Due to historical and societal issues, detrimental biases, and prejudices that have been supported for decades, there is an apparent gender and racial disparity in the STEM career. Since communities of low income do not receive appropriate financing for STEM education and do not have as many possibilities as their white counterparts, most adolescents lack the resources necessary to pursue careers in STEM fields. BIPOC and disabled youth make up the bulk of these populations, and they are underrepresented in STEM-related occupations. Growing up as a gay first-generation black female student, I know firsthand how it feels to lack support for STEM-driven aspirations, my academic needs, or figuring out my sexual identity. Coming from a low-income background, I didn’t have many resources to fund my hobbies revolving around technology and design, ADHD, and a speech impediment. Reflecting on my situation has inspired me to work towards a better future for myself, my family, and others. During high school, I used my time in clubs towards school-wide activities promoting historical holidays, BIPOC, and LGBTQ trailblazers. I would work alongside my classmates on classroom decor from posters and Instagram posts. We would write about our goals for the class and academic careers for welcome assignments and banners. We took it further by making designs for Black and Women's History Month by making door decorations and posters highlighting lesser-known but heavy influences in the STEM field. For the LGBTQ community, we took a vow of silence in remembrance of students within the community who took or lost their lives to hate crime or self. To communicate, we used whiteboards from the math classes and handed out pride flags to other students. Outside of school, I would volunteer at my mother’s family care home, doing healthcare and fixing minor technical issues around the facility from the printer and routers. I would also do remote volunteering, working with UX Rescue on projects available for different causes, including those for the LGBTQ community, simultaneously building my skills and passion for UX/UI design. Working in numerous clubs and student-led organizations has built the communication, leadership, and organizational skills I put into my projects. It is possible to repair the harm caused by years of systematic oppression by giving low-income BIPOC, disabled, and gay adolescents enough representation and resources, collaborating with groups that share similar objectives, and raising awareness through a variety of media. I am working to start double majoring with my degree in computer science and a bachelor's degree in Art by my junior year. I want to create literature through graphic novels that inspire young readers to achieve their dreams despite ethnic, gender, religious, and sexuality-based barriers and also address other concerns that are prevalent in many communities to dispel these preconceptions. I’m focusing on my academics and involvement in the UNC Charlotte community while building my art portfolio. Funding from education will give me the financial liberty to put my efforts into my academic, technical, and artistic career.

Due to historical and societal issues, detrimental biases, and prejudices that have been supported for decades, there is an apparent gender and racial disparity in the STEM career. Since communities of low income do not receive appropriate financing for STEM education and do not have as many possibilities as their white counterparts, most adolescents lack the resources necessary to pursue careers in STEM fields. BIPOC and disabled youth comprise the bulk of these populations, and they are underrepresented in STEM-related occupations. Growing up as a first-generation black female student, I know firsthand how it feels to lack support for STEM-driven aspirations or my academic needs. Coming from a low-income background, I didn’t have many resources to fund my hobbies revolving around technology and design, ADHD, and a speech impediment. Reflecting on my situation has inspired to me work towards a better future for myself, my family, and others. During high school, I used my time in clubs towards school-wide activities promoting historical holidays and BIPOC trailblazers. I would work alongside my classmates on classroom decor from posters and Instagram posts. We would write about our goals for the class and academic careers for welcome assignments and banners. We took it a step further by making designs for Black and Women's History Month by making door decorations and posters highlighting lesser-known but heavy influences in the STEM field. Outside of school, I would volunteer at my mother’s family care home, doing healthcare and fixing minor technical issues around the facility from the printer and routers. My schedule outside school was filled with doing assignments and work on the weekends so I would also do remote volunteering, working with UX Rescue on projects available simultaneously building my skills and passion for UX/UI design. Working in numerous clubs and student-led organizations has made my communication, leadership, and organizational skills that I have been putting into my personal projects. It is possible to repair the harm caused by years of systematic oppression by giving low-income BIPOC and disabled adolescents enough representation and resources, collaborating with groups that share similar objectives, and raising awareness through a variety of media. I want to create literature through graphic novels that inspire young readers to achieve their dreams despite ethnic, gender, or religious barriers and that also address other concerns that are prevalent in many communities to dispel these preconceptions. While doing this, I will keep pushing for increased involvement from groups and greater STEM education financing for low-income schools during my time in university and outside of it. My college degree will provide me access to courses that will help me develop my design and programming talents, create doors for me to connect with people who can help me achieve my goals, and help me provide resources similar to my background and community.

Due to historical and societal issues, detrimental biases, and prejudices that have been supported for decades, there is an apparent gender and racial disparity in the STEM career. Since communities of low income do not receive appropriate financing for STEM education and do not have as many possibilities as their white counterparts, most adolescents lack the resources necessary to pursue careers in STEM fields. BIPOC and disabled youth comprise the bulk of these populations, and they are underrepresented in STEM-related occupations. Growing up as a first-generation black female student, I know firsthand how it feels to lack support for STEM-driven aspirations or my academic needs. Coming from a low-income background, I didn’t have many resources to fund my hobbies revolving around technology and design, ADHD, and a speech impediment. Reflecting on my situation has inspired to me work towards a better future for myself, my family, and others. During high school, I used my time in clubs towards school-wide activities promoting historical holidays and BIPOC trailblazers. I would work alongside my classmates on classroom decor from posters and Instagram posts. We would write about our goals for the class and academic careers for welcome assignments and banners. We took it a step further by making designs for Black and Women's History Month by making door decorations and posters highlighting lesser-known but heavy influences in the STEM field. Outside of school, I would volunteer at my mother’s family care home, doing healthcare and fixing minor technical issues around the facility from the printer and routers. My schedule outside school was filled with doing assignments and work on the weekends so I would also do remote volunteering, working with UX Rescue on projects available simultaneously building my skills and passion for UX/UI design. Working in numerous clubs and student-led organizations has made my communication, leadership, and organizational skills that I have been putting into my projects. It is possible to repair the harm caused by years of systematic oppression by giving low-income BIPOC and disabled adolescents enough representation and resources, collaborating with groups that share similar objectives, and raising awareness through a variety of media. I want to create literature through graphic novels that inspire young readers to achieve their dreams despite ethnic, gender, or religious barriers and that also address other concerns that are prevalent in many communities to dispel these preconceptions. While doing this, I will keep pushing for increased involvement from groups and greater STEM education financing for low-income schools during my time in university and outside of it. My college degree will provide me access to courses that will help me develop my design and programming talents, create doors for me to connect with people who can help me achieve my goals, and help me provide resources similar to my background and community.

