While in high school I had limited leadership opportunities, being Choir President, an Assistant Dance Instructor, and a Summer Camp Counselor. These experiences were great, but now as a sophomore in college I will be stepping into much larger roles. The first role is being an Assistant Color Guard Coach and Marching Band Staff Member at a local high school. Coaching is important to me because my favorite part of color guard in high school was my relationships with my coaches and teammates. Working with high school students, I plan on sharing my experiences with them, especially since I am the youngest staff member. While important to me, this position is off campus and will take a significant amount of time away from my studies. Starting off the semester strong usually sets the tone for the rest of the year, but with this commitment beginning in summer I will need to plan out time for school work so that I don't fall behind. To start this process I have already talked with the band director and the other members of my coaching team about my class schedule, and how attending class and school related activities will come first for me. Coaching is not the only leadership role that will take me away from campus. As part of the music therapy program, one of my clinical placements this semester will be in a local school. Since this is technically part of my class schedule making it to and from my clinical won't be the issue, but making time to do planning and paperwork will be. Last year I only had one placement with one client. This semester I will have an on-campus clinical with one client and the school setting with a full class. Finding the time outside of class to do two therapeutic application plans and progress notes and making them meaningful and beneficial to the different clients will be difficult, but I plan on leaning on my classmates and upperclassmen for guidance and support. Two other leadership positions I will hold on campus are a Resident Assistant (RA) and Roadmap Scholar, which is a mentor that sits in on the freshman experience class and assists with group projects and getting acclimated to campus. These positions are specifically with freshman, which means scheduling time outside of my schedule to meet with my mentees to answer questions, plan bonding events, and build a support system. Especially for the RA position, I plan on having an open line of communication with my residents so that they know my schedule and have a way to reach me incase anything happens. Since being an RA also comes with paperwork, a class, weekly meetings, and rounds I will need to stay on top of my commitments and making sure if there are any conflicts I address them proactively. To help me do that I have a planner I carry in my bag that has all my commitments, reminders in my virtual calendar, and a whiteboard in my dorm that I will use for weekly commitments. This system worked well last year and if I continue to use it and believe in myself I will be able to maintain the 4.0 GPA I have already established.

Music is a pulse. It lives in everyone and doesn’t discriminate. Like a chameleon, music changes its exterior to reach a different group, but the heartbeat remains the same. Music has been around since the dawn of time and passed down stories and traditions of every culture and ethnicity. Each song is an immersive teacher, which was very helpful growing up. Being biracial in a world that is continually pressuring individuals to fail has been an obstacle, but through it all, I’ve had music. Growing up without my father and his side of the family, it sometimes feels like my story is missing a chapter. Much of my time was spent at my next-door neighbor’s house, playing with her three sons and loving the Jamaican food and music. They made me feel at home and helped me stay in touch with my father’s culture, my own culture. Now, whenever I feel like I am missing out, I listen to reggae music, ask “Auntie” Lezlie to teach me to make a new dish, or annoy one of my “brothers.” Music has cut through my life like the brightest ray of sunshine and helped me in times of need. I want to emulate the clarity, and light music provides for me to others by becoming a music therapist. Upon learning about the field, I was immediately drawn to helping people with ailments by using music. I learned more about music therapy, and even wrote a research paper on the effects it has on Autism Spectrum Disorder for my AP Seminar exam. Knowing that there is an occupation that would allow me to keep both my passion for music and help others has made me determined to not only become a better musician but also to be a better friend and family member. Helping others is one memory I have with my mother. We would always volunteer at church and Girl Scout events together, and it was usually the only time I would get to spend with her at times. Seeing her dedication to me and her. With music therapy, I have the opportunity to uphold the values my mother and I share, while also sharing my passion with others. This path also gives me the chance to get involved with activism regarding the way mental health care happens, and I hope to offer people the same therapeutic release that music affords me.

