My professional and life experiences, both paid and volunteer, have led me to nursing as a career. I am a first-generation, non-traditional, student. I first chose EMS as a career field right out of high school. I was eager to excel in the healthcare field and make a difference in people’s lives. After several years, I was drawn to social services, and continued work in the community as an HIV Prevention Specialist, Community Health Worker, and Peer Specialist. I completed a certification as a Birth Doula in 2023 and began running my business on the side. I now work part-time as a Medical Scribe and part-time as a Birth Doula. I have extensive volunteer experience. I recently began the process to become a volunteer for the Coast Guard Auxiliary. Once I graduate from my BSN program and pass the NCLEX, I hope to use my skills to support the healthcare needs of the Coast Guard as a volunteer RN. I have volunteered as a Peer Specialist and Community Health Worker for a community organization called Transcend the Binary for several years. I am involved in collaborative health research involving the transgender and gender non-conforming community. Going back further, I have volunteered as a Vaccine Ambassador for the Washtenaw Department of Health. My personal experiences have shaped me into a compassionate, empathetic, kind, and non- judgmental person. I have faced housing insecurity, homelessness, and the loss of most of my family members. I have outlived both of my parents. I recognize that tomorrow is not guaranteed for any of us, and it has encouraged me to live my life to the fullest, every day. I am passionate about the healthcare field, Nursing, Public Health, health education, and population health. I completed credits at SNHU in Community Health Education before applying to nursing school. My desire to become an RN stems from my professional and life experiences, outlined above. I have would like to eventually become a Nurse Practitioner. My ultimate goal is to join The Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service as an RN. I hope to support the US Public Health Service in keeping our population safe, healthy, and thriving. I hope to spread my light to other people throughout the Detroit Metro area and beyond as a nurse. I hope that my kindness will lead to me having an excellent bedside manner and my dedication will lead me to great places in the private or federal sector. My desire to serve my community and country is my main reason for becoming an RN. I hope to bring light to those in their darkest moments.

My professional and life experiences, both paid and volunteer, have led me to nursing as a career. I first chose EMS as a career field right out of high school. I was eager to excel in the healthcare field and make a difference in people’s lives. After several years, I was drawn to social services, and continued work in the community as an HIV Prevention Specialist, Community Health Worker, and Peer Specialist. I completed a certification as a Birth Doula in 2023 and began running my business on the side. I now work part-time as a Medical Scribe and part-time as a Birth Doula. I have extensive volunteer experience. I recently began the process to become a volunteer for the Coast Guard Auxiliary. Once I graduate from my BSN program and pass the NCLEX, I hope to use my skills to support the healthcare needs of the Coast Guard as a volunteer RN. I have volunteered as a Peer Specialist and Community Health Worker for a community organization called Transcend the Binary for several years. I am involved in collaborative health research involving the transgender and gender non-conforming community. Going back further, I have volunteered as a Vaccine Ambassador for the Washtenaw Department of Health. My personal experiences have shaped me into a compassionate, empathetic, kind, and non- judgmental person. I have faced housing insecurity, homelessness, and the loss of most of my family members. I have outlived both of my parents. I recognize that tomorrow is not guaranteed for any of us, and it has encouraged me to live my life to the fullest, every day. I am passionate about the healthcare field, Nursing, Public Health, health education, and population health. I completed credits at SNHU in Community Health Education before applying to nursing school. My desire to become an RN stems from my professional and life experiences, outlined above. I have would like to eventually become a Nurse Practitioner. My ultimate goal is to join The Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service as an RN. I hope to support the US Public Health Service in keeping our population safe, healthy, and thriving. I hope to spread my light to other people throughout the Detroit Metro area and beyond as a nurse. I hope that my kindness will lead to me having an excellent bedside manner and my dedication will lead me to great places in the private or federal sector. My desire to serve my community and country is my main reason for becoming an RN. I hope to bring light to those in their darkest moments.

