1) Developing and possessing grit is the attribute I embody the most. I came into Howard University as an elementary education student for the first semester and then realized that I wanted to switch to nursing in the second semester. I had to work hard to make that adjustment. I was taking 21 credits to get on track for the nursing program. The workload and content were completely different than that of an elementary education major so I had to do my due diligence to make sure I didn't fall behind. I pulled all-nighters to study and missed out on friend activities but I didn't mind because I wanted to do everything in my power to make sure I made it into upper division and graduated on time. I did just that, I made it into the upper division and is now on track to graduate on time. now getting to that point was not easy, it took a lot of grit. At Howard, there is a thing called the run around which basically means getting help from administration or financial aid won't be easy and I had to learn the hard way how to stand my ground and advocate for myself. I had a professor who put in a D on my final transcript even though I received a C on Canvas. It was in the spring semester of my sophomore year so the summer was very near. The professor knew it was a mistake however he was holding off on changing it to the correct grade because he needed a couple of days to fix it in the system. However, a few days turned into weeks and it still wasn't updated. Normally I would not be too worried about the time frame but my application to the upper division nursing program was due and it relied on my grades. So I kept emailing my professor, but I was just receiving the runaround. So I went to the chairs and deans and tried to advocate for myself as much as possible. Eventually, it worked and I realized that no matter what rank or power someone has I should always try to advocate for myself. In terms of continuing that advocating I process a lot of grit through financial means. Every summer I work an internship plus another part-time job to make a stable income. Howard has always been my dream school and I refuse to let finances get in the way of something that makes me happy. So I even work through the school year on top of clinicals, exams, and all my coursework. Being at Howard has definitely put a strain on my finances but I refuse to give up. I apply for as many scholarships as possible and work hard to help fund my tuition and housing. Having this girt at a young age is challenging but Im grateful that I had to get it because it helped me learn and mature in ways that I never would have imagined. 2) Dare to take calculated risks is my greatest area of improvement. Sometimes I feel like I have my life planned out to a Tea and that I don't want to try anything different that may alter those steps towards my life plan. I'm realizing that not everything has to be planned out perfectly and that life has unexpected challenges and new paths. I need to be more open to those changes and start taking risks because good things can come from it. Im learning the importance of putting myself out there and doing things I wouldn't normally do. For me it's scary but it's an attribute that I want to embody and learn. I plan to improve it by not being so calculated with my life and seeing yes to new things. Im going to start applying and trying new things that aren't normal for me. i will also be more open to asking for help and getting advice on risks that will benefit my professional and social life. Im super excited to begin my journey of taking calculated risk.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience often. For me, the hardest part was never having anyone to talk to about it. It. has always been hard for me to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "You have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. Dealing with mental health challenges in the school itself also comes with its own unique challenges. Trying to keep up with schoolwork, finding myself, adjusting to adulthood, and financial stress. Especially as a nursing major, there are nights when I am pulling all-nighters to prepare for exams, long unpaid clinical hours, and just working my part-time job to pay for school. Although all of that has really impacted my performance and personal life I still make it a priority to take care of myself mentally and physically. I am a huge nature junkie, I find peace in hiking, meditating, and just being outside in general. So if the weather permits I always spend at least one day a week at a park to just walk around and relax my mind. After my walk, I spend time journaling. I journal my feelings, my goals, give myself affirmations, and just try to fulfill myself with so much self-love and gratitude for working towards a better life for myself. Along with self-love, I believe a big thing that contributes to mental health is relationships. Sometimes it gets hard to attend every girl's night or party due to my course schedule and work load however I do my best to time manage and make sure I am prioritizing friendship time. Having good friends in college has made the journey so much easier. I have friends who understand, support, and uplift me and it really helps. My friends and I will do fun things together, spend quality time, and overall attribute to each other's mental health. Maintaining a sense of self and friendships has really helped my mental health and making sure I take time for both of those is something I will continue to do for the rest of my life.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience often. For me, the hardest part was never having anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. It caused me to conceal them and not tell anyone how I really feel. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. Realizing that I shouldn't be afraid to ask for help really helped me work towards that. I joined mental health apps where you could discuss your issues and receive free advice. I talked to friends about what was going on. When others aren't available I found comfort in myself and learned healing strategies. Like journaling, meditating, spending time in nature, and dancing. It really has helped me over the years and I feel so much more capable of handling my depression. Which has made me want to help others in terms of mental health. I see myself as a registered nurse in a psychiatric specialty. Normally when people envision nursing they think of only the physical part; vitals, charting, examining, and taking care of sick people. However, an important specialty that people normally neglect is mental health. Mental health plays such a huge role in people's everyday lives. I for one struggle with mental health, and I know what it feels like to not have any support and feel alone. So I want to take that feeling and use it to help others. I want to be more than just a caregiver I want to provide a listening ear. The nurse is the one who supports that patient through their tough times and provides comfort in their scariest moments. Sometimes the patients don't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, and I want to do my due diligence to listen intently, stand up, and advocate for my patients.

I see myself as a Registered Nurse in one year. I will work diligently to make that a reality. During my process of becoming a nurse I've cried after exams, pulled all-nighters to study, and made mistakes in clinicals, but I got through it. Going through those failures and mistakes has shaped me into a stronger student and person. Now Im learning my study methods, and time management skills, and becoming more confident in clinical. Although nursing school has been hard it has been extremely rewarding. Of course, I have engaged in clinicals and many exams. However, nursing school has provided me with even more. It has pushed me to do the uncomfortable. I know that in the profession of nursing, there will be a lot of invasive procedures I would have to conduct, coworkers with differing opinions, and just overall uncomfortable situations. But I learned how to be comfortable in the uncomfortable. I was taught to still maintain a professional manner even in situations that are different than what I am used to. I realized that throughout nursing school I have gotten better at public speaking, being comfortable asking lots of questions, and taking initiative. Although school will always have its challenges, there are outside factors like financial issues, heartbreak, and hard times that have been a wild experience. I have experienced difficulties with affording rent since Howard doesn't provide housing for upperclassmen. Heartbreaks during the biggest exams, and just overall family battles. But I believe all of those hardships are preparing me for life. Especially going to school 9 hours away from home and being alone It allowed me to mature in ways I never thought. There have been so many silent battles I have fought on my pursuit to higher education however I still am enrolled in school and refused to give up on my dreams. My dream is to be a registered nurse in a psychiatric speciality. One thing that really opened my eyes to my dream specialty was having an externship in psych. I was able to float on the kid unit, adult, manic, and major depressive. In each of those units, I was overwhelmed with appreciation. Seeing patients start smiling more or saying that I made them feel better by just sitting in silence and listening without judgment. Seeing patients improve in a few days and even weeks was impressive. Knowing that I was a contributing factor in their treatment felt great. Working as a healthcare professional will also provide me with different techniques and methods to care for myself. I learned different relaxation methods and various outlooks for engaging in recreational therapy. I am currently in the psych clinical rotation and have learned and experienced so much. I have been able to hear stories on how patients have turned their lives completely around and how medications and one-to-one care by the nurses have significantly improved their outlook on life. I learned that the mental state has a huge impact on the physical state and being able to heal that first has such positive benefits. I am really looking forward to helping others on their journey to healing and all of the work I am putting in now will help me achieve that.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience often. My biggest challenge is mental health. For me, the hardest part was never having anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. It caused me to conceal them and not tell anyone how I really feel. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. When I was younger, I sought validation and was very insecure, I did not have anyone to talk to about how I would flatiron my hair every other day in the morning for school to look like my white friends. I did not have anyone to talk to about all the microaggressions said to my face that I never called out because I did not understand it all. If I couldn't even comprehend it at the time, how could I expect the counselors or therapists at my school? Which made me want to pursue mental health nursing. I want to be someone people can talk to about those kinds of things. I have hopes that I could add more minority representation in the field of mental health. It's good to talk and listen to people who can relate and share similar experiences. I hope to break the stigma that black women have to be strong and independent all the time. I want to be the helping and listening voice in my community.

I see myself in five years as a Registered Nurse. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I've cried after exams, pulled all-nighters to study, and made mistakes in clinical, but I got through it. Going through those failures has shaped me into a stronger student and person. Although it has been hard it is extremely rewarding. Speaking of rewarding this scholarship is so impactful. Howard has always been my dream school and the cost has continued to rise more and more each year. Howard doesn't provide housing for upperclassmen so I had to find an off-campus apartment to rent. Rent is extremely expensive in DC and I've been working diligently at my part-time job throughout the school year as well as two jobs over the summers, however, it still hasn't been enough. It's so hard trying to balance out exams, clinical, and social life, on top of working a job. If I was to receive this scholarship it would get me so much closer to achieving my dream as a psych nurse, so I can advocate for the patients. Howard has always been my dream school and I am so close to the finish line. This scholarship could help take the financial stress off of my and my parent's shoulders and help make the graduation process a lot smoother. In terms of my career, something really important to me is supporting mental health. Normally when people envision nursing they think of only the physical part; vitals, charting, examining, and taking care of sick people. However, an important specialty that people normally neglect is mental health. Mental health plays such a huge role in people's everyday lives. I for one struggle with mental health, and I know what it feels like to not have any support and feel alone. So I want to take that feeling and use it to help others. I want to be more than just a caregiver I want to provide a listening ear. The nurse is the one who supports that patient through their tough times and provides comfort in their scariest moments. Sometimes the patients don't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, and I want to do my due diligence to listen intently, stand up, and advocate for my patients to make sure that they are completely comfortable and safe.

My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. After they graduated they took their journey to adulthood by going to different colleges. However, they remained strong. When looking at them you would see the perfect relationship, my dad who drove an hour to visit her on campus every week. That led to my mom and dad getting pregnant at 19. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience, so she stayed and finished college all four years. She graduated with me on her hip. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do.I was 8 years old when he first arrested. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. To this day he uses me as a crutch whenever he needs something, he always tries to make me feel bad saying he was so young when he had me and that it's going to take him a while to get his life together. My mom had to become the sole provider financially for me, because my dad couldn't keep a job to contribute anything. This is why I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I graduated high school as valedictorian and I made the dean's list every semester and I'm thriving in college. I will never settle for anything less which is why Im pursuing my Bachelor's degree in nursing. I see myself in five years as an RN working in pysch. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. I will help so many people overcome their healthcare challenges. Many think nurses only help physically but the nurses also contribute to the mental health aspect by reassuring and being there for them. My dad couldn't do that for me, but I will make sure I do that for my future patients. Getting a degree in nursing science Nursing has not been easy, I've cried after multiple exams, pulled all-nighters to study, and made mistakes in clinical, but I got through it. Going through those failures has shaped me into a stronger student and person. I made it my goal to create better study habits, establish proper time management, and prioritize my mental health. Making those changes has gotten me so much closer to achieving my dream as a nurse. When I graduate my goal is to pass my NCLEX on the first try and obtain a job as an RN in a psych unit. Over the summer I had a nursing internship working in a psychiatric facility. Normally when people envision nursing they think of only the physical part; vitals, charting, examining, and taking care of sick people. But an important specialty that people normally neglect is mental health. Mental health plays such a huge role in people's everyday lives, and being able to help in the mental health field is crucial for me. I for one struggle with mental health, and I know what it feels like to not have any support and feel alone. So I want to take that feeling and use it to help others. At my internship, I got to talk and listen to patients' stories and concerns, administer medications to help with mental health, help the therapist with group therapy, and shadow the doctor when admitting and discharging patients. It made me realize the impact I could have for patients mentally. When healthcare workers are genuine they can have such a positive impact on people's lives. The role of a nurse is to provide support, a lot of the time the nurse is the patient's VIP, sometimes that patient has no family, and they feel alone and scared, the nurse has to be more than just a caregiver, they have to be a listening ear. Sometimes the patient doesn't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, so standing up and being an advocate is necessary to me.

I see myself in five years as a Registered Nurse. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently in nursing school at Howard University and it has not been easy, I've cried after multiple exams, pulled all-nighters to study, and made mistakes in clinical, but I got through it. Going through those failures has shaped me into a stronger student and person. I made it my goal to create better study habits, establish proper time management, and prioritize my mental health. Making those changes has gotten me so much closer to achieving my dream as a nurse. When I graduate my goal is to pass my NCLEX on the first try and obtain a job as an RN in a psych unit My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide the mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse who listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know their lives are in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. When healthcare workers are genuine they can have such a positive impact on people's lives. I currently have a nursing internship working in a psychiatric facility. Normally when people envision nursing they think of only the physical part; vitals, charting, examining, and taking care of sick people. But an important specialty that people normally neglect is mental health. Mental health plays such a huge role in people's everyday lives, and being able to help in the mental health field is crucial for me. I for one struggle with mental health, and I know what it feels like to not have any support and feel alone. So I want to take that feeling and use it to help others. At my internship, I get to talk and listen to patients' stories and concerns, administer medications to help with mental health, help the therapist with group therapy, and shadow the doctor when admitting and discharging patients The role of a nurse is to provide support, a lot of the time the nurse is the patient's VIP, sometimes that patient has no family, and they feel alone and scared, the nurse has to be more than just a caregiver, they have to be a listening ear. The nurse is the one that supports that patient through their tough times. Support is crucial for any connection, job, and just everyday life, but what's also important is advocacy. Sometimes the patient doesn't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, so standing up and being an advocate is necessary to me. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. After they graduated they took their journey to adulthood by going to different colleges. However, they remained strong. When looking at them you would see the perfect relationship, my dad who drove an hour to visit her on campus every week. That led to my mom and dad getting pregnant at 19. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience, so she stayed and finished college all four years. She graduated with me on her hip. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. I was in 2nd grade when he first got arrested. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. To this day he uses me as a crutch whenever he needs something, he always tries to make me feel bad saying he was so young when he had me and that it's going to take him a while to get his life together. This is why I strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I will never settle for anything less which is why Im pursuing my Bachelor's degree in nursing. I see myself in five years as an RN working in pysch. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. I will help so many people overcome their healthcare challenges. Many think nurses only help physically but the nurses also contribute to the mental health aspect by reassuring and being there for them. My dad couldn't do that for me, but I will make sure I give back to my community as a nurse for my future patients.

I am currently in nursing school at Howard University and it has not been easy, I've cried after multiple exams, pulled all-nighters to study, and made mistakes in clinicals, but I got through it. I had to hold myself accountable and realize that I needed to prioritize my time better and learn better study skills. Whenever I didn't study enough and choose to spend time with friends it reflected poorly on my exams. I had to set myself straight and realize that my priority was to go to school not spend time with friends. Going through those failures has shaped me into a stronger student and person. Making those changes has gotten me so much closer to achieving my dream as a nurse. When I graduate my goal is to pass my NCLEX on the first try and obtain a job as an RN in a psych unit. When looking at our healthcare system there are a lot of inequalities and malprctices that take place. But it is due to racism, sexism, and a superiority complex. However I belive that when advocacy and support is in the front line of patient care, so much good can be achieved. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide the mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse who listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know their lives are in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. Over the summer I had a nursing internship working in a psychiatric facility. Normally when people envision nursing they think of only the physical part; vitals, charting, examining, and taking care of sick people. But an important specialty that people normally neglect is mental health. Mental health plays such a huge role in people's everyday lives, and being able to help in the mental health field is crucial for me. I for one struggle with mental health, and I know what it feels like to not have any support and feel alone. So I want to take that feeling and use it to help others. At my internship, I get to talk and listen to patients' stories and concerns, administer medications to help with mental health, help the therapist with group therapy, and shadow the doctor when admitting and discharging patients. Having this experience made me realize my passion for mental health and how I want it to be my future. The role of a nurse is to provide support, a lot of the time the nurse is the patient's VIP, sometimes that patient has no family, and they feel alone and scared, the nurse has to be more than just a caregiver, they have to be a listening ear. The nurse is the one that supports that patient through their tough times. Sometimes the patient doesn't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, so standing up and being an advocate is necessary to me.

I see myself in five years as a Registered Nurse in a psych unit. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently in nursing school at Howard University and it has not been easy, I've cried after multiple exams, pulled all-nighters to study, and made mistakes in clinical, but I got through it. Going through those failures has shaped me into a stronger student and person. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. Many gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide the mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse who listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know their lives are in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. Over the summer I had a nursing internship working in a psychiatric facility. Normally when people envision nursing they think of only the physical part; vitals, charting, examining, and taking care of sick people. But an important specialty that people normally neglect is mental health. Mental health plays such a huge role in people's everyday lives, and being able to help in the mental health field is crucial for me. I for one struggle with mental health, and I know what it feels like to not have any support and feel alone. So I want to take that feeling and use it to help others.

I want to give a little backstory about my childhood My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. They were minor offenses that only resulted in him being in jail for 5 months or less each time. However, that doesn’t make it hurt any less. It did hurt me however I saw the impact it had on my mom. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. After they graduated they took their journey to adulthood by going to different colleges. However, they still remained strong. When looking at them you would see the perfect relationship, my dad who drove an hour to visit her on campus every week. That led to my mom and dad getting pregnant at 19. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience, so she stayed and finished college all four years. She graduated with me on her hip. My dad, however, gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. I was in 2nd grade the first time he got arrested. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. I thought he was just acting like that because he just got out of jail and was trying to get his life back together but it became a recurring thing. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. My mom taught me to fulfill that absent void by gaining self-worth. My mom taught me never to stop fighting for my dreams and to never settle for anything less and she is guiding me to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing. I see myself in five years as an RN working in psych. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I want to be a nurse who advocates for my patients and listens and treats them like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. My mom is making my journey through nursing school so much easier. Even though my childhood was hectic I wouldn't trade my experience for anything. Having my mom help me through it definitely made life better.

I see myself in a few years as a registered nurse in a psychiatric hospital. Over the summer I was a nursing intern in a psychiatric hospital .Normally when people envision nursing they think of only the physical part; vitals, charting, examining, and taking care of sick people. But an important specialty that people normally neglect is mental health. Mental health plays such a huge role in people's everyday lives, and being able to help in the mental health field is crucial for me. I for one struggle with mental health, and I know what it feels like to not have any support and feel alone. So I want to take that feeling and use it to help others. At my internship, I got to talk and listen to patients' stories and concerns, and administer medications to help with any disorders they have. My purpose is to advocate for others and myself. I am currently in nursing school at Howard University and it has not been easy, I've cried after multiple exams, pulled all-nighters to study, and made mistakes in clinical, but I got through it. Going through those failures has shaped me into a stronger student and person. I made it my goal to advocate for myself by creating better study habits, establishing proper time management, and prioritizing my mental health. Making those changes has gotten me so much closer to achieving my dream as a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. Studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide the mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse who listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know their lives are in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. Which is why I believe I embody the B.A.B.Y L.O.V.E spirit.

I am a bisexual black woman from Kentucky. I've had my fair share of racism, sexism, and homophobia. I never understood how people can have so much hate in their hearts when I was just born with things I can't control. Learning with intersectionality is and how that plays a role in creating who I am and how I am treated in society was truly eye-opening. Being a minority in so many different roles has truly pushed me to advocate and helping others. I see myself in five years as an RN working in psych or pediatrics. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide the mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse who listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. The role of a nurse is to provide support, a lot of the time the nurse is the patient's VIP, sometimes that patient has no family, and they feel alone and scared, the nurse has to be more than just a caregiver, they have to be a listening ear. The nurse is the one who supports that patient through their tough times. Sometimes the patient doesn't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, so standing up and being an advocate is necessary to me.

The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in psych. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a rising senior at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make up 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point in time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide the mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse who listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. I currently have a nursing internship working in a psychiatric facility. Normally when people envision nursing they think of only the physical part; vitals, charting, examining, and taking care of sick people. However an important specialty that people normally neglect is mental health. Mental health plays such a huge role in people's everyday lives, and being able to help in the mental health field is crucial for me. I for one struggle with mental health, and I know what it feels like to not have any support and feel alone. So I want to take that feeling and use it to help others. At my internship, I get to talk and listen to patients' stories and concerns, administer medications to help with mental health, help the therapist with group therapy, and shadow the doctor when admitting and discharging patients. I've learned so much working this internship and it has truly fueled my passion for becoming a psych nurse.

My mom graduated college with me on her hip and still managed to achieve her goals. She is my biggest inspiration and supporter. Watching her make sure I never had to struggle while she was going through issues with my dad and still trying to balance being a young woman. She instilled persistene and drive in me since a child and from that point on I knew that college was for me. I would be so excited to go to school and learn new materials and I knew that I wanted to care for people and show unlimited support to others in the same way my mom did for me. I want to work as a RN in psych and my biggest goal for that is to make sure I am advocating. There have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide that mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. I currently have a nursing exterernship working in a psychiatric facility. Normally when people envision nursing they think of only the physical part But an important specialty that people normally neglect is mental health. Mental health plays such a huge role in people's everyday lives, and being able to help in the mental health field is crucial for me. I for one struggle with mental health, and I know what it feels like to not have any support and feel alone. So I want to take that feeling and use it to help others. At my externship, I get to talk and listen to patients' stories and concerns, administer medications to help with mental health, help the therapist with group therapy, and shadow the doctor when admitting and discharging patients. Being able to do that has been such an amazing experience for me and I feel so much closer to living out my dream.

When you think of Kentucky what do you envision? You may think of the Kentucky Derby, barefoot people, and KFC. However Kentucky is so much more than that. To me Kentucky is my comfort place; a way for me to hike wherever I want, have all of my cousins live within 5 minutes from me, and have a built in community that takes care of each other. Being from Kentucky has its ups and downs especially as a black woman. But being in one of the most diverse cities definitely helps. Louisville has the biggest black community in Kentucky. But with more diversity comes more racism. Which makes me want to do everything I can to advocate for my community. The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics or in psych. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a rising senior at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide that mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

The social justice issues that mean the most to me is inequality in healthcare and mental health.My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. I think it's important to get involved to start advocating and making sure voices are heard in healthcare. The quality of care can directly impact if someone survives or not, and having workers that genuineloly care and make sure their patients understand everything is crucial. I will make sure as a future nurse that I am listening and understanding every single concern my patients have. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. Even those that arent working or aspiring to be healthcare providers can get involved as well. Spreading awareness on social media or by word of mouth really helps. And even just sharing stories or experiences about medical mistreatment can do wonders to change the healthcare system.

1. I am terrified of dogs, even the smallest puppy causes me to run and scream. But Im not afraid of l zip-lining, hiking, ice skating, and horseback riding. To sum it up, anything that has to do with nature and adventure. I'm honestly someone who isn't afraid to try new things. Working towards achieving my dream life motivates me. I see myself with a happy family that is financially stable. My mom is the reason I even have that dream. She beat all the odds of teen pregnancy and is in a happy marriage working a job she loves. She got pregnant with me at 19 and still managed to graduate college, my dad didn't help at all during my childhood so she was pretty much on her own until she met my stepdad. She is so hardworking and resilient, just looking at her life makes me want to push so hard. I've figured out my calling. My calling is to become a nurse. That will be my future. I want to become a pediatric or psych nurse because I want to make sure everyone can live to see their success. I want to make sure they can achieve it as healthily as possible. One of most cherished servitude that’s still dear to my heart was when I volunteered as a peer tutor. A peer tutor is someone that assists special friends. Special friends are the special needs students that went to our school. I taught them how to match colors with words, tie their shoes, and count with paper money. However, while being a peer tutor I felt so much more. One of my special friends, always made me a gift when I went to class. She would draw a picture of me and put it on my desk. It made me feel so welcomed and appreciated. I felt joy whenever my special friends got an answer right. I felt joy watching them sing and dance to their favorite song. I was excited to hear about their favorite color and food. I was ecstatic when the student that was struggling to tie their shoes finally got it. They made me feel loved every single day. I returned the favor by helping them with their math and reading. But I think I made them feel loved even more by never looking at them as different. I saw all of them as my friends, they know that they are unique but I tried my best to show them they are still deserving of being seen as the same. I would make tik-toks with them, and talk to them about my favorite movies, and my home life. I wanted to do everything I could to build their confidence. I knew that as a leader my duty was to guide them, I hope that I guided them toward finding happiness and confidence within themself. Taking on those roles of being a friend, teacher, and caregiver has taught me patience and acceptance. I’m so thankful for having that opportunity because each and every single one of them has impacted my life so much. This experience has fueled my passion for becoming a nurse. It made me realize that I have a natural passion for caring for people. I will be more than just a nurse who treats them, I will be an advocate for them. I'm making sure every single question is answered, and hesitant I will provide as much info as I can, and most importantly I will just listen.

I knew that I took a huge risk going to a private HBCU However, It was a dream school and I didn't want finance to be the reason I couldn't follow my dream. I feel like as humans we need to follow our passions and dreams because if we don't we will regret it so much. I am currently in student- loan debt. I am doing everything in my power to try to stay at my dream school. I work two jobs over the summer, work part-time during the school year, and apply for as many scholarships as I can. I just want to lift the weight off my mom's shoulders. My mom already is in her own student loan debt and I don't want to stress her out worrying about mine as well. She is supporting me so much going here to follow my dreams and I don't want to let her down, and more importantly, I don't want to let down myself for not doing anything that I can to prove to everyone that I made a good decision. This scholarship could help me get so much closer to achieving my goals and dreams by allowing me to stay enrolled at this school. This scholarship can also help me long term by getting me closer to my future goal because I won't be in as much debt and be struggling for the rest of my life to pay it off, and I can focus on mobility in my career and starting a family. Speaking of career I see myself in 5 years as a Registerd Nurse working in psych or pediatrics. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. Studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women.. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide that mental health support that they need and deserve as well.I want to be a nurse who listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

I am a country-loving 20-year-old dancer from Kentucky. I love zip-lining, hiking, ice skating, and horseback riding. To sum it up, anything that has to do with nature and adventure. Working towards achieving my dream life motivates me. I see myself with a happy family that is financially stable.I've figured out my calling. My calling is to become a nurse. I want to become a pediatric or psych nurse because I want to make sure everyone can live to see their success. I go to a private HBCU, which is extremely expensive. I knew that I took a huge risk coming here. However, It was a dream school and I didn't want finance to be the reason I couldn't follow my dream. I feel like as humans we need to follow our passions and dreams because if we don't we will regret it so much. I am currently in $5000 in student- loan debt. I am doing everything in my power to try to stay at my dream school. I work two jobs over the summer, work part-time during the school year, and apply for as many scholarships as I can. I just want to lift the weight off my mom's shoulders. My mom already is in her own student loan debt and I don't want to stress her out worrying about mine as well. This scholarship will help me now by allowing me to stay enrolled at this school, But it could also, help me in the future because I won't be in as much debt and be struggling for the rest of my life to pay it off. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S.. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide the mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse who listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. Sometimes the patient doesn't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, so standing up and being an advocate is necessary to me.

I am a country-loving 20 year-old dancer from Kentucky. I love zip-lining, hiking, ice skating, and horseback riding. To sum it up, anything that has to do with nature and adventure. I'm honestly someone who isn't afraid to try new things. Working towards achieving my dream life motivates me. I see myself with a happy family that is financially stable. I've figured out my calling. My calling is to become a nurse. That will be my future. I will work to make sure I am in the career of my dreams, not just something that pays well I will be happy. I want to become a pediatric or psych nurse because I want to make sure everyone can live to see their success. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. Studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide that mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. I currently have a nursing internship working in a psychiatric facility. Normally when people envision nursing they think of only the physical part; vitals, charting, examining, and taking care of sick people. However an important specialty that people normally neglect is mental health. Mental health plays such a huge role in people's everyday lives, and being able to help in the mental health field is crucial for me. I for one struggle with mental health, and I know what it feels like to not have any support and feel alone. So I want to take that feeling and use it to help others. At my internship, I get to talk and listen to patients' stories and concerns, administer medications to help with mental health, help the therapist with group therapy, and shadow the doctor when admitting and discharging patients. Im really enjoying it and I would love to continue this in the future.

Going to college for me means advocating for myself. At college Ive learned so much not only academically but personally. Strating to learn my triggers and figuring them out in a new state without my parents has been eye-opening. Having to shop for my own groceries, schedule appointments, deal with car troubles, and just everyday things that I relied on other people for, has really formed my independence and prepared me for adulthood. I like learning and being in a setting where everyone is trying to accomplish their goals and fulfill their dreams, it's inspiring and it pushes me to want more for myself. I am currently a rising senior at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. I see myself working in either psych or pediatrics. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide that mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. The role of a nurse is to provide support, a lot of the time the nurse is the patient's VIP, sometimes that patient has no family, and they feel alone and scared, the nurse has to be more than just a caregiver, they have to be a listening ear. The nurse is the one that supports that patient through their tough times.Sometimes the patient doesn't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, so standing up and being an advocate is necessary to me.

I absolutely adore the bond my mom and I have. We are super-close Since it was just us, we became each-others best-friend. I tell her about my boy's problems and mental health issues. She understands because of how young she is and what she went through. I'm so inspired by her and I know that If I am ever a single mom in the future, she will be here to guide me through it. I want to give a little backstory about my childhood My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. They were minor offenses that only resulted in him being in jail for 5 months or less each time. However, that doesn’t make it hurt any less. It did hurt me however I saw the impact it had on my mom. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. After they graduated they took their journey to adulthood by going to different colleges. my dad would drive an hour to visit her on campus every week. That led to my mom and dad getting pregnant at 18. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience, so she stayed and finished college all four years. She graduated with me on her hip. My dad, however, gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill. My dad was struggling to keep a job and started cheating on my mom. So she left him. About 2 years after she left him was when he was first arrested. I was in 2nd grade. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. During high school, I eventually realized that I shouldn't fight for a relationship that the other person cares nothing about. My mom taught me to fulfill that absent void by gaining self-worth. I graduated as valedictorian in high school and made the dean's list every semester so far in college. My mom taught me never to stop fighting for my dreams and to never settle for anything less and she is guiding me to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics or psych. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I want to be a nurse that advocates for my patients and listens and treats them like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. My mom is making my journey through nursing school so much easier. Even though my childhood was hectic I wouldn't trade my experience for anything. Having my mom help me through it definitely made life better. I am her legacy and I will not let her down.

I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in Pysch. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a rising senior at Howard University as a nursing major. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S.. there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide the mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse who listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. The role of a nurse is to provide support, a lot of the time the nurse is the patient's VIP, sometimes that patient has no family, and they feels alone and scared, the nurse has to be more than just a caregiver, they have to be a listening ear. The nurse is the one who supports that patient through their tough times. Support is crucial for any connection, job, and just everyday life, but what's also important is advocacy. Sometimes the patients don't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, so standing up and being an advocate is necessary for me. Currently I am a nurse extern at Peace Hospital in Louisville, Ky. This externship is truly a blessing, It is a psychiatric hospital, with adolescents, geriatrics, adults, an innovations unit, and patients that are on the spectrum. Working here made me realize how important healthcare workers are in the filed of mental health. Seeing how the codes vary here in comparison to a regular hospital is truly life changing. Seeing code 100s for aggressive patients, having to use restraints, a therapeutic talk down method, and just other things that I wasn't normally taught in clinical showed me such a wide range of things that nurses go through. Working at this externship is getting me so much closer to achieving my goals and I am so grateful for this opportunity.

Being black to me means being my purest and softest self. While also being able to enjoy all the complexities within my community. The media would define black people as "aggressive and scary", but I believe we are the most caring and nurturing groups of people. Seeing all the different; hair textures we all have, the different shades, and personalities shows how complex we are. In many settings, I feel out of place or afraid to show my authenticity, but being at my HBCU I am overwhelmed with the most purest energy. Being around professors and students who all look and act like me makes me feel so comfortable to be myself. Not having to deal with microaggressions or having to code-switch feels amazing. Being in a space where I'm understood and not questioned has truly helped me thrive personally and academically. I currently attend Howard University as a nursing major. I see myself in 5 years as a RN working in either Pediatrics or Psych. Black women are consistently getting mistreated in the medical field. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide the mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients, I want them to feel safe. Sometimes the patient doesn't know what they're getting themselves into so standing up and being an advocate is necessary to me.

The best way to make a positive impact on my community from my stem degree is by providing a service. The crazy thing some people don’t view nursing as STEM, but in my opinion it is exactly that. We take tremendous amounts of science courses like bio, chem, anatomy, and microbiology, and we have to use math in clinical when learning about medication measurements. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in psych. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe.. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide the mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. The role of a nurse is to provide support, a lot of the time the nurse is the patient's VIP, sometimes that patient has no family, and they feel alone and scared, the nurse has to be more than just a caregiver, they have to be a listening ear. The nurse is the one that supports that patient through their tough times. Sometimes the patients don't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, so standing up and being an advocate is necessary to me

I currently give back by voulnterring at the Boys and Girls Club every summer. A lot of the children there are at risk youth. But to me their just kids that want someone to listen to them. A lot of the times adults ignore or dismiss children, which causes the kids to act out because they have to overcompensate for their displaced feelings. So the best thing that I like to do is create a space for them to vent. I let them ask many questions, talk about their feelings, and use other outlets to express themselves. As children coloring and music was heavily implemented. But what a lot of people don't think about is how therapeutic it is. In a way coloring, making tiktoks, and dancing are forms of art and music therapy. So I make it a goal to always implement that into the daily routine. The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in psych. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S.. there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide the mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. Sometimes the patient doesn't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, so standing up and being an advocate is necessary to me

I absolutely adore the bond my mom and I have. We are super-close Since it was just us, we became each-others best-friend. I tell her about my boy's problems and mental health issues. She understands because of how young she is and what she went through. I want to give a little backstory about my childhood My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. They were minor offenses that only resulted in him being in jail for 5 months or less each time. However, that doesn’t make it hurt any less. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. After they graduated they took their journey to adulthood by going to different colleges. However, they still remained strong. When looking at them you would see the perfect relationship, my dad who drove an hour to visit her on campus every week. That led to my mom and dad getting pregnant at 18. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience, so she stayed and finished college all four years. She graduated with me on her hip. My dad, however, gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill. I was in 2nd grade when he was first arrested. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays.I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. I thought he was just acting like that because he just got out of jail and was trying to get his life back together but it became a recurring thing. He only came to see or talk to me on holidays. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. During high school, I eventually realized that I shouldn't fight for a relationship that the other person cares nothing about. My mom taught me to fulfill that absent void by gaining self-worth. My mom taught me never to stop fighting for my dreams and to never settle for anything less and she is guiding me to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in psych. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I want to be a nurse who advocates for my patients and listens and treats them like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. My mom is making my journey through nursing school so much easier. Currently I have a nursing internship in a Psych hospital and I am learning so much. Even though my childhood was hectic I wouldn't trade my experience for anything. Having my mom help me through it made life better.

My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. After they graduated they took their journey to adulthood by going to different colleges. However, they remained strong. When looking at them you would see the perfect relationship, my dad who drove an hour to visit her on campus every week. That led to my mom and dad getting pregnant at 19. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience, so she stayed and finished college all four years. She graduated with me on her hip. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill.. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. Even though my dad dropped out and was starting that downfall of life my mom stuck beside him for me. But that didn't work for long because my dad was struggling to keep a job and started cheating on my mom. So she left him. About 2 years after she left him was when he was first arrested. I was in 2nd grade. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. To this day he uses me as a crutch whenever he needs something, he always tries to make me feel bad saying he was so young when he had me and that it's going to take him a while to get his life together. I completely understand that everyone's path is different but sometimes it feels like he wants me to make that same left turn that he did that led to his downfall. This is why I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. Which is why Im pursuing my Bachelor's degree in nursing. I see myself in five years as an RN working in pediatrics or in pysch. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. I will help so many people overcome their healthcare challenges. Many think nurses only help physically but the nurses also contribute to the mental health aspect by reassuring and being there for them. My dad couldn't do that for me, but I will make sure I do that for my future patients. I will be helping everyone in the community that deals with mental and physical illness and provide a safe space for them.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience daily. My biggest challenge is mental health. For me, the hardest part was never having anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. It caused me to conceal them and not tell anyone how I really feel. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. In my opinion, the world needs more minority therapists. A therapist that isn't a POC wouldn't necessarily understand different struggles and problems. For example, when I was younger, I sought validation and hated my skin. I did not have anyone to talk to about how I would flatiron my hair every other day in the morning for school to look like my white friends. I did not have anyone to talk to about all the microaggressions said to my face that I never called out because I did not understand it all. If I couldn't even comprehend it at the time, how could I expect the counselors or therapists at my school? Which made me want to work in healthcare. In school, I saw black people face colorism and racist jokes all the time, and they would be too afraid to talk to the school counselor about it. I want to be someone people can talk to about those kinds of things. I have hopes that I could add more minority representation in the field of mental health. It's good to talk and listen to people who can relate and share similar experiences. I hope to break the stigma that black women have to be strong and independent all the time. I want to be the helping and listening voice in my community. Which is why I see myself as a nurse in a psych unit. Currently, I am a nurse extern at Peace Hospital in Louisville, Ky. This externship is truly a blessing, It is a psychiatric hospital, with adolescents, geriatrics, adults, an innovations unit, and patients that are on the spectrum. Working here made me realize how important healthcare workers are in the filed of mental health. Seeing how the codes vary here in comparison to a regular hospital is truly life changing. Seeing code 100s for aggressive patients, having to use restraints, a therapeutic talk down method, and just other things that I wasn't normally taught in clinical showed me such a wide range of things that nurses go through. Working at this externship is getting me so much closer to achieving my goals and I am so grateful for this opportunity.

The best way to make a positive impact on the world is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a rising senior at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. Many people tell me that I shouldn't become a nurse because of how stressful and unappreciated they are. They also bring up being overworked and underpaid. I know that life isn’t about money, and I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in Pysch. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a rising senior at Howard University as a nursing major. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S.. there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide the mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse who listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. The role of a nurse is to provide support, a lot of the time the nurse is the patient's VIP, sometimes that patient has no family, and they feels alone and scared, the nurse has to be more than just a caregiver, they have to be a listening ear. The nurse is the one who supports that patient through their tough times. Support is crucial for any connection, job, and just everyday life, but what's also important is advocacy. Sometimes the patients don't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, so standing up and being an advocate is necessary for me. Currently I am a nurse extern at Peace Hospital in Louisville, Ky. This externship is truly a blessing, It is a psychiatric hospital, with adolescents, geriatrics, adults, an innovations unit, and patients that are on the spectrum. Working here made me realize how important healthcare workers are in the filed of mental health. Seeing how the codes vary here in comparison to a regular hospital is truly life changing. Seeing code 100s for aggressive patients, having to use restraints, a therapeutic talk down method, and just other things that I wasn't normally taught in clinical showed me such a wide range of things that nurses go through. Working at this externship is getting me so much closer to achieving my goals and I am so grateful for this opportunity.

What excites me the most about STEM is the science, I am a huge believer in science. I love learning about why the body responds the way it does, and every structure that makes up our body—learning about how all the different systems like the lymphatic, endocrine and circulatory systems work to keep our body functioning properly. Before taking STEM classes I never consciously thought about my fight or flight is activated by my sympathetic nervous system. Although I endure a lot of restless nights studying for my classes, I wouldn't change it for the world. Im learning so much and I feel like I am improving more and more everyday. The crazy thing some people don’t view nursing as STEM, but in my opinion it is exactly that. We take tremendous amounts of science courses like bio, chem, anatomy, and microbiology, and we have to use math in clinical when learning about medication measurements. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a rising senior at Howard University as a nursing major. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe.. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide the mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience daily. My biggest challenge is mental health. For me, the hardest part was never having anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "You have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. It caused me to conceal them and not tell anyone how I really felt. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. Feeling that way is a normal human reaction and I believe it is so important to talk about situations like that and to help emotionally bring people up. This is why I diligently strive to find outlets to express how I feel. I like writing out my feelings or making voice recordings a lot because it helps me stabilize my emotions first before talking to someone else. A lot of the time writing helps and keeping them in a journal or notes app so I can view it again to track my progress and look at my triggers. If that doesn't work I go to my support system to talk it out, Im so blessed to have good people in my corner who really care about me, so I feel pretty comfortable talking to them, but I just use writing and voice memos as a first option so I am not burdening people with my problems. Another thing I really enjoy doing for mental wellness is spending time in nature. I make it a goal to visit a new park or trail at least twice a month. Whether its yoga, jogging, taking walks, seeing butterflies, or smelling the flowers they really make me feel better.

My biggest challenge was dealing with my family circumstances. My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. After they graduated they took their journey to adulthood by going to different colleges. However, they remained strong. When looking at them you would see the perfect relationship, my dad who drove an hour to visit her on campus every week. That led to my mom and dad getting pregnant at 19. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience, so she stayed and finished college all four years. She graduated with me on her hip. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill.. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. Even though my dad dropped out and was starting that downfall of life my mom stuck beside him for me. But that didn't work for long because my dad was struggling to keep a job and started cheating on my mom. So she left him. About 2 years after she left him was when he was first arrested. I was in 2nd grade. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. To this day he uses me as a crutch whenever he needs something, he always tries to make me feel bad saying he was so young when he had me and that it's going to take him a while to get his life together. I completely understand that everyone's path is different but sometimes it feels like he wants me to make that same left turn that he did that led to his downfall. This is why I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I graduated high school as valedictorian and I made the dean's list every semester and I'm thriving in college. I will never settle for anything less which is why Im pursuing my Bachelor's degree in nursing. I see myself in five years as an RN working in pediatrics or in pysch. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I want to be a nurse who listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. I will help so many people overcome their healthcare challenges. Many think nurses only help physically but the nurses also contribute to the mental health aspect by reassuring and being there for them. My dad couldn't do that for me, but I will make sure I do that for my future patients.

What is a leader? I believe anyone can be a leader. A leader is someone that can inspire and motivate others. Every single person in this world can do just that. Currently, I am a leader of multiple club organizations on campus and a leadership counselor for the Boys & Girls club. One of my most impactful leadership roles was working as a peer tutor during my senior year of high school. , I choose leadership by becoming a peer tutor. A peer tutor is someone that assists special friends. Special friends are the special needs students that went to our school. I taught them how to match colors with words, tie their shoes, and count with paper money. However, while being a peer tutor I felt so much more. One of my special friends, always made me a gift when I went to class. She would draw a picture of me and put it on my desk. It made me feel so welcomed and appreciated. I felt joy whenever my special friends got an answer right. I felt joy watching them sing and dance to their favorite song. I was excited to hear about their favorite color and food. I was ecstatic when the student that was struggling to tie their shoes finally got it. They made me feel loved every single day. I returned the favor by helping them with their math and reading. But I think I made them feel loved even more by never looking at them as different. They know that they are unique but I tried my best to show them they are still deserving of being seen as the same. I wanted to do everything I could to build their confidence. To be a good leader you have to have good leadership skills. What makes me a leader is my Confidence, Support, and collaboration. To me, an important factor in being a good leader is having confidence. In order, to have good leadership you have to be confident within yourself and whatever you teach. If the leader is not confident then the people that look up to them will see that, and feel like they shouldn't listen to them. Of course, leaders are not perfect and don’t know everything, however, it is important to feel confident. I realized that when I'm confident the people that I led started to feel more confident as well. I believe confidence radiates such positive energy because it is so difficult to go through life when you don't trust your own decisions. The second most important characteristic that is crucial for good leadership is support. When a leader builds a good support system it helps everything run smoother and you are more likely to achieve your goal. When support is there everyone will feel comfortable contributing to the project. The last characteristic of good leadership is collaboration. Some of those benefits are; it allows everyone to learn from each other, problem-solving becomes easier, the leader can gain more ideas and learn from the team, it creates a healthy balance, and it allows regular team members to view themselves as leaders as well. All of these characteristics go hand and hand with each other, and will help me be successful in my future as a leader. I hope to become a nurse practitioner and use all the skills I learned to be successful. As a nurse practitioner, I will be leading my team of nurses, techs, cnas, and patients as well. I know it will be difficult at first but with these skills, I should be just fine!

I currently have a nursing internship working in a psychiatric facility. Normally when people envision nursing they think of only the physical part; vitals, charting, examining, and taking care of sick people. But an important specialty that people normally neglect is mental health. Mental health plays such a huge role in people's everyday lives, and being able to help in the mental health field is crucial for me. I for one struggle with mental health, and I know what it feels like to not have any support and feel alone. So I want to take that feeling and use it to help others. At my internship, I get to talk and listen to patients' stories and concerns, administer medications to help with mental health, help the therapist with group therapy, and shadow the doctor when admitting and discharging patients. Currently, I am about to enter my senior year of college as a nursing major. I plan on working diligently this year and studying so I can pass my nclex on my first try so I can begin working as a psych nurse immediately after graduation. And hopefully, after a while, I can go back to school to become a nurse practitioner so I can directly help in the field of mental health firsthand. I will be able to prescribe medications, diagnose mental health signs and symptoms, and provide counseling.

I want to pursue a degree in nursing to advocate for people. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in Pysch. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S.. there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide the mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. The role of a nurse is to provide support, a lot of the time the nurse is the patient's VIP, sometimes that patient has no family, and they feel alone and scared, the nurse has to be more than just a caregiver, they have to be a listening ear. The nurse is the one that supports that patient through their tough times. Support is crucial for any connection, job, and just everyday life, but what's also important is advocacy. Sometimes the patient doesn't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, so standing up and being an advocate is necessary to me

I do not think the cost of healthcare is justified. America seems to be one of the few economically developed countries that has not transitioned to free or universal healthcare. Many Americans struggle with drastic medical fees and costs that are too hard to pay on an average salary. A lot of families, including mine, try to do anything we can to avoid a doctor’s visit: taking over-the-counter prescriptions or just letting the sickness go away on its own to avoid a doctor’s visit doesn’t improve the quality of life. People in the United States without healthcare constantly live in fear and have anxiety worrying about how they will be cared for. Many people in America believe that health care isn’t a fundamental human right, which is honestly contradicting everything America was supposed to stand for. If I could change the system I would implement free healthcare. When people are given universal healthcare they don’t have to stay in a job they hate just to ensure they have health insurance, they don’t have to choose between paying for surgery to live or pay for a bill to have a house, and they will be more likely to schedule regular doctor visits. Having free healthcare has many benefits, one of which includes overall life satisfaction. I believe that having free healthcare provides peace of mind and well being to the citizens. The article also states that people who can not afford to see a doctor were both physically and mentally unhealthier. While many people believe only the lower class or poor people are affected by not having healthcare, the article showed that even people with high incomes have sustained unhappiness from how expensive healthcare is. The article suggests that well-being and happiness will increase when people begin to have better access to healthcare. Along with happiness having free healthcare people wouldn’t have to pay thousands of dollars to be safe and alive. Who knew that having the baby would put people more in debt then the money it cost to provide and raise it. Business Insider reported that the average cost in America to have a baby in a hospital is from $10,000- $30,000. ​This cost is extremely expensive and hard for people who could barely afford to take care of the baby already. On top of that expense, families also have to buy food, diapers, and clothes for the baby. When prices are like that it leads to women having unsafe births in their homes with family members or friends that don’t have the proper medical training. Some pregnant women call an ambulance when they feel like they are going into labor. According to CNBC news, ​, ​the average ambulance bill ranges from $450- $1200 . It’s crazy how people can go from relieved that their life was saved to worried that they can’t pay for it. The article also states that 71% of the ambulances don’t take the patient’s health insurance. ​The healthcare system in America is so flawed to the point that even if you have health insurance some ambulances won’t even take it. Many hospitals and ambulances don’t like to realize how much they cause patients to suffer even after they save them because of how much it costs. If free healthcare was in place citizens would not be afraid to call ambulances or give birth in hospitals because they know they will be covered. This emphasizes the need for free healthcare.

I have decided to pursue a career in nursing to advocate for the patients. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S.. there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide the mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. The role of a nurse is to provide support, a lot of the time the nurse is the patient's VIP, sometimes that patient has no family, and they feel alone and scared, the nurse has to be more than just a caregiver, they have to be a listening ear. The nurse is the one that supports that patient through their tough times. Support is crucial for any connection, job, and just everyday life, but what's also important is advocacy. Sometimes the patient doesn't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, so standing up and being an advocate is necessary to me

I absolutely adore the bond my mom and I have. We are super-close Since it was just us, we became each-others best-friend. I tell her about my boy's problems and mental health issues. She understands because of how young she is and what she went through. I'm so inspired by her and I know that If I am ever a single mom in the future, she will be here to guide me through it. I want to give a little backstory about my childhood My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. They were minor offenses that only resulted in him being in jail for 5 months or less each time. However, that doesn’t make it hurt any less. It did hurt me however I saw the impact it had on my mom.\When looking at them you would see the perfect relationship, my dad who drove an hour to visit her on campus every week. That led to my mom and dad getting pregnant at 18. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience, so she stayed and finished college all four years. She graduated with me on her hip. My dad, however, gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill. I was in 2nd grade when he was first arrested. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. I thought he was just acting like that because he just got out of jail and was trying to get his life back together but it became a recurring thing. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. My mom taught me to fulfill that absent void by gaining self-worth. I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I graduated as valedictorian in high school and made the dean's list every semester so far in college. My mom always made sure I stayed busy and did everything to reach my full potential. My mom taught me never to stop fighting for my dreams and to never settle for anything less and she is guiding me to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either pediatrics or psych. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. My mom is making my journey through nursing school so much easier. Even though my childhood was hectic I wouldn't trade my experience for anything. Having my mom help me through it definitely made life better.

What is a leader? I believe anyone can be a leader. A leader is someone that can inspire and motivate others. Every single person in this world can do just that. Currently, I am a leader of multiple club organizations on campus and I was a leadership counselor for the Boys & Girls club and I was a peer tutor. During my senior year, I choose leadership by becoming a peer tutor. A peer tutor is someone that assists special friends. Special friends are the special needs students that went to our school. I taught them how to match colors with words, tie their shoes, and count with paper money. However, while being a peer tutor I felt so much more. One of my special friends, always made me a gift when I went to class. She would draw a picture of me and put it on my desk. It made me feel so welcomed and appreciated. I felt joy whenever my special friends got an answer right. I felt joy watching them sing and dance to their favorite song. I was excited to hear about their favorite color and food. I was ecstatic when the student that was struggling to tie their shoes finally got it. They made me feel loved every single day. I returned the favor by helping them with their math and reading. But I think I made them feel loved even more by never looking at them as different. They know that they are unique but I tried my best to show them they are still deserving of being seen as the same. I wanted to do everything I could to build their confidence. To be a good leader you have to have good leadership skills. What makes me a leader is my Confidence, Support, and collaboration. To me, an important factor in being a good leader is having confidence. In order, to have good leadership you have to be confident within yourself and whatever you teach. If the leader is not confident then the people that look up to them will see that, and feel like they shouldn't listen to them. Of course, leaders are not perfect and don’t know everything, however, it is important to feel confident. I realized that when I'm confident the people that I led started to feel more confident as well. I believe confidence radiates such positive energy because it is so difficult to go through life when you don't trust your own decisions.

I had a distressing medical care experience during my senior year of high school. My mom wanted to put me on birth control so I can be adjusted to it before college. My gynecologist thought it would be best if I got Nexplanon since it lasts for 3 years. Within the first month, I was bleeding nonstop. I knew that it was an issue but I wasn’t stressing about it because I knew that it takes time to adjust. Fast forward to 3 months and I am still bleeding the entire month. At that point I knew something was wrong, I then made an appointment with my gynecologist and I told her that I may need a different form of birth control she told me that it was normal and should go away at the 6-month mark. Eventually, the 6th month comes around and nothing changed, she still didn't want me to give up on it so she recommended that I take the pill simultaneously to combat the long periods. I was a little hesitant at first because that meant double the hormones. Which means double the mood swings, weight gain, and acne. After one month of being on two birth control at the same time, I could tell that my body wasn’t happy so I decided to stop both of them. However, the residual effects were horrible; my periods were irregular, I was depressed all the time, suffered extreme fatigue. About a couple of months passed and I went for a normal checkup, I was then diagnosed with anemia and a b12 deficiency because I was bleeding so much. I now have to take b12 vitamins and iron pills, and maca root just to get my hormones back aligned. Experiencing this personally, and hearing so many other stories is why I decided to pursue STEM and work in the healthcare field. I want to be the change that actually listens. I wasn't able to speak up for myself because I was young and didn't really know my options or what I was getting into. However, it is the nurses' job to be an advocate for the kids and make sure they get accurate treatment since they can’t advocate for themselves. I aspire to be a pediatric nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me because being in the hospital or doctor's office is scary enough when you don't understand what's happening to you especially when Google is listing off all these different diseases saying you may have them. It’s really important to me that I create a safe space for my patients and make them fully supported.

1. I am a country-loving 19-year-old dancer from Kentucky. I love zip-lining, hiking, ice skating, and horseback riding. To sum it up, anything that has to do with nature and adventure. I'm honestly someone who isn't afraid to try new things. Working towards achieving my dream life motivates me. I see myself with a happy family that is financially stable. My mom is the reason I even have that dream. She got pregnant with me at 19 and still managed to graduate college, my dad didn't help at all. She is so hardworking and resilient, just looking at her life makes me want to push so hard. I am a firm believer in success. I have a job, got good grades, and attended my dream college. But I'm successful in ways others can’t see. I gained confidence. No one knew how insecure I was in my body. I’m so tall to the point where I never wore heels to any function in fear that I would be a giant compared to everyone. I now wear heels to parties just like my short friends. I now meditate for 5 minutes every day to find my peace of mind. I'm starting to hang out more with my friends; I'm becoming more extroverted and creating new relationships. I've figured out my calling. My calling is to become a nurse. That will be my future. I will work to make sure I am in the career of my dreams, not just something that pays well I will be happy. I want to become a pediatric or psych nurse because I want to make sure everyone can live to see their success. I want to make sure they can achieve it as healthily as possible. I go to a private HBCU, which is extremely expensive. I knew that I took a huge risk coming here. However, It was a dream school and I didn't want finance to be the reason I couldn't follow my dream. I feel like as humans we need to follow our passions and dreams because if we don't we will regret it so much. I am currently in student- loan debt and I am a rising senior. I am doing everything in my power to try to stay at my dream school. I work two jobs over the summer, work part-time during the school year, and apply for as many scholarships as I can. I just want to lift the weight off my mom's shoulders. My mom already is in her own student loan debt and I don't want to stress her out worrying about mine as well. . This scholarship will help me now by allowing me to stay enrolled at this school, But it could also, help me in the future because I won't be in as much debt and be struggling for the rest of my life to pay it off.

