When confronted with difficulties and situations I deem as unfortunate, mental and physical, the steps I take to regroup and start again coincide with each other. One of the first things I do is take a step back and either gather my thoughts or my composure. I take a moment to evaluate what I am currently experiencing, what got me to this state of being, and what do I need to do to get through. It took me some time, practice and effort to get to a place where I am able to regroup and reapproach situations if needed, but I can say step by step I have been able to make strides. I remind myself it is progress and not perfection and give myself some grace to feel and push through. When adversity comes and my mental health is unstable and all over the place various aches and pains to show up in my body. I knew I had to ask for help so I can process and release what I need to so I can focus again. I sought help and started to work with a therapist to address distorted cognitive thinking and find ways that can help me avoid traps that keep me in cycles that cause me to be depressed or anxious. I subscribed to an application called Balance that I use to help me with various meditations and methods that I can use to help me reground and shift my focus back to one of gratitude rather than one that focuses on the difficulty I am facing. I take walks, exercise, pray, and journal ways to release anxiety and physical discomfort associated with what I am going through. I use these experiences as stepping stones and learning opportunities to help me prepare for my career in social work. Finding ways to navigate through difficulties helps me strengthen my tool kit with tips and techniques that can help those who may be struggling to overcome any situation they may be facing. I am able to approach situations not looking to "fix" a person or situation but looking for ways to maybe collaborate or support the client right from where they are. I do my best to not allow my own shortcomings, mental instabilities, physical limitations or difficulties I experience to halt my track of growth. I will use the strength that I am building going through these situations to allow me to assist with empathy and approach each situation from a stance of non-judgement.

I have been blessed with the opportunity to be an advocate for individuals who are incarcerated and need someone to fight for them and their freedom. I work with clients and their Defense Team to address needs the client may have that may have barriers they have a difficult time getting through. A large population of the individuals I serve are diagnosed schizophrenic, bipolar, or struggle with some other Intellectual Disorder. I use the on the job training to help develop me professionally to work as a social worker. My goal is to bridge the gap for those who are deemed as incapable of thinking for themselves or who the judicial system looks to push along versus finding ways to truly rehabilitate. I use this to also help me gain knowledge of what to look for and how to address concerns when working with those who suffer from mental health matters. I help fight for their civil rights and submit necessary concerns to the appropriate parties to ensure that their well-being is prioritized as well. Being that most of the clients I work with are often misguided and manipulated, I advocate for them to be able to be placed in safe areas that can help them avoid bullied, extorted and sometimes even raped. I am grateful to be able to extend help in a way that shows the person I am helping that they are seen and heard, and they do have someone in their corner fighting with them.

For much of my life, I struggled to understand and embrace my identity. The personality traits that made me unique were often dismissed, ridiculed, or shaped into something they were not. My mother, who became a single parent as a teenager, frequently compared me to my cousins, who she saw as successful because they were attending college. While her intentions were positive, her approach left me feeling confused and inadequate, fostering distorted beliefs about myself. We lived in the same underrepresented community where my mom grew up after moving from a small town in Louisiana to Texas. I often saw her working tirelessly to provide for us, which made me feel lonely and unsure of my place in the world. As a result, I found myself gravitating toward others who also struggled with their identities and lacked direction in life. During those formative years, I frequently adopted the identities and behaviors of those around me, hoping to find a sense of belonging and acceptance. Instead of embracing my own individuality, I would mirror the people closest to me at any given time. This pattern led me into situations and environments that, deep down, I knew were not aligned with who I truly was or aspired to be. Rather than cultivating my own values and interests, I allowed the influence of others to shape my actions and choices, often resulting in feelings of regret and self-doubt. However, everything changed in March 2015. I began to see myself in a new light, recognizing that I am a unique individual created in God’s image, and I am not meant to be anyone else. This realization allowed me to start loving myself and appreciating who I am and what I have to offer. I embarked on a journey to discover what brings me happiness and to live authentically, without regrets or the need to meet someone else’s expectations. I was able to see that naturally I loved helping others and made every effort to get educated and trained to be able to do just that. Recognizing the challenges I faced growing up, I made it a priority to give back to my community by mentoring youth in the same area where I was raised. Through this mentorship, I aim to encourage young people to discover ways to love themselves and embrace the unique individuals they are meant to be. By sharing my own experiences and the lessons I have learned about self-acceptance and identity, I hope to guide them in their personal growth and help them realize that they are created with purpose and value. This commitment to mentorship is my way of fostering a supportive environment where youth can learn to appreciate themselves and confidently pursue the paths that bring them fulfillment and happiness. I also came to understand that pursuing higher education is valuable, as it can open doors to a meaningful career. But more importantly, I learned that my self-worth and happiness do not depend solely on meeting external measures of success. My journey as a member of an underrepresented minority has taught me resilience, self-acceptance, and the importance of following my own path.