When I was three I underwent a had a psychological evaluation since I wasn't speaking. They thought I had autism, but eventually, I was diagnosed with ADHD and a speech impediment. I have never performed as well as my peers. Some concepts were hard to grasp as fast as other children and I would tend to get distracted. Often I had to leave class to meet with a speech therapist since I needed extra assistance to talk in class. It was embarrassing to stammer when attempting to respond to a simple question. I would begin to sweat a lot, my breath becoming labored, and my chest tightened. I would quickly try to come up with replacements for trigger words that I could speak. M, W, N, D, or A words were impossible to pronounce. While I didn’t excel in math, science, or speech, I excelled in other areas. When it came to art, writing, or technology, I could use different mediums such as paint, ink, and digital materials to create pieces with different meanings was amazing to me. All those times I would get lost in my head and be scolded, I would create different worlds and scenarios I would put on paper. I would put much of my efforts into my work and ultimately let them decide my career path, UI design. Not only did I find my ultimate passion but I also came to terms with my condition. Instead of seeing my disability as a burden, I accept having ADHD and move forward regardless of my struggles. By the end of my senior year of university, I hope to have graduated from the university of my choice with a bachelor's in Computer Science with a concentration in Human-Computer Interaction. Another goal of mine is to advocate for POC women in STEM. During my time in high school, I have been a part of a class of students in the IT program offered at our school. One of the first things I noticed after joining was how many girls there were in the class. I was one of only six girls in my class, and I later discovered that there were even fewer in the graduating class before mine. It wasn't just me who noticed; the majority of the female underclassmen opted to participate in the program as a result. As this is a problem at my school, this is also an issue in the STEM community as well. Since then I have been uplifting the female voices we have in our class and have made major contributions to STEM through regular school tours and posters posted outside our classroom walls and doors. I hope to continue my efforts during my time at university with my own personal work. Along with my degree, I hope to publish a graphic novel for readers of all ages that centers on a Black American girl on the spectrum who aspires to stand out in her AI class in high school. The plot would center on the difficulties many females have when attempting to enter the STEM fields and what black girls have to face on a daily basis, beginning from the very beginning, in school. I plan to work on this during my time in university, hopefully, with the help of this grant, I can make this vision of mine a reality.

Due to my ADHD, I’ve struggled with my academics and was self-conscious about it for years. I looked into other areas and found out that art was where I excelled. Trying new mediums inside and outside of classes like printmaking, watercolors, charcoal, and digital art, I enjoyed trying new things when it came to making something of my own. Art has always been my solace, where I could express my emotions and find comfort. However, the past two years had been a daunting period for me. During the pandemic, almost every school in the country went under lockdown including my own. Being closed in a confined space with the frightful reality of a virus that was heavily affecting my family wasn’t good for my mental. Though, I found myself escaping into different shows and artists online to keep myself upbeat, drawing myself in different worlds, making characters of my own, and drawing about my own culture. This helped for a while but not for long. Shortly after returning to in-person school, my parents separated and I moved away from my childhood home with my mother and grandmother. This affected my grades even after we switched to in-school learning, general health, and most of all my creativity. Artist block was another formidable adversary that robbed me of the joy and motivation that once fueled my drive to do something I love. I had lost so much motivation to do anything that wasn’t necessary to the point I didn’t even recognize myself. I continued to draw and whatnot, but I never truly liked any of my work and continued to push it away. In my final semester of senior year, I decided to drop out of my AP Lit class and took Drawing Intermediate with the new art teacher. I was stressed for the past year due to college and past classes so I wanted to relax for the rest of the semester. I felt out of my depth at first. Most people in the class were more advanced than I was and naturally, I started to compare myself to them. My art teacher noticed and I confided in her about my feelings. She told me how I felt was normal, helping me realize that my art didn’t have to be perfect; it simply needed to reflect my innermost emotions and skills. I carried this sentiment with every project we did in the class, remembering every technique we used with different materials. I shortly found myself immersed in my craft, finding joy in what I made once again. For our final project, we drew school children in Cameroon realistically using prism color pencils. During the process of making this drawing, I experimented extensively with color theory, techniques with my materials, and multitasking between other assignments since it was the end of the year. By the end of it, I was proud of what I created along with every other piece of work made prior. I often review my past work from the class and all the art I’ve ever made. I think about what I could’ve done better and how I could improve upon the drawing and my skills. While I hold everything that I have drawn close to my heart, the little boy I draw from Cameroon symbolizes my growth from a trying time into the person I am today. The drawing became a testament to my journey—a visual narrative of resilience and growth into a new chapter of me as a person and my future career as an artist.

Due to historical and societal issues, detrimental biases, and prejudices that have been supported for decades, there is an apparent gender and racial disparity in the STEM career. Since communities of low income do not receive appropriate financing for STEM education and do not have as many possibilities as their white counterparts, most adolescents lack the resources necessary to pursue careers in STEM fields. BIPOC and disabled youth make up the bulk of these populations, and they are underrepresented in STEM-related occupations. Growing up as a first-generation black female student, I know firsthand how it feels to lack support for STEM-driven aspirations or my academic needs. Coming from a low-income background, I didn’t have many resources to fund my hobbies revolving around technology and design, ADHD, and a speech impediment. Reflecting on my situation has inspired to me work towards a better future for myself, my family, and others. North Wake College and Career Academy offer various programs aligned with their partnered community college to students interested in those tracks. I applied for the Information Technology Support Services program for my junior and senior years. During my time in high school, I used my time in clubs towards school-wide activities promoting historical holidays and BIPOC trailblazers. I would work alongside my classmates on classroom decor from posters and Instagram posts. We would write about our goals for the class and academic careers for welcome assignments and banners. We took it a step further by making designs for Black and Women's History Month by making door decorations and posters highlighting lesser-known but heavy influences in the STEM field. Outside of school, I would volunteer at my mother’s family care home, doing healthcare and fixing minor technical issues around the facility from the printer and routers. My schedule outside school was filled with doing assignments and work on the weekends so I would also do remote volunteering, working with UX Rescue on projects available simultaneously building my skills and passion for UX/UI design. Working in numerous clubs and student-led organizations has built my communication, leadership, and organizational skills that I have been putting into my personal projects. It is possible to repair the harm caused by years of systematic oppression by giving low-income BIPOC and disabled adolescents enough representation and resources, collaborating with groups that share similar objectives, and raising awareness through a variety of media. I want to create literature through graphic novels that inspire young readers to achieve their dreams despite ethnic, gender, or religious barriers and that also address other concerns that are prevalent in many communities to dispel these preconceptions. While doing this, I will keep pushing for increased involvement from groups and greater STEM education financing for low-income schools during my time in university and outside of it. My college degree will provide me access to courses that will help me develop my design and programming talents and create doors for me to connect with people who can help me achieve my goals.