I am utterly afraid of dogs. I immediately turn into a track star when the smallest pup comes near me. I don't know why I have this huge fear of those cute little animals but I am terrified. It's insane because I'm not afraid of normal things like heights, clowns, or bugs. I love rollercoasters, haunted houses, and scary movies. Some more unique facts about me are I'm double-jointed, I love admiring nature, and I am very tall. Dance is something I love to do, and I questioned often if I was in the right sport. I always felt like I could never wear heels because I would be like 6 feet tall. But now as a rising senior in college, I'm confident. I've learned to love my long legs and big feet. I've learned to love being tall.5 feet and 9 inches of myself is beautiful. I've realized that when others make fun of my height it’s just their insecurities being reflected onto me. The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S.. there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide the mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. Sometimes that patient has no family, and they feel alone and scared, the nurse has to be more than just a caregiver, they have to be a listening ear. The nurse is the one that supports that patient through their tough times. Sometimes the patient doesn't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, so standing up and being an advocate is necessary to me.

I am utterly afraid of dogs. I immediately turn into a track star when the smallest pup comes near me. I don't know why I have this huge fear of those cute little animals but I am terrified. It's insane because I'm not afraid of normal things like heights, clowns, or bugs. I love rollercoasters, haunted houses, and scary movies. Some more unique facts about me are I'm double-jointed, I love admiring nature, and I am very tall. Dance is something I love to do, and I questioned often if I was in the right sport. I always felt like I could never wear heels because I would be like 6 feet tall. But now as a rising senior in college, I'm confident. I've learned to love my long legs and big feet. I've learned to love being tall.5 feet and 9 inches of myself is beautiful. I've realized that when others make fun of my height it’s just their insecurities being reflected onto me. The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S.. there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide the mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. Sometimes that patient has no family, and they feel alone and scared, the nurse has to be more than just a caregiver, they have to be a listening ear. The nurse is the one that supports that patient through their tough times. Sometimes the patient doesn't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, so standing up and being an advocate is necessary to me.

I absolutely adore the bond my mom and I have. We are super-close Since it was just us, we became each-others best-friend. I tell her about my boy's problems and mental health issues. She understands because of how young she is and what she went through. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. When looking at them you would see the perfect relationship, my dad who drove an hour to visit her on campus every week. That led to my mom and dad getting pregnant at 18. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience, so she stayed and finished college all four years. She graduated with me on her hip. My dad, however, gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill.. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. Even though my dad dropped out and was starting that downfall of life my mom stuck beside him for me. But that didn't work for long because my dad was struggling to keep a job and started cheating on my mom. So she left him. About 2 years after she left him was when he was first arrested. I was in 2nd grade. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. I thought he was just acting like that because he just got out of jail and was trying to get his life back together but it became a recurring thing. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. During high school, I eventually realized that I shouldn't fight for a relationship that the other person cares nothing about. My mom taught me to fulfill that absent void by gaining self-worth. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I graduated as valedictorian in high school and made the dean's list every semester so far in college. She always made sure I stayed busy and did everything to reach my full potential. My mom taught me never to stop fighting for my dreams and to never settle for anything less and she is guiding me to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office l or in labor and delivery. I want to be a nurse who advocates for my patients and listens and treats them like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. My mom is making my journey through nursing school so much easier. Even though my childhood was hectic I wouldn't trade my experience for anything. Having my mom help me through it definitely made life better.

My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. After they graduated they took their journey to adulthood by going to different colleges. However, they remained strong. When looking at them you would see the perfect relationship, my dad who drove an hour to visit her on campus every week. That led to my mom and dad getting pregnant at 19. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience, so she stayed and finished college all four years. She graduated with me on her hip. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill.. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. Even though my dad dropped out and was starting that downfall of life my mom stuck beside him for me. But that didn't work for long because my dad was struggling to keep a job and started cheating on my mom. So she left him. About 2 years after she left him was when he was first arrested. I was in 2nd grade. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. To this day he uses me as a crutch whenever he needs something, he always tries to make me feel bad saying he was so young when he had me and that it's going to take him a while to get his life together. I completely understand that everyone's path is different but sometimes it feels like he wants me to make that same left turn that he did that led to his downfall. This is why I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I graduated high school as valedictorian. I made the dean's list every semester and I'm thriving at Howard. I will never settle for anything less which is why Im pursuing my Bachelor's degree in nursing. I see myself in five years as an RN working in pediatrics. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. I will help so many people overcome their healthcare challenges. Many think nurses only help physically but the nurses also contribute to the mental health aspect by reassuring and being there for them. My dad couldn't do that for me, but I will make sure I do that for my future patients.

My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. To this day he uses me as a crutch whenever he needs something, he always tries to make me feel bad saying he was so young when he had me and that it's going to take him a while to get his life together. I completely understand that everyone's path is different but sometimes it feels like he wants me to make that same left turn that he did that led to his downfall. This is why I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I graduated high school as valedictorian and I made the dean's list every semester and I'm thriving in college. I will never settle for anything less which is why Im pursuing my Bachelor's degree in nursing. I see myself in five years as an RN working in the speciality pediatrics or psych. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I will advocate and support my patients in the best way possible. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. I will help so many people overcome their healthcare challenges. Many think nurses only help physically but the nurses also contribute to the mental health aspect by reassuring and being there for them. My dad couldn't do that for me, but I will make sure I do that for my future patients. I go to a private HBCU, which is extremely expensive. I knew that I took a huge risk coming here. However, It was a dream school and I didn't want finance to be the reason I couldn't follow my dream. I feel like as humans we need to follow our passions and dreams because if we don't we will regret it so much. I am currently in student- loan debt and I am only a junior. I am doing everything in my power to try to stay at my dream school. I work two jobs over the summer, work part-time during the school year, and apply for as many scholarships as I can. I just want to lift the weight off my mom's shoulders. My mom already is in her own student loan debt and I don't want to stress her out worrying about mine as well. She is supporting me so much going here to follow my dreams and I don't want to let her down, and more importantly, I don't want to let down myself for not doing anything that I can to prove to everyone that I made a good decision. This scholarship will help me now by allowing me to stay enrolled at this school, But it could also, help me in the future because I won't be in as much debt and be struggling for the rest of my life to pay it off.

My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. After they graduated they took their journey to adulthood by going to different colleges. However, they remained strong. When looking at them you would see the perfect relationship, my dad who drove an hour to visit her on campus every week. That led to my mom and dad getting pregnant at 19. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience, so she stayed and finished college all four years. She graduated with me on her hip. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill.. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. Even though my dad dropped out and was starting that downfall of life my mom stuck beside him for me. But that didn't work for long because my dad was struggling to keep a job and started cheating on my mom. So she left him. About 2 years after she left him was when he was first arrested. I was in 2nd grade. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. To this day he uses me as a crutch whenever he needs something, he always tries to make me feel bad saying he was so young when he had me and that it's going to take him a while to get his life together. I completely understand that everyone's path is different but sometimes it feels like he wants me to make that same left turn that he did that led to his downfall. This is why I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. My mom taught me to fill that absent void he left me by working towards myself. She has been the biggest support system throughout my life, she always shows unconditional love. She is always supporting me and showing up no matter what. I owe everything I have to my mom and she showed me what a true parent looks like. With her guidance and support I graduated high school as valedictorian and I made the dean's list every semester in college. I will never settle for anything less which is why Im pursuing my Bachelor's degree in nursing. I see myself in five years as an RN working in pediatrics. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. I will help so many people overcome their healthcare challenges. Many think nurses only help physically but the nurses also contribute to the mental health aspect by reassuring and being there for them. My dad couldn't do that for me, but I will make sure I do that for my future patients.

My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. After they graduated they took their journey to adulthood by going to different colleges. However, they remained strong. When looking at them you would see the perfect relationship, my dad who drove an hour to visit her on campus every week. That led to my mom and dad getting pregnant at 19. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience, so she stayed and finished college all four years. She graduated with me on her hip. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill.. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. Even though my dad dropped out and was starting that downfall of life my mom stuck beside him for me. But that didn't work for long because my dad was struggling to keep a job and started cheating on my mom. So she left him. About 2 years after she left him was when he was first arrested. I was in 2nd grade. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. To this day he uses me as a crutch whenever he needs something, he always tries to make me feel bad saying he was so young when he had me and that it's going to take him a while to get his life together. I completely understand that everyone's path is different but sometimes it feels like he wants me to make that same left turn that he did that led to his downfall. This is why I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I graduated high school as valedictorian and I made the dean's list every semester and I'm thriving in college. I will never settle for anything less which is why Im pursuing my Bachelor's degree in nursing. I see myself in five years as an RN working in a pediatrics or pysch speciality. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. I will help so many people overcome their healthcare challenges by advocating and supporting them. Many think nurses only help physically but the nurses also contribute to the mental health aspect by reassuring and being there for them. My dad couldn't do that for me, but I will make sure I do that for my future patients.

I absolutely adore the bond my mom and I have. We are super-close Since it was just us, we became each-others best-friend. I tell her about my boy's problems and mental health issues. She understands because of how young she is and what she went through. I'm so inspired by her and I know that If I am ever a single mom in the future, she will be here to guide me through it. I want to give a little backstory about my childhood My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. They were minor offenses that only resulted in him being in jail for 5 months or less each time. However, that doesn’t make it hurt any less. It did hurt me however I saw the impact it had on my mom. My dad only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. During high school, I eventually realized that I shouldn't fight for a relationship that the other person cares nothing about. My mom taught me to fulfill that absent void by gaining self-worth. I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I went through all four years of high school getting straight A’s while being on a competitive dance team and having a part-time job. I made the dean's list last semester and I'm thriving in college. She always made sure I stayed busy and did everything to reach my full potential. My mom taught me never to stop fighting for my dreams and to never settle for anything less which is inspiring me to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office l or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I want to be able to advocate and support those who can't do it for themselves. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. My mom is making my journey through nursing school so much easier. Even though my childhood was hectic I wouldn't trade my experience for anything. Having my mom help me through it definitely made life better. I go to a private HBCU, which is extremely expensive. I knew that I took a huge risk coming here. However, It was a dream school and I didn't want finance to be the reason I couldn't follow my dream. I am currently in student- loan debt and I am a rising senior. I am doing everything in my power to try to stay at my dream school. This scholarship will help me now by allowing me to stay enrolled at this school, But it could also, help me in the future because I won't be in as much debt and be struggling for the rest of my life to pay it off.

8 am exams every Tuesday with a part-time staring at 1 pm. Then clinical Wednesday and Thursday from 7 am-3 pm and Friday work again. That is my weekly schedule. As a nursing major balancing a job is the hardest thing I've ever done. I have countless sleepless nights studying, completing assignments, and getting materials ready for clinical. It's extremely tiring and draining having to work on top of that, but it's also empowering and motivating. I've learned how to stay positive through it all, find ways to balance my mental health, and create a schedule that works for me. I thought that I would always miss out on parties, friend outings, and trips but I realized that none of it is ever really missed if you make a party out of the everyday things you don't really think about. For example, my job is a tutor at Roosevelt High School. I saw the joys in working. When I saw a student get excited about college and share her aspirations with me when a few months ago college was the last thing on her mind. When I witnessed a student volunteer to share their answer out loud and write it on the board after being afraid to speak out for months. The little moments like that, made me smile, It gave me a sense of Joy that a club/party couldn't give me. Realizing that the grass is greener where you water it has been a new precedent for my life. I used to cry and complain about having to do unpaid clinical shifts for nursing but I always ended up leaving those clinicals with a smile. Being able to administer medications, give shots, change IVs, and shadow during a C-section; are moments I will never forget about my college experience. I have grown so much personally in ways that I would have never imagined. I learned how to pay my own bills, plan out meetings, develop a timely routine, and balance work with friendships. My friends understood my busy schedule and they worked around it, and even if they didn't I learned that I would have to be okay with that. Being okay with things is something that I also had to figure out, learning to not be sad or upset when the balance doesn't work out or when people don't understand it. Professionally, Im so proud of the growth I have made. I worked as a cardiovascular research intern last summer and this summer I am working as a nurse extern in a psych unit, and I feel like I'm getting so much closer to my dream more and more every day. I want to credit a lot of that to the strong work ethic I established by having a job in nursing school. Overall College is not easy and working during it is honestly a superpower because it is so easy to get knocked down and get off track, and I applaud every student for fighting and sticking through it. Im so happy that I am pushing through school and working my job and making the money to help pay for school is making it 10x better.

A social issue I truly care about is being heard and advocated for in healthcare.The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide that mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. The role of a nurse is to provide support, a lot of the time the nurse is the patient's VIP, sometimes that patient has no family, and they feel alone and scared, the nurse has to be more than just a caregiver, they have to be a listening ear. The nurse is the one that supports that patient through their tough times. Support is crucial for any connection, job, and just everyday life, but what's also important is advocacy. Sometimes the patient doesn't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, so standing up and being an advocate is necessary to me.

I am a country-loving 20-year-old dancer from Kentucky. I love zip-lining, hiking, ice skating, and horseback riding. To sum it up, anything that has to do with nature and adventure. I'm honestly someone who isn't afraid to try new things. Working towards achieving my dream life motivates me. I see myself with a happy family that is financially stable. My mom is the reason I even have that dream. She beat all the odds of teen pregnancy and is in a happy marriage working a job she loves. She got pregnant with me at 19 and still managed to graduate college, my dad didn't help at all during my childhood so she was pretty much on her own until she met my stepdad. She is so hardworking and resilient, just looking at her life makes me want to push so hard.The best way to make a positive impact on my community from my stem degree is by providing a service. The crazy thing some people don’t view nursing as STEM, but in my opinion it is exactly that. We take tremendous amounts of science courses like bio, chem, anatomy, and microbiology, and we have to use math in clinical when learning about medication measurements. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide the mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

I am a country-loving 19-year-old dancer from Kentucky. I love zip-lining, hiking, ice skating, and horseback riding. To sum it up, anything that has to do with nature and adventure. I'm honestly someone who isn't afraid to try new things. Working towards achieving my dream life motivates me. I see myself with a happy family that is financially stable. My calling is to become a nurse. That will be my future. I will work to make sure I am in the career of my dreams, not just something that pays well I will be happy. I want to become a pediatric nurse because I want to make sure all children can live to see their success. I want to make sure they can achieve it as healthily as possible. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide that mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. The role of a nurse is to provide support, a lot of the time the nurse is the patient's VIP, sometimes that patient has no family, and they feel alone and scared, the nurse has to be more than just a caregiver, they have to be a listening ear. The nurse is the one that supports that patient through their tough times. Sometimes the patient doesn't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, so standing up and being an advocate is necessary to me.

My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. After they graduated they took their journey to adulthood by going to different colleges. When looking at them you would see the perfect relationship, my dad who drove an hour to visit her on campus every week. That led to my mom and dad getting pregnant at 19. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience, so she stayed and finished college all four years. She graduated with me on her hip. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill.. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. Even though my dad dropped out and was starting that downfall of life my mom stuck beside him for me. But that didn't work for long because my dad was struggling to keep a job and started cheating on my mom. So she left him. About 2 years after she left him was when he was first arrested. I was in 2nd grade. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. To this day he uses me as a crutch whenever he needs something, he always tries to make me feel bad saying he was so young when he had me and that it's going to take him a while to get his life together. I completely understand that everyone's path is different but sometimes it feels like he wants me to make that same left turn that he did that led to his downfall. This is why I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. I had to be resilient despite everything he put me through to keep going and push so hard to be successful. I graduated high school as valedictorian and I made the dean's list every semester and I'm thriving in college. I will never settle for anything less which is why Im pursuing my Bachelor's degree in nursing. I see myself in five years as an RN working in pediatrics. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. I will help so many people overcome their healthcare challenges. Many think nurses only help physically but the nurses also contribute to the mental health aspect by reassuring and being there for them. My dad couldn't do that for me, but I will make sure I do that for my future patients, I will use my heart to spread the love everyone deserves.

My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. My parents gave birth to me in college. My mom pushed through and finished, My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill. I was in 2nd grade when he was first arrested. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year and got out when I finished 9th grade. He could never financially provide for me, so I watched my mother work as hard as she can to support me. I continuously push so hard to be successful. I knew that I took a huge risk coming to my dream school,but I didn't want finances to get in the way of my dreams. I am now diligently applying for scholarships and working part-time during the school year, and full-time during the summer to provide for myself. This scholarship will help me now by allowing me to stay enrolled at this school, But it could also, help me in the future because I won't be in as much debt and be struggling for the rest of my life to pay it off.

The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide that mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. The role of a nurse is to provide support, a lot of the time the nurse is the patient's VIP, sometimes that patient has no family, and they feel alone and scared, the nurse has to be more than just a caregiver, they have to be a listening ear. The nurse is the one that supports that patient through their tough times. Support is crucial for any connection, job, and just everyday life, but what's also important is advocacy. Sometimes the patient doesn't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, so standing up and being an advocate is necessary to me.

My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. After they graduated they took their journey to adulthood by going to different colleges. However, they remained strong. When looking at them you would see the perfect relationship, my dad who drove an hour to visit her on campus every week. That led to my mom and dad getting pregnant at 19. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience, so she stayed and finished college all four years. She graduated with me on her hip. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill.. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. Even though my dad dropped out and was starting that downfall of life my mom stuck beside him for me. But that didn't work for long because my dad was struggling to keep a job and started cheating on my mom. So she left him. About 2 years after she left him was when he was first arrested. I was in 2nd grade. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. To this day he uses me as a crutch whenever he needs something, he always tries to make me feel bad saying he was so young when he had me and that it's going to take him a while to get his life together. I completely understand that everyone's path is different but sometimes it feels like he wants me to make that same left turn that he did that led to his downfall. Having an absent father who chooses to come in and out of my life whenever he chooses has severely impacted my mental health and sent me into depressive episodes of feeling like I was never enough. I had to be resilient despite everything he put me through to keep going and push so hard to be successful. I graduated high school as valedictorian and I made the dean's list every semester and I'm thriving in college. I will never settle for anything less which is why Im pursuing my Bachelor's degree in nursing. I had to start journaling and telling myself affirmations to build my confidence and know that I am more than enough. Doing that and meditating has helped me calm my mind and body and allowed me to not be as anxious and worried all the time.

My short-term goals are to; continue making the dean's list every semester until graduation, make over $5000 to help pay my tuition from working over the summer, and to start investing my money into stocks. As far as the long term, I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide that mental health support that they need and deserve as well.I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. After they graduated they took their journey to adulthood by going to different colleges. However, they remained strong. When looking at them you would see the perfect relationship, my dad who drove an hour to visit her on campus every week. That led to my mom and dad getting pregnant at 19. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience, so she stayed and finished college all four years. She graduated with me on her hip. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill.. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. I was in 2nd grade when he was first arrested. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I wouldn't be seeing him for a while. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. To this day he uses me as a crutch whenever he needs something, he always tries to make me feel bad saying he was so young when he had me and that it's going to take him a while to get his life together. I completely understand that everyone's path is different but sometimes it feels like he wants me to make that same left turn that he did that led to his downfall. This is why I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. I had to be resilient despite everything he put me through to keep going and push so hard to be successful. I graduated high school as valedictorian and I made the dean's list every semester and I'm thriving in college. I will never settle for anything less which is why Im pursuing my Bachelor's degree in nursing. I see myself in five years as an RN working in pediatrics. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. I will help so many people overcome their healthcare challenges. Many think nurses only help physically but the nurses also contribute to the mental health aspect by reassuring and being there for them. My dad couldn't do that for me, but I will make sure I do that for my future patients, I will use my heart to spread the love everyone deserves. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide that mental health support that they need and deserve as well. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide that mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. The role of a nurse is to provide support, a lot of the time the nurse is the patient's VIP, sometimes that patient has no family, and they feel alone and scared, the nurse has to be more than just a caregiver, they have to be a listening ear. The nurse is the one that supports that patient through their tough times. Support is crucial for any connection, job, and just everyday life, but what's also important is advocacy. Sometimes the patient doesn't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, so standing up and being an advocate is necessary to me.

The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide that mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. The role of a nurse is to provide support, a lot of the time the nurse is the patient's VIP, sometimes that patient has no family, and they feel alone and scared, the nurse has to be more than just a caregiver, they have to be a listening ear. The nurse is the one that supports that patient through their tough times. Support is crucial for any connection, job, and just everyday life, but what's also important is advocacy. Sometimes the patient doesn't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, so standing up and being an advocate is necessary to me.

I am working to address healthcare disparities. The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide that mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. The role of a nurse is to provide support, a lot of the time the nurse is the patient's VIP, sometimes that patient has no family, and they feel alone and scared, the nurse has to be more than just a caregiver, they have to be a listening ear. The nurse is the one that supports that patient through their tough times. Support is crucial for any connection, job, and just everyday life, but what's also important is advocacy. Sometimes the patient doesn't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, so standing up and being an advocate is necessary to me.

The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide that mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. The role of a nurse is to provide support, a lot of the time the nurse is the patient's VIP, sometimes that patient has no family, and they feel alone and scared, the nurse has to be more than just a caregiver, they have to be a listening ear. The nurse is the one that supports that patient through their tough times. Support is crucial for any connection, job, and just everyday life, but what's also important is advocacy. Sometimes the patient doesn't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, so standing up and being an advocate is necessary to me.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience daily. My biggest challenge is mental health. For me, the hardest part was never having anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. It caused me to conceal them and not tell anyone how I really feel. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. Which made me want to work in healthcare. In school, I saw black people face colorism and racist jokes all the time, and they would be too afraid to talk to the school counselor about it. I want to be someone people can talk to about those kinds of things. I have hopes that I could add more minority representation in the field of mental health. It's good to talk and listen to people who can relate and share similar experiences. I hope to break the stigma that black women have to be strong and independent all the time. I want to be the helping and listening voice in my community. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide that mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

The best way to make a positive impact on my community from my stem degree is by providing a service. The crazy thing some people don’t view nursing as STEM, but in my opinion it is exactly that. We take tremendous amounts of science courses like bio, chem, anatomy, and microbiology, and we have to use math in clinical when learning about medication measurements. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. I think graduates in STEM could change the world by 2040 with advocating. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe.. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide the mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

The best way to make a positive impact on my community from my stem degree is by providing a service. The crazy thing some people don’t view nursing as STEM, but in my opinion it is exactly that. We take tremendous amounts of science courses like bio, chem, anatomy, and microbiology, and we have to use math in clinical when learning about medication measurements. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. I think graduates in STEM could change the world by 2040 with advocating. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe.. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide the mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice.. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

I go to a private HBCU, which is extremely expensive. I knew that I took a huge risk coming here. However, It was a dream school and I didn't want finance to be the reason I couldn't follow my dream. I feel like as humans we need to follow our passions and dreams because if we don't we will regret it so much. I am currently in $5000 in student- loan debt and I am only a junior. I am doing everything in my power to try to stay at my dream school. I work two jobs over the summer, work part-time during the school year, and apply for as many scholarships as I can. I just want to lift the weight off my mom's shoulders. My mom already is in her own student loan debt and I don't want to stress her out worrying about mine as well. She is supporting me so much going here to follow my dreams and I don't want to let her down, and more importantly, I don't want to let down myself for not doing anything that I can to prove to everyone that I made a good decision. This scholarship will help me now by allowing me to stay enrolled at this school, But it could also, help me in the future because I won't be in as much debt and be struggling for the rest of my life to pay it off. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide that mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

The best way to make a positive impact on my community from my stem degree is by providing a service. The crazy thing some people don’t view nursing as STEM, but in my opinion it is exactly that. We take tremendous amounts of science courses like bio, chem, anatomy, and microbiology, and we have to use math in clinical when learning about medication measurements. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. I think graduates in STEM could change the world by 2040 with advocating. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe.. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide the mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide that mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. The role of a nurse is to provide support, a lot of the time the nurse is the patient's VIP, sometimes that patient has no family, and they feel alone and scared, the nurse has to be more than just a caregiver, they have to be a listening ear. The nurse is the one that supports that patient through their tough times. Support is crucial for any connection, job, and just everyday life, but what's also important is advocacy. Sometimes the patient doesn't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, so standing up and being an advocate is necessary to me.

The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide that mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. The role of a nurse is to provide support, a lot of the time the nurse is the patient's VIP, sometimes that patient has no family, and they feel alone and scared, the nurse has to be more than just a caregiver, they have to be a listening ear. The nurse is the one that supports that patient through their tough times. Support is crucial for any connection, job, and just everyday life, but what's also important is advocacy. Sometimes the patient doesn't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, so standing up and being an advocate is necessary to me.

The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide that mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. The role of a nurse is to provide support, a lot of the time the nurse is the patient's VIP, sometimes that patient has no family, and they feel alone and scared, the nurse has to be more than just a caregiver, they have to be a listening ear. The nurse is the one that supports that patient through their tough times. Support is crucial for any connection, job, and just everyday life, but what's also important is advocacy. Sometimes the patient doesn't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, so standing up and being an advocate is necessary to me.

1. I am a country-loving 19-year-old dancer from Kentucky. I love zip-lining, hiking, ice skating, and horseback riding. To sum it up, anything that has to do with nature and adventure. I'm honestly someone who isn't afraid to try new things. Working towards achieving my dream life motivates me. I see myself with a happy family that is financially stable. My mom is the reason I even have that dream. She beat all the odds of teen pregnancy and is in a happy marriage working a job she loves. She got pregnant with me at 19 and still managed to graduate college, my dad didn't help at all during my childhood so she was pretty much on her own until she met my stepdad. She is so hardworking and resilient, just looking at her life makes me want to push so hard. I am a firm believer in success. I have a job, got good grades, and attended my dream college. But I'm successful in ways others can’t see. I gained confidence. No one knew how insecure I was in my body. I’m so tall to the point where I never wore heels to any function in fear that I would be a giant compared to everyone. I now wear heels to parties just like my short friends. I now meditate for 5 minutes every day to find my peace of mind. I'm starting to hang out more with my friends; I'm becoming more extroverted and creating new relationships. I've figured out my calling. My calling is to become a nurse. That will be my future. I will work to make sure I am in the career of my dreams, not just something that pays well I will be happy. I want to become a pediatric nurse because I want to make sure all children can live to see their success. I want to make sure they can achieve it as healthily as possible. If I could do anything with my life. I go to a private HBCU, which is extremely expensive. I knew that I took a huge risk coming here. However, It was a dream school and I didn't want finance to be the reason I couldn't follow my dream. I feel like as humans we need to follow our passions and dreams because if we don't we will regret it so much. I am currently in $5000 in student- loan debt and I am only a junior. I am doing everything in my power to try to stay at my dream school. I work two jobs over the summer, work part-time during the school year, and apply for as many scholarships as I can. I just want to lift the weight off my mom's shoulders. My mom already is in her own student loan debt and I don't want to stress her out worrying about mine as well. She is supporting me so much going here to follow my dreams and I don't want to let her down, and more importantly, I don't want to let down myself for not doing anything that I can to prove to everyone that I made a good decision. This scholarship will help me now by allowing me to stay enrolled at this school, But it could also, help me in the future because I won't be in as much debt and be struggling for the rest of my life to pay it off.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience daily. My biggest challenge is mental health. For me, the hardest part was never having anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. It caused me to conceal them and not tell anyone how I really feel. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. In my opinion, the world needs more minority therapists. A therapist that isn't a POC wouldn't necessarily understand different struggles and problems. For example, when I was younger, I sought validation and hated my skin. I did not have anyone to talk to about how I would flatiron my hair every other day in the morning for school to look like my white friends. I did not have anyone to talk to about all the microaggressions said to my face that I never called out because I did not understand it all. If I couldn't even comprehend it at the time, how could I expect the counselors or therapists at my school? Which made me want to work in healthcare. In school, I saw black people face colorism and racist jokes all the time, and they would be too afraid to talk to the school counselor about it. I want to be someone people can talk to about those kinds of things. I have hopes that I could add more minority representation in the field of mental health. It's good to talk and listen to people who can relate and share similar experiences. I hope to break the stigma that black women have to be strong and independent all the time. I want to be the helping and listening voice in my community.The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide that mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them The role of a nurse is to provide support, a lot of the time the nurse is the patient's VIP, sometimes that patient has no family, and they feel alone and scared, the nurse has to be more than just a caregiver, they have to be a listening ear. The nurse is the one that supports that patient through their tough times.

The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide that mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. The role of a nurse is to provide support, a lot of the time the nurse is the patient's VIP, sometimes that patient has no family, and they feel alone and scared, the nurse has to be more than just a caregiver, they have to be a listening ear. The nurse is the one that supports that patient through their tough times. Support is crucial for any connection, job, and just everyday life, but what's also important is advocacy. Sometimes the patient doesn't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, so standing up and being an advocate is necessary to me.

I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide that mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. The role of a nurse is to provide support, a lot of the time the nurse is the patient's VIP, sometimes that patient has no family, and they feel alone and scared, the nurse has to be more than just a caregiver, they have to be a listening ear. The nurse is the one that supports that patient through their tough times. Support is crucial for any connection, job, and just everyday life, but what's also important is advocacy. Sometimes the patient doesn't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, so standing up and being an advocate is necessary to me.

I am pursing my Bachelor's in Nursing. What excites me about this education is being a RN is being an advocate for my patients. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide that mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. The role of a nurse is to provide support, a lot of the time the nurse is the patient's VIP, sometimes that patient has no family, and they feel alone and scared, the nurse has to be more than a caregiver, they have to be a listening ear. The nurse is the one that supports that patient through their tough times. Support is crucial for any connection, job, and just everyday life, but what's also important is advocacy. Sometimes the patient doesn't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, so standing up and being an advocate is necessary to me.

. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide that mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. The role of a nurse is to provide support, a lot of the time the nurse is the patient's VIP, sometimes that patient has no family, and they feel alone and scared, the nurse has to be more than just a caregiver, they have to be a listening ear. The nurse is the one that supports that patient through their tough times. Support is crucial for any connection, job, and just everyday life, but what's also important is advocacy. Sometimes the patient doesn't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, so standing up and being an advocate is necessary to me.

The best way to make a positive impact on my community from my stem degree is by providing a service. The crazy thing some people don’t view nursing as STEM, but in my opinion it is exactly that. We take tremendous amounts of science courses like bio, chem, anatomy, and microbiology, and we have to use math in clinical when learning about medication measurements. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe.. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide the mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. . Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

Success. What is it? I've found myself always stressing and breaking my back to prove my success. But is it truly success if you do it to prove or show someone else. I've found it hard to understand what makes a person truly successful. Is it their grades, career, or wealth? A lot of people believe it is within one of those three categories. But I believe success is when you are truly happy in life. Not the materialistic milestones or possessions. My idea of success is in these categories when you find your; confidence, peace of mind, drive, people that make you happy, and your calling. Those are my prerequisites. A billionaire is deemed as successful by society, but to what extent. Is it still a success if you're not happy? Is it still success when you are stuck in a career that you don’t really like even though it pays the bills? I use to be someone that thought my success lay in my brain. I maintained the deans list every semester. I also graduated as valedictorian from highschool, which was terrific. Everyone else may see success, but I saw a girl who was overworked and tired. A girl that didn’t form close friendships or relationships. A girl that missed out on all the fun of her teenage years. I sacrificed fun and freedom for my studies. My grades did pay off, but I have regrets. I regret missing homecoming because I had to work. I loved that valedictorian sash and giving the speech, but that joy only lasted a couple of hours. After graduation, I felt nothing. I felt like I worked so hard for nothing. As I applied for colleges, I was still in so much debt. I thought that I would be getting full academic scholarships with my grades, but I still owe a lot. In a materialistic way, I am successful. I have a job, got good grades, and attend my dream college. But I'm successful in ways others can’t see. I gained confidence. No one knew how insecure I was in my body. I’m so tall to the point where I never wore heels to any function in fear that I would be a giant compared to everyone. I now wear heels to parties just like my short friends. I now meditate for 5 minutes every day to find my peace of mind. I'm starting to hang out more with my friends; I'm becoming more extroverted and creating new relationships. I've figured out my calling. My calling is to become a nurse. That will be my future. I will work to make sure I am in the career of my dreams, not just something that pays well I will be happy. I want to become a pediatric nurse because I want to make sure all children can live to see their success. I want to make sure they can achieve it as healthy as possible. , In college I make sure I remain confident, have peace of mind, be around people who make me happy, have the drive to graduate, and work towards my calling of nursing. I know that if I work on those, I will have no trouble being successful. I go to a private HBCU, which is extremely expensive. I knew that I took a huge risk coming here. However, It was a dream school and I didn't want finance to be the reason I couldn't follow my dream. I feel like as humans we need to follow our passions and dreams because if we don't we will regret it so much. I am currently in $5000 in student- loan debt and I am only a junior. I am doing everything in my power to try to stay at my dream school. I work two jobs over the summer, work part-time during the school year, and apply for as many scholarships as I can. I just want to lift the weight off my mom's shoulders. My mom already is in her own student loan debt and I don't want to stress her out worrying about mine as well. She is supporting me so much going here to follow my dreams and I don't want to let her down, and more importantly, I don't want to let down myself for not doing anything that I can to stay. This scholarship will help me now by allowing me to stay enrolled at this school, But it could also, help me in the future because I won't be in as much debt and be struggling for the rest of my life to pay it off.

e best way to make a positive impact on my community from my stem degree is by providing a service. The crazy thing some people don’t view nursing as STEM, but in my opinion it is exactly that. We take tremendous amounts of science courses like bio, chem, anatomy, and microbiology, and we have to use math in clinical when learning about medication measurements. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe.. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide the mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

I go to a private HBCU, which is extremely expensive. I knew that I took a huge risk coming here. However, It was a dream school and I didn't want finance to be the reason I couldn't follow my dream. I feel like as humans we need to follow our passions and dreams because if we don't we will regret it so much. I am currently in $5000 in student- loan debt and I am only a rising junior. I am doing everything in my power to try to stay at my dream school. I work two jobs over the summer, work part-time during the school year, and apply for as many scholarships as I can. I just want to lift the weight off my mom's shoulders. My mom already is in her own student loan debt and I don't want to stress her out worrying about mine as well. She is supporting me so much going here to follow my dreams and I don't want to let her down, and more importantly, I don't want to let down myself for not doing anything that I can to prove to everyone that I made a good decision. This scholarship will help me now by allowing me to stay enrolled at this school, But it could also, help me in the future because I won't be in as much debt and be struggling for the rest of my life to pay it off. The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide that mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

I go to a private HBCU, which is extremely expensive. I knew that I took a huge risk coming here. However, It was a dream school and I didn't want finance to be the reason I couldn't follow my dream. I feel like as humans we need to follow our passions and dreams because if we don't we will regret it so much. I am currently in $5000 in student- loan debt and I am only a rising junior. I am doing everything in my power to try to stay at my dream school. I work two jobs over the summer, work part-time during the school year, and apply for as many scholarships as I can. I just want to lift the weight off my mom's shoulders. My mom already is in her own student loan debt and I don't want to stress her out worrying about mine as well. She is supporting me so much going here to follow my dreams and I don't want to let her down, and more importantly, I don't want to let down myself for not doing anything that I can to prove to everyone that I made a good decision. This scholarship will help me now by allowing me to stay enrolled at this school, But it could also, help me in the future because I won't be in as much debt and be struggling for the rest of my life to pay it off. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide the mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse who listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

I go to a private HBCU, which is extremely expensive. I knew that I took a huge risk coming here. However, It was a dream school and I didn't want finance to be the reason I couldn't follow my dream. I feel like as humans we need to follow our passions and dreams because if we don't we will regret it so much. I am currently in $5000 in student- loan debt and I am only a rising junior. I am doing everything in my power to try to stay at my dream school. I work two jobs over the summer, work part-time during the school year, and apply for as many scholarships as I can. I just want to lift the weight off my mom's shoulders. My mom already is in her own student loan debt and I don't want to stress her out worrying about mine as well. She is supporting me so much going here to follow my dreams and I don't want to let her down, and more importantly, I don't want to let down myself for not doing anything that I can to prove to everyone that I made a good decision. This scholarship will help me now by allowing me to stay enrolled at this school, But it could also, help me in the future because I won't be in as much debt and be struggling for the rest of my life to pay it off. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide that mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. Black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide that mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. I go to a private HBCU, which is extremely expensive. I knew that I took a huge risk coming here. However, It was a dream school and I didn't want finance to be the reason I couldn't follow my dream. I feel like as humans we need to follow our passions and dreams because if we don't we will regret it so much. I am currently in $5000 in student- loan debt and I am only a rising junior. I am doing everything in my power to try to stay at my dream school. I work two jobs over the summer, work part-time during the school year, and apply for as many scholarships as I can. I just want to lift the weight off my mom's shoulders. My mom already is in her own student loan debt and I don't want to stress her out worrying about mine as well. She is supporting me so much going here to follow my dreams and I don't want to let her down, and more importantly, I don't want to let down myself for not doing anything that I can to prove to everyone that I made a good decision. This scholarship will help me now by allowing me to stay enrolled at this school, But it could also, help me in the future because I won't be in as much debt and be struggling for the rest of my life to pay it off.

My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. After they graduated they took their journey to adulthood by going to different colleges. However, they remained strong. When looking at them you would see the perfect relationship, my dad who drove an hour to visit her on campus every week. That led to my mom and dad getting pregnant at 19. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience, so she stayed and finished college all four years. She graduated with me on her hip. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill.. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. Even though my dad dropped out and was starting that downfall of life my mom stuck beside him for me. But that didn't work for long because my dad was struggling to keep a job and started cheating on my mom. So she left him. About 2 years after she left him was when he was first arrested. I was in 2nd grade. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. To this day he uses me as a crutch whenever he needs something, he always tries to make me feel bad saying he was so young when he had me and that it's going to take him a while to get his life together. I completely understand that everyone's path is different but sometimes it feels like he wants me to make that same left turn that he did that led to his downfall. This is why I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I graduated high school as valedictorian and I made the dean's list every semester and I'm thriving in college. I will never settle for anything less which is why Im pursuing my Bachelor's degree in nursing. I see myself in five years as an RN working in pediatrics. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. I will help so many people overcome their healthcare challenges. Many think nurses only help physically but the nurses also contribute to the mental health aspect by reassuring and being there for them. My dad couldn't do that for me, but I will make sure I do that for my future patients.

tonyia.richardson@bison.howard.edu I absolutely adore the bond my mom and I have. We are super-close Since it was just us, we became each-others best-friend. She understands because of how young she is and what she went through. I'm so inspired by her and I know that If I am ever a single mom in the future, she will be here to guide me through it. I want to give a little backstory about my childhood My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. They were minor offenses that only resulted in him being in jail for 5 months or less each time. However, that doesn’t make it hurt any less. It did hurt me however I saw the impact it had on my mom. I was in 2nd grade when he was first arrested. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. I thought he was just acting like that because he just got out of jail and was trying to get his life back together but it became a recurring thing. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. During high school, I eventually realized that I shouldn't fight for a relationship that the other person cares nothing about. My mom taught me to fulfill that absent void by gaining self-worth I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I graduated as valedictorian in high school and made the dean's list every semester so far in college. My mom always made sure I stayed busy and did everything to reach my full potential. My mom taught me never to stop fighting for my dreams and to never settle for anything less and she is guiding me to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office l or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I want to be a nurse who advocates for my patients and listens and treats them like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. My mom is making my journey through nursing school so much easier. Even though my childhood was hectic I wouldn't trade my experience for anything. Having my mom help me through it definitely made life better. I am her legacy and I will not let her down.

I absolutely adore the bond my mom and I have. We are super-close Since it was just us, we became each-others best-friend. I'm so inspired by her and I know that If I am ever a single mom in the future, she will be here to guide me through it. I want to give a little backstory about my childhood My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. They were minor offenses that only resulted in him being in jail for 5 months or less each time. However, that doesn’t make it hurt any less. It did hurt me however I saw the impact it had on my mom. om saying I won't be seeing him for a while. When he got out of jail he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. I thought he was just acting like that because he just got out of jail and was trying to get his life back together but it became a recurring thing. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. During high school, I eventually realized that I shouldn't fight for a relationship that the other person cares nothing about. My mom taught me to fulfill that absent void by gaining self-worth. During my senior year, he tried to waddle his way back into my life he saw on my mom's Facebook that I got into Howard. So he proceeded to post my acceptance on his page as if he even knew what my major was. I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I graduated as valedictorian in high school and made the dean's list every semester so far in college. She always made sure I stayed busy and did everything to reach my full potential. My mom taught me never to stop fighting for my dreams and to never settle for anything less and she is guiding me to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office l or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I want to be a nurse that advocates for my patients and listens and treats them like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. My mom is making my journey through nursing school so much easier. Even though my childhood was hectic I wouldn't trade my experience for anything. Having my mom help me through it definitely made life better.

I took a risk by going to my dream school Howard University. I knew it would be a financial struggle but I knew the network connections, organizations, and education were worth it. My whole life I dreamed of going to an HBCU, especially an illustrious one like Howard. Because of my grades, I was able to receive some academic scholarships however it isn't enough. HBCUs don't give much financial aid so I didn't receive any on that end. My mom is my role model, she's trying her best to help me pay for tuition. She struggled with student loan debt and she is still paying it off to this day. It hurts my heart because she doesn't want me making the same mistakes she did. So she didn't let me take out any loans this semester and she is trying to pay for it all herself. She is well off at her job but not well enough to pay 20k a semester. A lot of people believe that if your parents make over $55,000 a year then they would be able to contribute a lot to pay, but that is not the case. My family does not have the means to pay for my education in full because they have bills, their own student loan debt, and other children to pay for. FAFSA doesn't account for all of that and they think my parents will be able to contribute based solely on salary without looking at the other aspects. I know that I could have saved money by going to a university in my state but it was still a lot of money. I graduated as valedictorian in high school and had a 4.0 GPA. I thought I would have got a full academic scholarship but now scholarships and money are really based on how much our parents make. It sucks because my parents still can't afford to pay out of pocket I am doing everything in my power to try to stay at my dream school. I work two jobs over the summer, work part-time during the school year, and apply for as many scholarships as I can. I just want to lift the weight off my mom's shoulders. My mom is supporting me so much going here to follow my dreams and I don't want to let her down, and more importantly, I don't want to let down myself for not doing anything that I can to prove to everyone that I made a good decision. This scholarship will help me now by allowing me to stay enrolled at this school, But it could also, help me in the future because I won't be in as much debt and be struggling for the rest of my life to pay it off. I see myself as a nurse in a children's hospital. I want to be an advocate for my patients. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide that mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. They were minor offenses that only resulted in him being in jail for 5 months or less each time. However, that doesn’t make it hurt any less. It did hurt me however I saw the impact it had on my mom. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts My mom and dad got pregnant at 19. My mom always had a strong resilience to her so she stayed and finished college all in four years. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill. But my mom graduated with me on her hip. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. Even though my dad dropped out and was starting that downfall of life my mom stuck beside him for me. But that didn't work for long because my dad was struggling to keep a job and started cheating on my mom. So she left him. About 2 years after she left him was when he was first arrested. I was in 2nd grade. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and actually did have his life together for about 6 years. But he ended up going back again my 8th-grade year. At that point, I was older and aware of what was going on with him. I was upset, shocked, and embarrassed. I knew from that point on our relationship would never be the same. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. I don't know if it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. I thought he was just acting like that because he just got out of jail and was trying to get his life back together but it became a recurring thing.It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship As I matured and got older I still yearned for that relationship with the other side of my family even though I resented them. During high school, I eventually realized that I shouldn't fight for a relationship that the other person cares nothing about. I fulfilled that absent void by gaining self-worth. I went through all four years of high school getting straight A’s while being on a competitive dance team and having a part-time job. I owe all of that to myself, he never helped me, and once I realized that I felt better. During my senior year, he tried to waddle his way back into my life I saw on my mom's Facebook that I got into Howard. I made the dean's list in both semesters my freshman and sophomore year despite all the hardships my dad caused me. I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I won't ever stop fighting for my dreams and I will never settle for anything less.

1. I am a country-loving 20-year-old dancer from Kentucky. I love zip-lining, hiking, ice skating, and horseback riding. To sum it up, anything that has to do with nature and adventure. I'm honestly someone who isn't afraid to try new things. Working towards achieving my dream life motivates me. I see myself with a happy family that is financially stable. I've figured out my calling. My calling is to become a nurse. That will be my future. I will work to make sure I am in the career of my dreams, not just something that pays well I will be happy. I want to become a pediatric nurse because I want to make sure all children can live to see their success. I want to make sure they can achieve it as healthily as possible. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. There have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. Studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. Having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide the mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse who listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. The role of a nurse is to provide support, a lot of the time the nurse is the patient's VIP, sometimes that patient has no family, and they feel alone and scared, the nurse has to be more than just a caregiver, they have to be a listening ear. The nurse is the one that supports that patient through their tough times. Sometimes the patient doesn't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, so standing up and being an advocate is necessary to me.

I absolutely adore the bond my mom and I have. We are super-close Since it was just us, we became each-others best-friend. I tell her about my boy's problems and mental health issues. She understands because of how young she is and what she went through. I'm so inspired by her and I know that If I am ever a single mom in the future, she will be here to guide me through it. I want to give a little backstory about my childhood My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. I was in 2nd grade the first time, Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. I thought he was just acting like that because he just got out of jail and was trying to get his life back together but it became a recurring thing. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. During high school, I eventually realized that I shouldn't fight for a relationship that the other person cares nothing about. My mom taught me to fulfill that absent void by gaining self-worth. I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. My mom taught me never to stop fighting for my dreams and to never settle for anything less and she is guiding me to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office l or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I want to be a nurse who advocates for my patients and listens and treats them like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. My mom is making my journey through nursing school so much easier. Even though my childhood was hectic I wouldn't trade my experience for anything. Having my mom help me through it definitely made life better. I am her legacy and I will not let her down.

I go to a private HBCU, which is extremely expensive. I knew that I took a huge risk coming here. However, It was a dream school and I didn't want finance to be the reason I couldn't follow my dream. I feel like as humans we need to follow our passions and dreams because if we don't we will regret it so much. I am currently in $5000 in student- loan debt and I am only a junior. I am doing everything in my power to try to stay at my dream school. I work two jobs over the summer, work part-time during the school year, and apply for as many scholarships as I can. I just want to lift the weight off my mom's shoulders. My mom is already in her own student loan debt, and I don't want to stress her out worrying about mine. She is supporting me so much going here to follow my dreams and I don't want to let her down, and more importantly, I don't want to let down myself for not doing anything that I can to stay at my school. This scholarship will help me now by allowing me to stay enrolled at this school, But it could also, help me in the future because I won't be in as much debt and be struggling for the rest of my life to pay it off. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point in time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. Having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide the mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse who listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

I had a distressing medical care experience during my senior year of high school. My mom wanted to put me on birth control so I can be adjusted to it before college. My gynecologist thought it would be best if I got Nexplanon since it lasts for 3 years. Within the first month, I was bleeding nonstop. I knew that it was an issue but I wasn’t stressing about it because I knew that it takes time to adjust. Fast forward to 3 months and I am still bleeding the entire month. At that point I knew something was wrong, I then made an appointment with my gynecologist and I told her that I may need a different form of birth control she told me that it was normal and should go away at the 6-month mark. Eventually, the 6th month comes around and nothing changed, she still didn't want me to give up on it so she recommended that I take the pill simultaneously to combat the long periods. I was a little hesitant at first because that meant double the hormones. Which means double the mood swings, weight gain, and acne. After one month of being on two birth control at the same time, I could tell that my body wasn’t happy so I decided to stop both of them. However, the residual effects were horrible; my periods were irregular, I was depressed all the time, suffered extreme fatigue. About a couple of months passed and I went for a normal checkup, I was then diagnosed with anemia and a b12 deficiency because I was bleeding so much. All of this could have been avoided if she would have listened to how I felt instead of trying to persuade me that it was normal. Bleeding for 6 months straight is not normal and trying to combat that by adding an additional birth control was not the way. I now have to take b12 vitamins and iron pills, and maca root just to get my hormones back aligned. Experiencing this personally, and hearing so many other stories is why I want to work in the healthcare field. I want to be the change that actually listens. I aspire to work as an RN in either pediatrics or labor and delivery. I wasn't able to speak up for myself because I was young and didn't really know my options or what I was getting into. However, it is the nurses' job to be an advocate for the kids and make sure they get accurate treatment since they can’t advocate for themselves. That is exactly what I hope to do; be an advocate for my patients. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and can ease up more because they know their lives are in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience daily. My biggest challenge is mental health. For me, the hardest part was never having anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. It caused me to conceal them and not tell anyone how I really feel. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. When I was younger, I sought validation and hated my skin. I did not have anyone to talk to about how I would flatiron my hair every other day in the morning for school to look like my white friends. I did not have anyone to talk to about all the microaggressions said to my face that I never called out because I did not understand it all. If I couldn't even comprehend it at the time, how could I expect the counselors or therapists at my school? Which made me want to work in healthcare. In school, I saw black people face colorism and racist jokes all the time, and they would be too afraid to talk to the school counselor about it. I want to be someone people can talk to about those kinds of things. I have hopes that I could add more minority representation in the field of mental health as a psych nurse. It's good to talk and listen to people who can relate and share similar experiences. I hope to break the stigma that black women have to be strong and independent all the time. I want to be the helping and listening voice in my community. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. My mom and dad got pregnant at 19. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience, so she stayed and finished college all four years. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill. I was in second grade when he was first arrested. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I wouldn't be seeing him for a while. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. To this day he uses me as a crutch whenever he needs something, he always tries to make me feel bad saying he was so young when he had me and that it's going to take him a while to get his life together. This is why I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. I had to be resilient despite everything he put me through to keep going and push so hard to be successful. I will never settle for anything less which is why Im pursuing my Bachelor's degree in nursing. I see myself in five years as an RN working in pediatrics. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I want to be a nurse who listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. I will help so many people overcome their healthcare challenges. Many think nurses only help physically but the nurses also contribute to the mental health aspect by reassuring and being there for them. My dad couldn't do that for me, but I will make sure I do that for my future patients, I will use my heart to spread the love everyone deserves. Black nurses only make up 6.7% of the U.S. There have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, You would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that in my pursuit of healthcare. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide the physical and mental health they deserve as well.

If given the opportunity I would improve issues within the healthcare system for my community. It is important to me because I had a distressing medical care experience during my senior year of high school. My mom wanted to put me on birth control so I could be adjusted to it before college. My gynecologist thought it would be best if I got Nexplanon since it lasts for 3 years. Within the first month, I was bleeding nonstop. I knew that it was an issue but I wasn’t stressing about it because I knew that it takes time to adjust. Fast forward to 3 months and I am still bleeding the entire month. At that point I knew something was wrong, I then made an appointment with my gynecologist and I told her that I may need a different form of birth control She told me that it was normal and should go away at the 6-month mark. Eventually, the 6th month came around and nothing changed, She still didn't want me to give up on it so she recommended that I take the pill simultaneously to combat the long periods. I was a little hesitant at first because that meant double the hormones. Which means double the mood swings, weight gain, and acne. After one month of being on two birth control at the same time, I could tell that my body wasn’t happy so I decided to stop both of them. However, the residual effects were horrible; my periods were irregular, I was depressed all the time, suffered extreme fatigue. About a couple of months passed and I went for a normal checkup, I was then diagnosed with anemia and a b12 deficiency because I was bleeding so much. All of this could have been avoided if she had listened to how I felt instead of trying to persuade me that it was normal. Bleeding for 6 months straight is not normal and trying to combat that by adding an additional birth control was not the way. I now have to take B12 vitamins ,iron pills, and maca root just to get my hormones back aligned. Experiencing this personally, and hearing so many other stories is why I want to work in the healthcare field. There have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity and are 3x more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. I want to be the change that actually listens. I wasn't able to speak up for myself because I was young and didn't really know my options or what I was getting into. However, it is the nurses' job to be an advocate for the kids and make sure they get accurate treatment since they can’t advocate for themselves. That is exactly what I hope to do; be an advocate for my patients. I want to be a nurse who listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

I chose to pursue higher education to work toward my dream career, I wanted to push myself and do things out of my comfort level, by pursuing a school 9hrs away from my hometown. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. Black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. There have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide the mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse who listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. A lot of the time the nurse is the patient's VIP; that patient has no family, and they feel alone and scared, The nurse has to be more than just a caregiver, they have to be a listening ear. The nurse is the one who supports that patient through their tough times. Sometimes the patient doesn't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, so standing up and being an advocate is necessary to me. I go to a private HBCU, which is extremely expensive. I knew that I took a huge risk coming here. However, It was a dream school and I didn't want finance to be the reason I couldn't follow my dream. I feel like as humans we need to follow our passions and dreams because if we don't we will regret it so much. I am doing everything in my power to try to stay at my dream school. I work two jobs over the summer, work part-time during the school year, and apply for as many scholarships as I can. I just want to lift the weight off my mom's shoulders. My mom already is in her own student loan debt and I don't want to stress her out worrying about mine as well. She is supporting me so much going here to follow my dreams and I don't want to let her down, and more importantly, I don't want to let down myself for not doing anything that I can to stay enrolled.This scholarship will help me now by allowing me to stay enrolled at this school, But it could also, help me in the future because I won't be in as much debt and be struggling for the rest of my life to pay it off.

I love zip-lining, hiking, ice skating, and horseback riding. To sum it up, anything that has to do with nature and adventure. I'm honestly someone who isn't afraid to try new things. Working towards achieving my dream life motivates me. I see myself with a happy family that is financially stable. My mom is the reason I even have that dream. She beat all the odds of teen pregnancy and is in a happy marriage working a job she loves. She got pregnant with me at 19 and still managed to graduate college, my dad didn't help at all during my childhood so she was pretty much on her own until she met my stepdad. She is so hardworking and resilient, just looking at her life makes me want to push so hard. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide that mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. Sometimes that patient has no family, and they feel alone and scared, the nurse has to be more than just a caregiver, they have to be a listening ear. The nurse is the one that supports that patient through their tough times. Support is crucial for any connection, job, and just everyday life, but what's also important is advocacy. Sometimes the patient doesn't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, so standing up and being an advocate is necessary to me.