Beyonce’s “Countdown” starts blasting through the intercom system. I only have two minutes to get to my class on the opposite side of campus, but my best friend still isn’t in our meeting spot. By the time they get there, we have one minute to make it to class. We barely make it in the door whenMr. Z takes attendance and starts the warmups planned for the day. Then he turns off the lights, tells us to close our eyes, and breathe. A simple melody starts on the piano, and we all begin to sing notes that feel right. If anyone were to walk by, they would probably be confused about why many students are singing in the dark, but there is much more to it. In the dark, there is no judgment. Without my sight, I cannot pinpoint who is singing what note; I must genuinely listen to find my place. In the solace of music, invisible wounds of the soul are healed, and the lost are found. Music is a pulse. It lives in everyone and doesn’t discriminate. Like a chameleon, music changes its exterior to reach a different group, but the heartbeat remains the same. Music has been around since the dawn of time and passed down stories and traditions of every culture and ethnicity. Each song is an immersive teacher, which was very helpful growing up. Being biracial in a world that is continually pressuring individuals to fail has been an obstacle, but through it all, I’ve had music. Growing up without my father and his side of the family, it sometimes feels like my story is missing a chapter. Much of my time was spent at my next-door neighbor’s house, playing with her three sons and loving the Jamaican food and music. They made me feel at home and helped me stay in touch with my father’s culture, my own culture. Now, whenever I feel like I am missing out, I listen to reggae music, ask “Auntie” Lezlie to teach me to make a new dish, or annoy one of my “brothers.” Along with a sense of community, music offers a beautiful clarity and is often therapeutic. Whenever I’m having a bad day, struggling to focus, or failing at a task, I listen to music. Music has captivated me and even pushed me out of my comfort zone in my artistry and relationships. I want to emulate the clarity, and light music provides for me to others by becoming a music therapist. Throughout my first year of school I was given the chance to lead weekly music therapy sessions with a client from the Charlotte community. Working with this client helped me see that music really can help people meet their goals, and I am excited to continue my education. As I continue this process I will get the opportunity to lead sessions in local schools, hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, group homes, and many other locations with vast client populations. After I complete my degree, 6 month internship, and earn my MT-BC certification I want to work in underrepresented communities where mental health professionals don't often reflect those coming to them for help. In these communities I want to help people develop routines, coping mechanisms, and the skills needed to push past their obstacles so that they can live out their dreams, get an education, and be as self-sufficient as possible.

To convince a peer to attend college I would start off by telling them that it will not be an easy journey. While telling someone who already does not want to go to college that it will be difficult may seem like a horrible idea, I disagree. I believe that anyone can do something if they have the resources they need, and with the way the world is changing most jobs that pay enough to support a comfortable, safe lifestyle are requiring a college degree. This is why I would tell my peer that the journey will not be easy, but that if they can complete the journey, no matter how long it takes them, a vast amount of opportunities and resources will become available to them. I would be sure to tell a peer that college will give them the opportunity to meet people from all walks of life, which is integral to having an inclusive view of the world. I would also tell my peer how in the first few months of college I met a group of people who have become my support system, and that this support system is stronger than one I have ever had. Most importantly, I would remind my peer that going to college will give them access to an infinite amount of information that they can use not only in their desired career, but in any hobbies, volunteer work, activism, or anything outside of the classroom. That is the part of college I would want my peer to keep in their mind continuously, the chance to learn more about anything that interests them so that they can pave the way for the life they want to lead.

Growing up biracial in a single parent household was difficult, especially when that meant all elements of black culture weren't present in my house. My next-door-neighbor bridged this gap for me by taking me in to her family in so many ways. Since I was born, my neighbor would babysit me as my own mother worked 2 jobs to support us. She taught me to take care of my hair, cook traditional Jamaican dishes, and even took me to Jamaica with her family. She taught me the importance of being resilient, caring for others, and staying true to myself. Growing up she battled breast cancer 3 times, and she never stopped doing what she could as a special education teacher and mother to three sons. In these times I saw that working hard could get you through so many adversities in life, but I also saw how it is okay to ask others for help. Being there for her when she needed me is where my passion for giving back and helping others came from. Because of this woman I have always followed my dreams, and that has led me to pursuing a degree in music therapy. This field will allow me to connect with and help individuals from many backgrounds. Music therapy will also allow me to learn about and explore other cultures, and forms of communication that aren't mainstream. Most importantly it will allow me to continue what my neighbor taught me.