I am an 18-year-old black first-generation female student from a Nigerian family. I am a graduating high school senior, graduating in May with my diploma and certificate in hardware support from my local community college. Even with my certificate, my main objectives in my career lie in UX/UI design and front-end programming. Currently, I am working towards getting industry certifications in Adobe and Google during the summer, while looking for internships in design and customer support. Regarding personal goals, I plan to attend a four-university to pursue my bachelor's in Computer Science with a concentration in Human-Computer Interaction. Before and during my time in university, I want to apply my skills to different causes to make a difference in my local and global communities. Due to historical and societal issues, detrimental biases, and prejudices that have been supported for decades, there is a clear gender and racial disparity in the STEM field. Since communities of low income do not receive appropriate financing for STEM education and do not have as many possibilities as their white counterparts, the majority of adolescents lack the resources necessary to pursue careers in STEM fields. BIPOC and disabled youth make up the bulk of these populations, and they are underrepresented in STEM-related occupations. This especially hits homes for me because of my background, counting my ethnicity and disability, ADHD, and a speech impediment. I believe it’s possible to repair the harm caused by years of systematic oppression by giving low-income BIPOC and disabled adolescents enough representation and resources, collaborating with groups that share similar objectives, and raising awareness through a variety of media. I want to create literature through graphic novels that inspire young readers to achieve their dreams despite ethnic, gender, or religious barriers and that also address other concerns that are prevalent in many communities to dispel these preconceptions. I’ve been working on this project since my senior year, my goal aiming to make various resources more accessible while putting more representation for those who aren’t the “norm” in media. While doing this, I will keep pushing for increased involvement from groups and greater STEM education financing for low-income schools offering mentors and internships to help expose them to the field. My college degree will provide me access to courses that will help me develop my own design and programming talents, as well as create doors for me to connect with people who can help me achieve my goals.

I am a black first-generation female student from a Nigerian family. I was diagnosed with ADHD and a speech impediment, presenting challenges for me as a child. Since I was a toddler, I had trouble understanding concepts in a classroom setting and conversing with others. When I needed extra help from my teachers after lessons to understand subjects like math and science, I felt inferior to my peers who could do so without difficulty. It was very impossible for me to express my demands and issues clearly; several times, my trigger words made it difficult for me to breathe. Even though I now have more control over it with the aid of people and art, I still struggle with this issue. This affected my confidence in my academic and speaking abilities, keeping a negative mindset about myself for years until high school. Though I did push myself out of my comfort zone with academics and excelled in it, one of the biggest struggles I had to face was balancing my academics while battling Covid-19 and my parent's separation. Before I moved with my mother and grandmother, I had to stay away from school for two weeks due to my condition, missing major assignments that dropped my grade dramatically. There wasn’t much I could do and this impacted my GPA negatively. The tension and hatred around my family took a toll on me, and the sudden change in environment was detrimental. I couldn’t take control of the situation like I did with school and there wasn’t a clear solution with many more lows coming my way. I knew that I couldn’t continue thinking the way I did. Thinking everything is hopeless wasn’t helping me but in fact, was hurting me just like everything else was. I couldn’t handle everything that was happening my I took things slow. Early in my youth, I started to draw on school assignments and make my own art pieces for displays. For me, creating art was an additional kind of nonverbal communication. For a long time, it was simpler to sketch skits and mythological creatures with colored pencils and scented glitter pens than it was to speak in complete sentences. After I recovered and officially moved in with my mother, I decided to branch out into digital art and programming. I signed up for different programs such as the Girls Who Code Summer Immersion program while working for Adobe certifications. From conventional to digital to programming, I dabbled in it all. Before doing this, I had an idea of the kind of technical career I wanted to pursue but had no specific plans. After experimenting with various software and programs, I discovered UX and graphic design. To me, UX design combines art, technology, and psychology into creating different pieces for advertisement and pieces. I see UX design as a practice to try and fully understand the person interacting with your work. This includes psychology and design, effectively connecting to the consumer to make you’re working accessible and enjoyable. Regarding personal goals, I plan to attend a four-university to pursue my bachelor's in Computer Science with a concentration in Human-Computer Interaction. Before and during my time in university, I want to apply my skills to different causes to make a difference in my local and global communities. Due to historical and societal issues, detrimental biases, and prejudices that have been supported for decades, there is a clear gender and racial disparity in the STEM field. Since communities of low income do not receive appropriate financing for STEM education and do not have as many possibilities as their white counterparts, the majority of adolescents lack the resources necessary to pursue careers in STEM fields. BIPOC and disabled youth make up the bulk of these populations, and they are underrepresented in STEM-related occupations. It is possible to repair the harm caused by years of systematic oppression by giving low-income BIPOC and disabled adolescents enough representation and resources, collaborating with groups that share similar objectives, and raising awareness through a variety of media. I want to create literature through graphic novels that inspire young readers to achieve their dreams despite ethnic, gender, or religious barriers and that also address other concerns that are prevalent in many communities to dispel these preconceptions. While doing this, I will keep pushing for increased involvement from groups and greater STEM education financing for low-income schools. My college degree will provide me access to courses that will help me develop my own design and programming talents, as well as create doors for me to connect with people who can help me achieve my goals.

It’s clear that BIPOC and disabled individuals are the minority in the community because of various reasons that come from a lack of resources and proper representation. This has been demonstrated to me firsthand on many occasions and throughout the information technology program held at my high school. Given the situation, it is obvious that if these issues are not resolved, they will worsen and widen the gap in the field. I had to comprehend my own and other people's perspectives in the STEAM sector as a first-generation college female student of color. Regarding personal goals, I plan to attend a four university to pursue my bachelor's in Computer Science with a concentration in Human-Computer Interaction. I hope to work in the UX/UI design field, working with a company in either web or game development with my degree and industry-level certifications. Before and during my time in university, I want to apply my skills to different causes to make a difference in my local and global communities. This includes continuing my regular involvement in community service and working with my university’s honors program. When it comes to mending the racial and gender disparity issues within the STEAM community, it’s important to understand those who are negatively affected. While I want to make a difference, I also want to gain different perspectives on other’s situations so I can effectively tackle problems. Representation and resources are needed for those who aren’t given an opportunity in the STEAM community. Compared to my peers, I didn’t have many resources when I was younger due to my fiances and domestic situation at the time nor did I see girls my age or race shown in different types of media engaging in science, math, art, or technology. Giving proper representation can be done in a multitude of ways but I want to achieve this through literature. Another goal of mine is to publish my own digital graphic novel for youth in middle and high school. The book will have characters from different racial and religious backgrounds. While still being informative about different jobs in the STEAM field, it would also be relatable to different readers facing other problems in academic and domestic settings. My goal with this project is to inform and inspire youth to work for their dream careers and help them overcome obstacles in their own lives. Aside from this, I also want to work with organizations that work for the same goal as me and provide accessible resources for youth in special circumstances. The implementation of academic resources and literature plays a vital role in nurturing the curiosity and passion of young individuals pursuing STEAM disciplines. I will continue to advocate for myself to bring equal opportunities for all in the STEAM field regardless of gender, race, and sexuality by providing accessible and comprehensive materials, to empower aspiring minds to explore and excel. While advocating for the youth, I will continue to build my own skills for my career and to properly reach my goals.

