As a low income first-generation college student, I understand what it means to overcome many barriers. Every milestone I have reached has been built on determination, sacrifice, and the unwavering support of my family, despite our financial hardships. Being the first in my family to pursue higher education has taught me that success is not only about personal achievement. Success is about creating opportunities that inspire and uplift others. My greatest talent is my ability to tell stories through art. As a painter and illustrator, I use portraiture and mixed media to celebrate the beauty, diversity, and resilience of Black women while also exploring themes of identity, culture, community, body positivity and belonging. I believe art has the power to connect people across different backgrounds by encouraging them to see humanity in experiences that may be different from their own. When people feel seen, represented, and understood, empathy begins to grow. My life experiences have strengthened my commitment to this work. Growing up in a low-income household and witnessing my family's struggles, including the displacement and homelessness my mother and brother have experienced over the past two years, has taught me compassion, resilience, and the importance of sticking together. These experiences have shaped the stories I choose to tell and remind me that every person deserves to be represented in a dignify manner. It how we can begin to form understanding and community. I plan to use my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and artistic practice to create work that challenges stereotypes, preserves cultural narratives, and encourages meaningful conversations. Beyond creating art, I hope to mentor young artists, develop community arts programs, and eventually establish a creative space where people from underserved backgrounds can explore their creativity and share their own stories. I want my work to encourage. people to look beyond assumptions and appreciate the richness of different lived experiences. As I complete my degree, I continue to strengthen my skills by expanding my portfolio, experimenting with new artistic techniques, participating in exhibitions, and pursuing opportunities that prepare me for a career in the arts. My goal is to use my talent not only to build a successful career but also to contribute to a world where art remains a powerful source for pushing love, diversity, and prosperity amongst humanity. With every painting I create and every person I inspire, I hope to help spread a more compassionate outlook towards Black culture and womanhood.

This is an interesting question i ve never been asked before. My goodness, where do I even start? Okay, here it goes. I've always been the quiet kid. I enjoyed afterschool programs and had numerous hobbies,but half the time you'd barely notice I was there. I was the kids that played with and collected dolls well into high school. To be fair, I have always been an artist in some way. I would sew doll clothing, make miniature accessories, and use my crafting skills to build my artist portfolio in any way possible. Of course, most teens outgrow this sense of innocence and creativity. For years there was this running joke that I was the "baby" of the friend group. I refused to talk about all the fun I had with those dolls and all the crafts I would build because it would be an awkward conversation to have with kids my age who had long given up those things. It was all love though. In adulthood it truly made me reflect on how many teens are forced to conform to the traditional standards of expressing themselves or even playing. There has to been this apparent age cutoffs for things simply because we are getting older. I held onto those dolls until my freshman year of college. I gladly passed them onto my cousin who was in middle school at the time. Those dolls got me through COVID, severe depression, homelessness and the struggles of poverty. Me and my mother tried our hardest to not let those outside factors stop my younger brother from collecting hot wheel cars and action figures. Eventually, he gave them up in 7th grade and it was a tragic day for me personally (I'm being very overdmartic here but nonetheless I wish he had held onto them longer). I don't regret being the 14 year old who played with dolls while her friends spent time on social media. I don't regret being the 16 year old who built a barbie dream house from foam and cardboard because we couldn't afford one. It builds character and has given me all the perspective in the world as an artist and Black woman. I firmly believe that Black children and teens should be allowed to practice the arts in any form they desire. We should encourage the youth to enjoy cartoons, dolls, and anything they like until they feel like given it up themselves. Forcing a child grow up too fast is a mistake and I stand by this opinion wholeheartedly. I create art in many forms part time and will be receiving my BFA in painting and creative entrepreneurship May 2027. With that being said, my mission as an artist is to change the world through creativity and diversity. My long-term goal is to build a career as a professional painter, illustrator, and creative entrepreneur while creating opportunities that uplift my community. I hope to collaborate with organizations that value arts education, and eventually establish a physical creative space where the youth can learn to experiment creatively in many areas. Through digital illustrations, portraiture and mixed media paintings, I hope to also challenge harmful stereotypes and preserve important cultural narratives. I believe art has the power to influence how people see themselves and others, making it a meaningful tool for social change.

As a first-generation high school graduate and first-generation college student, I carry the hopes of my low-income Black family with me every day. My mother has worked tirelessly to support my dream of becoming an artist, even during periods of unemployment and financial hardship. For the past two years, my mother and brother have been displaced and experiencing homelessness. Watching my family navigate housing insecurity while I pursue my degree has been emotionally and financially difficult, but it has also strengthened my resilience and deepened my commitment to completing my education. Earning BFA in painting and creative entrepreneurship is a personal milestone that truly represents the dedication I have of building a stable future for my family. I am an ambitious, art-focused student with dreams of changing the world through creativity and diversity. My long-term goal is to build a career as a professional painter, illustrator, and creative entrepreneur while creating opportunities that uplift my community. I hope to exhibit my work in galleries and museums, collaborate with organizations that value arts education, and eventually establish a physical creative space where the youth can learn to experiment creatively in many areas. The work I create focuses on themes of identity, culture, womanhood, body positivity and representation, with a particular emphasis on celebrating Black women. Through digital illustrations, portraiture and mixed media paintings, I hope to challenge harmful stereotypes and preserve important cultural narratives. I believe art has the power to influence how people see themselves and others, making it a meaningful tool for social change. Higher education has given me the opportunity to grow not only as an artist but also as a thinker, leader, and storyteller. While attending MICA I have developed the technical skills, historical knowledge, and critical perspective needed to create meaningful artwork that reflects the experiences, beauty, and resilience of Black women like my mother. Beyond creating visually appealing work I have developed my practice as a way to spark conversations within the culture. With only one year remaining before graduation, the only obstacle standing between me and completing my final semester is the remaining tuition balance from the previous school year. Receiving scholarship support would allow me to continue my education without the weight of financial uncertainty and keep me on track to earn the degree I have worked so hard to achieve. I am committed to using my creativity to build a future where people feel seen, valued beyond traditional beauty standards and narrow representations of culture. By investing in my education, you are investing in an artist determined to create meaningful change through visual art.

I plan to make a positive impact on the world through my art by creating work that celebrates the beauty, strength, and diversity of Black women while challenging the stereotypes and limitations that have shaped how they are often represented. My illustrations and mixed-media paintings are rooted in storytelling, culture, and identity as a Black woman. I want viewers to see images of Black womanhood that reflect joy, resilience, softness, confidence, authenticity, and community. Through portraiture and collage, I hope to preserve these stories. I aim to encourage conversations about what representation should encompass. My work showcases how even ordinary moments can carry extraordinary meaning. Beyond creating artwork, I want to use my creative practice to give back to my community through exhibitions, workshops, public art projects, and other events that inspire young artists to embrace their creativity and tell their own stories. I believe art has the power to build empathy, challenge perspectives, and connect people across different backgrounds. Ultimately, I want my work to leave people feeling seen, empowered, and hopeful. If even one person walks away from my artwork feeling more confident in their identity or more open to understanding someone else's experience, then I know I have made a meaningful impact.