I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. There have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide that mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse who listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. The role of a nurse is to provide support, a lot of the time the nurse is the patient's VIP, sometimes that patient has no family, and feels alone and scared, the nurse has to be more than just a caregiver, they have to be a listening ear. The nurse is the one that supports that patient through their tough times. Support is crucial for any connection, job, and just everyday life, but what's also important is advocacy. Sometimes the patient doesn't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, so standing up and being an advocate is necessary to me. Ive had to sacrifice a lot of my free time with friends and family because I had to work a part-time job to pay for school. But to make it into the upper division program of nursing I spent most of my time studying and doing homework so I didn't get to enjoy as much time having fun like other students. But I realized that it was worth it. Im willing to sacrifice things so I can achieve my dreams.

I display strong leadership and communication in my everyday life with my e-board positions on campus. I am a part of the student title ix committee where I advocate for the student's safety and communicate with the director to ensure the students' needs are addressed and taken seriously. I display resilience by continuing to fight towards my education no matter what financial and mental issues I'm put through, I do everything I can to push through nursing school no matter how hard it gets. I demonstrate unselfishness by helping my classmates, Nursing school is so competitive so I really try to help my peers with study methods and just tips that I have to be successful. I demonstrate focus by attending every class and missing out on certain parties and events to study. I demonstrate a strong work ethic by pursuing my job and taking time to still study as well. The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, You would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide the mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse who listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. To me leadership is being able to know when to let others lead as well. Having the confidence to know you set a good example and allowing others to be valued and appreciated with their input as well is crucial. But also leadership is being supportive, supporting the people you are leading is so important.

What makes me resilient is I don't let my obstacles deter me from reaching my goals.My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. After they graduated they took their journey to adulthood by going to different colleges. However, they remained strong. When looking at them you would see the perfect relationship, my dad who drove an hour to visit her on campus every week. That led to my mom and dad getting pregnant at 19. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience, so she stayed and finished college all four years. She graduated with me on her hip. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill.. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. Even though my dad dropped out and was starting that downfall of life my mom stuck beside him for me. But that didn't work for long because my dad was struggling to keep a job and started cheating on my mom. So she left him. About 2 years after she left him was when he was first arrested. I was in 2nd grade. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. To this day he uses me as a crutch whenever he needs something, he always tries to make me feel bad saying he was so young when he had me and that it's going to take him a while to get his life together. I completely understand that everyone's path is different but sometimes it feels like he wants me to make that same left turn that he did that led to his downfall. This is why I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I graduated high school as valedictorian and I made the dean's list every semester and I'm thriving in college. I will never settle for anything less which is why Im pursuing my Bachelor's degree in nursing. I see myself in five years as an RN working in pediatrics. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. I will help so many people overcome their healthcare challenges. Many think nurses only help physically but the nurses also contribute to the mental health aspect by reassuring and being there for them. My dad couldn't do that for me, but I will make sure I do that for my future patients.

I absolutely adore the bond my mom and I have. We are super-close Since it was just us, we became each-others best-friend. I tell her about my boy's problems and mental health issues. She understands because of how young she is and what she went through. I want to give a little backstory about my childhood My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. They were minor offenses that only resulted in him being in jail for 5 months or less each time. However, that doesn’t make it hurt any less. It did hurt me however I saw the impact it had on my mom. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. After they graduated they took their journey to adulthood by going to different colleges. However, they still remained strong. When looking at them you would see the perfect relationship, my dad who drove an hour to visit her on campus every week. That led to my mom and dad getting pregnant at 19. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience, so she stayed and finished college all four years. She graduated with me on her hip. My dad, however, gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill.. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. Even though my dad dropped out and was starting that downfall of life my mom stuck beside him for me. But that didn't work for long because my dad was struggling to keep a job and started cheating on my mom. So she left him. About 2 years after she left him was when he was first arrested. I was in 2nd grade. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. I thought he was just acting like that because he just got out of jail and was trying to get his life back together but it became a recurring thing. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. During high school, I eventually realized that I shouldn't fight for a relationship that the other person cares nothing about. My mom taught me to fulfill that absent void by gaining self-worth. I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I graduated as valedictorian in high school and made the dean's list every semester so far in college. She always made sure I stayed busy and did everything to reach my full potential. My mom taught me never to stop fighting for my dreams and to never settle for anything less and she is guiding me to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing. My mom is making my journey through nursing school so much easier.

My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. After they graduated they took their journey to adulthood by going to different colleges. However, they remained strong. When looking at them you would see the perfect relationship, my dad who drove an hour to visit her on campus every week. That led to my mom and dad getting pregnant at 19. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience, so she stayed and finished college all four years. She graduated with me on her hip. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill.. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. Even though my dad dropped out and was starting that downfall of life my mom stuck beside him for me. But that didn't work for long because my dad was struggling to keep a job and started cheating on my mom. So she left him. About 2 years after she left him was when he was first arrested. I was in 2nd grade. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. To this day he uses me as a crutch whenever he needs something, he always tries to make me feel bad saying he was so young when he had me and that it's going to take him a while to get his life together. I completely understand that everyone's path is different but sometimes it feels like he wants me to make that same left turn that he did that led to his downfall. This is why I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I graduated high school as valedictorian and I made the dean's list every semester and I'm thriving in college. I will never settle for anything less which is why Im pursuing my Bachelor's degree in nursing. I see myself in five years as an RN working in pediatrics. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. I will help so many people overcome their healthcare challenges. Many think nurses only help physically but the nurses also contribute to the mental health aspect by reassuring and being there for them. My dad couldn't do that for me, but I will make sure I do that for my future patients.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience daily. My biggest challenge is mental health. For me, the hardest part was never having anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone in my family that I'm depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. It caused me to conceal them and not tell anyone how I really feel. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. When I was younger, I sought validation and hated my skin. I did not have anyone to talk to about how I would flatiron my hair every other day in the morning for school to look like my white friends. I did not have anyone to talk to about all the microaggressions said to my face that I never called out because I did not understand it all. If I couldn't even comprehend it at the time, how could I expect the counselors or therapists at my school? Which made me want to work in healthcare. In school, I saw black people face colorism and racist jokes all the time, and they would be too afraid to talk to the school counselor about it. I want to be someone people can talk to about those kinds of things. I have hopes that I could add more minority representation in the field of mental health as a psych nurse. It's good to talk and listen to people who can relate and share similar experiences. I hope to break the stigma that black women have to be strong and independent all the time. I want to be the helping and listening voice in my community. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

My mission for joining the healthcare industry is to become an advocate for my patients. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide that mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. The role of a nurse is to provide support, a lot of the time the nurse is the patient's VIP, sometimes that patient has no family, and they feel alone and scared, the nurse has to be more than just a caregiver, they have to be a listening ear. The nurse is the one that supports that patient through their tough times. Support is crucial for any connection, job, and just everyday life, but what's also important is advocacy. Sometimes the patient doesn't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, so standing up and being an advocate is necessary to me.

One of the most important ways someone can give back to their community is by fighting for what they believe in. I worked to make my community a better place in the fight against injustice. Sweat drenched off everyone’s bodies as it was 8:30 p.m., and we’d been marching since 6:00 p.m. Everyone is marching all through downtown on 6th and Jefferson, holding signs as black as charcoal pierced with names of innocent people. It’s a vast crowd, all strangers to me, but I feel safe. About 100 people surround me, yet I feel like I know all of them. I was surrounded by American citizens that were trembling in fear that we soon may be the next name on one of the signs we were holding. They’re all so different and yet connected. I'm from Louisville, Kentucky, where Breonna Taylor was murdered by the LMPD. On June 1st, 2020 I went to my first protest in honor of her. I watched as the people who protect and serve threw tear gas and rubber bullets at citizens that only had face masks and water bottles. I knew that as police, they were trained for that exact moment. Little did I know my mom, cousin, and I were trained due to our skin being stained in brown. I see that even though we were the ones unarmed, our blackness was the weapon they feared. I continuously live in fear; I get scared driving thinking I might do something wrong and get pulled over by the police. I don’t think anyone should feel that way, so; I will fight for change. That day I thought I was protesting for one person, little did I know I was fighting for everyone else that looks like me, which is why I wouldn’t stop. I will always give back to my community, I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. There have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide the mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse who listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience daily. My biggest challenge is mental health. For me, the hardest part was never having anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. It caused me to conceal them and not tell anyone how I really feel. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. I did not have anyone to talk to about all the microaggressions said to my face that I never called out because I did not understand it all. If I couldn't even comprehend it at the time, how could I expect the counselors or therapists at my school? Which made me want to work in healthcare. In school, I saw black people face colorism and racist jokes all the time, and they would be too afraid to talk to the school counselor about it. I want to be the helping and listening voice in my community. Which is why I am pursing nursing. Many people wonder how nurses aid in mental health. The role of a nurse is to provide support, a lot of the time the nurse is the patient's VIP, sometimes that patient has no family, and they feel alone and scared, the nurse has to be more than just a caregiver, they have to be a listening ear. The nurse is the one who supports that patient through their tough times. Support is crucial for any connection, job, and just everyday life, but what's also important is advocacy. Sometimes the patient doesn't know what they're getting themselves into and there are some malpractices that happen in the healthcare field, so standing up and being an advocate is necessary to me. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide the mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. After they graduated they took their journey to adulthood by going to different colleges. However, they remained strong. When looking at them you would see the perfect relationship, my dad who drove an hour to visit her on campus every week. That led to my mom and dad getting pregnant at 19. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience, so she stayed and finished college all four years. She graduated with me on her hip. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill.. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. Even though my dad dropped out and was starting that downfall of life my mom stuck beside him for me. But that didn't work for long because my dad was struggling to keep a job and started cheating on my mom. So she left him. About 2 years after she left him was when he was first arrested. I was in 2nd grade. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. To this day he uses me as a crutch whenever he needs something, he always tries to make me feel bad saying he was so young when he had me and that it's going to take him a while to get his life together. I completely understand that everyone's path is different but sometimes it feels like he wants me to make that same left turn that he did that led to his downfall. This is why I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I graduated high school as valedictorian and I made the dean's list every semester and I'm thriving in college. I will never settle for anything less which is why I'm pursuing my bachelor's degree in nursing. I see myself in five years as an RN working in pediatrics. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. I will help so many people overcome their healthcare challenges. Many think nurses only help physically but the nurses also contribute to the mental health aspect by reassuring and being there for them. My dad couldn't do that for me, but I will make sure I do that for my future patients.

I am a country-loving 19-year-old dancer from Kentucky. I love zip-lining, hiking, ice skating, and horseback riding. To sum it up, anything that has to do with nature and adventure. I'm honestly someone who isn't afraid to try new things. Working towards achieving my dream life motivates me. I see myself with a happy family that is financially stable. My mom is the reason I even have that dream. She beat all the odds of teen pregnancy and is in a happy marriage working a job she loves. She got pregnant with me at 19 and still managed to graduate college, my dad didn't help at all during my childhood so she was pretty much on her own until she met my stepdad. She is so hardworking and resilient, just looking at her life makes me want to push so hard. I'm becoming more extroverted and creating new relationships. I've figured out my calling. My calling is to become a nurse. That will be my future. I will work to make sure I am in the career of my dreams, not just something that pays well I will be happy. I want to become a pediatric nurse because I want to make sure all children can live to see their success. I want to make sure they can achieve it as healthily as possible. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. There have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By being an advocate for my patients, I'm able to provide that mental health support that they need and deserve as well. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

I volunteered as a peer tutor. A peer tutor is someone that assists special friends. Special friends are the special needs students that went to our school. I taught them how to match colors with words, tie their shoes, and count with paper money. However, while being a peer tutor I felt so much more. One of my special friends, always made me a gift when I went to class. She would draw a picture of me and put it on my desk. It made me feel so welcomed and appreciated. I felt joy whenever my special friends got an answer right. I felt joy watching them sing and dance to their favorite song. I was excited to hear about their favorite color and food. I was ecstatic when the student that was struggling to tie their shoes finally got it. They made me feel loved every single day. I returned the favor by helping them with their math and reading. But I think I made them feel loved even more by never looking at them as different. I saw all of them as my friends, they know that they are unique but I tried my best to show them they are still deserving of being seen as the same. I would make tik-toks with them, and talk to them about my favorite movies, and my home life. I wanted to do everything I could to build their confidence. I knew that as a leader my duty was to guide them, I hope that I guided them toward finding happiness and confidence within themself. Taking on those roles of being a friend, teacher, and caregiver has taught me patience and acceptance. I’m so thankful for having that opportunity because each and every single one of them has impacted my life so much. This experience has fueled my passion for becoming a pediatric nurse practitioner. It made me realize that I have a natural passion with caring for people. I want my patients to feel comfortable and safe at the hospital. I know they will have nerves, anxiety, and just fear about the hospital and office setting as a whole, but I want them to know I will be more than just a nurse that treats them, I will be an advocate for them. I'm making sure every single question is answered, and hesitant I will provide as much info as I can, and most importantly I will just listen. A lot of healthcare workers are so busy and burnt out they don't have the time or energy to listen, but I will listen no matter what it takes.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience daily. My biggest challenge is mental health. For me, the hardest part was never really having anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. It caused me to conceal them and not tell anyone how I really feel. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. Black people had to always look strong and couldn’t show emotions because it would make them seem weak and be beaten more. I feel like the black community never fully came to terms with their trauma and kept passing it down from generation to generation. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be like that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. I shouldn't feel embarrassed to come out to my own family about what I feel. I didn't feel like I could talk to any professionals either. None of my therapists were people of color. In my opinion, the world needs more minority therapists. A therapist that isn't a POC wouldn't necessarily understand different struggles and problems. For example, when I was younger, I sought validation and hated my skin. I did not have anyone to talk to about how I would flatiron my hair every other day in the morning for school to look like my white friends. I did not have anyone to talk to about all the microaggressions said to my face that I never called out because I did not understand it all. If I couldn't even comprehend it at the time, how could I expect the counselors or therapists at my school? Which made me want to be a therapist or counselor. In school, I saw black people face colorism and racist jokes all the time, and they would be too afraid to talk to the school counselor about it. I want to be someone people can talk to about those kinds of things. After going through this it made me want to become a mental health nurse. I am currently at Howard University with a major in nursing. I have hopes that I could add more minority representation in the field of mental health. It's good to talk and listen to people who can relate and share similar experiences. I hope to break the stigma that black women have to be strong and independent all the time. I want to be the helping and listening voice in my community.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience daily. My biggest challenge is mental health. For me, the hardest part was never really having anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. It caused me to conceal them and not tell anyone how I really feel. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. Black people had to always look strong and couldn’t show emotions because it would make them seem weak and be beaten more. I feel like the black community never fully came to terms with their trauma and kept passing it down from generation to generation. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be like that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. I shouldn't feel embarrassed to come out to my own family about what I feel. I didn't feel like I could talk to any professionals either. None of my therapists were people of color. In my opinion, the world needs more minority therapists. A therapist that isn't a POC wouldn't necessarily understand different struggles and problems. For example, when I was younger, I sought validation and hated my skin. I did not have anyone to talk to about how I would flatiron my hair every other day in the morning for school to look like my white friends. I did not have anyone to talk to about all the microaggressions said to my face that I never called out because I did not understand it all. If I couldn't even comprehend it at the time, how could I expect the counselors or therapists at my school? Which made me want to be a therapist or counselor. In school, I saw black people face colorism and racist jokes all the time, and they would be too afraid to talk to the school counselor about it. I want to be someone people can talk to about those kinds of things. After going through this it made me want to become a mental health nurse. I am currently at Howard University with a major in nursing. I have hopes that I could add more minority representation in the field of mental health. It's good to talk and listen to people who can relate and share similar experiences. I hope to break the stigma that black women have to be strong and independent all the time. I want to be the helping and listening voice in my community.

To me legacy means anything that is special to you that has or can be shared and passed down for generations. It can inspire, help, or just provide a sense of happiness and belonging. I want to give a little backstory about my childhood My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. After they graduated they took their journey to adulthood by going to different colleges. However, they still remained strong. When looking at them you would see the perfect relationship, my dad who drove an hour to visit her on campus every week. That led to my mom and dad getting pregnant at 19. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience, so she stayed and finished college all four years. She graduated with me on her hip. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill.. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. When he got out of jail he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. I thought he was just acting like that because he just got out of jail and was trying to get his life back together but it became a recurring thing. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. During high school, I eventually realized that I shouldn't fight for a relationship that the other person cares nothing about. My mom taught me to fulfill that absent void by gaining self-worth. I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father to break the cycle. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I graduated high school as valedictorian and I made the dean's list every semester. My mom always made sure I stayed busy and did everything to reach my full potential. My mom taught me never to stop fighting for my dreams and to never settle for anything less and she is guiding me to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office l or in labor and delivery. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. My mom is making my journey through nursing school so much easier. Even though my childhood was hectic I wouldn't trade my experience for anything. Having my mom help me through it definitely made life better. I am her legacy and I will not let her down.

My mom has supported me the most through my goals. I want to give a little backstory about my childhood My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. After they graduated they took their journey to adulthood by going to different colleges. However, they still remained strong. That led to my mom and dad getting pregnant at 19. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience, so she stayed and finished college all four years. She graduated with me on her hip. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill.. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. He ended up being incarcerated two times but made bail on each one because they were minor offenses. However, when he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. I thought he was just acting like that because he just got out of jail and was trying to get his life back together but it became a recurring thing. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. During high school, I eventually realized that I shouldn't fight for a relationship that the other person cares nothing about. My mom taught me to fulfill that absent void by gaining self-worth. I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I graduated high school as valedictorian and I made the dean's list every semester. My mom always made sure I stayed busy and did everything to reach my full potential. My mom taught me never to stop fighting for my dreams and to never settle for anything less and she is guiding me to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office l or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I want to be a nurse because I love taking care of people and having the flexibility and opportunity to move to different specialties. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. My mom is making my journey through nursing school so much easier. Even though my childhood was hectic I wouldn't trade my experience for anything. Having my mom help me through it definitely made life better. I am her legacy and I will not let her down.

I think it's imortant to help others because so many people feel alone, unheard, and unseen in this world. Which really sucks considering we were all put on this earth for a reason. Life shouldn't be uncomfortable or troublesome. Howver, it is exactly that for so many people. While others are blessed to live as freely, happily, and comfortably as they want. In life it often seems unfair and in my opinion it is, a lot of things in this world is just unfair and hard for no reason. Which is why I believe we should all help each other no matter what. It doesn't matter how economically secure, mentally at peace, or just overall happy, that person still needs help. Receving and needing help is a human reaction and it is important for anyone to succeed in this world. Which is why I help out as much as I can. During my senior year of high school, I volunteered as a peer tutor. A peer tutor is someone that assists special friends. Special friends are the special needs students that went to our school. I taught them how to match colors with words, tie their shoes, and count with paper money. However, while being a peer tutor I felt so much more. One of my special friends, always made me a gift when I went to class. She would draw a picture of me and put it on my desk. It made me feel so welcomed and appreciated. I felt joy whenever my special friends got an answer right. I felt joy watching them sing and dance to their favorite song. I was excited to hear about their favorite color and food. I was ecstatic when the student that was struggling to tie their shoes finally got it. They made me feel loved every single day. I returned the favor by helping them with their math and reading. But I think I made them feel loved even more by never looking at them as different. I saw all of them as my friends, they know that they are unique but I tried my best to show them they are still deserving of being seen as the same. I would make tik-toks with them, and talk to them about my favorite movies, and my home life. I wanted to do everything I could to build their confidence. I knew that as a leader my duty was to guide them, I hope that I guided them toward finding happiness and confidence within themself. Taking on those roles of being a friend, teacher, and caregiver has taught me patience and acceptance. I’m so thankful for having that opportunity because each and every single one of them has impacted my life so much. Just helping people in need can create lifelong bonds and friendships.

My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. After they graduated they took their journey to adulthood by going to different colleges. However, they remained strong. When looking at them you would see the perfect relationship, my dad who drove an hour to visit her on campus every week. That led to my mom and dad getting pregnant at 19. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience, so she stayed and finished college all four years. She graduated with me on her hip. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill.. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. Even though my dad dropped out and was starting that downfall of life my mom stuck beside him for me. But that didn't work for long because my dad was struggling to keep a job and started cheating on my mom. So she left him. About 2 years after she left him was when he was first arrested. I was in 2nd grade. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. This caused me to look towards other people to nurture me but I realized I had to find ways to Nurture and provide for myself. To this day he uses me as a crutch whenever he needs something, he always tries to make me feel bad saying he was so young when he had me and that it's going to take him a while to get his life together. I completely understand and Respect that everyone's path is different but sometimes it feels like he wants me to make that same left turn that he did that led to his downfall. This is why I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I'm so Determined to be successful. I showed and still show Versatility through my day-to-day life; I graduated high school as valedictorian while being on a competitive dance team and having a part-time job, I made the dean's list 3times and I'm stepping out of my comfort zone trying new things. I strive to achieve anything I put my mind to which is why I'm pursuing my Bachelor's degree in nursing. My idea of the kind of nurse I want to be is innovative. I see myself in five years as an RN. will work my butt off to make that a reality. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me because they know that I work as an advocate for them by ensuring they receive the Equality they deserve.

I love zip-lining, hiking, ice skating, and horseback riding. To sum it up, anything that has to do with nature and adventure, but surprisingly I'm afraid of dogs. Working towards achieving my dream life motivates me. I see myself with a happy family that is financially stable. My mom is the reason I even have that dream. She beat all the odds of teen pregnancy and is in a happy marriage working a job she loves. She got pregnant with me at 19 and still managed to graduate college, my dad didn't help at all during my childhood so she was pretty much on her own until she met my stepdad. My dad never made my childhood easy however my mom did everything in her power to create a better life for me. So now I take every opportunity that I can to achieve and work towards my dream life. One way I am creating a better life for myself is by pursuing my bachelor's in nursing. Studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. I want to change that by being an advocate for my patient. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. I would use this scholarship to pay my payment plan for my tuition. I go to a private HBCU, which is extremely expensive. Especially since I choose an out-of-state school. I knew that I took a huge risk coming here. However, It was a dream school and I didn't want finance to be the reason I couldn't follow my dream. I feel like as humans we need to follow our passions and dreams because if we don't we will regret it so much. I am currently in $3000 in student- loan debt and I am only a sophomore. I now try to apply for as many scholarships as I can, and I am doing everything in my power to try to stay at my dream school. I work two jobs over the summer, work part-time during the school year, and apply for as many scholarships as I can. This would help so much, I just want to lift the weight off my mom's shoulders considering she is in her own student loan debt and I don't want to stress her out worrying about mine as well. She is supporting me so much going here to follow my dreams and I don't want to let her down, and more importantly, I don't want to let down myself for not doing anything that I can to prove to everyone that I made a good decision. This scholarship will benefit me now by allowing me to stay enrolled at this school since I will have the funds to continue my education. This scholarship will also help me in the future because I won't be in as much debt and be struggling for the rest of my life to pay it off.

I plan to use my education to make a positive impact on healthcare.I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

What is a leader? I believe anyone can be a leader. A leader is someone that can inspire and motivate others. Every single person in this world can do just that. Currently, I am a leader of multiple club organizations on campus and I was a leadership counselor for the Boys & Girls club and I was a peer tutor. During my senior year, I choose leadership by becoming a peer tutor. A peer tutor is someone that assists special friends. Special friends are the special needs students that went to our school. I taught them how to match colors with words, tie their shoes, and count with paper money. However, while being a peer tutor I felt so much more. One of my special friends, always made me a gift when I went to class. She would draw a picture of me and put it on my desk. It made me feel so welcomed and appreciated. I felt joy whenever my special friends got an answer right. I felt joy watching them sing and dance to their favorite song. I was excited to hear about their favorite color and food. I was ecstatic when the student that was struggling to tie their shoes finally got it. They made me feel loved every single day. I returned the favor by helping them with their math and reading. But I think I made them feel loved even more by never looking at them as different. They know that they are unique but I tried my best to show them they are still deserving of being seen as the same. I wanted to do everything I could to build their confidence. To be a good leader you have to have good leadership skills. What makes me a leader is my Confidence, Support, and collaboration. I want to achieve all of those characteristics as a leader in healthcare. I see myself in 3 years as an RN. Studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. I want to change that by choosing leadership by being an advocate for my patients. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

What is a leader? I believe anyone can be a leader. A leader is someone that can inspire and motivate others. Every single person in this world can do just that. Currently, I am a leader of multiple club organizations on campus and I was a leadership counselor for the Boys & Girls club and I was a peer tutor. During my senior year, I choose leadership by becoming a peer tutor. A peer tutor is someone that assists special friends. Special friends are the special needs students that went to our school. I taught them how to match colors with words, tie their shoes, and count with paper money. However, while being a peer tutor I felt so much more. One of my special friends, always made me a gift when I went to class. She would draw a picture of me and put it on my desk. It made me feel so welcomed and appreciated. I felt joy whenever my special friends got an answer right. I felt joy watching them sing and dance to their favorite song. I was excited to hear about their favorite color and food. I was ecstatic when the student that was struggling to tie their shoes finally got it. They made me feel loved every single day. I returned the favor by helping them with their math and reading. But I think I made them feel loved even more by never looking at them as different. They know that they are unique but I tried my best to show them they are still deserving of being seen as the same. I wanted to do everything I could to build their confidence. To be a good leader you have to have good leadership skills. What makes me a leader is my Confidence, Support, and collaboration. To me, an important factor in being a good leader is having confidence. In order, to have good leadership you have to be confident within yourself and whatever you teach. If the leader is not confident then the people that look up to them will see that, and feel like they shouldn't listen to them. Of course, leaders are not perfect and don’t know everything, however, it is important to feel confident. I realized that when I'm confident the people that I led started to feel more confident as well. I believe confidence radiates such positive energy because it is so difficult to go through life when you don't trust your own decisions. The second most important characteristic that is crucial for good leadership is support. When a leader builds a good support system it helps everything run smoother and you are more likely to achieve your goal. When leaders just lead without forming a connection with the people there leading it will be a huge disconnect between the two and it will be hard to be on the same page. It will feel very one-sided. When support is there everyone will feel comfortable contributing to the project. The last characteristic of good leadership is collaboration. I found so many benefits to collaborative leadership. Some of those benefits are; it allows everyone to learn from each other, problem-solving becomes easier, the leader can gain more ideas and learn from the team, it creates a healthy balance, and it allows regular team members to view themselves as leaders as well. All of these characteristics go hand and hand with each other. The more support you have, the more confident you are. The more collaboration there leads to more support.

My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. I thought he was just acting like that because he just got out of jail and was trying to get his life back together but it became a recurring thing. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. During high school, I eventually realized that I shouldn't fight for a relationship that the other person cares nothing about. My mom taught me to fulfill that absent void by gaining self-worth. During my senior year, he tried to waddle his way back into my life he saw on my mom's Facebook that I got into Howard. So he proceeded to post my acceptance on his page as if he even knew what my major was. He saw how well I've done in life without him and is trying to come back in my life. I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I went through all four years of high school getting straight A’s while being on a competitive dance team and having a part-time job. I made the dean's list every semester and I'm thriving in college. My mom taught me never to stop fighting for my dreams and to never settle for anything less which is what is inspiring me to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office l or in labor and delivery. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner. I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. My mom is making my journey through nursing school so much easier. Even though my childhood was hectic I wouldn't trade my experience for anything. Having my mom help me through it definitely made life better. She has helped me overcome more obstacles than one.

what inspires me to get involved in my community is the sense of family and happiness when the community comes together because of the feeling of comfort.During my senior year of high school, I volunteered as a peer tutor. A peer tutor is someone that assists special friends. Special friends are the special needs students that went to our school. I taught them how to match colors with words, tie their shoes, and count with paper money. However, while being a peer tutor I felt so much more. One of my special friends, always made me a gift when I went to class. She would draw a picture of me and put it on my desk. It made me feel so welcomed and appreciated. I felt joy whenever my special friends got an answer right. I felt joy watching them sing and dance to their favorite song. I was excited to hear about their favorite color and food. I was ecstatic when the student that was struggling to tie their shoes finally got it. They made me feel loved every single day. I returned the favor by helping them with their math and reading. But I think I made them feel loved even more by never looking at them as different. I saw all of them as my friends, they know that they are unique but I tried my best to show them they are still deserving of being seen as the same. I would make tik-toks with them, and talk to them about my favorite movies, and my home life. I wanted to do everything I could to build their confidence. I knew that as a leader my duty was to guide them, I hope that I guided them toward finding happiness and confidence within themself. Taking on those roles of being a friend, teacher, and caregiver has taught me patience and acceptance. I’m so thankful for having that opportunity because each and every single one of them has impacted my life so much. This experience has fueled my passion for becoming a pediatric nurse practitioner. It made me realize that I have a natural passion with caring for people. I want my patients to feel comfortable and safe at the hospital. I know they will have nerves, anxiety, and just fear about the hospital and office setting as a whole, but I want them to know I will be more than just a nurse that treats them, I will be an advocate for them. I'm making sure every single question is answered, and hesitant I will provide as much info as I can, and most importantly I will just listen. A lot of healthcare workers are so busy and burnt out they don't have the time or energy to listen, but I will listen no matter what it takes.

I embody selflessness by working hard to make people feel comfortable. This world has a way of making people feel excluded, abnormal, and just overall uncomfortable. I wholeheartedly believe that is to blame for the spikes in depression and anxiety, which is Why I advisedly work to ease those feelings.During my senior year of high school, I volunteered as a peer tutor. A peer tutor is someone that assists special friends. Special friends are the special needs students that went to our school. I taught them how to match colors with words, tie their shoes, and count with paper money. However, while being a peer tutor I felt so much more. One of my special friends, always made me a gift when I went to class. She would draw a picture of me and put it on my desk. It made me feel so welcomed and appreciated. I felt joy whenever my special friends got an answer right. I felt joy watching them sing and dance to their favorite song. I was excited to hear about their favorite color and food. I was ecstatic when the student that was struggling to tie their shoes finally got it. They made me feel loved every single day. I returned the favor by helping them with their math and reading. But I think I made them feel loved even more by never looking at them as different. I saw all of them as my friends, they know that they are unique but I tried my best to show them they are still deserving of being seen as the same. I would make tik-toks with them, and talk to them about my favorite movies, and my home life. I wanted to do everything I could to build their confidence. I knew that as a leader my duty was to guide them, I hope that I guided them toward finding happiness and confidence within themself. Taking on those roles of being a friend, teacher, and caregiver has taught me patience and acceptance. I’m so thankful for having that opportunity because each and every single one of them has impacted my life so much. This experience has fueled my passion for becoming a pediatric nurse practitioner. It made me realize that I have a natural passion with caring for people. I want my patients to feel comfortable and safe at the hospital. I know they will have nerves, anxiety, and just fear about the hospital and office setting as a whole, but I want them to know I will be more than just a nurse that treats them, I will be an advocate for them. I'm making sure every single question is answered, and hesitant I will provide as much info as I can, and most importantly I will just listen. A lot of healthcare workers are so busy and burnt out they don't have the time or energy to listen, but I will listen no matter what it takes. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

During my senior year of high school, I volunteered as a peer tutor. A peer tutor is someone that assists special friends. Special friends are the special needs students that went to our school. I taught them how to match colors with words, tie their shoes, and count with paper money. However, while being a peer tutor I felt so much more. One of my special friends, always made me a gift when I went to class. She would draw a picture of me and put it on my desk. It made me feel so welcomed and appreciated. I felt joy whenever my special friends got an answer right. I felt joy watching them sing and dance to their favorite song. I was excited to hear about their favorite color and food. I was ecstatic when the student that was struggling to tie their shoes finally got it. They made me feel loved every single day. I returned the favor by helping them with their math and reading. But I think I made them feel loved even more by never looking at them as different. I saw all of them as my friends, they know that they are unique but I tried my best to show them they are still deserving of being seen as the same. I would make tik-toks with them, and talk to them about my favorite movies, and my home life. I wanted to do everything I could to build their confidence. I knew that as a leader my duty was to guide them, I hope that I guided them toward finding happiness and confidence within themself. Taking on those roles of being a friend, teacher, and caregiver has taught me patience and acceptance. I’m so thankful for having that opportunity because each and every single one of them has impacted my life so much. This experience has fueled my passion for becoming a pediatric nurse practitioner. It made me realize that I have a natural passion with caring for people. I want my patients to feel comfortable and safe at the hospital. I know they will have nerves, anxiety, and just fear about the hospital and office setting as a whole, but I want them to know I will be more than just a nurse that treats them, I will be an advocate for them. I'm making sure every single question is answered, and hesitant I will provide as much info as I can, and most importantly I will just listen. A lot of healthcare workers are so busy and burnt out they don't have the time or energy to listen, but I will listen no matter what it takes. The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

I support my community by working to be an advocate and standing up for them.The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

My short-term goals are to; continue making the dean's list every semester until graduation. As far as the long term, I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. I am currently a junior at Howard University and I know I took a huge risk coming to this school, but, I didn't want finance to be the reason I couldn't follow my dream. I feel like as humans we need to follow our passions and dreams because if we don't we will regret it so much. I am currently in $5000 in student- loan debt and I am only a rising junior. I just want to lift the weight off my mom's shoulders. My mom already is in her own student loan debt and I don't want to stress her out worrying about mine as well. S This scholarship will help me now by allowing me to stay enrolled at this school, But it could also, help me in the future because I won't be in as much debt and be struggling for the rest of my life to pay it off. I made a contribution to my community by protesting on 6th and Jefferson Street in honor of Breonna Taylor that was murdered by police.I realized that staying silent does nothing but sweep issues under the rug; I need to inform people whether they want to listen. We continuously live in fear. We get scared driving thinking I might do something wrong and get pulled over by the police. We get afraid that a minor traffic stop could be the end of my life. I don’t think anyone should feel that way, so; I will use my voice and fight for change. Which is exactly what I want to do as a nurse to advocate for my patients. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% of the U.S. There have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point in time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands.

My mom and dad got pregnant with me at 19 when they were in college. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience, so she stayed and finished college all four years. She graduated with me on her hip. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. I was in 2nd grade when he was first arrested. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. To this day he uses me as a crutch whenever he needs something, he always tries to make me feel bad saying he was so young when he had me and that it's going to take him a while to get his life together. My dad was my adversity. It sucks that the person who is supposed to be your direct guide, supporter, and friend can't even show his child the love she deserves. I completely understand that everyone's path is different but sometimes it feels like he wants me to make that same left turn that he did that led to his downfall. This is why I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I went through all four years of high school getting straight A’s while being on a competitive dance team and having a part-time job. I made the dean's list 3times and I'm thriving in college. I will never stop fighting for my dreams and never settle for anything less which is why Im pursuing my Bachelor's degree in nursing. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase because there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. For example; Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are, and black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field.. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. The black community is my community and I want to be the change that listens to our concerns and genuinely advocates for my patients.

My mom and dad got pregnant with me at 19 when they were in college. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience, so she stayed and finished college all four years. She graduated with me on her hip. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. I was in 2nd grade when he was first arrested. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. To this day he uses me as a crutch whenever he needs something, he always tries to make me feel bad saying he was so young when he had me and that it's going to take him a while to get his life together. I completely understand that everyone's path is different but sometimes it feels like he wants me to make that same left turn that he did that led to his downfall. This is why I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I went through all four years of high school getting straight A’s while being on a competitive dance team and having a part-time job. I made the dean's list 3times and I'm thriving in college. I will never dream and never settle for anything less which is why Im pursuing my Bachelor's degree in nursing. Studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are.Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field.. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. The black community is my community and I want to be the change that listens to our concerns and genuinely advocates for my patients.

I give my strengths to the Black community by working with the youth. I have a natural passion and a patient gift to work with children. I worked for the Boys & Girls Club, volunteered as a peer tutor for special needs kids, and worked as a tutor for Roosevelt high school. So I hope that I can live out my dream of being a pediatric nurse practitioner. I am currently working towards that as a nursing major at Howard University. During the pandemic, I utilized my voice to protest the unjust killings that were happening in our community. Everyone is marching all through downtown on 6th and Jefferson, holding signs as black as charcoal pierced with names of innocent people. It’s a vast crowd, all strangers to me, but I feel safe. About 100 people surround me, yet I feel like I know all of them. As I walk through the crowd, I see an abundance of different kinds of people; Some were probably doing the same thing in the ’60s, others probably can’t cross the street by themselves, some white, some black, some poor, and some rich. I was surrounded by American citizens that were trembling in fear that we soon may be the next name on one of the signs we were holding. They’re all so different and yet connected. I think it also hit harder because I'm from Louisville, Kentucky, where Breonna Taylor was murdered by the LMPD. That night of the protest, I was puzzled to see people I thought were supposed to protect and keep people safe, doing the crime. It was a very traumatic moment in my life. I watched as the people who protect and serve throw tear gas and rubber bullets at citizens that only had face masks and water bottles. I knew that as police, they were trained for that exact moment. Little did I know my mom, cousin, and I was trained due to our skin being stained in brown. I see that even though we were the ones unarmed, our blackness was the weapon they feared. I never felt so connected to people in my life before that day; I realized I want to do more to feel that way all the time. This is why I joined Black Student Union in high school and attend an HBCU. Being at an HBCU we are constantly spreading social awareness and doing our best to fight for change. I think all the time about how people are hurting and what I can do to help. I now try to attend as many protests as possible and continuously spread awareness on my social media. I continuously live in fear. I get scared driving thinking I might do something wrong and get pulled over by the police. I get afraid that a minor traffic stop could be the end of my life. I don’t think anyone should feel that way, so; I will fight for change. People especially shouldn't be scared when they're laying in a hospital bed thinking that their doctors or nurses don't have their best interest at heart. The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

I love zip-lining, hiking, ice skating, and horseback riding. To sum it up basically anything that has to do with nature and adventure. I graduate highschool as valedictorian, and I was on the deans list 3times at my dream university.I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I wantto change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

I believe its important to pursue nursing as a career path so I can advocate and support people when they are scared and just need comfort. My experience with healthcare in the past was good but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. They were minor offenses that only resulted in him being in jail for 5 months or less each time. However, that doesn’t make it hurt any less. It did hurt me however I saw the impact it had on my mom. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. After they graduated they took their journey to adulthood by going to different colleges. However, they still remained strong. When looking at them you would see the perfect relationship, my dad who drove an hour to visit her on campus every week. That led to my mom and dad getting pregnant at 19. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience, so she stayed and finished college all four years. She graduated with me on her hip. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill.. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. Even though my dad dropped out and was starting that downfall of life my mom stuck beside him for me. But that didn't work for long because my dad was struggling to keep a job and started cheating on my mom. So she left him. About 2 years after she left him was when he was first arrested. I was in 2nd grade. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. I thought he was just acting like that because he just got out of jail and was trying to get his life back together but it became a recurring thing. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. During high school, I eventually realized that I shouldn't fight for a relationship that the other person cares nothing about. My mom taught me to fulfill that absent void by gaining self-worth. I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I went through all four years of high school getting straight A’s while being on a competitive dance team and having a part-time job. I made the dean's list 3 times and I'm thriving in college. My mom taught me never to stop fighting for my dreams and to never settle for anything less which is what is inspiring me to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing. I wouldn't be a t my dream school without her and she deserves all the praise in the world.

Growing up my mom instilled hard work in me, because she wanted me to be better than the cards I was dealt. My mom got pregnant with me when she was in college and my dad was never really around to help out. He was never able to keep a steady job and blames me for his life falling apart. I know how hard it was for my mom to be a single mother but she sacrificed so much to give me the best opportunities for success. She took me to the Kentucky science center a lot as a child and enrolled, me in computer classes throughout my schooling. Many people believe that nursing doesn't qualify as stem. Which is absurd to me because our focus is rooted in science. We are required to take bio, chem, anatomy, microbiology, and math. I had a distressing medical care experience during my senior year of high school. My mom wanted to put me on birth control so I can be adjusted to it before college. My gynecologist thought it would be best if I got Nexplanon since it lasts for 3 years. Within the first month, I was bleeding nonstop. I knew that it was an issue but I wasn’t stressing about it because I knew that it takes time to adjust. Fast forward to 3 months and I am still bleeding the entire month. At that point I knew something was wrong, I then made an appointment with my gynecologist and I told her that I may need a different form of birth control she told me that it was normal and should go away at the 6-month mark. Eventually, the 6th month comes around and nothing changed, she still didn't want me to give up on it so she recommended that I take the pill simultaneously to combat the long periods. I was a little hesitant at first because that meant double the hormones. Which means double the mood swings, weight gain, and acne. After one month of being on two birth control at the same time, I could tell that my body wasn’t happy so I decided to stop both of them. However, the residual effects were horrible; my periods were irregular, I was depressed all the time, suffered extreme fatigue. About a couple of months passed and I went for a normal checkup, I was then diagnosed with anemia and a b12 deficiency because I was bleeding so much. All of this could have been avoided if she would have listened to how I felt instead of trying to persuade me that it was normal. I now have to take b12 vitamins and iron pills, and maca root just to get my hormones back aligned. Experiencing this personally, and hearing so many other stories is why I decided to pursue STEM and work in the healthcare field. I want to be the change that actually listens. I wasn't able to speak up for myself because I was young and didn't really know my options or what I was getting into. However, it is the nurses' job to be an advocate for the kids and make sure they get accurate treatment since they can’t advocate for themselves. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. When nurses make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and can ease up more because they know their lives are in good hands.

I go to a private HBCU, which is extremely expensive. I knew that I took a huge risk coming here. However, It was a dream school and I didn't want finance to be the reason I couldn't follow my dream. I feel like as humans we need to follow our passions and dreams because if we don't we will regret it so much. I am currently in $5000 in student- loan debt and I am only a rising junior. I am doing everything in my power to try to stay at my dream school. I work two jobs over the summer, work part-time during the school year, and apply for as many scholarships as I can. I just want to lift the weight off my mom's shoulders. My mom is already in her own student loan debt and I don't want to stress her out worrying about mine as well. She is supporting me so much going here to follow my dreams and I don't want to let her down, and more importantly, I don't want to let down myself for not doing anything that I can to prove to everyone that I made a good decision. This scholarship will help me now by allowing me to stay enrolled at this school, But it could also, help me in the future because I won't be in as much debt and be struggling for the rest of my life to pay it off while I try to ease into my future career. Speaking of the future, I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. There have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like regular people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience daily. My biggest challenge is mental health. For me, the hardest part was never having anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "You have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. It caused me to conceal them and not tell anyone how I really feel. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. In my opinion, the world needs more minority therapists. A therapist that isn't a POC wouldn't necessarily understand different struggles and problems. For example, when I was younger, I sought validation and hated my skin. I did not have anyone to talk to about how I would flatiron my hair every other day in the morning for school to look like my white friends. I did not have anyone to talk to about all the microaggressions said to my face that I never called out because I did not understand it all. If I couldn't even comprehend it at the time, how could I expect the counselors or therapists at my school? Which made me want to work in healthcare. In school, I saw black people face colorism and racist jokes all the time, and they would be too afraid to talk to the school counselor about it. I want to be someone people can talk to about those kinds of things. I have hopes that I could add more minority representation in the field of mental health. It's good to talk and listen to people who can relate and share similar experiences. I hope to break the stigma that black women have to be strong and independent all the time. I want to be the helping and listening voice in my community.

My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. My dad felt lost in life and often blamed my mom and I for his failures in life. When he got out of jail he didn't even call or see me until the holidays. I don't know if it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. But During high school, I realized that I shouldn't fight for a relationship that the other person cares nothing about. I filled that absent void by gaining self-worth and working towards my future. I made the dean's list 3x and I have a paid internship despite all the hardships my dad had caused me.

The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. Many people tell me that I shouldn't become a nurse because of how stressful and unappreciated they are. They also bring up being overworked and underpaid. I know that life isn’t about money, and I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

I love zip-lining, hiking, ice skating, and horseback riding. To sum it up basically anything that has to do with nature and adventure. I'm honestly someone who isn't afraid to try new things. The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a junior at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. Many people tell me that I shouldn't become a nurse because of how stressful and unappreciated they are. They also bring up being overworked and underpaid. I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling my purpose in life. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

A mother's bond is like no other. I aspire to be like her in every aspect. She has shown me love, happiness, perserverance and so much more. But my mom has also showed me strength. She got pregant with me when she was 19. She was in college, played a sport and had so many dreams ahead of her. She eventually fulfilled her dreams but she just had to take a pause during college to care for me. My mom always worked hard to provide for us, she wasnt a quitter she ended up graduting college in 5 years instead of 4, she bought an apartment, and made sure I never wanted for anything. My dad on the other hand, felt lost. The preganancy hit him harder than her and she was the one that was in pain for 9months and had to deliever me. He dropped out of college, sturuggled to find a job. He blamed us for his life failures and decided to take that out on my mom by mentally and physically abusing her. He was angry that she still managed to achieve the life she prayed for while he was stuggling to make ends meet. Because of his abuse towards my mom, it caused her to be extremely protective over me. Because no one protected her. I tried but I was too young. I rember hearing the yelling in our apartment, her tears at night and to this day it still pains me. Although my mom is finally receiving the love she deserves I can tell she still has her guard up. A tramatizing experience like that can realy effect you for life. I am currently pursing a nursing degree, and I want to directly help women like my mom. The patients that come from getting abused and I will clean them up, provide a shoulder to cry on, get them the support they need, provide point of contacts, and just staying with them through the tough time. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me.

I do believe that it is necessary for society to change its ways of responding to the problems of the disadvantaged. Society either ignores the problem completely or creates ways to make it ten times worse. In today's society, homeless people are looked down upon and dragged down even more than they already are. It sucks because the government has the means to help them, but they are choosing to hurt them. For example, many of the public benches now have dividers put in them to prevent people from sleeping on them. The money the government is spending to do that could be used to make a group home for homeless people. I would make it my goal to stand for homelessness because they are humans, and people treat them like scum. They're not criminals yet they are being treated like they did something wrong. People always bring up the fact that some are on drugs, however, they don't take into account that the only reason they use drugs is to cope. They are trying to cope with the fact that they have no place to call home. Trying to cope with the fact that they have no food. Trying to cope with that they are lonely and don't have any support. We all know how much of a struggle life is and there are some that struggle way more. In my opinion, homeless people have so much pride and determination. I know it's probably hard for them to stand outside in any weather condition holding up a sign, having everyone look down upon them; With the slight chance that maybe a nice person will buy them food or give them money. I understand that the average civilian can't do much to help. But if I were rich, a politician, or just a highly influential figure I would be doing anything I can to help. Another disadvantaged group that society should change its way of responding to is the black community. Instead of implementing more resources like financial and mental health help, society decides to punish people for the simple crime of being black. Yes, I said that being black is a crime. Because that is what society has made it seem. Breonna Taylor was sleeping in her room, and George Floyd was peacefully minding his business, however, they lost their life by someone whose role is to protect all the citizens in America. However, they decided to use their power to murder instead of save.

Some way I manage my personal wellness is by meditating to different frequencies. I am a huge believer that music and vibrations have healing energy. Meaning that different frequencies can contribute to different emotions. Just like upbeat music makes you feel happy and vice versa when it's a somber beat. Listening to 528HZ not only helps me decompose and relax but it also helps me manifest. Whenever I am stressed about an upcoming exam or financial issues I focus that energy on manifesting and working towards my goal. Being in college is already overwhelming. There are times when I barely feel like leaving my room, don't want to eat, or even communicate with friends and family. When I have days like that, I normally use that as a way to self-reflect and be at peace with myself. Throughout my childhood, I had to battle a lot of mental health issues on my own, so whenever I was feeling sad I would write in a journal the feelings that I wasn't able to tell others. Which is now a mechanism that I took with me as I got older. To this day I type in my notes apps my feelings anytime I feel hurt, sad, or angry. Although doing that really helps I still feel sad being so far from home. Don't get me wrong I love my school and I couldn't imagine myself anywhere else but I also love my home. On the days that Im homesick, I call my mom and grandma and just speak to them for hours to feel like I'm still with them. I’ll have my mom send pictures of her home-cooked meals, ill play Roblox with my little brother, and even send tiktoks to my stepdad so the 9-hour distance doesnt seem too far. If I didn't have any of these strategies in place to manage my wellness college would be miserable. I’m so lucky that I have friends that I consider my family to lift me up and support me through this college journey. Were all battling the same trope of being far from home, managing grades and a job, and just trying to work towards our future? But the movie nights, parties, sleepovers, and potlucks just make this journey seem less troublesome. Along with the mental health aspect, I also balance my wellness by prioritizing my grades. In order to keep my scholarship I have to maintain a 3.5 GPA, but instead of worrying and putting extra pressure on myself. I start assignments right when I receive them, and study days before the exam so I'm not cramming or procrastinating at the last minute. Doing that allows me to have free time to do the things that I like and have the time to spend with my friends. Wellness is so important, especially for college students who have to go through the horrors of student-loan-debt, I believe that the school should hold events and free days to prioritize health. But until then I will continue working on my health to promote my overall happiness.

The dream version of my future self is a woman that is no longer afraid to be herself; a passionate, confident, and truly-happy woman that puts herself out there to support everyone around her to fight for the success they deserve.

I am a 19-year-old dancer from Kentucky. I love zip-lining, hiking, ice skating, and horseback riding. To sum it up basically anything that has to do with nature and adventure. Although I love nature I am afraid of dogs. I immediately turn into a track star when the smallest pup comes near me. I don't know why I have this huge fear of those cute little animals but I am terrified. It's insane because I'm not afraid of normal things like heights, clowns, or bugs, rollercoasters, haunted houses, or scary movies. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either pediatrics or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

I had a distressing medical care experience during my senior year of high school. My mom wanted to put me on birth control so I can be adjusted to it before college. My gynecologist thought it would be best if I got Nexplanon since it lasts for 3 years. Within the first month, I was bleeding nonstop. I knew that it was an issue but I wasn’t stressing about it because I knew that it takes time to adjust. Fast forward to 3 months and I am still bleeding the entire month. At that point I knew something was wrong, I then made an appointment with my gynecologist and I told her that I may need a different form of birth control she told me that it was normal and should go away at the 6-month mark. Eventually, the 6th month comes around and nothing changed, she still didn't want me to give up on it so she recommended that I take the pill simultaneously to combat the long periods. I was a little hesitant at first because that meant double the hormones. Which means double the mood swings, weight gain, and acne. After one month of being on two birth control at the same time, I could tell that my body wasn’t happy so I decided to stop both of them. However, the residual effects were horrible; my periods were irregular, I was depressed all the time, suffered extreme fatigue. About a couple of months passed and I went for a normal checkup, I was then diagnosed with anemia and a b12 deficiency because I was bleeding so much. All of this could have been avoided if she would have listened to how I felt instead of trying to persuade me that it was normal. I now have to take b12 vitamins and iron pills, and maca root just to get my hormones back aligned. Experiencing this personally, and hearing so many other stories is why I decided to pursue STEM and work in the healthcare field. I want to be the change that actually listens. I wasn't able to speak up for myself because I was young and didn't really know my options or what I was getting into. However, it is the nurses' job to be an advocate for the kids and make sure they get accurate treatment since they can’t advocate for themselves.. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and can ease up more because they know their lives are in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

I had a distressing medical care experience during my senior year of high school. My mom wanted to put me on birth control so I can be adjusted to it before college. My gynecologist thought it would be best if I got Nexplanon since it lasts for 3 years. Within the first month, I was bleeding nonstop. I knew that it was an issue but I wasn’t stressing about it because I knew that it takes time to adjust. Fast forward to 3 months and I am still bleeding the entire month. At that point I knew something was wrong, I then made an appointment with my gynecologist and I told her that I may need a different form of birth control she told me that it was normal and should go away at the 6-month mark. Eventually, the 6th month comes around and nothing changed, she still didn't want me to give up on it so she recommended that I take the pill simultaneously to combat the long periods. I was a little hesitant at first because that meant double the hormones. Which means double the mood swings, weight gain, and acne. After one month of being on two birth control at the same time, I could tell that my body wasn’t happy so I decided to stop both of them. However, the residual effects were horrible; my periods were irregular, I was depressed all the time, suffered extreme fatigue. About a couple of months passed and I went for a normal checkup, I was then diagnosed with anemia and a b12 deficiency because I was bleeding so much. All of this could have been avoided if she would have listened to how I felt instead of trying to persuade me that it was normal. Bleeding for 6 months straight is not normal and trying to combat that by adding an additional birth control was not the way. I now have to take b12 vitamins and iron pills, and maca root just to get my hormones back aligned. Experiencing this personally, and hearing so many other stories is why I want to work in the healthcare field. I want to be the change that actually listens. I am applying for the upper division because I aspire to work as an RN in either pediatrics or labor and delivery. I wasn't able to speak up for myself because I was young and didn't really know my options or what I was getting into. However, it is the nurses' job to be an advocate for the kids and make sure they get accurate treatment since they can’t advocate for themselves. That is exactly what I hope to do; be an advocate for my patients. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and can ease up more because they know their lives are in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner. I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience daily. My biggest challenge is mental health. For me, the hardest part was never having anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "You have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. It caused me to conceal them and not tell anyone how I really feel. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. In my opinion, the world needs more minority therapists. A therapist that isn't a POC wouldn't necessarily understand different struggles and problems. For example, when I was younger, I sought validation and hated my skin. I did not have anyone to talk to about how I would flatiron my hair every other day in the morning for school to look like my white friends. I did not have anyone to talk to about all the microaggressions said to my face that I never called out because I did not understand it all. If I couldn't even comprehend it at the time, how could I expect the counselors or therapists at my school? Which made me want to work in healthcare. In school, I saw black people face colorism and racist jokes all the time, and they would be too afraid to talk to the school counselor about it. I want to be someone people can talk to about those kinds of things. I have hopes that I could add more minority representation in the field of mental health. It's good to talk and listen to people who can relate and share similar experiences. I hope to break the stigma that black women have to be strong and independent all the time. I want to be the helping and listening voice in my community. By being a psych nurse, I am a direct contact for physical and mental wellness and health.

