My name is Tara Brown. I am a first-generation college student and a senior nursing student at Gwynedd Mercy University from Philadelphia, PA. It has been statistically shown that only approximately 9.9 percent of registered nurses are African American. Of the nearly 2 million registered nurses in the United States, this percentage is significantly low; however, it exemplifies the need for more representation for African Americans in healthcare. African American patients are more subject to neglect, disdain, and other racial disparities within healthcare than other ethnicities. As a black woman from a predominantly black neighborhood and city that does not place health care as a priority, it is my ultimate goal to end my career as a family nurse practitioner in community health so that I possess not only the knowledge but also the power to save and help improve the quality of lives within marginalized communities. Growing up in a low-income family, I saw first-hand the effects socioeconomic status and systemic racism have on marginalized groups’ attainment of healthcare. As a result, when I was blessed with the opportunity to go to college, I knew I wanted to come out with the ability to make a difference. My goal is to impact communities at large by establishing a community health center where I see patients regardless of insurance status and ability to pay. I want to educate, advocate, and alleviate some of the barriers that are placed on underserved populations to obtaining healthcare. Nursing is important to me because nurses are in a position to care for patients holistically and advocate for them when needed. In my opinion, advocacy is one of the most imperative factors that characterizes nursing. Unfortunately, I have lost a few relatives due to a lack of advocacy, and each time I pondered about what I would have done if I were their nurse or provider. As a nurse in acute care, I will care for my patients holistically thus, I will provide care based on the individual and each of their unique circumstances. As a family nurse practitioner, I aspire to establish a practice that does community outreach for the homeless and low-income communities. I hope to organize recurrent screenings and education days within communities at schools, churches, recreation centers, etc., to discuss and establish preventative measures for health disorders with the overall goal of prolonging and improving the quality of life for all.

My name is Tara Brown, and I am a first-generation college student from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I am currently a junior-year student nurse at Gwynedd Mercy University. I aspire to become a Family Nurse Practitioner specializing in community health. My personal life and my life in Philadelphia inspired me to pursue a career advocating for marginalized individuals. Philadelphia is the nation’s most impoverished large city. Given this, I know firsthand the various barriers that prevent underprivileged individuals from obtaining healthcare, and I strive to promote change. Low-income individuals and people of color are also susceptible to neglect, disdain, and dismissal within healthcare settings. Lack of representation and advocacy plays a critical factor in this unfortunate reality. As a nurse, I will strive to always advocate for my patients in the face of ignorance and adversity. The ability to advocate for individuals who may not be able to do so for themselves is what motivates me to become a nurse. I hope to reduce the barrier race and poverty creates for healthcare in as many lives and communities as possible. I plan to establish my practice in low-income areas, collaborating with community outreach organizations to educate, screen, and medically intervene in individuals and families to help improve the quality and longevity of their lives. I plan to frequently visit homeless shelters and provide needed healthcare, in addition to doing international missionary work. I ultimately would like to take my nursing education and experience to establish an independent practice where I can touch as many lives as possible, regardless of their circumstances. I would like to thank Susan Leslie Wood Memorial for their generosity, time, and consideration. Best regards, Tara Brown.

My name is Tara Brown. I am a first-generation college student from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I am currently a junior-year student nurse at Gwynedd Mercy University, pursuing a Bachelor in the Science of Nursing degree. I aspire to become a Doctoral Family Nurse Practitioner specializing in community health. It has been statistically shown that only approximately 9.9 percent of registered nurses are African American, and only 6.5 percent of nurse practitioners are African American. Of the nearly 2 million registered nurses in the United States, this percentage is significantly low; however, it exemplifies the need for more representation for African Americans within the health care system. African American patients are more subject to neglect, disdain, and other racial disparities within healthcare settings than other ethnicities. They also have the highest rate of mortality due to cardiovascular disease, cancer, and other chronic diseases. As a black woman, and from a predominantly black neighborhood and city that does not place health care as a priority, it is my goal to become a community health Family Nurse Practitioner to reduce the gap between race and poverty, and to adequate healthcare. I plan to work alongside community outreach organizations to educate, screen, and medically intervene in lower-income areas, in addition to expanding access to healthcare amongst the homeless population. My early life growing up in Philadelphia inspired me to pursue a career in community health. I have seen and experienced the effects of inadequate healthcare access and education countless times. From a young child, I was able to see the undervalue that healthcare professionals held for black patients in comparison to other races. I have seen my parents’ concerns about me get ignored and disregarded several times growing up, and those same concerns were later proven to be valid and true. In a two-year research study conducted by Sinai Urban Health Institute, it was concluded that in an all-cause mortality rate, the deaths of black individuals were 24% higher than that of white individuals per year. I have personally lost relatives to this statistic of lack of representation and advocacy within the healthcare system. Unfortunately, this is a continuous cycle that impacts the lives of people of color and low-income families daily. I personally come from a low-income family and will be the first to graduate college. Thus, I want to take this first-time opportunity to put more good into the world. I feel that often successful individuals who did not come from a successful background tend to leave their roots and not look back. I would like to give back to the community that I came from and help prolong and improve the quality of life for as many lives as possible. I plan to do missionary work worldwide and establish a practice that will travel across the nation to health screen and educate communities. Ultimately, it is my goal to play a role in a team of professionals that helps to improve health care for all.

