When I was first diagnosed with Breast Cancer in September 2024, I asked myself this very question: “What impact have I made, and what impact do I want to make?” At the time, while taking inventory of my life, I was disappointed that I hadn’t yet made the impact I envisioned for myself. You see, since 2010, I’ve been motivated by my mission to revitalize marginalized communities through sustainable and environmental developments. For fourteen years, I’ve been a strategist who has designed community-centered projects, but for 14 years, I’ve run into obstacle after obstacle. For the longest time, I’ve had difficulty convincing community leaders to invest in and support the strategies I’ve developed. One of the strategies I developed was creating a peer mentorship workforce development program that partnered young adults with mentors that looked liked them in the energy sector. Another strategy I developed was designed to implement and educate Black American church leaders and their members on the benefits of Community Solar adoption. I developed these strategies with sheer will and no formal education. Now, I’m working to obtain my civil engineering degree, and with it, my goal is to combine my experience with strategy development and the know-how of implementing projects learned at school. With these two, I believe I will help to lower overhead expenses for low- to middle-income individuals. Developing environmental community capital projects drives me because the people who inspire me are also the people I want to make life better for, like my mother, my aunts, and many family members who didn’t allow adversity to stop them. When I was younger, my mother had this old VHS with a recording of Whitney Houston's Concert in South Africa. One of the most significant quotes I got from her as she was talking to the audience was when she said, "When I look at you, I see me, and I hope that when you look at me you see yourselves." Through this lens, I see all Black Americans. In 2022, I discovered that Black Americans' average wealth is projected to be $0 by 2050. To me, this knowledge became an emergency because I started to wonder how this is going to affect my family; how is this going to impact my community? Granted, the Black American community always adapts; however, if I can help buffer the blow, then I have been of service to my tribe. This is why I believe every affordable home should contain solar power and battery storage, energy-efficient water heaters, an urban food forest, and food waste digesters that produce methane biogas. These methods are means to reduce overhead expenses for trillions of people, and with the savings, trillions can reverse our economic demise.

This summer I am participating in the Green Workforce Academy Cohort, and thus far it has jolted and fed my desire to revitalize marginalized communities through sustainable development. With this program, I have been exposed to systems that use food waste to produce liquid fertilizer and methane gas. I've also been shown processes used to power grids with solar power. Furthermore, I am now aware of the steps to develop urban food forests and edible gardens. When I initially decided to pursue obtaining my civil engineering degree, it started with my mission of revitalization in mind. I began my work with the desire to offset overhead expenses for low- and middle-income individuals. However, now, I want one of the impacts I make to be creating net-zero communities. Furthermore, I want to make living in net-zero communities appealing to the masses. I feel like with my experience in outreach and civil engineering, I can build these environments while providing education on how a net-zero community benefits its residents. When it comes to sustainable environments, I think fear is a key driver in why it's not fully embraced. However, I also feel like it's because when people think about sustainability, they think about living in the dark ages or living in an unappealing space. I want to make sustainability visually appealing and environmentally impactful. When I first decided to revitalize marginalized communities, I was a college dropout. I was homeless and couchsurfing. What's more, I was battling feelings of rejection and abandonment. I didn't know how I was going to revitalize a community when I myself needed revitalization. Fast forward to 2024, I gained a bit more insight into how I was going to revitalize marginalized communities, but I was still encountering roadblocks when attempting to work with community leaders. Then, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. It's something about the threat to one's life that can cause one to choose to either "get busy living or get busy dying". I chose to get busy living. I decided that if these were my final days, I would go out in pursuit of my degree. So I started taking my classes at Portland Community College, starting completely over. Through brain fogs, chemo-nausea, hair loss, and all the feelings of isolation, I chose to push forward. Throughout that process, I made the President's List, Dean's List, and Honors List. Now, I am preparing to transfer to Portland State University to complete my civil engineering degree. When I started my journey, I wasn't aware of all that it would take to get here. I used to want things fast and to experience what I've been seeing immediately. Now, I'm glad that I had to take the long way so I could be developed into the person I needed to be capable of adding value to a community. Thank you for your time and consideration.

I am running out of money to support my college career, and there’s so many fears associated with realizing you don’t have enough. It reminds me of Mark 8:14-21 when Jesus just got done feeding the 4,000 and the disciples realized they got into the ship with no bread. Prior to Jesus joining there conversation, I can imagine the disciples going back and forth talking to each other saying, “Say man, we’re out of bread.” Another responds, “The man just got done feeding 4,000 people. What do you mean there’s no bread?” The other responds, “Man, I know it’s 7 baskets of bread and fish nuggets leftover. What happened to all that food?” Another responds, “ I guess I forgot it.” The other responds, “You guess you forgot it?! Get a load of this guy. How could you be so stupid?! Now, we all look like we’re irresponsible and bad stewards because of you.” Which is relatable because now, I’m looking at the fact that I have 3 years left to obtain my civil engineering degree, and I’m asking myself how could you be so irresponsible with your time and resources that you didn’t think that eventually this would run out. I guess immaturity works that way. Ask kids we forget to cut off lights because we’re not paying the bill, so we don’t know how much it costs to keep lights on. We have no true concept of cost because we’re not the one footing the bill. Until you’re informed, if you don’t pay this, you won’t be able to participate in your program. However, what gives me faith is Jesus’ response to the disciples. Jesus’ basically said, “Why are you worried about bread when you saw that I was the one who took little and made it more than enough?” My faith allows me to rest in the fact that I can release control and trust that all is going according to divine plan. I don’t have to worry about the how or when. I only have to be ready to receive and steward. This is why I can faith in my day to day and chosen field. I wouldn’t be pursuing a civil engineering degree had not I been instructed to by God. I honestly didn’t feel like school was for me anymore, but I had a vision that I would revitalize marginalized communities. Now that I’m excelling in school, I have the assurance that I will do exactly what God has assigned me to do.