The first time I picked up an acoustic guitar, I never knew that my life would be forever changed. Sitting on a friend's couch, emancipated at the age of 15, I didn't know that the guitar that buzzed underneath my fingertips would become so many amazing things in my future. I didn't know that it would lead me to play on stage for the first time, and second, and tenth. I didn't know that my confidence would boost immensely. Most importantly, I didn't know how paramount music, guitar, and voice, would be to my healing through the trauma I faced in my life. I am a graduate from the Paul Green School of Rock Music(a similar school is now just called "Rock School), an after school program for teenagers in the Philadelphia area who were passionate about rock music. I spent my high school years performing covers of bands like the Beatles and Queen. I received lessons from an instructor who lacked the passion I had for music, but instilled wonderful practice values in me nonetheless. I played at school functions, joined Band, and continued to learn more and more about every instrument I could get my hands on. Soon, I was playing bass guitar, percussion, and trumpet. In my senior year at "Rock School", I was awarded the Women in Rock scholarship for my musical aptitude and service to the community. As a non-traditional student, I feel it's important to highlight a bit of my previous career path and volunteerism, as I did not go directly from high school into a university music program. After high school, I was encouraged by well-meaning adults to not pursue music as a career; it simply was not a "safe" career, in their minds. So, I pursued a career as an Emergency Medical Technician, still writing music in my free time and advancing my skills on guitar. I continued on for many years in social services. I worked in HIV Prevention, becoming a Community Health Worker and Peer Support Specialist, and serving my community wherever I could. My music stayed private, my means of healing, until I finally decided I was ready to share my music with others. By my 30s, I began using a DAW, Digital Audio Workspace. I had equipment that was previously only present in recording studios. I began sharing my music with friends and loved ones. My friends were constantly impressed by my ability to write songs that "sound like they belong in a movie". I sent a song of mine to a friend who worked at the University of Michigan radio station and she asked me to play on air. I lugged my guitar to the studio at 6am, waking up Ann Arbor with soft acoustic guitar. Another song of mine, "Waiting Song", has been played multiple times on air. During and after my degree program, I hope to produce my own music and help others do the same. I offer guitar lessons to community members and would like to expand my client base as I learn more in my degree program. My goal is to have an album completed by the time I finish my degree. Someday, I'd like to open my own recording studio. I would hope to have some of my songs featured in movies, television, or video games. I have high hopes that one of my songs will end up on national radio. If not, I am content with a behind the scenes job, helping other's produce popular music, and sharing the beauty of music with my community.

The first time I picked up an acoustic guitar, I never knew that my life would be forever changed. Sitting on a friend's couch, emancipated at the age of 15, I didn't know that the guitar that buzzed underneath my fingertips would become so many amazing things in my future. I didn't know that it would lead me to play on stage for the first time, and second, and tenth. I didn't know that my confidence would boost immensely. Most importantly, I didn't know how paramount music, guitar, and voice, would be to my healing through the trauma I faced in my life. I am a graduate from the Paul Green School of Rock Music(a similar school is now just called "Rock School), an after school program for teenagers in the Philadelphia area who were passionate about rock music. I spent my high school years performing covers of bands like the Beatles and Queen. I received lessons from an instructor who lacked the passion I had for music, but instilled wonderful practice values in me nonetheless. I played at school functions, joined Band, and continued to learn more and more about every instrument I could get my hands on. Soon, I was playing bass guitar, percussion, and trumpet. In my senior year at "Rock School", I was awarded the Women in Rock scholarship for my musical aptitude and service to the community. As a non-traditional student, I feel it's important to highlight a bit of my previous career path and volunteerism, as I did not go directly from high school into a university music program. After high school, I was encouraged by well-meaning adults to not pursue music as a career; it simply was not a "safe" career, in their minds. So, I pursued a career as an Emergency Medical Technician, still writing music in my free time and advancing my skills on guitar. I continued on for many years in social services. I worked in HIV Prevention, becoming a Community Health Worker and Peer Support Specialist, and serving my community wherever I could. My music stayed private, my means of healing, until I finally decided I was ready to share my music with others. By my 30s, I began using a DAW, Digital Audio Workspace. I had equipment that was previously only present in recording studios. I began sharing my music with friends and loved ones. My friends were constantly impressed by my ability to write songs that "sound like they belong in a movie". I sent a song of mine to a friend who worked at the University of Michigan radio station and she asked me to play on air. I lugged my guitar to the studio at 6am, waking up Ann Arbor with soft acoustic guitar. Another song of mine, "Waiting Song", has been played multiple times on air. During and after my degree program, I hope to produce my own music and help others do the same. I offer guitar lessons to community members and would like to expand my client base as I learn more in my degree program. My goal is to have an album completed by the time I finish my degree. Someday, I'd like to open my own recording studio. I would hope to have some of my songs featured in movies, television, or video games. I have high hopes that one of my songs will end up on national radio. If not, I am content with a behind the scenes job, helping other's produce popular music, and sharing the beauty of music with my community.