One of the main obstacles that I have had to overcome while pursuing a higher education was depression that came from the grief of losing a loved one. I started my journey to higher education in May of 2000, right out of high school, and by October of 2003, I had lost my husband, and my journey with grief started. Through my journey, I have gone to psychiatric hospitals voluntarily and involuntarily to help me develop skills needed that would help me process feelings of hopelessness and get stabilized on medicine that will help me get chemically balanced. I also went to a couple of rehabilitation facilities to help me through my process of being addicted to mood and mind altering substances. As I went through the pathways of recovery and healing, I told myself that I would get the necessary training and skills to be able to go back and help those who are where I once was. On March 13, 2015, 12 years later, I was able to break the stronghold of depression and addiction. I temporarily relocated to Minnesota and realized during that time that it is up to me to be in charge of my healing and mental health. I was introduced to the counseling technique of Motivational Interviewing and was able to get to a place of being able to work my plan of release and growth from a whole different standpoint. I no longer felt I was on the sidelines in my recovery, but I was the Star Player. As I got to a place of giving back what I had been given, I found my path being driven towards becoming a Social Worker. I felt this path would provide me with training and opportunities to serve a population that is sometimes frowned upon or not given as much patience as those who "have it all together". My area of focus is providing grief support and education support supporting those who struggle with their mental health and substance misuse. I also assist those impacted by the justice system and need a little extra help on how they can turn their lives around. I hope to use my education to help those in marginalized communities break stigmas and barriers that they face by providing nonjudgmental support and using motivational interviewing to stimulate a different way of looking at the paths they have before them.

Growing up in Houston, TX, in the 80s, mental health was not talked about or addressed in my home. I recall when my grandmother passed away, I was around the age of 7 and had feelings and thoughts of not wanting to be here because I missed her so much. My mom did not talk about her mom’s death, and she hardly showed any emotions when it came to the subject of her mom. In turn, I learned how to keep all my emotions in, and the message I also received was that I had to keep it all together, even if I am hurting inside. The thought of not wanting to be here would come and go, but I kept those feelings and thoughts to myself. I saw my mom push through when she lost her mom. She really walked in the mentality that you should just get over it when someone dies. That thought process was not the best example, and it created a warped understanding of how I approached grief and my mental health. I recall feelings of depression starting for me when my grandmother passed away. I had bouts of crying, but was able to prioritize life and miss her. We did not discuss grief and what that may look like when we lose someone we love. So, when I lost my husband in 2003 at the age of 20, depression and suicidal ideations came in and almost consumed me. I went between self-medicating and getting professional help, and after 12 years of being depressed, addicted, and suicidal, I was able to find balance. My mom and family supported and helped me as best they could; however, I still had to face my mental health concerns on my own. I relocated to Minnesota for a short time to address my substance misuse, and while there, I was introduced to motivational interviewing: this counseling technique and desire to live saved my life. I was able to sort through thoughts that consumed me. It changed in a way that allows me to advocate for myself and take steps to address my needs holistically. It also allowed me the opportunity to understand that medicine can remain an option if I should need it in the future. Having a better understanding of maintaining my mental health has helped my family and me in so many ways. We can talk freely about what we may have learned in therapy with our counselor. We attend support groups and other groups that help us connect with those who may serve as a team member or point of contact if we find ourselves struggling. We do not weaponize each other for going to the doctor to address mental health matters. I have become more aware of my moods and energy. Now when I am feeling off or not my best self, I speak to my psychologist to see if they recommend me to speak to a psychiatrist.

Growing up in a single-parent home has allowed me to become resilient through the challenges I faced and given me the passion to be a Social Worker. I currently work in a space with adults that are impacted by the justice system, but my caseload is getting younger and younger. This gives me the opportunity to use the skill of motivational interviewing that I learned to get them to search within to find ways to do something they deem as different or better in life. Outside of work I use my life experiences to offer decision-making courses, grief support, suicide prevention workshops, and ways to take care of one’s mental health. I work in the underserved community, breaking down barriers of stereotypes and myths that surround the areas of African American mental health and the ability to make decisions that foster growth and change. Community is very important to me because, from what I see and know, life is not meant to be done alone. So, I strive to create spaces that allow youth and young adults to be in an environment that allows them to be accepted at the level they are at and provide conversational opportunities that will stimulate their minds and require them to think outside the box. Being able to help them see beyond and possibly open their mind to beyond their present circumstances has been a gift to see.