It’s morning, and I’m awakened by the clash of thunder. It surprises me because I’ve been in Oregon for seven years and never have I heard a thunderstorm. I stagger slowly to the restroom to begin my morning routine. Perched on the porcelain throne, I stretch my back. Then I arise, wash my hands, brush my teeth, and examine my image in the mirror with wonder, curiosity, and hope. Hope because although I’m not physically the image I desire, I am working to improve it, and it gives me satisfaction that I see progress. With a faint glimmer of a smile, I leave the restroom into my bedroom to approach the window and gaze at the impact of the rain. This summer rain shoots at the leaves like a cowboy shooting at the feet of his opposition, telling him, “Dance!” The sky reflects a bluish gray in the atmosphere, and the grass is puddled with brownish black gray waters. Many typically dread days like these, but my soul is refreshed in these moments. The heatwaves from the previous days left me longing for a day of rain just to cool the atmosphere. Then I set my eyes to open the kitchen before starting my morning coffee. Closing the kitchen the night before is a Southern Mother’s tradition that includes no dishes in the sink, the counters and stove are wiped down, and the expectation is none shall enter. Imagine my surprise and outrage when I walked in to see a solitary knife covered in peanut butter on the counter. My eyes grew red. Thoughts consumed my mind as if I encountered the mathematical equation needed to cure world hunger, and the words filled with anger and aggravation bubbled in my belly like a teapot before it whistled. I screamed, "Who left a peanut butter knife on my counter?" In one moment, my morning turned from a mellow-smooth "Love Jones" 90's romcom to Joe Jackson in the "American Dream", asking the Jackson family, "who left the towel in the pool?" I immediately went up the stairs with heavy feet and a loud voice to approach the children to identify who committed this irresponsible action. The first room I approached was my 10 year old daughter, Heaven. With the bedroom light and thunder of my voice, I exclaimed, “Heaven, did you go in the kitchen after I closed it and eat the peanut butter.” Startled and confused, she responded with half opened eyes and a tired voice, “no mom, I know not to go in the Kitchen when it’s closed.” I calmed a bit and responded, “oh, ok,” and closed her door. Then I entered into my son Horizon’s room with accusations, “Horizon, why would you go in the kitchen, make something to eat, leave a peanut butter knife on the counter, and not wash it.” His voice dragged, “mom, you know if I make something I’m bringing all the dishes to my room.” Confused, I go to my wife. “Babe, did you leave the peanut butter knife on the counter.” She responded, “ Babe, you were sleep eating again. You went to kitchen last night for peanut butter crackers.” That realization took all the wind out of my sails. I start laughing, and responded, “Ive got to stop taking Ambien. I don’t remember any of that.”

One of the awkward things about me is that I’m excessively persistent. For example, when I first became homeless, I had a chip on my shoulder that I was going to make people regret mistreating me by becoming extremely successful. So, the first thing I did was read as many books as I could on business and management. Then, I start taking the information I learned to devise strategies. It was so extreme that I would create pathways for success on my wall with index cards and markers until a particular path became clear. However, even in my planning, I didn’t plan for rejection. Nevertheless, even when faced with adversity, I don’t let it stop me. I look for an alternate path which has lead me to attending school. My obsession with success is so extreme that I chose to complete one of the most challenging tasks I’ve ever faced: obtaining a civil engineering degree. For me, it’s not enough to just go to college to obtain a degree. This extreme persistence drives me with the desire to dominate in always so that I can achieve my ideal level of success. Success for me isn’t monetary even though profits is a reward. Success is doing what drives me freely which is revitalizing marginalized communities. Initially when starting on my success journey I was driven by revenge, but then after I healed and forgave, I became driven by vision. I suppose that’s one of the reasons I’m extremely persistent. One would wonder how is this awkward, but as I stated previously, it is an obsession. Living with the sole purpose of accomplishing a vision is at times blinding. If you’re not yet mature, you’ll make decisions based on a promise as if you’re entitled to immediately take advantage of the rewards. It’s also isolating. Since being obsessed with this vision I’ve departed from friends and family. I’ve allowed ego to blind me. Nevertheless, I can’t see myself doing anything differently. I’ve tried to do other things. I’ve attempted to become comfortable with other things, but nothing else has given me any of the fulfillment I receive from this pursuit. So, I continue to press forward. I experience adversity, and I take a moment to catch my breath from the blow I experienced. I ask myself what can I learn from this misstep, and then I look for my next course of action. Keeping in mind that my ultimate goal is to do what outlives me.

Since 2010, I've been driven by this mission to revitalize marginalized communities, specifically Black American communities. Getting to this mission didn't happen overnight. It started as I was enduring homelessness. It's quite strange; homelessness was one of the hardest times of my life. However, even though I was surrounded by poverty and the desolation of abandoned buildings, I believed that I could improve my environment. During the night, I would walk around, look at the stars, and dream about the ways I would help to improve this community. But I wasn't quite certain how I would make it happen. At first, I thought I would start a business. I couldn't start with no money, so I got a job to save money. After work, while I waited for a ride, I would read business books at Barnes & Noble until it was time to close. I started a few businesses, but they didn't excel as I hoped. Then I thought maybe I needed to go back to school and major in Business. I went back, but I didn't perform well. After that, I feared maybe school wasn't for me. Nevertheless, I still held on to this mission that I would help to revitalize Black American communities with no idea of how I was going to do it. But then, I had a dream about renewable energy, and I thought that's how I'll do it. I help to revitalize marginalized communities by devising strategies that assist Black American households with becoming energy independent. I started researching and looking for ways to make this vision possible without putting too much financial pressure on each individual home. Then it came to me: convince Black American church leaders to either offer community solar or become solar-powered. I figured if our community sees enough people benefiting from energy independence, it wouldn't be hard to convince others to participate. So, I hit the pavement with this new idea that I was so excited to share; I thought surely it wouldn't be hard to get people on board, right? Silly me. I went to meeting after meeting. People were intrigued, but they weren't willing to work with me. I should've asked why, but I was so overzealous for a "yes, let's move forward," I think I turned people off because they stopped answering my calls and emails. After some self-reflection, I thought maybe people don't want to work with me because they feel I'm unqualified. A painful reality, but a reality that I could do something about. As a result, I decided to go to school to pursue my degree in civil engineering. I realized that the process of becoming a civil engineer is an opportunity to become trusted with executing projects. As a civil engineering student, I intend to learn about what's required to make sustainable infrastructure with biophilic design, and with my career, I will uplift the community by using my new skills to revitalize it and lower overhead expenses for low- to middle-income individuals. What's more, I know I made the right decision because I'm excelling. I have a 3.67 GPA. I've been on the President's, Dean's, and Honors List. I've also received two letters of recommendation from my teachers thus far. As long as I keep focus, I know accomplishing my mission is within my grasp. Thank you for your consideration!