The first time I picked up an acoustic guitar, I never knew that my life would be forever changed. Sitting on a friend's couch, emancipated at the age of 15, I didn't know that the guitar that buzzed underneath my fingertips would become so many amazing things in my future. I didn't know that it would lead me to play on stage for the first time, and second, and tenth. I didn't know that my confidence would boost immensely. Most importantly, I didn't know how paramount music, guitar, and voice, would be to my healing through the trauma I faced in my life. I am a graduate from the Paul Green School of Rock Music(a similar school is now just called "Rock School), an after school program for teenagers in the Philadelphia area who were passionate about rock music. I spent my high school years performing covers of bands like the Beatles and Queen. I received lessons from an instructor who lacked the passion I had for music, but instilled wonderful practice values in me nonetheless. I played at school functions, joined Band, and continued to learn more and more about every instrument I could get my hands on. Soon, I was playing bass guitar, percussion, and trumpet. In my senior year at "Rock School", I was awarded the Women in Rock scholarship for my musical aptitude and service to the community. As a non-traditional student, I feel it's important to highlight a bit of my previous career path and volunteerism, as I did not go directly from high school into a university music program. After high school, I was encouraged by well-meaning adults to not pursue music as a career; it simply was not a "safe" career, in their minds. So, I pursued a career as an Emergency Medical Technician, still writing music in my free time and advancing my skills on guitar. I continued on for many years in social services. I worked in HIV Prevention, becoming a Community Health Worker and Peer Support Specialist, and serving my community wherever I could. My music stayed private, my means of healing, until I finally decided I was ready to share my music with others. By my 30s, I began using a DAW, Digital Audio Workspace. I had equipment that was previously only present in recording studios. I began sharing my music with friends and loved ones. My friends were constantly impressed by my ability to write songs that "sound like they belong in a movie". I sent a song of mine to a friend who worked at the University of Michigan radio station and she asked me to play on air. I lugged my guitar to the studio at 6am, waking up Ann Arbor with soft acoustic guitar. Another song of mine, "Waiting Song", has been played multiple times on air. During and after my degree program, I hope to produce my own music and help others do the same. I offer guitar lessons to community members and would like to expand my client base as I learn more in my degree program. My goal is to have an album completed by the time I finish my degree. Someday, I'd like to open my own recording studio. I would hope to have some of my songs featured in movies, television, or video games. I have high hopes that one of my songs will end up on national radio. If not, I am content with a behind the scenes job, helping other's produce popular music, and sharing the beauty of music with my community. https://youtu.be/mskzGDkM8q4

Being the first in my family to obtain a college degree means being a cycle-breaker. My family is plagued with generations of trauma and abuse, as well as underemployment, unemployment, poverty, and lack of education. I am the first to want to break these cycles and move past the status quo. As a teenager, my family members reflected on my "book smart" nature, in stark comparison to most in my family. I was often found with my nose in a book, getting in trouble for reading at the dinner table or at family events. I was, and am, still the outlier. Most of my biological family chose a life of crime; gangs, violence, prison, and drugs. I separated myself at a relatively young age from their tumultuous lifestyle. I knew I wanted more out of life than that. As an adult, finding my career path has not been easy. I have many passions and talents and a desire to serve others. I believe that career paths are temporary and that one can pursue many things in one lifetime. I follow that mindset and try different career opportunities. Without the support of my family, and without guidance, I have had to find my own way. I am pursuing Music Production/Audio Arts for my first college degree due to a longstanding passion for music. As a teenager, I received a scholarship to a local afterschool music program. I had always found solace in music, especially during the trauma that I experienced at the hands of my family. Soon, I was learning guitar and practicing singing, boosting my confidence. It was a long and winding path to my music education. I struggled with low confidence after I graduated from the afterschool program and put music education on the back burner. After many years in healthcare and social services, I finally decided to take the jump and pursue a music degree. I was recently featured on a local radio show, and did quite well, boosting my confidence and helping me to realize the importance of showcasing my music to the world. I want to learn the skills in college so I can produce my own music and help others learn those skills. My passion for the healthcare and social services field drives me to want to get a second degree in Public Health once I complete my Bachelor's in Music Production/Audio Arts. In the long term, I hope to open a non-profit dedicated to improving access to music education for marginalized communities. I plan to continue to work part-time in the healthcare and social services field. I would like to go back and get my nursing degree at some point. I have a lot of time left on this Earth and a lot of plans! My mission in life, and my long-term career goal, is to change the world, one person, and one note,, at a time.

