In my dream life I have established myself as a leader in the maternal mortality crisis as an advocate for all birthing people. In my professional life, I will have my practice solidified as a pillar in the community by providing mental health services to the youth and their families. My team of social workers will all have specializations so that we are able to service as many people as possible. My dream life has me as a proponent of healthy mental health practices so that communities of color, queer communities, and other underserved communities can quash societal expectations that are rooted in Eurocentric values. I see myself amplifying the voices of those suppressed in the medical field when they are looking to have their pain believed, their thoughts and worries validated, and care that goes above and beyond. With my career, I would increase my knowledge on maternal mortality and ways to prevent it through education of our medical staff and by empowering birthing people and their support systems to ask questions and never to be silenced. I may then feel safe and secure to have my own family knowing that I know and will continue to learn on topics so that I can be harm reductive in my professional and private life. This is what I see my dream life as, and one day I know it will become true.

My name is Lauren Henderson and I am currently pursuing my MSW. I am a first-gen graduate of the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor with a B.A. in Psychology. While at U-M I also studied sociology and Afroamerican and African studies helping me to determine that social work is something that I am very interested in and that I see myself doing for the rest of my life. My long-term goals are to create a practice of social workers that support Black and Brown teens on their mental health journey. As a Black woman, the mental health of my community is extremely important to me. I have numerous family members that are mentally ill but because of rampant racism were never able to get the help they needed in a reasonable amount of time. Times have changed so much and I want to be a part of the current work to destigmatize mental illness so that no one is ever ashamed to get help and that no one is ever prevented from receiving the help they need. As someone who also experiences mental illness, I hope that my story can help with the process of destigmatizing mental illness as well as show others what they are capable of accomplishing. I currently work in the city of Detroit, MI with the Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence as a systems and trauma advocate. The mission of the coalition is to end domestic and sexual violence in the state of Michigan through our own efforts and with the support of our member organizations. Being stationed in Detroit has granted me the opportunity to work with organizations all throughout the city in their efforts to support survivors of Michigan. Through this work, my interests in social work have increased and I have gained perspective in what kinds of support people actually want when they are working through their trauma. I have also started the work I plan to do with teens here as we are getting some school-driven prevention methods off the ground. This has solidified my goals in supporting those experiencing trauma and helping them to form healthy mental health practices at an early age. With the money I will save by paying down my student loans I will be able to pay for my MSW program and I will be able to put that money towards moving to the city I pursue my MSW in. Both of the schools I applied for are in different states on the other side of the United States and will require travel to search for living spaces and to view the campus as well as moving expenses. This money will help set me up for success so that when I return to school I can focus on courses and fieldwork without having to worry as much about the costs. This money will also help me to set up payments that will help to build my credit! This is something that would be extremely beneficial for my future as I think critically about how I plan to achieve my long-term goals such as renting space for the practice and showing investors that I have a great credit history. It is my hope that I can accomplish all my goals with the added benefit of knowing that money does not have to be one of my worries.

Many years ago, my dad was showing me how to be financially literate as I was just starting my undergraduate career. This was the first time budgeting would become extremely important for me. That is when he told me "'Present you should set things up so that future you will have things set in place for greatness". Ever since those words have stuck with me as what I need to do in order to achieve my financial goals. Budgeting is the key and so is being honest with yourself in what are feasible amounts of money you can save. Yes, you can save $750 from each paycheck but will the remaining money cover all your expenses for half the month? Yes, you have $300 remaining after expenses but does that mean that you have $300 to send or $150 to spend with the rest going into your emergency savings. These are the tools and tricks that help me think critically about my savings and what I'll need for future endeavors while living up to the expectations of future me. "Present me" is constantly thinking about ways to set "future me" up for success and that is why I am able to live within my means and save for the future. It is not easy. There are times when a purchase will go just over budget and I know I have to look for an alternative. But, I know there will be a future purchase that is made possible because "present me" set it up.

From as early as pre-school, students are asked "what do you want to be when you grow up?". Questions like these get young children thinking about their future from an early age so that when they reach high school, many if not most have a very clear idea for their future. This is why I believe the one thing that will elicit real change towards a better education for future generations is shifting the required courses for high schoolers. Our school system was built to guide students towards STEM, business, and office careers. This leaves students who do not aspire to go on these career paths taking high level math and science courses that will not be beneficial for them rather they plan to attend higher learning institutions or trade schools. The push for STEM stifles the arts and creates a hierarchy for STEM careers and aspirations. All of this can push students to careers they are told will bring them "more" success in the long run as opposed to careers that are fulfilling to them. The education system in the US should be about uplifting students to their full potential in the field of their interest. Course requirements are a huge part of education. You have to take certain classes for a select number of semesters to fulfill that graduation requirement and each year courses are to increase in difficulty. This is where I think our school system goes wrong. I would propose that for the first two years or grade levels of high school that students take the standard math, science, literature, and electives course load we currently provide but after that, school shifts entirely. For the next two grade levels students should take courses that center their field they wish to pursue a career in. For example, if a student has always shown high interest in the arts and wishes to pursue art as a career they should take courses that cater to them like digital media, painting, sculpture, drawing, etc. These courses will help students to narrow down what path in the field they enjoy and see themselves doing in the future most. This way, if they do pursue higher education, they have a higher chance of picking a major that will benefit them the most. Schooling in this format would be a radical shift in the way we prepare students for their post high school aspirations. There is potential for students that struggle in certain areas to grow and flourish in fields that actually pique their interest. But, this is just one piece of the puzzle to make education better for future generations. Schooling such as this can only prosper with a change to college admissions requirements and the role of standardized tests in our schools. Alas, we have a long road ahead of us in the strive for educational justice in this country and I hope for future generations that we continue to persevere.