Coming up as a adolescent we often pre judge what we would never do, tolerate, nor allow ourselves to go thru but life has a funny way of mapping things out differently. After suffering major grief from the unexpected death of my high school sweetheart/husband, I felt misunderstood, unheard, and "Rushed" just to get over it. This led to a 15 year journey of substance abuse and every possible negative effect that you can imagine happened, eventually happened from homelessness, mistrust with close family members, and losing possessions. Eventually my life took for a turn when I had to care for my mother at bedside during her last few years of living. I had already decided mentally I wanted to make a change for the better(mentally), but didn't have all the resources to continue to build myself emotional to not feel I was the bottom of the barrel. After the passing of my mother, there is a deep whole and void and yearning for love, even if it's not the best love. I found myself in a relationship with someone who was so loving but also so broken. I didnt adhere to early signs of trauma and a need for healing on both ends which led to destruction within a year. Trauma bonding had me staying in position that did not help me grow mentally and spiritually and led to more depression. I would question myself as I had once before on "Why am I here and I know I'm above these ways", but without the proper knowledge, support, and self-love, apart of you feels deserving to where you are in life. While pursuing a career in Social work, I was led to a job in being a client advocate for those in similar situations. Along the way of making poor decisions in my addiction, I picked up two felonies. I didn't need more jail time, I needed someone to sign me up for a rehab program and give me a true chance within my chance. I am also able to be more empathetic and fight a little harder for those that struggle with mental depression, stemming from different background and am able to offer different resources for brown men and women. As I go for my Bachelor's in Social Science, I hope to maximize on different avenues to help people recover, not only physically but mentally/emotionally through not only paid work, but my Non-profit I've created along the way S.P.A.A.R.K.S(Stimulating Positive Action and Reaching Kontinued Succees).

Hello, my name is Shanericka Mathew, born in Houston, TX. I grew up in Acres Home, where both my paternal and maternal sides of the family resided. I was the oldest of two kids for my mother and the oldest of six for my father. As a teenager, I transferred to East Houston, attending North Shore High School. While there, I met my high school sweetheart, Andre. We continued our relationship and became a young married couple. Suddenly, my world shifted from being a newly married 21-year-old to a widow after I suddenly lost my husband to a motorcycle accident. This led to a long journey of substance abuse, depression, and losing the respect and trust of many family members and people who were trying to support me genuinely. Along the way, I was convicted of 2 Felony charges that cannot able to be expunged for possession. In my corner, I always had my mother, who was steadfast in giving unwavering love and commitment to me and whatever it took to turn my life around. I hit my final draw in 2015 after jumping out of 2-story building, attempting suicide. I was hospitalized for months, and I decided I wanted a change in my life. I packed up my Nissan, heading to Minnesota with all my belongings, and started my journey into fixing my life. I joined a rehab program that was shortly shut down, and I had to come back to Houston, which worked in my favor because I was now pregnant with my second and wanted my children to be raised together(with my daughter still living with my mother). This was another short-lived period of my life because my mother's health went into decline, and I had to switch roles and be the one to take care of her. While being able to love her at her bedside was one of the most humbling things I've experienced, it was also the most hurtful. Now here I am faced with two roads, one where I can go to the most familiar route, and the other being the one where I continue to press forward, knowing my biggest cheerleader was no longer here to push me through. Not even 6 months after the passing of my mother, my stepfather thought it was best that I remove myself from what I knew as home and get my own space. This deterred against my hopes of raising my children together, for my daughter was still legally his, and I had no rights(which felt like no access to her). I began working full-time at Home Depot, raising my two-year-old Prince, Josiah. Amid my mother's passing, Josiah's father lost a battle to cancer. This drew me up to now, relying on community resources such as the food pantry to feed me and my son. Being a single mother while attending school and paying out of pocket has been an experience not made for the weak, but I keep my eyes on the prize in knowing I want to be the difference in society. I have continued interest in being the social worker that I needed. I currently serve as a Client Advocate for those who suffer from mental disease. It's easy to box illegal action to bad people, but in my experience, these are people who need a different kind of help that sitting in jail just won't do. My lesson in all this is, don't take advantage of time and let your scars in life be the beauty marks to help the next person, and most importantly, NEVER GIVE UP!

My life’s journey has been one of true resilience, marked by profound personal transformation. For over a decade, I battled depression, suicidal ideation, and substance abuse. These struggles led to periods of incarceration and institutionalization in mental health facilities. However, instead of allowing these hardships to define me, I used them as a foundation for growth and purpose. Today, I proudly serve as a Client Advocate through Partners for Justice, an organization that uplifts and supports individuals who are currently or formerly incarcerated. This work is deeply personal to me because I once stood in their shoes—and now I have the privilege of being the support I once desperately needed. My experiences have shaped not only my career path but also my core values. They have taught me the importance of approaching every individual with empathy, humility, and without judgment. I strive to check my biases before engaging with each client and ensure I am listening with intention. Active listening and genuine compassion allow me to better understand and meet the needs of those I serve. I’ve also learned the critical role of self-care in sustaining this work. Through my healing, I’ve come to understand that taking care of myself is not selfish—it is essential. If I neglect my own wellness, I cannot show up fully for those who depend on me. These lessons have deeply influenced my career aspirations. I am pursuing a path in social work with a clear purpose: to become the type of professional I once needed when I was navigating the justice and mental health systems. I want to be the person who advocates, listens, and shows up without judgment—someone who sees the potential in others even when they cannot yet see it in themselves. Additionally, my experiences have inspired a strong commitment to community service. I have taken on the role of mentor to underserved and at-risk individuals, many of whom are dealing with grief, trauma, or systemic barriers. I support them in developing life and social skills, while also helping them see that their past does not define their future. I believe education is a powerful tool for change, and I am committed to using mine to give back to the community that shaped me. With a foundation in social work, I will continue to approach my advocacy with cultural humility, empathy, and a trauma-informed lens—especially when working with individuals who are or have been in situations similar to mine. This scholarship represents more than just financial support; it is a stepping stone toward my long-term goals of professional growth, community impact, and social justice. It will help alleviate the financial burden of completing my bachelor’s degree and allow me to focus more fully on my education, fieldwork, and continued service to others. I will go on to pursue my Master's in Social Work with the goal of becoming licensed and help on a much broader scale. I am grateful to be in a position of where I am now proud of myself and the woman I am growing into. Truly thankful for another chance at living a productive life.

