one to back down from a challenge and balancing coursework, internships, and personal responsibilities has proven to be no trouble for me yet, and I’ll make sure it won’t happen even if I get discouraged by the lengthy doctoral process. Apart from studies, my passions are all about the human brain. Ever since I was little, I have been fascinated with dreams, consciousness, and how our thoughts control our behavior. I used to spend hours watching YouTube videos and mini-psychology books, eager to know how the brain works. This scholarship would relieve me of the expense of my training and allow me to focus on my studies and outreach work. I am grateful for the chance to share my story and I am thrilled to live out my career and make a difference and change lives and create a world where mental illness is understood and appreciated.

What causes individuals with bipolar disorder to experience deep feelings of emptiness? Why do those struggling with addiction feel the need to linger behind the shadows of their vices? The answers lie within the subconscious mind, which is shaped by life experiences that many find difficult to express. Growing up as a Black Hispanic, I’m constantly witnessing how conversations about mental health are dismissed in my community. While society has made progress, the stigma surrounding mental health is at a standstill, and as a result, there are many that suffer in silence. Last month, my little brother was baker acted and under hospital care for 5 days. Visiting him in the hospital was an abnormal experience, and I noticed that all of the other kids were much older than he was. To be diagnosed with suffering mental health at 10 years old isn't something that happens often at all. A little over a year before the incident, a close uncle had committed suicide. This reality of mine has fueled a passion for understanding the human mind and inspired my pursuit of a bachelors in psychology and an eventual career in psychiatry. From a young age, I was captivated by the subjectivity of human behavior. Before I even reached double digits, I was experimenting with my own consciousness, learning to lucid dream and exploring the subconscious mind through personal research. This curiosity led me to study fields such as astral projection, 17th-century alchemy, and psychological conditioning, deepening my understanding of how perception can shape reality. As a HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) member, me and my peers focused on Mental Health Promotion between the months of October and January as we honed in on 'stress' as our main topic. Our instagram handle (@angelmindsetsas) featured daily posts about the topic of stress and how to handle the impacts it can leave. When I was finally able to take formal psychology courses in high school, I’m proud to say I excelled—earning my highest AICE exam score in AS-Level Psychology. Currently, my dual enrollment coursework in Behavioral Neuroscience, Abnormal Psychology, and Human Growth and Development is equipping me with a strong foundation for my future career in psychiatry. However, psychology is not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ scenario. The way mental health is understood and treated varies across cultures, but Western medicine often applies a standardized criteria that fails to capture the subjective experiences of disorders like BPD, ADHD, and psychosis. My goal is to develop a culturally sensitive approach to psychiatry—one that notices the unique ways different communities perceive and address mental health. It is common for people to acknowledge a regression in physical health, but the same cannot be said around the world with mental health; even though it can be just as detrimental if not treated. This is only the beginning of how I would like to impact the STEM field as a black woman, though there are many more things on my to-do list.

