As a lifelong athlete, I understand the importance of determination and what leading by example looks like. From playing varsity basketball to running during the Penn Relays, I have seen all types of trials and tribulations and know what it takes to overcome them. My tribulation like so many other students is paying for college. Unlike track, I can't outrun the possibility of student debt or burden my family further with paying for my education. As a black young man living in Philadelphia, I have witnessed violence, acts of discrimination, and food insecurity. I knew that to make the best of my situation I had to make these problems strengths of mine since I was a child I have always been strongest connected to food insecurity. With corner stores pumping out high fructose corn syrup as juice, and saturated fats as cornflakes I experienced firsthand how these things happen on the surface level, and the most common outcome for the consumers. I have also seen the inverse, working at a farm for five years I have seen how a consistent diet of fruits, vegetables, and water can change people's lives for the better. I remember meeting a woman who has had cancer three separate times and is still alive simply by receiving natural minerals and vitamins produced by her diet. From experiencing things like that to seeing people die from heart disease I knew I wanted to pursue a field in agriculture. I am currently an upcoming sophomore at Penn State University and completing an undergrad in Plant Science. This degree will help me as I will have a better understanding of where this mass pandemic stemmed from, and how to change it. Plant sciences would allow me to have a broader understanding of the biology of plants and their nutritional benefits for underdeveloped communities along with implementing policies to allow more education and accessibility. With this educational track, I will be able to offer policies as they relate to implementing healthy food initiatives while relaying the evidence to back them up. Specifically, my interest in the Farm Bill has given me access to internships such as working at the Pennsylvania Farm Show and meeting with several politicians regarding the process of creating such a bill. It is important to me to be able to provide satisfactory evidence for better substitutions as opposed to systems that are currently in place. By receiving this scholarship I will be able to put more of my energy into focusing on internships regarding the farm bill, this will allow me to pursue my passion for advocating for food sovereignty and integrity.

My pursuit of a career in agriculture started the day I was born. I am an African American male who lives in Southwest Philadelphia, an urban area. One of my first jobs was at Sankofa Community Farm, at Bartram’s Garden. Bartram’s Garden is a place where my parents volunteered for years before I was introduced to it. It was at the farm that I realized my passion and purpose. Changing my interests, my trajectory for what my career entails changed dramatically. Suddenly this was my primary focus and I continue to use my primary factors for being in this business as motivation daily. Growing up in an urban community, there are plenty of distractions. However, I recognized opportunities, even amid the trauma and chaos that surrounds me daily. It has always been stressed to me that I take every opportunity to go beyond the status quo. Including being an hour removed from my Blue Ribbon of Excellence School Carver Engineering and Science, one of the catalysts for my pursuit in agriculture. Being a byproduct of these series of events and the factors of my environment. It was always a desire of mine to go to college. I knew that I wanted to be in a position to help others in a meaningful way using agriculture. That's when I realized that being in the city and witnessing the absence of food justice in my community has had an impact on me and that in pursuing a Bachelor in Plant Science in hope to change dietary issues of most low income housing, I will have a better understanding of where this mass pandemic stemmed from, and how to change it. Plant Sciences would allow me to have a broader understanding of the biology of plants and their capacity. With this educational track, I will be able to offer policies as it relates to implementing healthy food initiatives while offering the science to back them up. I know that I will be able to provide satisfactory evidence for better substitutions to what systems are currently in place. So I put my focus on learning to advocate for food justice and sovereignty. The obstacles I faced and continue to face daily involve balancing the environment that my family creates for me within the confines of my home, as opposed to the variables that exist outside of my home, this drives my passion for a career in policy-making, even more, considering the stakes I face every day. Reflecting on my travels to and from school I have to take three modes of transportation so I witness a lot of uncomfortable situations. I hear from a lot of social media platforms how disregarded people of color are and I also see how poverty brings destruction to my community. So I work at creating an impactful lane so I can be seen as a difference when people see me. I want my presence to matter. I learned that it is good in the world as long as you seek it out. It took a lot of character development and getting out of my comfort zone but I learned how to be a leader even when it wasn't easy. I can take my experiences and translate them to a college level and beyond. Now I am an aspiring Plant Science major pursuing prestigious studies at Penn State University. I take the time to learn from different people who have been putting in the work already to implement change in their environments and I strive to do the same.

My pursuit of a career in agriculture started the day I was born. I am an African American male who lives in Southwest Philadelphia, an urban area. One of my first jobs was at Sankofa Community Farm, at Bartram’s Garden. It was at the farm that I realized my passion and purpose. Changing my interests, my trajectory for what my career entails changed dramatically. Suddenly this was my primary focus and wanted to use my knowledge of agriculture to help the urban citizens of Philadelphia. That's when I realized that being in the city and witnessing the absence of food justice in my community has had an impact on me and that in pursuing a Bachelor in Plant Science, I will have a better understanding of where this mass pandemic stemmed from, and how to change it. Plant Sciences would allow me to have a broader understanding of the biology of plants and their capacity. With this educational track, I will be able to offer policies as it relates to implementing healthy food initiatives while offering the science to back them up. I know that I will be able to provide satisfactory evidence for better substitutions to what systems are currently in place. So I put my focus on learning to advocate for food justice and sovereignty. My process for implementing change would be to set my sights on the Farm Bill. Having the only working statewide one in the country I understand the process of the implementation of a bill as controversial as food The obstacles I faced and continue to face daily involve balancing the environment that my family creates for me within the confines of my home, as opposed to the variables that exist outside of my home, this drives my passion for a career in policy-making, even more, considering the stakes I face every day. Reflecting on my travels to and from school I have to take three modes of transportation so I witness a lot of uncomfortable situations. I hear from a lot of social media platforms how disregarded people of color are and I also see how poverty brings destruction to my community. So I work at creating an impactful lane so I can be seen as a difference when people see me. I want my presence to matter. I learned that it is good in the world as long as you seek it out. It took a lot of character development and getting out of my comfort zone but I learned how to be a leader even when it wasn't easy. I can take my experiences and translate them to a college level and beyond. Now I am an aspiring Plant Science major pursuing prestigious studies at Penn State University. I take the time to learn from different people who have been putting in the work already to implement change in their environments and I strive to do the same.