Being a part of the LGBTQ+ community has not always been easy, and yet, I am still proud and honored to be who I am. My family did not accept me when I came out as a transgender man as a teenager, and I was subsequently kicked out. Couch surfing and finishing high school was not an easy task. I still finished high school with a 3.5 GPA and overcame the odds. In higher education, I faced transphobia before my name and gender change, making it difficult for me to focus on my studies. It took perseverance and dedication for me to continue my education. I found support and solace in the LGBTQ+ community during those times, leaning on support groups and friends who understood the experience. I have met amazing people because I reached out for help. My career goals and aspirations are as multi-faceted as my identity and personality. I have passions for music, the arts, healthcare, public health, and service to others. I have carved a path that revolves around community service. Ultimately, I would love to open up a non-profit that focuses on providing affordable and accessible music education to the LGBTQ+ and disabled communities while working part-time in the healthcare field. For now, I am a part-time Birth Doula, focusing on reducing the rates of morbidity and mortality in birthing people and infants. I recently was hired as a part-time Pharmacy Technician and as a Newborn Hearing Screener. I volunteer as a Community Health Worker and Peer Worker for a trans-led organization, focusing on improving health outcomes in trans and gender-diverse communities. I am also in the process of collaborating with a local university to start a scholarship program for the LGBTQ+ community that assists them with becoming Certified Community Health Workers. I provide mentorship to trans and gender-diverse youth once a week as a part of a pilot program aimed at supporting these youth. My heart has been drawn towards service due to the adversities I have faced. Being in the LGBTQ+ community was not a choice. Much like Lady Gaga sings, I was born this way. The society around me has not always been accepting and positive towards my identity. However, because of the great adversities I have overcome, I continue to want to help others so that no one has to go through what I went through in my life's travels. Regardless of where my career takes me, I will continue to change the world, one person, and one note, at a time.

As a person who has experienced a great deal of adversity in my life, music has had a profound impact on me. The abuse I experienced in childhood and adulthood made me feel voiceless. I learned guitar as a teenager to combat the feeling of voicelessness and powerlessness I felt. Behind the guitar, singing, I have a voice and power again, and people listen. Even when I was discouraged from studying music, I continued to play, and dream, that someday I would feel ready to pursue a degree in music. Due to my family discouraging me from pursuing music and arts, I carved out a career serving my community. I have spent my adult life dedicated to volunteerism and directly impacting the lives of people who experienced adversity and marginalization. Coping with the vicarious trauma that impacted me in my day-to-day work was difficult. Often, I would go home after work or volunteering, and pick up my guitar. The soothing notes on the acoustic guitar helped center me. I wrote pieces that expressed my deep sorrow for what I experienced personally and vicariously. I would go back to work refreshed and ready to focus. Music also helped me find my confidence. I have anxiety, and therefore, a bit of stage fright. I stopped performing in my teenage years due to my anxiety. As an adult, I realized how I missed performance and telling my stories through music on the stage. Two summers ago, I was invited by a community member who heard my playing to perform on local radio. I successfully played two original songs, despite my anxiety. I am proud of my performance. I have also begun playing local open mics. I am neurodivergent and struggle to make friends, so performing on stage is a pretty big deal! I am often awkward in social interactions. Adopting a stage name--Phoenix Wolf--has helped my confidence immensely. I seek out new networking opportunities and connections. I put myself out there in the community through open mics, outreach on social media, and talking to new people at events. Music has transformed me in so many amazing ways. My confidence in my abilities led me to change my university and major, after completing coursework in Public Health. While I love Public Health, I am, at my core, a creative person with a brain for music and the arts. My husband encouraged me to follow my passion and study music over our years together. After much debate, I finally switched to Full Sail University to study Audio Arts with a concentration in Music Production. I have begun to form a non-profit, dedicated to increasing the visibility of disabled and LGBTQ+ individuals in the music and arts scene. I have already made wonderful connections through advertising my organization, Unicorn Uprising Studios. I have found other talented musicians and artists who, like me, may have anxiety or lack of confidence. We are banding together to raise our voices, tell our stories, and help our communities. Without music, I would not be here. Music helped me find my power, my voice, my confidence, and my life's purpose.

I distinctly remember coping with the trauma in my teenage years with a pair of old headphones and a beat-up CD player. My biological family was heavily abusive, particularly when I came out as transgender. Music became my solace. I could escape into swelling notes and haunting lyrics. It was my everything. As a freshman in high school, undiagnosed as neurodivergent, I was "the weird kid". I would wear my headphones, held together with electrical tape, throughout the halls, barely speaking to anyone. In my Honors English class, I met someone who was like me--weird. She explained how she was a student at an after-school program called Rock School, where she played guitar and sang. I was enthralled. I knew I couldn't afford the after-school lessons like her parents could. I asked her to teach me guitar. I practiced on a borrowed acoustic guitar until my fingers were sore. I applied for a scholarship at Rock School, singing and playing my heart out. The owner of the school paused. "You have a lot of heart. A little weird. But I like you. You're in." I practiced guitar and vocals day and night, alone, and with other students. I lamented having to learn scales and the circle of fifths. On the stage, I finally had a voice. People listened. They clapped. They approached me after the performances and congratulated me on my stellar musicianship. Eventually, I was offered another scholarship to finish my senior year at Rock School. It's been many years since my introduction to formal music education and my passion for music. My start in music is an important reason why I decided to pursue music as a career at the age of 35. I have spent the majority of my adult life participating in helping others, mostly in the social services field. I have worked as an EMT, HIV Prevention Counselor, Peer Mentor, Peer Support Specialist, Vaccine Ambassador, and many more roles aimed at serving the community. Music went to the backburner; despite my passion and the importance music/the arts play in my life. As I got older, I realized I could combine my passion for helping others with my passion for music. I switched to a full-time, online, Music Production undergraduate program. Music allows me the freedom to heal myself and by default, help others, too. I have begun to form a network of disabled and LGBTQ+ musicians and artists. I am finding people like me, maybe some who are a bit weird, who have a passion for music and the arts. Someday, I hope to open a non-profit that increases the visibility of disabled and LGBTQ+ musicians and artists in the field. For now, I provide free guitar lessons to community members interested in learning a new musical skill. I can often be found behind the lens of a camera, capturing the world through my artistic eyes. When I sing out, strumming my guitar, I know I can tell a story that captures the hearts and minds of others and have them see the world through my perspective. Music and the arts allow me to have a voice, and a vision, when previously, I was often overlooked and silenced.