I used to think I could avoid college because I failed the first time I tried. I know failure isn't final or fatal, but I was traumatized by my lack of success. When I returned to school, I was afraid to waste time and money again. However, even though I spent quite a few years out of school, one would think that just because you're not in school, the lessons cease, but life became my classroom. Out of school, I learned how I showed up in relationships. I also learned my shortcomings when I operated in pride and ego. Furthermore, I learned that there are no shortcuts to fulfilling one's purpose. I feel that these, out of the many lessons I learned, are the most valuable because they helped me to show up as a better-prepared student. What's more, I learned what I value and how I want to show up in the world. Had I not experienced poverty, homelessness, and blighted environments, I wouldn't have discovered what drives me, which is the opportunity to revitalize marginalized communities by completing projects that center renewable energy and sustainability. What's more, had I not received the education that life had to offer me, I wouldn't be willing to do whatever it takes to become all necessary. Because of life's classroom, obtaining my educational degree this time is personal. Not only is it personal, but it's also important to me because with my civil engineering degree, I will have the knowledge and experience needed to do what drives me. Not only this, but being back in school allows me to measure my progress and success by overcoming the classes where I previously failed. With each success, I gain the confidence to keep moving forward. Even more, with every failure, I learn to pivot and find my personal method to improve. Education is important because it teaches me that nothing is impossible with hard work and a desire to rediscover. For me, legacy is many things, but I also believe it's what people say about you and what they learn from your life. I hope that people learn from my life that starting over should be embraced wholeheartedly. A lot of people feel like they failed if they have to start from the bottom again. But the only people who don't feel that way about starting from the bottom again are real estate developers. Real estate developers have to start from the foundation every time they erect a new building. I think we should be excited about building something new in our lives, even if what was built previously didn't work. When we start over, we have the opportunity to build again with more experience and a heightened perspective. What's more, I hope people see from my life experiences that's exactly what I did. I built on my failures; I created a mosaic of beauty for others to awe at.

When I was a child, my mother braided my hair by candlelight because she couldn't afford to pay the electricity bill. In the moment, I was saddened but also proud because it showed me the great strength and courage my mother had under pressure. Although this is my personal experience, I know my family isn't the only one to have experienced a lack of resources. Furthermore, a lack of resources shows up differently for people in other communities. For some, the lack of resources manifests as food deserts. For others, the lack of resources manifests as no running water. But no matter the lack, the Earth is abundant in resources; it is just controlled by corporate greed, which is why I think one of the reasons that sustainability should be a priority in civil engineering is that it helps to combat corporate greed. When civil engineers design and build communities with sustainability in mind, it guarantees that people are relieved from the overhead expenses related to taking care of a home and family. One of the ways I envision this becoming a reality is by creating multi-family units that are designed with an energy-efficient envelope along with access to community solar. I also envision creating the surrounding space with urban food forests as a means to combat food deserts and urban heat islands. Furthermore, I envision designing a rainwater system that connects to community members' homes to help offset rising water use costs. This is just a snippet of what I hope to accomplish within my profession. However, my overall goal is to help revitalize marginalized communities by implementing sustainable designs and combating the effects of climate change on low-to-middle-income individuals. Within my career, I look forward to connecting with marginalized communities and hosting conversations around the importance of sustainability and the practices we can make today to reverse negative environmental impacts. Even more, I look forward to creating modelled multi-family and commercial spaces that implement the innovations associated with sustainability, like hemp insulation, reflective concrete, and biophilic designs. With these changes in design and construction, I hope to reduce the carbon footprint and construct with the intentionality needed to stop the displacement typically associated with marginalized individuals and their communities. Once more, I hope the work I complete helps to combine reparative justice, environmental impact, and community development. I think the combination of these areas will help to alleviate overhead pressures and reduce the psychological impact associated with poverty.

As long as I can remember, I’ve imagined marginalized communities becoming an oasis for renewable resources, biophilic brutalism, and urban food forestry. This image lives in my imagination because it is one of the ways I believe I can best help revitalize marginalized areas. With renewable resources, I hope to alleviate overhead costs like utility bills. Through biophilic brutalism and urban food forestry, I hope to combat food deserts and the negative effects of urban heat islands. Furthermore, I believe improving these environments by implementing the sustainable developments will help to combat the stressors typically associated with marginalized environments. This is why I am in school pursuing my civil engineering degree. Living in neighborhoods like Ensley in Birmingham, Alabama and seeing abandoned buildings, homes, poverty, and a lack of community investment motivated to wanting to see how I can build something different for people who need it. I started out as a community advocate seeking who would work with me to bring these ideas to fruition, but I ran into road blocks. My hope is with my civil engineering degree I gain the technical knowledge and project engineering skills, so I can properly plan and execute these community improvements. Furthermore, I hope to spend the rest of my life finding communities similar to Ensley that will benefit from these sustainable solutions and implementing them. My goal is to reduce crime, insecurity, obesity and combat the mental health crisis with the building of these oasis’s. If people in these areas are not concerned about how they’re going to pay a power bill or a water bill, where to purchase groceries or limited to fast food, and not suffering with the PTSD associated with poverty, I believe it would significantly rid these areas of poor people crimes. What’s more, I hope this change in environment motivates more children to pursue careers in STEM and seek to provide solutions to others.