I am a country-loving, 19-year-old dancer from Kentucky. I love zip-lining, hiking, ice skating, and horseback riding. To sum it up basically anything that has to do with nature and adventure. I'm honestly someone who isn't afraid to try new things. I would use this scholarship to pay my payment plan for my tuition. I go to a private HBCU, which is extremely expensive. Especially since I choose an out-of-state school. I knew that I took a huge risk coming here. However, It was a dream school and I didn't want finance to be the reason I couldn't follow my dream. I feel like as humans we need to follow our passions and dreams because if we don't we will regret it so much. I am currently in $3000 in student- loan debt and I am only a sophomore. I now try to apply for as many scholarships as I can, and I am doing everything in my power to try to stay at my dream school. This would help so much, I just want to lift the weight off my parent's shoulders. My mom already is in her own student loan debt and I don't want to stress her out worrying about mine as well. My family is supporting me so much going here to follow my dreams and I don't want to let them down, and more importantly, I don't want to let down myself for not doing anything that I can. This scholarship will benefit me now by allowing me to stay enrolled at this school since I will have the funds to continue my education. This scholarship will also help me in the future because I won't be in as much debt and be struggling for the rest of my life to pay it off. Speaking of my future, I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. There have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I use to experience daily. My biggest challenge was mental health. For me, the hardest part was never having anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place. They caused me to conceal my emotions and not tell anyone how I really felt. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. I eventually overcame my challenge of mental health by putting in the work. I began to meditate, give myself positive affirmations, find happiness in little things, and clean up more. I wrote in journals to express how I felt and I sent them to my coworker who was also going through depression. It felt good to have someone to talk to and be with someone who relates to and understands me. Now that I am older I had a tough adult conversation with my family about the trauma they caused me. I let them know that I am now on a journey to heal my inner child and I let them know how to be better for my little brother. It felt good to gain closure and call out toxic behaviors. I felt like it really helped my family to be more open and accepting when it comes to mental health. This talk was necessary and I'm so happy It happened. I know that mental health isn't something that just goes away and I still have so much more to overcome however I'm proud of the progress I've made so far and I couldn't have done it without taking the time to actually invest and take care of myself.

The best way to make a positive impact on the world is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. Many people tell me that I shouldn't become a nurse because of how stressful and unappreciated they are. They also bring up being overworked and underpaid. I know that life isn’t about money, and I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

What is a leader? I believe anyone can be a leader. A leader is someone that can inspire and motivate others. Every single person in this world has the ability to do just that. With being a good leader you have to have good leadership skills. The three main characteristics of leadership I value the most are Confidence, Support, and collaboration. To me, an important factor in being a good leader is having confidence. In order, to have good leadership you have to be confident within yourself and whatever you teach. If the leader is not confident then the people that look up to them will see that, and feel like they shouldn't listen to them. Of course, leaders are not perfect and don’t know everything, however, it is important that they feel confident because it will push them to achieve the goal since they have that passion for it. When the leader is confident the people that are being led will be confident as well. Personally, I believe confidence radiates such positive energy because it is so difficult to go through life when you don't trust your own decisions. The second most important characteristic that is crucial for good leadership is support. When a leader builds a good support system it helps everything run smoother and you are more likely to achieve your goal. When leaders just lead without forming a connection with the people there leading it will be a huge disconnect between the two and it will be hard to be on the same page. It will feel very one-sided. When support is there everyone will feel comfortable contributing to the project. I believe support is so important because as women we are constantly supporting each other, it makes me feel loved and like I can put my trust in them no matter what. The last characteristic of good leadership is collaboration. There are so many benefits to collaborative leadership. Some of those benefits are; it allows everyone to learn from each other, problem-solving becomes easier, the leader can gain more ideas and learn from the team, it creates a healthy balance, and it allows regular team members to view themselves as leaders as well. All of these characteristics go hand and hand with each other. The more support you have, the more confident you are. The more collaboration there leads to more support. I feel like a person in a leadership position should enact these characteristics if they don’t already have them, in order to be more successful in the role. Leadership is so important to help things run smoothly. It even helps foster amazing relationships and friendships.

The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field. A personal accomplishment that is helping me pursue these goals is that I received a proficient score on my TEAS exam. I also worked for UofL health at the Jewish hospital over winter break. I was responsible for stocking and making the adult code carts and central line carts. But I also had to assist the nurses with any medical supply that they needed. I got exposed to materials and supplies I didn't even know existed. Before that job I never understood the ins and outs that goes into every sector of healthcare.

I am a country-loving, Netflix enthusiast, 19-year-old dancer from Kentucky. I love zip-lining, hiking, ice skating, and horseback riding. To sum it up basically anything that has to do with nature and adventure. I'm honestly someone who isn't afraid to try new things. I go to a private out-of-state HBCU, which is extremely expensive. I knew that I took a huge risk coming here. However, It was a dream school and I didn't want finance to be the reason I couldn't follow my dream. I am currently in $3000 in student- loan debt and I am only a sophomore. I now try to apply for as many scholarships as I can, and I am doing everything in my power to try to stay at my dream school. This scholarship would help so much, I just want to lift the weight off my parent's shoulders. My mom already is in her own student loan debt and I don't want to stress her out worrying about mine as well. This scholarship will benefit me now by allowing me to stay enrolled at this school since I will have the funds to continue my education. This scholarship will also benefit my future because I won't be in as much debt and won’t be struggling to pay it off for the rest of my life. Speaking of my future I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. There have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. I want to be the change that by allowing patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. I experienced emotional weakness my senior year of high school. For me, the hardest part was never having anyone to talk to about it. Whenever I tried to tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. It caused me to conceal them and not tell my family how I feel. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be that all the time. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. But to overcome that I researched ways to be calmer and have clear peace of mind. I started to meditate for 5 minutes every day. It was great. I felt at ease and in tune with the world. I went out sungazing, which became my happy place and I found a friend to confide in about my problems.

I have chosen to further my education because I wanted more for myself. My dad dropped out and my mom had to take a few years off from college to raise me. I wanted to show my family that they raised me the best that they could, and show how much I appreciate them for everything they've done for me. I go to a private out-of-state HBCU, which is extremely expensive. I knew that I took a huge risk coming here. However, It was a dream school and I didn't want finance to be the reason I couldn't follow my dream. I am currently in $3000 in student- loan debt and I am only a sophomore. I now try to apply for as many scholarships as I can, and I am doing everything in my power to try to stay at my dream school. This scholarship would help so much, I just want to lift the weight off my parent's shoulders. My mom already is in her own student loan debt and I don't want to stress her out worrying about mine as well. This scholarship will benefit me now by allowing me to stay enrolled at this school since I will have the funds to continue my education. This scholarship will also benefit my future because I won't be in as much debt and won’t be struggling to pay it off for the rest of my life. I have so many dreams and goals for my future and I am constantly overthinking and trying to revamp those plans because of finances. But this scholarship could get me so much closer to my career goals. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. Studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. Many people tell me that I shouldn't become a nurse because of how stressful and unappreciated they are. They also bring up being overworked and underpaid. I know that life isn’t about money, and I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

I am a country-loving, Netflix enthusiast, 19-year-old dancer from Kentucky. I love zip-lining, hiking, ice skating, and horseback riding. To sum it up basically anything that has to do with nature and adventure. I'm honestly someone who isn't afraid to try new things. What excites me the most about STEAM is the science, I am a huge believer in science. I love learning about why the body responds the way it does, and every structure that makes up our body—learning about how all the different systems like the lymphatic, endocrine, and circulatory systems work to keep our body functioning properly. Before taking STEAM classes I never consciously thought about my fight or flight is activated by my sympathetic nervous system. Although I endure a lot of restless nights studying for my classes, I wouldn't change it for the world. I'm learning so much and I feel like I am improving more and more every day. The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

I am a country-loving, Netflix enthusiast, a 19-year-old dancer from Kentucky. I love zip-lining, hiking, ice skating, and horseback riding. To sum it up basically anything that has to do with nature and adventure. I'm honestly someone who isn't afraid to try new things. I will make a positive impact on the world through leadership as a RN. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years working in wellness as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

I am a country-loving, Netflix enthusiast, 19-year-old dancer from Kentucky. I love zip-lining, hiking, ice skating, and horseback riding. To sum it up basically anything that has to do with nature and adventure. I'm honestly someone who isn't afraid to try new things. The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

I am currently exploring a future career as a nurse or teacher . I believe that working as a nurse will provide fulfillment because I would be treating everyone with the care they deserve. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. Having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. I also believe I could gain fulfillment as a teacher. I want to be a teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black people who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day and say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up."I will do everything that I can to make sure I graduate with my bachelor’s and pass my teacher certification exam. I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them.

My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. They were minor offenses that only resulted in him being in jail for 5 months or less each time. However, that doesn’t make it hurt any less. It did hurt me however I saw the impact it had on my mom. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts My mom and dad got pregnant at 19. My mom always had a strong resilience to her so she stayed and finished college all in four years. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill. But my mom graduated with me on her hip. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. Even though my dad dropped out and was starting that downfall of life my mom stuck beside him for me. But that didn't work for long because my dad was struggling to keep a job and started cheating on my mom. So she left him. About 2 years after she left him was when he was first arrested. I was in 2nd grade. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and actually did have his life together for about 6 years. But he ended up going back again my 8th-grade year. At that point, I was older and aware of what was going on with him. I was upset, shocked, and embarrassed. I knew from that point on our relationship would never be the same. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. I don't know if it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. I thought he was just acting like that because he just got out of jail and was trying to get his life back together but it became a recurring thing.It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship As I matured and got older I still yearned for that relationship with the other side of my family even though I resented them. During high school, I eventually realized that I shouldn't fight for a relationship that the other person cares nothing about. I fulfilled that absent void by gaining self-worth. I went through all four years of high school getting straight A’s while being on a competitive dance team and having a part-time job. I owe all of that to myself, he never helped me, and once I realized that I felt better. During my senior year, he tried to waddle his way back into my life I saw on my mom's Facebook that I got into Howard. I made the dean's list in both semesters last year despite all the hardships my dad caused me. I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I won't ever stop fighting for my dreams and I will never settle for anything less.

I am a country-loving, Netflix enthusiast, 19-year-old dancer from Kentucky. I love zip-lining, hiking, ice skating, and horseback riding. To sum it up basically anything that has to do with nature and adventure. I'm honestly someone who isn't afraid to try new things. What excites me the most about STEM is the science, I am a huge believer in science. I love learning about why the body responds the way it does, and every structure that makes up our body—learning about how all the different systems like the lymphatic, endocrine, and circulatory systems work to keep our body functioning properly. Before taking STEM classes I never consciously thought about my fight or flight being activated by my sympathetic nervous system. Although I endure a lot of restless nights studying for my classes, I wouldn't change it for the world. I'm learning so much and I feel like I am improving more and more every day. I plan to use my studies in science to have a career in the nursing field. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

One experience that I will remember the most is not having that warm and touching feeling. I had a distressing medical care experience during my senior year of high school. My mom wanted to put me on birth control so I can be adjusted to it before college. My gynecologist thought it would be best if I got Nexplanon since it lasts for 3 years. Within the first month, I was bleeding nonstop. I knew that it was an issue but I wasn’t stressing about it because I knew that it takes time to adjust. Fast forward to 3 months and I am still bleeding the entire month. At that point I knew something was wrong, I then made an appointment with my gynecologist and I told her that I may need a different form of birth control she told me that it was normal and should go away at the 6-month mark. Eventually, the 6th month comes around and nothing changed, she still didn't want me to give up on it so she recommended that I take the pill simultaneously to combat the long periods. I was a little hesitant at first because that meant double the hormones. Which means double the mood swings, weight gain, and acne. After one month of being on two birth control at the same time, I could tell that my body wasn’t happy so I decided to stop both of them. However, the residual effects were horrible; my periods were irregular, I was depressed all the time, suffered extreme fatigue. About a couple of months passed and I went for a normal checkup, I was then diagnosed with anemia and a b12 deficiency because I was bleeding so much. All of this could have been avoided if she would have listened to how I felt instead of trying to persuade me that it was normal. Bleeding for 6 months straight is not normal and trying to combat that by adding an additional birth control was not the way. I now have to take b12 vitamins and iron pills, and maca root just to get my hormones back aligned. Experiencing this personally, and hearing so many other stories is why I want to work in the healthcare field. I want to be the change that actually listens. I want to give that warm and fuzzy feeling to my patients that I didn’t feel. I never want them to think that I didn’t have tier best interest at heart or not listen to their concerns. I wasn't able to speak up for myself because I was young and didn't really know my options or what I was getting into. However, it is the nurses' job to be an advocate for the kids and make sure they get accurate treatment since they can’t advocate for themselves. That is exactly what I hope to do; be an advocate for my patients. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and can ease up more because they know their lives are in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and can ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. I could see this changing my life trajectory by working towards something bigger. With this path, I could go to school a little longer to eventually become a nurse practitioner. With that, I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

I am a country-loving, Netflix enthusiast, from Kentucky. I love zip-lining, hiking, ice skating, and horseback riding. To sum it up basically anything that has to do with nature and adventure. I'm honestly someone who isn't afraid to try new things. The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

I am utterly afraid of dogs. I immediately turn into a track star when the smallest pup comes near me. I don't know why I have this huge fear of those cute little animals but I am terrified. It's insane because I'm not afraid of normal things like heights, clowns, or bugs. I love rollercoasters, haunted houses, and scary movies. Some more unique facts about me are; I worked at KFC for two years and was promoted to assistant manager, I'm double-jointed, I love admiring nature, and I am very tall. Growing up I was very insecure and hated my height. I am 5'9 as a girl. I've been at this height since my sophomore year of high school. I was taller than most boys in my class and towered over all the girls. Dancing was my passion and something that I loved to do, but everyone was shocked when they found out I danced instead of playing basketball or volleyball. Dance is something I love to do, and I questioned often if I was in the right sport. I always felt like I could never wear heels to prom or homecoming because I would be like 6 feet tall. But now as a sophomore in college, I'm confident. I've learned to love my long legs and big feet. I've learned to love being tall. I used to slouch to make myself seem shorter, but now I sit up straight. I recently went to a concert wearing 4-inch heels. Was I taller than a lot of the people there? yes. But I didn't mind it. I like that people look up to me, I like being the first person people see when I walk into a room. So many women get called a man and just straight up get bullied for being tall. I constantly wished to be shorter. But now I realize I am beautiful, all 5 feet and 9 inches of myself is beautiful. My confidence in my height is unique. The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me.

I want to be a pediatric nurse practitioner. The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field. The book the hate you give has really shaped my outlook on injustices and working towards equality, specifically what I could do to help my community.

What has brought me to community service is the feeling of joy and happiness from making a change. During my senior year of high school, I choose community service by becoming a peer tutor. I was very passionate about becoming one. A peer tutor is someone that assists special friends. Special friends are the special needs students that went to our school. I choose to become a peer tutor because my dream career is to be an elementary teacher, and I thought it would be great preparation and hands-on experience for me. I taught them how to match colors with words, tie their shoes, and count with paper money. However, while being a peer tutor I felt so much more. One of my special friends, always made me a gift when I went to class. She would draw a picture of me and put it on my desk. It made me feel so welcomed and appreciated. I felt joy whenever my special friends got an answer right. I felt joy watching them sing and dance to their favorite song. I was excited to hear about their favorite color and food. I was ecstatic when the student that was struggling to tie their shoes finally got it. They made me feel loved every single day. I returned the favor by helping them with their math and reading. But I think I made them feel loved even more by never looking at them as different. I saw all of them as my friends, they know that they are unique but I tried my best to show them they are still deserving of being seen as the same. I would make tik-toks with them, and talk to them about my favorite movies, and my home life. I wanted to do everything I could to build their confidence. I let them not that it is okay to not know something, and okay to be discouraged. I think it's okay to be discouraged because it is a natural human reaction and emotion, however, you can overcome that discouragement by just taking a breather and continuing to try. I think being a leader is more than teaching and being in control, a good leader allows their students and peers to lead them as well. I knew that as a leader my duty was to guide them, I hope that I guided them toward finding happiness and confidence within themself. This experience has fueled my passion for becoming an elementary teacher. It made me realize that I want to help kids in the future. I want them to feel comfortable and excited to be in school. I hope that I can be an inspiration to them and show them that anything is possible. Right now there are only 7% of teachers that identify as black in the U.S, I want to add to that percentage and allow the black and brown students to have a positive representation in schools.

The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. Many people tell me that I shouldn't become a nurse because of how stressful and unappreciated they are. They also bring up being overworked and underpaid. I know that life isn’t about money, and I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

2. What excites me the most about STEM is the science, I am a huge believer in science. I love learning about why the body responds the way it does, and every structure that makes up our body—learning about how all the different systems like the lymphatic, endocrine and circulatory systems work to keep our body functioning correctly. Before taking STEM classes I never consciously thought about my fight or flight is activated by my sympathetic nervous system. All of the stem classes are very rigorous and I'm often up late at night studying, but I honestly wouldn't change a thing about my major. I'm learning so much, and I constantly feel like I'm improving every day. The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

My cousin has down syndrome. She is literally my best friend. We are only 3 months apart and our parents are super close. My whole family is a caregiver to her. We know that it's probably hard on her mom because she is a single mother and having a special needs child requires a lot more patience and attention. A lot of people may believe the only role of being a caregiver is to assist with basic needs like meal prep, bathing, and transportation. However, I believe it is so much more. I think an essential role of caregivers is to make that person feel special and normal. That person that you are taking care of just wants to feel like your friend, when people only do the surface-level roles, it doesn’t create a strong bond between you too. I thought it was so important to just be friends and not make her feel like she was different. I did her hair and makeup, let her get on my social media, and make up a dance routine with her. After we did those things she literally had the biggest smile on her face. Once I saw that smile I knew I was doing a good job at being a caretaker. During my senior year of high school, I choose leadership by becoming a peer tutor. A peer tutor is someone that assists special friends. Special friends are the special needs students that went to our school. I taught them how to match colors with words, tie their shoes, and count with paper money. However, while being a peer tutor I felt so much more. One of my special friends, always made me a gift when I went to class. She would draw a picture of me and put it on my desk. It made me feel so welcomed and appreciated. I felt joy whenever my special friends got an answer right. I felt joy watching them sing and dance to their favorite song. I was excited to hear about their favorite color and food. I was ecstatic when the student that was struggling to tie their shoes finally got it. They made me feel loved every single day. I returned the favor by helping them with their math and reading. But I think I made them feel loved even more by never looking at them as different. I saw all of them as my friends, they know that they are unique but I tried my best to show them they are still deserving of being seen as the same. I would make tik-toks with them, and talk to them about my favorite movies, and my home life. I wanted to do everything I could to build their confidence. I let them not that it is okay to not know something, and okay to be discouraged. I think it's okay to be discouraged because it is a natural human reaction and emotion, however, you can overcome that discouragement by just taking a breather and continuing to try. I knew that as a leader my duty was to guide them, I hope that I guided them toward finding happiness and confidence within themself. It made me realize that I want to help kids in the future. Both opportunities have given me a positive outlook on everything. Taking on those roles of being a friend, teacher, and caregiver has taught me patience and acceptance. I’m so thankful for having those opportunities, and they have impacted my life so much to inspire me to become a pediatric nurse practitioner.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience daily. My biggest challenge is mental health. For me, the hardest part was never having anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. It caused me to conceal them and not tell anyone how I really feel. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. When I was younger, I sought validation and hated my skin. I did not have anyone to talk to about how I would flatiron my hair every other day in the morning for school to look like my white friends. I did not have anyone to talk to about all the microaggressions said to my face that I never called out because I did not understand it all. If I couldn't even comprehend it at the time, how could I expect the counselors or therapists at my school? Which made me want to work in healthcare. In school, I saw black people face colorism and racist jokes all the time, and they would be too afraid to talk to the school counselor about it. I want to be someone people can talk to about those kinds of things. I have hopes that I could add more minority representation in the field of mental health as a psych nurse. It's good to talk and listen to people who can relate and share similar experiences. I hope to break the stigma that black women have to be strong and independent all the time. I want to be the helping and listening voice in my community. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

1. I am a country-loving 19-year-old dancer from Kentucky. I love zip-lining, hiking, ice skating, and horseback riding. To sum it up, anything that has to do with nature and adventure. I'm honestly someone who isn't afraid to try new things. Working towards achieving my dream life motivates me. I see myself with a happy family that is financially stable. My mom is the reason I even have that dream. She beat all the odds of teen pregnancy and is in a happy marriage working a job she loves. She got pregnant with me at 19 and still managed to graduate college, my dad didn't help at all during my childhood so she was pretty much on her own until she met my stepdad. She is so hardworking and resilient, just looking at her life makes me want to push so hard. I am a firm believer in success. I have a job, got good grades, and am going to my dream college. But I'm successful in ways others can’t see. I gained confidence. No one knew how insecure I was in my body. I’m so tall to the point where I never wore heels to any function in fear that I would be a giant compared to everyone. I now wear heels to parties just like my short friends. I now meditate for 5 minutes every day to find my peace of mind. I'm starting to hang out more with my friends; I'm becoming more extroverted and creating new relationships. I've figured out my calling. My calling is to become a nurse. That will be my future. I will work to make sure I am in the career of my dreams, not just something that pays well I will be happy. I want to become a pediatric nurse because I want to make sure all children can live to see their success. I want to make sure they can achieve it as healthily as possible. If I could do anything with my life, I would practice holistic medicine while living in Canada. I am all for aligning the mind, body, and soul. however, if I could do anything with my life, I would practice holistic medicine while living in Canada. 2. What excites me the most about STEM is the science, I am a huge believer in science. I love learning about why the body responds the way it does, and every structure that makes up our body—learning about how all the different systems like the lymphatic, endocrine and circulatory systems work to keep our body functioning properly. Before taking STEM classes I never consciously thought about my fight or flight is activated by my sympathetic nervous system. What a lot of people don't think about is how nurses contribute to information technology. Nurses are responsible for inputting all of the patient's history, symptoms, and treatment plans. All of those are necessary for the health of the patient, but it is a also a form of information technology. Because it is putting in patient information on a computer. 3. The greatest challenge I had to overcome was dealing with my family circumstances. My mom and dad got pregnant at 19. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience to her so she stayed and finished college all in four years. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill. But my mom graduated with me on her hip. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. Even though my dad dropped out and was starting that downfall of life my mom stuck beside him for me. But that didn't work for long because my dad was struggling to keep a job and started cheating on my mom. So she left him. About 2 years after she left him was when he was first arrested. I was in 2nd grade. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. I thought he was just acting like that because he just got out of jail and was trying to get his life back together but it became a recurring thing. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of a year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. During high school, I eventually realized that I shouldn't fight for a relationship that the other person cares nothing about. My mom taught me to fulfill that absent void by gaining self-worth I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I went through all four years of high school getting straight A’s while being on a competitive dance team and having a part-time job. I did amazing in my first year of college and I will continue to do great in years to come. Everything that I went through has prepared me to take on any challenges I will face while being in college.

Sweat drenched off everyone’s bodies as it was 8:30 pm, and we’ve been marching since 6:00 pm. Everyone is marching all through downtown on 6th and Jefferson, holding signs as black as charcoal pierced with names of innocent people. It’s a vast crowd, all strangers to me, but I feel safe. About 100 people surround me, yet I feel like I know all of them. As I walk through the crowd, I see an abundance of different kinds of people; Some were probably doing this same thing in the ’60s, others probably can’t cross the street by themselves, some white, some black, some poor, and some rich. I was surrounded by American citizens that were trembling in fear that we soon may be the next name on one of the signs we were holding. They’re all so different and yet connected. I'm from Louisville, Kentucky, where Breonna Taylor was murdered by the LMPD. On June 1st, 2020 I went to my first protest in honor of her. I never felt so connected to people in my life before that day; I realized I want to do more to feel that way all the time. As I went through all my years in high school, I didn’t show my real self and often feel uncomfortable. In my AP world history class, it looked like a newly integrated school. I felt like I had to bite my tongue and be silent on many issues. Now as a college student, I realize that staying silent does nothing but sweep issues under the rug; I need to inform people whether they want to listen. I think all the time about how people are hurting and what I can do to help. I now try to attend as many protests as possible and continuously spread awareness on my social media. That night of the protest, I was puzzled to see people I thought were supposed to protect and keep people safe, doing the crime. It was a very traumatic moment in my life. I watched as the people who protect and serve throw tear gas and rubber bullets at citizens that only had face masks and water bottles. I knew that as police, they were trained for that exact moment. Little did I know my mom, cousin, and I was trained due to our skin being stained in brown. I see that even though we were the ones unarmed, our blackness was the weapon they feared. I continuously live in fear. I get scared driving thinking I might do something wrong and get pulled over by the police. I get afraid that a minor traffic stop could be the end of my life. I don’t think anyone should feel that way, so; I will fight for change. That day I thought I was protesting for one person, little did I know I was fighting for everyone else that looks like me, which is why I won’t stop.

During my senior year, I volunteered as a peer tutor. I was very passionate about becoming one. A peer tutor is someone that assists special friends. Special friends are the special needs students that went to our school. I choose to become a peer tutor because my dream career is to be an elementary teacher, and I thought it would be great preparation and hands-on experience for me. I taught them how to match colors with words, tie their shoes, and count with paper money. However, while being a peer tutor I felt so much more. One of my special friends, always made me a gift when I went to class. She would draw a picture of me and put it on my desk. It made me feel so welcomed and appreciated. I felt joy whenever my special friends got an answer right. I felt joy watching them sing and dance to their favorite song. I was excited to hear about their favorite color and food. I was ecstatic when the student that was struggling to tie their shoes finally got it. They made me feel loved every single day. I returned the favor by helping them with their math and reading. But I think I made them feel loved even more by never looking at them as different. I saw all of them as my friends, they knew that they are unique but I tried my best to show them they are still deserving of being seen as the same. I would make tik toks with them, and talk to them about my favorite movies, and my home life. I wanted to do everything I could to build their confidence. I let them not that it is okay to not know something, and okay to be discouraged. I think it's okay to be discouraged because it is a natural human reaction and emotion, However, you can overcome that discouragement by just taking a breather and continuing to try. I think being a leader is more than teaching and being in control, a good leader allows their students and peers to lead them as well. I knew that as a leader my duty was to guide them, I hope that I guided them toward finding happiness and confidence within themself. Another service I commit to is is the Angel Tree. My mom and I do this every year around the holidays. we receive an angel which is a child in need and we volunteer by buying what's on their Christmas list to Santa. I love doing that because I was so blessed as a child and it feels good to give kids a good Christmas, and I love the joy on their faces when they open their presents. It taught me to appreciate what I have and to always give if I am fortunate enough to do it.

My unpopular opinion is that if a job is stressing you out, you should leave. To me, a productive society is made when everyone is working in a way that makes them happy. People are enjoying society safely and freely. The world was meant to be lived by humans that enjoy themselves and nature. A society can't function properly when its citizens are overworked and stressed out. Many people believe a productive society is based on the economy and labor. However in my opinion a productive society is when populations are thriving. That means no one is dying from murder and no one is struggling to make ends meet. I believe citizens should live their life by their own definition not how society defines living. That would be my sentence to the world. I dream that we will one day live in a world where everyone is safe, trustworthy, and happy. A world where you can actually work for joy and not just to survive. A world that isn't just going to school, working for the rest of your life, then die. I envision a place where people follow their dreams and have a job they like instead of worrying about money. I also feel like, as humans, we abuse the Earth and take for granted everything it gives us. We extract resources until there is none left and take from other countries as if we don't have enough. We keep polluting our air and not taking account of the harm it's doing. It seems like no one cares. They think that we have so much to offer to Earth but forget how much Earth has provided us. I water plants in my grandma's garden, walk to ice cream, and close restaurants by my house to limit my gas usage and pollution output. There are children in cages like animals because people with power deem them as illegal. It makes me sad that people are still fighting against racism and hate crimes because history is still repeating itself. I'm upset that other countries are struggling so much, and I can't help them. Upset that so many people; are dying from a global pandemic, living on the streets, and not having access to healthcare. Yet while so many people are struggling to make ends meet, we have billionaires who run America without a care in the world to help others. Billionaires that the only ¼ of their income could end homelessness. So much is happening globally, and I know it isn't supposed to be like this. This is not a productive society things need to change.

I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. There have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. Studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. I would use this scholarship to pay my payment plan for my tuition. I go to a private HBCU, which is extremely expensive. Especially since I choose an out-of-state school. I knew that I took a huge risk coming here. However, It was a dream school and I didn't want finance to be the reason I couldn't follow my dream. I feel like as humans we need to follow our passions and dreams because if we don't we will regret it so much. I am currently in $3000 in student- loan debt and I am only a sophomore. I now try to apply for as many scholarships as I can, and I am doing everything in my power to try to stay at my dream school. This would help so much, I just want to lift the weight off my parent's shoulders. My mom already is in her own student loan debt and I don't want to stress her out worrying about mine as well. She is supporting me so much going here to follow my dreams and I don't want to let them down, and more importantly, I don't want to let down myself for not doing anything that I can to prove to everyone that I made a good decision. This scholarship will benefit me now by allowing me to stay enrolled at this school since I will have the funds to continue my education. This scholarship will also help me in the future because I won't be in as much debt and be struggling for the rest of my life to pay it off.

The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statisticBlack mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the health care field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. Many people tell me that I shouldn't become a nurse because of how stressful and unappreciated they are. They also bring up being overworked and underpaid. I know that life isn’t about money, and I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

I am a sophomore nursing major at Howard University from Louisville, Kentucky. I love zip-lining, hiking, ice skating, and horseback riding. Honestly, anything that has to do with nature and adventure. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statisticBlack mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the health care field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I use to experience daily. My biggest challenge was mental health. For me, the hardest part was never having anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place. They caused me to conceal my emotions and not tell anyone how I really felt. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. I eventually overcame my challenge of mental health by putting in the work. I began to meditate, give myself positive affirmations, find happiness in little things, and clean up more. I wrote in journals to express how I felt and I sent them to my coworker who was also going through depression. It felt good to have someone to talk to and be with someone who relates to and understands me. Now that I am older I had a tough adult conversation with my family about the trauma they caused me. I let them know that I am now on a journey to heal my inner child and I let them know how to be better for my little brother. It felt good to gain closure and call out toxic behaviors. I felt like it really helped my family to be more open and accepting when it comes to mental health. This talk was necessary and I'm so happy It happened. I know that mental health isn't something that just goes away and I still have so much more to overcome however I'm proud of the progress I've made so far and I couldn't have done it without taking the time to actually invest and take care of myself.

When I first got accepted into Howard, I was ecstatic but skeptical. I was skeptical, nervous, and afraid that I wouldn't be able to attend because It's a private HBCU. Private HBCUs receive no state funding and I lived 9hrs away. But I didn't let the feeling of current or future student loan debt get in the way of going to my dream school. So I worked extra hours during the summer before my freshman year. I worked my butt off 40hrs a week at KFC while doing door dash to make money on the side. I saved up enough to help pay some of my housing costs. But the thing that helped me address my loan debt the most is applying for outside scholarships like this. Spending countless hours a week looking and applying for any scholarship I qualify for is what kept me going. I went from having to pay $11,000 out of pocket every semester to only having to pay $5,000 each semester. That is still a lot of money for me considering I only have my mom to help pay for school and she is paying off her own student debt as well. So I try not to worry her about the weight of having to pay for mine. Those outside scholarships are really helping but I still owe a good amount of money. This is why I am working diligently to graduate in just 4 years to become an RN at the age of 22. That is my plan and if it works out I could pay off my future student loan debt in no time. I will also be able to help my mom with student loan debt. I've donated plasma and worked a job to currently pay for my tuition. I know that I took a risk coming to Howard, but I always believe we should follow our hearts and passions, and my heart was telling me that I needed to be at Howard. I couldn't imagine my undergraduate career anywhere else, and I am going to do my best to avoid and pay off as much student loan debt as possible. I have so many family members that are proud and happy that I am at college and doing something with my life. I can't let them or myself down. So I make sure that I provide the funds and education I need by working hard and remaining optimistic.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience daily. My biggest challenge is mental health. For me, the hardest part was never really having anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. It caused me to conceal them and not tell anyone how I really feel. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. Black people had to always look strong and couldn’t show emotions because it would make them seem weak and be beaten more. I feel like the black community never fully came to terms with their trauma and kept passing it down from generation to generation. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be like that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. I shouldn't feel embarrassed to come out to my own family about what I feel. I didn't feel like I could talk to any professionals either. None of my therapists were people of color. In my opinion, the world needs more minority therapists. A therapist that isn't a POC wouldn't necessarily understand different struggles and problems. For example, when I was younger, I sought validation and hated my skin. I did not have anyone to talk to about how I would flatiron my hair every other day in the morning for school to look like my white friends. I did not have anyone to talk to about all the microaggressions said to my face that I never called out because I did not understand it all. If I couldn't even comprehend it at the time, how could I expect the counselors or therapists at my school? Which made me want to be a therapist or counselor. In school, I saw black people face colorism and racist jokes all the time, and they would be too afraid to talk to the school counselor about it. I want to be someone people can talk to about those kinds of things. After going through this it made me want to become a mental health nurse. I am currently at Howard University as a nursing major. I have hopes that I could add more minority representation in the field of mental health. It's good to talk and listen to people who can relate and share similar experiences. I hope to break the stigma that black women have to be strong and independent all the time. I want to be the helping and listening voice in my community.

The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office l or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the health care field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. Many people tell me that I shouldn't become a nurse because of how stressful and unappreciated they are. They also bring up being overworked and underpaid. I know that life isn’t about money, and I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

When you imagine Kentucky and the people there what do you see? When I first arrived at Howard and they asked where I was from I told them Kentucky. They were shocked because they didn’t think many black people lived there, and they thought it was just filled with racist rednecks. In a way, I can understand why they view Kentucky that way. Coming to an HBCU made me realize that I experienced a lot of micro and macro aggressions, the funny thing is I never noticed because I grew up around it my whole life, so I was used to it. When I had to start looking at colleges of my own I was lost. I didn’t know if I should have picked a cheaper PWI or the HBCU school of my dreams. I chose my dream school, the illustrious Howard University. I chose Howard University because I wanted to be surrounded by successful people that look like me. I want to be surrounded by people that share the same experiences as me, and I can be myself without having to code-switch or water down my personality. Choosing my HBCU was probably the best thing that could have happened to me. It’s amazing to have all-black professors and advisors. It’s amazing to look at all the successful people that came from Howard. I hope to be one of those people as well. I am currently a nursing major with the end goal of becoming a pediatric nurse practitioner.

Sweat drenched off everyone’s bodies as it was 8:30 pm, and we’ve been marching since 6:00 pm. Everyone is marching all through downtown on 6th and Jefferson, holding signs as black as charcoal pierced with names of innocent people. It’s a vast crowd, all strangers to me, but I feel safe. About 100 people surround me, yet I feel like I know all of them. As I walk through the crowd, I see an abundance of different kinds of people; Some were probably doing this same thing in the ’60s, others probably can’t cross the street by themselves, some white, some black, some poor, and some rich. I was surrounded by American citizens that were trembling in fear that we soon may be the next name on one of the signs we were holding. They’re all so different and yet connected. I'm from Louisville, Kentucky, where Breonna Taylor was murdered by the LMPD. On June 1st, 2020 I went to my first protest in honor of her. I never felt so connected to people in my life before that day; I realized I want to do more to feel that way all the time. As I went through all my years at school, I didn’t show my real self and often feel uncomfortable. In my AP world history class, it looked like a newly integrated school. I felt like I had to bite my tongue and be silent on many issues. I realized that staying silent does nothing but sweep issues under the rug; I need to inform people whether they want to listen. This is why I joined Black Student Union in high school. I think all the time about how people are hurting and what I can do to help. I now try to attend as many protests as possible and continuously spread awareness on my social media. That night of the protest, I was puzzled seeing people I thought were supposed to protect and keep people safe, doing the crime. It was a very traumatic moment in my life. I watched as the people who protect and serve throw tear gas and rubber bullets at citizens that only had face masks and water bottles. I knew that as police, they were trained for that exact moment. Little did I know my mom, cousin, and I was trained due to our skin stained in brown. I see that even though we were the ones unarmed, our blackness was the weapon they feared. I continuously live in fear. I get scared driving thinking I might do something wrong and get pulled over by the police. I get afraid that a minor traffic stop could be the end of my life. I don’t think anyone should feel that way, so; I will fight for change. That day I thought I was protesting for one person, little did I know I was fighting for everyone else that looks like me, which is why I won’t stop.

My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. They were minor offenses that only resulted in him being in jail for 5 months or less each time. However, that doesn’t make it hurt any less. It did hurt me however I saw the impact it had on my mom. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts My mom and dad got pregnant at 19. My mom always had a strong resilience to her so she stayed and finished college all in four years. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill. But my mom graduated with me on her hip. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. Even though my dad dropped out and was starting that downfall of life my mom stuck beside him for me. But that didn't work for long because my dad was struggling to keep a job and started cheating on my mom. So she left him. About 2 years after she left him was when he was first arrested. I was in 2nd grade. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and actually did have his life together for about 6 years. But he ended up going back again my 8th-grade year. At that point, I was older and aware of what was going on with him. I was upset, shocked, and embarrassed. I knew from that point on our relationship would never be the same. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. I don't know if it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. I thought he was just acting like that because he just got out of jail and was trying to get his life back together but it became a recurring thing. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times a year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship As I matured and got older I still yearned for that relationship with the other side of my family even though I resented them. During high school, I eventually realized that I shouldn't fight for a relationship that the other person cares nothing about. I fulfilled that absent void by gaining self-worth. I went through all four years of high school getting straight A’s while being on a competitive dance team and having a part-time job. I owe all of that to myself, he never helped me, and once I realized that I felt better. During my senior year, he tried to waddle his way back into my life I saw on my mom's Facebook that I got into Howard. I made the dean's list in both semesters last year despite all the hardships my dad caused me. I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I won't ever stop fighting for my dreams and I will never settle for anything less. Upon completion of that degree, I see myself as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality.

Have you ever felt like no matter what you do or how hard you try that the world will never change? Well, my favorite book is The Hate U Give. The author Angie Thomas shows the effects of police brutality and how poorly black people are being treated no matter the efforts of trying to make a change in the world. In The Hate U Give Angie Thomas uses imagery, symbols, and Irony to show that racism leads to unfortunate outcomes. There was imagery shown for when Khalil got shot by a police officer, “Khalil opens the front door POW ! Khalil’s body jerks, blood splatters from his back”( Thomas 23). The imagery of his death shows the horror and severity of the situation. With the help of onomatopoeia, it created a visualization of bad the shooting was. Also, the imagery was shown during the riots after Khalil’s funeral, made the reader feel like they were actually in it. One symbol in this book is Khalil's hairbrush, “ That so-called hairbrush that he thought was a gun, the handle was thick enough, black enough, for him to assume it was a gun”(Thomas 217). His hairbrush was a symbol of how police officers use any excuse to justify their racism. The irony is used with the use of THUG LIFE, “THUG LIFE or better yet The Hate U Give Little Infants F---s Everybody”(Thomas 168). This shows irony because many people associate thug-life with gangs and how gangsters do the stuff they do because of their actions. However, in the book, the concept of thug life is explained as black people are poor because of the long term effects and generational trauma of slavery and segregation have caused so they can't get real jobs and have to turn to selling drugs and joining gangs to support their families. They end up in jail or a coffin even though they are just trying to survive. In Conclusion, this book has taught me to never stop fighting for something you believe in. Remember that the next time you face something you care about remember to use the best “weapon” you have … your voice. I think many people should read this book because police brutality and racism is often ignored, and this book gives a voice to the people too scared to talk about it and the people who can personally relate to it.

I see myself in five years as an RN working in pediatrics. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and can ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. The reason I want to work in pediatrics is that I genuinely enjoy working with kids. They are so full of life and energy and they deserve to stay that way. I want to help them stay as energetic and joyful as possible by making sure they're healthy. First semester of freshman year I was an elementary education major so I've always had a passion for working with kids I just didn't completely know how I wanted to do it. I believe I found my calling with nursing and I can't wait to complete my degree.

Sweat drenched off everyone’s bodies as it was 8:30 pm, and we’ve been marching since 6:00 pm. Everyone is marching all through downtown on 6th and Jefferson, holding signs as black as charcoal pierced with names of innocent people. It’s a vast crowd, all strangers to me, but I feel safe. About 100 people surround me, yet I feel like I know all of them. As I walk through the crowd, I see an abundance of different kinds of people; Some were probably doing this same thing in the ’60s, others probably can’t cross the street by themselves, some white, some black, some poor, and some rich. I was surrounded by American citizens that were trembling in fear that we soon may be the next name on one of the signs we were holding. They’re all so different and yet connected. I'm from Louisville, Kentucky, where Breonna Taylor was murdered by the LMPD. On June 1st, 2020 I went to my first protest in honor of her. I never felt so connected to people in my life before that day; I realized I want to do more to feel that way all the time. As I went through all my years at school, I didn’t show my real self and often feel uncomfortable. In my AP world history class, it looked like a newly integrated school. I felt like I had to bite my tongue and be silent on many issues. I realized that staying silent does nothing but sweep issues under the rug; I need to inform people whether they want to listen. This is why I joined Black Student Union in high school. I think all the time about how people are hurting and what I can do to help. I now try to attend as many protests as possible and continuously spread awareness on my social media. That night of the protest, I was puzzled seeing people I thought were supposed to protect and keep people safe, doing the crime. It was a very traumatic moment in my life. I watched as the people who protect and serve throw tear gas and rubber bullets at citizens that only had face masks and water bottles. I knew that as police, they were trained for that exact moment. Little did I know my mom, cousin, and I was trained due to our skin stained in brown. I see that even though we were the ones unarmed, our blackness was the weapon they feared. I continuously live in fear. I get scared driving thinking I might do something wrong and get pulled over by the police. I get afraid that a minor traffic stop could be the end of my life. I don’t think anyone should feel that way, so; I will fight for change. That day I thought I was protesting for one person, little did I know I was fighting for everyone else that looks like me, which is why I won’t stop.

I am a country-loving, Netflix enthusiast, 19-year-old dancer from Kentucky. I love zip-lining, hiking, ice skating, and horseback riding. To sum it up basically anything that has to do with nature and adventure. My academic goals are to remain on the dean's list every semester of my college career. Professionally I have goals to become a pediatric nurse practitioner. I would use this scholarship to pay my payment plan for my tuition. I go to a private HBCU, which is extremely expensive. Especially since I choose an out-of-state school. I knew that I took a huge risk coming here. However, It was a dream school and I didn't want finance to be the reason I couldn't follow my dream. I feel like as humans we need to follow our passions and dreams because if we don't we will regret it so much. I didn't want to regret my college experience considering that college is so expensive. I thought I might as well spend a lot of money somewhere I will actually enjoy. I am currently in $3000 in student- loan debt and I am only a sophomore. I now try to apply for as many scholarships as I can, and I am doing everything in my power to try to stay at my dream school. This would help so much, I just want to lift the weight off my parent's shoulders. My mom already is in her own student loan debt and I don't want to stress her out worrying about mine as well. They are supporting me so much going here to follow my dreams and I don't want to let them down, and more importantly, I don't want to let down myself for not doing anything that I can to prove to everyone that I made a good decision. This scholarship will benefit me now by allowing me to stay enrolled at this school since I will have the funds to continue my education. This scholarship will also help me in the future because I won't be in as much debt and be struggling for the rest of my life to pay it off. I made a contribution to my community by becoming a peer tutor. A peer tutor is someone that assists special friends. Special friends are the special needs students that went to our school. I taught them how to match colors with words, tie their shoes, and count with paper money. However, while being a peer tutor I felt so much more. One of my special friends, always made me a gift when I went to class. She would draw a picture of me and put it on my desk. It made me feel so welcomed and appreciated. I felt joy whenever my special friends got an answer right. I felt joy watching them sing and dance to their favorite song. I was excited to hear about their favorite color and food. I was ecstatic when the student that was struggling to tie their shoes finally got it. They made me feel loved every single day. But I think I made them feel loved even more by never looking at them as different. I saw all of them as my friends, they know that they are unique but I tried my best to show them they are still deserving of being seen as the same. I would make tik toks with them, talk to them about my favorite movies, my home life. I wanted to do everything I could to build their confidence.

My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. They were minor offenses that only resulted in him being in jail for 5 months or less each time. However, that doesn’t make it hurt any less. It really hurt when I saw the impact it had on my mom. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts, and they choose to stay together in college, which eventually lead to my mom and dad got pregnant at 19. My mom always had a strong resilience to her so she stayed and finished college all in four years. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. Even though my dad dropped out and was starting that downfall of life my mom stuck beside him for me. But that didn't work for long because my dad was struggling to keep a job. So she left him. About 2 years after she left him was when he was first arrested. I was in 2nd grade. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and actually did have his life together for about 6 years. But he ended up going back again my 8th-grade year. At that point, I was older and aware of what was going on with him. I was upset, shocked, and embarrassed. I knew from that point on our relationship would never be the same. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. I don't know if it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of a year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. During high school, I eventually realized that I shouldn't fight for a relationship that the other person cares nothing about. I fulfilled that absent void by gaining self-worth. I went through all four years of high school getting straight A’s while being on a competitive dance team and having a part-time job. I owe all of that to myself, he never helped me, and once I realized that I felt better. I made the dean's list in both semesters last year despite all the hardships my dad caused me. I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to work toward my dream of being a nurse. I won't ever stop fighting for my dreams and I will never settle for anything less.

I am a country-loving, Netflix enthusiast, 19-year-old dancer from Kentucky. I love zip-lining, hiking, ice skating, and horseback riding. To sum it up basically anything that has to do with nature and adventure. I'm honestly someone who isn't afraid to try new things. As far as my greatest strengths I would say my drive and determination. I'm always looking to exceed and go above and beyond in anything I do. I am motivated to make money so I worked two jobs over the summer. I don’t like being complacent I think a great strength I have is resilience in always trying to move forward and to higher positions in life. As far as weaknesses I would say my self-esteem and confidence. I can't stress higher education enough. I believe it is crucial due to the opportunities a degree can have. In this day in age, a bachelor's degree is the new high school diploma. It seems like many jobs are now requiring Masters's degrees. With that being said it is very important for as many people to pursue higher education. Attaining higher education is easier said than done. With the cost of school being that expensive it creates a huge financial burden on students and parents. I also think More minority professors and deans should be implemented in universities. College prep should be heavily ingrained in predominantly minority middle and high schools. That way they will feel prepared for college. The main issue is that the school system doesn't prepare students well enough for college. Whether it’s the course load, difficulty, or pace, students should be trained to prepare for higher education, regardless if they choose to go to college or not. In conclusion, I think all of these methods could help expand access to a broader range of demographic groups. That is exactly what I want to do in my future career. I want to expand access to a broader range of groups by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. Studies show that black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Black mothers are also 3x more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the health care field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner, so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities.

I am a country-loving, Netflix enthusiast, 19-year-old dancer from Kentucky. I love zip-lining, hiking, ice skating, and horseback riding. To sum it up basically anything that has to do with nature and adventure. I'm honestly someone who isn't afraid to try new things. As far as my greatest strengths I would say my drive and determination. I'm always looking to exceed and go above and beyond in anything I do. I am motivated to make money so I worked two jobs over the summer. I don’t like being complacent I think a great strength I have is resilience in always trying to move forward and to higher positions in life. As far as weaknesses I would say my self-esteem and confidence. The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office l or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. Studies show that black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Black mothers are also 3x more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the health care field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner, so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities.

The thing that inspires me most about getting involved with my community is. the knowing that the world is slowly getting better and working towards change. I look at the past with protest, marches, sit-ins and so much more and I see now how much we have evolved and achieved. Which is why I wanted to be involved in the community because I realized how even the smallest contribution can create something greater. On June 1st, 2020 I went to my first protest in honor of Briana Taylor. As I walked through the crowd, I saw an abundance of different kinds of people; Some were probably doing the same thing in the ’60s, others probably can’t cross the street by themselves, some white, some black, some poor, and some rich. I was surrounded by American citizens that were trembling in fear that we soon may be the next name on one of the signs we were holding. They’re all so different and yet connected. I'm from Louisville, Kentucky, where Breonna Taylor was murdered by the LMPD. I never felt so connected to people in my life before that day; I realized I want to do more to feel that way all the time. As I went through all my years at school, I didn’t show my real self and often feel uncomfortable. In my AP world history class, it looked like a newly integrated school. I felt like I had to bite my tongue and be silent on many issues. I realized that staying silent does nothing but sweep issues under the rug; I need to inform people whether they want to listen. This is why I joined Black Student Union in high school. I think all the time about how people are hurting and what I can do to help. I now try to attend as many protests as possible and continuously spread awareness on my social media. That night of the protest, I was puzzled seeing people I thought were supposed to protect and keep people safe, doing the crime. I watched as the people who protect and serve throw tear gas and rubber bullets at citizens that only had face masks and water bottles. I knew that as police, they were trained for that exact moment. Little did I know my mom, cousin, and I was trained due to our skin being stained in brown. I see that even though we were the ones unarmed, our blackness was the weapon they feared. I continuously live in fear. I get scared driving thinking I might do something wrong and get pulled over by the police. I get afraid that a minor traffic stop could be the end of my life. I don’t think anyone should feel that way, so; I will fight for change. That day I thought I was protesting for one person, little did I know I was fighting for everyone else that looks like me, which is why I won’t stop.

The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. I want to work in peds or labor and delivery because I really love working and assisting children. I found out I had a passion for working with them by becoming a peer tutor my senior year to the special needs students in my school and by working as a leadership counselor for a summer camp. Those kids made me excited to come in every day. I got excited watching them learn their math and reading. I felt joy whenever my special friends got an answer right. I was ecstatic when the student that was struggling to tie their shoes finally got it. I can't wait to have those emotions as a nurse as well. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the health care field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

My educational goals include; making the dean's list again, graduating on time, and be active in clubs and life on campus. I see myself as an rn in 3 more years so my main goal is to work as hard as I can to see that through and achieve my dreams. An obstacle I faced in my life was my dad going to jail. My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. They were minor offenses that only resulted in him being in jail for 5 months or less each time. However, that doesn’t make it hurt any less. It did hurt me however I saw the impact it had on my mom. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts My mom and dad got pregnant at 19. My mom always had a strong resilience to her so she stayed and finished college all in four years. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill. But my mom graduated with me on her hip. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. Even though my dad dropped out and was starting that downfall of life my mom stuck beside him for me. But that didn't work for long because my dad was struggling to keep a job and started cheating on my mom. So she left him. About 2 years after she left him was when he was first arrested. I was in 2nd grade. He got out and actually did have his life together for about 6 years. But he ended up going back again my 8th-grade year. At that point, I was older and aware of what was going on with him. I was upset, shocked, and embarrassed. I knew from that point on our relationship would never be the same. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. I don't know if it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. I thought he was just acting like that because he just got out of jail and was trying to get his life back together but it became a recurring thing. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times a year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship As I matured and got older I still yearned for that relationship with the other side of my family even though I resented them. During high school, I eventually realized that I shouldn't fight for a relationship that the other person cares nothing about. I fulfilled that absent void by gaining self-worth. I went through all four years of high school getting straight A’s while being on a competitive dance team and having a part-time job. I owe all of that to myself, he never helped me, and once I realized that I felt better. I made the dean's list in both semesters last year despite all the hardships my dad caused me. I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I won't ever stop fighting for my dreams and I will never settle for anything less.

I am a country-loving, Netflix enthusiast, 19-year-old dancer from Kentucky. I love zip-lining, hiking, ice skating, and horseback riding. To sum it up basically anything that has to do with nature and adventure. I'm honestly someone who isn't afraid to try new things. As far as my greatest strengths I would say my drive and determination. I'm always looking to exceed and go above and beyond in anything I do. I am motivated to make money so this summer I am working two jobs. I don’t like being complacent I think a great strength I have is resilience in always trying to move forward and to higher positions in life. As far as weaknesses I would say my self-esteem and confidence. There are times when I may not go out or post on social media in fear that people will talk bad about my appearance, I know that I shouldn’t care what people think, but I'm human and it is hard to act like words don’t hurt. The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office l or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. Studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the health care field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

I am a country-loving, Netflix enthusiast, 19-year-old dancer from Kentucky. I love zip-lining, hiking, ice skating, and horseback riding. To sum it up basically anything that has to do with nature and adventure. I'm honestly someone who isn't afraid to try new things. As far as my greatest strengths I would say my drive and determination. I'm always looking to exceed and go above and beyond in anything I do. I am motivated to make money so I worked two jobs over the summer. I don’t like being complacent I think a great strength I have is resilience in always trying to move forward and to higher positions in life. As far as weaknesses I would say my self-esteem and confidence. There are times when I may not go out or post on social media in fear that people will talk bad about my appearance, I know that I shouldn’t care what people think, but I'm human and it is hard to act like words don’t hurt. My mental health is something that I am working on but it is a journey and I am willing to put in the work to build up my confidence. The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office l or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the health care field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office l or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the health care field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. Many people tell me that I shouldn't become a nurse because of how stressful and unappreciated they are. They also bring up being overworked and underpaid. I know that life isn’t about money, and I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

My academic goals are to be on the dean's list and to maintain my grades while working a part-time job.The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office l or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. Ive given back to my community during my senior year by becoming a peer tutor. I was very passionate about becoming one. A peer tutor is someone that assists special friends. Special friends are the special needs students that went to our school. I taught them how to match colors with words, tie their shoes, and count with paper money. However, while being a peer tutor I felt so much more. One of my special friends, always made me a gift when I went to class. She would draw a picture of me and put it on my desk. It made me feel so welcomed and appreciated. I felt joy whenever my special friends got an answer right. I felt joy watching them sing and dance to their favorite song. I was excited to hear about their favorite color and food. I was ecstatic when the student that was struggling to tie their shoes finally got it. They made me feel loved every single day. I returned the favor by helping them with their math and reading. But I think I made them feel loved even more by never looking at them as different. I saw all of them as my friends, they know that they are unique but I tried my best to show them they are still deserving of being seen as the same.

