I went back to school full-time in 2019 at the age of 33. I spent the majority of my childhood in the foster care system and aged out at the age of 19. I have always had big dreams but felt almost "stuck" on how to reach them for the first decade of my adulthood due to being a single mother. I spent that decade working through childhood traumas, and learning how to better my mental health not only for myself but for my children, too. I didn't want to miss out on the opportunity to go back to school to better not just my future, but my children's future as well. I am a double major in Psychology and Behavioral and Community Health (graduating December 2023), hoping to start a Master's program in January to become a Licensed Mental Health Counselor so that I can become a High School Psychologist and work with children. I didn't have a lot of support or people who had an understanding of the struggles I faced from childhood trauma and ideally, I would love to be a support system for children whose struggles tend to get swept under the rug. Not only do I work full-time, but I am also a board member and Interim Treasurer for a non-profit organization called The Isaiah 1:17 Project which is a support organization for children in foster care and fostering families. My goal after graduation is to be able to give children the tools they need for their mental health to thrive through school, and well after they enter adulthood. The best way that I could achieve that goal was to go back to school to gather all the knowledge and tools I need to help others succeed.

One of my favorite quotes says something along the lines of "I didn't set out to be a single mother, I set out to be the best mother I could be" (author unknown). This resonates with me often, especially growing up without either of my parents. I spent most of my childhood in the foster care system, being moved around so much that I didn't get the opportunity to really observe what it meant to be a parent. Getting pregnant with my first born really was my saving grace. When I aged out of the foster care system, I didn't have a sense of direction, or even know how to navigate being an adult. I didn't have long term goals, or even dreams that I wanted to follow. I simply just wanted to survive. Being 23, single and pregnant with my son frightening- but it also caused me to grow up in a way that I hadn't had to do yet. Over the last decade I have had some support systems with friendships, but it's definitely not the same as having a family support system. When I all of the sudden became a single parent again last year, my main goal was to give my children a life that they can be proud of and one that they would never have to recover from. They have seen me struggle time and time again, but they've also seen me get back up every time and keep going. My kids have watched me go back to school, while also working full time and being a full-time mom. They have watched me be slower in the mornings after late night homework sessions and have even stepped up to help more around the house because they know how important the "why" is behind me finishing school. They have also been so understanding when I've had to rearrange plans so that I can take care of my assignments. Often times, hanging out with me on the couch just so we can still be together even if it's not exactly what we thought our day would look like. Being a single mom has given me a different take on life. It's given me the motivation to give them more than I've ever had growing up, to give them the mom that I always wish I had. My children are the reason I get up every single day and strive to keep going no matter what obstacles I face. They are the reason that I am constantly trying to better myself so that I can be someone that is able to help others through life.

For as long as I can remember, I have been someone who has always enjoyed helping other people. I grew up in such a non-traditional way, having to overcome obstacles that a lot of people typically don't endure. Spending most of my childhood in the foster care system, the experiences that I went through have both made me strong and vulnerable at the same time. I have had to learn how to navigate adulthood and parenthood without having a support system which has been the biggest learning curve of my life. Having to live through moving from home to home, neglect, abuse, homelessness among other experiences has given me a different perspective on life, love and happiness in general. It has given me a bigger appreciation for help regarding mental health. Growing up, I struggled with knowing where I fit in with the world, and feelings of being an "unwanted" child. When I became a mom, and I watched my children grow and see the different experiences they had with school and peers it started to become so important for me to be an advocate for children and their mental health. I have seen first-hand how school can be considered an "escape" for children who do not have a great home life. I have also seen how schools have so quickly swept bullying under the rug or haven't been pro-active in helping students who are struggling with peer relationships or even challenges they might endure from having developmental delays. At the moment, I am pursuing two degrees- one in general Psychology and the other in Behavioral and Community Health. I have been heavily researching schools so that I can pursue my master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling in order to become a high school Psychologist. My ultimate goal when I am finished is to be able to prevent so many kids in school from falling through the cracks and not having their mental health needs met. I want to be someone that gives these kids the best chance at thriving after school is finished and they are out in the world on their own. To give them the most ideal ways to keep their mental health up to par so they aren't struggling with how to navigate their emotional and physical needs. I want to be someone that these kids can come to for support if they're struggling with how to navigate through obstacles, or even be able to be the one that can reach out because I'm able to observe someone in need.

I don't remember when I first began to be involved in the pro-life movement, or even when I first learned that there was a debate regarding when life begins. Growing up in the foster care system, I have always requested being able to attend church which came with not being able to choose which one-but I was just happy to be able to go. For me, life was always considered life no matter what stage it was in. It wasn't until I was starting in the young adult stage that I began to be vocal about where I stood in the pro-life movement. I remember seeing discussions on forums regarding women being able to choose what they want to with their own body, how it was "beneficial" in order to prevent "unwanted" children from being born. That it's okay to end a pregnancy if a doctor says a child has a deformity or disability that could decrease the quality of life. My research has shown me that doctors are just humans who may or may not be accurate with their medical diagnosis of an unborn child. Ultrasounds might show an issue, but so many babies have been born perfectly healthy. I have always wondered if we would have a cure for cancer by now, or some other miraculous breakthrough had there not been so many innocent children whose lives have been selfishly taken. My favorite and most cringe-worthy debate that I've seen so far has to do with how screwed up our system is and the number of children in the foster care system who have/had to endure hardships. For me, there is no such thing as an unwanted child. Children having to endure hardships or having to face the foster care system does not mean they are not worthy of life. For me, I have had to consistently argue that my value is not determined by another human being. My value does not decrease because I didn't have the opportunity to have a normal childhood. People have been so quick to argue rights for women being so important, but what about the rights of the unborn baby? What about the rights of the father who helped create the unborn child? Spending most of my childhood in foster care has given me the opportunity to look at life from a different perspective than others. For me, God has always been a father to the fatherless and life has always begun at the time of conception. I have been volunteering with the Isaiah 1:17 project which has allowed me the opportunity to help support children in foster care- to not just be a voice that can bring awareness- but also be able to show others that these foster kids are not "less than." To bring hope to those who don't get the opportunity to use their voice yet.