Question 1 After careful consideration of offers from Loyola Law School and DePaul Law School, I have officially committed to Howard University School of Law and will begin in August 2025. I am honored to be a Bison and to contribute to Howard’s legacy and commitment to social justice. Question 2 My short-term goal is to grow deeper in my cultural identity and learn the rich history of African Americans and our connections with the law. Having grown up as the only Black person in my adoptive family and in a predominantly white town, developing confidence in who I am and where I come from has always been a journey. I began embracing my identity more fully in college, and I am excited to continue that growth at Howard University. I plan to engage deeply with diverse extracurriculars, such as the Civil Rights Clinic, the Movement Lawyering Clinic, and the Black Law Students Association. In the long term, I see myself advocating for vulnerable children, influencing policy reform, and supporting families as they navigate the complexities of the foster care and adoption systems. Growing up in a family deeply involved with foster care shaped me into a well-rounded, empathetic person able to communicate with people from all walks of life. These qualities, combined with the skills I will gain at Howard, will allow me to thrive as an attorney serving the next generation of children. Additionally, after retiring from a career in family and children’s law, I hope to pursue a new path as a television court arbitrator. My lifelong love for the arts and performance — developed through 11 years of dance and continued at the collegiate and professional levels — would make me uniquely suited for a legal role in television. Question 3 In my free time, I take professional dance classes in ballet, jazz, contemporary, and musical theater. I also train with a dance company twice a week. Dance challenges my mind as well as my body; it takes tremendous mental discipline to memorize combinations, terminology, and choreography, and then to perform them confidently under pressure. This experience has shaped my legal aspirations by giving me confidence in my ability to think quickly on my feet, stay calm in high-pressure situations, and advocate effectively — skills that will serve me well as a trial attorney in family and children’s law. Question 4 During my three-year career as a law analyst at GCM Grosvenor, I encountered a challenging situation when a third-party partner replaced their usual teammates with a new team member. This individual imposed strict, unrealistic demands on my deliverables, which were often beyond my control. Instead of discussing concerns directly with me, she went to my manager without my knowledge, creating the perception that I was not meeting expectations. In a meeting, I chose to stand up for myself and clearly explained why the requested timeline was unsustainable. I presented evidence of my strong track record over the past three years and offered a reasonable alternative. My manager supported me and clarified to the new team that the discrepancies only began with their new approach. Together, we created a more flexible schedule to account for the realities of data gathering. Through this experience, I learned that advocating for myself with confidence and clarity leads to fair outcomes. It also reminded me that open, honest communication is critical — even if it feels uncomfortable. Question 5 If I had the resources to launch a philanthropic initiative, I would invest in literacy-based mentorship programs for youth. As a board member of WITS — Working in the Schools — I have seen firsthand how mentorship and reading programs can dramatically improve children’s literacy in Chicago Public Schools. With more mentors and expanded afterschool programs, we could reach even more students, increasing graduation rates and encouraging them to pursue higher education. I believe literacy is the foundation of nearly all intellectual growth, and strengthening it helps break cycles of poverty and educational inequality. My initiative would expand support not only to elementary and middle school students, but also to high schoolers, providing consistent, long-term mentorship and skill-building opportunities.