During my senior year, I volunteered to become a peer tutor. A peer tutor is someone that assists special friends. Special friends are the special needs students that went to our school. I taught them how to match colors with words, tie their shoes, and count with paper money. However, while being a peer tutor I felt so much more. One of my special friends, always made me a gift when I went to class. She would draw a picture of me and put it on my desk. It made me feel so welcomed and appreciated. I felt joy whenever my special friends got an answer right. I felt joy watching them sing and dance to their favorite song. I was excited to hear about their favorite color and food. I was ecstatic when the student that was struggling to tie their shoes finally got it. They made me feel loved every single day. I returned the favor by helping them with their math and reading. But I think I made them feel loved even more by never looking at them as different. I saw all of them as my friends, they know that they are unique but I tried my best to show them they are still deserving of being seen as the same. I would make tik toks with them, and talk to them about my favorite movies, my home life. I wanted to do everything I could to build their confidence. I let them know that it is okay to not know something, and okay to be discouraged. I think it's okay to be discouraged because it is a natural human reaction and emotion, However, you can overcome that discouragement by just taking a breather and continuing to try. I would use this scholarship to pay my payment plan for my tuition. I go to a private HBCU, which is extremely expensive. Especially since I choose an out-of-state school. I knew that I took a huge risk coming here. However, It was a dream school and I didn't want finance to be the reason I couldn't follow my dream. I feel like as humans we need to follow our passions and dreams because if we don't we will regret it so much. I didn't want to regret my college experience considering that college is so expensive. I thought I might as well spend a lot of money somewhere I will actually enjoy. I am currently in $3000 in student- loan debt and I am only a sophomore. I now try to apply for as many scholarships as I can, and I am doing everything in my power to try to stay at my dream school. This would help so much, I just want to lift the weight off my parent's shoulders. My mom already is in her own student loan debt and I don't want to stress her out worrying about mine as well. They are supporting me so much going here to follow my dreams and I don't want to let them down, and more importantly, I don't want to let down myself for not doing anything that I can to prove to everyone that I made a good decision. This scholarship will benefit me now by allowing me to stay enrolled at this school since I will have the funds to continue my education. This scholarship will also help me in the future because I won't be in as much debt and be struggling for the rest of my life to pay it off.

I absolutely adore the bond my mom and I have. I want to give a little backstory about my childhood My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. They were minor offenses that only resulted in him being in jail for 5 months or less each time. However, that doesn’t make it hurt any less. It did hurt me however I saw the impact it had on my mom. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. After they graduated they took their journey to adulthood by going to different colleges. However, they still remained strong. When looking at them you would see the perfect relationship, my dad who drove an hour to visit her on campus every week. That led to my mom and dad getting pregnant at 19. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience, so she stayed and finished college all four years. She graduated with me on her hip. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill. Even though my dad dropped out and was starting that downfall of life my mom stuck beside him for me. But that didn't work for long because my dad was struggling to keep a job and started cheating on my mom. So she left him. About 2 years after she left him was when he was first arrested. I was in 2nd grade. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. During high school, I eventually realized that I shouldn't fight for a relationship that the other person cares nothing about. My mom taught me to fulfill that absent void by gaining self-worth. During my senior year, he tried to waddle his way back into my life he saw on my mom's Facebook that I got into Howard. So he proceeded to post my acceptance on his page as if he even knew what my major was. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I went through all four years of high school getting straight A’s while being on a competitive dance team and having a part-time job. I made the dean's list last semester and I'm thriving in college. My mom taught me never to stop fighting for my dreams and to never settle for anything less which is what is inspiring me to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. My mom is making my journey through nursing school so much easier. Even though my childhood was hectic I wouldn't trade my experience for anything. Having my mom help me through it definitely made life better. I am her legacy and I will not let her down.

I absolutely adore the bond my mom and I have. I want to give a little backstory about my childhood My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. They were minor offenses that only resulted in him being in jail for 5 months or less each time. However, that doesn’t make it hurt any less. It did hurt me however I saw the impact it had on my mom. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. After they graduated they took their journey to adulthood by going to different colleges. However, they still remained strong. When looking at them you would see the perfect relationship, my dad who drove an hour to visit her on campus every week. That led to my mom and dad getting pregnant at 19. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience, so she stayed and finished college all four years. She graduated with me on her hip. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill. Even though my dad dropped out and was starting that downfall of life my mom stuck beside him for me. But that didn't work for long because my dad was struggling to keep a job and started cheating on my mom. So she left him. About 2 years after she left him was when he was first arrested. I was in 2nd grade. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. During high school, I eventually realized that I shouldn't fight for a relationship that the other person cares nothing about. My mom taught me to fulfill that absent void by gaining self-worth. During my senior year, he tried to waddle his way back into my life he saw on my mom's Facebook that I got into Howard. So he proceeded to post my acceptance on his page as if he even knew what my major was. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I went through all four years of high school getting straight A’s while being on a competitive dance team and having a part-time job. I made the dean's list last semester and I'm thriving in college. My mom taught me never to stop fighting for my dreams and to never settle for anything less which is what is inspiring me to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. My mom is making my journey through nursing school so much easier. Even though my childhood was hectic I wouldn't trade my experience for anything. Having my mom help me through it definitely made life better. I am her legacy and I will not let her down.

My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. They were minor offenses that only resulted in him being in jail for 5 months or less each time. However, that doesn’t make it hurt any less. It hurt me when. I saw the impact it had on my mom. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. After they graduated they took their journey to adulthood by going to different colleges. However, they still remained strong. When looking at them you would see the perfect relationship, my dad who drove an hour to visit her on campus every week. That led to my mom and dad getting pregnant at 19. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience, so she stayed and finished college all four years. She graduated with me on her hip. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. Even though my dad dropped out and was starting that downfall of life my mom stuck beside him for me. But that didn't work for long because my dad was struggling to keep a job. So she left him. About 2 years after she left him was when he was first arrested. I was in 2nd grade. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. During high school, I eventually realized that I shouldn't fight for a relationship that the other person cares nothing about. My mom taught me to fulfill that absent void by gaining self-worth. During my senior year, he tried to waddle his way back into my life he saw on my mom's Facebook that I got into Howard. So he proceeded to post my acceptance on his page as if he even knew what my major was. I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I went through all four years of high school getting straight A’s while being on a competitive dance team and having a part-time job. I made the dean's list last semester and I'm thriving in college. She always made sure I stayed busy and did everything to reach my full potential. My mom taught me never to stop fighting for my dreams and to never settle for anything less which is what is inspiring me to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office l or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them.

The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office l or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the health care field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. Many people tell me that I shouldn't become a nurse because of how stressful and unappreciated they are. They also bring up being overworked and underpaid. I know that life isn’t about money, and I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

I want to give a little backstory about my childhood My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. They were minor offenses that only resulted in him being in jail for 5 months or less each time. However, that doesn’t make it hurt any less. It did hurt me when I saw the impact it had on my mom. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. After they graduated they took their journey to adulthood by going to different colleges. However, they still remained strong. When looking at them you would see the perfect relationship, my dad who drove an hour to visit her on campus every week. That led to my mom and dad getting pregnant at 19. My mom always had a strong resilience, so she stayed and finished college all four years. She graduated with me on her hip. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill.My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. Even though my dad dropped out and was starting that downfall of life my mom stuck beside him for me. But that didn't work for long because my dad was struggling to keep a job. So she left him. About 2 years after she left him was when he was first arrested. I was in 2nd grade. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. He only came to It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. During high school, I eventually realized that I shouldn't fight for a relationship that the other person cares nothing about. My mom taught me to fulfill that absent void by gaining self-worth. During my senior year, he tried to waddle his way back into my life he saw on my mom's Facebook that I got into Howard. So he proceeded to post my acceptance on his page as if he even knew what my major was. He saw how well I've done in life without him and is trying to come back in my life. I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I went through all four years of high school getting straight A’s while being on a competitive dance team and having a part-time job. I made the dean's list last semester and I'm thriving in college. My mom taught me never to stop fighting for my dreams and to never settle for anything less which is what is inspiring me to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office l or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. My mom is making my journey through nursing school so much easier. Even though my childhood was hectic I wouldn't trade my experience for anything.

The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office l or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the health care field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. Many people tell me that I shouldn't become a nurse because of how stressful and unappreciated they are. They also bring up being overworked and underpaid. I know that life isn’t about money, and I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office l or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the health care field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. Many people tell me that I shouldn't become a nurse because of how stressful and unappreciated they are. They also bring up being overworked and underpaid. I know that life isn’t about money, and I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

I want to give a little backstory about my childhood. My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. They were minor offenses that only resulted in him being in jail for 5 months or less each time. However, that doesn’t make it hurt any less. It hurt me when I saw the impact it had on my mom. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. After they graduated they took their journey to adulthood by going to different colleges. However, they still remained strong. When looking at them you would see the perfect relationship, my dad who drove an hour to visit her on campus every week. That led to my mom and dad getting pregnant at 19. My mom always had a strong resilience, so she stayed and finished college all four years. She graduated with me on her hip. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill.. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. Even though my dad dropped out and was starting that downfall of life my mom stuck beside him for me. But that didn't work for long because my dad was struggling to keep a job and started cheating on my mom. So she left him. About 2 years after she left him was when he was first arrested. I was in 2nd grade. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. During high school, I eventually realized that I shouldn't fight for a relationship that the other person cares nothing about. My mom taught me to fulfill that absent void by gaining self-worth. During my senior year, he tried to waddle his way back into my life he saw on my mom's Facebook that I got into Howard. So he proceeded to post my acceptance on his page as if he even knew what my major was. I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I went through all four years of high school getting straight A’s while being on a competitive dance team and having a part-time job. I made the dean's list last semester and I'm thriving in college. My mom taught me never to stop fighting for my dreams and to never settle for anything less which is what is inspiring me to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. My mom is making my journey through nursing school so much easier. Even though my childhood was hectic I wouldn't trade my experience for anything. Having my mom help me through it definitely made life better.

I am a country-loving, Netflix enthusiast, 19-year-old dancer from Kentucky. I love zip-lining, hiking, ice skating, and horseback riding. To sum it up basically anything that has to do with nature and adventure. I'm honestly someone who isn't afraid to try new things. As far as my greatest strengths I would say my drive and determination. I'm always looking to exceed and go above and beyond in anything I do. My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. They were minor offenses that only resulted in him being in jail for 5 months or less each time. However, that doesn’t make it hurt any less. It did hurt me however I saw the impact it had on my mom. My mom and dad got pregnant at 19. My mom always had a strong resilience to her so she stayed and finished college all in four years. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill. Even though my dad dropped out and was starting that downfall of life my mom stuck beside him for me. But that didn't work for long because my dad was struggling to keep a job and started cheating on my mom. So she left him. About 2 years after she left him was when he was first arrested. I was in 2nd grade. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and actually did have his life together for about 6 years. But he ended up going back again my 8th-grade year. At that point, I was older and aware of what was going on with him. I was upset, shocked, and embarrassed. I knew from that point on our relationship would never be the same. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. I don't know if it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. I thought he was just acting like that because he just got out of jail and was trying to get his life back together but it became a recurring thing. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. As I matured and got older I still yearned for that relationship with the other side of my family even though I resented them. During high school, I eventually realized that I shouldn't fight for a relationship that the other person cares nothing about. I fulfilled that absent void by gaining self-worth. I went through all four years of high school getting straight A’s while being on a competitive dance team and having a part-time job. I owe all of that to myself, he never helped me, and once I realized that I felt better. During my senior year, he tried to waddle his way back into my life I saw on my mom's Facebook that I got into Howard. I made the dean's list in both semesters last year despite all the hardships my dad caused me. I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I won't ever stop fighting for my dreams and I will never settle for anything less.

I am a country-loving, Netflix enthusiast, 19-year-old dancer from Kentucky. I love zip-lining, hiking, ice skating, and horseback riding. To sum it up basically anything that has to do with nature and adventure. I'm honestly someone who isn't afraid to try new things. As far as my greatest strengths I would say my drive and determination. I'm always looking to exceed and go above and beyond in anything I do. I am motivated to make money so this summer I am working two jobs. I don’t like being complacent I think a great strength I have is resilience in always trying to move forward and to higher positions in life. As far as weaknesses I would say my self-esteem and confidence. There are times when I may not go out or post on social media in fear that people will talk bad about my appearance, I know that I shouldn’t care what people think, but I'm human and it is hard to act like words don’t hurt. My mental health is something that I am working on but it is a journey and I am willing to put in the work to build up my confidence. The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office l or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience daily. My biggest challenge is mental health. For me, the hardest part was never really having anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. It caused me to conceal them and not tell anyone how I really feel. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. Black people had to always look strong and couldn’t show emotions because it would make them seem weak and be beaten more. I feel like the black community never fully came to terms with their trauma and kept passing it down from generation to generation. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be like that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. I shouldn't feel embarrassed to come out to my own family about what I feel. I didn't feel like I could talk to any professionals either. None of my therapists were people of color. In my opinion, the world needs more minority therapists. A therapist that isn't a POC wouldn't necessarily understand different struggles and problems. For example, when I was younger, I sought validation and hated my skin. I did not have anyone to talk to about how I would flatiron my hair every other day in the morning for school to look like my white friends. I did not have anyone to talk to about all the microaggressions said to my face that I never called out because I did not understand it all. If I couldn't even comprehend it at the time, how could I expect the counselors or therapists at my school? Which made me want to be a therapist or counselor. In school, I saw black people face colorism and racist jokes all the time, and they would be too afraid to talk to the school counselor about it. I want to be someone people can talk to about those kinds of things. After going through this it made me want to become a mental health nurse. I am currently at Howard University with a major in nursing. I have hopes that I could add more minority representation in the field of mental health. It's good to talk and listen to people who can relate and share similar experiences. I hope to break the stigma that black women have to be strong and independent all the time. I want to be the helping and listening voice in my community.

I had a poor medical care experience during my senior year of high school. My mom wanted to put me on birth control so I can be adjusted to it by the time college rolled around. My gynecologist thought it would be best if I got nexplanon because it lasts for 3 years. Within the first month, I was bleeding nonstop. I knew that it was an issue but I wasn’t stressing about it because I knew that it takes time to adjust. Fast forward to 3 months and I am still bleeding the entire month. At that point I knew something was wrong, I then made an appointment with my gynecologist and I told her that I may need a different form of birth control she told me that it was normal and should go away at the 6-month mark. Eventually, the 6th month comes around and nothing changed, she still didn't want me to give up on it so she recommended that I take the pill simultaneously to combat the long periods. I was a little hesitant at first because that meant double the hormones. Which means double the mood swings, weight gain, and acne. After one month of being on two birth control at the same time, I could tell that my body wasn’t happy so I decided to stop both of them. Ever since then my body has been different, my periods were irregular, I was depressed all the time, and extremely tired. About a couple of months passed and I went for a normal checkup, I was then diagnosed with anemia, b12 deficiency, and estrogen deficiency. All of this could have been avoided if she would have listened to how I felt instead of invalidating my feelings and trying to tell me that it was normal. Bleeding for 6 months straight is not normal and trying to combat that by adding an additional birth control was not the way. I know have to take b12 vitamins, and iron pills, and am on hormone replacement therapy. This is why I want to work in the healthcare field. I want to be the change that actually listens. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. Studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands.

I want to give a little backstory about my childhood My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. My mom and dad got pregnant at 19. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience, so she stayed and finished college all four years. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill.My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. Even though my dad dropped out and was starting that downfall of life my mom stuck beside him for me. But that didn't work for long because my dad was struggling to keep a job and started cheating on my mom. So she left him. About 2 years after she left him was when he was first arrested. I was in 2nd grade. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. I thought he was just acting like that because he just got out of jail and was trying to get his life back together but it became a recurring thing. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times a year. During my senior year, he tried to waddle his way back into my life he saw on my mom's Facebook that I got into Howard. So he proceeded to post my acceptance on his page as if he even knew what my major was. He saw how well I've done in life without him and is trying to come back in my life. I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I went through all four years of high school getting straight A’s while being on a competitive dance team and having a part-time job. I made the dean's list last semester and I'm thriving in college. My mom taught me never to stop fighting for my dreams and to never settle for anything less which is what is inspiring me to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office l or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands.I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner. I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities.

When you imagine Kentucky and the people there what do you see? When I first arrived at Howard and they asked where I was from I told them Kentucky. They were shocked because they didn’t think many black people lived there, and they thought it was just filled with racist rednecks. In a way, I can understand why they view Kentucky that way. Coming to an HBCU made me realize that I experienced a lot of micro and macro aggressions, the funny thing is I never noticed because I grew up around it my whole life, so I was used to it. When I had to start looking at colleges of my own I was lost. I didn’t know if I should have picked a cheaper PWI or the HBCU school of my dreams. I chose my dream school, the illustrious Howard University. I chose Howard University because I wanted to be surrounded by successful people that look like me. I want to be surrounded by people that share the same experiences as me, and I can be myself without having to code-switch or water down my personality. Choosing my hbcu was probably the best thing that could have happened to me. It’s amazing to have all-black professors and advisors. It’s amazing to look at all the successful people that came from Howard. Howard is where I am working toward my bachelor's degree in nursing.

The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office l or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the health care field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. Many people tell me that I shouldn't become a nurse because of how stressful and unappreciated they are. They also bring up being overworked and underpaid. I know that life isn’t about money, and I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office l or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. I want to be a nurse because I love taking care of people and having the flexibility and opportunity to move to different specialties. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the healthcare field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. Many people tell me that I shouldn't become a nurse because of how stressful and unappreciated they are. They also bring up being overworked and underpaid. I know that life isn’t about money, and I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

My dad was responsible for most of my traumatic experiences. He is the reason I blame myself for not having a father figure and feeling like I am incapable of receiving love from the male perspective. My parents had me while they were still in college. My dad was on the football team and had aspirations of making it into the NFL. When my mom got pregnant with me she choose to move back home to be closer to her family to get help raising me. My dad followed her, instead of transferring to another college in our hometown he dropped out. My mom stayed in school. My dad began to think he failed in life, he couldn't keep a job, he was in and out of jail, and he kept getting caught up with the wrong crowd. He eventually got better, when I turned 5 I was finally able to have supervised visits with him. I vividly remember having the biggest smile on my face walking into the building because I knew I would see my dad, I waited for 47min and he still didn't show up. My heart sunk to my stomach and I started sobbing uncontrollably. After that my dad made it clear he wouldnt show up to supervised visits and that he would rather only see me on weekends unsupervised. With that agreement he still didn't see me on weekends, he only showed up for the celebrations and holidays, there was a huge point in my life where I only saw him 5 times out of the year. I would think it was normal and okay. Until I got to the age of 10 and I told him how I felt. He listened for a while and ended up coming to get me more often, but I regret that decision the most. During that time he was messing with all sorts of women at the time, and he brought them around me all the time. One woman, in particular, had a son, he was 14 at the time. That son is now the reason why I am afraid of intimacy. He took advantage of me and knew that I wouldnt snitch because I craved my father's attention. He used my situation to sexually abuse and manipulate me. I kept that a secret all of my adolescent childhood. I finally found the courage to tell my mom when I turned 18. As I matured and got older I still yearned for that relationship with the other side of my family even though I resented them. During high school, I eventually realized that I shouldn't fight for a relationship that the other person cares nothing about. I fulfilled that absent void by gaining self-worth. I went through all four years of high school getting straight A’s while being on a competitive dance team and having a part-time job. I owe all of that to myself, he never helped me, and once I realized that I felt better. I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I won't ever stop fighting for my dreams and I will never settle for anything less. I am overcoming all the trauma my did cause me by fueling my passion for my career. Last year I was on the dean's list and I will keep striving until I achieve my bachelor's degree. I will not let my past define me, I know that my future will be everything I envision.

The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office l or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. I want to be a nurse because I love taking care of people and having the flexibility and opportunity to move to different specialties. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the health care field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. Many people tell me that I shouldn't become a nurse because of how stressful and unappreciated they are. They also bring up being overworked and underpaid. I know that life isn’t about money, and I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office l or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. I want to be a nurse because I love taking care of people and having the flexibility and opportunity to move to different specialties. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the health care field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. Many people tell me that I shouldn't become a nurse because of how stressful and unappreciated they are. They also bring up being overworked and underpaid. I know that life isn’t about money, and I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

A major financial goal I have is to achieve more financial freedom. I believe financial freedom is not having to live paycheck to paycheck. I want to achieve financial freedom so I am not restrained. When living paycheck to paycheck you are restrained because you don't have the opportunity to spend money on things you enjoy like personal expenses. You cant go on dates, go out to eat with friends, or get that favorite hairstyle you have been wanting for so long. Living paycheck to paycheck is not ideal, however, that is how the average American lives. During the summer I lived that way. I was using all of my paychecks to save up for tuition and housing for school. I know that it was the responsible thing to do, however, I wish I could’ve used some of my checks to get my nails done or new clothes. Many believe you receive financial freedom when you are rich and can retire early, but there are so many other ways to achieve financial freedom without being rich. One way I will achieve financial freedom is by investing in stocks. I highly encourage my friends to invest as well, especially now that were in college. When investing I have the freedom to put in or take out as much money as I like. I have the freedom to invest in whatever company I choose. I have the freedom to choose if I want to invest in mutual or ETF funds. Investing in stocks can also help me make more money than what I had, which is even more freedom. A few months ago I put in $100 and after 3 months it turned into $215. It may not seem like a big turnover but that extra 115 was enough to get me two pairs of shoes. I plan on investing in more companies like Apple, Tesla, and Walmart stocks. Another way I will achieve financial freedom is by saving. I will be working two jobs during my summer breaks. With those jobs, I will save at least 40% of my check to put in a savings account. I will be saving up for when I graduate college in 2025. I hope to have enough money saved up to put a down payment for a nice house or apartment immediately after graduation. I aim to be on my own immediately after graduation to lift the weight off of my parent’s shoulders and become more independent. With the use of saving and implementing financial freedom, I will be able to do that. Some adults are only able to save one-third of less because they have responsibilities. But for me since I was a teenager I didn't have many responsibilities, so saving up was going to help for my future. I have had a job since I was 16 and those savings helped me pay towards my first semester of college. I was still able to buy all the clothes and shoes I wanted while being financially responsible. Now that I have more responsibilities it is hard to save half of my cheeks; however doing that so early on gave me the boost I needed. I know that I am still young and have a lot to learn financially, but if I keep up with all the advice I received I think I will be well-off in my future.

I absolutely adore the bond my mom and I have. She has supported me the most throughout my entire educational career. I want to give a little backstory about my childhood My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. They were minor offenses that only resulted in him being in jail for 5 months or less each time. However, that doesn’t make it hurt any less. It did hurt me however I saw the impact it had on my mom. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. After they graduated they took their journey to adulthood by going to different colleges. However, they still remained strong. When looking at them you would see the perfect relationship, my dad who drove an hour to visit her on campus every week. Eventually that led to my mom and dad getting pregnant at 19. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience, so she stayed and finished college all four years. She graduated with me on her hip. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do, he was struggling to keep a job and started cheating on my mom. So she left him. About 2 years after she left him was when he was first arrested. I was in 2nd grade. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. I thought he was just acting like that because he just got out of jail and was trying to get his life back together but it became a recurring thing. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. During high school, I eventually realized that I shouldn't fight for a relationship that the other person cares nothing about. My mom taught me to fulfill that absent void by gaining self-worth. I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I went through all four years of high school getting straight A’s while being on a competitive dance team and having a part-time job. I made the dean's list last semester and I'm thriving in college. My mom always made sure I stayed busy and did everything to reach my full potential. My mom taught me never to stop fighting for my dreams and to never settle for anything less which is what is inspiring me to pursue a bachelor's degree in nursing. My mom is making my journey through nursing school so much easier. Even though my childhood was hectic I wouldn't trade my experience for anything. Having my mom help me through it definitely made life better. I am her legacy and I will not let her down.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience daily. My biggest challenge is mental health. For me, the hardest part was never really having anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. It caused me to conceal them and not tell anyone how I really feel. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. Black people had to always look strong and couldn’t show emotions because it would make them seem weak and be beaten more. I feel like the black community never fully came to terms with their trauma and kept passing it down from generation to generation. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be like that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. I shouldn't feel embarrassed to come out to my own family about what I feel. I didn't feel like I could talk to any professionals either. None of my therapists were people of color. In my opinion, the world needs more minority therapists. A therapist that isn't a POC wouldn't necessarily understand different struggles and problems. For example, when I was younger, I sought validation and hated my skin. I did not have anyone to talk to about how I would flatiron my hair every other day in the morning for school to look like my white friends. I did not have anyone to talk to about all the microaggressions said to my face that I never called out because I did not understand it all. If I couldn't even comprehend it at the time, how could I expect the counselors or therapists at my school? Which made me want to be a therapist or counselor. In school, I saw black people face colorism and racist jokes all the time, and they would be too afraid to talk to the school counselor about it. I want to be someone people can talk to about those kinds of things. After going through this it made me want to become a mental health nurse. I am currently at Howard University with a major in nursing. I have hopes that I could add more minority representation in the field of mental health. It's good to talk and listen to people who can relate and share similar experiences. I hope to break the stigma that black women have to be strong and independent all the time. I want to be the helping and listening voice in my community.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience daily. My biggest challenge is mental health. For me, the hardest part was never really having anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. It caused me to conceal them and not tell anyone how I really feel. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. Black people had to always look strong and couldn’t show emotions because it would make them seem weak and be beaten more. I feel like the black community never fully came to terms with their trauma and kept passing it down from generation to generation. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be like that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. I shouldn't feel embarrassed to come out to my own family about what I feel. I didn't feel like I could talk to any professionals either. None of my therapists were people of color. In my opinion, the world needs more minority therapists. A therapist that isn't a POC wouldn't necessarily understand different struggles and problems. For example, when I was younger, I sought validation and hated my skin. I did not have anyone to talk to about how I would flatiron my hair every other day in the morning for school to look like my white friends. I did not have anyone to talk to about all the microaggressions said to my face that I never called out because I did not understand it all. If I couldn't even comprehend it at the time, how could I expect the counselors or therapists at my school? In school, I saw black people face colorism and racist jokes all the time, and they would be too afraid to talk to the school counselor about it. I want to be someone people can talk to about those kinds of things. After going through this it made me want to become a mental health nurse. I am currently at Howard University with a major in nursing. I have hopes that I could add more minority representation in the field of mental health. It's good to talk and listen to people who can relate and share similar experiences. I hope to break the stigma that black women have to be strong and independent all the time. I want to be the helping and listening voice in my community.

Imagine starting out with $1,000 and flipping it into $2,000 in a short amount of time by just investing in other companies. It’s so crazy to think about how easy it is to do that. During my senior year of high school, I took a personal finance class. I learned so much about investing, financing, and the accounting process. During our lesson on investing our teacher made us invest in the stock market game. I learned how to invest in different companies, withhold, and sell stocks. It wasn't easy but I learned the ropes to help me with the real world of stocks. I think the securities market is very important to our economy. It is a new modern way to trade and keep up with the constant changes within our economy. It helps understand how money and businesses go up and down. The stock market helps small businesses gain more revenue and customers. It also helps big corporations and businesses stay afloat and trending. Due to the fact that many people invest in large companies because the money outlook is greater, it helps those companies a lot. The stock market is amazing for businesses but it is also great for the average person. So many people have great outcomes from investing and showed tremendous growth of money. I think that more schools should teach about the securities and stock markets. Because until last year I was oblivious and clueless to what the stock market is and how to take part in it. It was so confusing because no one really helped me. It was pretty much I had to figure it out on my own. I think if courses were provided on which companies to invest in it would improve the stock market so much. Because more people would invest and be educated on how to invest correctly. I also think the different types of funds are important and should be taught as well. Like index, mutual, and ETF funds. A lot of people don’t know the difference between them and how they affect stocks. Overall I believe more education about stocks should be implemented because the benefits of stocks are out of this world. The great thing about the stock market is you share a little ownership of the company. No one really talks about how great owning a share of a company is. I felt so proud to own a part of Apple and Walmart because it feels great to own and contribute to something. Of course, there are downsides and risks to investing but there are downsides to everything in life. It is easy to get upset over losing a little bit of money but the joy you feel when you see your money increase makes you forget all about that loss. It is important to be educated about inflation and about what is popular. So learning about which companies are up and improving right now is what will give you a better turnout. I enjoyed investing in the stock market game and the real investments I do now.

1) I think I embody prosper with a purpose.My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. They were minor offenses that only resulted in him being in jail for 5 months or less each time. However, that doesn’t make it hurt any less. It did hurt me however I saw the impact it had on my mom. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. After they graduated they took their journey to adulthood by going to different colleges. However, they still remained strong. When looking at them you would see the perfect relationship, my dad who drove an hour to visit her on campus every week. My mom and dad got pregnant at 19. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience to her so she stayed and finished college all in four years. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill. But my mom graduated with me on her hip. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. Even though my dad dropped out and was starting that downfall of life my mom stuck beside him for me. But that didn't work for long because my dad was struggling to keep a job and started cheating on my mom. So she left him. About 2 years after she left him was when he was first arrested. I was in 2nd grade. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and actually did have his life together for about 6 years. But he ended up going back again my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. I don't know if it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. I thought he was just acting like that because he just got out of jail and was trying to get his life back together but it became a recurring thing. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. I went through all four years of high school getting straight A’s while being on a competitive dance team and having a part-time job. I owe all of that to my momma I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. My mom taught me to never stop fighting for my dreams and to never settle for anything less. 2) The attribute I think is my greatest are of improvement is, prioritize and manage time.I use to be someone that thought my success lay in my brain. I maintained a 4.0 throughout all of high school while being on a competitive dance team and having a part-time job. I graduated as valedictorian, which was terrific. Everyone else may see success, but I saw a girl who was overworked and tired. A girl that didn’t form close friendships or relationships. A girl that missed out on all the fun of her teenage years. I sacrificed fun and freedom for my studies. My grades did pay off, but I have regrets. I regret missing homecoming because I had to work. I loved that valedictorian sash and giving the speech, but that joy only lasted a couple of hours. After graduation, I felt nothing. I felt like I worked so hard for nothing, because I didn't prioritize my time. I now meditate for 5 minutes every day to find my peace of mind. I'm starting to hang out more with my friends; I'm becoming more extroverted and creating new relationships. I've figured out my calling. My calling is to become a nurse. That will be my future. I will work to improve my time-management skills so I am not stressed. Of course, I'm going to work hard to get good grades, but I'm going to make sure I prioritize my social life and mental health.

My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. They were minor offenses that only resulted in him being in jail for 5 months or less each time. However, that doesn’t make it hurt any less. It did hurt me however I saw the impact it had on my mom. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. After they graduated they took their journey to adulthood by going to different colleges. However, they still remained strong. When looking at them you would see the perfect relationship, my dad who drove an hour to visit her on campus every week. My mom and dad got pregnant at 19. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience to her so she stayed and finished college all in four years. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill. But my mom graduated with me on her hip. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. Even though my dad dropped out and was starting that downfall of life my mom stuck beside him for me. But that didn't work for long because my dad was struggling to keep a job and started cheating on my mom. So she left him. About 2 years after she left him was when he was first arrested. I was in 2nd grade. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. I thought he was just acting like that because he just got out of jail and was trying to get his life back together but it became a recurring thing. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. During high school, I eventually realized that I shouldn't fight for a relationship that the other person cares nothing about. My mom taught me to fulfill that absent void by gaining self-worth During my senior year, he tried to waddle his way back into my life I saw on my mom's Facebook that I got into Howard. He then proceeded to post my acceptance on his page as if he even knew what my dream college was. He saw how well I've done in life without him and is trying to come back in my life. I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I went through all four years of high school getting straight A’s while being on a competitive dance team and having a part-time job. She always made sure I was busy and tried everything so I can enjoy my hobbies and reach my full potential. I owe all of that to my momma. My mom taught me to never stop fighting for my dreams and to never settle for anything less which is what is inspiring me to pursue a bachelor's degree I nursing at the #1 HBCU in the country. Even though my life was hectic I wouldn't trade my experience for anything. Having my mom help me through it definitely made life better. I am her legacy and I will not let her down.

The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office l or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. I want to be a nurse because I love taking care of people and having the flexibility and opportunity to move to different specialties. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the health care field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. Many people tell me that I shouldn't become a nurse because of how stressful and unappreciated they are. They also bring up being overworked and underpaid. I know that life isn’t about money, and I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

The best way to make a positive impact on my community is by providing a service. I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office l or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. I want to be a nurse because I love taking care of people and having the flexibility and opportunity to move to different specialties. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the health care field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. Many people tell me that I shouldn't become a nurse because of how stressful and unappreciated they are. They also bring up being overworked and underpaid. I know that life isn’t about money, and I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. I am currently a rising sophomore at Howard University with a major in early education. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming an elementary teacher. I want to be a teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black people who want to be teachers. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day and say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." That motivates me every day, just knowing that I can be an inspiration to someone and let them know that anything they put their mind to is achievable. A huge challenge I face daily is disrespect and doubt from people, Many people tell me that I shouldn't be a teacher because of how underpaid and underappreciated they are. I know that life isn't about money and teaching is my dream. I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life is. They also bring up "troubled" and disrespectful kids. I want to eliminate the stigma of troubled kids and reverse it by forming respectful and brilliant students. I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them. My current education is helping me get close to my dream. This year my school has us taking the praxis test and shadowing as a student teacher. All of my classes are preparing me to run a successful inclusive classroom. I know how to follow a curriculum while creating a safe and fun learning environment for my students. I would use this scholarship to pay my payment plan for my tuition. I go to a private HBCU, which is extremely expensive. Especially since I choose an out-of-state school. I knew that I took a huge risk coming here. However, It was a dream school and I didn't want finance to be why I couldn't follow my dream. I feel like as humans we need to follow our passions and dreams because if we don't we will regret it so much. I thought I might as well spend a lot of money somewhere I will actually enjoy and have many networking opportunities. I am currently in $3000 in student- loan debt and I am only a sophomore. I just want to lift the weight off my parent's shoulders. My mom already is in her own student loan debt and I don't want to stress her out worrying about mine as well. She is supporting me so much going here to follow my dreams and I don't want to let her or myself down. .

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I use to experience daily. My biggest challenge was mental health. For me, the hardest part was never having anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place. They caused me to conceal my emotions and not tell anyone how I really felt. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. I eventually overcame my challenge of mental health by putting in the work. I began to meditate, give myself positive affirmations, find happiness in little things, and clean up more. I wrote in journals to express how I felt and I sent them to my coworker who was also going through depression. It felt good to have someone to talk to and be with someone who relates to and understands me. Now that I am older I had a tough adult conversation with my family about the trauma they caused me. I let them know that I am now on a journey to heal my inner child and I let them know how to be better for my little brother. It felt good to gain closure and call out toxic behaviors. I felt like it really helped my family to be more open and accepting when it comes to mental health. This talk was necessary and I'm so happy It happened. I know that mental health isn't something that just goes away and I still have so much more to overcome however I'm proud of the progress I've made so far and I couldn't have done it without taking the time to actually invest and take care of myself.

I believe my mental health is important because when I didn't treat it as a priority in the past I almost lost myself. I want to share a story of how I used to feel...Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience daily. My biggest challenge is mental health. For me, the hardest part was never having anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place. They caused me to conceal my emotions and not tell anyone how I really felt. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. I eventually overcame my challenge of mental health by putting in the work. I began to meditate, give myself positive affirmations, find happiness in little things, and clean up more. I wrote in journals to express how I felt and I sent them to my coworker who was also going through depression. It felt good to have someone to talk to and be with someone who relates to and understands me. Now that I am older I had a tough adult conversation with my family about the trauma they caused me. I let them know that I am now on a journey to heal my inner child and I let them know how to be better for my little brother. It felt good to gain closure and call out toxic behaviors. I felt like it really helped my family to be more open and accepting when it comes to mental health. This talk was necessary and I'm so happy It happened. I know that mental health isn't something that just goes away and I still have so much more to overcome however I'm proud of the progress I've made so far and I couldn't have done it without taking the time to actually invest and take care of myself.

I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office l or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a rising sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. I want to be a nurse because I love taking care of people and having the flexibility and opportunity to move to different specialties. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the health care field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. Many people tell me that I shouldn't become a nurse because of how stressful and unappreciated they are. They also bring up being overworked and underpaid. I know that life isn’t about money, and I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

I see myself in five years as an RN working in either a pediatrics doctor's office l or in labor and delivery. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently a rising sophomore at Howard University as a nursing major. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming a nurse. I want to be a nurse because I love taking care of people and having the flexibility and opportunity to move to different specialties. My experience with healthcare in the past was great but it lacked representation. I only saw 1 black doctor and about 2 black nurses my whole childhood. The crazy thing is that black nurses only make us 6.7% in the U.S. The most crucial thing about this statistic is that it needs to increase. The reason for this increase is that there have been multiple studies of black people being disrespected by healthcare professionals. studies show that Black patients are significantly less likely to be prescribed pain medication and that they generally receive lower doses of it when they are. One possible reason for this, supported by existing studies, is that white people believe Black people experience less pain. Black mothers are also three times more likely to die in pregnancy postpartum than white women. Hence my reason for wanting to work in labor and delivery. It's so sad looking at the racial disparities, you would think that all workers want to genuinely help people, but in cases like this, they are doing more harm than good. I want to change that. By adding more diversity into the health care field it will eliminate that racist biases and perceptions and allow patients to feel more comfortable and safe. I want to be a nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a genuine connection with me. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more because they know that their life is in good hands. It’s a lot of pressure to have someone's life in your hands, so I want to make sure I do everything I can to help them. Many people tell me that I shouldn't become a nurse because of how stressful and unappreciated they are. They also bring up being overworked and underpaid. I know that life isn’t about money, and I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could go back to school to become a nurse practitioner I want to become a nurse practitioner so I can open my own practice filled with nurses and doctors of all different races and ethnicities. I want to open an inclusive practice. Being a nurse practitioner is extremely rewarding and I am confident that I can do it. I know it will be hard and that I will struggle but I am so excited to begin working in my field.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience daily. My biggest challenge is mental health. For me, the hardest part was never really having anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. It caused me to conceal them and not tell anyone how I really feel. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. Black people had to always look strong and couldn’t show emotions because it would make them seem weak and be beaten more. I feel like the black community never fully came to terms with their trauma and kept passing it down from generation to generation. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be like that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. I shouldn't feel embarrassed to come out to my own family about what I feel. I didn't feel like I could talk to any professionals either. None of my therapists were people of color. In my opinion, the world needs more minority therapists. A therapist that isn't a POC wouldn't necessarily understand different struggles and problems. For example, when I was younger, I sought validation and hated my skin. I did not have anyone to talk to about how I would flatiron my hair every other day in the morning for school to look like my white friends. I did not have anyone to talk to about all the microaggressions said to my face that I never called out because I did not understand it all. If I couldn't even comprehend it at the time, how could I expect the counselors or therapists at my school? Which made me want to be a therapist or counselor. In school, I saw black people face colorism and racist jokes all the time, and they would be too afraid to talk to the school counselor about it. I want to be someone people can talk to about those kinds of things. After going through this it made me want to become a therapist or counselor. I am currently at Howard University with a major in psychology. After I graduate I will study to get a doctorate. After that, I have faith that I can become a counselor. I have hopes that I could add more minority representation in the field of mental health. It's good to talk and listen to people who can relate and share similar experiences. I hope to break the stigma that black women have to be strong and independent all the time. I want to be the helping and listening voice in my community.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience daily. My biggest challenge is mental health. For me, the hardest part was never having anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place. It caused me to conceal my emotions and not tell anyone how I really feel. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that stems from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. I can't entirely blame them because in our community the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. I'm from Louisville, Kentucky, where Breonna Taylor a black woman was unjustly murdered by the LMPD. On June 1st, 2020 I went to my first protest in honor of her. Sweat drenched off everyone’s bodies as it was 8:30 pm, and we’d been marching since 6:00 pm. Were holding signs as black as charcoal pierced with names of innocent people. I was surrounded by American citizens that were trembling in fear that we soon may be the next name on one of the signs we were holding. That night of the protest, I was puzzled seeing people I thought were supposed to protect and keep people safe, doing the crime. I watched as the people who protect and serve threw tear gas and rubber bullets at citizens that only had face masks and water bottles. I knew that as police, they were trained for that exact moment. Little did I know my mom, cousin, and I was trained due to our skin stained in brown. I see that even though we were the ones unarmed, our blackness was the weapon they feared. I continuously live in fear. I get scared driving thinking I might do something wrong and get pulled over by the police. I get afraid that a minor traffic stop could be the end of my life. I don’t think anyone should feel that way, so; I will fight for change. That day I thought I was protesting for one person, little did I know I was fighting for everyone else that looks like me, which is why I won’t stop. I never felt so connected to people in my life before that day; I realized I want to do more to feel that way all the time. I think all the time about how people are hurting and what I can do to help. I now try to attend as many protests as possible and continuously spread awareness on my social media.

Sweat drenched off everyone’s bodies as it was 8:30 pm, and we’ve been marching since 6:00 pm. Everyone is marching all through downtown on 6th and Jefferson, holding signs as black as charcoal pierced with names of innocent people. It’s a vast crowd, all strangers to me, but I feel safe. About 100 people surround me, yet I feel like I know all of them. As I walk through the crowd, I see an abundance of different kinds of people; Some were probably doing this same thing in the ’60s, others probably can’t cross the street by themselves, some white, some black, some poor, and some rich. I was surrounded by American citizens that were trembling in fear that we soon may be the next name on one of the signs we were holding. They’re all so different and yet connected. I'm from Louisville, Kentucky, where Breonna Taylor was murdered by the LMPD. On June 1st, 2020 I went to my first protest in honor of her. I never felt so connected to people in my life before that day; I realized I want to do more to feel that way all the time. As I went through all my years at school, I didn’t show my real self and often feel uncomfortable. In my AP world history class, it looked like a newly integrated school. I felt like I had to bite my tongue and be silent on many issues. I realized that staying silent does nothing but sweep issues under the rug; I need to inform people whether they want to listen. This is why I joined Black Student Union in high school. I think all the time about how people are hurting and what I can do to help. I now try to attend as many protests as possible and continuously spread awareness on my social media. That night of the protest, I was puzzled seeing people I thought were supposed to protect and keep people safe, doing the crime. I watched as the people who protect and serve throw tear gas and rubber bullets at citizens that only had face masks and water bottles. I knew that as police, they were trained for that exact moment. Little did I know my mom, cousin, and I was trained due to our skin stained in brown. I see that even though we were the ones unarmed, our blackness was the weapon they feared. I continuously live in fear. I get scared driving thinking I might do something wrong and get pulled over by the police. I get afraid that a minor traffic stop could be the end of my life. I don’t think anyone should feel that way, so; I will fight for change. That day I thought I was protesting for one person, little did I know I was fighting for everyone else that looks like me, which is why I won’t stop. I will always give back to my community,I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. My walls will be filled with motivational quotes and fun colors. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently going in my second year at Howard University with a major in early education. II will make a positive impact in my community by becoming an elementary teacher. I want to be a teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black people who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day and say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." I will do everything that I can to make sure I graduate with my bachelor’s and pass my teacher certification exam. I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it. I hope that my being a teacher would influence some of my black students to want to as well. Not even just students, I hope I can influence my friends and family members as well.

I am a nature-loving yoga enthusiast. I am currently working on a self-love journey. In the past, I was insecure and lacked confidence about the physical aspects of my life. I was ashamed of my height and how skinny I was. But now I take pride in myself and even wear 6inch heels without caring if I'm the tallest person in the room. I love to meditate, dance, sew and do hair. I take pride in my HBCU and sticking up for groups that can't speak up for themselves. I've attended BLM protests, pride parades, and women's rights protests. I am constantly trying to spread awareness and stick up for human rights. I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. My walls will be filled with motivational quotes and fun colors. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently at Howard University with a major in early education. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming an elementary teacher. I want to be a teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black people who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day and say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." Many people tell me that I shouldn't be a teacher because of how underpaid and underappreciated they are. I know that life isn't about money and teaching is my dream. I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life is. They also bring up "troubled" and disrespectful kids. But in my opinion, there is no such thing as a troubled kid. I want to eliminate the stigma of troubled kids and reverse it by forming respectful and brilliant students. I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. I will do everything that I can to make sure I graduate with my bachelor’s and pass my teacher certification exam. I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it.

I watched from a young age my mom reach her full potential. My mom and dad met in high school. My mom was so strong. She is a supermom. She had me at 20 years old while completing her bachelor's degree. Unlike my dad she didn't give up, she knew that she had to work even harder because she had to support me. My dad had no aspiration to work or provide for us. Which caused him to go down a spiral and be incarcerated. When he got out of jail, he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. I thought he was just acting like that because he just got out of jail and was trying to get his life back together but it became a recurring thing. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. My mom taught me to fulfill that absent void by gaining self-worth was hard taking care of me by herself but she made sure I had everything I needed and wanted. Although it was a struggle, I wouldn't trade my experience for anything. To this day 18 years later my dad is trying to waddle his way into my life because he sees I am doing good. I’m attending the college of my dreams and I graduated as valedictorian from my high school. I owe that all to my momma. With everything, we went through she made sure I stayed on top of my school work while being in extracurricular activities so I can make a good living. She always made sure I was busy and tried everything so I can enjoy my hobbies and reach my full potential. Her drive is what inspires me to push for my bachelor’s degree in elementary education. She has helped me every step of the way. Although money is tight she still supported me in going to my dream school. Considering I go to Howard University which is a private HBCU out of state, it is extremely expensive. However, she told me to not let cost get in the way of my dreams. Her dream was to go to an HBCU as well but she let the financial issue get in the way of it. She always urged me to not make the same mistakes as her. She is literally my biggest role model, she is trying to help me pay tuition to allow me to achieve my educational goals. She is always sending me scholarship information and internship opportunities.

During my senior year, I choose leadership by becoming a peer tutor. I was very passionate about becoming one. A peer tutor is someone that assists special friends. Special friends are the special needs students that went to our school. I choose to become a peer tutor because my dream career is to be an elementary teacher, and I thought it would be great preparation and hands-on experience for me. I taught them how to match colors with words, tie their shoes, and count with paper money. However, while being a peer tutor I felt so much more. One of my special friends, always made me a gift when I went to class. She would draw a picture of me and put it on my desk. It made me feel so welcomed and appreciated. I felt joy whenever my special friends got an answer right. I felt joy watching them sing and dance to their favorite song. I was excited to hear about their favorite color and food. I was ecstatic when the student that was struggling to tie their shoes finally got it. They made me feel loved every single day. I returned the favor by helping them with their math and reading. But I think I made them feel loved even more by never looking at them as different. I saw all of them as my friends, they know that they are unique but I tried my best to show them they are still deserving of being seen as the same. I would make tik toks with them, talk to them about my favorite movies, my home life. I wanted to do everything I could to build their confidence. I let them not that it is okay to not know something, and okay to be discouraged. I think it's okay to be discouraged because it is a natural human reaction and emotion, However, you can overcome that discouragement by just taking a breather and continuing to try. I think being a leader is more than teaching and being in control, a good leader allows their students and peers to lead them as well. I knew that as a leader my duty was to guide them, I hope that I guided them towards finding happiness and confidence within themself. I will utilize everything I did as a peer tutor, for my future students as well. I want to be more than an educator, I want them to view me as a counselor, friend, and teacher. I want nothing more than them to be happy and content.

I absolutely adore the bond my mom and I have. We are super-close Since it was just us, we became each-others best-friend. She understands because of how young she is and what she went through. I'm so inspired by her and I know that If I am ever a single mom in the future, she will be here to guide me through it. I want to give a little backstory about my childhood. My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. They were minor offenses that only resulted in him being in jail for 5 months or less each time. However, that doesn’t make it hurt any less. It did hurt me when I saw the impact it had on my mom. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. After they graduated they took their journey to adulthood by going to different colleges. When looking at them you would see the perfect relationship, my dad drove an hour to visit her on campus every week. That led to my mom getting pregnant at 19. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a solid resilience to her so she stayed and finished college all in four years. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill. But my mom graduated with me on her hip. Even though my dad dropped out and was starting that downfall of life my mom stuck beside him for me. But that didn't work for long because my dad was struggling to keep a job and started cheating on my mom. So she left him. About 2 years after she left him was when he was first arrested. I was in 2nd grade. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and ended up going back again during my 8th-grade year. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. My mom told me it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. I thought he was just acting like that because he just got out of jail and was trying to get his life back together but it became a recurring thing. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday's. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. During high school, I eventually realized that I shouldn't fight for a relationship that the other person cares nothing about. My mom taught me to fulfill that absent void by gaining self-worth. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I went through all four years of high school getting straight A’s while being on a competitive dance team and having a part-time job. My mom always made sure I was busy and tried everything so I can enjoy my hobbies and reach my full potential. I owe all of that to my momma. My mom taught me to never stop fighting for my dreams and to never settle for anything less which is what is inspiring me to pursue a bachelor's degree in elementary education. Even though my life was hectic I wouldn't trade my experience for anything.

I embody selflessness by standing up for individuals or communities that are struggling or just can't stand up for themselves. An example when I helped a community in need is this. Sweat drenched off everyone’s bodies as it was 8:30 pm, and we’ve been marching since 6:00 pm. Everyone is marching all through downtown on 6th and Jefferson, holding signs as black as charcoal pierced with names of innocent people. About 100 people surround me, yet I feel like I know all of them. As I walk through the crowd, I see an abundance of different kinds of people; Some were probably doing this same thing in the ’60s, others probably can’t cross the street by themselves, some white, some black, some poor, and some rich. I was surrounded by American citizens that were trembling in fear that we soon may be the next name on one of the signs we were holding. They’re all so different and yet connected. I'm from Louisville, Kentucky, where the LMPD murdered Breonna Taylor. On June 1st, 2020 I went to my first protest in honor of her. I never felt so connected to people in my life before that day; I realized I want to do more to feel that way all the time. In the past, I felt like I had to bite my tongue and be silent on many issues. I realized that staying silent does nothing but sweep issues under the rug; I need to inform people whether they want to listen. I think about how people are hurting and what I can do to help. I now try to attend as many protests as possible and continuously spread awareness on my social media. That day I thought I was protesting for one person, little did I know I was fighting for everyone else that looks like me, which is why I won’t stop. My school was experiencing a teacher shortage due to covid and other financial issues. I volunteered to help the teachers by becoming a peer tutor. A peer tutor is someone that assists special friends. Special friends are the special needs students that went to our school. I taught them how to match colors with words, tie their shoes, and count with paper money. However, while being a peer tutor I felt so much more. I felt joy; whenever my special friends got an answer right, watching them sing and dance to their favorite song. I was ecstatic when the student that was struggling to tie their shoes finally got it. I helped them with their math and reading. But I think I helped even more by never looking at them as different. I saw all of them as my friends, they know that they are unique but I tried my best to show them they are still deserving of being seen as the same. I would make tik toks with them, and talk to them about my favorite movies, and my home life. I wanted to do everything I could to build their confidence. I let them know that it is okay to not know something, and okay to be discouraged. However, you can overcome that discouragement by just taking a breather and continuing to try. I knew that as a leader my duty was to guide them, I hope that I guided them towards finding happiness and confidence within themself.

When the pandemic happened and the shutdown began my mental health was at an all-time high. I was less stressed, and happier, and I got more sleep. Although the pandemic had many negative aspects in a way it made me learn more about myself and figure out who I am. I know that mental health was quite the opposite for some people due to the pandemic so I am grateful for mine. Because school was shut down, I was less stressed. The online school allowed me to work at my own pace and be in the comfort of my own home. I got more sleep which really boosted my mental health. During the pandemic, I researched ways to be calmer and have clear peace of mind. I started to meditate for 5 minutes every day. It was great. I felt at ease and in tune with the world. I went out sungazing, which became my happy place. I'm Leo, a sun sign so I think I and the sun are connected somehow. I exercised in my room 3 days a week. All of that helped me physically and mentally. I was able to binge-watch new shows and movies. I was truly blessed. I was an essential worker at KFC and my family was still able to keep their jobs. As the pandemic is coming to an end due to the vaccine and more things opening up, I still keep up with those tasks. Because I am working more, I don't have time to sun gaze and workout as often but I still try my best to get to it. I meditate during my breaks at work. Even though I still don’t have a support system from my family, I talk about my mental health with my coworker. She has a family just like mine so we support and understand each other. Having someone like her made me realize that sometimes family doesn't always have your best interest at heart, and you can find some of the best support systems outside of your home. I know as I begin to enter the adult world I will be even more stressed and hopeless than before. Because as an adult the support system isn’t as great and you are responsible for paying bills on time. It will be hard but I know if I keep meditating, working out, sungazing, gaining support, and watching my favorite shows I will do okay.

I've stayed optimistic through time times by finding what makes me happy.Joy to me means finding happiness in every little thing. Google defines joy as a feeling of great pleasure and happiness. It is exactly that, but so much more. What brings me joy; is being around my family for the holidays, seeing my little brother get so happy after losing his baby teeth, watching my grandma buy that purse that she worked so hard to save up for. I find joy in watching my friends and loved ones succeed and find happiness. But I also enjoy myself. I find joy when I; lay on my trampoline while listening to my favorite song, get an A on a test I didn't feel so confident about and have enough time to binge-watch a new show on Netflix. Sometimes it is hard to find joy in things when life just seems to keep throwing curve balls but I always try to stay positive. When I'm homesick at school I stay positive by thinking about those breaks when I can come home. I find joy when my mom calls me three times a day, in the past, I would have been annoyed, but now I cherish those calls.

Imagine starting out with $1,000 and flipping it into $2,000 in a short amount of time by just investing in other companies. It’s so crazy to think about how easy I achieved that. During my senior year of high school, I took a personal finance class. I learned so much about investing, financing, and the accounting process. The most important finance lesson I learned was to invest in the stock market. The stock market helps small businesses gain more revenue and customers. It also helps big corporations and businesses stay afloat and trending. The stock market is amazing for businesses but it is also great for the average person. So many people have great outcomes from investing and showed tremendous growth of money. I think that more schools should teach about the securities and stock markets. Because until last year I was oblivious and clueless to what the stock market is and how to take part in it. I also think the different types of funds are important and should be taught as well. Like index, mutual, and ETF funds. A lot of people don’t know the difference between them and how they affect stocks. The great thing about the stock market is you share a little ownership of the company. No one really talks about how great owning a share of a company is. I felt so proud to own a part of Apple and Walmart because it feels great to own and contribute to something. It is important to be educated about inflation and about what is popular. So learning about which companies are up and improving right now is what will give you a better turnout.

