I want to be my community's local Barbie; and no, not just in the looks department. Like many young girls, I grew up seeing Barbie as the woman who could do it all. When my grandmother gave me my first Barbie, the 2008 Holiday Barbie celebrating the year I was born, I saw more than a doll; I saw a reflection of who I hoped to become. And just like that I decided that I didn’t just want to be like Barbie, “a woman who can do it all.” I wanted to be a woman who can do whatever she sets her mind to — someone who creates her own possibilities and inspires others to do the same. My lovely community in South Los Angeles is just something I couldn't do without. Since I was young, I’d visit my local park, and if it weren’t for the friends I made and the people I met, I wouldn't have half of the opportunities I have now. Community is a lively ecosystem where we shape each other and exist with one another and with it I have felt seen and loved because my voice matters. I get involved in my community by showing up with my creativity, my collaboration, and my commitment to uplifting others. Thanks to the wonderful people in my life, I’ve been introduced to programs like the Aim N Inspire Animation Program and the Michael Latt Art in Action Program; I’ve worked with peers, mentors, and local organizations to create meaningful projects that reflect our shared experiences. Recently, I’ve been doing the same by letting younger people in my community know of any program I’ve participated in, and any opportunities I’m made aware of. I stay engaged by building connections, learning from those around me, and using my skills to add something positive to the spaces I’m part of. I plan to open an art studio in Leimert Park that teaches children between the ages of 11 and 16. It will be a space for learning art skills, discovering art history, and understanding the politics that shape creative expression. I plan on making it more than just a classroom- I envision exhibitions, community showcases, and a place where youth can connect their personal experiences with artistic practice. I’m currently enrolled in Otis College of Art and Design studying Illustration and Art education. While doing so I’m remaining an active alumni in programs like Art in Action, College Track and more. In the end, I want to embody the spirit of Barbie not because she “does it all,” but because she represents possibility. She taught me, even as a little girl, that imagination can shape reality — and now I carry that lesson into my community. Everything I pursue, from uplifting younger artists to building spaces for creative growth, comes from that same belief: that we can design the lives we dream of. Being my community’s “local Barbie” means being a woman who leads with purpose, creates her own opportunities, and helps others see the power in their own potential.

Since I've spoken my first word, my family has drilled into me that education is the most powerful tool. I define the purpose of education as the ability to facilitate a shift in a person's mind. Through books, images, works of art and conversation– education is a tool for self development. The merit of education is not merely about self-awareness; it is about expanding horizons. As Sydney J. Harris once wrote, ‘The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows.’ To me, this means that learning should not trap us in endless self‑reflection, but instead open us to new perspectives, cultures, and possibilities. Education transforms the way we see the world, it replaces isolation and limitation with opportunity and connection. Receiving and spreading knowledge is the foundation on which I have built my own journey. I’m currently enrolled in my first year at Otis College of Art and Design, majoring in Illustration with minors in art education & history. According to Zippia Careers, black and African American artists represent about 4% of all working artists in the US, 8% of teachers, and 17% of non profit board members. These numbers reveal gaps that remain in representation across creative industries, education, and leadership which are gaps that I feel deeply as a young Black artist. Rather than seeing these statistics as a limitation, I view them as a call to action. I hope to use my skills to create beautiful and comprehensive learning tools that create spaces where civic engagement and creativity grows in different ways in our children’s minds. My youngest brother is currently eight years old, and from him I’ve learned how reading helps children recognize their potential as artists, leaders, and changemakers. My goal is to create books for children ages 9-12 on topics like artivism, black childhood and history. These stories should help guide them to shape a future informed by the lessons our ancestors left behind. Literacy is the foundation of this transformation. The ability to interpret and question the world around them gives children access to histories that were erased, stories that were never told, and knowledge that empowers them to challenge injustice. Growing up in South Central with my father has taught me what it means to navigate the world as a young Black person whose community is often overlooked, and underserved. I remember when my father had to drive multiple hours a day to take my brothers and I to youth programs to receive benefits and educational opportunities we weren't getting in our schools. This has made every achievement feel hard-won, and made my commitment to carve out spaces where our voices are centered. At its core, I believe the purpose of education is to facilitate a shift, a widening of perspective that nurtures empathy, strengthens critical thinking, and empowers people to understand both themselves and the world more deeply.That belief is what led me to pursue Illustration with minors in Art Education and History at Otis College of Art and Design. I wanted a program that would allow me to study not only how images are made, but how they communicate, persuade, and shape culture. By understanding the political and historical weight of visual storytelling, I can better equip the next generation to use art as a tool for change. This scholarship would allow me to focus on my mission by easing the financial pressures that weigh heavily on first generation students like myself. It would also serve as a reminder that my voice, work and community matter, and that the future I’m striving to build is worth investing in.