Being transgender has affected my life for the better in so many ways. Despite being kicked out by my family when I was a young teen for coming out, I have continued to thrive in the face of adversity. It has not been an easy road, however, the path I have chosen continues to be one that I would never change. I continue to celebrate myself as a trans man, every day because I chose to love myself. My experiences as a transgender man who also happens to be a survivor of a rare disease called CIDP drove me to want to work in the healthcare field. Medicare approved my treatment in 2020, and two years later, I finally achieved remission. I stretched my legs from the wheelchair I had been reliant on for years with a newly ignited passion for healthcare. I had a desire to be the type of healthcare provider that I had wanted, deserved, and needed during my years-long struggle with the disease. Public Health, in my opinion, is an important foundation for any provider that wishes to offer competent care on an individual level. My own experiences as a patient and a transgender person led me to recognize this importance. So often, healthcare providers did not understand that I could not focus on my health treatment because I did not have a safe and stable place to live. With my primary income as an $800 monthly stipend from SSI, I could not afford much. My social determinants of health, particularly my low income and previous housing instability, were barriers to receiving the care I needed for my disease. Being a trans person added a more complex layer to my social determinants of health. I experienced frequent transphobia by medical providers in my time seeking out care for my rare disease. My goal is to become a Family Nurse Practitioner and work in LGBTQ+ Primary Care at a local LGBTQ+ healthcare organization. Currently, I am finishing my Public Health degree at Wayne State University, with dual minors in Neuroscience and Medical Humanities. Because my rare disease is both autoimmune and neurological, I have a passion for neurology. Simultaneously, I am taking coursework funded by a local grant program to complete my Associate's in Nursing at a community college in Detroit. Once I finish those degrees, I will go back and complete an RN to BSN program at either Wayne State University or Eastern Michigan University. Then, my sights are set on applying to the Doctorate of Nursing program at Wayne State University, where I hope to become a Nurse Practitioner. My goals can be achieved through hard work, resilience, dedication, passion, employment throughout my schooling, and the support of grants and scholarships like this one. I became a Certified Birth Doula in September 2023 to allow me to work while in school to fund my education. I am employed through a local Doula agency to provide support to birthing clients and help reduce the rates of morbidity and mortality in pregnant and birthing people. I am the first male Doula in the state of Michigan, as well as the first trans male Doula! Becoming a Birth Doula was a natural fit due to my love for the healthcare field, passion for Public Health, and dedication to helping others. I also take pro-bono clients on a volunteer basis to provide support to low-income community members like me. Once I complete my ASN and become an RN, I plan to work as a part-time infusion nurse to support clients who require home infusion for the treatment of their diseases. The home infusion nurses who supported me were insurmountable in my successful treatment. It will also be an excellent fit for finishing my BSN and applying to the Nurse Practitioner program. To reach my goals, I do need support. Much like birth, pregnancy, postpartum, and many other things in life, it takes a village to be successful! I hope that you, as a scholarship funder, will be a part of my village of supporters.

