Staying true to myself in my daily life has required a lot of confidence and self focus. I have not always been one who understood the importance of making myself content, but over the years I developed a understanding. Truthfulness to myself has required me becoming less worried about the opinion of others. I began to allow the interpretation of others to tear me down and cause me to belittle my capabilities. After building myself up again, I decided to walk upright in what I believed and wanted personally for myself. Staying true to myself has allowed me to be comfortable with who I am becoming as a person. I know in life that I am constantly learning and correcting everyday, so I made room for growth while going at my own pace. I stopped living to please others and began being patient with myself in order to please me. Being true to myself was not as easy as I thought when it came to masking emotions and feelings, but I learned to properly express myself instead of allowing things to consume me. The most challenging part of being true to myself has been what others around me thought of it, but I had to stay true in what I believe by continuing to do what I believed I was capable of.

Since a small child, it has always been my passion to assist others. With this passion, I have planned to turn it into skill and use it as an educational goal to become a registered nurse. I grew up administering medication to my grandmothers and helping them with certain things when they needed me. I was always one they could count on because they knew I did not mind helping and I would do it to the best of my ability. An obstacle I faced in life was in May 2020. A dark cloud of death hovered over my family during this time of the year while I was trying to start my own business. My mother and I were assisting one another with inventory, the website and promotions. When this occurred, my mother had to put the business life on hold and do what needed to be done for the family. I was left all alone at the age of sixteen to figure out what I needed to do in order to have a successful start as a business owner. This experience taught me perseverance and dedication. It taught me that no matter what life throws my way, I will always have to be prepared to pursue my goals anyhow. It also taught me that my mom will not always be here and there will be some things I will have to endure on my own. I began selling sunglasses out of the trunk of the car due to the pausing of my website. This was the start of something successful, but I knew I was capable and I made sure it was a success for me. I learned character traits I knew would take me far in life. I learned to have a better attitude and become more patient with customers. I learned how to properly communicate with others even when something did not go the way I wanted it to. I learned to have respect for myself and respect for those around me. It was difficult being a young child with such a huge responsibility, but I was very successful with the sale of sunglasses. I decided to expand my store and add more items as I continued. From this experience, it will help me as I further my dreams in the medical field because life has shown me we do not always get the results we hope for. It is about how much hard work and dedication we put into the task to determine how pleased we will be with it at the very end. This was indeed a life lesson and I will carry it with me forever. When I believed I could, I did and that is what I will take with me in the upcoming days of my career.

Growing up, I was always taught good things come to those who wait. Patience is important to me because it teaches me that what comes to me is destined for me. I don’t rush, take, or destroy something someone else has, I simply wait my turn and I am blessed one thousand times more. Another reason patience is important is because it gives an understanding that things may not come when I want them, but they come right on time. There have been times in my life where I thought I should have been further and accomplishing more things than I have been. As I continued to wait and be patient, the outcome that was greater was the one meant for me. Sometimes things work better for us when we learn to wait. We must live life one day at a time and take things step by step. This does not mean stop working for what I am waiting for, it just means being confident in knowing things will work out in my favor. Patience is one of the most important traits an individual can have. Being anxious can turn a great outcome into something horribly. Patience is the key to greatness and success.

As I have gotten older, I have developed an understanding that growing is not as simple as it may seem. There are days where I will have setbacks and find myself being the person I am trying so hard not to be. This is a test and trial and it is showing me exactly how much I want to grow and change. Maintaining the growth mindsets arises from continuously working and never giving up. It is so easy to fall short because I am always tested when it is time for me to elevate. I know I must work hard for the growth and results I want. It is up to me to believe I can break those bad habits, traits or characteristics and continue growing into the person I want to be. Growth takes hard work and dedication, but it also takes a strong mind and soul. Not only wanting to be better but simply believing and implying that I can be better is what carries me daily. I have noticed a tremendous amount of growth in myself, but I am aware that I am still a work in progress. As long as I continue trying, I will slowly but surely get there.