I exist to serve others. This is my guiding principle, and it helps me navigate my personal challenges because I am aware that the adversity I face are intended for me to overcome so that I may help others. My journey is no different than others. I come from a single-mother household. I’m Black American, a woman, and a lesbian. Furthermore, I’ve endured homelessness, poverty, breast cancer, rejection, depression, and low self-esteem. However, what hasn’t changed throughout all I’ve endured and continue to endure is I want the life I lead to make a difference in the lives of others. Which is why I am in school pursuing my degree in civil engineering. While experience homelessness, poverty, and a single mother household, I gained a passion for wanting to help low- to middle-income households. Furthermore, I’ve always found myself looking around my community with the curiosity of how could I improve my surroundings so that life’s pressures could be alleviated for those that look like me and have endured similar challenges. This is why I was drawn to civil engineering. I believe that implementing renewable energy technologies and sustainable practices in marginalized communities are one of the greatest things I can do to alleviate pressures in marginalized communities. I believe the low to middle income households should come equipped with solar panels and/or access to community solar. I believe urban food forest can provide solutions to combat food deserts. I also believe increasing the walkability of marginalized communities along with implementing remedies to urban heat islands are one of the ways to reduce food related health risks. Because I carry these beliefs, and these are practices I intend to implement once receive my degree, I want you to know this is what your investment in me is going towards. With this scholarship, I will be able to maintain my full-time status in school and satisfy room & board for the next 4 months. Finally, you asked me what relationship is important to me. I would love to say my friends and family, and they are important to me. However, I find the most important relationship is my relationship to my community. I expect change to happen. Change is inevitable, but what concerns me is those who are displaced and negatively affected by gentrification. When people like me do not choose to improve our own neighborhood, we subject ourselves to disenfranchisement. We risk being policed and controlled by people who do not have the empathy nor compassion for those they’re uprooting, and I consider this a disservice to my neighbors. This is why I wake up every morning and go to class everyday. I believe I can’t change to the world until I change myself, so everyday I start with me.

If it weren't for my faith in the Most High, I wouldn't be alive. It seems like, from my conception, I've had every reason to quit. I've battled feelings of abandonment, rejection, and being an outcast. I've always been the weird person in the group. Even in High School, I wasn't totally with the in-crowd nor totally in with the out-crowd. I've always felt displaced, and that feeling of never belonging always bothered me because my family is huge, with a lot of cousins, aunts, and uncles. However, had I not been introduced to God, those lonely feelings would have consumed me. My faith in God makes me believe that God has a plan for me. It makes me believe that my steps are orchestrated. It also makes me believe that God is intentional, and God didn't waste His time when He made me. Which is why, when God told me to go to college, I eventually went. I say eventually because I didn't go immediately. I, like many, when God gives instruction, questioned it. I thought, "Surely God doesn't want that for me". I didn't feel college would be the best use of my time. But a little bit after that, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Even then, I had faith that all would be well, but I also felt that if these were my last days, I would be pursuing a degree on my way out. Faith got me through those beginning classes while I was going through chemotherapy and completing assignments then. Now, faith is getting me through the challenging calculus classes that I need to take to enter the civil engineering degree program at Portland State University when I transfer in the spring of 2027. Hebrews 11:6 says, "But without faith it is impossible to please him," But I think without faith it is impossible to exist. Life's challenges are at times defeating, and if one has no hope, it's very easy to allow the challenges to consume us. This is why I am grateful for people like my Mom, my friends Rae and Robin. They've encouraged me and supported me through the entire process. Even now, as I am at the end of the semester, they remind me that I'm at the right place at the right time, and when I finish school, I will have exactly what I need to accomplish my goal of helping to revitalize marginalized communities through urban sustainability. Because of faith and people having faith in me, I'm confident I will win even when I'm losing, because I never stop trying.

When I was 19 years old, I was asked to leave my mom's home. While figuring out how to navigate this new normal, I couchsurfed with friends and family until I landed in Birmingham, Alabama, with my Godmother. My Godmother didn't just house me; she housed others, too. So for the majority of the time, it was 7 of us in a 2-bedroom, 1-bathroom apartment living in West Ensley. In Ensley, poverty and dilapidated buildings are a regular occurrence, but at night, I would find myself walking to just feel a sense of calm and look at the stars. Nevertheless, I would also take time to dream about how I would improve this community. This experience was the driving force behind my purpose, which is to help revitalize marginalized areas through community-improving developments and urban sustainability. With that experience and this purpose, I am now led to pursue a degree in civil engineering. Before pursuing my civil engineering degree, I tried to accomplish my purpose as a community advocate and collaborator. I've met with religious leaders and entrepreneurs. I've devised strategies and presented proposals regarding my findings and the potential impact of proposed solutions, but I got a lot of nos. But, it wasn't the nos that bothered me. It was the dismissive behavior that really ticked me off. Have you ever felt like people were brushing you off when you were really passionate about something? Did they ever make you feel like they thought you couldn't make it happen? If so, you should know how I felt, and you know my response. My mindset instantly became, "if you won't help me, I will help myself". Which is why I am presently completing my core classes at Portland Community College before transferring to Portland State University in Spring 2027. Thus far, I have maintained a 3.67 GPA. I've also achieved the President's List, Dean's List, and Honor's List. I've been invited to join the Phi Beta Kappa organization for my grades, and I've gained favor with my teachers. But more than this, I've gained the confidence to endure the hard things even when faced with challenging assignments. Pursuing a civil engineering degree is no easy feat. I'm taking Calculus 2 now, and sometimes, I feel like why am I doing this? I say to myself, "If I were pursuing construction engineering management, which is also a great career, my hard period would start to lighten up a bit". However, I also feel like this degree is like the time I hiked Mt. Rainier; I stopped every few steps, but I didn't give up. At the top, the view was worth the journey. I stood on a glacier, ate lunch, and I sat looking at a load of amazingness. I expect this will be my same experience when I complete my civil engineering degree.