Imagine that your dreams and nightmares played out in front of you when you were awake. My experience with psychosis, over a year ago, felt like that. I struggled to discern what was real and what wasn't. I knew that I needed help, but I didn't know why. My psychosis, while brief, was life-altering. Thankfully, I received help quickly and have been thriving ever since I recovered. On top of my previous experience with a psychotic break, I have been living with CPTSD since my teens, as well as anxiety, ADHD, and depression. I am a survivor of intergenerational trauma and come from a family with a low socioeconomic status. Despite my adversities, my experience with both my mental health conditions and my family's have impacted my life in many positive ways. I am a kind, compassionate, and nurturing individual because of my experiences. I have witnessed the depths of addiction in my family and their pain, which further propelled me into community work and compassion for all people. I continue to move about this world as an agent for change and an ambassador of kindness. Any negative experiences I had with mental health care providers were quickly changed into further fuel for my passion for being a provider who truly cares for others, regardless of their mental health condition. Some of the nurses who worked with me when I was hospitalized for psychosis were absolute angels, and others were downright cruel to me. For me, those experiences taught me more about compassion and humanity. Not everyone may understand psychosis, and many hospital workers at that time were burnt out and frustrated because of the COVID-19 pandemic. I try to use this mentality, one of growth, to reshape any negative experiences I may have had because I am diagnosed with multiple mental health conditions. Being diagnosed, and treated, for ADHD at the age of 35 has changed my life, too. I can finally focus on schoolwork better, I am less anxious, and overall, a much happier person. Unmedicated or medicated, I love the way my ADHD brain thinks and operates, and I am blessed to have been born this way. However, treatment is necessary for my career goals. Though it feels surreal, I am finally in a place to finish my undergraduate degree and apply for medical school in the future. I have had many Earth Angels contribute to my life, my safety, my health, and my well-being. I wouldn't have crossed paths with these people if it weren't for my mental health conditions and the adversities I have experienced over the years. I am grateful, too, for the ability to see many different perspectives. My complex brain has given me a passion for understanding other complex brains, and I love learning from people with different mental health conditions than me. Any career path I take will benefit from living with mental health conditions and neurodivergence. For now, my own physician and myself recognize that my PTSD is disabling enough to require the use of a service dog. I am taking a few semesters to study Digital Photography while I train my PTSD service dog. I have been accepted into Wayne State University for Spring/Summer 2024 to complete my Bachelor's in Public Health and move on to either a Master's in Public Health or apply to medical school. Regardless of my career path, I will continue to be focused on saving the world, one person at a time.

In the future, I hope to become a Public Health Professional, a Physician (DO), or a Physician's Assistant to better make an impact on my community's health. My focus will always be disabled people (like myself). I am dedicated to helping my community better navigate a complex and often ableist medical industry. As a patient with a rare disease, I understand what it is like to navigate the healthcare system on a personal level. My career paths as an EMT-B and Community Health Worker allow me the professional insight needed to become an excellent Public Health Professional or Physician. I am currently taking a creative break to take courses in Digital Photography. I hope to help disabled people like me find their light and confidence. I am also owner-training my own service dog for my PTSD. I look forward to completing training to become a Certified Service Dog trainer in order to help disabled people train their own service dogs. I am a multi-faceted, resilient, and talented individual. With the support of scholarships like this one, a disabled person like myself can continue his dream of changing the world, one person at a time.

My dream job, much like myself, is multi-faceted. My dream is opening and working at an LGBTQ+ and disability friendly community health clinic. I dream of becoming a Physician (DO) or Physician's Assistant to better make an impact on the community's health. I can imagine myself behind the lens of a camera some days, too, fueling my creative side. Part of what society considers disabling in myself is that I have a passion for many things, and a desire to follow all of those passions. One of my disabilities is a condition known as ADHD. For me, however, it is a super power, and I am grateful for my neurodivergent brain. Empathy and compassion are traits I have that are equally important for my career goals. My experience living with PTSD and surviving a rare disease called CIDP in childhood and adulthood contributed to these traits. After almost six years reliant on a power wheelchair, and two years of infusion treatments, I am gratefully in remission. I have a better understanding of Public Health issues and the medical industry, as a patient, which will be an asset if I am able to complete medical school or physician's assistant schooling. My PTSD will never go away, and yet, it gives me a unique perspective on the world. One of my mottos continues to be "finding the light". This mentality is obvious in my photography, where I find both the light in natural settings and the light in the people around me. Because of my disabilities, it is extremely helpful to navigate the career world doing many things part-time or on a volunteer basis. I have gained life-changing experiences because of my desire to help others without financial compensation. I have that mentality thanks to my experience as a person born into a family of low socioeconomic status and spending my adulthood reliant on SSI/SSDI. I recognize that for things that bring me passion and joy, money is not a requirement, as long as my basic needs are met. I need for my career path to be in service of my community, focus on the community's health and well-being, and engage my creative side. Combining career paths is the way in which I hope to carve out my own niche. My resilience and ability to navigate finding resources is another quality that I carry that is important to me in my future career goals. I need my entrepreneurial spirit to be able to navigate finding scholarships for my education and grants/ funding for my dream community health clinic. I have already gained experience in my volunteer work with Transcend the Binary with grant-writing. I continue self-education and research to learn more in preparation for the future. At this time, I navigate the career world as a self-employed and volunteer Community Health Worker, Birth Doula, and Photographer. I know that a future as a physician or public health professional who simultaneously photographs the world around him is entirely possible. With the support of scholarships like this one, a disabled person like myself can continue his dream of changing the world, one person at a time.