My experience with mental health stems from major depression and psychosis from the sudden death of my husband. My journey included seeking health professionals who were patient enough to help me, which led me to go down a path to becoming a social worker myself. I was depressed and suicidal for 12 long years and felt as if I had no one who understood what I was going through because one of the common things I heard was to “get over it.” I interacted with health professionals in hospitals and mental institutions who shuffled me along to push their caseload through or complete their eight hours. From those experiences, I made it a goal to become equipped so I could revisit those places in a healthier state of mind and help clients so they feel seen and heard. Since March 2015, I have been able to work through feelings of grief in a way that I call HEALING which stands for Handling Every Area Linked In Nurturing Growth. Being intentional in making healthy connections to nurture my mind, body, and soul as I heal through things that my life has dealt me. I created a virtual support group that meets every second Wednesday monthly to give thoughts on going through any kind of grief as a way of connecting and releasing as we grow through grief. I also use my time now to connect individuals to resources they feel will help them thrive in life. I have a better understanding that life will bring many trials and tribulations. The way we approach and handle those trials is completely up to us. I encourage not putting a time limit on the process, but to approach each matter with an open heart and mind so that all results that come can be celebrated.

I dream of establishing a community center in the underrepresented community of Acres Homes, TX. It will allow the community members to come in and obtain life-skill training such as Budgeting 101 or Mapping Out My Life. We will offer job skill training and resume building. We will offer certifications such as CPR or trades such as a phlebotomy tech or Community Health Worker. It will also have programs geared towards the youth and teenage groups. Their programs would include speakers telling them about different professions they can choose from. We would offer mentorship and referrals to all of our clients who register for services. We would take field trips to various colleges and other destinations that would allow them to see life beyond their current circumstances. We will have weekly conversations on what making good choices looks like. The goal full circle is to leave no person behind. I am creating this legacy by completing my social work degree at the Prairie A & M University. With this degree, I am also including my life experiences as a guide to help me stay present and deliver a level of care that makes the person being assisted as if they are worth every ounce of energy that is going into helping them. I am working as a Community Health Worker, in the position of a Family Resource Coordinator. I get the chance to see firsthand what clients struggle with when it comes to working towards a better life. I volunteer as a Progam Coordinator with an organization called Mission Achieve where we practice things such as Art Therapy, Public Speaking, and Sewing Skills. The age range we target in this group is middle to high school students molding different skills that will help them walk into adulthood. So even though this is a dream I have, I can see how my life journey is equipping and preparing me for when this dream comes to fruition. Even if I find myself partnering with other organizations bringing only what I can bring, I am ok with that. I understand what it means to not reinvent the wheel, but I will add the flavor that I give. That is what social work is allowing me to do. Be able to care for all people in a way that I hope allows them to not feel forgotten or overlooked. I have been in that position before and it does not feel good in any way.

What I plan to do with my bachelors in Social Work degree is help individuals in institutions and criminal justice systems that I was once in. I desire to deliver the quality of service that I wish I could have received. I have learned how to use the motivational interviewing technique and with me pursuing my degree in social work will help me gain additional formal training that will show employers that I am more than qualified. I will work to help individuals with non-judgmental and bias free assistance that will show them that I truly care if they succeed. Being a black woman to me makes me feel I am one of a kind. It helps in my efforts to empathize and care for those who feel as if they are not seen or heard. I come through as genuine and relatable because often times I have experienced the same things they have. I chose to go to an HBCU because I wanted to be part of something great. I wanted to be able to connect with other Black scholars that are also making strides to make a change in the community in which they live. I have been able to network with a few of those individuals and I have also been able to volunteer with the club I joined named the Social Work in Action Club. I have enjoyed collaborating and every working with others who share similar interests in helping underserved individuals.