I was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer in September of 2024, and it was one of the most challenging periods of my life. I was homeless at the time, and I felt so dejected. During the early stages, I felt so hopeful because I had faith that all would be well. But I was also disappointed because I found myself looking at my life and reflecting on "what did I have to show for myself?" I had no money squirreled away to protect me during this period of tragedy. I had a few people to show up, but I felt the realities of being a burden and ultimately alone in my own healing journey. In the midst of my journey, I started to look around more intentionally. I realized how much we all have main character syndrome, and while navigating our own lives, it's very easy to not consider what's taking place in other people's lives. One time, I found myself in the elevator heading to chemotherapy, and I was arrested by the fact that people aren't going to hospitals because they want to be there. I was driving the car in traffic, and I thought about the times when I would blow the horn at people because I was having road rage. The fragility of life made me realize that I didn't always know what was going on in other people's lives. It made me realize I needed to be more aware of how I showed up. So, I made up my mind while I was going through this process that I was going to go back to college. Between being aware that I wasn't doing enough to seize the moment and that I still had time to live with intentionality, it felt like it was the only thing that I had going for myself. In my mind, if these were my final days, even though I had hope it wouldn't be, I could at least pursue something greater. I've always believed in the quote "shoot for the moon, but even if you can't reach the moon, at least you can land on the stars." And overcoming cancer made me determined to go to the grave fully exhausted of all that's within me. I realized that the only thing that was holding me back from implementing the vision I've seen for myself and others is my lack of a civil engineering degree. So while going through breast cancer treatment, I went all in on myself. With a foggy head, nauseous body, and reminders of being a burden, I decided I would show up to win this moment, and I did. I'm now cancer-free, and during the most challenging period of my life, I maintained honors in my classes.

What bothers me most about the conversation surrounding conservation and sustainability is marginalized communities remaining left out of the discussion. Many with social and financial capital are protected from the effects of environmental change because they are aware and have access to resources to prepare. However, marginalized individuals are forced to experience and adapt alternatively leaving many ill prepared. This is the main reason I am pursuing a civil engineering degree with a minor in urban sustainability. The main objective of an engineer is identifying problems and developing solutions. I’ve always been a problem-solver, but a missing piece of my puzzle prohibited me from fully serving as a solutionist which is my civil engineering degree. With my degree, I desire for the world and work to brings conversation about conservation and sustainability to marginalized communities. Furthermore, I hope that my work shows marginalized individuals the true cost benefits of living a sustainable life. I hope to create spaces that are zero-waste both residentially and commercially. I hope to create fully sustainable eco-communities that are fully power by renewable energy. I hope to combat food deserts by creating urban food forests. I hope my work aligns with my purpose and passion.

Have you ever felt like you’re tired of hearing no? If so, you’ll relate to my experience because that’s what motivated me to go to school to pursue my degree in civil engineering. I’m a community advocate and collaborator, and the work I’ve done has been focused with the hopes of helping to revitalize marginalized communities. Furthermore, the biggest way I’ve desired to make an impact is by making green energy easily accessible to low-to-middle income families. Throughout this process, I’ve done research about the financial peril specifically Black Americans may face if not remedied. I’ve collected data through community outreach to better communicate what this community needs. What’s more, I’ve met with several community leaders to collaborate in addressing said needs, but it didn’t result in the action desired. So, I decided that if I can’t get anyone to help me do it, I’ll learn what I need to know to do it myself. I’m presently attending Portland Community College to complete all transfer credit requirements to attend Portland State University in the Fall of 2027. At this juncture of my educational journey, I’m faced with the challenge of being an older student, attending school full-time, and working full-time. But these challenges are minimal compared to the mental battle I undergo to refine myself to become worthy of being a civil engineer. Every day I fight the “inner-me” which are the parts of me that are self-sabotaging, self-loathing and also ambitious. However, no matter the battle, they are menial compared to millions of Black Americans experiencing the relief of reduced overhead expenses. With my career, the impact I intend to make is to create energy efficient and affordable homes. I intend to revitalize communities impacted by poverty and climate change. I intend to make sure homes are built with emergency preparedness factored into its infrastructure. I also will use my influence and resources to advocate for women and black people to pursue careers in STEM. The engineering world is so fascinating and necessary. Building the world around us should be done with intuition and intentionality. When more women and BIPOC people learn in these areas, we gain the tools to not only advocate for the needs of our communities, but we can also present the solutions with a plan and its cost. I suppose this is why it was important for me to hear “no”. I wasn’t yet qualified to hear “yes”, but I had to tell myself “yes” first to this educational journey. Thank you for your time, consideration, and investment in my future.