The act of a role model is not only about being an inspiration to someone. Being a role model is about motivating and upbuilding others. Growing up, I did not have many role models, so when I got older, I decided I would be the difference in people’s lives. The impact I hope to have through my mentorship to others is that they believe enough in themselves to step out on faith and know what they are capable of upholding. I like to mold strength and individuality into those around me. It is okay to ask for help, but unless you have tried it for yourself, do not be quick to ask for that helping hand. Always sit down first and use the gift of wisdom God gave you. Show and know that you are just as capable as anyone else. Be the living proof in your life so you can continue to carry that over to others. We are empowered people, but to be powerful individually is something no one can take from you or use against you. All help is not genuine, so it is important to know how to do things on our own. It is almost like survival of the fittest in the world, so through me, I want to teach others to use their strength, wisdom, knowledge and power. These things are fundamental in our lives and it is up to us to use it and turn dreams into a reality.

For many years, women have always been overlooked and underrated. In earlier years, women were not given an opportunity to work, speak or do many other things. Women were always in the background of things while men stood as the superiors. This has changed drastically over the years and has gotten better for women as we now have the opportunity to have a voice, job, house and many other responsibilities. Though things have changed, women still are not treated as equally as we should be. Society can most effectively empower women by allowing us to take action. There are so many intelligent women in the world with many great ideas. Several women do not have the support they need to make these major moves to change the world for the better. Though women have the authority to speak, we do not have the authority to put those words into the actions we need to put them in. The power still lies within the men and the women who have some of the power do not like to share it with others. To ensure our demands are met, we as women must continue to fight. We must strive everyday to show we are capable. It is our duty to believe in ourselves when others doubt us. Some see us as competition, which is why they will not help us get to the top. We must use the threat in us that they see to get us where we need to be. While we sit with pure intentions, others view us an something we could never be. We will continue to use our voice and we will continue to speak until we are heard and until things have changed. Generation after generation creates stronger, smarter women. One day, and one day very soon, we will be the ones who take over and rule this world. We will guide the world into positivity and structure. We will show the world that it was us who should have been leading all along. There is no need for us to stop or feel as if we are incapable because we will eventually find the action and take it. Empowered women surround us. Women are strong fighters who do not give up no matter how hard the test or trial becomes. Women are the face of this world and it is time our faces be shown.

Protecting our climate and our environment is a very important factor we should include in our daily living. Our surrounding area is where we live and being conservative of these things is something we should put first. Having a positive impact is not always how long we do something, but how much we put into for the time period we have. To make a positive impact on our climate, I am conservative of power and I take pride in community clean up. Conservation of power is something we all take lightly. We leave lights on, water running, and many other things not knowing these things can cause damage. When we are not cautious, horrible things can happen and this is a major effect of our climate and environment. Knowing how to conserve power also teachers us how to converse the energy in our environment. Community clean up is also very important. Keeping our area clean keeps the climate and environment clean. When the environment is dirty, this pollutes the air and causes it to be dirty as well. If the environment is not clean, the air we breathe and the water we use may not be clean. It is important that we treat our climate and environment with care so we can keep ourselves well and healthy. A polluted climate results in a polluted body. We must take care of our climate if we want to take care of ourselves.

My name is Mo’Nazia Sowells. I am a current senior who is very active in school, church and my community where I take all of my work very seriously. Growing up I was always very dedicated and hard-working. There was not much I felt like I was incapable of and I have continued to use those strengths to strive through High School and motivate myself to decide attending college. Growing up, I was given the responsibility of caring for my grandmothers. I was trusted to administer medication, give baths and insulin to them when needed. It was a great responsibility but from this, I was molded into the young lady I am today. Also, while growing up, those women I was was surround by were empowered African-American women. They have taught me perseverance, dedication, and determination. From this, I have planned the course of my life to attend college and pursue my degree in the medical field. I plan to attend college and graduate with a nursing degree because caring for and helping others has always been my passion. Becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner and providing more African-Americans with comfortable health care is my life goal. After obtaining my degree, I will use it with the greatest power to ensure other African-Americans receive the best form of healthcare. Several African-Americans are looked over by health care professionals and their best interest is not always at the heart of the professional responsible for their care. I want to ensure my people, as well as those of other races are as comfortable and safe as possible when they are in my care and in the facility I work in. It is my responsibility to ensure my patients feel like they are at a home away from home. I do not want to focus on the pay check because that is not what my heart desires. Caring for these patients and putting them first is what my heart desires most and that is what I will take pride in when the big day comes. With the knowledge I have, I plan to make a positive impact by not only giving my patients a positive attitude, but also being someone my co-workers can look to and learn from. Being in the medical field is about love, nurture and care. That is what I want my environment to be surrounded in and that is what my goal will be as I continue living my dream. Everyday will not be easy, but the love of it will make it all better. I will become the Family Nurse Practitioner who makes a difference.