Community to me is the people you identify with, have helped you, and share similar goals to the future. These groups aren't fixed, and evolve with us as we grow, mature, and our interests change. Each time I am asked to reflect on the communities I belong to, the list changes. Because of some of the communities I have belonged to, I have seen the importance of giving back. I have been a Girl Scout since I was 5, which has given me many opportunities to volunteer and give back. Now that I am in college I have continued that practice by joining clubs and organizations that have a focus on giving back. One of these organizations is the interfaith club. Since I am a member I have had the chance to pack bagged meals for a homeless shelter near my school and participate in a housing program for members of the community experiencing homelessness. I am also a part of the Black Student Union on campus, and have been able to raise money for breast cancer research, deliver birthday gifts to children in foster care, and plan events to help educate those in my school's community on the issues minority students face. My most recent and long-term form of giving back to my community is coaching color guard at a high school near my college. Passing on a passion and being a person for these students to confide in is something I hope to continue throughout my college experience. I am a first-generation, low-income student from Central Florida. Growing up, I always had a passion for cooking/baking, reading and music, which turned into escapes when things got tough. Working in the kitchen has become one of my biggest stress relievers and passions as it requires attentiveness and patience. During the pandemic I began recreating things seen on televised competitions and furthered my love of cooking and baking. Cooking and baking will always have a place in my heart as they were the one thing my mother and I did together while I was growing up. Reading and music have always been my favorite things to do and they gives me a platform to educate myself, but also one to relax and have fun. Reading, just like music, allows me to connect with others and learn from the experiences shared While growing up in a minority community I was able to see the toll poor mental health took on those around me and the low quality care for those with mental illness and disabilities in my area. Because of this I want to become a music therapist so that I can help those in need, and work towards destigmatizing mental illness and disability within BIPOC communities. I also want to show representation in a field where cultural differences can be detrimental to progress. Within this field I plan to do community outreach that educates individuals of the benefits of music therapy and how it compares to alternatives like chemical medication.

Having a career in the arts is important to because it allows for self-expression, representation, and connection with others. Especially during the pandemic, the arts allowed me to escape from the chaos of the world around me. This has been true throughout my whole life, and now that I am beginning my collegiate training connection with others has begun to show its importance. Throughout my first year of college, music was one of the constant things in my life. In the classroom, music was engaging and challenging. Music theory, piano, guitar, and applied voice lessons tested my limits and pushed me to be more creative. Through my computer screen and headphones, music showed me myself in the words and performances of others. Most importantly, with my friends, music showed me how to have fun and bond over shared favorites and explore new styles. In the future, I want to be the one to do those things for others. Having a career in the arts would allow me to do the three things I mentioned, and so much more that will go unseen to me, but will be core memories for others.

My dream for my future is to destigmatize mental illness and disability in minority and low-income communities. Growing up in a predominantly minority community, I have seen how the lack of acknowledgement of these in minority communities has made it harder for members of minority communities to know when to seek help and support. When these individuals finally do, they are met with therapists and doctors who do not understand the cultural aspects of their struggles and are often misdiagnosed and medicated as a first resort. Bringing awareness and information on the different kinds of mental illness and disabilities to these communities will not only help families identify and handle these tough situations better, but hopefully inspire more minority individuals to go into the medical and psychological field. To combat this, I am currently pursuing a degree in music therapy so that I can earn my MT-BC credentials to work as a music therapist. As a music therapist I will be able to help individuals who have been diagnosed with a mental illness, disability, sickness, injury, or have goals they would like to meet through music based interventions. The music therapy field will allow me to interact with individuals from a large background, as well as the opportunity to work in different environments depending on what the goals of the client are. The use of music in this field will allow me to connect with individuals and help them develop coping, management, and everyday skills. This field allows me to learn and develop my skills as a musician, in piano, guitar, and my primary instrument voice, so that I can share it with those around me in a therapeutic setting.