"Being a person of color is bad for your health" claims Harvard Professor David Williams. My name is Shekinah Duncan, and I am a sophomore Nursing Major at Lipscomb University. I aspire to become a Nurse Midwife. I want to help and guide mothers through these newly found difficult but amazing points in their lives. I want to encourage them in their holistic journey, especially during birth and postpartum. Not only do I look forward to these things, but the need for Black Midwives is on the rise. Not only do we need more Black Midwives, but we need more Doctors, Nurses, and caretakers in general. People prefer a provider who can be trusted with their wants and needs. I can't wait to be this resource for other women! It's hard to talk about racial inclusiveness without listing the stats. I find it intriguing that studies about Black maternal health are rising. According to a CDC study in 2021, out of 100,000 births, 70 women faced mortality- almost three times the amount of our white peers. Stress, pregnancy conditions, and discrimination with health care providers cause this. A study also found that out of all races, African American women don't seek help within the first semester of pregnancy. Almost 80% of abortion clinics are in impoverished, minority neighborhoods, serving those who are less fortunate and what they think are women who can't take care of children. Of course, statistics always change, but these numbers have skyrocketed over the last couple of years. Keeping these stats in mind, it was also reported that Black women feel safer and even have more successful pregnancies if they have a Black OBG-YN/Midwife. They feel safer, heard, and understood in comparison to our white peers. Because of these reasons, Black patients tend to thrive under another Black person's care. I want to consider all these facts and everything I need to know to be successful and advocate for all my patients- especially African Americans. There are more positive correlations with people who have diverse care providers, and I want to be that help for someone who feels helpless. Currently, there are only 4-6% African American Doctors, less than 5% Black Midwives, less than 4% Black Pharmacists, and 11% Black nurses. More people are becoming aware of how discriminatory our health system is, and are wanting to make changes to make sure everyone is taken care of. More African Americans are starting to go to school and have jobs in healthcare. Hopefully, in the future, we live in a world where African Americans can afford and have access to equal healthcare, not being determined based on racism and discrimination. Thank you for reading :)

My name is Shekinah Duncan, and I am a Sophomore Nursing Major at Lipscomb University, a private Christian college in Nashville, TN. I strongly believe God has called me to become a Nurse Midwife, as this career is the perfect balance of supporting moms and families, witnessing to others about God's love and creation, and, of course- holding and helping newborns! As I go further in life, I see so many signs from God that this is what I was called to be. Throughout my life, I have constantly heard how I would be amazing with kids and that I would become either a nurse or a doctor. Although babies are my passion, God kept placing on my heart and mind to become a nurse which I wanted to avoid. The thoughts about being around sick people and even deceased others greatly made me sad, but God still had a plan for me. Labor and Delivery stood out to me; instead of being centered around death and sickness like most nursing specialties, it is mostly centered around life and building families instead of breaking them down. Throughout the years, there has been a big controversy about Pro-life and Pro-choice. This cause is important to me as my career is centered around bringing life into the world, not taking it away. Most people think about the mother; "What if the mother isn't financially responsible for caring for the baby? What if the mother was sexually assaulted causing pregnancy? What if the mom is completely helpless and no one can help her take care of the baby?" I believe the Bible is the answer to these questions. God commands us not to murder in Exodus 20:13. He also states "For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works" in Psalms 139. Although mothers may have encountered harsh things throughout their pregnancy journey, God also commands us to trust him despite financial and unfortunate circumstances. It becomes harder when someone asks the question, "What happens if the fetus could be in danger and harm the mom?" Although this question can change the minds of others as it relates to pro-life and pro-choice, I am a firm believer in God's word. Children are a gift from God, whether or not they come with disabilities or abnormalities. I also believe in miracles; God has blessed the field of medicine and others to help others heal through his power. Even if the worst possible case were to happen, which is death, I still feel like this is God's will. Although my career is centered around life and helping families, I want to support those with losses. God puts us through pain in life, which ultimately makes us stronger and gives us more reasons to trust and love him. As a future Midwife, I want to ensure that I pray for and with my patients; that they will get through this harsh season and even be blessed with healthy babies in the future. Thanks for reading :)