In my mind, the world feels like a jigsaw puzzle waiting to get pieced together. Each piece of this puzzle is a different aspect of life, a unique story, or a slice of the human experience. My passion for art stems from this mindset- I see myself as a puzzle solver, using my creative mind to create compelling work. It takes patience and creativity to see and understand how everything pieces together, but instead of waiting for the answer to magically appear in front of me, I actively seek it out. One of the first pieces of my puzzle clicked into place when I participated in Micheal Latt’s Art in Action program. The Michael Latt Art in Action Program, also known as the Artivist Accelerator was a 12-week fellowship designed to empower young artists in Greater South Los Angeles by blending art and activism to spark community impact, a fellowship created to honor Michael Latt’s legacy of using art as a tool for social change. I found myself surrounded by artists my age, who wanted to make change, and speak up about problems in East and South Los Angeles. Through this program, I was able to meet Nikkolas Smith, who is a concept artist and an activist. Before meeting him, one of my favorite books of his was “That Flag” and hearing him talk about why he wrote and illustrated books helped build my love for Artivism. It was amazing hearing Nikkolas’s stories, because he was doing things in spaces I wanted to be in. Learning from him how he’s had to market himself while staying true to himself made him my favorite artist. While I’ve loved doing art from a young age, this program also helped me find my favorite medium. During the program, I created a four oil painting series called Garifuna Royals. In this exhibit, I reclaimed traditional symbols of hierarchy; kings, queens, and jacks, and reimagined them to honor the Garifuna people. My experience creating Garifuna Royals through the program pushed me to see art as a means of resistance, reclamation and education. Through my project I learned about the history of my family in Belize, and the politics surrounding why they were forced out of their homeland of St Vincent, originally known as Yuruemein. That project helped me realize the kind of impact I want to make; not just through my art, but through creating space for others to explore their voices and stories. In the future, I plan to open an art studio in Leimert Park that teaches children between the ages of 11 and 16. It will be a space for learning art skills, discovering art history, and understanding the politics that shape creative expression. I plan on making it more than just a classroom- I envision exhibitions, community showcases, and a place where youth can connect their personal experiences with artistic practice. I believe that all the art we create connects to larger systems and stories- and I see young artists shaping their own narratives, just as I did with Garifuna Royals, while gaining the tools to challenge systems and celebrate identity.

Observe, Invent, and Sensitize. When you've been an artist for so many years, you learn how to see things in a very different way than everyone else. The ability to create strong works of art that deeply resonate with people and that can be interpreted in many different ways is a skill that is often overlooked in our society. It transcends language barriers and allows us to communicate and explore complex ideas together. As artists, we have to wear multiple hats in order to be truly effective in our craft. Through architecture, fashion, performance, and paintings, art tells us how people have and will continue to live. We’ve used fashion as a form of rebellion and a way to claim space in ‘places we don't belong.' Ultimately, I plan to own an art school where young artists can come to learn, create, and talk about their work. It will be in Los Angeles to employ and support artists from here. I want to teach traditional art since those skills can easily be transferred to digital art, the foundations of dealing with businesses. and the relationship between art and politics. I have enjoyed doing art since elementary school, and the advice my teacher gave made it easy for me to love it without pressure. “There are no mistakes in art” Whenever I felt like my work was ruined over something like spilled paint or messy coloring, she encouraged me to make the best of it. To make the best of our ‘mistakes’ we need to learn how to see them as something else. I choose to see mines as opportunities to expand. My current short-term goals to get to this point start with selling the stickers I make and working with small businesses through the Sola Tech and Entrepreneurship centers to begin to raise money for the property I'm going to buy for my school. I’ve had the chance to experiment with multiple different mediums, and I’ve learned it truly does not matter what medium you’re using as long as you are producing something. When you make something, it can generate feelings for yourself and the observer. Artists create new ideas every second, and they bring those ideas to life through physical media like paintings and sculptures and through forms of expression like dance and music. I believe that taking time to make or do something, and being able to find meaning in the most obscure things is what makes art special. My vision drives me to continue sharpening my skills and expanding my knowledge so that I can provide the best support to my future students.

Observe, Invent, and Sensitize. When you've been an artist for so many years, you learn how to see things in a very different way than everyone else. The ability to create strong works of art that deeply resonate with people and that can be interpreted in many different ways is a skill that is often overlooked in our society. It transcends language barriers and allows us to communicate and explore complex ideas together. As artists, we have to wear multiple hats in order to be truly effective in our craft. From an early age, watching cartoons and animated movies inspired me to draw for myself. I went from trying to imitate cartoon styles, to anime styles, and to photo realistic styles. While these different pieces of media inspired me to create, I found myself constantly comparing my work to theirs and other artists. Whenever a piece didn't turn out like I wanted, I was frustrated and wanted to get rid of it and start over. It felt as if I was gifted with the drive to create art, but not the skill needed to create masterpieces. When I first joined the SoLa Foundation and took multiple different art related classes, my teacher gave me advice that made it easy for me to love it without pressure. “There are no mistakes in art” Whenever I felt like my work was ruined over something like spilled paint or messy coloring, she encouraged me to make the best of it. To make the best of our ‘mistakes’ we need to learn how to see them as something else. I choose to see mines as opportunities to expand and learn more about what I can do. Through taking those classes and learning to work with different materials, realized that I had to build up the drive and the skill to do art on my own, it wasn't a gift. I’ve learned it truly does not matter what medium you’re using as long as you are producing something. When you make something, it can generate feelings for yourself and the observer. Artists create new ideas every second, and they bring those ideas to life through physical media like paintings and sculptures and through forms of expression like dance and music. I believe that taking time to make or do something, and being able to find meaning in the most obscure things is what makes art special