The reason I decided to attend Howard was that I felt in my spirit that it was the right place for me to grow in my career. Being from North Carolina, I was not familiar with many Howard alums who could offer advice or provide further information about the university. At the time, I was considering NC State, but I never felt fully compelled to go there. I vividly recall a high school teacher of mine who said something akin to, "You would do great at Howard," during my sixth-period class. That moment was a turning point for me; something just clicked, and I felt inspired to research the university. When I look back, I am ultimately proud of that decision because the experience at Howard has been life-changing. I have been able to grow into my career here, working as an editor for Sterling Notes and making acquaintances with like-minded people. The education I have received here has broadened my perspective beyond just the classroom material. It has also made me more understanding and compassionate toward others. One significant memory that has shaped my journey occurred during a class when the professor was distributing quizzes. When she reached me, she remarked, "You're always here for class." Although it was a simple observation, it prompted me to reflect on the significance of being present. This experience taught me the value of showing up, both in academics and in life, and I intend to carry that lesson with me moving forward.

If given the opportunity, I would focus on improving my community by offering writing and art workshops. These workshops would empower individuals to enhance their skills, explore various fields, and ultimately discover their passions. In high school, I lacked access to creative writing opportunities outside of classroom assignments, as there were no clubs dedicated to fostering this talent. While I didn't feel stifled, I recognized that it initially limited my creativity. As a student at Howard University, I am dedicated to developing my writing skills for the ultimate goal of having a book on the New York Times Bestsellers list. I am passionate about sharing this journey with others, as I believe that equipping future creators with the right tools and guidance will set them up for success. Through these workshops, I hope to inspire others to seek their purpose and navigate life with direction and confidence. Along with creating a vibrant community where creativity flourishes, another goal of mine is to give back to my community through scholarships, grants, and internships. As a current college student, I deeply understand the transformative power of opportunity. To me, it is crucial to provide individuals with the chance to showcase their talents and access the resources they need to attend their dream colleges. By offering financial support and practical work experience, I aim to empower others to pursue their aspirations and achieve their goals. I believe in creating opportunities for the next generation—opportunities that I did not have at the start of my career. While my primary focus will be on scholarships and grants for students in creative fields, like writing and art, I am also committed to supporting those in technical disciplines. Through this plan, I aspire to build a future where every individual has the chance to succeed and make their mark on the world. Finally, one of the most meaningful ways I want to give back is through volunteering. My experiences with my local Youth Council have broadened my perspective and significantly enhanced my ability to connect with others. Helping those in my community, whether through my church or various events, has cultivated a deep sense of compassion within me. The joy I see on others' faces as a result of my aid reaffirms my belief that every small action can make a difference in someone's life. My ultimate goal is to let my life serve as a beacon of hope and positivity, leaving a lasting impact characterized by genuine kindness and care. I am committed to making the world a better place, one small act of service at a time.

To me, art is a profound expression of the world around us, serving as a powerful reflection of individual life experiences. Each piece of art, whether it's a painting, a novel, or a short story, offers a glimpse into the creator's thought process and beliefs. When I engage with art, I connect with the artist, gaining insight into their unique perspective. This connection fosters understanding and enhances my critical thinking abilities. For advocacy pieces that represent marginalized communities, I find that my perspective becomes more open-minded, propelling me toward greater empathy and awareness. Art inspires me to champion the voices of communities that the media misrepresents intentionally. Through my writing, I will passionately confront the systems that uphold inequality; I am committed to using my work to fuel the vital discourse around dismantling these injustices and empowering a more equitable society for future generations. This scholarship would be instrumental in breaking down the financial barriers that stand in the way of my education. My school has limited scholarships available for students pursuing English degrees, so receiving this funding would significantly alleviate my financial burden. It would empower me to access valuable opportunities to refine my storytelling skills and fulfill my aspiration of becoming a passionate advocate through my writing. Ultimately, I hope that the art I create, whether in books or beyond, resonates with people on a deeper level, inspiring them to see the world from new perspectives and fostering a sense of connection and understanding. With this support, I am determined to make a meaningful impact in my community and beyond through accessing the expertise I need to succeed.

