The black community has been a constant victim of racism, prejudice, violence, and lack of social, economic, and political resources. These factors have generated psychological pressure and fear that have harmed members of this community in a gradual way, not only socially, but psychologically as well. The social problems that afflict African American society have harmed their mental health. Directly, we can state that a utopian way to solve these problems and allow improvements in the mental health of these people would be the total and definitive extermination of racism and prejudice in American society. This is because racism and prejudice are the main sources of the problems that black people go through and that affect their mental health. Thus, a society where blacks are free, have all their rights guaranteed, and are treated equally, without being judged by their skin color, would be an ideal society, where even white people would be favored. For that to happen, a long way must be traveled, as racism is something deeply rooted in modern society, but that must be fought by everyone every day.

Leadership is about influencing people by what you say and do. Good leadership is influencing someone to do something well or better. Great leadership is when you influence someone to be the very best they can be. An example of my leadership was when I leading kids through the process of apply and compete for the title of Youth of the Year at the Boys and Girls Club. When I was given this task is was a challenge but I was up for it because when I was training to become Youth of the Year, my mentor continually pushed me and I won. Typically, when children are given a challenge, they shy away from it and I had to figure out a way to keep them focused and motivated. Youth of the Year is a year-long process of preparation, writing, learning about yourself, public speaking, and staying consistent. My solution to this was incentivizing the process and constantly reminding them of the reward at the end the scholarship they could earn, an accomplishment to add to their resume and the many friends you'll meet throughout the process but most importantly having the confidence to tell their story. I explained, your story is unique to you. Nobody knows your story except you, nobody will know if you mess up or miss a part except you because it's your story. This motivated the candidates and we are now awaiting the results of the competition but I know they all placed because they worked hard and stayed consistent. This experience taught me a lot. One person telling everyone what to do is not leading. Allowing everyone to pitch ideas and suggestions and putting them together so everyone is successful is leading. Leaders aren't perfect and don't know everything. In my time beyond high school and college, I will allow everyone to express their ideas, opinions, and suggestions so everyone can succeed and feel confident about the challenge at hand.

The biggest female influences in my life are Kimberly Bryant, the founder of Black Girls Code, and Morgan DeBaun, the founder and CEO of Blavity also known as AfroTech. Both of these women have shaped my career aspirations because they have become the face of the STEM industry for me. I was hesitant to choose a career in the STEM industry because I never saw anyone that looked like me and if they did, they were just assistants and never actually working as an engineer, scientist, etc. It discouraged me a bit but then I learned about Black Girls Code and later AfroTech. These two women and their companies helped me finalize my decision to become a full-stack and iOS developer. With the help of their companies, there are more black women working in the STEM industry and doing amazing things. I'm hoping to attend the AfroTech conference this year to learn more about the industry and the other black-owned tech companies that are changing the industry as well. I'm currently taking studying Web and iOS Development under the guidance of Dr. Angela Yu from the London App Brewery and hope to attend the University of California Berkley to study computer science. In my free time, I am coding and building my portfolio so when I graduate next year I can apply for internships and later a job. The STEM industry is rigorous, but like me and other young females determined to change the statistics and pursue our dreams we can do it.