It’s clear that BIPOC and disabled individuals are the minority in the community because of various reasons that come from a lack of resources and proper representation. This has been demonstrated to me firsthand on many occasions and throughout the information technology program held at my high school. Given the situation, it is obvious that if these issues are not resolved, they will worsen and widen the gap in the field. I had to comprehend my own and other people's perspectives in the STEAM sector as a first-generation college female student of color. Regarding personal goals, I plan to attend a four-university to pursue my bachelor's in Computer Science with a concentration in Human-Computer Interaction. I hope to work in the UX/UI design field, working with a company in either web or game development with my degree and industry-level certifications. Before and during my time in university, I want to apply my skills to different causes to make a difference in my local and global communities. This includes continuing my regular involvement in community service and working with my university’s honors program. When it comes to mending the racial and gender disparity issues within the STEAM community, it’s important to understand those who are negatively affected. While I want to make a difference, I also want to gain different perspectives on other’s situations so I can effectively tackle problems. Representation and resources are needed for those who aren’t given an opportunity in the STEAM community. Compared to my peers, I didn’t have many resources when I was younger due to my fiances and domestic situation at the time nor did I see girls my age or race shown in different types of media engaging in science, math, art, or technology. Giving proper representation can be done in a multitude of ways but I want to achieve this through literature. Another goal of mine is to publish my own digital graphic novel for youth in middle and high school. The book will have characters from different racial and religious backgrounds. While still being informative about different jobs in the STEAM field, it would also be relatable to different readers facing other problems in academic and domestic settings. My goal with this project is to inform and inspire youth to work for their dream careers and help them overcome obstacles in their own lives. Aside from this, I also want to work with organizations that work for the same goal as me and provide accessible resources for youth in special circumstances. The implementation of academic resources and literature plays a vital role in nurturing the curiosity and passion of young individuals pursuing STEAM disciplines is just the beginning. I will continue to advocate for myself to bring equal opportunities for all in the STEAM field regardless of gender, race, and sexuality by providing accessible and comprehensive materials, to empower aspiring minds to explore and excel. While advocating for the youth, I will continue to build my own skills for my career and to properly reach my goals.

I had a local role model, even if there are numerous historical female trailblazers to admire on a worldwide level. My mother had already given birth to my siblings and me when she arrived in the United States. She had nothing before—she was a stay-at-home mother in Nigeria—but she wanted to prove herself. While attending college to become a nurse, she began working as a medical technician at our neighborhood Rex Hospital. Despite not receiving her degree, she persisted in the medical industry and established her own company as a Health Administrator at Lakepark Family Care facility. I was motivated by her tenacity and will to fulfill her aspirations as a child. She worked with what little she had and made something to support our family. She continues to struggle with being a business owner but she persists even when life beats her down. I want to continue through my career and my goals the same she did. Regarding personal goals, I plan to attend a four university to pursue my bachelor's in Computer Science with a concentration in Human-Computer Interaction. I hope to work in the UX/UI design field, working with a company in either web or game development with my degree and industry-level certifications. Before and during my time in university, I want to apply my skills to different causes to make a difference in my local and global communities. This includes continuing my regular involvement in community service. Using my mother as an example, I want to give back to other kids similar to herself. Compared to my peers, I didn’t have many resources when I was younger due to my fiances and domestic situation at the time nor did I see girls my age or race shown in different types of media engaging in science, math, art, or technology. Representation and resources are needed for those who aren’t given an opportunity in the STEAM community. Giving proper representation can be done in a multitude of ways but I want to achieve this through literature. Another goal of mine is to publish my own digital graphic novel for youth in middle and high school. The book will have characters from different racial and religious backgrounds. While still being informative about different jobs in the STEAM field, it would also be relatable to different readers facing other problems in academic and domestic settings. My goal with this project is to inform and inspire youth to work for their dream careers and help them overcome obstacles in their own lives. Aside from this, I also want to work with organizations that work for the same goal as me and provide accessible resources for youth in special circumstances. I hope to use my work to highlight these current problems while advocating for change in education and the career field itself. Not everyone is as fortunate to have people to immediately support them in their endeavors and it’s important that they can find support elsewhere. The implementation of academic resources and literature plays a vital role in nurturing the curiosity and passion of young individuals pursuing STEAM disciplines is just the beginning. I will continue to advocate for myself to bring equal opportunities for all in the STEAM field regardless of gender, race, and sexuality by providing accessible and comprehensive materials, to empower aspiring minds to explore and excel. While advocating for the youth, I will continue to build my own skills for my career and to properly reach my goals.

It’s clear that BIPOC and disabled individuals are the minority in the community because of various reasons that come from a lack of resources and proper representation. This has been demonstrated to me firsthand on many occasions and throughout the information technology program held at my high school. Given the situation, it is obvious that if these issues are not resolved, they will worsen and widen the gap in the field. I had to comprehend my own and other people's perspectives in the STEAM sector as a first-generation college student of color. Regarding personal goals, I plan to attend a four university to pursue my bachelor's in Computer Science with a concentration in Human-Computer Interaction. I hope to work in the UX/UI design field, working with a company in either web or game development with my degree and industry-level certifications. Before and during my time in university, I want to apply my skills to different causes to make a difference in my local and global communities. This includes continuing my regular involvement in community service and working with my university’s honors program. When it comes to mending the racial and gender disparity issues within the STEAM community, it’s important to understand those who are negatively affected. While I want to make a difference, I also want to gain different perspectives on other’s situations so I can effectively tackle problems. Representation and resources are needed for those who aren’t given an opportunity in the STEAM community. Growing up, I didn’t see girls interested in science, maths, and technology nor was I given proper resources when it came to my interests. Giving proper representation can be done in a multitude of ways but I want to achieve this through literature. Another goal of mine is to publish my own digital graphic novel for youth in middle and high school. The book will have characters from different racial and religious backgrounds. While still being informative about different jobs in the STEAM field, it would also be relatable to different readers facing other problems in academic and domestic settings. My goal with this project is to inform and inspire youth to work for their dream careers and help them overcome obstacles in their own lives. Aside from this, I also want to work with organizations that work for the same goal as me and provide accessible resources for youth in special circumstances. The implementation of academic resources and literature plays a vital role in nurturing the curiosity and passion of young individuals pursuing STEAM disciplines is just the beginning. I will continue to advocate for myself to bring equal opportunities for all in the STEAM field regardless of gender, race, and sexuality by providing accessible and comprehensive materials, to empower aspiring minds to explore and excel. While advocating for the youth, I will continue to build my own skills for my career and to properly reach my goals.