Imagine this - one day, you're sitting in a highschool class as you get a phone call from your parent. After hanging up, you can't find it in yourself to go back; your brother had just been baker acted. This is me, Leilani Pryor, and mental health has affected me in many ways throughout my life. What causes individuals with bipolar disorder to experience deep feelings of emptiness? Why do those struggling with addiction feel the need to linger behind the shadows of their vices? The answers lie within the subconscious mind, which is shaped by life experiences that many find difficult to express. Growing up as a Black Hispanic, I’m constantly witnessing how conversations about mental health are dismissed in my community. While society has made progress, the stigma surrounding mental health is at a standstill, and as a result, there are many that suffer in silence. This reality has fueled my passion for understanding the human mind and inspired my pursuit of a career in psychiatry. Around 15 months before the incident, a close uncle of mine (and coincidentally a neighbor) had committed suicide. I can still remember the day crystally clear as it came with the end of November 2023; on the ride home from school with my cousins, his children, in the car with us.The mix of grief, tension, and anticipation so dense they could be sliced through with a knife. It is another day I will never forget as I was one of the first to hear the news. From a young age, I was captivated by the subjectivity of human behavior. Before I even reached double digits, I was experimenting with my own consciousness, learning to lucid dream and exploring the subconscious mind through personal research. This curiosity led me to study fields such as astral projection, 17th-century alchemy, and psychological conditioning, deepening my understanding of how perception can shape reality. When I was finally able to take formal psychology courses in high school, I’m proud to say I excelled—earning my highest AICE exam score in AS-Level Psychology. Currently, my dual enrollment coursework in Behavioral Neuroscience, Abnormal Psychology, and Human Growth and Development is equipping me with a strong foundation for my future career in psychiatry. However, psychology is not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ scenario. The way mental health is understood and treated varies across cultures, but Western medicine often applies a standardized criteria that fails to capture the subjective experiences of disorders like BPD, ADHD, and psychosis. My goal is to develop a culturally sensitive approach to psychiatry—one that notices the unique ways different communities perceive and address mental health. Stories like mine are not uncommon, where disorderly symptoms are present, but not addressed. Where issues are ignored to the point of madness. I feel a strong calling towards psychiatry because of past experiences and my love for psychology, and I strongly believe that the world needs more diversity in the psychiatric field. With the help of Autumn Davis, I hope to excel in my devotion to understanding and successfully diagnosing all that suffer with their mental health.

Why do people ignore the things they need most? As a Black woman, I'm surrounded by family members who will never understand mental health the way society knows it now; and suicide rates only continue to rise the more we fail to deal with this issue. I have been aware of this fact for a long time, and it's becoming increasingly clear that change is needed in communities like mine. As I prepare for college, I plan to major in psychology and pursue a career as a psychiatrist because mental health is a very important topic for me. As much as I love my community, I also feel a need to protect it; and I know exactly how to do that. Ever since I was little, I have been fascinated by the conscious and unconscious mind. I'd watch YouTube videos and read books about different types of dreams and their meanings, which sparked my passion for psychology. As I grew older, I began to understand how our actions and environment shape these parts of the mind. When I campaigned for HOSA (Health Organization Students of America) we promoted mental health through an Instagram page named "angelmindset_sas" where we created posts every single day regarding stress and its possible outcomes. We worked on a plethora of topics, ranging from self-compassion to social anxiety to pet therapy. Me and my peers were able to make it to the 2nd round of competition where we delivered a speech explaining our goal of angelmindset; to construct an easily accessible page consisting of reliable information for those that don't have the necessary materials to a life of reduced stress. We chose stress as our topic because it's applicable to everybody. From students worrying about assignments to employees managing workplace deadlines and even retirees concerned about financial stability. I'm aware these examples are common, but they are only the beginning of understanding stress and its unique impact on individuals. I am proud to say that the facts and statistics up on our page is even available to the readers if they need it. With the support of higher education as I transition into college, I plan to attend medical school and finishing with a master's degree. This scholarship would help me immensely in achieving that goal and I thank you for reading my essay.

When you think about Barbie, you think about the impossible; and how that's exactly what she achieved. She worked well over 300 jobs and her life is picture-perfect! I understand why so many little girls looked up to her, and I feel the same way. My Barbie Dream House would be on the moon, and some parts would be made up of the moon's igneous rock. It would be very quiet, but that's how I would like it. The house would have a similar floor design to Barbie's original Dream House, but with a few upgrades. The outside would be shades of purple and white, to blend in with the rest of the moon's atmosphere. Inside, there would be a beautiful staircase with star-shaped chandeliers on the ceilings. There would be a closet and a kitchen on every floor, even a mini-bar on the roof. The lighting in my Dream House would be a dimmed indigo shade, and there would be sofas and huge beanbag chairs everywhere! There would be three floors and a closed-off area on the roof, called the "low-gravity zone" where anybody could experience the moon's low gravity. My dream house would have any type of food imaginable so all of my guests can eat comfortably. Since there are three floors, there will also be an elevator that takes me and my guests to any floor we need to be on.