Looking down at the college preparation pamphlet laying on my dresser never seemed so dramatic, but with every word I read, and every page I turned, I could practically feel my future rushing towards me. As I approach the end of my high school experience, I look back and remember two questions I was constantly asked from the beginning of freshman year to just last night. “Where are you going to college, and what do you want to study?” Even more superfluous than the questions themselves are the answers, telling people what I want to major in and where I want to study has become redundant, tiresome, and even monotonous. As passionate as I am about what I want to study and the schools that I am considering, the more I think about it, the more I feel there is one crucial question that seems to be omitted from the conversation every time, “Why are you going to college?” Am I going because my parents suggest, or because my friends are going? Or am I going simply to follow the American standard of go to high school, then college, then get a job? With increasing college tuition, a financial recession, and jobs only a few and far between, it is no shock that more and more people are turning their heads to alternatives to a four-year university. With that being said, now more than ever, is it more important to answer the question, “Why do I want to go to college?” I want to know the feeling of waking up every day with something to look forward to. I want to have all of the possibilities of the world at my fingertips, and essentially, that is what I believe college is. Listening to my friends tell me that they are going to go to college to get a job, or because their parents told them to, makes me wonder whether a college education is just about getting a job. To me the answer is overwhelmingly obvious; no. Post-secondary education is an experience that promises much more than just a simple paycheck. Not only does a college education teach skills pertinent to obtaining a job in a certain career field, it also teaches discipline, independence, and critical thinking while opening up the world to several opportunities that were not previously available. Colleges prepare their students for the real world, which is worth so much more than a high school diploma. I look forward to the challenges that college will bring. I’m not going to college to waste my time, nor am I going to waste the time of the university that gives me the chance to be their student. I strive for the opportunity to pursue my dreams on the road less traveled, not only to get an education or get a job but to assure myself of my passion and what I want to spend the rest of my life doing. I believe college is a time to explore and open myself to the numerous opportunities the world has to offer. As one of the 2 million students graduating high school in 2022, I have my whole life ahead of me. While numerous students will be going to college due to parental persuasion as well as pressure from their peers and school, I can confidently entrust in the fact that my decision was my own. I look forward to the challenges and experiences in my future and I am grateful to the university which allows me to pursue my dreams, whatever they may be.

Can you picture the student voted “most likely to succeed” in your graduating class? He or she must’ve had everything going for them. They most likely had good grades, were quite popular, never had any altercations, no health issues, and socially and emotionally stable. However, twenty years later, he or she graduates from college, is a successful business owner, has a beautiful wife and three kids. Unexpectedly he takes an emotional turn, decides he is done and has nothing to offer the world or his family, and takes his own life. Mental health issues can occur at any time with varying degrees of significance on the emotional and social stability of a person. Factors such as socioeconomic status, biological and environmental issues all dictate the mental health needs of a person. There are numerous alternatives accessible to help the psychological well-being of young children, yet the assistance of a single individual could change the life of a young child until the end of time. While the psychological wellness of understudies the country is regularly disregarded, one of every ten young children will experience the ill effects of dysfunctional behavior in their lifetime critical enough to affect their social and passionate working. These social and enthusiastic issues can disruptively affect their home life, school work, and how they act in their community. A variety of circumstances can evoke these mental health issues. Now imagine coping with these mental health issues and being expected to still be a normal student and conform to your peers around you. This is what we expect of our students dealing with a variety of mental health issues. The policies and procedures are established to meet the needs of all students. The mental health issues are recognized and evaluated based on the best placement for the student to receive an education. The public school system has the responsibility to provide free and appropriate education. The school does the best it can to provide a whole school approach to deal with the increasing number of mental health concerns. However, school is one of the few environments that are safe for students to accomplish academic, social, and emotional development. But school can also be a challenge for some students who feel that they are not accepted for who they are, because of their ethnicity, race, religion, sexuality, and social status. With this, mental health concerns carry on beyond high school. Statistics state, 50% of mental illnesses present before the age of 14. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth between the ages of 10 to 24. Essentially, these statistics are telling us that this is a problem. Despite all of this, it is up to our generation to help our peers and youth overcome these challenges that we fear and face every day. One solution would be to ultimately invite more children and adolescents to join their local Boys and Girls Club and participate in the variety of activities and programs they have to offer. I know from personal experience from volunteering and actively attending the Club, it has a lasting positive impact on one’s life. It's an escape from the world when you just need a place to think, talk and express yourself freely. Another solution would be to encourage children to freely express their thoughts and feelings without feeling judged. Often time what children and adolescents need to know is that whoever they talk to, isn't going to judge them for their feelings and there are people in the world who are willing to help. Next, a solution would be to talk more freely about the common causes of mental illnesses such as drug abuse, trauma, family relationships, and self-esteem. By educating youth on the causes and effects it has been proven numerous times that helps reduce the percentage of teens in an area to develop a mental illness. I would suggest implementing a bi-monthly mental health program that meets with youth to talk about the causes of these illnesses and how they can prevent them with the help of the Boys and Girls Club faculty. I want youth to recognize the bright side of life and know that there no matter how small or large or insignificant you may think your problem or thoughts are that there is always someone you can talk to at the Boys and Girls Club.