Society is currently drowning in the effectiveness of COVID-19. This pandemic has changed the way we carry out our daily routines and activities. Covid continues to spread as new strands are developing, but I think the citizens of the United States can prevent the world from partaking in a part two of our world being shut down. Simply following the safety procedures we are instructed to follow can help us stop the spread of this deadly virus. Covid 19 has caused millions of deaths since its sudden appearance in 2020. Many Americans struggled as Covid resulted in schools, stores and jobs closing. Thankfully, our government formed together to help some of us financially, but of course our living was still very difficult. We were instructed to wear masks and gloves to prevent the spread of the virus. Sanitizing our hands also became very important and we had to turn it into a normal routine to sanitize our hands often. Getting tested regularly became an important factor so the virus was not contracted from an infected person. Each of these things changed the way we regularly lived and became our new lifestyle. As we adjusted to the way things were and the world opened back up, it suddenly felt normal again. Believing our lives we’re back to normal is one of the biggest mistakes we could have ever made. Many of us stopped wearing our masks which only hurt how well we were once progressing. Returning to the old routine of wearing our masks regularly, santitizing and washing our hands, and being considerate of everyone’s health is one way we can work on this current problem we are facing. Simply following safety procedures may not fully stop the virus, but I am certain it will prevent the spread of it.

Medicine has grown tremendously over the decades. The practice of medicine is more technical and equipped than before. With these advancements, I have set several goals that I want to accomplish when I enter into the medical field. The goals I have for my medical career are to treat patients with the best medical care, teach patients how to better care for themselves and discover ways to make the practice of medicine more trustworthy and reliable. I have witnessed several situations where patients were not satisfied with the way they were treated by nurses and staff at the hospital. It is important to treat patients as nicely as possible because I want them to feel comfortable and safe while in my care. I want to go into nursing for the right reason and that is to actually love the job I do, so I can learn to love the patients and care for them properly. Complaints are made in all hospitals, but I have always dreamed to be the best nurse I could be so none are ever made against me. It is not only important for nurses and doctors to know how to care for patients, it is also important for them to know how to take care of themselves. Several patients have bad habits that interfere with their health and increase the chances of their health declining. I want to be the nurse my patients believes has their best interest at heart. Teaching patients how to care for themselves will not only show them how to treat their own body, but also the bodies of those around them. Many individuals fear going to the doctor due to bills, the care provided and several other reasons. I want to make their trip to the doctor and hospital more trustworthy and reliable so their condition does not worsen due to hesitation of visiting. The paycheck is amazing, but actually caring for the patients and being there for them is what I want to be there for. My goal is to go into my job and make a difference in the lives of my patients. Connecting with them and showing them I am reliable and trustworthy is most important to me. Throughout the previous paragraphs, I reflected mainly on African-American patients. Many African-American patients feel as though they do not always receive the best care in medical facilities. Majority of African Americans do not know information they should about their health and they are not trusting of the staff who works in these facilities. Increasing racial diversity in health care may bring this comfort patients are looking for. Being able to pair a patient with a nurse or doctor who appears to look like them may calm the patient and make their visit better. I highly recommend racial diversity in healthcare and I will be another African American female added to serve my patients the best way I know how.

Technology has changed the world around us in several beneficial ways. The use of technology has made shopping, communication, and school much easier. Now, technology is so advanced, it will make driving easier. The new technological advancement that I am most excited about are the self-driven cars. Self-drive cars are designed to prevent accidents, reduce pollution in the air, and simply make traveling much easier. Self-driven cars are designed to automatically detect our surroundings. When the vehicle needs to stop, the car will sense this and automatically stop the vehicle. It is almost if the vehicle has the exact same senses a human has to ensure no accidents are caused. The cars also know when to turn, switch lanes, or stop at a red light. The technological advancements of cars are certain to keep us safe. With self-driven cars there are also chargeable engines. These newly designed cars do not operate by the usage of gasoline. This plays a major impact on our environment because the air is no longer being polluted. Pollution of the air interferes with the nature around us, so with the use of these self-driven, chargeable vehicles, we can protect ourselves and our environment. It is a win-win situation for us all. Traveling becomes easier with self-driven cars. Families who tend to travel long distances and fall asleep now have no worries of ensuring if they will make it to their destination safely or not. Long days and sleepless nights will never become an issue again as long as self-driven cars are being produced. Stops for gas are not a concerning factor either with the creation of these vehicles. This designed model really turns a trip into something amazing! Technology is advancing day by day, but the most exciting is the self-driven cars. I never imagined cars being able to drive themselves without the assistance of a human-being. This exciting production makes driving safer, reduces air pollution, and simply makes traveling much easier. I dream to have one of these someday.