The reason I'm pursuing a civil engineering degree is because I want to make life more affordable for low- and middle-income individuals who are living in marginalized spaces. Furthermore, I want the work I do to revitalize these spaces. As a result, I wake up every day with this mission and desire within me to excel in every class and every assignment, so that this vision can come to fruition. There is a quote that says, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step," and for me, it's easy to get caught in the 1,000 miles part because I'm always visualizing what the end will look like for me. However, the single steps all look different. For one period of my life, the single step looked like overcoming breast cancer. In another period of my life, the single step looked like overcoming the fear of failure by going to college. Another single step looked like overcoming homelessness, and now this single step looks like getting in the habit of working full-time while going to school full-time to pay rent. The steps in my journey are ever evolving. I expect victories along the way, but I'm also prepared for the lessons because nothing worth doing will ever come easy. Especially when it comes to pursuing a degree in civil engineering, a career that is white and male-dominated. Nonetheless, I push forward despite the adversity because more than anything, I want to die empty by doing the work to improve the lives of others. This is what we have in common because of your active decision to award a scholarship to mission-driven students. Without your help, many wouldn't be able to pay rent, go to school, or focus because of financial pressures. As a result, you can be assured that I will use the awarding of this scholarship to pay rent and do some maintenance work on my car so I can reliably go to class. With the financial pressure taken off of me, I will be able to focus on maintaining my 3.8 GPA and draw closer to completing my civil engineering degree. In conclusion, filling out a scholarship isn't easy, especially when having to take time out of the busy week to meet deadlines. Consequently, I can imagine that for you, reading through so many scholarships isn't easy either. As a result, I want to thank you for even considering me by reading this essay.

I'm a Black American, Lesbian Woman, and I was homeless for 16 years before going back to college in 2024. I was kicked out of my mom's home at 18 because of my sexuality, and although I've worked several jobs, I could never get to a place of stability until I was diagnosed with breast cancer in September 2024. Before then, I worked dead-end jobs. I couch-surfed. I even travelled with the fair so I could feel a period of safety. But nothing could mentally prepare me for the battle I would face when I fought cancer. When I first found a lump in my breast, I was already going through the feelings of uncertainty because I didn't have a home of my own. I was travelling with the fair, living in a sleeping quarters that could be no larger than 60 square feet. I was experiencing silent emotional battles with being in a place of discomfort. While working a job that was physically taxing on my body, I was feeling like a social pariah amongst friends and family because I was in this place of lack. So you can imagine when I found a lump on my chest, I lost it. Sometimes, when I feel overwhelmed, the only thing that can give me peace is going for a walk and praying. The first thing that came out was a wail of tears. I cried, "Another silent battle! I keep trying to move forward. I came to the fair with the hope of being able to become stable and get on my feet, but now, there is a lump in my breast." I couldn't hold back the tears. I felt so defeated. I felt broken, and I had to release all these emotions a couple of hours before work so I could put on a brave face and not let my present circumstances get to me. And it helped for a minute until it didn't. I left the fair early because I was overwhelmed, and I needed to go to the doctor immediately to see what was going on with my body. Working at the fair was all for nought. I had nothing saved when leaving despite my best efforts. I had to go back to couch surfing among people who visibly showed their discontent, and even worse, this time around, I was battling an illness. However, I navigated this adversity in the same way I had other challenges. I do so with prayer and hope for the better. I decided that if these were my last days, the least I could do was try to obtain a degree while enduring the task. Not that I expected in the event of my demise a postpartum degree, but I wanted to prove to myself that my life had meaning. The thoughts that regularly went through my mind while going through my treatment plan were how disappointed I was in myself for not having a rainy day fund. I thought about how much of a bad steward I was with my time. I thought about how I didn't have anybody to count on to support me throughout the whole ordeal, and how the only person who was there really didn't want to be. School was my only outlet, and I've always been passionate about helping to revitalize marginalized communities. This is what drove me to pursue the civil engineering degree program. While being homeless and couch-surfing, I was also carless. Which meant I walked everywhere, even if I just needed time to think and pray. During that time, I saw rundown houses, buildings, and communities. More specifically, the communities were filled with Black people. I've always felt like Black people deserve more. Black people deserve better, and I also feel that revitalizing what is seen and how people live in these communities is a means to accomplish this great goal. The impact I hope to achieve with my civil engineering degree is to make affordable housing sustainable with renewable energy. Black America's overall wealth is trending to $0 by 2053, and this will ultimately mean the loss of this community's middle class. This is a huge problem for me because my family and friends are Black Americans. Furthermore, I'm not the type to see a crash about to happen and not do something about it. This is why I think creating sustainably sourced, affordable housing is a means to accomplish this goal. Between inflation and the cost of living steadily rising, offering this community solar-powered homes is a means to alleviate some of the pressure associated with overhead expenses. I believe that if we have more access to our household income, it can be used alternatively for investment. In conclusion, I want to thank you for presenting this opportunity for me to share my experience with you. I am very grateful to be considered for this opportunity, and I applaud you for choosing to expand the memory of Mr. Eric R. Lawson in this manner. I wish you all the best.

For me, deciding to pursue a professional career as a civil engineer wasn't made on whimsical instinct. I began this journey with the intention of empowering marginalized communities through the development of community-improving projects. With this aim in my sights, I sought to collaborate, connect, and invest so that I may bring this vision to life. Yet despite my best efforts, I ran into roadblock after roadblock. Despite the no's I received, I still decided to forge forward and become who I need to be, so I can add value to my community. Statistically, women make up only 16 to 17% of civil engineers, and Black females make up only 6%. For me, this means that a career in STEM will be one of my greatest feats. When I think about this journey, I think about all the classes that I'm required to take. I think about the days, months, and years that are required to accomplish this piece of paper. And, I have to remind myself that I am my only enemy. The only thing that can stop me from obtaining this amazing opportunity is self-sabotage. I can achieve anything with enough consistency, no matter how great the task. I remember the first time I hiked Mt. Rainier in Washington state. It was challenging. I stopped every few steps to take a break. For a moment, it felt like I would never make it, but eventually, I found myself standing on a glacier. Furthermore, this is the mindset I will carry when faced with other challenges that I will face and overcome. I welcome the growth opportunities that adversity will present as I pursue further in my career. Upon completion of this degree, I intend to obtain my FE, PE, and PMP certifications. I know I will have to pay rent to ensure I can study safely and not be concerned about being homeless. I will also have to buy groceries and purchase gas so I can get back and forth to school. Eventually, I have to pay the fees necessary so can obtain the certifications I need, and I'll have to purchase the study material for these programs. I have to accomplish these things all while going to school full-time, which also presents the challenge of working while pursuing my degree. With your help, I won't have to worry about how I'm going to pay these expenses. I'll be able to focus on my school work and meet the challenges I face, feeling supported. I want to thank you for taking the time to consider me for this opportunity.