My name is Shekinah Duncan and I am a Sophomore Nursing major at Lipscomb University. For most of my life, my mental health has been pretty standard; I haven't even pondered the term mental health until it became normalized in the 2020 world pandemic. As we know, this was a time when a plethora of people struggled to cope with all the things concerning COVID and its deaths, the Black Lives Matter movement, and isolation. Although these things severely impacted numerous people, I had no clue what they were truly going through until years later. Three years later- I was approaching what everyone calls "One of the best times of someone's life- the end of high school and the start of college, where your life truly begins." While this was a pivotal milestone, I experienced the worst time of my life. The day March 26th, 2023 will forever leave a stain on my heart. I remember I was making my final preparations for prom, as I scrambled multiple websites to find the so-called pair of glass heels that matched my Cinderella Dress. Later on that morning, during church, my mom had a seizure. I found myself panicking and screaming as I felt helpless, scared, and anxious. During March, my grandma was in the ICU for stage four Lung Cancer. I specifically remember one of the things I couldn't stop thinking about while my mother was admitted to the hospital was my grandmother. I just knew that when I saw her, I would immediately feel better from all of the chaos that happened, even though my grandmother was unable to speak from being on the ventilator. As soon as I stepped out of the ER, I got a call from my dad, who urgently asked me to return to the room. I became worried but also upset, as I finally had the time to do the things I wanted to do. This included visiting my Grandmother and eating McDonalds- who doesn't want McDonald's after a long day? As I hurried back to the room, my family was outside of the door and they began to hold me as they told me my grandmother passed. My heart was broken. Not only did I have this newfound anxiety after seeing my mother going through a seizure, I had to deal with the grief of a close family member. I had to pretend everything was ok, continuing to go to school and work; this caused me to suppress my feelings and I began to feel numb. It seemed like my whole world was torn apart, and I now had an understanding of what it means to be in a mental health crisis. Although this experience was painful mentally, spiritually, physically, and emotionally, I can say I'm glad this happened to me. I went through so many phases during this time- bittersweet moments of wishing my grandma could see my Cinderella moment at prom and my graduation, constant and growing anxiety of seeing my mother having seizures up until I went to school, and doubting if I could even be a good nurse- just like the nurses who took care of my mother and grandmother. This also taught me that everyone has battles that they face in life. We all have ups and downs, which makes us stronger and endure the pain. The pain I went through made me a stronger individual, and it keeps me motivated to go to school and become a nurse. Whenever I get burnt out, tired, or annoyed with school, I think about this story and how even on her deathbed, my grandma was rooting for me to be the best nurse I can be to my future patients. I also learned the importance of reaching out for help and being there for others. There are stages in one's life where we become either mentors or mentees; being either the planter that tills the ground or the flower that is waiting to bloom. Although mental health is finally getting the recognition it deserves, so many people still suffer and don't get the help they deserve, especially in the African American community. I have seen myself in more of a mentor state, supporting and praying for others as we will all make it through our trials and tribulations. These small efforts from others have helped me, and it is now time that I return the favor. Thank you so much for reading :)

One aspect of myself that I admire the most is that I don't procrastinate. Most people, especially younger individuals, often wait until the last minute, which creates stress, anxiety, and unneeded pressure. I don’t procrastinate because this can reduce stress, and the outcome of my work is always more detailed, and I usually find myself more prepared in the overall process. Right now, I know so many procrastinate; they mostly do this when the topic of college comes about. Most of my peers started applying to colleges in October and November, leaving them scrambling to get things done, as they had to write numerous essays and fill out lengthy applications. They also had to balance school and their personal life. Because they prioritized their college essays, they turned in their school work later than assigned, which messed up their current grades. Well, you may ask, "How did Shekinah prevent this?" I started writing my main essay at the beginning of the summer and my supplemental essays for colleges in the middle of the summer. I gave myself a due date on my main essay, as every college I wanted to apply to depended on this essay. The date I assigned myself was August 1st, and I finished on July 31st. I finished my supplemental essays in late August and early September, which left me stress-free. I aspire to be a nurse. Ultimately, when I do this, if I see something wrong with my patient, I don't want to wait until the "last minute" when something becomes urgent, because it can be a life or death situation. I want to be well prepared to know what to expect. As a nurse, it is expected to work under pressure, but unnecessary pressure isn't needed. Providing quality and on-time care is a priority of mine. As I end, it is best to start as sooner rather than later. I love to do things promptly, as I can plan the whole process without being anxious. I also admire that I have this characteristic as it is helpful with my career. When I am in school, I definitely can't procrastinate, as I won't have time to study, leaving me unprepared for my tests, and ultimately failing my NCLEX exam. If I study my material sooner than later, I know what to expect, rather than studying and missing information that could be essential. Thanks for reading, -Shekinah :)