I first have to say that I AM A SURVIVOR! In October 2003, I experienced the sudden death of my husband and entered into a 12-year-long battle with depression coupled with substance use. I was admitted into institutions due to major depression and suicidal ideations. I also experienced incarceration due to not knowing how to express myself and ultimately using substances to self-medicate. Not being connected to the proper physician who didn't just want to shuffle me along affected me tremendously. In February 2009, I experienced a failed suicide attempt, in which I broke my neck and my back and I am so grateful I am still here to use my story as a method of hope and inspiration for those I encounter. Since turning my life around on March 13, 2015, I have been on a journey to reclaim everything I feel I gave away in my addiction and mental health battles. I am pursuing my bachelor's degree at Prairie View A&M University in Social Work. I hope to use my degree to go into the institutions and jails I once was in to help shine a light of hope to the women I meet. However, until I complete my degree I am working as a Community Health Worker, assisting those who are pushing through substance use disorders and mental health concerns. Working in the maternal mental health sector I have been introduced to moms who find themselves using substances to push through issues such as depression, seeking ways to lose weight, and self-medicating to reduce stress. So I have been working with health care professionals to help bridge the gap between approach and following up with moms in their care. Helping them to understand the importance of active listening and the utilization of motivational interviewing can help a mom who may be having a hard time finding balance. There is nothing worse than asking for help and the person you have to help you only sees an addict or some other bias they cannot let go of. So I plan to extend the help that I wish I would have liked to see to show the women I work with that life is possible and they are being heard. Working with them on action plans they create and serving as their accountability partner to help cheer them on as they get to the level they set. I will remind them that the sky is the limit and it is up to them to be the change they want to see.

I am a senior at Prairie View A&M, obtaining my bachelor's degree in Social Work. My passion is to help those pushing through Substance Use Disorders and Mental Health Disorders. I understand how it feels to be stigmatized and not get the best help that health professionals have to offer. In July I will be starting a role as a Client Advocate, in which I will be assisting clients through the Harris County Public Defenders Office, who are incarcerated helping to ensure they get a fair trial. This position will allow me to also provide each client with resources they may be interested in that would help them make changes in their life so they can thrive and not just survive. I am excited about this position, because I believe everyone should have access to fair treatment and the ability to obtain resources they may not know about that can help them and their family. Once we grasp the fact that some people may not know how to ask for help, we then will be able to meet people where they are and help them the best way we can. I want to be that light they see and know that I am not here to judge them or their circumstance, but I am here to help them as much as they will allow me to. Being able to help those no matter their background, especially those in underserved communities helps to fuel my fire. So often they are written off because they cannot afford certain aides such as therapy, a psychiatrist, or even access to a center that could help them get off of substances and they may simply not know that help is available. I am currently working as a Community Health Worker because informing the community and working with medical professionals allows me to help bridge the gap. I see myself as a voice for those who are considered voiceless. I also strive to show individuals that I work with that there is hope as well as help that is available if they desire to change. I understand wholeheartedly that I cannot force anyone to change. But what I can do is provide them the resources if they are interested and use the words of my testimony to show them that with the proper help and taking steps to shift their mindset, they too can live a life they never expected.

Growing up as a teenager, I felt misunderstood and that I didn't belong(mostly due to sexual orientation). I didn't know how to communicate with my mother, which led me to wanting to talk to other adults. In conversing with older people, I began to think that the love that I didn't feel at home, was what I found in these older companions. Sad to say, everyone that appears to be for you, isn't for you nor do they have your best interest as heart. By the age of 18, I had passed up those things that most high school kids get to enjoy like prom, projection graduation, and most importantly a basketball scholarship trying to appease this older romance. I also allowed someone to convince me to get a credit card in my name just to buy an extra extension on what I deemed as love. Missing these things have turned out to be the biggest regrets of my life. Not only was I trying to find love in someone else, I also was trying to escape my own reality of having two parents that vigoroulsly fought and did not respect the peace that I needed. As an adult now, I dream to start a community center that doesn't have a limit for the ages of 12/13. After that age, that's actually when we need the most help. We are trying to understand our natural desires, trying to figure out what group we best fit in, and sometimes we forget to learn to love ourselves. I think having a center with diversity, with race, gender, and orientation would be an encouraging environment for young teens to find themselves and ask those questions that they may be afraid to ask their parents. At this center, I would not only want to see the typical basketball courts and computer rooms, but also classes that teach young teens how to do resumes, learn about credit, public speaking, and even having tutoring offered would be nice. Having a center in every community would be beneficial, regardless the wealth or poverty of the area because the need for teen mentorship is not biased to a certain race. At the ages of 13-18, we all need that extra bit of guidance that naturally gets shut out from our parents. If I had this kind of a place coming up, I do feel that it would have kept me busy and away from unhealthy relationships that lay the foundation for mental distruction and a lack of self love as well as a healthy esacpe from the things you can't control like to home environment. I would welcome certified mental health specialist, as well alumnis that may have benefited from the program to help with the future kids.