I am committed to creating a meaningful legacy through the work I undertake. A guiding principle throughout my career is the belief that my work should speak for itself. This virtue drives me to dedicate myself to excellence and integrity in every project, ensuring that my contributions leave a lasting impact and resonate with others. By pouring my heart and soul into my endeavors, I aspire to inspire others and leave a mark that reflects my values and unwavering commitment to quality. My vision for my legacy goes beyond professional achievements; it embodies my dedication to uplifting others and making a substantial difference in the world. I recognize the profound importance of giving back to my community in any way I can. My experience with my local Youth Council has been incredibly fulfilling, where I have served in various roles at events, positively impacting those around me. Through community service, I empower myself to produce meaningful change and inspire others to join me in building a stronger, more united future. Regarding business ventures, I am determined to establish a black-owned manga publishing house and animation studio that will empower and uplift writers, artists, and animators in their creative journeys. My mission is to provide crucial support and funding to creators who have the talent and drive but need a helping hand to achieve their dreams. I envision this business as a catalyst for change through building a vibrant community of creators who inspire one another and shape the future of storytelling. Beyond that, investing in the next generation through grants, scholarships, and internships is another goal of mine, helping them to shine bright in their education endeavors. Other than the quality of my career work, I believe I shine my light through the way I treat others. In my volunteering, I am active in addressing any concerns of the participants to help them enjoy the activity. I also shine my light through my job at my church as a minister of music, ensuring that the chosen songs are uplifting and resonate with the congregation, helping to create a meaningful and emotionally enriching worship experience of the utmost quality. Through my work and efforts, I strive to empower others with hope and inspire a positive outlook for the future in every interaction. During this time, when being purposefully divisive is a tactic used by those in power to create social polarity, being a light toward someone is essential for fostering understanding, compassion, and unity in a world that often feels fragmented. By offering kindness and support, I can challenge the negativity and inspire connections that break down barriers. In my future career and through my various endeavors—whether in business, volunteer work, or beyond—I am committed to shining my light on quality, advocacy, and community. I aim to inspire others to join me in this mission, creating a ripple effect of empowerment and positive change.

My name is Matou Amar, and I am a current honors student at Howard University. I believe that I should be accepted for this scholarship because it will provide me with the opportunity to further my education and achieve my career goals, allowing me to make a positive impact in my community. Throughout my career, I want to advocate for minority groups constantly attacked by the upheld systems of white supremacy through my writing. More specifically, I aim for my work to contribute to the broader discourse on race relations involving people of color. By continuing my education, I am committed to gaining a profound understanding of discriminatory systems and the experiences of marginalized groups. I will actively engage with my peers, embracing diverse perspectives and championing intellectual discussions that will not only enrich my knowledge but also elevate my social awareness to help foster genuine change. By elevating my social awareness, I am committed to addressing the problematic ideals inherent in white hegemony and their profound impact on the lives of diverse communities. This harmful, polarizing system perpetuates a false sense of cultural 'superiority' while undermining the rich contributions of those outside the dominant narrative and diminishing them as 'inferior.' It also leads to the indoctrination of the future generation into white-washed beliefs that do not tell the real history, especially within the American context. It only sheds light on what the dominant-hegemonic culture deems as acceptable teaching. By continuing my education, I will be able to learn about such topics and critically think about the most effective way to disrupt the system. My work will empower me to give back to my community by providing valuable insights into the dog-whistles present in everyday conversations and speech; this will help others recognize hidden biases, fostering inclusive discussions that promote empathy and awareness. In today's world, where misinformation and disinformation run rampant, I am determined to rise above the noise and actively challenge the white patriarchal ideals that have long dominated our society. It is time to amplify the voices of the marginalized and empower everyone to stand firmly for their truth. This journey empowers me to be a catalyst for change and advocate for equity. By pursuing my education, I will equip myself to make a meaningful impact on my community. No matter the backlash I will most likely receive from those empowered by such systems, my work will not falter from this cause as I believe in the importance of advocating for change and standing up for what is right, even in the face of adversity. To me, creating a more inclusive and just world that celebrates diversity and dismantles harmful standards is better than perpetuating division and inequality for the sake of pseudo-acceptance. Ultimately, after my time, my goal is to one day provide scholarships, internships, and other opportunities for underrepresented students, actively giving back to my community, enabling them to succeed, and helping to build a brighter future for generations to come by carrying the torch of advocacy.