Imagine starting out with $1,000 and flipping it into $2,000 in a short amount of time by just investing in other companies. It’s so crazy to think about how easy it is to do that. During my senior year of high school, I took a personal finance class and received the best advice about investing in stocks. I learned so much about investing, financing, and the accounting process. During our lesson on investing our teacher made us invest in the stock market game. I learned how to invest in different companies, withhold, and sell stocks. It wasn't easy but I learned the ropes to help me with the real world of stocks. I think the securities market is very important to our economy. It is a new modern way to trade and keep up with the constant changes within our economy. It helps understand how money and businesses go up and down. The stock market helps small businesses gain more revenue and customers. It also helps big corporations and businesses stay afloat and trending. Due to the fact that many people invest in large companies because the money outlook is greater, it helps those companies a lot. The stock market is amazing for businesses but it is also great for the average person. So many people have great outcomes from investing and showed tremendous growth of money. I think that more schools should teach about the securities and stock markets. Because until last year I was oblivious and clueless about what the stock market is and how to take part in it. It was so confusing because no one really helped me. It was pretty much I had to figure it out on my own.

The biggest problem facing the world right now is division. In 2020 my City, Louisville was the face of the news for a while. Due to the division between the police department and the citizens. We will now be known as the city of police brutality. I want our community to do more to protect its citizens. My community shouldn't be afraid that the police will kill us. It's scary walking past the police department wondering if you could lose your life. Along with that, our justice system is terrible. Our justice system fails to prosecute police officers and fails to give Louisville citizens the justice they deserve. Our community was tired and didn't deserve what was happening. In the world, I want to change the great divide and racism among everyone. I no longer want to see debates about whos the best country in the world. I want all the countries to help each other before it's too late. I want to see everyone visiting and moving to different countries without being treated like an outsider. I want to see world leaders communicating and sharing ideas. I would also like to change people's attitudes. Some people in America are so racist, homophobic, classist, and sexist. I want to see older generations lifting up their LGBTQ family members instead of dividing them from straight family members. I no longer want to see anger when someone dates outside their race. I no longer want to see men degrading women for what they wear or how they dance. If I could, I would eliminate all these problems. I would do it by having everyone just reflect on themselves and watch videos and get educated on how to accept everyone and love no matter the differences.

Have you ever felt like no matter what you do or how hard you try that the world will never change? Well, my favorite book is The Hate U Give the author Angie Thomas shows the effects of police brutality and how poorly black people are being treated no matter the efforts of trying to make a change in the world. This book was published in 2017 which is very recent in showing what is happening in today's time. The author Angie Thomas is a young African American woman born in 1988 in Mississippi. She is significant to me because there are not a lot of black authors who get their book to be a New York Times bestseller or get their book turned into a major motion picture like her, which is an inspiration to me. In The Hate U Give Angie Thomas uses imagery, symbols, and Irony to show that racism leads to unfortunate outcomes. This book has taught me to never stop fighting for something you believe in. Remember that the next time you face something you care about remember to use the best “weapon” you have … your voice. This story has instilled enthusiasm and passion in me that I would have never thought I had. It inspired me to go to my first protest in honor of Breonna Taylor. Angie Thomas shows stereotypes that other people have in today’s society that helped to show that police brutality is a real-life problem. I think many people should read this book because a lot of people like to ignore the problems of racism and police brutality in the world and I think the author is giving a voice to the people too scared to talk about it and the people who can personally relate to it.

The wiset thing I've heard is to love your body. I value my confidence now because in the past I was extremely insecure. Growing up I was very insecure and hated my height. I am 5'9 as a girl. I've been at this height since my sophomore year of high school. I was taller than most boys in my class. Dancing was my passion and something that I loved to do, but everyone was shocked when they found out I danced instead of playing basketball. That really hurt me because people use to tell me I was in the wrong sport. Dance is something I love to do, and I questioned often if I was in the right sport. I always felt like But now as a freshman in college, I'm confident. I've learned to love my long legs. I've learned to love being tall. I recently went to a concert wearing 4inch heels. Was I taller than a lot of the people there?, yes. But I didn't mind it. I like that people look up to me, I like being the first person people see when I walk into a room. So many women get called a man and just straight up get bullied for being tall. I use to feel less feminine like I was in the wrong body. I constantly wished to be shorter. Shorter girls have praised my men in society because of dominance, but I've realized I shouldn't crave male validation. If a man is intimidated by my height, and cant overlook the aspect then he is not the one for me. All 5 feet and 9 inches of myself is beautiful. I am confident in my height and I love everything about it.

I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. My walls will be filled with motivational quotes and fun colors. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently in my second semester at Howard University with a major in early education.I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming an elementary teacher. I want to be a teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black people who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them to pursue higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." Many people tell me that I shouldn't be a teacher because of how underpaid and underappreciated they are. I know that life isn't about money and teaching is my dream. I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life is. I will do everything that I can to make sure I graduate with my bachelor’s and pass my teacher certification exam. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it

I watched from a young age my mom reach her full potential. My mom and dad met in high school. My mom was so strong. She is a supermom. She had me at 20 years old while completing her bachelor's degree. Unlike my dad she didn't give up, she knew that she had to work even harder because she had to support me. My dad had no aspiration to work or provide for us. Which caused him to go down a spiral and be incarcerated. When he got out of jail he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. I don't know if it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. I thought he was just acting like that because he just got out of jail and was trying to get his life back together but it became a recurring thing. He only came to see or talk to me on holiday. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. I know it was hard on my mom for having to take care of me by herself but she made sure I had everything I needed and wanted. Although it was a struggle, I wouldn't trade my experience for anything. To this day 18 years later my dad is trying to waddle his way into my life because he sees I am doing good. I’m attending the college of my dreams and I graduated as valedictorian from my high school. I owe that all to my momma. With everything, we went through she made sure I stayed on top of my school work while being in extracurricular activities so I can make a good living. She always made sure I was busy and tried everything so I can enjoy my hobbies and reach my full potential. Her drive is what inspires me to push for my bachelor’s degree in elementary education. I continuously strive every day to prove that I will not make the same mistakes as my father. This is why I push so hard to be successful. I won't ever stop fighting for my dreams and I will never settle for anything less.

Sweat drenched off everyone’s bodies as it was 8:30 pm, and we’ve been marching since 6:00 pm. Everyone is marching all through downtown on 6th and Jefferson, holding signs as black as charcoal pierced with names of innocent people. As I walk through the crowd, I see an abundance of different kinds of people; Some were probably doing this same thing in the ’60s, others probably can’t cross the street by themselves, some white, some black, some poor, and some rich. I was surrounded by American citizens that were trembling in fear that we soon may be the next name on one of the signs we were holding. I never felt so connected to people in my life before that day. I now try to attend as many protests as possible and continuously spread awareness on my social media. That night of the protest, I was puzzled seeing people who protect and serve throw tear gas and rubber bullets at citizens that only had face masks and water bottles. I knew that as police, they were trained for that exact moment. Little did I know my mom, cousin, and I was trained due to our skin being stained in brown. I see that even though we were the ones unarmed, our blackness was the weapon they feared. I continuously live in fear. I get scared driving thinking I might do something wrong and get pulled over by the police. I get afraid that a minor traffic stop could be the end of my life. I don’t think anyone should feel that way, so; I will fight for change. That day I thought I was protesting for one person, little did I know I was fighting for everyone else that looks like me, which is why I won’t stop.

I think the meaning of life is to find your own version of success, not what society deems as successful. I've found myself always stressing to prove my success. But is it truly success if you do it to prove to someone else. I've found it hard to understand what makes a person truly successful. Is it their grades, career, or wealth? A lot of people believe it is within one of those three categories. But I believe success is when you are truly happy. Not the materialistic milestones or possessions. My idea of success is when you find your; confidence, peace of mind, people that make you happy, and your calling. I use to be someone that thought my success lay in my grades. I maintained a 4.0 throughout all of the high school while being on a competitive dance team and having a part-time job. Everyone else may see success, but I saw a girl who was overworked and tired. I loved that valedictorian sash and giving the speech, but that joy only lasted a couple of hours. In a materialistic way, I am successful. I have a job and good grades. But I'm successful in ways others can’t see. I gained confidence. In the past, I was insecure about my height. I would never wear heels to any function. I now wear heels to parties. I meditate for 5 minutes every day to find my peace of mind. I'm starting to hang out more with my friends; I'm becoming more extroverted and creating new relationships. I've figured out my calling. My calling is to become an elementary teacher. That will be my future. I will work to make sure I am in the career of my dreams, not just something that pays well I will be happy.

I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. My walls will be filled with motivational quotes and fun colors. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently in my second semester at Howard University with a major in early education. I plan to take the praxis test this semester and tutor for more experience. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming an elementary teacher. I want to be a teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black people who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. The inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." Many people tell me that I shouldn't be a teacher because of how underpaid and underappreciated they are. I know that life isn't about money and teaching is my dream. I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life is. They also bring up "troubled" and disrespectful kids. But in my opinion, there is no such thing as a troubled kid. I want to eliminate the stigma of troubled kids and reverse it by forming respectful and brilliant students. I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. I will do everything that I can to make sure I graduate with my bachelor’s and pass my teacher certification exam. I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it.

I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. My walls will be filled with motivational quotes and fun colors. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently in my second semester at Howard University with a major in early education. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming an elementary teacher. I want to be a teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black people who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day and say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." Many people tell me that I shouldn't be a teacher because of how underpaid they are. I know that life isn't about money and teaching is my dream. I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life is. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it.

Success. What is it? I've found myself always stressing trying to prove my success. But is it truly success if you do it to prove to someone else. I've found it hard to understand what makes a person truly successful. Is it their grades, career, or wealth? A lot of people believe it is within one of those three categories. But I believe success is when you are truly happy in life. Not the materialistic milestones or possessions. My idea of success is in these categories when you find your; confidence, peace of mind, people that make you happy, and your calling. I use to be someone that thought my success lay in my brain. I maintained a 4.0 throughout all of the high school while being on a competitive dance team and having a part-time job. I graduated as valedictorian, which was terrific. Everyone else may see success, but I saw a girl who was overworked and tired. A girl that didn’t form close friendships or relationships. I loved that valedictorian sash and giving the speech, but that joy only lasted a couple of hours. In a materialistic way, I am successful, I have good grades, and attend my dream college. But I'm successful in ways others can’t see. I gained confidence. In the past, I was insecure in my body. I thought I was too tall to wear heels to any function in fear. I now wear heels to parties. I'm starting to hang out more with my friends; I'm becoming more extroverted and creating new relationships. I've figured out my calling. My calling is to become an elementary teacher. I will work to make sure I am in the career of my dreams, not just something that pays well I will be happy.

I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. My walls will be filled with motivational quotes and fun colors. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently in my second semester at Howard University with a major in early education. I plan to take the praxis test this semester and tutor for more experience. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming an elementary teacher. I want to be a teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black people who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. The inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." Many people tell me that I shouldn't be a teacher because of how underpaid and underappreciated they are. I know that life isn't about money and teaching is my dream. I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life is. They also bring up "troubled" and disrespectful kids. But in my opinion, there is no such thing as a troubled kid. I want to eliminate the stigma of troubled kids and reverse it by forming respectful and brilliant students. I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. I will do everything that I can to make sure I graduate with my bachelor’s and pass my teacher certification exam. I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it. I am passionate about my own education and making sure others receive an amazing education as well.

If I received the $1000 right now I would use it to pay my payment plan this month for my tuition. I go to a private HBCU, those are extremely expensive. Especially since I choose an out-of-state school. I knew that I took a huge risk coming here. However, It was a dream school and I didn't want finance to be the reason I couldn't follow my dream. I feel like as humans we need to follow our passions and dreams because if we don't we will regret it so much. I didn't want to regret my college experience considering that college is so expensive. I thought I might as well spend a lot of money somewhere I will actually enjoy. I am currently in $5000 in student- loan debt and I am only a freshman. I now try to apply for as many scholarships as I can, I am doing everything in my power to try to stay at my dream school. That $1000 will help so much, I just want to lift the weight off my parent's shoulders. They think it's a bad idea for me to be at this school, and I don't want to let them down, and more importantly myself for not doing anything that I can to prove to everyone that I made a good decision.

The characteristic I value most in myself is my confidence. I value my confidence now because in the past I was extremely insecure. Growing up I was very insecure and hated my height. I am 5'9 as a girl. I've been at this height since my sophomore year of high school. I was taller than most boys in my class and towered over all the girls. Dancing was my passion and something that I loved to do, but everyone was shocked when they found out I danced instead of playing basketball or volleyball. that really hurt me because people use to tell me I was in the wrong sport and constantly urged me to play basketball when I had no passion to play that at all. Dance is something I love to do, and I questioned often if I was in the right sport. I always felt like I could never wear heels to prom or homecoming because I would be like 6 feet tall. But now as a freshman in college, I'm confident. I've learned to love my long legs and big feet. I've learned to love being tall. I use to slouch to make myself seem shorter, now I sit up straight. I recently went to a concert wearing 4inch heels. Was I taller than a lot of the people there?, yes. But I didn't mind it. I like that people look up to me, I like being the first person people see when I walk into a room. So many women get called a man and just straight up get bullied for being tall. I use to feel less feminine like I was in the wrong body. I constantly wished to be shorter. Shorter girls have praised my men in society because of dominance, but I've realized I shouldn't crave male validation. If a man is intimidated by my height, and cant overlook the aspect then he is not the one for me. I am beautiful, all 5 feet and 9 inches of myself is beautiful. I've realized that when others make fun of my height it’s just their insecurities being reflected onto me. I am confident in my height and I love everything about it. It took a while for me to feel that way and I want to think of my role models for building my confidence. I look at women like Zendaya and Megan the Stallion who shows off their height.

I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. My walls will be filled with motivational quotes and fun colors. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently in my second semester at Howard University with a major in early education. I plan to take the praxis test this semester and tutor for more experience. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming an elementary teacher. I want to be a teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black people who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. The inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." Many people tell me that I shouldn't be a teacher because of how underpaid and underappreciated they are. I know that life isn't about money and teaching is my dream. I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life is. They also bring up "troubled" and disrespectful kids. But in my opinion, there is no such thing as a troubled kid. I want to eliminate the stigma of troubled kids and reverse it by forming respectful and brilliant students. I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. I will do everything that I can to make sure I graduate with my bachelor’s and pass my teacher certification exam. I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it.

As I went through all my years at school, I didn’t show my real self and often feel uncomfortable. In my AP world history class, it looked like a newly integrated school. I felt like I had to bite my tongue and be silent on many issues. I realized that staying silent does nothing but sweep issues under the rug; I need to inform people whether they want to listen. This is why I joined Black Student Union in high school. I think all the time about how people are hurting and what I can do to help. I now try to attend as many protests as possible and continuously spread awareness on my social media. I was so afraid of the "angry black women" persona. However, black women speaking up about issues and microaggressions they experience should not be seen as angry. I am human, I deserve to be heard and feel like my emotions are valid. I make sure I always speak up when someone hurts my feelings or makes me feel uncomfortable.

My biggest challenge is mental health. For me, the hardest part was never really having anyone to talk to about it. It's hard to reach out for support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. Black people had to always look and act strong and couldn’t show emotions because during slavery it would make them be beaten more. I feel like the black community never fully came to terms with their trauma and kept passing it down from generation to generation. That created the stigma of the "strong black women". But I can't be like that all the time. So I practice self-care by realizing I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and now I know that I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. I practice self-care by; speaking to my friends about what I’m going through, writing in a journal when I'm upset, meditating when I am anxious, and sun-gazing when it's warm outside. Doing those methods of my self-care has helped combat my depression and unlearn the negative habits I grew up with.

I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. My walls will be filled with motivational quotes and fun colors. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently in my second semester at Howard University with a major in early education. I plan to take the praxis test this semester and tutor for more experience. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming an elementary teacher. I want to be a teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black people who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. The inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." Many people tell me that I shouldn't be a teacher because of how underpaid and underappreciated they are. I know that life isn't about money and teaching is my dream. I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life is. They also bring up "troubled" and disrespectful kids. But in my opinion, there is no such thing as a troubled kid. I want to eliminate the stigma of troubled kids and reverse it by forming respectful and brilliant students. I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. I will do everything that I can to make sure I graduate with my bachelor’s and pass my teacher certification exam. I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it.

My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. They were minor offenses that only resulted in him being in jail for 5 months or less each time. However, that doesn’t make it hurt any less. It did hurt me however I saw the impact it had on my mom. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. After they graduated they took their journey to adulthood by going to different colleges. However, they still remained strong. When looking at them you would see the perfect relationship, my dad who drove an hour to visit her on campus every week. My mom and dad got pregnant at 19. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience to her so she stayed and finished college all in four years. My dad however gave up and dropped out, doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill. But my mom graduated with me on her hip. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. You would think it would be my mom who should have been struggling. Considering she had to carry me for 9 months and go through intensive hours of labor. Even though my dad dropped out and was starting that downfall of life my mom stuck beside him for me. But that didn't work for long because my dad was struggling to keep a job and started cheating on my mom. So she left him. About 2 years after she left him was when he was first arrested. I watched from a young age my mom reach her full potential. My mom and dad met in high school. My mom was so strong. She is a supermom. She had me at 20 years old while completing her bachelor's degree. Unlike my dad she didn't give up, she knew that she had to work even harder because she had to support me. It was hard taking care of me by herself but she made sure I had everything I needed and wanted. Although it was a struggle, I wouldn't trade my experience for anything. To this day 18 years later my dad is trying to waddle his way into my life because he sees I am doing good. I’m attending the college of my dreams and I graduated as valedictorian from my high school. I owe that all to my momma. With everything, we went through she made sure I stayed on top of my school work while being in extracurricular activities so I can make a good living. She always made sure I was busy and tried everything so I can enjoy my hobbies and reach my full potential. Her drive is what inspires me to push for my bachelor’s degree in elementary education. I'm so inspired by her and I know that If I am ever a single mom in the future, she will be here to guide me through it.

I want to leave an educational legacy. I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. My walls will be filled with motivational quotes and fun colors. I want to be a teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black people who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day and say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up."I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it.

Live your life by your own definition not how society defines living. That would be my sentence to the world. I dream that we will one day live in a world where everyone is safe, trustworthy, and happy. A world where you can actually work for joy and not just to survive. A world that isn't just going to school, working for the rest of your life, then dying. I envision a place where people follow their dreams and have a job they like instead of worrying about money. The way we live is tricky, there is no right or wrong way to live your life. However, others look down on you if it isn't a way they would live. Personally, I want to become an elementary teacher. Many people tell me that I shouldn't be a teacher because of how underpaid and underappreciated they are. I know that life isn't about money and teaching is my dream. People are always saying that to push me away from becoming a teacher. I have faith that in the future the teacher salary will increase and teachers will be respected more. People also bring up "troubled" and disrespectful kids when they try to discourage me from being a teacher. hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life is. My family is always pushing me to change my major to something that will give me a higher salary, however teaching is my dream, and I am not going to give it up just because someone else wants me to. I am going to live my life how I envision it, and you should too.

I believe community should be valued so much more in society. There are so many different factors that make up a community. As humans, we are pulled into so many different communities at once. For me, my different communities include; school community, neighborhood, work, step team, and the black community. One community that is dear to my heart is the black community. In the summer of 2020, the black community was hurting a lot. Especially in my hometown. My hometown Louisville, Kentucky, was going through the tragic death of Breonna Taylor. Everyone is marching all through downtown, holding signs as black as charcoal pierced with names of innocent people. It’s a vast crowd, all strangers to me, but I feel safe. About 100 people surround me, yet I feel like I know all of them. As I walk through the crowd, I see an abundance of different kinds of people; Some were probably doing this same thing in the ’60s, others probably can’t cross the street by themselves, some white, some black, some poor, and some rich. I was surrounded by American citizens that were trembling in fear that we soon may be the next name on one of the signs we were holding. They’re all so different and yet connected. hat night of the protest, I was puzzled seeing people I thought were supposed to protect and keep people safe, doing the crime. I watched as the people who protect and serve throw tear gas and rubber bullets at citizens that only had face masks and water bottles. I knew that as police, they were trained for that exact moment. Little did I know my mom, cousin, and I was trained due to our skin being stained in brown. I see that even though we were the ones unarmed, our blackness was the weapon they feared. I continuously live in fear. I get scared driving thinking I might do something wrong and get pulled over by the police. I get afraid that a minor traffic stop could be the end of my life. I don’t think anyone should feel that way, so; I will fight for change. That day I thought I was protesting for one person, little did I know I was fighting for everyone else that looks like me, which is why I won’t stop. I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. My walls will be filled with motivational quotes and fun colors. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black people who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. The inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." I will do everything that I can to make sure I graduate with my bachelor’s and pass my teacher certification exam. I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it.

Joy to me means finding happiness in every little thing. Google defines joy as a feeling of great pleasure and happiness. It is exactly that, but so much more. What brings me joy; is being around my family for the holidays, seeing my little brother get so happy after losing his baby teeth, watching my grandma buy that purse that she worked so hard to save up for. I find joy in watching my friends and loved ones succeed and find happiness. But I also enjoy myself. I find joy when I; lay on my trampoline while listening to my favorite song, get an A on a test I didn't feel so confident about, and have enough time to binge-watch a new show on Netflix. Sometimes it is hard to find joy in things when life just seems to keep throwing curve balls but I always try to stay positive. When I'm homesick at school I stay positive by thinking about those breaks when I can come home. I find joy when my mom calls me three times a day, in the past, I would have been annoyed, but now I cherish those calls.

I watched from a young age my mom reach her full potential. My mom and dad met in high school. They went to college and got pregnant with me. My dad took a route that my mom avoided. My dad dropped out of college, ran away from his problems( my mom and me). He was afraid of taking responsibility. My mom was so strong. She is a supermom. She had me at 20 years old while completing her bachelor's degree. Unlike my dad she didn't give up, she knew that she had to work even harder because she had to support me. My dad had no aspiration to work or provide for us. Which caused him to go down a spiral and be incarcerated. It was hard taking care of me by herself but she made sure I had everything I needed and wanted. Although it was a struggle, I wouldn't trade my experience for anything. To this day 18 years later my dad is trying to waddle his way into my life because he sees I am doing good. I’m attending the college of my dreams and I graduated as valedictorian from my high school. I owe that all to my momma. With everything, we went through she made sure I stayed on top of my school work while being in extracurricular activities so I can make a good living. She always made sure I was busy and tried everything so I can enjoy my hobbies and reach my full potential. Her drive is what inspires me to push for my bachelor’s degree in elementary education. She is my motivation.

Have you ever felt like no matter what you do or how hard you try that the world will never change? Well, my favorite book is The Hate U Give. The author Angie Thomas shows the effects of police brutality and how poorly black people are being treated no matter their efforts of trying to make a change in the world. In The Hate U Give Angie Thomas uses imagery, symbols, and Irony to show that racism leads to unfortunate outcomes. This book has taught me to never stop fighting for something you believe in. Remember that the next time you face something you care about remember to use the best “weapon” you have … your voice. Angie Thomas's use of irony, symbolism, and imagery to show that racism can lead to unfortunate outcomes has instilled enthusiasm and passion in me that I would have never thought I had. Angie Thomas shows stereotypes that other people have in today’s society that helped to show that police brutality is a real-life problem. I think many people should read this book because a lot of people like to ignore the problems of racism and police brutality in the world and I think the author is giving a voice to the people too scared to talk about it and the people who can personally relate to it.

I aspire to make a positive impact in the world through advocating. I want to advocate for underrepresented groups, I want to be a voice for those that are too afraid to use their own. I have a story of when I first fell in love with advocating for the community. Sweat drenched off everyone’s bodies as it was 8:30 pm, and we’ve been marching since 6:00 pm. Everyone is marching all through downtown, holding signs as black as charcoal pierced with names of innocent people. It’s a vast crowd, all strangers to me, but I feel safe. About 100 people surround me, yet I feel like I know all of them. As I walk through the crowd, I see an abundance of different kinds of people; Some were probably doing this same thing in the ’60s, others probably can’t cross the street by themselves, some white, some black, some poor, and some rich. I was surrounded by American citizens that were trembling in fear that we soon may be the next name on one of the signs we were holding. They’re all so different and yet connected. I never felt so connected to people in my life before that day; I realized I want to do more to feel that way all the time. As I went through all my years of high school, I didn’t show my real self and often feel uncomfortable. In my AP world history class, it looked like a newly integrated school. I felt like I had to bite my tongue and be silent on many issues. I realized that staying silent does nothing but sweep issues under the rug; I need to inform people whether they want to listen. I think all the time about how people are hurting and what I can do to help. I now try to attend as many protests as possible and continuously spread awareness on my social media. That night of the protest, I was puzzled seeing people I thought were supposed to protect and keep people safe, doing the crime. I watched as the people who protect and serve throw tear gas and rubber bullets at citizens that only had face masks and water bottles. I knew that as police, they were trained for that exact moment. Little did I know my mom, cousin, and I was trained due to our skin being stained in brown. I see that even though we were the ones unarmed, our blackness was the weapon they feared. I continuously live in fear. I get scared driving thinking I might do something wrong and get pulled over by the police. I get afraid that a minor traffic stop could be the end of my life. I don’t think anyone should feel that way, so; I will fight for change. That day I thought I was protesting for one person, little did I know I was fighting for everyone else that looks like me, which is why I won’t stop.

Joy to me means finding happiness in every little thing. Google defines joy as a feeling of great pleasure and happiness. It is exactly that, but so much more. What brings me joy; is being around my family for the holidays, seeing my little brother get so happy after losing his baby teeth, watching my grandma buy that purse that she worked so hard to save up for. I find joy in watching my friends and loved ones succeed and find happiness. But I also enjoy myself. I find joy when I; lay on my trampoline while listening to my favorite song, get an A on a test I didn't feel so confident about and have enough time to binge-watch a new show on Netflix. Sometimes it is hard to find joy in things when life just seems to keep throwing curve balls but I always try to stay positive. When I'm homesick at school I stay positive by thinking about those breaks when I can come home. I find joy when my mom calls me three times a day, in the past, I would have been annoyed, but now I cherish those calls.

I love my height. It is now something that I love about myself. Growing up I was very insecure and hated my height. I am 5'9 as a girl. I've been at this height since my sophomore year of high school. I was taller than most boys in my class and towered over all the girls. Dancing was my passion and something that I loved to do, but everyone was shocked when they found out I danced instead of playing basketball or volleyball. I felt like I could never wear heels to prom or homecoming because I would be like 6 feet tall. But now as a freshman in college, I'm confident. I've learned to love my long legs and big feet. I've learned to love being tall. I use to slouch to make myself seem shorter, now I sit up straight. I recently went to a concert wearing 4inch heels. Was I taller than a lot of the people there, yes? But I didn't mind it. I like that people look up to me, I like being the first person people see when I walk into a room. So many women get called a man and just straight up get bullied for being tall. I've realized that it’s just other people's insecurities being reflected onto me. I am confident in my height and now I love everything about it.

1) I deserve this scholarship because I'm rich and in need of the money. 2) My academic goal is not to make the dean's list, I hope I fail the spring semester with flying colors. As far as Career goals I aspire to not get my dream job and work in a field I have absolutely zero interest in. 3) I had to overcome an obstacle this morning when I had to ask Mcdonald's for extra barbecue sauce. They only gave me one sauce for 10 nuggets and a large fry. It was such an obstacle that I couldn't double-dip.

I watched from a young age my mom reach her full potential. My mom and dad met in high school. They went to college and got pregnant with me. My dad took a route that my mom avoided. My dad dropped out of college, ran away from his problems( my mom and me). He was afraid of taking responsibility. My mom was so strong. She is a supermom. She had me at 20 years old while completing her bachelor's degree. Unlike my dad she didn't give up, she knew that she had to work even harder because she had to support me. My dad had no aspiration to work or provide for us. Which caused him to go down a spiral and be incarcerated. It was hard taking care of me by herself but she made sure I had everything I needed and wanted. Although it was a struggle, I wouldn't trade my experience for anything. To this day 18 years later my dad is trying to waddle his way into my life because he sees I am doing good. I’m attending the college of my dreams and I graduated as valedictorian from my high school. I owe that all to my momma. With everything, we went through she made sure I stayed on top of my school work while being in extracurricular activities so I can make a good living. She always made sure I was busy and tried everything so I can enjoy my hobbies and reach my full potential. Her drive is what inspires me to push for my bachelor’s degree in elementary education. As a teacher, I would be working with students of all different backgrounds and races. With my upbringing, I feel like I could relate to a lot of students and they would feel represented. I want to be a teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black people who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. and say, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." I will do everything that I can to make sure I graduate with my bachelor’s and pass my teacher certification exam. I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them.

I watched from a young age my mom reach her full potential. My mom and dad met in high school. They went to college and got pregnant with me. My dad took a route that my mom avoided. My dad dropped out of college, ran away from his problems( my mom and me). He was afraid of taking responsibility. My mom was so strong. She is a supermom. She had me at 20 years old while completing her bachelor's degree. Unlike my dad she didn't give up, she knew that she had to work even harder because she had to support me. My dad had no aspiration to work or provide for us. Which caused him to go down a spiral and be incarcerated. It was hard taking care of me by herself but she made sure I had everything I needed and wanted. Although it was a struggle, I wouldn't trade my experience for anything. To this day 18 years later my dad is trying to waddle his way into my life because he sees I am doing good. I’m attending the college of my dreams and I graduated as valedictorian from my high school. I owe that all to my momma. With everything, we went through she made sure I stayed on top of my school work while being in extracurricular activities so I can make a good living. She always made sure I was busy and tried everything so I can enjoy my hobbies and reach my full potential. Her drive is what inspires me to push for my bachelor’s degree in elementary education. I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. My walls will be filled with motivational quotes and fun colors. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently in my second semester at Howard University with a major in early education. I plan to take the praxis test this semester and tutor for more experience. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming an elementary teacher. I want to be a teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black people who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. The inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." I will do everything that I can to make sure I graduate with my bachelor’s and pass my teacher certification exam. I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it. I hope that me being a teacher would influence some of my black students to want to as w

I watched from a young age my mom reach her full potential. My mom and dad met in high school. They went to college and got pregnant with me. My dad took a route that my mom avoided. My dad dropped out of college, ran away from his problems( my mom and me). He was afraid of taking responsibility. My mom was so strong. She is a supermom. She had me at 20 years old while completing her bachelor's degree. Unlike my dad she didn't give up, she knew that she had to work even harder because she had to support me. My dad had no aspiration to work or provide for us. Which caused him to go down a spiral and be incarcerated. It was hard taking care of me by herself but she made sure I had everything I needed and wanted. Although it was a struggle, I wouldn't trade my experience for anything. To this day 18 years later my dad is trying to waddle his way into my life because he sees I am doing good. I’m attending the college of my dreams and I graduated as valedictorian from my high school. I owe that all to my momma. With everything, we went through she made sure I stayed on top of my school work while being in extracurricular activities so I can make a good living. She always made sure I was busy and tried everything so I can enjoy my hobbies and reach my full potential. Her drive is what inspires me to push for my bachelor’s degree in elementary education. I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. My walls will be filled with motivational quotes and fun colors. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I will make a positive impact on my community by becoming an elementary teacher. I want to be a teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black people who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. The inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. I will do everything that I can to make sure I graduate with my bachelor’s and pass my teacher certification exam. I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it.

I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. My walls will be filled with motivational quotes and fun colors. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently in my second semester at Howard University with a major in early education. I plan to take the praxis test this semester and tutor for more experience. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming an elementary teacher. I want to be a teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black people who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. The inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." Many people tell me that I shouldn't be a teacher because of how underpaid and underappreciated they are. I know that life isn't about money and teaching is my dream. I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life is. They also bring up "troubled" and disrespectful kids. But in my opinion, there is no such thing as a troubled kid. I want to eliminate the stigma of troubled kids and reverse it by forming respectful and brilliant students. I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. I will do everything that I can to make sure I graduate with my bachelor’s and pass my teacher certification exam. I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it. I hope that me being a teacher would influence my students to want to as well.

I went above and beyond for a community service project at my university. For my geography class, we had to sign up for a Saturday to clean up a block and park. At first, all of us in the class were upset and didn’t want to do it, because we didn't want to spend our Saturday cleaning up. However, we gained so much. The class was online due to rising covid cases, so none of the students had seen each other before. Our professor randomly assigned groups of ten to participate. We were all nervous because it was the first semester of freshman year and we didn't really have that many friends. When we all meet we instantly clicked. We only had to clean up for two hours. However, a few of the other group members and I decided to stay an extra 3 hours. Not just to hang out, but to actually work. I never took into account how much litter and trash is just thrown everywhere. It was fun to see the sidewalks look cleaner. It was nice seeing the park actually look appealing. It’s hard for the children to enjoy themselves when they have to walk over empty water bottles and cigarette buds. So I was eager to stay as long as I could to get as much trash up. After that experience, our professor gave us an option to sign up for another community project. It wasn’t mandatory to do, but I signed up anyway because I really enjoyed the first project. I realized how much we take the Earth for granted, so I want to do more to preserve it.

I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. My walls will be filled with motivational quotes and fun colors. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently in my second semester at Howard University with a major in early education. I plan to take the praxis test this semester and tutor for more experience. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming an elementary teacher. I want to be a teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black people who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. This is why I want to give back and be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. The inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." Many people tell me that I shouldn't be a teacher because of how underpaid and underappreciated they are. I know that life isn't about money and teaching is my dream. I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life is. They also bring up "troubled" and disrespectful kids. But in my opinion, there is no such thing as a troubled kid. I want to eliminate the stigma of troubled kids and reverse it by forming respectful and brilliant students. I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. I will do everything that I can to make sure I graduate with my bachelor’s and pass my teacher certification exam. I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it.

I’ve found myself being influenced and inspired by many of my teachers in the past. I look at them as examples for the teacher I want to be in the future. One of the first teachers that had a significant impact on my educational experience was my 2’nd grade teacher MS.S. She was the kind of teacher that let students learn in a fun way. I remember this one day where we cut sandwiches into different pieces to practice fractions, and afterward, we ate the sandwiches. At the time, we did not have a cheerleading team, and I and my friends would act like cheerleaders on the playground. She would see us and teach us chants and cheer us on. She was so encouraging and made every student feel comfortable. On the last day of school in her class, she made everyone a backpack with an emotion, career, or fun award on it. Mine was the top model. It was special to me because I would always do model walks and act as a model in her class. When I would model walk in previous grades, my teachers would tell me to sit down and stop. She saw how happy it made me and took it as a way of how I expressed myself. When I entered high school, I was in awe of how many influential teachers were. There were teachers from my freshman year when I would see them in my junior year that still know my name and would say hi to me every day. Little things like that made me feel so special and happy. Because I knew they had hundreds of students after me. But one teacher is still very influential to me, Mrs.Vukmanic, Adv English teacher freshman year. Her class was challenging, but it prepared me for the following years. It was hard for a newcomer to get used to the heavy workload and long readings, but she made it purposeful. She would allow us to have Socratic circles about issues we feel deeply about and write essays and projects about our chosen topic. She also gave us journals to write about what’s troubling us, and if we wanted her to read them, she would. I would confide my insecurities with my body image, and she made me feel better by giving an example about her struggles in high school. In conclusion, I hope to one day be a teacher like Ms.S and Mrs.Vukmanic. They were teachers who I will remember for the rest of my life. I want to be a teacher that students will remember for years to come and visit as they grow. School is where I spent most of my life, and it began to feel like home. Having teachers that made me feel like family was one of the best experiences in the world. I want my future students to feel that same way about me. Considering that the education field lacks teachers of color I think it's important for me to become one.I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it.

One of the first teachers that had a significant impact on my educational experience was my 2’nd grade teacher MS.S. She made my elementary days more eventful than ever. She was the kind of teacher that let students learn in a fun way. At the time, we did not have a cheerleading team, my friends and I would act like cheerleaders on the playground. She would see us and teach us chants and cheer us on. She made me feel like I had support from her no matter what it was. She was a teacher who I confided in about my home problems, and I felt safe talking to her about it. She was so encouraging. On the last day of school in her class, she made everyone a backpack with an emotion, career, or fun award on it. Mine was the top model. It was special to me because I would always do model walks and act as a model in her class. When I would model walk in previous grades, my teachers would tell me to sit down and stop. She saw how happy it made me and took it as a way of how I expressed myself. In conclusion, I hope to one day be a teacher like Ms.S. she was a teacher who I will remember for the rest of my life. I want to be a teacher that students will remember for years to come and visit as they grow.

Joy to me means finding happiness in every little thing. Google defines joy as a feeling of great pleasure and happiness. It is exactly that, but so much more. What brings me joy; is being around my family for the holidays, seeing my little brother get so happy after losing his baby teeth, watching my grandma buy that purse that she worked so hard to save up for. I find joy in watching my friends and loved ones succeed and find happiness. But I also enjoy myself. I find joy when I; lay on my trampoline while listening to my favorite song, get an A on a test I didn't feel so confident about and have enough time to binge-watch a new show on Netflix. Sometimes it is hard to find joy in things when life just seems to keep throwing curve balls but I always try to stay positive. When I'm homesick at college I stay positive by thinking about those breaks when I can come home. I find joy when my mom calls me three times a day, in the past, I would have been annoyed, but now I cherish those calls. During my senior year of high school, I became a peer tutor. A peer tutor is someone that assists special friends. Special friends are special needs students that went to our school. I choose to become a peer tutor because I want to be an elementary teacher, and I thought it would be great preparation. However, while being a peer tutor I felt so much more I felt joy whenever my special friends got an answer right. I felt joy watching them sing and dance to their favorite song. I was ecstatic when the student that was struggling to tie their shoes finally got it.

Through the weird last couple of years of having to have school online due to the pandemic, I’ve still found myself impacted by many teachers. I’ve found myself being influenced and inspired by many of them. I look at them as examples for the teacher I want to be in the future. One of the first teachers that had a significant impact on my educational experience was my 2’nd grade teacher MS.S. She was the kind of teacher that let students learn in a fun way. At the time, we did not have a cheerleading team, my friends and I would act like cheerleaders on the playground. She would see us and teach us chants and cheer us on. She made me feel like I had support from her no matter what it was. She was so encouraging and made every student feel comfortable. On the last day of school in her class, she made everyone a backpack with an emotion, career, or fun award on it. Mine was the top model. It was special to me because I would always do model walks and act as a model in her class. When I would model walk in previous grades, my teachers would tell me to sit down and stop. She saw how happy it made me and took it as a way of how I expressed myself. She gave me hope that some teachers will do more than just teach; they will make you feel loved and supported. Throughout my whole elementary school life, I had very positive interactions with students and teachers. It wasn’t until 7th grade that I felt impacted by a teacher in middle school. My Social Studies teacher, Mr.Ray, created a positive experience for me there. He connected with students and asked how their weekend was, and he created a fun environment for students. When we were learning about history, he would play videos and movies to keep us engaged. Many other teachers would just read out of a textbook, but he let us do fun projects and work together on assignments. When I entered high school, I was in awe of how many influential teachers were at Male. I have so many that had a positive impact on me that I can’t just name one. There were teachers from my freshman year when I would see them in my junior year that still know my name and would say hi to me every day. Little things like that made me feel so special and happy. Because I knew they had hundreds of students after me, and they still remembered me. But one teacher is still very influential to me, Mrs.Vukmanic. She was my Adv English teacher freshman year. Her class was challenging, but it prepared me for the following years. I would confide my insecurities with my body image, and she made me feel better by giving an example about her struggles in high school. It felt good to have a teacher who I could talk to and be met with a counseling vibe. In conclusion, I hope to one day be a teacher like Ms.S, Mr.Ray, and Mrs.Vukmanic. They were teachers who I will remember for the rest of my life. I want to be a teacher that students will remember for years to come and visit as they grow. School is where I spent most of my life, and it began to feel like home. Having teachers that made me feel like family was one of the best experiences in the world.

Imagine starting out with $1,000 and flipping it into $2,000 in a short amount of time by just investing in other companies. It’s so crazy to think about how easy it is to do that. During my senior year of high school, I took a personal finance class. I learned so much about investing, financing, and the accounting process. During our lesson on investing our teacher made us invest in the stock market game. I learned how to invest in different companies, withhold, and sell stocks. It wasn't easy but I learned the ropes to help me with the real world of stocks. I think the securities market is very important to our economy. It is a new modern way to trade and keep up with the constant changes within our economy. It helps understand how money and businesses go up and down. The stock market helps small businesses gain more revenue and customers. It also helps big corporations and businesses stay afloat and trending. Due to the fact that many people invest in large companies because the money outlook is greater, it helps those companies a lot. The stock market is amazing for businesses but it is also great for the average person. So many people have great outcomes from investing and showed tremendous growth of money. I think that more schools should teach about the securities and stock markets. Because until last year I was oblivious and clueless to what the stock market is and how to take part in it. It was so confusing because no one really helped me. It was pretty much I had to figure it out on my own. I think if courses were provided on which companies to invest in it would improve the stock market so much. Because more people would invest and be educated on how to invest correctly. I also think the different types of funds are important and should be taught as well. Like index, mutual, and ETF funds. A lot of people don’t know the difference between them and how they affect stocks. Overall I believe more education about stocks should be implemented because the benefits of stocks are out of this world. The great thing about the stock market is you share a little ownership of the company. No one really talks about how great owning a share of a company is. I felt so proud to own a part of Apple and Walmart because it feels great to own and contribute to something. Of course, there are downsides and risks to investing but there are downsides to everything in life. It is easy to get upset over losing a little bit of money but the joy you feel when you see your money increase makes you forget all about that loss. It is important to be educated about inflation and about what is popular. So learning about which companies are up and improving right now is what will give you a better turnout. I enjoyed investing in the stock market game and the real investments I do now.

When I was a child dancing was my life, I loved dancing for my family and friends. I made the team in elementary and middle school. But when I got to high school it was a different story. I tried out my freshman year and didn't make it. I was hurt because dance was the only thing I knew and it made me feel like I wasn't good. I wanted to give up but my mom encouraged me to try out again my sophomore year. So I did, this time I made it, but as an alternate. At the point I felt drained and unworthy, I was trying my best and it still felt like the coaches couldn't see my full potential. So my sophomore year I worked my butt off, showed up to every practice on time, stayed late, and took extra technique classes. It paid off because I ended up being in the nationals routine when even some people that actually made the team as a regular member didn't get put in. As junior year approached I just keep getting better. Coaches could see because I started getting moved up to the front in formations. As senior year approached I was named one of the captains. That never would have happened if I was impatient. Being patient helped the coaches and myself see my full potential. If I would have just given up and stopped trying after not making it my freshman year I never would have become a captain. Taking my time by putting in the extra work to be better instead of just assuming I was already good enough helped me so much. That taught me to always be patient in life because good things happen to those who wait.

I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. My walls will be filled with motivational quotes and fun colors. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently in my second semester at Howard University with a major in early education. I plan to take the praxis test this semester and tutor for more experience. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming an elementary teacher. I want to be a teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black people who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." I will do everything that I can to make sure I graduate with my bachelor’s and pass my teacher certification exam. I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it.

I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching. My walls will be filled with motivational quotes and fun colors. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently in my second semester at Howard University with a major in early education. I plan to take the praxis test this semester and tutor for more experience. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming an elementary teacher. I want to be a teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black people who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to and say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." I will do everything that I can to make sure I graduate with my bachelor’s and pass my teacher certification exam. I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it.

During my senior year, I was passionate about becoming a peer tutor. A peer tutor is someone that assists special friends. Special friends are the special needs students that went to our school. I choose to become a peer tutor because my dream career is to be an elementary teacher, and I thought it would be great preparation and hands-on experience for me. However, while being a peer tutor I felt so much more. One of my special friends made me a gift when I came to class. She would draw a picture of me and put it on my desk. It made me feel so welcomed and appreciated. I felt joy whenever my special friends got an answer right. I felt joy watching them sing and dance to their favorite song. I was excited to hear about their favorite food. I was ecstatic when the student that was struggling to tie their shoes finally got it. They made me feel loved every single day. I returned the favor by helping them with their math and reading. But I think I made them feel loved even more by never viewing them as different. I saw all of them as my friends. They know that they are unique, but I tried my best to show them they are deserving of being seen as the same. I would make tik toks with them, talk to them about my favorite movies, my home life. I wanted to do everything I could to build their confidence. I let them not that it is okay to not know something, and okay to be discouraged. I think it's okay to be discouraged because it is a natural human reaction and emotion, However, you can overcome that discouragement by just taking a breather and continuing to try.

Imagine starting out with $1,000 and flipping it into $2,000 in a short amount of time by just investing in other companies. During my senior year of high school, I took a personal finance class. I learned so much about investing, financing, and the accounting process. During our lesson on investing our teacher made us invest in the stock market game. I learned how to invest in different companies, withhold, and sell stocks. It wasn't easy but I learned the ropes to help me with the real world of stocks. The stock market helps small businesses gain more revenue and customers. It also helps big corporations and businesses stay afloat and trending. Due to the fact that many people invest in large companies because the money outlook is greater, it helps those companies a lot. So many people have great outcomes from investing and showed tremendous growth of money. I think that more schools should teach about the stock markets. Because until last year I was clueless about the stock market is and how to take part in it. I think if courses were provided on investing it would improve the stock market because more people would be educated on how to invest correctly. I learned tips about the index, mutual, and ETF funds. A lot of people don’t know the difference between them and how they affect stocks. The great thing about the stock market is you share a little ownership of the company. I felt so proud to own a part of Apple and Walmart because it feels great to own and contribute to something. It is important to be educated about inflation and about what is popular. I enjoyed investing in the stock market game and the real investments I do now.

Sweat drenched off everyone’s bodies as it was 8:30 pm, and we’ve been marching since 6:00 pm. Everyone is marching all through downtown, holding signs as black as charcoal pierced with names of innocent people. It’s a vast crowd, all strangers to me, but I feel safe. About 100 people surround me, yet I feel like I know all of them. As I walk through the crowd, I see an abundance of different kinds of people; Some were probably doing this same thing in the ’60s, others probably can’t cross the street by themselves, some white, some black, some poor, and some rich. I was surrounded by American citizens that were trembling in fear that we soon may be the next name on one of the signs we were holding. They’re all so different and yet connected. I never felt so connected to people in my life before that day; I realized I want to do more to feel that way all the time. As I went through all my years at school, I didn’t show my real self and often feel uncomfortable. In my AP world history class, it looked like a newly integrated school. I felt like I had to bite my tongue and be silent on many issues. I realized that staying silent does nothing but sweep issues under the rug; I need to inform people whether they want to listen. I think all the time about how people are hurting and what I can do to help. I now try to attend as many protests as possible and continuously spread awareness on my social media. That night of the protest, I was puzzled seeing people I thought were supposed to protect and keep people safe, doing the crime. I watched as the people who protect and serve throw tear gas and rubber bullets at citizens that only had face masks and water bottles. I knew that as police, they were trained for that exact moment. Little did I know my mom, cousin, and I were trained due to our skin stained in brown. I see that even though we were the ones unarmed, our blackness was the weapon they feared. I continuously live in fear. I get scared driving thinking I might do something wrong and get pulled over by the police. I get afraid that a minor traffic stop could be the end of my life. I don’t think anyone should feel that way, so; I will fight for change. That day I thought I was protesting for one person, little did I know I was fighting for everyone else that looks like me, which is why I won’t stop. I realized that all the protesting for Breonna Taylor paid off. The police got fired and her family received compensation. Although it wasn't the outcome everyone hoped for, it was a step in the right direction. Moving forward police now know that they can't do unlawful things and just get away from it. The people have spoken and its great that the community all came together to do it.

1. I believe Community is a group of people that have things in common. When I look at my community I envision the black community. I will give back to my community with education. Many stereotypes are implemented in the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. This is why I want to become an elementary teacher. I hope to add minority representation as far as being an educator. I think if students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. The main reason black people don’t push for higher education is that they don’t see that influence, however, that is changing. This generation has some of the most first-generation college students and it is amazing. As a black community, we are proving more and more every day our potential and how intelligent we are. As a teacher, I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. I want to be that inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." I will show them that black people can be more than just athletes or singers, we can also be teachers. I will advocate for better technology and textbooks in low-income public schools. I want to make sure that all my students no matter what color has the resources they need to be successful. 2. I am currently in my second semester at Howard University majoring in elementary education. I like to dance, watch criminal minds, eat hot fires, and I absolutely love sci-fi. A fun fact about me is that I am afraid of dogs. I'm a 5'9 girl that is finally starting to love my height. My vision for the future is to change the great divide and racism from everyone. I no longer want to see debates about whos the best country in the world. I want all the countries to help each other before it's too late. I want to see everyone visiting and moving to different countries without being treated like an outsider. I want to see world leaders communicating and sharing ideas. Lastly, I no longer want to see talks of war. We need to stick together; there is no point in fighting each other. I also hope attitudes change in the future. Some people in America are so racist, homophobic, classist, and sexist. I want to see older generations lifting up their LGBTQ family members instead of shaming and disowning them. I want to see older white families not getting mad when someone dates outside their race. I want to see men not degrading women for what they wear or how they dance. If I could, I would eliminate all these problems, but I know it will take time. The world is improving generation after generation, but we still have work to do.

During my senior year, I choose to become a peer tutor. A peer tutor is someone that assists special friends. Special friends are the special needs students that went to our school. I choose to become a peer tutor because my dream career is to be an elementary teacher, and I thought it would be great preparation and hands-on experience for me. However, while being a peer tutor I felt so much more. One of my special friends, always made me a gift when I went to the class. She would draw a picture of me and put it on my desk. It made me feel so appreciated. I felt joy whenever my special friends got an answer right. I felt joy watching them sing and dance to their favorite song. I was ecstatic when the student that was struggling to tie their shoes finally got it. They made me feel loved every single day. I returned the favor by helping them with their math and reading. But I think I made them feel loved even more by never looking at them as different. I saw all of them as my friends, they know that they are unique but I tried my best to show them they are still deserving of being seen as the same. I would make tik toks with them, talk to them about my favorite movies, my home life. I wanted to do everything I could to build their confidence. I let them not that it is okay to not know something, and okay to be discouraged. I think it's okay to be discouraged because it is a natural human reaction and emotion, However, you can overcome that discouragement by just taking a breather and continuing to try.

When I was a child dancing was my life. I made the team in elementary and middle school. But when I got to high school it was a different story. I tried out my freshman year and didn't make it. I was hurt because dance was the only thing I knew and it made me feel like I wasn't good. I wanted to give up but my mom encouraged me to try out again my sophomore year. So I did, this time I made it, but as an alternate. At the point I felt drained and unworthy, I was trying my best and it still felt like the coaches couldn't see my full potential. So my sophomore year I worked my butt off, showed up to every practice on time, stayed late, and took extra technique classes. It paid off because I ended up being in the nationals routine when even some people that actually made the team as a regular member didn't get put in. As the junior year approached I just keep getting better. Coaches could see because I started getting moved up to the front in formations. As the senior year approached I was named one of the captains. That never would have happened if I was impatient. Being patient helped the coaches and myself see my full potential. If I would have just given up and stopped trying after not making it my freshman year I never would have become a captain. Taking my time by putting in the extra work to be better instead of just assuming I was already good enough helped me so much. That taught me to always be patient in life and realize I won't get handed everything; I have to prove myself by working for it.

I keep a growth mindset by making sure I'm happy. A seed can't turn into a flower can't without water. I am the seed and my goals are the water. I believe I can grow when I work on my mental health. For me, the hardest part was never really having anyone to talk to about it. Whenever I told someone in my family that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. Black people had to always look and act strong, but I feel like the black community never fully came to terms with their trauma and kept passing it down from generation to generation. That created the stigma of the "strong black women". But I can't be like that all the time. So I practice self-care by realizing I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and now I know that I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. I practice self-care by speaking to my friends about what I’m going through. I've recently started to write in a journal when I'm upset, and I meditate when I am anxious. I'm allowing my mindset to grow by enacting self-care to combat my depression and unlearn the negative stigmas I grew up with.

My biggest challenge is mental health. For me, the hardest part was never really having anyone to talk to about it. It's hard to reach out for support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. Black people had to always look and act strong and couldn’t show emotions because it would make them be beaten more. I feel like the black community never fully came to terms with their trauma and kept passing it down from generation to generation. That created the stigma of the "strong black women". But I can't be like that all the time. So I practice self-care by realizing I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and now I know that I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. I practice self-care by speaking to my friends about what I’m going through. I've recently started to write in a journal when I'm upset, and I meditate when I am anxious. Doing those methods of my self-care has helped combat my depression and unlearn the negative habits I grew up with.

I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. My walls will be filled with motivational quotes and fun colors. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently in my second semester at Howard University with a major in early education. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming an elementary teacher. I want to be a teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black people who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day, where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. I will do everything that I can to make sure I graduate with my bachelor's and pass my teacher certification exam. I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it.

Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister.I can see the impact because I don't know many young black people who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. The inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." am currently in my second semester at Howard University with a major in early education. I want to be a teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. My walls will be filled with motivational quotes and fun colors. I will work my butt off to make that a reality.I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience daily. My biggest challenge is mental health. For me, the hardest part was never really having anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. It caused me to conceal them and not tell anyone how I really feel. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. Black people had to always look strong and couldn’t show emotions because it would make them seem weak and be beaten more. I feel like the black community never fully came to terms with their trauma and kept passing it down from generation to generation. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be like that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. I shouldn't feel embarrassed to come out to my own family about what I feel. I didn't feel like I could talk to any professionals either. None of my therapists were people of color. A therapist that isn't a POC wouldn't necessarily understand different struggles and problems. For example, when I was younger, I sought validation and hated my skin. I did not have anyone to talk to about how I would flatiron my hair every other day in the morning for school to look like my white friends. I did not have anyone to talk to about all the microaggressions said to my face that I never called out because I did not understand it all. If I couldn't even comprehend it at the time, how could I expect the counselors or therapists at my school? I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. I am currently in my second semester at Howard University with a major in early education. I want to be a teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it.

