Some people are remembered for what they achieved; others for how they made people feel. Kalia D. Davis is remembered for both, and that combination inspires me most. Her life reflected excellence, discipline, joy, and kindness, all wrapped into one remarkable person who still found time to encourage others and make them laugh. That is the legacy I strive to build every day. I am currently a Liberal Studies/Pre-Law student at North Carolina A&T State University, where balancing academics, leadership, service, and personal growth has become my daily routine. Maintaining a strong GPA while staying involved on campus requires discipline, but excellence has never been optional. Like Kalia, I believe that when given opportunities, you show gratitude by giving your very best, even when life is busy, overwhelming, or testing your patience (and caffeine limits). Sports played a major role in shaping who I am today. Being an athlete taught me resilience, accountability, and teamwork. It taught me to keep pushing even when my legs felt like noodles and the finish line seemed very far away. Those lessons extend far beyond the field into the classroom, leadership roles, and community service. Athletics showed me that success doesn’t come from talent alone; it comes from consistency, discipline, and heart. Community service has also been central to my growth. Volunteering helped me understand the importance of showing up for others, listening, and leading with empathy. Whether through service initiatives or campus involvement, I have learned that encouragement can change someone’s entire day and sometimes their entire life. Kalia’s peers described her as someone who could be counted on for motivation and laughter, and I strive to be that same dependable presence for those around me. What stands out most about Kalia’s story is not just how much she accomplished but how fully she lived. She worked hard, pursued excellence, served her community, loved deeply, and still made time for joys like traveling, dancing, and creating memories with loved ones. That balance reminds me that success is not just about resumes and achievements; it’s about impact. This scholarship would help relieve financial pressures and allow me to continue focusing on my academic and professional goals without distraction. It would support my journey toward a career in law, where integrity, discipline, and service are essential. More importantly, it would allow me to continue building a legacy rooted in leadership, compassion, and excellence. Kalia D. Davis lived a life of purpose, passion, and positivity. By pursuing my education with dedication, serving others wholeheartedly, and finding joy even in hard work, I hope to honor her memory and carry forward the legacy of living, loving, laughing, learning, and leaving something meaningful behind.

As a first-generation college student my future career is rooted in service, advocacy, and justice. Growing up in a single-parent household with my absent father due to incarceration, and with a mother who fought tirelessly to make ends meet, I witnessed firsthand the sacrifices required to survive and succeed. These experiences shaped my decision to pursue a Pre-Law path, with the long-term goal of becoming a lawyer who serves and protects individuals and communities that are often unheard, misunderstood, or overlooked. I want to use the law not just as a profession but as a tool to create equity and meaningful change. Being Black, to me, means resilience, responsibility, and pride. It means honoring the strength of those who came before me while committing to uplift those who will come after. My identity has taught me the importance of community, which is reflected in my dedication to volunteering at food banks, serving in my church’s children’s ministry, and tutoring young students. These experiences reinforce my belief that access to support, resources, and guidance can change lives. I chose to attend an HBCU because I wanted an environment where my culture is celebrated and my potential is affirmed. At North Carolina A&T, I am surrounded by excellence, leadership, and representation that motivate me to aim higher. Being part of an HBCU has strengthened my confidence, sharpened my purpose, and prepared me to pursue my career goals with integrity, compassion, and a deep commitment to justice.

Let's discuss The Central Park Five aka The Exonerated Five. The case which most m shifted my view of the justice system. Studying this case made me realize how imperfect and racist the justice system can be, particularly against people of color. It made me realize that here in this country, no matter the truth or the facts, we are always seen to be the issue simply because of the color of our skin. Five Black and Latino boys, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Antron McCray, Korey Wise, and Raymond Santana, were wrongly accused of assaulting and raping a white jogger in Central Park in 1989. They were aged 14 to 16 and were coerced into making false confessions after hours of unlawful police interrogations. Even in the absence of physical evidence against them and DNA evidence pointing towards an entirely different person they were prosecuted and given years in jail. What surprised me the most was how much the justice system seemed to want to ignore all the facts and in favor of the fact that they were telling the truth. They had no physical evidence, no credible eyewitness testimony, and no motive for them to be involved other than that they were young black boys in the wrong place at the wrong time. This case taught me that the justice system is not always so much about justice as it is about power, control, and putting forth an image of safety even when that includes destroying innocent lives in the process. Even after they were exonerated years later when the true offender came forward and confessed, the damage had been done. Those boys lost their freedom, their youth, and a piece of themselves that cannot be regained. Even when they were awarded millions of dollars in a settlement, nothing can ever replace the pain, trauma, and lost time they experienced. The Central Park Five were not just victims of injustice, but also examples of what happens when society convicts on the basis of race more than fact. Their story motivates me every day to become a legal practitioner in which I am able to represent victims who look like me and come from similar communities as me. I would like to be an instrument of change that ensures such stories are not repeated. This case radically altered the manner in which I perceive the legal system. I wish to be a voice for the voiceless. I wish to stand in courtrooms where the game is stacked against my people and be the voice that utters, "We deserve justice, too." It made me appreciate that this profession is not all about legal knowledge, it's about being brave enough to speak for those whom the system would prefer to forget.