My name is Shekinah Duncan and I was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee. I play the violin and I love to be involved. I am currently one of the editors for Journalism Yearbook at my School, I serve in Tri-M Music Honor Society as Vice President, and I am also an ambassador in the program Memphis Challenge, a group that prepares future Memphis leaders for success. I believe that my "positive impact on the world" is to be a nurse. The American Nurses Association defines nursing as "both an art and a science." Nursing really is an art- as it takes that special, caring, and precise individual to be successful and happy in this field.The specific career in nursing I want to pursue is midwifery or postpartum nurses. Both of these careers are essential as postpartum nurses care for moms and babies after birth, while midwives help moms and babies through their holistic journey. What I like about this career is that labor and delivery is known as the "happy ward" in a hospital. When you think of hospitals, you often think about others being sick, people in critical conditions being rushed to the E.R., and of people with life-long illness fighting for their lives in the ICU. One thing I love is how the careers I want to pursue celebrate life. I feel as though everyday would be emotional seeing families being made or added to; everyday you would see the precious gift of families being created. To further add to that impact, I really want to have a strong sense of empathy for my patients. When I think about these careers I put myself in the situation- "How would I feel if the nurse didn't seem like she cared when she came to check on my baby and I? How would I feel if the midwife didn't understand that I was going through excruciating pain?" Birthing not only affects the woman's body but it affects her emotional health. I want to ensure that moms feel that the moms have the help they need and to let them know about everything that there is to know. I am excited in my schooling as I play to get my Bachelor of Science and Nursing, and then pursue my Masters of Science in nursing. Getting that hands-on learning would help me prepare for real life situations, and I am confident that my school ensures I have the knowledge to make a positive impact on the world.

Within my last four years of high school, I constantly hear "I got a full ride to here", "I got my tuition covered and room and board", or "I got a full ride plus extra scholarships". When I was an underclassman, I thought "this process would be easy" and "I would get a full ride with no effort and putting in the bare minimum"; I didn't think about how competitive and time-consuming this journey would be. I didn't think that these people spent hours out of their busy senior schedules to ensure they have a good college experience. Although I think these things, I appreciate the process as I have learned so much. I have applied for many scholarships, but of course, I have another year until I have to go to college, and I am hopeful and truly believe that I will be one of the ones who will say one day "I got a full ride plus extra scholarships". One thing I have learned about applying for scholarships is that scholarships there are so many types of people. There are scholarships for so many things, and that is a beautiful thing to see. You see scholarships for people who are in specific cities to scholarships for those who have lost a parent. You even see scholarships for those who are left-handed and scholarships for those of certain races and ethnicities. It further proves that we have the right to quality education. To expound, I have also learned that everyone has a story. I will read the essays of people who have one scholarship, and not only are they very well written, they have a sentimental story behind them. Everyone goes through something in their lives that can be a rough period or it can change their lives forever. There are endless things we can go through that can happen financially, physically, and mentally, especially in this day and age. This shows that no matter what you go through, you still have a chance- a chance to get that cosmetology degree and be a beautician, a chance to be a highly ranked lawyer, a chance for you to live that life you have always wanted to live. Lastly, this process has taught me to stay persistent. Even though I have applied to multiple scholarships and haven't won any doesn't mean I will not win any in the future. It shows me that I should push through and aim harder whenever I apply to any scholarship-whether it is a small or large amount. I can say now that I am a senior, I have taken this process more seriously and I will only get better at applying for scholarships.

My dream is to be a midwife, because helping others is truly beneficial to me. I feel that being a part of that holistic journey with delivering babies and helping moms would be a rewarding experience. I want to be a successful black woman in America, and I want to be able to provide for my family and to have a peaceful and happy life.

I remember watching this labor and delivery story from the YouTuber, Amber Ansah, and the baby was born about 2 months early. The mother had preeclampsia, and she had to go into early labor. This happened in February 2020, so the Covid-19 pandemic was arising. The baby, a little girl named Amari, had to live in the NICU for about 2 months. I put myself in the mother's perspective; what if my child was born early, not only that, she was born early in a pandemic? On top of that, she would have to live in the Hospital for 2 months?" Thinking about that made me emotional. The mother and the father couldn't see their baby at the same time. Sometimes they drove 30-45 minutes just to see their child, finding out that they couldn't even see their baby because something had gone wrong. Sometimes they drove 30-45 minutes, finding out they couldn't even hold their baby. One thing that stood out to me was the mother talking about the doula. The family lives in Belgium, so they do things differently, rather than in the US. Her doula came to her house occasionally to support her and act as a postpartum therapist. The mother talked about how the doula helped out so much during this difficult time in her life. Eventually, the baby started gaining weight and healthier, and she was released from the hospital. This video was so encouraging, that it made me want to be a doula or a NICU nurse. I decided later on that I either want to be a Midwife or a postpartum nurse, or a postpartum nurse practitioner. All five of these jobs play vital roles for the mother, the baby, and the family. The support and the encouragement can get you through, and help you with your new baby. I also feel like this is an essential job because these nurses are some of the first few people to see most babies, and they care for them. Just about everyone in the hospital has had a postpartum nurse, and some people have had Midwives. Being a part of the process of helping the mom and baby is a special moment, as you see families create or extend every day. I look forward to going to nursing school, and I would like to do so at one of my dream colleges, the University of Pennslyvania or the University of Tennessee Knoxville. Reading Mrs. Cindy's story sounds similar to mine. She was truly one woman who truly gave her to helping others. From her being a nurse and her being involved in her church, I feel like I found someone I can relate to. I want to be either a Midwife or a postpartum nurse practitioner These jobs play a crucial part for the family. The support and the encouragement can get you through, and help you with your new baby. I also feel like this is an essential job because these nurses are some of the first few people to see most babies, and they care for them. Just about everyone in the hospital has had a postpartum nurse, and some people have had Midwives. Being a part of the process of helping the mom and baby is a special moment, as you see families create or extend every day. I look forward to going to nursing school, and my dream colleges are the University of Pennslyvania or the University of Tennessee Knoxville.