About this time in 2024, I was going through a series of tests to determine if I had breast cancer or not. In September, my doctor confirmed that I indeed did have breast cancer. To many informed of this devastating news, it is considered a death sentence, but to me, I thought it was an opportunity to grow in faith. As a result, I returned to college, and, as a 35-year-old freshman, I didn't realize how much my mindset had evolved compared to my youth as a student. When I was younger, I was afraid to raise my hand, ask questions, and sit up front. As an adult, I no longer worry about the social anxieties that had plagued me as a teenager. I had both the determination and drive to be successful, and I was willing to do whatever was necessary. I suppose I felt as if these were my final days, I intended to push my body to the max while I could. No different than a car running out of gas. Some try to drive slowly and hope they make it to the gas station before they run out, and some push the accelerator to the floor and push to make it to their destination before running out. When you ask me to tell you a bit about myself, only one word comes to mind. I am resilient. To me, adversities are opportunities. This is one of the core reasons I chose to pursue a degree in civil engineering. For the past ten years, I've been driven by this mission to help revitalize marginalized communities. My way of executing this mission has evolved from hosting conversations surrounded by healing to engaging in opportunities for community outreach. However, my latest project has been to make renewable energy accessible to all. Throughout my journey to bring this vision to fruition, I've faced many roadblocks when it comes to accreditation. So, I decided I'm going to take away those excuses by getting what I need through education. In the US, only 3.8% of civil engineers are black. As one of these, I will represent to the next generation the importance of obtaining greater means for the benefit of one's own community. I truly believe that much of the work we do here is for the benefit of others, and I hope that when the next generation comes along, they see work in STEM fields as an opportunity to not only improve the lives of themselves, but others. Thank you for presenting this opportunity to tell you my story and be considered for this scholarship.

"You have stage 2 breast cancer," were the words I heard ringing in my ears in September 2024. Before this day, I still felt childlike. I felt like I had more time to figure life out. I felt like I still had time to become the version of me I wanted to see. But in September, those childlike feelings came to an end, and my desire to have something to show for my life grew greater. Growing up, my favorite parable was the parable of stewardship. You might know the story. A master was going out of town, and he had three servants. One servant he gave five talents, another servant he gave two talents, and the last servant he gave one talent. While their master was out of town, all of them doubled their talents except for the servant with only one. When the master returned, his response to the two servants who doubled their talents, he said, "well done, my good and faithful servant." But, his response to the servant with the one talent who buried it, he called the servant a "sluggard". This story has always captivated me because when my life is complete, I want to be told "well done, my good and faithful servant". This is why I considered the challenge of overcoming Breast Cancer a battle of faith. I decided that I would adopt the pattern of Jesus when He was on His Journey carrying the cross. The Bible said He didn't murmur. I, too, wanted to be one who didn't murmur. I wanted to be one who saw this adversity as an opportunity to grow in faith and courage. Because of this adversity, I believe my faith has emboldened me to see obstacles as opportunities. My faith during this fight gave me the courage to go back to school. So I started my freshman year in college at the same time I was going through chemotherapy. I was experiencing brain fog and fatigue while also pushing to achieve all A's as a full-time student. I did accomplish this great feat, and in March of 2025, I was told I was cancer-free. With faith, I've realized that impossible doesn't exist. I've also learned that fear is having faith that a negative outcome will come to pass. Due to the new awareness I've gained from my experience, I now find myself pursuing a degree program that I thought before was impossible for me to achieve. I'm going to school to become a civil engineer, and with faith, I believe I will lower overhead expenses for low- and middle-income individuals.

Looking back, it's shocking knowing that when I started my first semester of college, I was also undergoing treatment for breast cancer. It was the end of September in 2024, and I felt like going back to school was the only thing I had going for myself, considering I was also experiencing houselessness. I was scared about the prognosis I was given. I had faith that I would be healed, but I also felt the emotions of feeling disappointed in myself and my life. Then I had a lot of time to look back on my life, and I would often shed a tear because I felt like I had nothing to show for all the work I'd done. I had chosen for years to live low because I felt that if I lived below my means, I could use my dreams to plateau me to the place I wanted to be. However, it never happened. I had some triumphs, but nothing had entirely panned out the way I had hoped for myself. Then, to find myself on the battlefield with cancer, I had already felt so fatigued. But when I went back to school, I started to see small victories in myself. For so long, I didn't go back to school because I was afraid. I didn't do well the first few times, so I thought it wasn't for me. I thought I was incapable of actually earning a degree. But, as I went through, I learned that my problem before was that when things were challenging, I didn't seek help. I guess pride and my desire to explore the world were so great that I didn't take full advantage of the resources that were available to me, but now I don't have that problem. Now, I gladly go to tutoring, sit in front of the class, ask questions, and visit office hours. With this scholarship, I hope to be able to continue to focus on going to school full-time. I work as a delivery driver when I'm not in class, but sometimes, the assignments take more time and take away from the work I need to do to pay rent and household needs. I hope that this contribution will help me to remain focused. Right now, I'm on the president's list with a 4.0 GPA. I'm also a part of the honor society. I would like to maintain excellent grades and not run the risk of them dropping due to my inability to focus solely on my work. With your contribution to my education, I'll consider it an investment in my future. I will properly steward what I'm given and do all necessary to make you proud.

