Receiving this scholarship would be deeply impactful in helping me reach both my educational and long-term career goals as a social worker dedicated to serving marginalized communities. I am currently pursuing my Master of Social Work with the goal of becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who specializes in trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and disability-affirming mental health care. My vision is to provide healing-centered therapy to Black and Brown communities, survivors of gender-based violence, and individuals living with chronic illness, disability, or neurodivergence communities I belong to and care deeply about. Throughout my journey, I have experienced firsthand the gaps in our mental health systems, particularly for people at the intersections of race, trauma, and disability. My lived experience has become my motivation. I know what it’s like to feel unheard, misdiagnosed, or forced to navigate care systems that are not built with inclusivity in mind. These challenges have not discouraged me instead, they have deepened my resolve to become a practitioner who offers the kind of affirming, culturally humble care I once needed but couldn’t find. In addition to my graduate studies, I also co-lead a nonprofit that supports survivors of trauma through peer-led healing spaces, art-based wellness events, and educational outreach. This work is an extension of my purpose to make healing accessible, joyful, and collective. However, balancing graduate school, fieldwork, caregiving responsibilities, and chronic illness management while contributing to community advocacy has placed significant financial and emotional strain on me. Despite these challenges, I remain committed to showing up for my education, my community, and my purpose. Receiving this scholarship would ease a substantial financial burden, allowing me to devote more time and energy to my clinical training, academic success, and community engagement without the constant stress of how to make ends meet. The financial support would also help me cover essential costs such as transportation to my internship site, therapeutic supervision, adaptive tools for learning, and continuing education opportunities that are often not covered by traditional student aid but are essential for someone working to serve underrepresented communities. Beyond finances, this scholarship represents something much greater: affirmation. It would signal that my story, my goals, and my efforts matter. For people like me people living at the intersection of trauma, disability, and systemic marginalization this kind of support isn’t just practical; it’s personal. It’s a reminder that we deserve to be seen, supported, and celebrated as we work to create a more just and compassionate world. My ultimate career goal is not only to provide therapy but also to be part of transforming the mental health field itself. I hope to open a community wellness center that integrates traditional therapy with peer support, culturally rooted healing practices, and holistic care models. I also aim to train other clinicians in trauma-informed, anti-oppressive frameworks so that future generations of social workers are better equipped to serve diverse communities. In short, this scholarship would help lift the load both literally and symbolically as I continue walking this path. It would help me show up more fully as a student, a future therapist, a community leader, and a disabled Black woman committed to building bridges where systems have built walls. Thank you for considering my application and for investing in the next generation of healers and change makers.

Some people enter social work by choice. I entered by survival. For most of my life, I’ve navigated the world with both visible and invisible challenges including chronic health conditions and neurodivergence that shaped how I saw myself, how others treated me, and how I moved through systems never designed with me in mind. I was often labeled as “too sensitive,” “too complicated,” or “too much.” But over time, I learned that my sensitivity is actually my strength and that being “too much” in a world that asks us to shrink is often the first step toward advocacy. Today, I am pursuing my Master of Social Work with the intention of becoming a trauma-informed, disability-affirming therapist and community advocate. My career focus centers around working with individuals who, like me, have lived experience with chronic illness, disability, or neurodivergence especially those who exist at the intersections of race, gender, and economic injustice. I believe that healing is not one-size-fits-all. It’s deeply personal, cultural, and often political. As a future Licensed Clinical Social Worker, I want to co-create healing spaces that recognize the full complexity of our identities not in spite of our differences, but because of them. Living with chronic illness and neurodivergence has made me acutely aware of the gaps and harms within our health and mental health systems. I’ve experienced what it’s like to be dismissed, misdiagnosed, or forced to advocate for myself when I barely had the energy to speak. These moments, though painful, ignited my commitment to becoming the kind of practitioner I wish I’d had someone who listens, validates, and meets people where they are, not where they’re expected to be. My journey has also taught me about the power of access and adaptation. Whether it’s needing to cancel a session due to a flare-up or struggling with executive functioning in high-pressure environments, I’ve come to understand that true support isn’t about forcing someone to fit into a rigid system it’s about reshaping systems to honor human variation. This philosophy will guide the way I approach clinical work, policy advocacy, and community organizing. I want to help design programs and services that prioritize flexibility, accessibility, and trust especially for people who have historically been excluded or pathologized. Outside the classroom, I am actively involved in grassroots mental health advocacy. I help lead a nonprofit that offers healing spaces, peer support, and education for trauma survivors, many of whom are also disabled or neurodivergent. Our work is rooted in joy, cultural humility, and the understanding that lived experience is expertise. We challenge stigma not just through awareness, but through action offering tools, resources, and connection in a world that can feel deeply isolating. I don’t see my chronic illness or neurodivergence as limitations. I see them as guides constantly teaching me to slow down, to listen more deeply, and to show up for others with compassion and courage. They’ve given me insight that textbooks can’t teach, and empathy that systems often lack. In my social work career, I plan to be a mirror for those who feel unseen. A voice for those still finding theirs. And a bridge between individuals and the care they not only need, but deserve. I carry the wisdom of my lived experience with me into every space and I hope to use it to transform the very systems that once tried to silence me.

I was five years old when I first realized what silence could do. Growing up in a home marked by abuse and trauma, I learned early to suppress my voice and numb my pain. But silence didn’t protect me it isolated me. Years later, breaking that silence became the most powerful act of healing I ever undertook. That experience shaped not only who I am but also why I’ve dedicated my life to mental health advocacy within marginalized communities. I’m currently pursuing my Master of Social Work with a focus on trauma-informed therapy and culturally competent care. My ultimate goal is to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), providing affordable, accessible, and affirming mental health services to Black and Brown communities particularly survivors of sexual abuse, domestic violence, and intergenerational trauma. These are communities that are often underserved, misdiagnosed, or dismissed by the traditional mental health system. I want to change that by building a practice rooted in empathy, education, and empowerment. My lived experience with mental health has deeply influenced my beliefs and activism. Navigating complex PTSD and depression as a Black woman, I encountered therapists who didn’t understand my cultural background, or worse, dismissed my pain altogether. That disconnection made me feel invisible and further delayed my healing. It wasn’t until I found a therapist who looked like me and honored my experience that I began to truly heal. From that moment, I knew I wanted to be that mirror for someone else to be the therapist who doesn’t just listen, but truly sees. As part of this mission, I co-lead a nonprofit focused on trauma recovery, survivor advocacy, and education. We facilitate healing circles, host community art events, and provide peer-led support rooted in joy, justice, and collective care. Our work challenges stigma while offering practical resources for navigating trauma in ways that feel safe and empowering. I’ve spoken on panels, led workshops, and collaborated with local organizations to ensure that mental health education is both inclusive and action-oriented. Through both my academic work and community organizing, I’ve come to understand healing not just as a personal journey, but as a form of resistance. In communities where survival has been the only priority, healing becomes a revolutionary act. It says: we deserve to thrive, not just exist. Receiving this scholarship would not only help relieve the financial burden of graduate school it would also be an investment in a future therapist who is committed to systemic change. I don’t just want to provide therapy sessions. I want to rewrite the narrative around mental health for marginalized people. I want to train future clinicians, influence policy, and expand traumainformed care practices into schools, prisons, and social service systems. Mental health saved my life. Now, I want to help others reclaim theirs. That’s the impact I hope to make: one voice at a time, one story at a time, one healing journey at a time.