My experience with areas surrounding mental health is heavily centered around grief has influenced me and the way I approach everything in life. Being someone who was once labeled as severely depressed with psychosis, I found myself struggling with the thought of how the God of my understanding would allow me to live with this gaping hole in my heart and not have a way for me to get out or even have someone to talk to. The relationships I had were strained because my loved ones did not know how to properly take care of me in my fragile mental state. Most of my family suppresses their emotions rather than talk about what is going on. So, they often told me to just get over things, not understanding that I was stuck in the depression portion of grief and did not know what to do to get out. As a result, it was hard for me to communicate what I needed and oftentimes would just hold things in. The depression was so thick I could not think of anything career-wise that would allow me to be the best I could be and at one point I wanted to give up. In 2015 which would happen to be the 12th year of my depression, I was able to find a form of therapy that worked for me. The therapist used a technique called Motivational Interviewing to help me talk through what I had going on and helped me devise a plan that allowed me to take control of mental areas that were affecting other areas of life and get to where I can now thrive. It helped me to gain confidence in knowing that there will be times when the plan must be revised, and new methods may need to be implemented. I use meditation to help me regain a sense of connection to the God of my understanding and rekindle the spiritual component needed to help with my foundation and rebuilding hope. I also incorporate yoga and exercise to help with natural practices that help my overall mental state. Relationships that were once strained were rebuilt with our focus being communication and boundaries as main pillars of how we will operate in the common goal of respecting each other’s mental health space. My mental health struggles have inspired me to become a Social Worker, emphasizing Behavioral Mental Health. I am also a Mental Health First Aider. Being a Mental Health First Aider I am awarded the opportunity to use those skills learned in that training to help those ranging from individuals who just need an ear to those who may be having a full-blown mental crisis. My goal is to help those the way I wish I could have been helped. No, I am not using opportunities to say I can help every client who comes through my office, but I do use judgment on who I can help and who I cannot help. I understand that with everyone I encounter, I will not be able to help physically on the active caseload I may have, however, I may be able to get them connected to the person or resource they need to help them in the area they have expressed they need help in. My goal is also to one day have a center or partnership that will allow individuals to come in and get free help with navigating services if they are struggling as well as have connections to support groups that will help them develop new coping techniques or possibly build relationships conducive to their recovery.

My experience with mental health changed the way I look at my beliefs surrounding life, relationships, and career aspirations. The traumatic sudden death of my husband in 2003 sent me into a depression that continued for 12 years. I struggled not only with depression but was also dual diagnosed with suicidal ideations and that almost turned out to be fatal for me in Feb. 2009. It wasn't until March 2015 that I was able to have an opportunity to change my surroundings as well as access to other forms of therapy that I got the chance to understand that grief is a normal part of life. I understand that everyone grieves differently and from that moment was able to accept things to help me grow mentally. I had to find ways to process the emotions I was feeling healthily so that I did not cause harm to myself. I have rebuilt my self-image and practice mindfulness now to help me through difficult situations. My experience with mental health influenced my relationships and showed me that it is best to say what you need to say when it comes to setting healthy boundaries when you are struggling mentally. Again as stated before we know that everyone will have different ways they approach their mental health journey and that is okay. But getting those who I had and still have close relationships with to understand that no magnitude of mental illness outweighs the other. And as long as help is being sought and incorporated into daily living then we can work on a way to live together right where we are. So the importance of respecting boundaries and individual processes became even more important to be discussed. The way my mental health experience has shaped and is shaping my career, is now I am on my way to becoming a Licensed Social Worker. I do understand that degrees and licenses would need to be obtained to make this dream possible, but I am well on my way. I desire to be the help I wish I would have had when I was going through my mental struggles. I understand that in some cases medicine is needed and I also encourage anyone to get help in that manner if this is the recommendation that was given. I also understand that having the right therapist who can evoke the questions that you can think about and answer yourself can help as well. I realized that we do not have to go through any mental illness alone. There is work that has to be done and that work would be finding out who is right for us to work with so we can get where we need to be on our mental journey.