My name is Tara Brown. I am currently a junior-year student nurse at Gwynedd Mercy University in Pennsylvania. I am a first-generation college student from West Philadelphia, and I aspire to become a Family Nurse Practitioner specializing in community health. Philadelphia is the nation’s most impoverished large city. Given this, I know firsthand the various barriers that prevent impoverished individuals from receiving adequate health care and a better quality of life. I hope to help reduce this barrier and provide care to those in need. I plan to establish my practice within homeless shelters and travel to different communities nationwide to do health screenings and educate their residents on health maintenance. My early life growing up in Philadelphia inspired me to pursue a career in community health. I have lost relatives due to a lack of representation and advocacy within the healthcare system. Unfortunately, this continuous cycle impacts the lives of people of color and low-income families daily. I will be the first person in my family to graduate college, and I want to take this accomplishment to put more good into the world. I feel that successful individuals who did not come from a successful background often leave their roots and not look back. I would like to give back to the community I came from and help prolong and improve the quality of life for as many lives as possible. I have volunteered at neighborhood daycares and frequently donate food and clothes to nearby shelters and organizations. I currently have an accumulative 3.92 GPA and a 4.0 Fall term GPA. I am a recipient of the Jeffery A. Mattos Memorial Nursing Scholarship, Sister Frances Ward Grant recipient, and a W.W. Smith Charitable Trust recipient. In 2012 I was named a President’s Education Awards Program recipient for outstanding academic excellence and the Congressional Education Award for academic excellence. I am currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in nursing; however, I plan to become a Doctor of Nursing Practice as a Family Nurse Practitioner and to touch communities across the nation and, if possible, the world. By paying down my student loans, I would be able to further expand my practice by doing missionary work without the stress of income to pay off my loans. I will be pursuing at least two more degrees; thus, I will likely have an extensive amount of debt when I am finished. By eradicating this debt, I will be able to establish my practice in lower-income areas (where healthcare professionals are not paid as high) without the stress of being able to fulfill my own financial needs. I would like to thank Charles Cheeseman’s Student Debt Reduction for their generosity, time, and consideration. Thank you for reading my submission. Best, Tara Brown.

My name is Tara Brown, and I am a sophomore nursing student from Philadelphia. Pa. I am a first-generation college student, and I aspire to become a Community Health Nurse Practitioner that assists individuals in marginalized communities. It has been statistically shown that approximately 9.9 percent of Registered Nurses are African American. Of the nearly 2 million registered nurses in the United States, this percentage is significantly low; however, it exemplifies the need for more representation for African Americans in health care. African American patients are more subject to neglect, disdain, and other racial disparities within health care settings than other ethnicities, and the deadly cycle must be stopped. As a black woman, and one from a predominantly black neighborhood and city that does not place health care as a priority, it is my goal to be a community health provider so that I not only possess the knowledge, but the power to save lives. Growing up in West Philadelphia, I have seen and experienced the impact of being a part of a lower socioeconomic class. Individuals within underserved communities lack access to various resources, including adequate healthcare. As a result, comorbidities and mortality rates tend to be higher within these communities. Thus, I have been inspired to pursue a career in community health that will help alleviate the inaccessibility these communities face. In addition to working in poverty-stricken communities, some of my goals relative to community health are working with the homeless population and drug rehabilitation facilities. I hope to have an impact on the maintenance and care of the health and well-being of these individuals, as they are often disregarded in society. I dream of one day opening a nondiscriminatory practice within underserved communities that will holistically assist all individuals with their health regardless of their background or ability to pay.

My name is Tara Brown, and I am a sophomore nursing student from Philadelphia. Pa. I am a first-generation college student and I aspire to become a Community Health Nurse Practitioner that assists individuals in marginalized communities. Born and raised in West Philadelphia, I have seen the various restraints mental health has had on communities and families. There is an inequitable stigma on individuals struggling with mental health. Oftentimes, these individuals reside in communities where accessible resources are scarce. Likewise, many individuals go without proper help or treatment and furthermore may have difficulties finding work, education, etc. My goal as a Community Health Nurse Practioner is to diminish those stigmas, alleviate some of the inaccessibility, and provide holistic care for the health and well-being of individuals who are often disregarded in society. Struggling with anxiety, depression, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) myself, I also know the impact that mental health can have on an individual's emotional health, physical health, relationships, cognitive abilities, and much more. I will strive to assist individuals of all backgrounds in treating their mental health conditions, furthermore improving their overall quality of life. I plan to do so by adequately assessing and diagnosing clients for mental health conditions, and providing proper treatment and associating resources for my clients to utilize. I hope to have an impact on communities, individuals, and their families. I dream of one day opening my own practice within underserved communities that will holistically assist all individuals with their health, regardless of their background.