I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. My walls will be filled with motivational quotes and fun colors. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently in my second semester at Howard University with a major in early education. My main goal is to make sure I get my bachelor's degree and pass my teacher certification exam. will make a positive impact in my community by becoming an elementary teacher. I want to be a teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black people who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. I want to be that inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it.

When I was a child dancing was my life, I loved dancing for my family and friends. I made the team in elementary and middle school. But when I got to high school it was a different story. I tried out my freshman year and didn't make it. I was hurt because dance was the only thing I knew and it made me feel like I wasn't good. I wanted to give up but my mom encouraged me to try out again my sophomore year. So I did, this time I made it, but as an alternate. At the point I felt drained and unworthy, I was trying my best and it still felt like the coaches couldn't see my full potential. So my sophomore year I worked my butt off, showed up to every practice on time, stayed late, and took extra technique classes. It paid off because I ended up being in the nationals routine when even some people that actually made the team as regular members didn't get put in. As my junior year approached I just keep getting better. Coaches could see because I started getting moved up to the front in formations. As senior year approached I was named one of the captains. That never would have happened if I was impatient. Being patient helped the coaches and myself see my full potential. If I would have just given up and stopped trying after not making it my freshman year I never would have become a captain. Taking my time by putting in the extra work to be better instead of just assuming I was already good enough helped me so much. That taught me to always be patient in life because good things happen to those who wait.

I love my height. It is now something that I love about myself. Growing up I was very insecure and hated my height. I am 5'9 as a girl. I've been at this height since my sophomore year of high school. I was taller than most boys in my class and towered over all the girls. Dancing was my passion and something that I loved to do, but everyone was shocked when they found out I danced instead of playing basketball or volleyball. I felt like I could never wear heels to prom or homecoming because I would be like 6foot. But now as a freshman in college, I'm confident. I've learned to love my long legs and big feet. Ive learned to love being tall. I use to slouch to make myself seem shorter, now I sit up straight. I recently went to a concert wearing 4inch heels. Was I taller than a lot of the people there, yes. But I didn't mind it. I like that people look up to me, I like being the first person people see when I walk into a room. So many women get called a man and just straight up get bullied for being tall. I've realized that it’s just other people's insecurities being reflected onto me. I am so much more confident in my height and I love everything about it.

I have way too much to not give. Giving is something I think we can all do. A lot of people believe only people with a lot of money can give, but that is not true. I give all the time. I give words of advice, I give my friends tutoring lessons, and I give hugs. Sometimes all people need is to feel loved. The gift of being around family is one that always cheers people up. Growing up I yearned for my father's love, he never really came around much. All I wanted was for him to give me love and to be around him. Since I lacked so much of that growing up I do my best to give love to so many others. Around Christmas time, my mom and I, donate to the Angel Tree Foundation. We get a little Angel wishlist and get them whatever they ask for off the list. It felt good to give back to children who are in a bad situation financially. I know that Christmas is a time of joy, it made me happy that I could put a smile on a little Angel's face.

I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. My walls will be filled with motivational quotes and fun colors. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently in my first semester at Howard University with a major in early education. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming an elementary teacher. I want to be a teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black people who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. I want to be that inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." Many people tell me that I shouldn't be a teacher because of how underpaid and underappreciated they are. I know that life isn't about money and teaching is my dream. I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life is. They also bring up "troubled" and disrespectful kids. But in my opinion, there is no such thing as a troubled kid. I want to eliminate the stigma of troubled kids and reverse it by forming respectful and brilliant students. I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. I will do everything that I can to make sure I graduate and pass my teacher certification exam. I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them. I hope that my being a teacher would influence some of my black students to want to as well. need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it.

Joy to me means finding the happiness in every little thing. Google defines joy as a feeling of great pleasure and happiness. It is exactly that, but so much more. What brings me joy; is being around my family for the holidays, seeing my little brother get so happy after losing his baby teeth, watching my grandma buy that purse that she worked so hard to save up for. I find joy in watching my friends and love ones succeed and find happiness. But I also enjoy myself. I find joy when I; lay on my trampoline while listening to my favorite song, get an A on a test I didn't feel so confident about, and have enough time to binge watch a new show on Netflix. Sometimes it is hard to find the joy in things when life just seems to keep throwing curve balls but I always try to stay positive. When Im homesick at school I stay positive by thinking about those breaks when I can come home. I find joy when my mom calls me three times a day, in the past I would have been annoyed, but now I cherish those calls. All of those little things fuel my life.

When the pandemic happened and the shutdown began my mental health was at an all time high. I was less stressed, happier, and I got more sleep. Because school was shut down, I was less stressed. Online school allowed me to work at my own pace and be in the comfort of my own home. I got more sleep which really boosted my mental health. During the pandemic I researched ways to be calmer and have a clear peace of mind.. I started to meditate 5 minutes everyday. It was great. I felt at ease and in tune with the world. I went out sun-gazing, which became my happy place. I'm Leo, a sun sign so I think me and the sun are connected somehow. I exercised in my room 3 days a week. All of that helped me physically and mentally. I was able to binge watch new shows and movies. I was truly blessed. As the pandemic is coming to an end due to the vaccine and more things opening up, I still keep up with those tasks. Because I am working more, I don't have time to sun-gaze and workout as often but I still try my best to get to it. I meditate on my breaks at work. I know as I begin to enter the adult world I will be even more stressed and hopeless than before. Because as an adult the support system isn’t as great and you are responsible for paying bills on time. It will be hard but I know if I keep meditating, working out, sun-gazing, gaining support, and watching my favorite shows I will do okay.

I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. My walls will be filled with motivational quotes and fun colors. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently in my first semester at Howard University with a major in early education I want to be a teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black people who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up". I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. I will do everything that I can to make sure I graduate and pass my teacher certification exam. I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it.

Sweat drenched off everyone’s bodies as it was 8:30 pm, and we’ve been marching since 6:00 pm. Everyone is marching all through downtown, holding signs as black as charcoal pierced with names of innocent people. About 100 people surround me, yet I feel like I know all of them. As I walk through the crowd, I see an abundance of different kinds of people; Some were probably doing this same thing in the ’60s, others probably can’t cross the street by themselves, some white, some black, some poor, and some rich. I was surrounded by American citizens that were trembling in fear that we soon may be the next name on one of the signs we were holding. I never felt so connected to people in my life before that day; I realized I want to do more to feel that way all the time. I think all the time about how people are hurting and what I can do to help. I now try to attend as many protests as possible and continuously spread awareness on my social media. I watched as the people who protect and serve throw tear gas and rubber bullets at citizens that only had face masks and water bottles. I knew that as police, they were trained for that exact moment. Little did I know my mom, cousin, and I were trained due to our skin stained in brown. I see that even though we were the ones unarmed, our blackness was the weapon they feared. I will fight for change. That day I thought I was protesting for one person, little did I know I was fighting for everyone else that looks like me, which is why I won’t stop.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience daily. My biggest challenge is mental health. For me, the hardest part was never having anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. It caused me to conceal them and not tell anyone how I really feel. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. In my opinion, the world needs more minority therapists. A therapist that isn't a POC wouldn't necessarily understand different struggles and problems. For example, when I was younger, I sought validation and hated my skin. I did not have anyone to talk to about how I would flatiron my hair every other day in the morning for school to look like my white friends. I did not have anyone to talk to about all the micro-aggressions said to my face that I never called out because I did not understand it all. If I couldn't even comprehend it at the time, how could I expect the counselors or therapists at my school? Which made me want to be a therapist or counselor. In school, I saw black people face colorist and racist jokes all the time, and they would be too afraid to talk to the school counselor about it. I want to be someone people can talk to about those kinds of things. I will go to college and major in psychology after I will study to get a doctorate. After that, I have faith that I can become a counselor. I have hopes that I could add more minority representation in the field of mental health. It's good to talk and listen to people who can relate and share similar experiences. I hope to break the stigma that black women have to be strong and independent all the time. I want to be the helping and listening voice in my community.

I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. My walls will be filled with motivational quotes and fun colors. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming an elementary teacher. I want to be a teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black people who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. I want to be that inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it.

Im passionate about my future. Im passionate about being successful and mapping out my future.I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. My walls will be filled with motivational quotes and fun colors. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently in my first semester at Howard University with a major in early education. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming an elementary teacher. I want to be a teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black people who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education.. I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it.

I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. My walls will be filled with motivational quotes and fun colors. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently in my first semester at Howard University with a major in early education. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming an elementary teacher. I want to be a teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black people who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. I will do everything that I can to make sure I graduate and pass my teacher certification exam. I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it.

Joy to me means finding the happiness in every little thing. Google defines joy as a feeling of great pleasure and happiness. It is exactly that, but so much more. What brings me joy; is being around my family for the holidays, seeing my little brother get so happy after losing his baby teeth, watching my grandma buy that purse that she worked so hard to save up for. I find joy in watching my friends and love ones succeed and find happiness. But I also enjoy myself. I find joy when I; lay on my trampoline while listening to my favorite song, get an A on a test I didn't feel so confident about, and have enough time to binge watch a new show on Netflix. Sometimes it is hard to find the joy in things when life just seems to keep throwing curve balls but I always try to stay positive. When Im homesick at school I stay positive by thinking about those breaks when I can come home. I find joy when my mom calls me three times a day, in the past I would have been annoyed, but now I cherish those calls.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience daily. My biggest challenge is mental health. For me, the hardest part was never having anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. It caused me to conceal them and not tell anyone how I really feel. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be that all the time. I realized that I don't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. I persevered through this by talking to my friends that were going through the same thing. I may have not talked to a professional but it made me feel better talking to people that had similar experiences.

Hi, my name is To’nyia Richardson. I'm a 18 year old girl at Howard University. I say that because I am scared about my future. I’m afraid that I will give up and not reach my full potential. I want to be successful so badly and It keeps me up all night wondering how I can make that happen. I woke up at 12 pm this morning and went straight to tik tok. I'm addicted to social media and my phone like the average teen. That's my daily life now that school is out and the cycle just continues. I've always wanted to help people. I've contemplated my major so many times. At first it was psychology, then elementary education, and now nursing. All of them are fields where more diversity is needed. Growing up I didn't have many nurses of color and I never was really inspired to be one because I didn't see people that looked like me. As a black woman there is this stigma in the medical field that black women are strong and don’t feel pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. After college I will have my bachelors degree in nursing. With that degree I plan on getting my registered nursing certificate. I want to be the nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a connection so that they feel comfortable and safe. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could become a travel nurse. I want to become a travel nurse as well because I want to help other people from different states and get all the experience. I know that all states and hospitals operate differently and it would give me a different outlook on how other places operate. I am confident that I can become a nurse and i will keep working until I become the successful one I know I can be.

I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. My walls will be filled with motivational quotes and fun colors. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently in my first semester at Howard University with a major in early education. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming an elementary teacher. I want to be a teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black girls who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. I want to be that inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. I will do everything that I can to make sure I graduate and pass my teacher certification exam. I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it. I hope that me being a teacher would influence some of my black students to want to as well. Not even just students, I hope I can influence my friends and family members as well.

I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. My walls will be filled with motivational quotes and fun colors. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently in my first semester at Howard University with a major in early education. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming an elementary teacher. I want to be a teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black girls who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. I want to be that inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." A big obstacle I faced is my family and friends trying to discourage me from achieving my dream. They tell me that I shouldn't be a teacher because of how underpaid and under-appreciated they are. They believe that I'm putting myself in debt to only make $50,000 a year. I know that life isn't about money and teaching is my dream. I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life is. They also bring up "troubled" and disrespectful kids. But in my opinion, there is no such thing as a troubled kid. I want to eliminate the stigma of troubled kids and reverse it by forming respectful and brilliant students. I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. I've learned that not everyone has my best interest at heart, I learned that not everyone will understand my goals, and that's okay because I have faith in my future and I know it will hold great outcomes. I've also learned to not let what anyone says get to me because I started to contemplate on whether or not to change my major to something that pays more, but I realized that I wouldn't be happy. I learned that I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it.

I believe society can most effectively empower women by uplifting them instead of bashing. For example women are always getting slut-shamed and bashed for what they wear, however men can walk around shirtless and no one bats an eye. Constantly on social media women are held to a higher standard, they are expected to look like the beauty standard, without being too sexual. It's so many do's and don'ts that women are portrayed of and it's too much. As far as clothing, society often uses that as an excuse to justify many things. Like rape, people in society believe that what a women wears can justify a man raping her. Just because I wear a short skirt and crop top doesn't mean I was asking for it. Instead of my parents teaching girls to cover up, they should be telling boys to not think like a rapist. This idea has also been implemented in the classrooms because girls have a stricter dress-code than boys. They aren't even able to show their shoulders because it is "distracting". A child's body should not distract anyone from learning or teaching and if it does, then they shouldn't be there in the first place. I think society can empower women in that aspect by letting them know that they look beautiful in whatever they wear and schools should eliminate the sexist dress code. Another way women should be empowered is in television. In movies the woman is always seen as the damsel in distress, always needing to be saved by a man. Although there has been a huge improvement of powerful and independent female representation there should still be more. Especially representation in sports. Women's sports are not respected as much as Men's. All you ever hear about is the NBA and NFL. Everyone grabs their beers and hurdles around the television to watch but no one watches the WNBA. A part of that is because they don't get as much screen time as the men do. WNBA players make only 1% of the salaries of their male counterparts. It's sad that the pay disparities are so high. Along with sports salaries, everyday jobs are the same. There is a statistic that claims," a woman makes 80% of what a man makes". What I want society to do is actually treat women as equal. It is one thing to say we are equal but actually making laws and change is what will benefit us more. Women deserve the same pay, respect, and societal standards as men, when that happens I believe women will truly be empowered.

Being able to live without wondering how you are going to pay your rent next month. I believe we maintain financial freedom when we don't live paycheck to paycheck. When living paycheck to paycheck you are restrained. You are restrained because you don't have the opportunity to spend money on things you enjoy like personal expenses. You cant go on dates, go out to eat with friends, or get that favorite hairstyle you have been wanting for so long. Living paycheck to paycheck is not ideal, however that is how the average American lives. It sad because there are people barely making ends meet and we consider it normal. Many believe you receive financial freedom when you are rich and can retire early, but there are so many other ways to achieve financial freedom without being rich. Another way I think you can achieve financial freedom is by investing in stocks. When investing you have the freedom to put in or take out as much money as you like. You have the freedom to invest in whatever company you choose. You have the freedom to choose if you want a mutual or ETF funds. Investing in stocks can also help you make more money than what you had, which is even more freedom. For example I only put in $100 and after 3 months it turned into $275. It may not seem like a big turnover but that extra 175 is giving me the freedom to use for whatever I want. Another way to achieve financial freedom is by starting early.When I was in high school I was working a minimum wage job, I had no bills to pay, and I just worked to buy personal expenses. However, my personal finance teacher told me some advice that has been really beneficial to me to this day. She told me to save half of my check. Some adults are only able to save one-third of less because they have responsibilities. But for me since I was a teenager I didn't have many responsibilities, so saving up was going to help for my future. I have had a job since I was 16 and those savings helped me pay towards my first semester of college. I was still able to buy all the clothes and shoes I wanted while being financially responsible. Now that I have more responsibilities it is hard to save half of my cheeks; however doing that so early on gave me the boost I needed. I know that I am still young and have a lot to learn financially, but if I keep up with all the advice I received I think I will be well-off in my future.

When I was in high school I was working a minimum wage job, I had no bills to pay, and I just worked to buy personal expenses. However, my personal finance teacher told me some advice that has been really beneficial to me to this day. She told me to save half of my check. Some adults are only able to save one-third of less because they live paycheck to paycheck. But for me since I was a teenager I didn't have many responsibilities, so saving up was going to help for my future. I have had a job since I was 16 and those savings helped me pay for my first semester of college. I was still able to buy all the clothes and shoes I wanted while being financially responsible. Now that I have more responsibilities it is hard to save half of my cheeks; however doing that so early on gave me the boost I needed. She also encouraged me to invest in stocks. I was a little skeptical because I feared that I would lose money, but I realized the return is greater. I learned the different stock markets and how to adjust when the stock market goes up and down. I know when to take my money out of the stock or when to keep it in. I took some of the money from my savings to invest in the stock market, and it was probably the best thing I have ever done. I have already doubled one of the investments I put in the stock market. I know that I am still young and have a lot to learn financially, but if I keep up with all the advice I received I think I will be well-off in my future.

When I was in high school; I was working a minimum wage job, I had no bills to pay, and I just worked to buy personal expenses. However, my personal finance teacher told me some advice that has been really beneficial to me to this day. She told me to save half of my check. Some adults are only able to save one-third of less because they live paycheck to paycheck. But for me since I was a teenager I didn't have many responsibilities, so saving up was going to help for my future. I have had a job since I was 16 and those savings helped me pay for my first semester of college. I was still able to buy all the clothes and shoes I wanted while being financially responsible. Now that I have more responsibilities it is hard to save half of my cheeks; however doing that so early on gave me the boost I needed. She also encouraged me to invest in stocks. I was a little skeptical because I feared that I would lose money, but I realized the return is greater. I learned the different stock markets and how to adjust when the stock market goes up and down. I know when to take my money out of the stock or when to keep it in. I took some of the money from my savings to invest in the stock market, and it was probably the best thing I have ever done. I have already doubled one of the investments I put in the stock market. I know that I am still young and have a lot to learn financially, but if I keep up with all the advice I received I think I will be well-off in my future.

When I was in high school; I was working a minimum wage job, I had no bills to pay, and I just worked to buy personal expenses. However, my personal finance teacher told me some advice that has been really beneficial to me to this day. She told me to save half of my check. Some adults are only able to save one-third of less because they live paycheck to paycheck. But for me since I was a teenager I didn't have many responsibilities, so saving up was going to help for my future. I have had a job since I was 16 and those savings helped me pay for my first semester of college. I was still able to buy all the clothes and shoes I wanted while being financially responsible. Now that I have more responsibilities it is hard to save half of my cheeks; however doing that so early on gave me the boost I needed. She also encouraged me to invest in stocks. I was a little skeptical because I feared that I would lose money, but I realized the return is greater. I learned the different stock markets and how to adjust when the stock market goes up and down. I know when to take my money out of the stock or when to keep it in. I took some of the money from my savings to invest in the stock market, and it was probably the best thing I have ever done. I have already doubled one of the investments I put in the stock market. I know that I am still young and have a lot to learn financially, but if I keep up with all the advice I received I think I will be well-off in my future.

My best skill is being an effective communicator. I know how to get my point across. I also can communicate for those who don't feel comfortable or feel like they don't have a voice. I realized I had this skill June 2020 at a protest for Breonna Taylor. I was 17 and it was the first protest Ive ever been to. I was marching trembling in fear that I soon may be the next name on one of the signs I was holding. We began to form a circle and discuss the problems we felt within the justice system, and the toll that all of it has brought on our mental health. After hearing about 4 people speak, something in me sparked and told me to speak. I began to talk about how I felt, and advocate for the younger generation. I felt a spark in me that I never felt before. After that moment I realized that I like to communicate for marginalized and oppressed communities. I was really great with communicating through word of mouth, but I am now improving my communication through other medias, like the internet and social media. I constantly spread awayness on my social media accounts by informing people on whats happening today and I share stories of those who are hurting. I am constantly looking to grow in the field of communicating, but I do believe it is one of my best skills.

I love my height. It is now something that I love about myself because growing up I was very insecure and hated my height. I am 5'9 as a girl. Ive been this height since sophomore year of high school. I was taller than most boys in my class, and towered over all the girls. Dancing was my passion and something that I loved to do, but everyone was shocked when they found out I danced instead of played basketball or volleyball. I felt like I could never wear heels to prom or homecoming because i would be like 6foot. But now as a freshman in college I'm confident. Ive learned to love my long legs and big feet. Ive learned to love being tall. I use to slouch to make myself seem shorter, now i sit up straight. I recently went to a concert wearing 4inch heels. Was I taller than a lot of the people there, yes. But I didn't mind it. I like that people look up to me, I like being the first person people see when I walk in a room. So many women get called a man and just straight up get bullied for being tall. Ive realized that its just other people insecurities being reflected onto me. I am confident in my height and I love everything about it.

During my senior year I choose to become a peer tutor. A peer tutor is someone that assist special friends. Special friends are the special needs students that went to our school. I choose to become a peer tutor because my dream career is to be an elementary teacher, and I thought it would be a great preparation and hands on experience for me. However, while being a peer tutor I felt so much more. One of the special friends, always made me a gift when I went to the class. She would draw a picture of me and put it on my desk. It made me feel so welcomed and appreciated. I felt joy whenever my special friends got an answer right. I felt joy watching them sing and dance to their favorite song. I was excited to hear about their favorite color and food. I was ecstatic when the student that was struggling to tie their shoes finally got it. Of course being a mentor is al about helping and growth but the relationship you gain is even greater. I can't wait to see my special friends graduate, just knowing how much they struggled and how hard they worked. I hope that I have impacted all of my special friends to not get discouraged if they don't know something. I hope I have impacted their confidence and social skills. I never looked at them as different, I saw all of them as my friends, and I hope they know that they are unique but still deserving of being seen as the same.

Thinking about my future makes me happy. It makes me happy because Im working so hard towards my goals and I know that it will al be worth it.I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. My walls will be filled with motivational quotes and fun colors. I want to become an elementary teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. There is a lack of black representation in education and I am happy to know that I will be adding representation to schools. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented in the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. I think if students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education.As a teacher I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. I want to be that inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. I will do everything that I can to make sure I graduate and pass my teacher certification exam. I am currently in my first semester at howard University with a major in elementary education. It makes me happy knowing that I am close to achieving my dream.

Ive learned that staying silent about important social issues is not something that I can do.As I went through all my years of high school, I didn’t show my real self and often feel uncomfortable. In my AP world history class, it looked like a newly integrated school. I felt like I had to bite my tongue and be silent on many issues. I realized that staying silent does nothing but sweep issues under the rug; I need to inform people whether they want to listen. I think all the time about how people are hurting and what I can do to help. I now try to attend as many protests as possible and continuously spread awareness on my social media. The perspective of speaking out about issues and engaging in activism changed my life. When I went to my first protest I felt something i've never felt before. Everyone was marching all downtown, holding signs as black as charcoal pierced with names of innocent people. It’s a vast crowd, all strangers to me, but I feel safe. About 100 people surround me, yet I feel like I know all of them. I was surrounded by American citizens that were trembling in fear that we soon may be the next name on one of the signs we were holding. They’re all so different and yet connected. I never felt so connected to people in my life before that day; I realized I want to do more to feel that way all the time

My dream is to be an elementary teacher. I am staying true to myself by continuing to work towards my career even though people tell me I should work towards something else. Many people tell me that I shouldn't be a teacher because of how underpaid and under-appreciated they are. I know that life isn't about money and teaching is my dream. I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life is. People are always saying that to push me away from becoming a teacher. I have faith that in the future the teacher salary will increase and teachers will be respected more. People also bring up "troubled" and disrespectful kids when they try to discourage me from being a teacher. . But in my opinion, there is no such thing as a troubled kid. I want to eliminate the stigma of troubled kids and reverse it by forming respectful and brilliant students. I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. I am currently in my first semester at howard university. People also tried to discourage me from coming to Howard. People believe that HBCU's don't prepare you for a career, I disagree and I will prove everyone wrong; by staying true to myself and my goals for my future.

Ive stayed optimistic throughout this whole pandemic. When the pandemic happened and the shutdown began my mental health was at an all time high. I was less stressed, happier, and I got more sleep. Although the pandemic had many negative aspects in a way it made me learn more about myself and figure out who I am. I know that the mental health was quite the opposite for some people due to the pandemic so I am grateful about mine. Because school was shut down, I was less stressed. Online school allowed me to work at my own pace and be in the comfort of my own home. I got more sleep which really boosted my mental health. During the pandemic I researched ways to be calmer and have a clear peace of mind. I started to meditate 5 minutes everyday. It was great. I felt at ease and in tune with the world. I went out sun gazing, which became my happy place. I exercised in my room 3 days a week. All of that helped me physically and mentally. I was able to binge watch new shows and movies. I was truly blessed. I was an essential worker at KFC and my family was still able to keep their jobs. My family never really talked about mental health and weren't any support when it came to mental health. However I remained optimistic and talked about my mental health with my coworker. Having someone like her made me realize that sometimes family doesn't always have your best interest at heart, and you can find some of the best support systems outside of your home.

My favorite way to help others is through activism.Sweat drenched off everyone’s bodies as it was 8:30 pm, and we’ve been marching since 6:00 pm. Everyone is marching all through downtown, holding signs as black as charcoal pierced with names of innocent people. It’s a vast crowd, all strangers to me, but I feel safe. About 100 people surround me, yet I feel like I know all of them. As I walk through the crowd, I see an abundance of different kinds of people; Some were probably doing this same thing in the ’60s, others probably can’t cross the street by themselves, some white, some black, some poor, and some rich. I was surrounded by American citizens that were trembling in fear that we soon may be the next name on one of the signs we were holding. They’re all so different and yet connected. I never felt so connected to people in my life before that day; I realized I want to do more to feel that way all the time. As I went through all my years at school, I didn’t show my real self and often feel uncomfortable. In my AP world history class, it looked like a newly integrated school. I felt like I had to bite my tongue and be silent on many issues. I realized that staying silent does nothing but sweep issues under the rug; I need to inform people whether they want to listen. I think all the time about how people are hurting and what I can do to help. I now try to attend as many protests as possible and continuously spread awareness on my social media.

My mom motivates me on a daily basis. My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. After they graduated they took their journey to adulthood by going to different colleges. However they still remained strong. When looking at them you would see the perfect relationship, my dad who drove an hour to visit her on campus every week, that eventually lead to my mom getting pregnant her sophomore year. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience to her so she stayed and finished college all in four years. My dad however gave up and dropped out. Him doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill eventually leading to his incarceration. But my mom graduated with me on her hip. It's so inspirational that my mom still graduated after having me and having to switch schools. I am so inspired by her, and if she could still graduate with everything she went through I know I can too. I am currently in my first semester at howard University. I am 9hours away from my mom, however I feel like she is always with me. I talk to her on the phone twice a day, to checkup on her and ask for advise. My mom is my biggest supporter with school, she is trying to help me pay for school and she supports my dreams. I wouldn't be here at my dream school without her.

Something I've learned about myself is that I have a passion for activism. Ive realized that I don't like sitting back in silence while so many communities are hurting. I can't be quiet and not speak out for those who are afraid to. This all sparked when I went to my first protest.Sweat drenched off everyone’s bodies as it was 8:30 pm, and we’ve been marching since 6:00 pm. Everyone is marching all through downtown, holding signs as black as charcoal pierced with names of innocent people. It’s a vast crowd, all strangers to me, but I feel safe. About 100 people surround me, yet I feel like I know all of them. . I was surrounded by American citizens that were trembling in fear that we soon may be the next name on one of the signs we were holding. They’re all so different and yet connected. I never felt so connected to people in my life before that day; I realized I want to do more to feel that way all the time. As I went through all my years at school, I didn’t show my real self and often feel uncomfortable. In my AP world history class, it looked like a newly integrated school. I felt like I had to bite my tongue and be silent on many issues. I realized that staying silent does nothing but sweep issues under the rug; I need to inform people whether they want to listen. I think all the time about how people are hurting and what I can do to help. I now try to attend as many protests as possible and continuously spread awareness on my social media.

I want to be a legacy in the field of education. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming an elementary teacher. I want to be a teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black girls who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. I want to be that inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up."I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it. I hope that me being a teacher would influence some of my black students to want to as well.

"When inclusive education is fully embraced, we abandon the idea that children have to become normal to contribute to the world, we begin to look beyond typical ways of becoming valued members of the community, and in doing so begin to realize the achievable goal of providing all children with an authentic sense of belonging"- Norman Kunc. I would share this sentence with the world. To me, this quote emphasizes the importance of inclusion in all classrooms; when the educator is inclusive, so are the students. Being in an inclusive environment allows students to feel more comfortable and more likely to be themselves. When classrooms are too old-fashioned and traditional, it causes students to hide their true selves and feel out of place. The most inclusive teachers are the ones that students remember the most. I believe that it is essential for elementary teachers to be inclusive. Elementary students are innocent and are beginning to learn the world; if their classroom environment is inclusive, they will be more likely to grow up more accepting. Elementary, middle, and high schools must be all-inclusive and have as much diversity as possible. Education is essential for success in the world. However many people don't have equal access to education due to them not being inclusive.

I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. My walls will be filled with motivational quotes and fun colors. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently in my first semester at Howard University with a major in early education. I will make a positive impact in my community by becoming an elementary teacher. I want to be a teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black girls who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. I want to be that inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." Many people tell me that I shouldn't be a teacher because of how underpaid and under-appreciated they are. I know that life isn't about money and teaching is my dream. I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life is. They also bring up "troubled" and disrespectful kids. But in my opinion, there is no such thing as a troubled kid. I want to eliminate the stigma of troubled kids and reverse it by forming respectful and brilliant students. I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. I will do everything that I can to make sure I graduate and pass my teacher certification exam. I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it. I hope that me being a teacher would influence some of my black students to want to as well. Not even just students, I hope I can influence my friends and family members as well. When I become a teacher I will be impacting my child’s future in a positive way. Due to me knowing how to teach and interact with children I will be able to help my child at home with things they are struggling with in class. Also if they feel like they have no representation in school they will look at me and see the impact black teachers have on black students. Teachers and parents both play a significant role in a child's life and with me being both my children will be getting the best of both worlds all in one.

One of my happiest memories was from 3rd grade. At the time, we did not have a cheerleading team, so me and my friends would act like cheerleaders on the playground. Mrs.S would teach us chants and cheer us on. On the last day of school , she made everyone a backpack with an emotion or career. Some people had the best hugger or athlete. Mine was the top model. It was special to me because I would always model walk in her class. It was a way I expressed myself and she saw it made me happy.

Have you ever felt like no matter what you do or how hard you try that the world will never change ? Well my favorite book is The Hate U Give the author Angie Thomas shows the effects of police brutality and how poorly black people are being treated no matter the efforts on trying to make a change in the world.This book was published in 2017 which is very recent in showing what is happening in today's time. The author Angie Thomas is a young African American woman born in 1988 in Mississippi.She is significant to me because there is not a lot of black authors who get their book to be a New York’s time bestseller or get their book turned into a major motion picture like her, which is an inspiration to me. In The Hate U Give Angie Thomas uses imagery, symbols, and Irony to show that racism leads to unfortunate outcomes. This book has taught me to never stop fighting for something you believe in. Remember that the next time you face something you care about remember to use the best “weapon” you have … your voice. The book has instilled enthusiasm and passion in me that i would have never thought I had. Angie Thomas shows stereotypes that other people have in today’s society that helped to show that police brutality is a real life problem. I think many people should read this book because a lot of people like to ignore the problems of racism and police brutality in the world and I think the author is giving a voice to the people to scared to talk about it and the people who can personally relate to it.

Have you ever felt like no matter what you do or how hard you try that the world will never change ? Well the most inspiring book Ive ever read is The Hate U Give the author Angie Thomas shows the effects of police brutality and how poorly black people are being treated no matter the efforts on trying to make a change in the world.This book was published in 2017 which is very recent in showing what is happening in today's time. The author Angie Thomas is a young African American woman born in 1988 in Mississippi (Willam 1).She is significant to me because there is not a lot of black authors who get their book to be a New York’s time bestseller or get their book turned into a major motion picture like her, which is an inspiration to me ( Wright 1). In The Hate U Give Angie Thomas uses imagery, symbols, and Irony to show that racism leads to unfortunate outcomes.This book has taught me to never stop fighting for something you believe in. Remember that the next time you face something you care about remember to use the best “weapon” you have … your voice. The book has instilled enthusiasm and passion in me that i would have never thought I had. Angie Thomas shows stereotypes that other people have in today’s society that helped to show that police brutality is a real life problem. I think many people should read this book because a lot of people like to ignore the problems of racism and police brutality in the world and I think the author is giving a voice to the people to scared to talk about it and the people who can personally relate to it.

I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. My walls will be filled with motivational quotes and fun colors. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently in my first semester at Howard University with a major in early education. I am currently reading a textbook called teach. From reading I have learned the history of school systems and teachers. I learned about the demographics of the students and how to adjust my curriculum to accommodate different ethnicities and backgrounds. It also gave me insight on the not so positive aspects of teaching. It was nice to read about why some teachers the profession because its giving me insight on what I need to prepare for. The book provided many reasons as to why people chose to be educators after reading I realized I want to become an elementary teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black girls who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. I want to be that inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." Many people tell me that I shouldn't be a teacher because of how underpaid and under appreciated they are. I know that life isn't about money and teaching is my dream. I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life is. They also bring up "troubled" and disrespectful kids. But in my opinion, there is no such thing as a troubled kid. I want to eliminate the stigma of troubled kids and reverse it by forming respectful and brilliant students. I will do everything that I can to make sure I graduate and pass my teacher certification exam. I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it. I hope that me being a teacher would influence some of my black students to want to as well. Not even just students, I hope I can influence my friends and family members as well.

Throughout my life my dad has been in and out of it. He would blame that on him being incarcerated. But even before he was in jail he didn’t really make an effort. When he did get out of jail it was like we had to form a connection all over again. He still saw me as the eight year old girl before he left. Honestly I was so angry at him for getting locked up, it caused me to resent him and want to do everything in my power to be better than him. Which is why I worked my butt off in high school. I ended up graduating as Valedictorian and getting into my dream college. I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. My walls will be filled with motivational quotes and fun colors. I am currently in my first semester at Howard University with a major in early education. I want to become an elementary teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black girls who want to be teachers. Even though I didn't receive much representation from black teachers I was heavily influenced by one of my white teachers. She taught African American literature, and it was one of my favorite classes. I felt so represented. She was a teacher that genuinely cared about her students, course material, and black history. Many schools and teachers are trying to erase black history, but not her, she made sure we knew about our history. She implemented a sense of pride into her black students by teaching us about more influential black people that we never learned about. I want to be a teacher just like her. I want to represent the underrepresented communities and let them know that I am here for them and care about their history. I will find a way to implement it into my required curriculum that I have to teach. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented in the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. I think if students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. The main reason black people don’t push for higher education is because they don’t see that influence, However that is changing. This generation has some of the most first-generation college students and it is amazing. As a black community we are proving more and more everyday our potential and how intelligent we are. As a teacher I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. I want to be that inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." Many people tell me that I shouldn't be a teacher because of how underpaid and underappreciated they are. I know that life isn't about money and teaching is my dream. I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life is. People are always saying that to push me away from becoming a teacher. I have faith that in the future the teacher salary will increase and teachers will be respected more. People also bring up "troubled" and disrespectful kids when they try to discourage me from being a teacher. . But in my opinion, there is no such thing as a troubled kid. I want to eliminate the stigma of troubled kids and reverse it by forming respectful and brilliant students. I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. I will do everything that I can to make sure I graduate and pass my teacher certification exam. I am working towards that right now in my degree. My second semester I will take the praxis test and if I pass it is one step closer to me becoming a teacher. I will constantly study and research how to be an effective teacher. Some teachers in my past fell out of love for their field and us students could tell they didn't enjoy their career. I know that everyone gets tired of their job after a while but I will do my best to make sure my students never can tell. Students don’t deserve to be taught by people who don’t care and are tired of teaching. I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it. I hope that me being a teacher would influence some of my black students to want to as well. Not even just students, I hope I can influence my friends and family members as well.

When the pandemic happened and the shutdown began my mental health was at an all time high. I was less stressed, happier, and I got more sleep. Although the pandemic had many negative aspects in a way it made me learn more about myself and figure out who I am. Because school was shut down, I was less stressed. Online school allowed me to work at my own pace and be in the comfort of my own home. During the pandemic I practiced self-care by researching ways to be calmer and have a clear peace of mind.. I started to meditate 5 minutes everyday. It was great. I felt at ease and in tune with the world. I went out sun-gazing, which became my happy place. I'm Leo, a sun sign so I think me and the sun are connected somehow. I exercised in my room 3 days a week. All of that helped me physically and mentally. I binged watch new shows and movies. I was truly blessed. I was an essential worker at KFC and my family was still able to keep their jobs. As the pandemic is coming to an end due to the vaccine and more things opening up, I still keep up with those tasks. I meditate on my breaks at work. Even though I still don’t have the support system from my family, I talk about my mental health with my coworker. I know as I begin to enter the adult world I will be even more stressed than before. Because as an adult the support system isn’t as great and you are responsible for paying bills on time. It will be hard but I know if I keep meditating, working out, sun-gazing, gaining support, and watching my favorite shows I will do okay.

I think the best way to live a long, healthy life is to surround yourself with people that make you happy. A lot of people think having a job that makes a lot of money will make you the happiest. But that is just superficial. The money will not matter if you hate your job, and have to work long hours to the point where you barely see your family. In todays generation a lot of us just hang with some people because they are popular or pretty but that isn't real connections or bonds. I think my life will be the happiest if I am able to work in the career of my dreams and spend time with those who bring joy to my life. I think having a growth and positive outlook on life is the best way to live. Of course there is a physical aspect to living a long healthy life, but if you aren't happy mentally you will not live long or healthy at all.

I keep a growth mindset but making sure I have a healthy mind and body. Of course growth is a mindset thing but if your physical environment is weigh you down you will not grow at all. What I do is make sure I exercise often because that helps me grow my stamina and grow my work ethic. As far as the people I hang around, I make sure to surround myself with people who have goals and want to succeed. By doing that I am creating a family of winners who want to do better in life. That will inspire me and push me to do more because of those around me. I also keep a growth mindset by working to do better in school. As a college student I am facing so many struggles and ups and downs to the point where I want to give up, but I keep thinking about why Im here in the first place. I keep realizing how much money is at stake and that if I want the career of my dreams I have to keep going. I need to maintain good grades so I can keep my scholarship and graduate on time. I constantly set new goals for myself to make sure i am not complacent. I will not settle for mediocrity because I want to create the lifestyle I see for myself.

when I was a child dancing was my life, i loved dancing for my family and friends. I made the team in elementary and middle school. But when I got to high school it was a different story. I tried out my freshman year and didn't make it. I was hurt because dance was the only thing I knew and it made me feel like I wasn't good. I wanted to give up but my mom encouraged me to try out again my sophomore year. So I did, this time I made it, but as an alternate. At the point I felt drained and unworthy, I was trying my best and it still felt like the coaches couldn't see my full potential. So my sophomore year I worked my butt off, showed up to every practice on time, stayed late, and took extra technique classes. It paid off because I ended up being in the nationals routine when even some people that actually made them team as a regular member didn't get put in. As junior year approached I just keep getting better. Coaches could see because I started getting moved up to the front in formations. As senior year approached I was named one of the captains. That never would have happened if I was impatient. Being patient helped the coaches and myself see my full potential. If I would have just gave up and stopped trying after not making it my freshman year I never would have became a captain. Taking my time by putting in the extra work to be better instead of just assuming I was already good enough helped me so much. That taught me to always be patient in life because good things happen to those who wait.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I use to experience that daily. My biggest challenge is mental health. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help. Whenever I tell someone that I'm depressed, they thought my problems are invalid. They said, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; you shouldn't be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. Black people couldn’t show emotions because it would make them seem weak and be beaten more. I feel like the black community never fully came to terms with their trauma and kept passing it down from generation to generation. The black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be like that all the time. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. I didn't feel like I could talk to any professionals either because none of my therapists were people of color. A therapist that isn't a POC wouldn't understand different struggles. In school, I saw black people face colorist and racist jokes, and they would be too afraid to talk to the school counselor about it. I want to be someone people can talk to about those kinds of things. After going through this it made change my life, I began to mediate every day, write in journals, and exercise. . I found this app to talk to other people who are struggling and we talked about our problems and encouraged each-other.That really boosted my mental health

One of the first teachers that had a significant impact on my educational experience was my 2nd grade teacher MS.S. She made my elementary days at Carter Elementary more eventful than ever. She was the kind of teacher that let students learn in a fun way. I remember this one day where we cut sandwiches into different pieces to practice fractions, and afterward, we ate the sandwiches. At the time, we did not have a cheerleading team, and me and my friends would act like cheerleaders on the playground. She would see us and teach us chants and cheer us on. She made me feel like I had support from her no matter what it was. Considering elementary teachers, I know that their attitude is supposed to be preppy and excited all the time, but her personality was so genuine and not forced like my other teachers. She was a teacher who I confided in about my home problems, and I felt safe talking to her about it. She was so encouraging and made every student feel comfortable. On the last day of school in her class, she made everyone a backpack with an emotion, career, or fun award on it. Some people had the best hugger, most caring, and funny. Mine was the top model. It was special to me because I would always do model walks and act like a model in her class. When I would model walk in previous grades, my teachers would tell me to sit down and stop. She saw how happy it made me and took it as a way of how I expressed myself. She gave me hope that some teachers will do more than just teach; they will make you feel loved and supported. Ms. S honestly drove my reason for going to college. I always had a liking for working with children and doing something that is helpful to the community. Teachers like Ms.S are the kind of teachers that make students love school and feel like they can achieve anything. Which is why I want to be an elementary teacher myself. As A black women I recognized the lack of black educators and I want to change that. It is crucial for young black children to see people that look like them in lead positions like teaching. I never got that opportunity to have black teachers which is what pushed me even more to pursue college and want to get my bachelors degree in elementary education. I am currently in my first semester at Howard University with a major in elementary education. I will work hard to make sure I become the teacher that impacts students. I want to be someone that students can say, "Ms.Richardson made school better".

Sweat drenched off everyone’s bodies as it was 8:30 pm, and we’ve been marching since 6:00pm. Everyone is marching all through downtown, holding signs as black as charcoal pierced with names of innocent people. It’s a vast crowd, all strangers to me, but I feel safe. About 100 people surround me, yet I feel like I know all of them. I was surrounded by American citizens that were trembling in fear that we soon may be the next name on one of the signs we were holding. That night of the protest, I was puzzled seeing people I thought were supposed to protect and keep people safe, doing the crime. I watched as the people who protect and serve throw tear gas and rubber bullets at citizens that only had face masks and water bottles. At the moment, I have never been more scared. I knew that as police, they were trained for that exact moment. Little did I know my mom, cousin, and I were trained due to our skin stained in brown. I see that even though we were the ones unarmed, our blackness was the weapon they feared. I never felt so connected to people in my life before that day; I realized I want to do more to feel that way all the time. I think about how people are hurting and what I can do to help. I now try to attend as many protests as possible and continuously spread awareness on my social media. I continuously live in fear. I don’t think anyone should feel that way, so; I will fight for change. That day I thought I was protesting for one person, little did I know I was fighting for everyone else that looks like me, which is why I won’t stop.

My dad was incarcerated two times throughout my life. They were minor offenses that only resulted in him being in jail for 5 months or less each time. However, that doesn’t make it hurt any less. It did hurt me however I saw the impact it had on my mom and I just felt so bad for her. My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. After they graduated they took their journey to adulthood by going to different colleges. However, they still remained strong. When looking at them you would see the perfect relationship, my dad who drove an hour to visit her on campus every week. Soon I was born. My mom and dad were 19 and pregnant. They were scared and struggling but didn't decide to give up, well my mom at least. My mom always had a strong resilience so she stayed and finished college all in four years. My dad however gave up and dropped out. Him doing that led to a spiral that just caused him to keep going downhill. But my mom graduated with me on her hip. My dad was lost and didn't know what to do. You would think it would be my mom who should have been struggling. Considering she had to carry me for 9 months and go through intensive hours of labor. Even though my dad dropped out and was starting that downfall of life my mom stuck beside him because she still had a love for him and wanted to stay for the sake of me. But that didn't work for long because my dad was struggling to keep a job and started cheating on my mom. So she left him. About 2 years after she left him was when he was first arrested. I was in 2nd grade. Back then I didn't know what he did or why he was gone, all I remember was my mom saying I won't be seeing him for a while. He got out and actually did have his life together for about 6 years. But he ended up going back again my 8th-grade year. At that point, I was older and aware of what was going on with him. I was upset, shocked, and embarrassed. I knew from that point on our relationship would never be the same. When he got out he didn't even call or come see me until the holidays. I don't know if it was a pride thing and he was embarrassed or he just didn't want to see me. I knew he was struggling but I'm his child and I thought he would come to see me. I thought he was just acting like that because he just got out of jail and was trying to get his life back together but it became a recurring thing. He only came to see or talk to me on holidays. It hurt only talking to my dad 5 times out of the year. Which caused me to resent him and stop wanting to have a father-daughter relationship. What really hurt me however is losing that relationship with my grandma( his mom). She was my inspiration growing up, she stayed connected with me while he was in jail. But when I stopped communicating with my father I guess she stopped communicating with me too. As I matured and got older I still yearned for that relationship with the other side of my family even though I resented them. I don't know what happened my senior year of high school but it felt like they were trying to get that bond back with me. I was hesitant at first but I slowly let them come back into my life. But as I was having conversations with them it was like they barely knew me. They thought I still liked the same things I did when I was little. I was angry because my dad going on that spiral and going to jail not only ruined his life but it ruined mine and my relationship with him. However, I grew from this experience and I want to be better than my dad. This is why I graduated high school as valedictorian and am now in my first semester majoring in elementary education at Howard University. I will prove that I am not like my dad, by working my butt off to graduate college and make a decent living to provide for my family.

What truly is independence. Is it doing everything on your own without having to rely on anyone or is it being able to support yourself and make your own decisions? For me I am on the fence. Because a lot of people believe that being independent means you don't need any help or support from anyone else. However, I believe you can still be independent even when you need a little help. In the world we live in, life is hard. Things are expensive and as humans it is hard to do everything completely on our own. Which is why I believe being independent means working to create a better life for yourself while free from control or influence of others. As children our parents influence and control most of our life, but as we got older we slowly gained more freedom aka independence. Even though we gained more independence we still relied on the help and advice from our parents. Which is amazing because getting help doesn't make you any less independent. However, not accepting that you need help could make trying to be independent a lot harder. When I think about independence I break it up into this acronym. I- identity N- noble D- determined E- engaged P- passionate E- eager N- numerous D- devoted E- elevate N- nice C- courageous E- embrace

If I were a highly influential figure I would stand up for homelessness. In today's society, homeless people are looked down upon and dragged down even more than they already are. It sucks because the government has the means to help them, but they are choosing to hurt them. For example, many of the public benches now have dividers put in them to prevent people from sleeping on them. The money the government is spending to do that could be used to make a group home for homeless people. I would make it my goal to stand for homelessness because they are humans, and people treat them like scum. They're not criminals yet they are being treated like they did something wrong. People always bring up the fact that some are on drugs, however, they don't take into account that the only reason they use drugs is to cope. They are trying to cope that they have no place to call home. Trying to cope that they have no food. Trying to cope that they are lonely and don't have any support. We all know how much of a struggle life is and there are some that struggle way more. In my opinion, homeless people have so much pride and determination. I know it's probably hard for them to stand outside in any weather condition holding up a sign, having everyone look down upon them; With the slight chance that maybe a nice person will buy them food or give them money. I understand that the average civilian can't do much to help. But if I were rich, a politician, or just a highly influential figure I would be doing anything I can to help.

Sweat drenched off everyone’s bodies as it was 8:30 pm, and we’ve been marching since 6:00 pm. Everyone is marching all through downtown, holding signs as black as charcoal pierced with names of innocent people. It’s a vast crowd, all strangers to me, but I feel safe. About 100 people surround me, yet I feel like I know all of them. As I walk through the crowd, I see an abundance of different kinds of people; Some were probably doing this same thing in the ’60s, others probably can’t cross the street by themselves, some white, some black, some poor, and some rich. I was surrounded by American citizens that were trembling in fear that we soon may be the next name on one of the signs we were holding. They’re all so different and yet connected. I never felt so connected to people in my life before that day; I realized I want to do more to feel that way all the time. I think all the time about how people are hurting and what I can do to help. I now try to attend as many protests as possible and continuously spread awareness on my social media. I knew that as police, they were trained for that exact moment. I continuously live in fear. I get scared driving thinking I might do something wrong and get pulled over by the police. I get afraid that a minor traffic stop could be the end of my life. I don’t think anyone should feel that way, so; I will fight for change. That day I thought I was protesting for one person, little did I know I was fighting for everyone else that looks like me, which is why I won’t stop.

Hi, my name is To’nyia Richardson. I'm a 18 year old girl at Howard University. I say that because I am scared about my future. I’m afraid that I will give up and not reach my full potential. I want to be successful so badly and It keeps me up all night wondering how I can make that happen. I woke up at 12 pm this morning and went straight to tik tok. I'm addicted to social media and my phone like the average teen. That's my daily life now that school is out and the cycle just continues. I've always wanted to help people. I've contemplated my major so many times. At first it was psychology, then elementary education, and now nursing. All of them are fields where more diversity is needed. Growing up I didn't have many nurses of color and I never was really inspired to be one because I didn't see people that looked like me. As a black woman there is this stigma in the medical field that black women are strong and don’t feel pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. After college I will have my bachelors degree in nursing. With that degree I plan on getting my registered nursing certificate. I want to be the nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a connection so that they feel comfortable and safe. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could become a travel nurse. I want to become a travel nurse as well because I want to help other people from different states and get all the experience. I know that all states and hospitals operate differently and it would give me a different outlook on how other places operate. I am confident that I can become a nurse and i will keep working until I become the successful one I know I can be,

I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently in my first semester at Howard University with a major in early education. I want to become an elementary teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black girls who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. I want to be that inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." Many people tell me that I shouldn't be a teacher because of how underpaid and under appreciated they are. I know that life isn't about money and teaching is my dream. I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life is. They also bring up "troubled" and disrespectful kids. But in my opinion, there is no such thing as a troubled kid. I want to eliminate the stigma of troubled kids and reverse it by forming respectful and brilliant students. I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. I will do everything that I can to make sure I graduate and pass my teacher certification exam. I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it. I hope that me being a teacher would influence some of my black students to want to as well. Not even just students, I hope I can influence my friends and family members as well. Because of the pandemic a lot of my learning has took place online. It made me research more and look up online sources to decide if teaching really is for me. I was on career focused sites like tallo, nitro, and bold.org. They send me weekly emails about how to prepaere for my career by telling me what I need to do right now in college. Those resources provided advice and financial information that is useful to me in college right now. That college advice will make sure I am prepared to be a teacher.

The characteristic that I value most in my life is my youthful and bubbly personality. I have a passionate quality about me where I am constantly trying to fight for change. I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently in my first semester at Howard University with a major in early education. I want to become an elementary teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black girls who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. I want to be that inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." Many people tell me that I shouldn't be a teacher because of how underpaid and under appreciated they are. I know that life isn't about money and teaching is my dream. I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life is. They also bring up "troubled" and disrespectful kids. But in my opinion, there is no such thing as a troubled kid. I want to eliminate the stigma of troubled kids and reverse it by forming respectful and brilliant students. I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. I will do everything that I can to make sure I graduate and pass my teacher certification exam. I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it. I hope that me being a teacher would influence some of my black students to want to as well. Not even just students, I hope I can influence my friends and family members as well. I know that my youthful and bubbly personality will keeps my students engaged and make them feel comfortable. My passionate to fight for change quality will ensure that all my students are confident in themselves and know that I will help them in a world that is trying to hurt them.

Sweat drenched off everyone’s bodies as it was 8:30 pm, and we’ve been marching since 6:00 pm. Everyone is marching all through downtown, holding signs as black as charcoal pierced with names of innocent people. It’s a vast crowd, all strangers to me, but I feel safe. About 100 people surround me, yet I feel like I know all of them. As I walk through the crowd, I see an abundance of different kinds of people; Some were probably doing this same thing in the ’60s, others probably can’t cross the street by themselves, some white, some black, some poor, and some rich. I was surrounded by American citizens that were trembling in fear that we soon may be the next name on one of the signs we were holding. I think all the time about how people are hurting and what I can do to help. I now try to attend as many protests as possible and continuously spread awareness on my social media. That night of the protest, I was puzzled seeing people I thought were supposed to protect and keep people safe, doing the crime. The people who protect and serve threw tear gas and rubber bullets at citizens that only had face masks and water bottles. At the moment, I have never been more scared. I see that even though we were the ones unarmed, our blackness was the weapon they feared. I continuously live in fear. I get afraid that a minor traffic stop could be the end of my life. I don’t think anyone should feel that way, so; I will fight for change. That day I thought I was protesting for one person, little did I know I was fighting for everyone else that looks like me, which is why I won’t stop.

I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently in my first semester at Howard University with a major in early education. I want to become an elementary teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black girls who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. I want to be that inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." Many people tell me that I shouldn't be a teacher because of how underpaid and under appreciated they are. I know that life isn't about money and teaching is my dream. I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life is. They also bring up "troubled" and disrespectful kids. But in my opinion, there is no such thing as a troubled kid. I want to eliminate the stigma of troubled kids and reverse it by forming respectful and brilliant students. I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. I will do everything that I can to make sure I graduate and pass my teacher certification exam. I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it. I hope that me being a teacher would influence some of my black students to want to as well. Not even just students, I hope I can influence my friends and family members as well.

I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently in my first semester at Howard University majoring in early education. I want to become an elementary teacher because I love helping people and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black girls who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. I want to be that inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. I will do everything that I can to make sure I graduate and pass my teacher certification exam. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it. I hope that me being a teacher would influence some of my black students to become teachers. Not even just students, I hope I can influence my friends and family members as well.