I hope to make a positive impact on the world through my educational career by learning information purposely hidden that helps uplift underrepresented communities, and challenge the notions that made such information inaccessible and why. I learned about the history of the Kemet people within the area known as Egypt today. Research argues that early Kemetic civilization was the basis of the calendar and systems of mathematics and sciences that are still used. However, Africans as a whole were still diminished as uncivilized and animalistic which continued for centuries. When finding out that philosophers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, known architects in how we think, appropriated their ideals from those of the Kemet people, it made me clearly see that they were part of the larger system of white supremacy influencing our world, demonizing those that they see as different while simultaneously stealing their thoughts and technology as their own. By spreading lies about an underrepresented community, it was easier to maintain dominance, control, and falsely justify their actions. The importance of education in my life is seen in how my critical thinking has grown through the education I have received. It allows me to question things that may have been seen as simplistic and reveal the grueling omitted truths that the white hegemony deemed insignificant. Such questions lead me to learn more and dig into fascinating research and call out how systems of white supremacy steal and appropriate ideas not only from the Kemet people but other cultures within our world and why it is perceived to be acceptable. These same systems are still seen today in how Black studies are being thrown out across the country, with an incorrect whitewashed version of the truth being preached within the American educational system for the sake of maintaining dominance and controlling the narrative. With my future career as an author, I want to help move the direction of this narrative toward the truth, using my storytelling skills to expose the truths hidden solely to maintain the dominant hegemonic culture, how those lies were perpetuated for centuries within the realms of social false consciousness, and most importantly, how society can fight back against the systems of whiteness so that future generations can have true racial equality in this country. By continuing my education, I hope to learn more about communities harshly impacted by white supremacist ideology, not only physically and economically, but also socially. The black community has always been demonized as lazy, gaudy, and loud, and the media only perpetuates such stereotypes through the way black people are portrayed in movies and television. I want to be a part of the group that challenges these stereotypical portrayals through my work and call out how they are used to enforce white nationalist values as the “only” alternative. My experience working with a non-profit was with the Wilson Youth Council in my hometown. Through that experience, I gained the skills of being a team player and adaptability. I worked at multiple events as a receptionist, barista, and a surveyor. From these events, I learned how to be personable with attendees and deliver quality service. I hope to use these skills within my career field as someone readily able to listen to other’s opinions and expand my understanding. Ultimately, my education along with my volunteer experience allow me to be well rounded and educated with the common sense and book sense I need to use my knowledge to create pieces of art that critique true problems in our society and strive for a better future for all.

When it comes to choosing an HBCU, it was through my aunt who inspired me to do so (she also attended one). She instilled in me the importance of attending one due to the fact I would get a quality education and graduate knowing how to do things twice as well because the professors at HBCUs had to be twice as good just to be acknowledged among their counterparts who only had to do the bare minimum to get ahead. On top of that, my mother, grandmother, grandfather, and god aunt all attended an HBCU, so I always had attending an HBCU at the front of my mind concerning where I wanted to go to college. This experience of attending an HBCU has been fantastic for me. Even though trials and struggles come, I learn how to overcome them, and that helps prepare me for the real world when I come up against similar trials in my career. When it comes down to my favorite moment, it was attending the “open house” day a year ago. They brought out the University’s band and dancers to perform for the possible incoming students. Based on their performance, even though I did not know much about the college back then, I knew that this was where I wanted to be based on the ambiance and atmosphere in the gym that day. Now, I am happy with my choice to attend an HBCU. I would not want to be anywhere else!

A social issue that I care about is justice and equality. Though that may seem like an obvious or a clear-cut answer, in today’s society, it seems like there are those who are able to commit crimes and get nothing but a slap on the wrist (if that). In my time studying crime, no one is above the law, yet there are some who try and push those boundaries, using their fame, fortune, or power to get away with murder. Essentially, they are trying to avoid their jail time just because they have the money to do so, and that is not justice. I also include equality in my topics to voice about considering the subtle, yet loud, racial injustices happening throughout the world. Today, college students (and AP students) learning about Critical Race Theory, or students learning black history in general, is now banned in certain places because it is “offensive to white people and makes them feel bad/guilty” or seen as insignificant. DEI is being attacked as some people believe that those hired by DEI policies are getting eased through the system. In actuality, most people hired by DEI had to already work twice as hard to have a chance to be in the same place that one, who did not have to work as hard, is already in. Finally, those who attend an HBCU, even if they have the same degree and graduated as valedictorian like a student who attended a PWI, have a lower chance of being accepted (according to Learn.org, PWIs often report higher employment rates and salaries for graduates compared to HBCUs). On top of that, HBCUs, on average, receive less funding for their schools due to state underinvestment, lower alumni contributions, racial politics and the general lack of support received from the federal government, and lower Black incomes and wealth, which means less money for scholarships and providing aid for students to attend. Throughout my career as a writer, my dream would be to address these issues by possibly setting them in terrains in which these same events are occurring but construe them in a way to help others to understand what actually happens. That way, one does not see a political side but rather the broken down truth of it all. Hopefully, what I write might lead me into places where I can talk about these issues more effectively and may inspire someone to do something can be done about them. As I learned from Kei Miller in his book Things I Have Withheld, part of the role of the writer is to use words to bring to light to the issues that are kept hidden, bring truth to the masses, and bring forth a call to action that will not only help out people in the present time, but future generations as well.