For me, having ADHD as a child presented challenges. Since I was a toddler, I had trouble understanding concepts in a classroom setting and conversing with others. When I needed extra help from my teachers after lessons to understand subjects like math and science, I felt inferior to my peers who could do so without any difficulty. It was very impossible for me to express my demands and issues clearly; several times, my trigger words made it difficult for me to breathe. Even though I now have more control over it with the aid of people and art, I still struggle with this issue. Early in my youth, I started to draw on school assignments and make my own art pieces for displays. For me, creating art was an additional kind of nonverbal communication. For a long time, it was simpler to sketch skits and mythological creatures with colored pencils and scented glitter pens than it was to speak in complete sentences. From conventional to digital to programming, I have always loved art. Before high school, I had an idea of the kind of technical career I wanted to pursue but had no specific plans. After experimenting with various software and programs, I discovered UX and graphic design. On the surface, it just seemed like the ideal fusion of my favorite elements—art and technology. However, when I started to study and learn the true depth of UX design, I saw it in a different light. UX design combines art, technology, and psychology into creating different pieces for advertisement and pieces. I see UX design as a practice to try and fully understand the person interacting with your work. This includes psychology and design, effectively connecting to the consumer to make you’re working accessible and enjoyable. Since learning about the profession, I’ve been applying my skills to digital design and programming. I hope to apply my skills to different fields of literature, video games, and general media. To me, this is another means to communicate with people on a larger scale. I hope to say speak about topics important to me from advocating for POC girls in the STEAM community to making applications easier for being with disabilities. While UX design focuses on the needs of the user, designers alike can utilize their skills in art and technology to promote conversations online and bring proper change to the world.

Anytime I can, I like to lend a hand at my school and in my neighborhood. I participate in the club for student ambassadors and the Student Government Association at my school. As the Head Historian for SGA, I am in charge of the club's other historians. Photographing club meetings and school events are one of our responsibilities; some of the photos are released for use by the school. Historians assist the club's social media coordinator with social media posts and logos, in addition to photography. Our Student Government Association participates in community service projects, including school cleanup, the annual Woman's Breast Cancer Awareness Walk, gift-giving to needy families during the holidays, and special events for months highlighting different racial groups. I also do the same in the IT program at the school. As a student ambassador, I give prospective students and their parents both in-person and online tours of the school. These tours can be scheduled for after-school activities or throughout the school day. I alongside other Ambassadors volunteer during scheduled open houses hosted by the school or camps. Aside from school, I regularly volunteer at my local family care home owned by my mother. There I work beside her on patient care, cleaning the facility, and working on any technical problem asked of me. During my time at in university, I only hope to continue volunteering and supporting other communities in the new area.

A person can be motivated by a variety of things, however at times you only need the support of your family. I'm blessed to have a family that supports me and cheers me on in both my academic and personal endeavors, with my siblings having the most impact. I was taught as a child to look to my siblings for support and direction wherever my parents couldn't. I found it difficult to relate to twin sophomores in high school while I was in elementary school because of the significant age gap. This dynamic became familiar to me until the COVID lockdown. I got to know my siblings better since I was forced to stay in the house with them. I learned more about their passions, shortcomings, feelings, and how they perceived me. Our aunt gave money to all three of us during that period after accepting a new job in Japan. The first thing I remember was my sister standing behind my brother as he encouraged me to buy better art supplies. He recognized my potential because I had been using loose-leaf paper from my school notebooks for years to create my work. Along with watercolor paint and graphite pencils, I bought my very first actual sketchbook. I moved on from traditional to digital to UI design after that. I wouldn't have progressed as far with my passions or future without the support of my siblings. Not everyone has this kind of support; the majority of people don't receive it from their family for their goals and dreams, however, they can still succeed with other forms of support while others cannot. That's clear from the gender and racial inequality in the STEM fields. Unlike their white male peers, most POC youth lack the resources necessary to improve their STEM-related skills. You don’t see a balanced amount of them in said resources such as classes or programs and I have seen this firsthand. In my graduating class of the program, there are only six girls in our class with the previous graduating class only having 2. When the program started, my peers and I made it a point to showcase what our IT class truly was and how everyone who was interested should be a part of it. In my junior and senior years, my peers and I continued to promote the program through posters, school tours, and just overall interacting with underclassmen about what we do in the class. However, I wish to take it a step further. I wish to keep advocating for needy POC youth interested in STEM and this can be done with proper representation and resources. For the past year, I have been working on my graphic novel surrounding a black girl in high school, facing challenges in her computer/AI classes. Throughout the book, she comes to reality about what she wants to be and how she wants to carry herself through her education, career, and personal life. The book doesn’t only follow her, it branches out to other students of color around her facing similar problems with identity, race, sexuality, and gender. The main purpose of this book is to inspire children who want to pursue a STEM career but feel discouraged. No matter what, the field should be inclusive to all and people should be encouraged to be in all aspects. To achieve my goal, I will continue to work hard to build up my skills and understanding of my own and different communities to effectively convey my message to others.