Black Americans are losing their middle class. It is projected that by 2053, my community's wealth may decline to $0, which is what motivated me to pursue a career in civil engineering. With a career in civil engineering, I aim to revitalize marginalized communities and help reduce overhead expenses for low- to middle-income individuals. Furthermore, I expect to execute this mission by developing affordable housing that uses renewable energy. I've always had an affinity for solving problems. For years, I would look at a situation and devise a strategy to solve it through a project of some sort. I did this with no degree, but eventually I ran into roadblocks. I found myself wanting to execute projects that required faith and investment from people. However, I didn't get the faith and investment I was seeking. It offended me that I couldn't convince people to support the massive visions that I was desiring for my community. So, I decided to enact my revenge. I felt my greatest revenge would be to become so knowledgeable in the area I desired to work that no one could tell me no. This is why I am pursuing a career in civil engineering. I want to be able to execute projects I find meaningful and positively impactful to communities. I don't want people to question my expertise when I present opportunities to advance communities. I also want to tangibly see what I've been visualizing in my head for all these years. Going back to school is an adversity in itself, but my greatest adversity has been overcoming myself. I'm 35, and I feel like I'm working daily to refine myself. I work to refine myself by being on time with assignment deadlines. I refine myself by going to the gym consistently. I refine myself by fighting the parts of me that want to be lazy or go into a social media scrolling frenzy. There's nothing about this journey to greatness that has been easy. The first semester going back to school, I was undergoing breast cancer treatment. Now that I am cancer-free, I'm fighting the desires to self-sabotage. It's always a challenge, but I overcome these challenges through faith, self-talk, and persistence. I'm motivated by the fact that I've yet to complete all I've set out to do. I tell myself there's nothing I can't learn, and that I am in training for the career I intend to work in. I convince myself that there is nothing impossible if I believe, and I count the victories.

One of my biggest challenges with substance abuse is cannabis dependence. People don't think cannabis dependence is a problem because cannabis is so socially accepted, but it's an issue for me. When I decided to stop consuming cannabis, I experienced withdrawals, shakes, and mood swings. But after I got past these feelings, I realized that recovery for me means never going back to the things that didn't serve me. Recovery is saying no to the things that hinder me from showing up as the best version of myself. Recovery is the freedom to accept the version of me that I cultivate every day with my actions. Recovery is an opportunity to live fully without being controlled by substance abuse.

The first time I started serving at Church, I was a teenager and on the usher board. I couldn't have been no more than 13 or 14 years old, but I remember it like it was yesterday. I was wearing a white button down shirt with black slacks, and I stood at the front door greeting every member and guest with a smile as they walked in. I did it for a few years until I graduated to an armor bearer. As an armor bearer, my duties included carrying the Pastor's Bible, purse, sweat towel, a beverage and helping her get dressed in her preaching robe before she spoke to the congregation. During these moments, I learned patience. I learned to take criticism, and I developed a love for serving others. The values alongside the teachings from scripture taught me that I don't need a special occasion to serve others. One of the things I often heard Pastors speak about was those who serve for recognition and how it was frowned upon. In these foundational moments, I learned that we don't serve others to be known. This thought construct taught me that every interaction is an opportunity to be of service to others. For me, sometimes this shows up in the way I engage with my fellow man whether that's holding the door open when someone is coming behind me or letting them go through the door before me. I serve others while driving in traffic and cars are bumper to bumper by letting someone in who needs to get over. I serve others when I want to be enraged when done wrong and I decide to be quick to forgive. I also serve others when I'm doing delivery services. As a delivery driver for Door Dash, I consider myself to be a personal assistant to all. Sometimes that looks like picking up groceries for a family, but sometimes that looks like grabbing medicine for someone who isn't feeling well. Sometimes serving others in this lane looks like getting food and diapers for a new mother who can't get out of the house. I also serve others when I get the opportunity to deliver food boxes to families in need. But this service isn't limited to these spaces alone, I also serve when I show up to class and do the work to become a civil engineer. When I become a civil engineer, I expect to serve my community more by creating affordable sustainable housing. Then, I will help to alleviate the pressure of overhead expenses one household at a time.

In September 2024, I was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer, and in September 2024, I went back to school. After hearing the diagnosis, I had faith that things would get better. I also had hope that this wouldn’t be the end of my life, but I really had to take a personal account for my life. I was 35 years old, and it bothered me that I wasn’t prepared for this life crisis. I had no funds for emergency. I was homeless, couch surfing, and I was about to be dependent on people who had their own responsibilities. I felt so ashamed. I couldn’t count on any family, and it also made me feel like if I were to tell anyone their response would’ve been that’s what you get. I know no one deserves Breast Cancer. Yet, this was one of my psychological battles because I grew up in the South with traditional Black Parents, and being a lesbian in my family is frowned upon. I struggled many days, and cried a lot. Honestly, it makes me cry now because even though I’m now breast cancer free after months of chemotherapy I still have to undergo radiation starting May 27. But, what I can say about this whole ordeal is my experience with the Breast Cancer diagnosis made me better. I was adamant about not growing bitter nor angry with myself or the people around me. It made me take account for the people I had wronged. It made me pay closer attention to the fact that when I was going to the hospital everyday for chemotherapy that there were other people visiting the hospital for possibly the same or similar reasons. As I was getting on and off the elevators for appointments, I then realized we weren’t all there at the hospital because we wanted to be. For this reason, I started to grow in giving grace to others. I learned about myself that I was so egotistical, and probably a little piece of me still is. But this experience made me realize too often I was the hero in my own story and a villain in someone else’s. This realization made me want to love as much as I possibly can. It made me want to apologize for the role I played in being destructive in relationships and interactions. It made me want to listen more than I spoke. This Breast Cancer diagnosis taught me that we’re all just people on a journey, and a lot of kindness goes a long way to positively impacting others. For this reasoning, I try to be more patient. Granted I am not perfect. I can grow upset for being mishandled, but I can admit my wrongdoings in how I’ve mishandled others.