Imagine that your dreams and nightmares played out in front of you when you were awake. My experience with psychosis, over a year ago, felt like that. I struggled to discern what was real and what wasn't. I knew that I needed help, but I didn't know why. My psychosis, while brief, was life-altering. Thankfully, I received help quickly and have been thriving ever since I recovered. On top of my previous experience with a psychotic break, I have been living with CPTSD since my teens, as well as anxiety, ADHD, and depression. I am a survivor of intergenerational trauma and come from a family with a low socioeconomic status. Despite my adversities, my experience with both my mental health conditions and my family's have impacted my life in many positive ways. I am a kind, compassionate, and nurturing individual because of my experiences. I have witnessed the depths of addiction in my family and their pain, which further propelled me into community work and compassion for all people. I continue to move about this world as an agent for change and an ambassador of kindness. Any negative experiences I had with mental health care providers were quickly changed into further fuel for my passion for being a provider who truly cares for others, regardless of their mental health condition. Some of the nurses who worked with me when I was hospitalized for psychosis were absolute angels, and others were downright cruel to me. For me, those experiences taught me more about compassion and humanity. Not everyone may understand psychosis, and many hospital workers at that time were burnt out and frustrated because of the COVID-19 pandemic. I try to use this mentality, one of growth, to reshape any negative experiences I may have had because I am diagnosed with multiple mental health conditions. Being diagnosed, and treated, for ADHD at the age of 35 has changed my life, too. I can finally focus on schoolwork better, I am less anxious, and overall, a much happier person. Unmedicated or medicated, I love the way my ADHD brain thinks and operates, and I am blessed to have been born this way. However, treatment is necessary for my career goals. Though it feels surreal, I am finally in a place to finish my undergraduate degree and apply for medical school in the future. I have had many Earth Angels contribute to my life, my safety, my health, and my well-being. I wouldn't have crossed paths with these people if it weren't for my mental health conditions and the adversities I have experienced over the years. I am grateful, too, for the ability to see many different perspectives. My complex brain has given me a passion for understanding other complex brains, and I love learning from people with different mental health conditions than me. All of these things will make me an excellent physician someday. I feel that my mental health conditions have made me a better person overall.

I recognized at a young age that adversity, joy, and euphoria, would all revolve as I lived life as an out trans man. When I came out at 16, I was abused by my family and kicked out of my home. I struggled with homelessness throughout high school and still graduated with a 3.2 GPA. The Attic Youth Center, in Philadelphia, brought me my first experiences with trans euphoria. In those walls, I mingled with other young trans men and women who welcomed me with open arms. I grinned ear to ear as someone taught me how to tie a tie. I finally received counseling for my PTSD after the abuse I suffered. I wished I could live at The Attic, sleep on the comfy couches, and wake up to the smiling faces I saw a few times a week. The Attic provided me with immense support at a time when I had none. Joy and euphoria came again when I graduated from a trade school as an Emergency Medical Technician in 2007, dressed in a male uniform, my hair cut short. Adversity followed, like the transphobia I experienced attempting to go to community college in 2010. It was long before any laws were in place to protect trans people. I had been diagnosed with a rare disease around the same time. I eventually left community college due to transphobia and my health issues. Now, I am in remission from my rare disease. I have a permanent home with my long-term partner, our Corgi pup, and our two cats. I am what is considered "passing" after about 15 years on testosterone. I found my niche as a full time online student, getting a bachelor's of science in Community Health Education. I am a non-paid employee for a transgender-led organization that focuses on the health and wellness of our community. I am also in the application process to become a Medicaid Specialist Doula, where I hope to support LGBTQ+ birthing parents. On top of that, I am applying for a very part-time internship, where I'll (hopefully) be working a few hours a week as a Crisis Line Counselor. I hope to become a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) and a Doula. As a potential Doula, I want to support the LGBTQ+ community and individuals on Medicaid with their joyous birth journeys. As a future Certified Health Education Specialist, I want to empower the LGBTQ+ community through proper health education. I hope to eventually start my own practice for both. I also want to continue to be involved in public health research and interventions that support the LGBTQ+ community. I have many passions and enjoy being involved in many projects at once. Regardless of where my career path ends up, I know that I will continue to empower and uplift the LGBTQ+ community in all that I do. I will continue to change the world, one person at a time.

