I am a single mother caring for my beautiful fifteen year old daughter, Kayla. I have been a Dialysis Technologist, at an amazing clinic for over three years now, and i'm a first generation college student, in my third semester of the Pre-Nursing program at my Community College. I was born in Brooklyn NY, in the late seventies. Jimmy Carter was President, the crack epidemic had taken hold of my city, the economy was at a low, and my parents were struggling to put food on the table. By 1991, my parents separated and I watched first hand, the hardships of single motherhood, as my Mother moved us to Harlem to start over. I, being the oldest of five children, had a shared responsibility in the overseeing of the day to day, like caring for my two youngest siblings while my mother worked late, and making sure the apartment was tidy by the time she got home. The latch-key kid that I was, I didn’t mind helping my Mother if it meant making things easier for her. By the age of eleven, I learned how to mend socks and shirts with a sewing needle, braid and twist my sibling’s hair, and prepare simple dishes. It is not lost on me that those adult burdens and duties should not be placed on a child. But it was those very experiences that made me want to be of service later on in life. In high school, my eagerness to help led me to searching for youth programs that served the community. And by junior year I finally found one! I joined an amazing youth program called the Valley Inc. They not only encouraged youth philanthropy, but they required teen members to strive for scholastic excellence. So, In order to attend special events I had to have perfect attendance at school, and good grades. The Valley taught me values that I still incorporate today. One of the lessons I've learned was to listen to those of whom you are helping, and never let your “passion” get in the way of their true need(s). For example, if you want to give a tuna sandwich to someone who is sitting on a sidewalk, and is asking for food, first ask them if they can eat tuna. If that person is allergic to fish, or just doesn’t like the taste, it shouldn’t mean that they should go hungry. What sets me apart, is that I understand that truly helping them would mean giving them something they will actually eat. This is what helping in a meaningful way looks like. Being on dialysis can be an emotionally overwhelming experience. So when working at the clinic, I naturally take on the caretaker role for my patients. I truly listen to them, and treat them as individuals, because we are ALL unique. This past December I went to my Facility administrator (FA), to propose an "acknowledgment" initiative. I suggested that the clinic give cards of acknowledgement: patients' birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, wins, and even losses. I believed that this would help the patients cope with having to be in the clinic. My FA loved the idea, gave me a budget for it and let me spearhead it. I was so excited that we would finally have the opportunity to truly show our patients that we are listening to them and that we really care about the events and moments that matter to them. We started in January 2026, and some patients have shared that they feel seen and appreciated. Its been 4 months and I couldn't be happier! Thank you,

I remember starting high school and learning there were no clubs that I could join that involved Community Service. I wanted to be in service to a good cause, but I didn’t know where to go. So, Freshman year, I felt a little lost. The following year I tried out for my school’s track team, and made it. The girls on the team were really good. And I liked being a part of a well respected team, but I kept feeling like something was missing. I wanted to be a part of something bigger. Something that made a difference in someone’s life. One day at track practice, my Coach, who was also my Social Studies teacher, got frustrated with me. The team had been working on hurdles for a few weeks, leading up to a really important track meet at the Audubon Armory . And I was still struggling. Coach kept telling me I needed to stop being afraid, and to “...just get to the other side of the hurdle Lee!”. He shouted from across the field. But I was terrified of hurdles. Sick to my stomach, kind of terrified. My fear wouldn’t let me commit to a clean jump to save my own life. Out of the seven hurdles standing, I cleared one. If you counted the last hurdle I nicked with my back toe, just before falling flat on my stomach. It was embarrassing. My teammates all turned away as I gathered myself. After ending practice early that day, Coach asked me if I even wanted to be on the team. I didn’t know what to say. I just stood there with throbbing shins, scraped knees, and a bruised ego and started to cry. That evening, I went home, straight to my room and cried some more. I thought long and hard about what Coach asked me. And then it hit me. I was afraid because I didn’t have any other emotion to put in place of that fear. Fear was my default emotion whenever I was trying something new, or when I was being met with a challenge, but lacked the passion to take it on. It was then that I realized I never went into track practice with my team in mind. I only saw it as a task. There was a shift in my thinking. I began to see my team as individuals who wanted to succeed, just like I did. I started to have a reason to go to track practice, and work harder. I cared about the girls on my team, and I didn't want to let them down. I became more team oriented, by working on the skills that would contribute to us being stronger, and ultimately leading us to wins. Today, as an experienced Hemodialysis Technologist, those lessons I’ve learned about team building, and being led by passion and purpose have brought me to this point in my journey. Everyday I go into work, I make myself available to my team. Not only do I anticipate the needs of the patients, but I anticipate the needs of the Nurses and Techs. I listen to any the Nurse's directives that will help solve any problems that arise, and I feel comfortable to share helpful input that makes a Nurses day go smoother. Spring Semester of 2025, I will be starting my Pre-Nursing program, and I’m so excited. Fear no longer dictates my life’s choices. Being a part of a team, and having a passion will always triumph over fear.