The transition from High School to college can be difficult, but luckily I have an amazing supporter, my mother. Though I am a second generation college student, many things have changed throughout the years. The changes that have come did not stop my mother from helping me be the best person I could be. She was willing to learn, take risks and find out as much information as she possibly could to ensure I had a bright future. My mother is my leader, she is my guide and she has never stirred me wrong. My mother was a listening ear when I needed advice. There were times when I did not know the answer to the decisions I wanted to make, but she was there to support me the best way she could. She always gave me uplifting advice, telling me I could do it and I was always capable of what I set my mind to. My mother never let me feel like I was not enough. She always told me that if she could do it, I had the skills and mindset to do it as well. She is my motivation. At a young age, my mother attended college with two-children. She did not let reality stop her from making a brighter future for us. My mother was always a provider and a believer. Seeing a young black woman work so hard is what pushes me to be a greater women. I admire my mother for pursuing her dreams and I know if she did it with children, I am capable to do it as well and have a successful life. The privilege of having a mother who has been through something to get where she is today has helped me the most. I can ask my mother almost anything about the college lifestyle and she is able to give me information. My mother has so much experience and she is able to tell me those stories to help me make the best decisions. She pushes me to be better than she is, not knowing I look up to her and see nothing but greatness in the woman she is. College will not be easy, applying for college will not be easy, but with the help of my mother, weight has be lifted from my shoulders. I know I do not have to worry or stress because my mother will be with me every step of the way. She makes life easier for me with her love, care and support. The relationship my mother and I have built is what assists me and keeps me going.

The mental health status of the Black community has several troubles due to previous pain and trauma that continues to reoccur. My vision for optimal mental health for my Black community is to establish health practices, open doors for positivity, and break generational curses or habits. These three things are major possibilities that can help break forms of trauma we see, and generate a better way to properly care for ourselves and those like us. Making the change to eliminate this sense of trauma or prevent them from occurring is a goal everyone in the Black community should set. Establishing health practices are very important. Growing up, I always saw everyone trying to get through things alone or hide behind a mask to portray a certain image to others. Mental health practices can include doing something we love and enjoy, speaking with someone about our troubles, or simply taking a break and giving ourselves quality time. Health practices do not always have to require our body and mind to be busy. It is important that we do what is better for ourselves so our mental health is strong and dependable. I am a strong believer in positive thoughts and manifestation. Speaking life into ourselves and others are essential factors in the world we live in. We have to believe that we can apply ourselves even when things are not going as we expect, we can always stay positive and keep that faith knowing we can endure. Opening doors for positivity means not letting the horrible things around us overrule or overpower the amazing things in our life. We should make room for the good things, because those good thoughts, outcomes and results is what will help get us thru day by day. This is also an example of how our mental health can be deformed. We do not have to see bad and always expect bad. We can make a change. Generational curses are a reoccurring thing in the Black community. We carry things from generation to generation without making a change. As more generations come, things do change, which means the regulations that controlled the past, cannot be the same regulations that control the future. This is a damaging sign of mental health and this is a sign that can be formed into something greater IF WE TRY! Having an honest and heart felt communication with children or family members will create in them a clean heart so better things are established inside of them. This is a very sustaining factor of mental health in the Black community and the change is NOW! Mental health care and advocacy can help achieve social justice for communities of color by simply teaching us the proper way to communicate, the proper way to love and the proper way to care for one another. Having that sense of mental health care will show us how to be gentle instead of how to attack. It will show us how to have a positive outlook on situations instead of allowing negativity to control our thoughts and our lives. The intelligence we have as Blacks are more powerful that the features and images we portray in the mental health status. Mental health is important in building and establishing better things for our Black community.