I remember watching this labor and delivery story from the YouTuber, Amber Ansah, and the baby was born about 2 months early. The mother had preeclampsia, and she had to go into early labor. This happened in February 2020, so the Covid-19 pandemic was arising. The baby, a little girl named Amari, had to live in the NICU for about 2 months. I put myself in the mother's perspective; what if my child was born early, not only that, she was born early in a pandemic? On top of that, she would have to live in the Hospital for 2 months?" Thinking about that made me emotional. The mother and the father couldn't see their baby at the same time. Sometimes they drove 30-45 minutes just to see their child, finding out that they couldn't even see their baby because something had gone wrong. Sometimes they drove 30-45 minutes, finding out they couldn't even hold their baby. One thing that stood out to me was the mother talking about the doula. The family lives in Belgium, so they do things differently, rather than in the US. Her doula came to her house occasionally to support her and act as a postpartum therapist. The mother talked about how the doula helped out so much during this difficult time in her life. Eventually, the baby started gaining weight and healthier, and she was released from the hospital. This video was so encouraging, that it made me want to be a doula or a NICU nurse. I decided later on that I either want to be a Midwife or a postpartum nurse, or a postpartum nurse practitioner. All five of these jobs play vital roles for the mother, the baby, and the family. The support and the encouragement can get you through, and help you with your new baby. I also feel like this is an essential job because these nurses are some of the first few people to see most babies, and they care for them. Just about everyone in the hospital has had a postpartum nurse, and some people have had Midwives. Being a part of the process of helping the mom and baby is a special moment, as you see families create or extend every day. I look forward to going to nursing school, and I would like to do so at one of my dream colleges, the University of Pennslyvania or the University of Tennessee Knoxville.

Whenever I mentor, I want my younger peers to feel comfortable and welcome. During the first few moments in high school, I didn't know where to go, but some upperclassmen of the school started showing everyone around, answering our questions, and making us feel welcome. I knew that the next year I would want to join, and I did so. Now, in my senior year, I look forward to helping the younger freshman, 8th graders, and even 7th graders who visit my school. My ultimate goal is for them to feel welcome. I remember as a freshman, I only knew three people, I was in a different school district, and I remember not knowing how to navigate my school laptop. Although it wasn't required my group had extra time, I helped them to get set up on their laptops. When you go through that extra mile, it helps them to feel like they know have a support system and that they will get adjusted to high school. The purpose of Mustang Mentors- the mentor group at my school- was for them to not be scared, and for them to get familiar with the school. I am really looking forward to my senior year to get to help my younger peers, at it is fun to meet and help them.

Being African American in America is extremely difficult and it comes with its many challenges. In 2020, there were many events where African American people were mistreated and even killed because of the color of their skin. These people include George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and so many others that didn’t get the justice and privilege that they deserve. That same year in June, thousands of people started to stand up for themselves because we are tired of being oppressed. We want to be seen as equal and for everyone in the nation to be treated the same, Black, White, Asian, Hispanic, etc. My family and I decided to take that same stand. Our local church had a peaceful protest. At first, I didn't want to go because it didn't seem of interest to me and the pandemic was still high. I, however, was glad I went and it was truly a life-changing experience; we stood up for those who couldn't fight for ourselves. The protest included places significant to the civil rights movement including the Lorraine Motel, where Dr. Martin King Jr. was unfortunately killed, the Reflection Park, to remember those who fought for civil rights, and other various places. We, of course, chanted and held signs as we were marching around. Although it was a protest held by my church, multiple other people from different backgrounds came and joined us, and it was truly meaningful, and to me made the protest better. At each location, we had different speakers and different periods of moments of silence. I was glad I went because although we didn’t make national news, although we didn’t directly stop the mistreatment of black people, I feel as though we made a small impact. Especially because I live in Memphis, Tennessee which is predominantly an African American city and known for being a place where a lot of African Americans live. Peaceful protest and other acts ultimately ended segregation in America, and I believe if we continue to use this approach, there will be some sort of action to help not only black people to be in safe communities with equal rights and not be racially profiled but to help every race to come together as one and to treat each other rightfully. Although African Americans go through so much, I am very proud to be black in America, and it is truly a big privilege.