Volunteering and participating in community service have continued to open my heart to humanity and the endless possibilities that there are to help in some way. Volunteering gives me the opportunity to remember not to take for granted for one moment that I could be placed in the very situation I am volunteering with and that helps me stay humble. When I think about how volunteering has shaped my perspective, I think of how even some of the best of us may fall upon hard times. And who sharing a little of my time can help lift someone just for the day and hopefully a lifetime. Most people I meet in my volunteering are humble and show a level of gratitude and determination to make changes while on this part of their journey in life. Volunteering has given me the opportunity to work with individuals who are looking for better ways to live life. This helps me to remember that everyone deserves to be respected right where they are and if chances to encourage come then do so to the best of my ability. It is those moments and interactions that I use to search for ways to do more. One opportunity I had to do more was with an organization called Positive Express. We mentored girls ages 8-18 on creating and maintaining healthy self-esteem. This volunteering experience has inspired me to develop a curriculum called Don’t Get Boxed Up, which uses 12 weeks and goes through scenarios on how to make wiser decisions when life comes during adolescent years and even young adulthood. Working with them has allowed me to discuss confidence and the importance of a positive self-image as well as operating with morals and values. I got to show them an example of what respecting yourself looks like and use positive reinforcements when finding ways to encourage them to try new things. I also volunteer at my son’s school. He is in the second grade and with so many changes that are happening in the public school system I do all I can to be available and help where they need me most. My volunteering has shifted my career path from Business Management to Social Work. I have a desire to extend the level of social services that I wish to receive if I were sitting on the other side of my desk. My goal is to create a judgment-free zone when working with my clients. I understand that some clients may be repeating their situation and for some, it may be their first time needing help. Either way, both sets of people should be treated with dignity and respect. There is nothing worse than needing help and the person who is in place to help you treats you with no dignity. So, my goal is to work on changing the narrative of how the support is delivered. I want to open a center or collaborate with a resource center that will allow me to work with the youth to young adult age range that they serve or that may come in seeking services. I will serve as a Service Navigator or Mentor until I complete the education needed to be a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. I am looking forward to hosting community events that will allow the community neighbors to come in for wellness sessions. I am also looking forward to collaborating and partnering with like-minded organizations that share similar goals. I want to make sure that we cover addressing healthy outlooks and ways to focus on the Mind, Body, Soul, and Community. The sessions will include designated community workout days or even gardening days to help bring awareness to the importance of maintaining a healthy body. There will be summer reading enrichment to help with building and nurturing the mind. We will also have back-to-school anti-bullying events. This will be intended to help continue to keep the youth active and engaged and show them that we do care if they succeed. I also want to include training events that will allow individuals to get additional skills on what can help them be better overall. Having programs in place to stimulate someone's mind or suggest different behaviors can allow them in my opinion to see things differently and make changes where they need to so they can ultimately thrive. My goal is to provide exposure to things they may not have access to on a regular basis so they find a way tp use that as fuel to do something different.

My experience with areas surrounding mental health is heavily centered around grief has influenced me and the way I approach everything in life. Being someone who was once labeled as severely depressed with psychosis, I found myself struggling with the thought of how the God of my understanding would allow me to live with this gaping hole in my heart and not have a way for me to get out or even have someone to talk to. The relationships I had were strained because my loved ones did not know how to properly take care of me in my fragile mental state. Most of my family suppresses their emotions rather than talk about what is going on. So, they often told me to just get over things, not understanding that I was stuck in the depression portion of grief and did not know what to do to get out. As a result, it was hard for me to communicate what I needed and oftentimes would just hold things in. The depression was so thick I could not think of anything career-wise that would allow me to be the best I could be and at one point I wanted to give up. In 2015 which would happen to be the 12th year of my depression, I was able to find a form of therapy that worked for me. The therapist used a technique called Motivational Interviewing to help me talk through what I had going on and helped me devise a plan that allowed me to take control of mental areas that were affecting other areas of life and get to where I can now thrive. It helped me to gain confidence in knowing that there will be times when the plan must be revised, and new methods may need to be implemented. I use meditation to help me regain a sense of connection to the God of my understanding and rekindle the spiritual component needed to help with my foundation and rebuilding hope. I also incorporate yoga and exercise to help with natural practices that help my overall mental state. Relationships that were once strained were rebuilt with our focus being communication and boundaries as main pillars of how we will operate in the common goal of respecting each other’s mental health space. My mental health struggles have inspired me to become a Social Worker, emphasizing Behavioral Mental Health. I am also a Mental Health First Aider. Being a Mental Health First Aider I am awarded the opportunity to use those skills learned in that training to help those ranging from individuals who just need an ear to those who may be having a full-blown mental crisis. My goal is to help those the way I wish I could have been helped. No, I am not using opportunities to say I can help every client who comes through my office, but I do use judgment on who I can help and who I cannot help. I understand that with everyone I encounter, I will not be able to help physically on the active caseload I may have, however, I may be able to get them connected to the person or resource they need to help them in the area they have expressed they need help in. My goal is also to one day have a center or partnership that will allow individuals to come in and get free help with navigating services if they are struggling as well as have connections to support groups that will help them develop new coping techniques or possibly build relationships conducive to their recovery.

I am a Courage. I know that seems odd to announce myself as such but truthfully this is the stage that I am in currently in life. Being able to be myself and be free just as I am. A little back story to how we got here begins in October 2003 when I lost my husband to a sudden motorcycle accident. That event impacted my life and mind in a major way. I felt as if I were stuck in a horror movie and no one had the script or the switch to make it stop. I was clinically diagnosed with chronic severe depression with psychotic features. This lasted 12 long years. Needing a geographic change, on March 13, 2015, I arrived in Minnesota from Texas in hopes of a new opportunity in life. I am proud to say that act of courage started me on a journey that has been elevating me ever since. While there I was introduced to a form of therapy that uses the motivational interviewing method and that is what I found most helpful. This method reminded me that I was destined to be great and that what I needed to do was already inside of me. I have gone on to become a Mental Health First Aider so I can be there to recognize signs in anyone who may be going through a crisis. I do my best to make myself available to those seeking resources if they are looking to make significant life changes for the better. With that being said and when I think of how I will use the money to create a better life for myself and those that are connected to me in some way several things come to mind. A portion will go to help pay for school. I would treat my family to a nice dinner at Texas Roadhouse. I would donate a portion to the Shades of Blue Project which is a nonprofit organization that focuses on bringing awareness to Black Maternal Mental Health and provides free social support services to all moms in need. I would invest some into a location for a few months for my nonprofit organization SPAARKS, which stands for Stimulating Positive Actions and Reaching Kontinued Success. Here we focus on providing free grief support services and service navigation assistance to underserved individuals ages 13-35. We understand that everyone may not have the same abilities to navigate what is necessary or even have the same access to certain resources that will allow them to get to a place where they feel they are living a full life with at least having their basic needs covered. Once we have a location we will also offer resume-building and soft skill-up sessions for all individuals who are looking to sharpen their job workforce skills. We offer a few now but cannot wait to see how many more we can help with a set location. We encourage everyone we come into contact with to keep striving and never give up on being the best version of themselves that they can be. Grief and depression almost took me out. But I am living proof that access to the right resources and proper people in place can mean the difference between life and death.