Due to the adversity I have faced, I have a mission in life: change the world, one person at a time. My mother passed away when I was four years old. My father was at the height of his addiction. Thankfully, I was raised by a guardian family who graciously took me away from the neglect and abuse of my father. For someone like me, poor and from a family of addicts, college is usually not on the table. But me? I am the oddball of the family. I am book-smart, kind, empathetic, and compassionate. I have always loved to read. As a kid, I got in trouble for reading Stephen King at the dinner table. As an adult, I enjoy non-fiction books about Public Health. I play the guitar, sing, and sometimes compose electronic music. I am the only musician in my biological family. On top of that, I am the only person in my family to ever go to college. The path to college was not easy for me. I was diagnosed with a rare disease in childhood and again in adulthood. This eventually led me to become reliant on a wheelchair. Unfortunately, treatment for the disease was not covered by my insurance. This set my plans back for college significantly. Throughout doctor's appointments, surgeries, and visits with at-home nurses, I became more passionate about public health, health education, and helping others. I knew someday I'd be able to do more than just go to endless doctor's appointments. From the seat of my wheelchair, I became a Community Health Worker and Peer Support Specialist in 2018. I worked with other disabled individuals, helping them navigate the healthcare system. In 2020, my insurance finally covered treatment. After a year of treatment, I was in remission and walking again. I will celebrate three years in remission in 2024. I am currently a sophomore working towards my bachelor's degree in Community Health Education. I am also a non-paid employee for a transgender-led organization that focuses on the health and wellness of the transgender community. I am involved in applying for grant funding for the organization to implement interventions that can reduce the rates of non-HIV STIs in the trans* community. My career goal is to become a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) and a Doula. I have applied for a scholarship for a three-day training to become a Medicaid Specialist Doula while I am in my undergraduate program. If accepted, my training will be focused on supporting individuals who rely on Medicaid insurance before and during giving birth. I would like to eventually open up a health education and Doula practice. I am looking forward to the joy that comes from supporting people on their journey of giving birth. After my undergraduate program, I would like to move on to graduate school. I am debating between studying for my Master of Public Health or my Master of Social Work. I hope to continue with roles that involve supporting the LGBTQ+ community through public health interventions and research. I also hope that I can continue Doula work part-time for many years. I have so many interests and passions, and a lot of time to make up for. I know I will continue to engage in multiple roles that serve the community and fuel my passions. I believe I have changed the world by focusing on helping just one person, whenever I can. I hope that my college career will finally allow my mission to be: Change the world.

My first barrier to education as a trans man was being kicked out by my abusive family members when I came out at 16 years old. I struggled with homelessness and bullying in my final years of high school and still graduated with a 3.2 GPA. When I attempted community college as an adult, I was constantly misgendered and singled out by professors. Unfortunately, I was forced to register in the school's system as my birth sex. This led to transphobia from other students on top of the issues with professors. I left the college and re-registered years later when I was "passing" as a male and faced the same issues. Ultimately, I left community college and focused my sights on career training. I pursued certification as a Community Health Worker and a Peer Support Specialist to support LGBTQ+ and disabled individuals. Though my professor was inclusive, I faced harassment and bullying from my peers in the classroom because of my disabilities and being out as a trans man. In response, I spoke to my professor and provided Trans* 101, LGBTQ+ 101, and Disability 101 training to my classmates. The bullying and harassment gratefully stopped and many mindsets were changed. I next decided to complete a degree, but online, to avoid transphobia and harassment in the classroom. I am studying towards a Bachelor in Community Health Education, in the Public Health field. Thanks to the transferrable credits from community college, I am now a sophomore at Southern New Hampshire University Online. My career goal is to become a Health Educator and a Doula. I have applied for a scholarship program here in Michigan that will be training Doulas to work with individuals insured by Medicaid. I will also serve the LGBTQ+ community, particularly trans men and non-binary people. If accepted into the Doula training program, I plan to work part-time as a birthing Doula with underserved populations throughout my undergraduate schooling. I am a non-paid employee at a transgender-led organization, Transcend the Binary. I serve as a Community Health Worker, in the Education and Development Department, and as a Peer Counselor. This position is relevant to both my career and educational goals. I am currently involved with seeking out funding for the organization and our partners to provide interventions that reduce the rates of non-HIV STIs in the transgender and gender non-conforming communities. One planned intervention spans two years and will continue after I complete my undergraduate degree. I hope that I can make an impact on the LGBTQ+ community through this intervention and others like it. After I complete my undergraduate degree, I would like to complete some type of graduate degree. I am debating between studying for a Master of Public Health and a Master of Social Work degree. I plan to combine the skills learned in my Community Health Education degree program and future Doula training to further my career. My goal is to run my own birth Doula and health education practice that supports and empowers the LGBTQ+ community. I hope to continue my non-paid work with Transcend the Binary, as community service is a passion of mine. I also will be seeking out more opportunities to become involved in research that supports the LGBTQ+ community, with a focus on the trans and gender non-conforming communities. I feel that I have already made a strong impact on the LGBTQ+ community through my community service work. My life's mission is changing the world, one person at a time. I will continue this practice throughout my undergraduate degree program and beyond through my service to the LGBTQ+ community.