My name is Milada Tanner, and I am a 35-year-old mother of three. My Phoebe's name was Mary. Her life was not all flowers, but she grew and thrived amongst the thorns anyway and dared me to do the same. She may not have known that escaping an abusive first marriage and finding the love of her life made her a role model, but it did. She may not have known that obtaining her communications degree and raising three children inspired her oldest granddaughter to do the same, but it did. She affirmed my womanhood with her pearls of motivation. The level of impact that she had on my life can only be described as profound. As the often-ignored daughter of separated parents, the most remarkable thing she ever did for me was see me. Under her gaze, I was given love, support, guidance, and wisdom. Under her gaze, I was able to see myself. My grandmother was my biggest cheerleader. Having her in the audience of my life pushed me to go beyond the limits I put on myself. I tried new things and went after new experiences because she was there to encourage me. Her ability to ease my doubts was majestic. I went through life knowing that she was proud of me even when I faltered. She taught me that my voice and presence deserved respect even when others aimed to shrink me. I was pregnant with my daughter when she passed suddenly. The thought of raising a strong black girl without her devastated me. But what better way to keep her legacy going than by instilling all the beautiful lessons in my daughter that she instilled in me? My Phoebe’s name was Mary. She saw me. She heard me. She helped me become who I was destined to be. I hope my daughter’s Phoebe is named Milada. I want to show my children that it is never too late to achieve their goals. If awarded this scholarship, it will assist me in completing my communications degree, like my grandma. I have a dream to conquer graduate school and excel in my career. With my learned skills, I want to bring people together. Having worked in property management for the past eight years, I have been taught to utilize my voice to help others, and I am on a mission to keep doing so. I plan to exude the same love, support, wisdom, and confidence that was prayed for, prayed over, and poured into me. I am assisting my teenage son with using his voice for change and equality. I am advocating for my autistic middle son to receive the best education possible. I am teaching my baby girl affirmations at age 2. I am passionate about inspiring hope, being a champion for many, and most importantly, showing up at the right time and place to help someone navigate life’s muddy waters.