A little background on who I am starts with me living my life as a Survivor. Before seeing, feeling, and living as a Survivor I was struggling with depression and suicidal ideations that lasted 12 years at one point had me thinking my life was all but over. It was not until March 13, 2015, when I was able to relocate from Texas to Minnesota for a short period to allow myself an opportunity to regroup, clear my mind, do some true soul and self-searching, and get help from a new set of professionals who had more to offer than a prescription. During this time while in Minnesota, I was introduced to the style of counseling that uses the method of Motivational Interviewing. It was at these interactions that I also reflected on how I had gone through counselors, therapists, psychiatrists, and doctors and how they did not evoke any thoughts or stimulate any ideas on the inside as to how I could truly work through the grief I was carrying. I was treated transactional, and it made me feel that they did not care to see what I had going on based on the words I was sharing about the current state that I was in mentally. The Motivational Interviewing Method sparked something in me that gave me the drive to continue to get my life on track and work to be able to help those struggling with grief or depression the way I desired to be helped. Since moving back to Texas at the end of 2015, I have been able to become a certified Community Health Worker and started a nonprofit titled SPAaRKS (Stimulating Positive Actions and Reaching Kontinued Success) where I currently offer free service navigation for individuals ages 13-35 in the underserved population who need help finding resources or services that help them sustain a life in which they feel they are thriving. When I work with minors and their guardians on what services they are seeking I also work to see how we can use those services or connecting services as building blocks to help cover areas that will help prepare them for adulthood. For the remaining age ranges I use Motivational Interviewing to help encourage them to think outside the box and make sure they are given those reminders that they are doing everything in their power to make changes and discuss their progress and plans they have. I am a Senior Transfer Student at Prairie View A&M University obtaining my Bachelor’s in Social Work and from there, my goal is to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. I am using what I learning to help me on my quest to understand myself better so I can be the best version of myself when I go to help others. I plan to positively impact my clients and those I come into contact with by doing all I can to remind them that they are visible. I will remind them that help is available and it comes in many forms and if one way does not work do not stop until you find what does help. I will offer a lifelong reminder for everyone to never give up and that they are worth living. Because after all there is something that needs to be done that only they can do.

The dream version of my future self owns an engagement center that allows those between the ages of 13-35 to come in and get help with the life plans they are working on or get the life skills needed to help them get to a place of planning out their life's plans.

I believe mental health is important because in my opinion it is the first line of defense to help us with our physical health and encourages us to find a more holistic approach to living. When our mental health is all over the place and not intact we find ourselves making unhealthy eating choices and possibly indulging in bad habits. Not taking care of your mental health properly you could lash out at the wrong time and the level of patience you have will seem slim to none. By taking care of our mental health we not only help to reduce various stresses that may come but we find ourselves being mindful as we handle and view things that are within and outside of our circle of control. Focusing on healthy mental health, we give ourselves a chance to make sound decisions in situations that arise. Ways I take care of my mental health are making sure I have a diet that does not include too much sugar that will have me feeling sluggish. I started to include foods recommended from the Mediterranean Diet to encourage a more overall healthy diet. I also find ways to make sure I do not get too hungry, angry lonely or tired. I take naps when needed and I also find ways to have time specifically for self-care. I incorporate exercise 3-4 times a week between 15 and 30 minutes at a time to help with the chemicals that are connected to physical activity. I journal and write realistic goals to help me when I need to reflect on previous lists that help me when I am feeling down and stay on track. I give myself grace and remind myself that I do not have to have it all together but the goal is progress, not perfection. So I practice giving myself grace while I go through my journey and be sure that I do not compare myself to others too much. Being that the comparison of yourself to others can cause depression I stay away from it. I affirm myself and set boundaries that align with my affirmations to help me as I build relationships. I reinforce the boundaries I have set overall so that everyone that I am in a relationship with will know how to properly care for me and guidelines can be respected. I spend time with my family to make connections with them so we can all stimulate each other's minds and have a moment to check-in.