When I was three I underwent a had a psychological evaluation since I wasn't speaking. They thought I had autism, but eventually, I was diagnosed with ADHD and a speech impediment. I have never performed as well as my peers. Some concepts were hard to grasp as fast as other children and I would tend to get distracted. Often I had to leave class to meet with a speech therapist since I needed extra assistance to talk in class. It was embarrassing to stammer when attempting to respond to a simple question. I would begin to sweat a lot, my breath becoming labored, and my chest tightened. I would quickly try to come up with replacements for trigger words that I could speak. M, W, N, D, or A words were impossible to pronounce. While I didn’t excel in math, science, or speech, I excelled in other areas. When it came to art, writing, or technology, I could use different mediums such as paint, ink, and digital materials to create pieces with different meanings was amazing to me. All those times I would get lost in my head and be scolded, I would create different worlds and scenarios I would put on paper. I would put much of my efforts into my work and ultimately let them decide my career path, UI design. Not only did I find my ultimate passion but I also came to terms with my condition. Instead of seeing my disability as a burden, I accept having ADHD and move forward regardless of my struggles. By the end of my senior year of university, I hope to have graduated from the university of my choice with a bachelor's in Computer Science with a concentration in Human-Computer Interaction. Another goal of mine is to advocate for POC women in STEM. During my time in high school, I have been a part of a class of students in the IT program offered at our school. One of the first things I noticed after joining was how many girls there were in the class. I was one of only six girls in my class, and I later discovered that there were even fewer in the graduating class before mine. It wasn't just me who noticed; the majority of the female underclassmen opted to participate in the program as a result. As this is a problem at my school, this is also an issue in the STEM community as well. Since then I have been uplifting the female voices we have in our class and have made major contributions to STEM through regular school tours and posters posted outside our classroom walls and doors. I hope to continue my efforts during my time at university with my own personal work. Along with my degree, I hope to publish a graphic novel for readers of all ages that centers on a Black American girl on the spectrum who aspires to stand out in her AI class in high school. The plot would center on the difficulties many females have when attempting to enter the STEM fields and what black girls have to face on a daily basis, beginning from the very beginning, in school. I plan to work on this during my time at university, hopefully, with the help of this grant, I can make this vision of mine a reality.

When I was three I underwent a had a psychological evaluation since I wasn't speaking. They thought I had autism, but eventually, I was diagnosed with ADHD and a speech impediment. I have never performed as well as my peers. Some concepts were hard to grasp as fast as other children and I would tend to get distracted. Often I had to leave class to meet with a speech therapist since I needed extra assistance to talk in class. It was embarrassing to stammer when attempting to respond to a simple question. I would begin to sweat a lot, my breath becoming labored, and my chest tightened. I would quickly try to come up with replacements for trigger words that I could speak. M, W, N, D, or A words were impossible to pronounce. While I didn’t excel in math, science, or speech, I excelled in other areas. When it came to art and writing, I could use different mediums such as paint, chalk, colored pencils, and wood to create pieces with different meanings was amazing to me. I would put much of my efforts into those classes and ultimately let them decide my career path, UI design. When I was younger, I used to think of my ADHD as a burden, something that held me back from being like everyone else. Now, I see it as a gift. All those times I would get lost in my head and be scolded, I would create different worlds and scenarios I would put on paper. I learned to not see my disability as a burden but as something I have and accept as a part of me. By the end of my senior year of university, I hope to have graduated from the university of my choice with a bachelor's in Computer Science with a concentration in Human-Computer Interaction. Another goal of mine is to advocate for POC women in STEM. During my time in high school, I have been a part of a class of students in the IT program offered at our school. One of the first things I noticed after joining was how many girls there were in the class. I was one of only six girls in my class, and I later discovered that there were even fewer in the graduating class before mine. It wasn't just me who noticed; the majority of the female underclassmen opted to participate in the program as a result. As this is a problem at my school, this is also an issue in the STEM community as well. During my time in high school, I have been uplifting the female voices we have in our class and have made major contributions to STEM through regular school tours and posters posted outside our classroom walls and doors. I hope to continue my efforts during my time at university with my own personal work. Along with my degree, I hope to publish a graphic novel for readers of all ages that centers on a Black American girl who aspires to stand out in her AI class in high school. The plot would center on the difficulties many females have when attempting to enter the STEM fields and what black girls have to face on a daily basis, beginning from the very beginning, in school. I believe with the help of this grant, I can make this vision of mine a reality.

I underwent a psychological evaluation when I was three years old since I wasn't speaking. While they believed I had autism, I eventually received a diagnosis of ADHD and a speech impediment. I haven't done as well in school as my peers since elementary school. When I didn't grasp a concept as quickly as other children did, I would frequently become distracted by something else. Even when I tried to pay attention but could not, I would still get in trouble. I often had to leave class to meet one-on-one with the school speech therapist since I needed extra assistance just to talk in class. I found it embarrassing to stammer when attempting to respond to a straightforward question in class. All the techniques I would practice daily would fly out the window the minute I had to speak in a different environment. I would begin to sweat a lot, my breath would get labored, and my chest would tighten. I would quickly try to come up with replacement words for specific trigger words that I could actually speak. M, W, N, D, or A words were impossible to pronounce. Contributing to all these factors, I didn’t have much confidence in my academic abilities in general. While I felt more confident in the arts and English, I wasn’t as confident in math and science and was happy with any grade past 70%. I was enrolled in Math I during my second semester of freshman year prior to the lockdown. I didn't have high expectations for myself, but Mr. Krassy, my math instructor, did. He had a distinct teaching approach from other teachers I had in the past. Even though he was initially unaware of my condition, he was nonetheless patient with me when I had trouble understanding the subject. He would attend one-on-one sessions with me following lessons before helping other pupils. Aside from math, we would engage in other conversations away from math. During the last few minutes of class, he would talk about the stock market and introduce a project surrounding the topic. I didn’t even know what the stock market was in-depth until his class nor did I take finances into account. This continued even after my Math I class. Two years later, I took pre-calculus and definitely struggled. While I understood most of the material, I couldn’t apply it to complex equations given on quizzes and tests. He took this into account and still worked with me one-on-one and even lent me his personal textbook to study on my own time when he saw how serious I was about passing the class. Even though I didn’t do as well as I wanted, I was still happy with the amount of help and effort I put in. Mr. Krassy helped me see math in a different way than I did before. While I don’t love the subject, I don’t dread it as much as I did before. Before looking into careers, I didn’t want to go into a career heavy on math or theories but now I’m enrolled in a Computer Science major at the college of my choice. I owe it to a lot of my instructors currently and from the past for where I am today academically but most of my thanks land on Mr. Krassy for helping me the most throughout the years.

I first learned about early colleges in middle school, which are institutions that allow graduates to earn a degree. I decided to apply to all institutions to get into any technological program. I was admitted into the school where I am now, and I couldn't be happier with my choice. I was unaware of the gender disparities in my class, unfortunately. While only 6 girls are in my current class, it was smaller than the graduating class before us. The number continues to grow steadily but most underclassmen at our school don’t feel encouraged about applying for the program due to this fact. That’s why I’ve been working hard to promote what the program has to offer to them. In my junior year, I joined the Student Ambassador club while being in Student Government Association since freshman year. During that time, I was assigned to give in-person tours after they were hosted virtually for the past year during my school hours. I took the liberty aside with other girls from IT to talk about the circularium and activities since working with both Windows and Linux as an administrator and regularly fixing and examining working and failed systems during our free period in depth. Aside from tours, I have also done the same in open houses hosted by North Wake with other Ambassadors. Aside from Student Ambassador, I have still done work personally. In my junior year, I designed a class news system on our class bulletin board called “Tech News” where I would print out interesting articles on current events in the STEM field. It would range from new discoveries or highlight some work from people unrepresented in the community. In my current year, I work alongside the other girls in my class with hands-on designs. On Women’s History Month, we made posters the size of our classroom door and decorated them with collages and facts about women who have promoted a change in technology or society in general. We did a similar thing for Black History Month, both the seniors and juniors participated. Going outside my school duties, I regularly volunteer at my mother’s family care home. There I help with technical issues she may have with her printer, company devices, or router. It’s important to address the issues that face the STEM community and how POC women struggle to come into the field, unlike their male coworkers. That’s why I’ve been working on a graphic novel focusing on a black student who strives to work for her future in AI. While it would be a coming-of-age piece, it would focus on identity, sexuality, and discrimination during her journey. I am passionate about the project but I plan to focus on my skills in programming and design before tackling, studying, and working as such. I hope to finish this by the end of my senior year at university and publish it sometime after. With the help of this aid, I can focus on my studies, professional and personal projects, and work activities. I hope to work for myself and for other girls of color who want to be in STEM.

When I was three I underwent a had a psychological evaluation since I wasn't speaking. They thought I had autism, but eventually, I was diagnosed with ADHD and a speech impediment. I have never performed as well as my peers. Some concepts were hard to grasp as fast as other children and I would tend to get distracted. Often I had to leave class to meet with a speech therapist since I needed extra assistance to talk in class. It was embarrassing to stammer when attempting to respond to a simple question. I would begin to sweat a lot, my breath becoming labored, and my chest tightened. I would quickly try to come up with replacements for trigger words that I could speak. M, W, N, D, or A words were impossible for me to pronounce. During all of this, my mum was the person who stood by me. She found specialists to help and stood up for me when teachers complained about my behavior during conferences. I felt like a freak and a disappointment because I wasn’t like other kids who excelled almost naturally. I wouldn't push myself; I wouldn’t try to excel because I believed that I wasn’t capable of more. In the fifth grade, everything changed. When my teacher was rounding up students to give speeches at our graduation, no one dared raise their hand; except me. I still don't understand what compelled me, but I did. My teacher stared at me with disbelief asking again if I was sure. I didn't feel secure in my choice, but I went through with it. My mother was startled as well when I told her. She didn’t support the idea, even saying she would call the school and tell them I wouldn’t do it. I begged her to let me give the speech, and she relented—but only if she could see improvements in both my speaking and academic performance. After finishing writing my speech, I would review it every day to prove to her that I could do it. I would purposefully practice the skills throughout my sessions with my speech therapist and in front of my family. At our religious gatherings, I would comment regularly, and in class, I would answer any question I could. I tried everything I could think of to prove it to her, but I didn't realize that I was also proving my abilities to myself. I delivered the speech flawlessly in the end. My teacher was proud of me for my improvement. My mother, who was ecstatic and told me how proud she was of me, took me out to dinner to celebrate. Afterward, I became aware of my potential. I’ve found other things I loved involving technology and art, combining the two frequently for academic and personal success. Now I try to give back to my community in various ranging from telling students in my school with posters and designs about current advancements in technology or revisiting anyone who has made an impact but is underrepresented. I came to understand that operating differently from others does not diminish who I am as a person and I can only hope for anyone who has felt how I did. I continue to carry this mindset with me through everything I do now. I still have days where I need to revisit my techniques or fail academically, but I still keep going.

I first learned about early colleges in middle school, which are institutions that allow graduates to earn a degree. I decided to apply to all institutions to get into any technological program. I was admitted into the school where I am now, and I couldn't be happier with my choice. I was unaware of the gender disparities in my class, unfortunately. While only 6 girls are in my current class, it was smaller than the graduating class before us. The number continues to grow steadily but most underclassmen at our school don’t feel encouraged about applying for the program due to this fact. That’s why I’ve been working hard to promote what the program has to offer to them. In my junior year, I joined the Student Ambassador club while being in Student Government Association since freshman year. During that time, I was assigned to give in-person tours after they were hosted virtually for the past year during my school hours. I took the liberty aside with other girls from IT to talk about the circularium and activities since working with both Windows and Linux as an administrator and regularly fixing and examining working and failed systems during our free period in depth. Aside from tours, I have also done the same in open houses hosted by North Wake with other Ambassadors. Aside from Student Ambassador, I have still done work personally. In my junior year, I designed a class news system on our class bulletin board called “Tech News” where I would print out interesting articles on current events in the STEM field. It would range from new discoveries or highlight some work from people unrepresented in the community. In my current year, I work alongside the other girls in my class with hands-on designs. On Women’s History Month, we made posters the size of our classroom door and decorated them with collages and facts about women who have promoted a change in technology or society in general. We did a similar thing for Black History Month, both the seniors and juniors participated. Going outside my school duties, I regularly volunteer at my mother’s family care home. There I help with technical issues she may have with her printer, company devices, or router. It’s important to address the issues that face the STEM community and how POC women struggle to come into the field, unlike their male coworkers. That’s why I’ve been working on a graphic novel focusing on a black student who strives to work for her future in AI. While it would be a coming-of-age piece, it would focus on identity, sexuality, and discrimination during her journey. I hope to finish this by the end of my senior year at university and publish it sometime after. I am passionate about the project but I plan to focus on my skills in programming and design before tackling, studying, and working as such. With the help of this aid, I can focus on my studies, professional and personal projects, and work activities. I hope to work for myself and for other girls of color who want to be in STEM.

My interests are in design and programming; I enjoy using digital art to create objects and adding life to them with code. During my time in middle and high school, I've been building up my skills in those aspects by joining clubs and programs such as TSA, Girls Who Code, and the Information Technology program offered by North Wake College and Career Academy. I’ve enjoyed my time in all of those organizations and clubs whether it be helping my community, planning events to uplift voices from different ethnic groups, or designing pieces to talk about important faces in the STEM field. I plan to enroll in the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and major in Computer Science with a concentration in Human-Computer interaction while interning with different companies and organizations in technical positions. With aid of this scholarship, I can properly fund my education and personal projects during my time at UNCC. One of the projects represents POC youths interested in STEM careers through literature. The plan for the idea would either be published as a graphic novel or an indie game available for download for free. Both would focus on an African American girl in her senior year of high school assigned with a senior project in a class dealing with AI. The story would be impactful because she would be the only African American girl in the class and would face adversity from her peers. The story would touch on many aspects of discrimination, mental health, sexuality, and identity. A college degree can help me achieve my goals professionally and personally, allowing me to make an impact in my community. I hope to finish or be close to finishing the final product by the end of my senior year at university. My goal is to distribute my work nationwide and continue to advocate for women in STEM.

I first learned about early colleges in middle school, which are institutions that allow graduates to earn a degree. I decided to apply to all institutions to get into any technological program. I was admitted into the school where I am now, and I couldn't be happier with my choice. I was unaware of the gender disparities in my class, unfortunately. While only 6 girls are in my current class, it was smaller than the graduating class before us. The number continues to grow steadily but most underclassmen at our school don’t feel encouraged about applying for the program due to this fact. That’s why I’ve been working hard to promote what the program has to offer to them. In my junior year, I joined the Student Ambassador club while being in Student Government Association since freshman year. During that time, I was assigned to give in-person tours after they were hosted virtually for the past year during my school hours. I took the liberty aside with other girls from IT to talk about the circularium and activities since working with both Windows and Linux as an administrator and regularly fixing and examining working and failed systems during our free period in depth. Aside from tours, I have also done the same in open houses hosted by North Wake with other Ambassadors. Aside from Student Ambassador, I have still done work personally. In my junior year, I designed a class news system on our class bulletin board called “Tech News” where I would print out interesting articles on current events in the STEM field. It would range from new discoveries or highlight some work from people unrepresented in the community. In my current year, I work alongside the other girls in my class with hands-on designs. On Women’s History Month, we made posters the size of our classroom door and decorated them with collages and facts about women who have promoted a change in technology or society in general. We did a similar thing for Black History Month, both the seniors and juniors participated. Going outside my school duties, I regularly volunteer at my mother’s family care home. There I help with technical issues she may have with her printer, company devices, or router. It’s important to address the issues that face the STEM community and how POC women struggle to come into the field, unlike their male coworkers. That’s why I’ve been working on a graphic novel focusing on a black student who strives to work for her future in AI. While it would be a coming-of-age piece, it would focus on identity, sexuality, and discrimination during her journey. I hope to finish this by the end of my senior year at university and publish it sometime after. I am passionate about the project but I plan to focus on my skills in programming and design before tackling, studying, and working as such. With the help of this aid, I can focus on my studies, professional and personal projects, and work activities. I hope to work for myself and for other girls of color who want to be in STEM.

I first learned about early colleges in middle school, which are institutions that allow graduates to earn a degree. I decided to apply to all institutions to get into any technological program. I was admitted into the school where I am now, and I couldn't be happier with my choice. I was unaware of the gender disparities in my class, unfortunately. While only 6 girls are in my current class, it was smaller than the graduating class before us. The number continues to grow steadily but most underclassmen at our school don’t feel encouraged about applying for the program due to this fact. That’s why I’ve been working hard to promote what the program has to offer to them. In my junior year, I joined the Student Ambassador club while being in Student Government Association since freshman year. During that time, I was assigned to give in-person tours after they were hosted virtually for the past year during my school hours. I took the liberty aside with other girls from IT to talk about the circularium and activities since working with both Windows and Linux as an administrator and regularly fixing and examining working and failed systems during our free period in depth. Aside from tours, I have also done the same in open houses hosted by North Wake with other Ambassadors. Aside from Student Ambassador, I have still done work personally. In my junior year, I designed a class news system on our class bulletin board called “Tech News” where I would print out interesting articles on current events in the STEM field. It would range from new discoveries or highlight some work from people unrepresented in the community. In my current year, I work alongside the other girls in my class with hands-on designs. On Women’s History Month, we made posters the size of our classroom door and decorated them with collages and facts about women who have promoted a change in technology or society in general. We did a similar thing for Black History Month, both the seniors and juniors participated. Going outside my school duties, I regularly volunteer at my mother’s family care home. There I help with technical issues she may have with her printer, company devices, or router. It’s important to address the issues that face the STEM community and how POC women struggle to come into the field, unlike their male coworkers. That’s why I’ve been working on a graphic novel focusing on a black student who strives to work for her future in AI. While it would be a coming-of-age piece, it would focus on identity, sexuality, and discrimination during her journey. I hope to finish this by the end of my senior year at university and publish it sometime after. I am passionate about the project but I plan to focus on my skills in programming and design before tackling, studying, and working as such. With the help of this aid, I can focus on my studies, professional and personal projects, and work activities. I hope to work for myself and for other girls of color who want to be in STEM.

I first learned about early colleges in middle school, which are institutions that allow graduates to earn a degree. I decided to apply to all institutions to get into any technological program. I was admitted into the school where I am now, and I couldn't be happier with my choice. I was unaware of the gender disparities in my class, unfortunately. While only 6 girls are in my current class, it was smaller than the graduating class before us. The number continues to grow steadily but most underclassmen at our school don’t feel encouraged about applying for the program due to this fact. That’s why I’ve been working hard to promote what the program has to offer to them. In my junior year, I joined the Student Ambassador club while being in Student Government Association since freshman year. During that time, I was assigned to give in-person tours after they were hosted virtually for the past year during my school hours. I took the liberty aside with other girls from IT to talk about the circularium and activities since working with both Windows and Linux as an administrator and regularly fixing and examining working and failed systems during our free period in depth. Aside from tours, I have also done the same in open houses hosted by North Wake with other Ambassadors. Aside from Student Ambassador, I have still done work personally. In my junior year, I designed a class news system on our class bulletin board called “Tech News” where I would print out interesting articles on current events in the STEM field. It would range from new discoveries or highlight some work from people unrepresented in the community. In my current year, I work alongside the other girls in my class with hands-on designs. On Women’s History Month, we made posters the size of our classroom door and decorated them with collages and facts about women who have promoted a change in technology or society in general. We did a similar thing for Black History Month, both the seniors and juniors participated. Going outside my school duties, I regularly volunteer at my mother’s family care home. There I help with technical issues she may have with her printer, company devices, or router. It’s important to address the issues that face the STEM community and how POC women struggle to come into the field, unlike their male coworkers. That’s why I’ve been working on a graphic novel focusing on a black student who strives to work for her future in AI. While it would be a coming-of-age piece, it would focus on identity, sexuality, and discrimination during her journey. I hope to finish this by the end of my senior year at university and publish it sometime after. I am passionate about the project but I plan to focus on my skills in programming and design before tackling, studying, and working as such. With the help of this aid, I can focus on my studies, professional and personal projects, and work activities. I hope to work for myself and for other girls of color who want to be in STEM.