When the pandemic happened and the shutdown began my mental health was at an all time high. I was less stressed, happier, and I got more sleep. Although the pandemic had many negative aspects in a way it made me learn more about myself and figure out who I am. I know that the mental health was quite the opposite for some people due to the pandemic so I am grateful about mine. Because school was shut down, I was less stressed. Online school allowed me to work at my own pace and be in the comfort of my own home. I got more sleep which really boosted my mental health. During the pandemic I researched ways to be calmer and have a clear peace of mind.. I started to meditate 5 minutes everyday. It was great. I felt at ease and in tune with the world. I went out sungazing, which became my happy place. I'm Leo, a sun sign so I think me and the sun are connected somehow. I exercised in my room 3 days a week. All of that helped me physically and mentally. I was able to binge watch new shows and movies. I was truly blessed. I was an essential worker at KFC and my family was still able to keep their jobs. As the pandemic is coming to an end due to the vaccine and more things opening up, I still keep up with those tasks. Because I am working more, I don't have time to sungaze and workout as often but I still try my best to get to it. I meditate on my breaks at work. Even though I still don’t have the support system from my family, I talk about my mental health with my coworker. She has a family just like mine so we support and understand each other. Having someone like her made me realize that sometimes family doesn't always have your best interest at heart, and you can find some of the best support systems outside of your home. I know as I begin to enter the adult world I will be even more stressed and hopeless than before. Because as an adult the support system isn’t as great and you are responsible for paying bills on time. It will be hard but I know if I keep mediatiting, working out, sunazing, gaining support, and watching my favorite shows I will do okay. I hope I can pass along the things that helped me to my future patients when I become a therapist.

I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently in my first semester at Howard University with a major in early education. I want to become an elementary teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black girls who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. I want to be that inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." Many people tell me that I shouldn't be a teacher because of how underpaid and under appreciated they are. I know that life isn't about money and teaching is my dream. I hate that people try to discourage me from fulfilling what my purpose in life is. They also bring up "troubled" and disrespectful kids. But in my opinion, there is no such thing as a troubled kid. I want to eliminate the stigma of troubled kids and reverse it by forming respectful and brilliant students. I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. I will do everything that I can to make sure I graduate and pass my teacher certification exam. I will be impacting so many students of color because they will see that I understand them. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it. I hope that me being a teacher would influence some of my black students to want to as well. Not even just students, I hope I can influence my friends and family members as well.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience daily. My biggest challenge is mental health. For me, the hardest part was never really having anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. It caused me to conceal them and not tell anyone how I really feel. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. Black people had to always look strong and couldn’t show emotions because it would make them seem weak and be beaten more. I feel like the black community never fully came to terms with their trauma and kept passing it down from generation to generation. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be like that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. I shouldn't feel embarrassed to come out to my own family about what I feel. I didn't feel like I could talk to any professionals either. None of my therapists were people of color. In my opinion, the world needs more minority therapists. A therapist that isn't a POC wouldn't necessarily understand different struggles and problems. For example, when I was younger, I sought validation and hated my skin. I did not have anyone to talk to about how I would flatiron my hair every other day in the morning for school to look like my white friends. I did not have anyone to talk to about all the microaggressions said to my face that I never called out because I did not understand it all. If I couldn't even comprehend it at the time, how could I expect the counselors or therapists at my school? Which made me want to be a therapist or counselor. In school, I saw black people face colorism and racist jokes all the time, and they would be too afraid to talk to the school counselor about it. I want to be someone people can talk to about those kinds of things. After going through this it made me want to become a therapist or counselor. I am currently at Howard University with a major in psychology. After I graduate I will study to get a doctorate. After that, I have faith that I can become a counselor. I have hopes that I could add more minority representation in the field of mental health. It's good to talk and listen to people who can relate and share similar experiences. I hope to break the stigma that black women have to be strong and independent all the time. I want to be the helping and listening voice in my community.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience daily. My biggest challenge is mental health. For me, the hardest part was never really having anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. It caused me to conceal them and not tell anyone how I really feel. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. Black people had to always look strong and couldn’t show emotions because it would make them seem weak and be beaten more. I feel like the black community never fully came to terms with their trauma and kept passing it down from generation to generation. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be like that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. I shouldn't feel embarrassed to come out to my own family about what I feel. I didn't feel like I could talk to any professionals either. None of my therapists were people of color. In my opinion, the world needs more minority therapists. A therapist that isn't a POC wouldn't necessarily understand different struggles and problems. For example, when I was younger, I sought validation and hated my skin. I did not have anyone to talk to about how I would flatiron my hair every other day in the morning for school to look like my white friends. I did not have anyone to talk to about all the microaggressions said to my face that I never called out because I did not understand it all. If I couldn't even comprehend it at the time, how could I expect the counselors or therapists at my school? Which made me want to be a therapist or counselor. In school, I saw black people face colorism and racist jokes all the time, and they would be too afraid to talk to the school counselor about it. I want to be someone people can talk to about those kinds of things. After going through this it made me want to become a therapist or counselor. I am currently at Howard University with a major in psychology. After I graduate I will study to get a doctorate. After that, I have faith that I can become a counselor. I have hopes that I could add more minority representation in the field of mental health. It's good to talk and listen to people who can relate and share similar experiences. I hope to break the stigma that black women have to be strong and independent all the time.

One practical solution would be to mediate and find your peace of mind. I know that a lot of people struggle to ask for help and reach out for support from others when they are having problems with their mental health. So I think it's good to help yourself by focusing on your inner-peace and doing things that make you happy. Like watching a comforting show on Netflix.During the pandemic I researched ways to be calmer and have a clear peace of mind.. I started to meditate 5 minutes everyday. It was great. I felt at ease and in tune with the world. I went out sun-gazing, which became my happy place. I'm Leo, a sun sign so I think me and the sun are connected somehow. I exercised in my room 3 days a week. All of that helped me physically and mentally. I was able to binge watch new shows and movies. Getting in tune with my inner peace really changed my outlook on the world. It made me more patient, calm, and less sad. Finding things thatI actually enjoyed and could do everyday really made the depressed days seem slim. I will always struggle with mental health, it is something that will never go away, but I can make it less draining if I keep implementing my practices and solutions. Depression is a part of life but how you handle it will show true growth and progress. If you can't find something that makes you happy or feel comfort I recommend trying a bunch of new activities and see what works for you.

My name is To'nyia Richardson, I am a freshman at Howard University. In high school I was on the dance team, Black Student Union, Pep club, and National Honor Society. I graduated as a valedictorian. KFC was my first job and I ended up working there for two years. A fun fact about me is that I have a huge fear of dogs. I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I am currently in my first semester working on my bachelors degree towards elementary education. I want to become an elementary teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black girls who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. I want to be that inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." Many people tell me that I shouldn't be a teacher because of how underpaid and appreciated they are. They also bring up "troubled" and disrespectful kids. But in my opinion, there is no such thing as a troubled kid. I want to eliminate the stigma of troubled kids and reverse it by forming respectful and brilliant students. I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it. I hope that me being a teacher would influence some of my black students to want to as well. Not even just students, I hope I can influence my friends and family members as well.

During my elementary and middle school history classes, Malcom X wasn’t talked about much. Teachers and state districts thought he was too violent to learn about. But what I realized in high school is that he did what was necessary by all means. He was the activist that actually fought back and made sure his people were safe and equipped. He did more than sit-ins he was about the true equality and liberation of black people. With that being said I am highly influenced by him. I live in Louisville, Kentucky a city that was so divided in broken in the summer of 2020. We were hurt because of Breonna Taylor. So a lot of people from my community marched in protest for her and any other black person that was wronged by our justice system. I attended 6 protests downtown of 6th and Jefferson. We had to fight to prove that our lives matter. It was a lot of young people like myself out there afraid that we would be tear-gassed or arrested. Malcom X believed that the justice system in America was never broken its working the way it intended it to. To keep the black people oppressed but try to win them over with little victories instead of actual change. It took them over 5 months to bring Breonna Taylor's case to trial and even after that it wasn't a true victory, they tried to win her family over with $12million instead of actual justice. I also took many words of wisdom from Malcom like how we don’t have any true allies, many things are performative.

Education is crucial for success in America. It is not fair for someone to not be able to receive the same access to education just because their parents are in a different tax bracket. There are so many inequalities in the education system. One of them being lunch. A lot of schools require students to pay for lunch. which is ridiculous, so if they cant afford it, they cant eat. Another inequality is the people of color ratio with students to staff. It has been proven that students do better when they see representation. It pushes them to try harder since they have someone to look up to. Schools do not have enough teachers or administrators of color and the black and brown kids see that. Another inequality that people don't talk about as much is academic resources. Some schools provide top of the notch chromebooks and iPads, while there are others having to reuse torn up textbooks because they don't have the funding to get computers for the school. That has such a negative effect on the students. Especially in this day and age where we have transitioned from paper to electronics. It sucks that some schools get better funding because of its location. What I mean by that is schools in black and brown neighborhoods don't get the same funding as schools in suburban neighborhoods with majority white kids. The kids are suffering when they shouldn't have to, which is why we need to stand up for them.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience daily. My biggest challenge is mental health. For me, the hardest part was never having anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. It caused me to conceal them and not tell anyone how I really feel. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. In my opinion, the world needs more minority therapists. A therapist that isn't a POC wouldn't necessarily understand different struggles and problems. For example, when I was younger, I sought validation and hated my skin. I did not have anyone to talk to about how I would flatiron my hair every other day in the morning for school to look like my white friends. I did not have anyone to talk to about all the microaggressions said to my face that I never called out because I did not understand it all. If I couldn't even comprehend it at the time, how could I expect the counselors or therapists at my school? Which made me want to be a therapist or counselor. In school, I saw black people face colorism and racist jokes all the time, and they would be too afraid to talk to the school counselor about it. I want to be someone people can talk to about those kinds of things. I will go to college and major in psychology after I will study to get a doctorate. After that, I have faith that I can become a counselor. I have hopes that I could add more minority representation in the field of mental health. It's good to talk and listen to people who can relate and share similar experiences. I hope to break the stigma that black women have to be strong and independent all the time. I want to be the helping and listening voice in my community.

In my community, I want to see changes in the police department. Last Summer, my City, Louisville, was the face of the news for a while. We will now be known as the city with many police brutality and police officers who can't do their job. I want our community to do more to protect its citizens. My community shouldn't be afraid that the police will kill us. It's scary walking past the police department wondering if you could lose your life. Along with that, our justice system is terrible. Our justice system fails to prosecute police officers and fails to give Louisville citizens the justice they deserve. Because of that, I attended four protests over the Summer. I went to show support for Breonna Taylor and her family and show that we need change. Our community was tired and didn't deserve what was happening. In our country, there are many problems that Americans like to ignore and set to the side. One important cause for me is homelessness. It baffles me how billionaires own three homes while people are living on the streets. It isn't fair, and the government needs to help them. The way I see it, the government could care less about the lower class. All it takes is a few hundred dollars a rich person could give, and it would help them so much. I also feel like Capitalism is the reason for it. It creates unlivable circumstances with less pay. For example, in America, rent could be $300 a month, groceries $100, gas $60, and other bills $200. Now while working a minimum wage job that only pays $10 an hour cannot pay for that. When many Americans look at that scenario, their instinct is always to say "work harder" or get a "better job." The problem with that is America has it set that to have a good job; you need a college education. How can one get a college education when it cost $20,000 a year. The government wants you to go into debt so we can pay their bills. There is no possible way an 18-year-old would be able to pay for that, and everyone else in America knows it as well. Although there are money and educational changes I want to see in America, I would also like to change people's attitudes. Some people in America are so racist, homophobic, classist, and sexist. I frequently talk about those issues on my social media platform. I want to see older generations lifting up their LGBTQ family members instead of shaming and disowning them. I want to see older white families not getting mad when someone dates outside their race. I want to see men not degrading women for what they wear or how they dance. If I could, I would eliminate all these problems, but I know it will take time. We are improving, but I could be way better.

I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I plan on attending Howard University to major in early education. I want to become an elementary teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black girls who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. I want to be that inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." Many people tell me that I shouldn't be a teacher because of how underpaid and appreciated they are. They also bring up "troubled" and disrespectful kids. But in my opinion, there is no such thing as a troubled kid. I want to eliminate the stigma of troubled kids and reverse it by forming respectful and brilliant students. I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it. I hope that me being a teacher would influence some of my black students to want to as well. Not even just students, I hope I can influence my friends and family members as well.

A big problem facing the world is healthcare.I do not think the cost of healthcare is justified. America seems to be one of the few economically developed countries that has not transitioned to free or universal healthcare. Many Americans struggle with drastic medical fees and costs that are too hard to pay on an average salary. A lot of families, including mine, try to do anything we can to avoid a doctor’s visit: taking over-the-counter prescriptions or just letting the sickness go away on its own to avoid a doctor’s visit doesn’t improve the quality of life. People in the United States without healthcare constantly live in fear and have anxiety worrying about how they will be cared for. Many people in America believe that health care isn’t a fundamental human right, which is honestly contradicting everything America was supposed to stand for. America was built on life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, however, you can't have any of those things if you don’t have the right to healthcare ​(World Health Organization, 2017)​. When debating the right to healthcare in America it always falls along the economy vs life. The main reason healthcare isn’t universal in America is because of how money-hungry we are. Even though it may hurt the economy, the price of saving lives has a greater value. We can fix the problem by implementing free Universal healthcare like other Countries.

I watched from a young age my mom reach her full potential. My mom and dad met in high school. They thought like any other relationship they would last forever. They went to college and got pregnant with me. My dad took a route that my mom avoided. My dad dropped out of college, ran away from his problems( my mom and me). He was afraid of taking responsibility. My mom was so strong. She is a supermom. She had me at 20 years old while completing her bachelors degree. She graduated when I was three years old. She unlike my dad didn't give up, she knew that she had to work even harder because she had to support me. After my mom graduated my dad tried to waddle his way back in our lives. My mom accepted, he was her first love who can blame her. Eventually he went back to his old ways. He had no aspiration to work or provide for us. My mom left him. It was hard taking care of me by herself but she made sure I had everything I needed and wanted. Although it was a struggle, I wouldn't trade my experience for anything. To this day 17 years later my dad is trying to waddle his way into my life because he sees I am doing good. Im going to the college of my dreams and I graduated as valedictorian from my high school. I owe that all to my momma. With everything we went through she made sure I stayed on top of my school work while being in extracurricular activities so I can make a good living. She always made sure I was busy and tried everything so I can know my hobbies and reach my full potential. Me and her are super-close. Since it was just us, we became each-others best-friend. I tell her my boy problems and mental health issues. She understands because of how young she is and what she went through. Im so inspired by her and I know that If I am ever a single mom in the future, she will be here to guide me through it.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience daily. My biggest challenge is mental health. For me, the hardest part was never having anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. It caused me to conceal them and not tell anyone how I really feel. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. In my opinion, the world needs more minority therapists. A therapist that isn't a POC wouldn't necessarily understand different struggles and problems. Which made me want to be a therapist or counselor. I will go to Howard and major in psychology. I have hopes that I could add more minority representation in the field of mental health. It's good to talk and listen to people who can relate and share similar experiences. I want to be the helping and listening voice in my community.

Hi, my name is To’nyia Richardson. I'm a 17 year old girl who just graduated high school. I say that because I am scared about my future. I’m afraid that I will give up and not reach my full potential. I want to be successful so badly and It keeps me up all night wondering how I can make that happen. I woke up at 12 pm this morning and went straight to tik tok. I'm addicted to social media and my phone like the average teen. I cleaned my bathroom and then got ready for my fast food job at 4pm. That's my daily life now that school is out and the cycle just continues. In the fall I will be attending Howard University where I will major in nursing. I've always wanted to help people. I've contemplated my major so many times. At first it was psychology, then elementary education, and now nursing. All of them are fields where more diversity is needed. Growing up I didn't have many nurses of color and I never was really inspired to be one because I didn't see people that looked like me. As a black woman there is this stigma in the medical field that black women are strong and don’t feel pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. After college I will have my bachelors degree in nursing. With that degree I plan on getting my registered nursing certificate. I want to be the nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a connection so that they feel comfortable and safe. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could become a travel nurse. I want to become a travel nurse as well because I want to help other people from different states and get all the experience. I know that all states and hospitals operate differently and it would give me a different outlook on how other places operate. I am confident that I can become a nurse and i will keep working until I become the successful one I know I can be,

Hi, my name is To’nyia Richardson. I'm a 17 year old girl who just graduated high school. I say that because I am scared about my future. I’m afraid that I will give up and not reach my full potential. I want to be successful so badly and It keeps me up all night wondering how I can make that happen. I woke up at 12 pm this morning and went straight to tik tok. I'm addicted to social media and my phone like the average teen. I cleaned my bathroom and then got ready for my fast food job at 4pm. That's my daily life now that school is out and the cycle just continues. In the fall I will be attending Howard University where I will major in nursing. I've always wanted to help people. I've contemplated my major so many times. At first it was psychology, then elementary education, and now nursing. All of them are fields where more diversity is needed. Growing up I didn't have many nurses of color and I never was really inspired to be one because I didn't see people that looked like me. As a black woman there is this stigma in the medical field that black women are strong and don’t feel pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. After college I will have my bachelors degree in nursing. With that degree I plan on getting my registered nursing certificate. I want to be the nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a connection so that they feel comfortable and safe. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could become a travel nurse. I want to become a travel nurse as well because I want to help other people from different states and get all the experience. I know that all states and hospitals operate differently and it would give me a different outlook on how other places operate. I am confident that I can become a nurse and i will keep working until I become the successful one I know I can be,

My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black girls who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. I want to be that inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." Many people tell me that I shouldn't be a teacher because of how underpaid and appreciated they are. They also bring up "troubled" and disrespectful kids. But in my opinion, there is no such thing as a troubled kid. I want to eliminate the stigma of troubled kids and reverse it by forming respectful and brilliant students. I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it. I hope that me being a teacher would influence some of my black students to want to as well. Not even just students, I hope I can influence my friends and family members as well.

I use to be someone that thought my success lay in my brains. I maintained a 4.0 throughout all of high school while being on a competitive dance team and having a part-time job. I graduated as valedictorian, which was terrific. Everyone else may see success, but I saw a girl who was overworked and tired. A girl that didn't form close friendships or relationships. A girl that missed out on all the fun of her teenage years. I sacrificed fun and freedom for my studies. My grades did pay off, but I have regrets. I regret missing homecoming because I had to work. I loved that valedictorian sash and giving the speech, but that joy only lasted a couple of hours. After graduation, I felt nothing. I gave school my all. But the good part is I got into my dream college. A school that only had a 36% acceptance rate. I am proud of myself for that reason. I know that in order to live a happy life financially college is crucial. I think that college is more than just a degree, its a way to grow up and learn to take responsibility. We will be on our own and have to make our own decisions. College is full of experiences and I think people form the best conncetions and bonds there which is so important for mental health. For me my biggest challenge was mental health. I will make sure that in college my mental health and grades will be good. I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I plan on attending Howard University to major in early education. I want to become an elementary teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black girls who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated.'' That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. I want to be that inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." Many people tell me that I shouldn't be a teacher because of how underpaid and appreciated they are. I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it.

Hi, my name is To’nyia Richardson. I'm a 17 year old girl who just graduated high school. I say that because I am scared about my future. I’m afraid that I will give up and not reach my full potential. I want to be successful so badly and It keeps me up all night wondering how I can make that happen. I woke up at 12 pm this morning and went straight to tik tok. I'm addicted to social media and my phone like the average teen. I cleaned my bathroom and then got ready for my fast food job at 4pm. That's my daily life now that school is out and the cycle just continues. In the fall I will be attending Howard University where I will major in nursing. I've always wanted to help people. I've contemplated my major so many times. At first it was psychology, then elementary education, and now nursing. All of them are fields where more diversity is needed. Growing up I didn't have many nurses of color and I never was really inspired to be one because I didn't see people that looked like me. As a black woman there is this stigma in the medical field that black women are strong and don’t feel pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. After college I will have my bachelors degree in nursing. With that degree I plan on getting my registered nursing certificate. I want to be the nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a connection so that they feel comfortable and safe. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could become a travel nurse. I want to become a travel nurse as well because I want to help other people from different states and get all the experience. I know that all states and hospitals operate differently and it would give me a different outlook on how other places operate. I am confident that I can become a nurse and i will keep working until I become the successful one I know I can be,

I am proud to be who I am. I am proud to be bisexual. Many people don't understand what its like to be attracted to both genders. I am proud to be a black person apart of the LGBTQ+. My family may not be and thats okay, because I am and that is all that matters. instagram @its_.t

My greatest achievement to date was becoming Valedictorian. I pushed myself so hard in high school to the point where I lost friendships and sacrificed my fun for school. I do have regrets but tat joy from wearing the sash and seeing the look on my parents face was worth it. I want to continue to feel that joy throughout every single moment in my future.I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I plan on attending Howard University to major in early education. I want to become an elementary teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black girls who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. I want to be that inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Ricahrdson when I grow up." Many people tell me that I shouldn't be a teacher because of how underpaid and appreciated they are. They also bring up "troubled" and disrespectful kids. But in my opinion, there is no such thing as a troubled kid. I want to eliminate the stigma of troubled kids and reverse it by forming respectful and brilliant students. I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it. I hope that me being a teacher would influence some of my black students to want to as well. Not even just students, I hope I can influence my friends and family members as well.

I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I plan on attending Howard University to major in early education. I want to become an elementary teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black girls who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. I want to be that inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Ricahrdson when I grow up." Many people tell me that I shouldn't be a teacher because of how underpaid and appreciated they are. They also bring up "troubled" and disrespectful kids. But in my opinion, there is no such thing as a troubled kid. I want to eliminate the stigma of troubled kids and reverse it by forming respectful and brilliant students. I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it. I hope that me being a teacher would influence some of my black students to want to as well. Not even just students, I hope I can influence my friends and family members as well.

I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I plan on attending Howard University to major in early education. I want to become an elementary teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black girls who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. I want to be that inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Ricahrdson when I grow up." Many people tell me that I shouldn't be a teacher because of how underpaid and appreciated they are. They also bring up "troubled" and disrespectful kids. But in my opinion, there is no such thing as a troubled kid. I want to eliminate the stigma of troubled kids and reverse it by forming respectful and brilliant students. I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it. I hope that me being a teacher would influence some of my black students to want to as well. Not even just students, I hope I can influence my friends and family members as well.

I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I plan on attending Howard University to major in early education. I want to become an elementary teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black girls who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. I want to be that inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Ricahrdson when I grow up." Many people tell me that I shouldn't be a teacher because of how underpaid and appreciated they are. They also bring up "troubled" and disrespectful kids. But in my opinion, there is no such thing as a troubled kid. I want to eliminate the stigma of troubled kids and reverse it by forming respectful and brilliant students. I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it. I hope that me being a teacher would influence some of my black students to want to as well. Not even just students, I hope I can influence my friends and family members as well.

Hi, my name is To’nyia Richardson. I'm a 17 year old girl who just graduated high school. I say that because I am scared about my future. I’m afraid that I will give up and not reach my full potential. I want to be successful so badly and It keeps me up all night wondering how I can make that happen. I woke up at 12 pm this morning and went straight to tik tok. I'm addicted to social media and my phone like the average teen. I cleaned my bathroom and then got ready for my fast food job at 4pm. That's my daily life now that school is out and the cycle just continues. In the fall I will be attending Howard University where I will major in nursing. I've always wanted to help people. I've contemplated my major so many times. At first it was psychology, then elementary education, and now nursing. All of them are fields where more diversity is needed. Growing up I didn't have many nurses of color and I never was really inspired to be one because I didn't see people that looked like me. As a black woman there is this stigma in the medical field that black women are strong and don’t feel pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. After college I will have my bachelors degree in nursing. With that degree I plan on getting my registered nursing certificate. I want to be the nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a connection so that they feel comfortable and safe. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could become a travel nurse. I want to become a travel nurse as well because I want to help other people from different states and get all the experience. I know that all states and hospitals operate differently and it would give me a different outlook on how other places operate. I am confident that I can become a nurse and i will keep working until I become the successful one I know I can be,

Sweat drenched off everyone’s bodies as it was 8:30 pm, and we’ve been marching since 6:00 pm. Everyone is marching all through downtown, holding signs as black as charcoal pierced with names of innocent people. It’s a vast crowd, all strangers to me, but I feel safe. About 100 people surround me, yet I feel like I know all of them. As I walk through the crowd, I see an abundance of different kinds of people; Some were probably doing this same thing in the ’60s, others probably can’t cross the street by themselves, some white, some black, some poor, and some rich. I was surrounded by American citizens that were trembling in fear that we soon may be the next name on one of the signs we were holding. They’re all so different and yet connected. I never felt so connected to people in my life before that day; I realized I want to do more to feel that way all the time. As I went through all my years at school, I didn’t show my real self and often feel uncomfortable. In my AP world history class, it looked like a newly integrated school. I felt like I had to bite my tongue and be silent on many issues. I realized that staying silent does nothing but sweep issues under the rug; I need to inform people whether they want to listen. I think all the time about how people are hurting and what I can do to help. I now try to attend as many protests as possible and continuously spread awareness on my social media. That night of the protest, I was puzzled seeing people I thought were supposed to protect and keep people safe, doing the crime. I watched as the people who protect and serve throw tear gas and rubber bullets at citizens that only had face masks and water bottles. At the moment I That night of the protest, I was puzzled seeing people I thought were supposed to protect and keep people safe, doing the crime. I watched as the people who protect and serve throw tear gas and rubber bullets at citizens that only had face masks and water bottles. At the moment, I have never been more scared. I was running away with my mom and cousin by my side as our life. I knew that as police, they were trained for that exact moment. Little did I know my mom, cousin, and I were trained due to our skin stained in brown. I see that even though we were the ones unarmed, our blackness was the weapon they feared. I continuously live in fear. I get scared driving thinking I might do something wrong and get pulled over by the police. I get afraid that a minor traffic stop could be the end of my life. I don’t think anyone should feel that way, so; I will fight for change. That day I thought I was protesting for one person, little did I know I was fighting for everyone else that looks like me, which is why I won’t stop. In conclusion I am my own ally and an ally to others in the black community.

How would you explain how you felt through all your years of school? Right now, I’m a senior doing all of my homework and classwork assignments at home. I would never have thought that this is where my last year of high school would take place. Through this weird year, I’ve still found myself impacted by many teachers. I’ve found myself being influenced and inspired by many of them, even if I haven’t met them in person yet. I look at them as examples for the teacher I want to be in the future. One of the first teachers that had a significant impact on my educational experience was my 2’nd grade teacher MS.S. She made my elementary days at Carter Elementary more eventful than ever. She was the kind of teacher that let students learn in a fun way. I remember this one day where we cut sandwiches into different pieces to practice fractions, and afterward, we ate the sandwiches. At the time, we did not have a cheerleading team, and me and my friends would act like cheerleaders on the playground. She would see us and teach us chants and cheer us on. She made me feel like I had support from her no matter what it was. Considering elementary teachers, I know that their attitude is supposed to be preppy and excited all the time, but her personality was so genuine and not forced like my other teachers. She was a teacher who I confided in about my home problems, and I felt safe talking to her about it. She was so encouraging and made every student feel comfortable. On the last day of school in her class, she made everyone a backpack with an emotion, career, or fun award on it. Some people had the best hugger, most caring, and funny. Mine was the top model. It was special to me because I would always do model walks and act like a model in her class. When I would model walk in previous grades, my teachers would tell me to sit down and stop. She saw how happy it made me and took it as a way of how I expressed myself. She gave me hope that some teachers will do more than just teach; they will make you feel loved and supported.In conclusion, I hope to one day be a teacher like Ms.S.I want to be a teacher that students will remember for years to come and visit as they grow. School is where I spent most of my life, and it began to feel like home. Having teachers that made me feel like family was one of the best experiences in the world. I’m thankful for every teacher who impacted me to want to be like them. I wish I could thank them for being a role model and friend.

I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I plan on attending Howard University to major in early education. I want to become an elementary teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black girls who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented in the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. I want to be that inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." Many people tell me that I shouldn't be a teacher because of how underpaid and appreciated they are. I agree that teachers need more respect and appreciation in this country. In the future I believe teachers will get the justice they need.They also bring up "troubled" and disrespectful kids. But in my opinion, there is no such thing as a troubled kid. I want to eliminate the stigma of troubled kids and reverse it by forming respectful and brilliant students. I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it. I hope that me being a teacher would influence some of my black students to want to as well. Not even just students, I hope I can influence my friends and family members as well. With me being a teacher, especially an african american I can help students that are going through an identity crisis with the skin. I can understand intersectionality and how more needs to be taught and included in the classroom. I will make sure all my students feel comfortable and if they have any questions or need to talk about what's going on I will always be free to help.

Sitting in my dark room, lazy, not wanting to move. I don't want to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience daily. I never really have anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. It caused me to conceal them and not tell anyone how I really feel. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. In my opinion, the world needs more minority therapists. A therapist that isn't a POC wouldn't necessarily understand different struggles and problems. For example, when I was younger, I sought validation and hated my skin. I did not have anyone to talk to about how I would flatiron my hair every other day in the morning for school to look like my white friends. I did not have anyone to talk to about all the microaggressions said to my face that I never called out because I did not understand it all. If I couldn't even comprehend it at the time, how could I expect the counselors or therapists at my school? Which made me want to be a therapist or counselor. In school, I saw black people face colorist and racist jokes all the time, and they would be too afraid to talk to the school counselor about it. I want to be someone people can talk to about those kinds of things. I will go to college and major in psychology after I will study to get a doctorate. After that, I have faith that I can become a counselor. I have hopes that I could add more minority representation in the field of mental health. It's good to talk and listen to people who can relate and share similar experiences. I hope to break the stigma that black women have to be strong and independent all the time. I want to be the helping and listening voice in my community.

I watched from a young age my mom reach her full potential. My mom and dad met in high school. They thought like any other relationship they would last forever. They went to college and got pregnant with me. My dad took a route that my mom avoided. My dad dropped out of college, ran away from his problems( my mom and me). He was afraid of taking responsibility. My mom was so strong. She is a supermom. She had me at 20 years old while completing her bachelors degree. She graduated when I was three years old. She unlike my dad didn't give up, she knew that she had to work even harder because she had to support me. After my mom graduated my dad tried to waddle his way back in our lives. My mom accepted, he was her first love who can blame her. Eventually he went back to his old ways. He had no aspiration to work or provide for us. My mom left him. It was hard taking care of me by herself but she made sure I had everything I needed and wanted. Although it was a struggle, I wouldn't trade my experience for anything. To this day 17 years later my dad is trying to waddle his way into my life because he sees I am doing good. Im going to the college of my dreams and I graduated as valedictorian from my high school. I owe that all to my momma. With everything we went through she made sure I stayed on top of my school work while being in extracurricular activities so I can make a good living. She always made sure I was busy and tried everything so I can know my hobbies and reach my full potential. Me and her are super-close. Since it was just us, we became each-others best-friend. I tell her my boy problems and mental health issues. She understands because of how young she is and what she went through. Im so inspired by her and I know that If I am ever a single mom in the future, she will be here to guide me through it. I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I plan on attending Howard University to major in early education. I want to become an elementary teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black girls who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented in the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. I want to be that inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." Many people tell me that I shouldn't be a teacher because of how underpaid and appreciated they are. I agree that teachers need more respect and appreciation in this country. In the future I believe teachers will get the justice they need.They also bring up "troubled" and disrespectful kids. But in my opinion, there is no such thing as a troubled kid. I want to eliminate the stigma of troubled kids and reverse it by forming respectful and brilliant students. I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it. I hope that me being a teacher would influence some of my black students to want to as well. Not even just students, I hope I can influence my friends and family members as well. With me being a teacher, especially an African American I can help students that are going through an identity crisis with the skin. I can understand intersectionality and how more needs to be taught and included in the classroom. I will make sure all my students feel comfortable and if they have any questions or need to talk about what's going on I will always be free to help. This scholarship could help me achieve that.

Sweat drenched off everyone’s bodies as it was 8:30 pm, and we’ve been marching since 6:00 pm. Everyone is marching all through downtown, holding signs as black as charcoal pierced with names of innocent people. It’s a vast crowd, all strangers to me, but I feel safe. About 100 people surround me, yet I feel like I know all of them. As I walk through the crowd, I see an abundance of different kinds of people; Some were probably doing this same thing in the ’60s, others probably can’t cross the street by themselves, some white, some black, some poor, and some rich. I was surrounded by American citizens that were trembling in fear that we soon may be the next name on one of the signs we were holding. They’re all so different and yet connected. I never felt so connected to people in my life before that day; I realized I want to do more to feel that way all the time. As I went through all my years at school, I didn’t show my real self and often feel uncomfortable. In my AP world history class, it looked like a newly integrated school. I felt like I had to bite my tongue and be silent on many issues. I realized that staying silent does nothing but sweep issues under the rug; I need to inform people whether they want to listen. I think all the time about how people are hurting and what I can do to help. I now try to attend as many protests as possible and continuously spread awareness on my social media. That night of the protest, I was puzzled seeing people I thought were supposed to protect and keep people safe, doing the crime. I watched as the people who protect and serve throw tear gas and rubber bullets at citizens that only had face masks and water bottles. At the moment, I have never been more scared. I was running away with my mom and cousin by my side as our life flashed before our eyes. I knew that as police, they were trained for that exact moment. Little did I know my mom, cousin, and I were trained due to our skin stained in brown. I see that even though we were the ones unarmed, our blackness was the weapon they feared. I continuously live in fear. I get scared driving thinking I might do something wrong and get pulled over by the police. I get afraid that a minor traffic stop could be the end of my life. I don’t think anyone should feel that way, so; I will fight for change. That day I thought I was protesting for one person, little did I know I was fighting for everyone else that looks like me, which is why I won’t stop.

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter" ~ Martin Luther King Jr. This quote represents me and everything I will continue to do in the future. I don't particularly appreciate remaining silent on issues that are hurting people. I never understood how people could sit and remain quiet while others are screaming for help. About two years ago, I was the kind of person that did not speak up or address specific topics and issues. It was not because I did not care, but because I wasn't as educated, and I thought it wasn't my problem because it did not affect me or I couldn't relate. I love helping people and making people feel more supported. If I had the chance to support and help everyone in the world, I would. I am all about giving a voice to people who are too afraid or can't speak up. I want to provide as much to the world as it was intended. We weren't put on this world to hate each other or fight over money; we were put on Earth to come together and make it better. I am not subliminal to the problems the world has, and I know that I may not be able to do much right now, but I know we must help each other. I understand that we will never move forward in life if others are struggling while others are advancing. If we remain silent and push issues like race, global warming, and sexuality under the rug, then life won't be as good.

I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I plan on attending Howard University to major in early education. I want to become an elementary teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black girls who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented in the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. I want to be that inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." Many people tell me that I shouldn't be a teacher because of how underpaid and appreciated they are. I agree that teachers need more respect and appreciation in this country. In the future I believe teachers will get the justice they need.They also bring up "troubled" and disrespectful kids. But in my opinion, there is no such thing as a troubled kid. I want to eliminate the stigma of troubled kids and reverse it by forming respectful and brilliant students. I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it. I hope that me being a teacher would influence some of my black students to want to as well. Not even just students, I hope I can influence my friends and family members as well. With me being a teacher, especially an African American I can help students that are going through an identity crisis with the skin. I can understand intersectionality and how more needs to be taught and included in the classroom. I will make sure all my students feel comfortable and if they have any questions or need to talk about what's going on I will always be free to help. The heart of my life is becoming an educator

Hi, my name is To’nyia Richardson. I'm a 17 year old girl who just graduated high school. I say that because I am scared about my future. I’m afraid that I will give up and not reach my full potential. I want to be successful so badly and It keeps me up all night wondering how I can make that happen. I woke up at 12 pm this morning and went straight to tik tok. I'm addicted to social media and my phone like the average teen. I cleaned my bathroom and then got ready for my fast food job at 4pm. That's my daily life now that school is out and the cycle just continues. In the fall I will be attending Howard University where I will major in nursing. I've always wanted to help people. I've contemplated my major so many times. At first it was psychology, then elementary education, and now nursing. All of them are fields where more diversity is needed. Growing up I didn't have many nurses of color and I never was really inspired to be one because I didn't see people that looked like me. As a black woman there is this stigma in the medical field that black women are strong and don’t feel pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. After college I will have my bachelors degree in nursing. With that degree I plan on getting my registered nursing certificate. I want to be the nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a connection so that they feel comfortable and safe. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could become a travel nurse. I want to become a travel nurse as well because I want to help other people from different states and get all the experience. I know that all states and hospitals operate differently and it would give me a different outlook on how other places operate. I am confident that I can become a nurse and i will keep working until I become the successful one I know I can be,

Hi, my name is To’nyia Richardson. I'm a 17 year old girl who just graduated high school. I say that because I am scared about my future. I’m afraid that I will give up and not reach my full potential. I want to be successful so badly and It keeps me up all night wondering how I can make that happen. I woke up at 12 pm this morning and went straight to tik tok. I'm addicted to social media and my phone like the average teen. I cleaned my bathroom and then got ready for my fast food job at 4pm. That's my daily life now that school is out and the cycle just continues. In the fall I will be attending Howard University where I will major in nursing. I've always wanted to help people. I've contemplated my major so many times. At first it was psychology, then elementary education, and now nursing. All of them are fields where more diversity is needed. Growing up I didn't have many nurses of color and I never was really inspired to be one because I didn't see people that looked like me. As a black woman there is this stigma in the medical field that black women are strong and don’t feel pain. Many people believed this at one point of time and gaslighted what black women were saying and the pain they felt. Statistics show that black women have a 63% higher rate of severe maternal morbidity than white women. It is a sad thing that black women aren't treated fairly in the medical field. I think having more representation and diversity in the medical field will lower that statistic. After college I will have my bachelors degree in nursing. With that degree I plan on getting my registered nursing certificate. I want to be the nurse that listens and treats people like normal people instead of just patients. I want them to feel a connection so that they feel comfortable and safe. When nurses and doctors make the patients feel comfortable they are less scared and could ease up more. I hope that after working as a registered nurse for a while and getting more experience I could become a travel nurse. I want to become a travel nurse as well because I want to help other people from different states and get all the experience. I know that all states and hospitals operate differently and it would give me a different outlook on how other places operate. I am confident that I can become a nurse and i will keep working until I become the successful one I know I can be,

I believe that as humans, we have failed our wildlife and animal species. We extort them and make them clap and dance for entertainment. We take them from their homes, families, and friends. We don't do that to humans, so I don't know why we think it's okay to do that to animals. As a whole, I believe Zoos should be outlawed. Many of the reasons why many animals are going endangered are that they are getting drugged and taken to be put in zoos for entertainment. They are being forced to adapt to new environments, be restricted to as far as they can run and walk. They aren't able to be free, and it is killing them. If we took away zoos, it would allow more animals to flourish and be healthier in their natural habitats. I know that a lot of lands have been cleared and bought out by people in America. I think the government should cut off a certain amount of land for only animals to be in. Humans shouldn't be able to access it unless they want to help care for or feed the animals. Also, I think hunting should be banned. Hunting should be illegal because it isn't right for humans to kill animals and get away with it. People nowadays hunt for fun; it isn't even about food anymore, and that is ridiculous. I've seen people who hunt just to hang up deer and other animals' heads and bodies on their walls. They are to blame for many extinctions, and they do it just to look cool and for decorations or accessories. Animals are not decorations, and the government needs to do something about it. Also, I think big cooperations need to stop taking off animal skin to use for clothing. There is no need to strip animals of their fur so that we could look fashionable. That is damaging them, and it needs to stop. Also, using animals for ivory and other things needs to stop as well. I think in order to truly protect the animals, it needs to be illegal to use real animal fur. Any fashion company or cooperation that uses it should face repercussions. Those who wish to hunt for fun and an adrenaline rush should go to jail because it is murder. Animals were here first, and they deserve to stay. As humans, we all need a reality check and should pay forth our respects to those that were here before us, in that case, that would be the animals. So instead of harming them for our own benefit. We should be using our technology and modern skills to help them. The government should pay people to take care of animals and create more resources for animals to be free. I think we should also work with other countries to come up with some sort of way to let the animals from different countries be around each other. I think it might be better for the animals in America to go to Africa because they would be around more animals like them and would have more freedom.

I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I plan on attending Howard University to major in early education. I want to become an elementary teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black girls who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. I want to be that inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." Many people tell me that I shouldn't be a teacher because of how underpaid and appreciated they are. I agree that teachers need more respect and appreciation in this country. In the future, I believe teachers will get the justice they need. They also bring up "troubled" and disrespectful kids. But in my opinion, there is no such thing as a troubled kid. I want to eliminate the stigma of troubled kids and reverse it by forming respectful and brilliant students. I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it. I hope that me being a teacher would influence some of my black students to want to as well. Not even just students, I hope I can influence my friends and family members as well. With me being a teacher, especially an African American I can help students that are going through an identity crisis with the skin. I can understand intersectionality and how more needs to be taught and included in the classroom. I will make sure all my students feel comfortable and if they have any questions or need to talk about what's going on I will always be free to help.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience daily. For me, I never really have anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. It caused me to conceal them and not tell anyone how I really feel. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. In my opinion, the world needs more minority therapists. A therapist that isn't a POC wouldn't necessarily understand different struggles and problems. For example, when I was younger, I sought validation and hated my skin. I did not have anyone to talk to about how I would flatiron my hair every other day in the morning for school to look like my white friends. I did not have anyone to talk to about all the microaggressions said to my face that I never called out because I did not understand it all. If I couldn't even comprehend it at the time, how could I expect the counselors or therapists at my school? Which made me want to be a therapist or counselor. In school, I saw black people face colorism and racist jokes all the time, and they would be too afraid to talk to the school counselor about it. I want to be someone people can talk to about those kinds of things. I will go to college and major in psychology after I will study to get a doctorate. After that, I have faith that I can become a counselor. I have hopes that I could add more minority representation in the field of mental health. It's good to talk and listen to people who can relate and share similar experiences. I hope to break the stigma that black women have to be strong and independent all the time. I want to be the helping and listening voice in my community.

I see myself in five years writing on a whiteboard teaching to future leaders of America. My classroom will be filled with inspiring quotes and fun pictures on the wall. I will work my butt off to make that a reality. I plan on attending Howard University to major in early education. I want to become an elementary teacher because I love being a leader, helping people, and taking care of little children. My elementary school wasn't the best. We had two black teachers throughout the entire school—the crazy thing about that was that they were brother and sister. Throughout my whole education history, I never really had black representation in school administrators or teachers. I can see the impact because I don't know many young black girls who want to be teachers. I think representation is essential, especially in education, because many stereotypes are implemented on the black community as being "uneducated." That is not true. If students were to see more teachers of color, it would push them and inspire them to do more in school and motivate them to push for higher education. I want to be that inspiration that little black boys and girls could look up to one day. Although I never had a lot of black teachers to look up to, I still knew that it was my passion. It would have been nice to talk to black teachers because I know that they had to overcome adversity to get to where they are. But since I wasn't able to talk to many I know that I will have to face and experience the adversity first hand, but that's okay because I know it will make me push harder and be stronger. I want to be that inspiration where they say to themselves, "I want to be a teacher like Ms.Richardson when I grow up." Many people tell me that I shouldn't be a teacher because of how underpaid and appreciated they are. They also bring up "troubled" and disrespectful kids. But in my opinion, there is no such thing as a troubled kid. Kids are innocent it's their parents that are the troubled ones. I want to eliminate the stigma of troubled kids and reverse it by forming respectful and brilliant students. I know it will be hard, and I will struggle, but I know that I can do it. We need more African American educators in our community, and I will be an active participant in it. I hope that me being a teacher would influence some of my black students to want to as well. Not even just students, I hope I can influence my friends and family members as well.

Over the summer, I have attended five protests in the fight for racial justice and police reform. I felt so hurt that we have to protest that our lives matter, but also empowered to see my community all come together. I hope to attend law school and add the black representation. I want to be someone who can advocate for everyone who has been wronged in society by our government systems' flaws. Right now, I'm only on the outside trying to advocate by signing petitions, donating, and spreading awareness on Instagram. In the future, I will be on the inside, directly making changes to the law. Within the criminal justice reform, I will make a law to check multiple times and gather as much evidence as possible to ensure no innocent person is sitting in jail for a crime they didn't commit. I will also make sure police are trained better and don't result in shooting as their first instinct. Police will be trained to deescalate situations by talking and not force. All police will be required to train at least two years before they can be out in the world. There will be tests to make sure they aren't racist. That will hopefully eliminate the unjust killing of people of color. I will also do my best to eliminate any racial or gender bias when it comes to crime. I would do my best to have more women and people of color in the criminal justice field to ensure everything is equal and fair. I will also eliminate the death penalty because no one deserves to die. Lawmakers should not have the power to kill people. Also, I would change the jail time for many crimes. Marijuana, for instance, will not be longer than a year. Many people are sitting in jail for small marijuana charges when weed is now legal in some states, and it isn't fair. There are bigger crimes like rape and murder that need to be focused on. Those are the crimes I would add longer sentences to. I know it would be hard to reform the justice system after many years of being led by racists and homophobes, but it is possible. Change has been happening, and I believe it will come. It may take a few more years for people to adjust to changes, so I would take it slow and add and adjust policies over time.

Two years into college, my mom got pregnant with me. Usually, people would think she would have dropped out and gave up on achieving her dreams, but she didn't; she kept going. That right there is what inspires me the most along my college journey. Her having to transfer to another college to be closer to home to support me shows how dedicated she was to her education and me. My dad struggled and ended up giving up. But my mom stayed persistent and determined no matter what. I always stare at the picture of my mom with her diploma two-year-old me on her hip. I sometimes think that I probably crushed some of her dreams and made her rethink her life choices, but she tells me that I was the best thing that could have happened to her. My entire elementary and middle school years, she pushed me so hard. I would cry doing homework with her because I got tired of doing it. But looking back, I am glad that she did that. If she wouldn't have pushed me, I never would have got my GPA to be where it is right now. I usually know the parent is supposed to be proud of the child, but I'm so proud of my mom. I've seen how she took her communication degree and turned it into something extraordinary. She works so hard and makes sure I'm always in an extracurricular activity and doing well in school. If she could still graduate college while taking care of a kid, I know that I have what it takes to do well in college. My mom has inspired me to pursue my own dreams. I dream to pursue a career in law. I am very interested in majoring in either political science or pre-law. I am very passionate about the science of politics and understanding what all goes into our justice system and what changes can be made. When I look at America's Climate today, I see how flawed our system truly is. People are sitting in jail for crimes they didn't commit; some people are looking death right in the eyes over a minor offense. I want to be apart of a change that benefits everyone. I'm tired of looking on social media and seeing a different name of someone who has been affected by social media. I am tired of seeing a cycle of someone coming in and out of jail. Majoring in political science or pre-law, I know it will give me the tools and prepare me to enter law school when I graduate. Helping people seek justice is something I've always felt deeply connected to. I try to attend as many protests as possible, sign a lot of petitions, and donate some money. Doing those things gives me a sense of hope that I could be affecting someone's life. People tell me posting awareness on my Instagram or attending protests won't do much, but it at least makes me feel like I'm trying. I know that it isn't doing everything that I can, which is why It will be my duty to be educated in political science and learn as much of the law as I can. Right now, I can't do much to change the system, but hopefully, one day, I will be sitting in a position where I can fix it from the inside.

In my community, I want to see changes in the police department. Over the Summer, my City, Louisville, was the face of the news for a while. We will now be known as the city with many police brutality and police officers who can't do their job. I want our community to do more to protect its citizens. My community shouldn't be afraid that the police will kill us. It's scary walking past the police department wondering if you could lose your life. Along with that, our justice system is terrible. Our justice system fails to prosecute police officers and fails to give Louisville citizens the justice they deserve. Because of that, I attended four protests over the Summer. I went to show support for Breonna Taylor and her family and show that we need change. Our community was tired and didn't deserve what was happening. In our country, there are many problems that Americans like to ignore and set to the side. One important cause for me is homelessness. It baffles me how billionaires own three homes while people are living on the streets. It isn't fair, and the government needs to help them. The way I see it, the government could care less about the lower class. I, a high school student, feel like I do more than the rich. I'm working a minimum wage job, but I give them whatever I can whenever I see a homeless person on the street. All it takes is a few hundred dollars a rich person could give, and it would help them so much. I also feel like Capitalism is the reason for it. It creates unlivable circumstances with less pay. For example, in America, rent could be $300 a month, groceries $100, gas $60, and other bills $200. Now while working a minimum wage job that only pays $10 an hour cannot pay for that. When many Americans look at that scenario, their instinct is always to say "work harder" or get a "better job." The problem with that is America has it set that to have a good job; you need a college education. How can one get a college education when it cost $20,000 a year. The government wants you to go into debt so we can pay their bills. There is no possible way an 18-year-old would be able to pay for that, and everyone else in America knows it as well. Although there are money and educational changes I want to see in America, I would also like to change people's attitudes. Some people in America are so racist, homophobic, classist, and sexist. I frequently talk about those issues on my social media platform. I want to see older generations lifting up their LGBTQ family members instead of shaming and disowning them. I want to see older white families not getting mad when someone dates outside their race. I want to see men not degrading women for what they wear or how they dance. If I could, I would eliminate all these problems, but I know it will take time. We are improving, but I could be way better. In the world, I want to change the great divide and racism from everyone. I no longer want to see debates about whos the best country in the world. I want all the countries to help each other before it's too late. I want to see everyone visiting and moving to different countries without being treated like an outsider. I want to see world leaders communicating and sharing ideas.

In my community, I want to see changes in the police department. Over the Summer, my City, Louisville, was the face of the news for a while. We will now be known as the city with many police brutality and police officers who can't do their job. I want our community to do more to protect its citizens. My community shouldn't be afraid that the police will kill us. It's scary walking past the police department wondering if you could lose your life. Along with that, our justice system is terrible. Our justice system fails to prosecute police officers and fails to give Louisville citizens the justice they deserve. Because of that, I attended four protests over the Summer. I went to show support for Breonna Taylor and her family and show that we need change. Our community was tired and didn't deserve what was happening. In our country, there are many problems that Americans like to ignore and set to the side. One important cause for me is homelessness. It baffles me how billionaires own three homes while people are living on the streets. It isn't fair, and the government needs to help them. The way I see it, the government could care less about the lower class. I, a high school student, feel like I do more than the rich. I'm working a minimum wage job, but I give them whatever I can whenever I see a homeless person on the street. All it takes is a few hundred dollars a rich person could give, and it would help them so much. I also feel like Capitalism is the reason for it. It creates unlivable circumstances with less pay. For example, in America, rent could be $300 a month, groceries $100, gas $60, and other bills $200. Now while working a minimum wage job that only pays $10 an hour cannot pay for that. When many Americans look at that scenario, their instinct is always to say "work harder" or get a "better job." The problem with that is America has it set that to have a good job; you need a college education. How can one get a college education when it cost $20,000 a year. The government wants you to go into debt so we can pay their bills. There is no possible way an 18-year-old would be able to pay for that, and everyone else in America knows it as well. Although there are money and educational changes I want to see in America, I would also like to change people's attitudes. Some people in America are so racist, homophobic, classist, and sexist. I frequently talk about those issues on my social media platform. I want to see older generations lifting up their LGBTQ family members instead of shaming and disowning them. I want to see older white families not getting mad when someone dates outside their race. I want to see men not degrading women for what they wear or how they dance. If I could, I would eliminate all these problems, but I know it will take time. We are improving, but I could be way better. In the world, I want to change the great divide and racism from everyone. I no longer want to see debates about whos the best country in the world. I want all the countries to help each other before it's too late. I want to see everyone visiting and moving to different countries without being treated like an outsider. I want to see world leaders communicating and sharing ideas. Lastly, I no longer want to see talks of war. We need to stick together; there is no point in fighting each other.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience daily. For me, I never really have anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. It caused me to conceal them and not tell anyone how I really feel. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. In my opinion, the world needs more minority therapists. A therapist that isn't a POC wouldn't necessarily understand different struggles and problems. For example, when I was younger, I sought validation and hated my skin. I did not have anyone to talk to about how I would flatiron my hair every other day in the morning for school to look like my white friends. I did not have anyone to talk to about all the microaggressions said to my face that I never called out because I did not understand it all. If I couldn't even comprehend it at the time, how could I expect the counselors or therapists at my school? Which made me want to be a therapist or counselor. In school, I saw black people face colorism and racist jokes all the time, and they would be too afraid to talk to the school counselor about it. I want to be someone people can talk to about those kinds of things. I will go to college and major in psychology after I will study to get a doctorate. After that, I have faith that I can become a counselor. I have hopes that I could add more minority representation in the field of mental health. It's good to talk and listen to people who can relate and share similar experiences. I hope to break the stigma that black women have to be strong and independent all the time.

Sweat drenched off everyone’s bodies as it was 8:30 pm and we’ve been marching since 6:00 pm. Everyone is marching all through downtown, holding signs as black as charcoal pierced with names of innocent people. . About 100 people surround me. I was surrounded by American citizens that were trembling in fear that we soon may be the next name on one of the signs we were holding. That day I thought I was only protesting for Breonna Taylor and George Floyd but I realized I was protesting for everyone that looks like me.

Sweat drenched off everyone’s bodies as it was 8:30 pm and we’ve been marching since 6:00 pm. Everyone is marching all through downtown, holding signs as black as charcoal pierced with names of innocent people. It’s a vast crowd, all strangers to me, but I feel safe. About 100 people surround me, yet I feel like I know all of them. As I walk through the crowd, I see an abundance of different kinds of people; Some were probably doing this same thing in the ’60s, others probably can’t cross the street by themselves, some white, some black, some poor, and some rich. I was surrounded by American citizens that were trembling in fear that we soon may be the next name on one of the signs we were holding. They’re all so different and yet connected. That was the most important day of my life, and it made me spark questions about my place in America and how I contribute to it. I never felt so connected to people in my life before that day; I realized I want to do more to feel that way all the time. As I went through all my years at school, I didn’t show my real self and often feel uncomfortable. In my AP world history class, it looked like a newly integrated school. While the only four black kids and I sat together, I still felt like something was off. I didn’t t want to speak up about race issues because I did not want to be labeled as the ‘’bitter black women.’’d. During that time, I thought being silent was more beneficial. .Ever since that night of the protest, I had an awakening about what’s important to me. I realized that staying silent does nothing but sweep issues under the rug; I need to inform people whether they want to listen. I think all the time about how people are hurting and what I can do to help. I now try to attend as many protests as possible and continuously spread awareness on my social media. That night of the protest, I was puzzled seeing people I thought were supposed to protect and keep people safe, doing the crime. I watched as the people who protect and serve throw tear gas and rubber bullets at citizens that only had face masks and water bottles. I have never been more scared. I was running away with my mom and cousin by my side as our life flashed before our eyes. I knew that as police, they were trained for that exact moment. Little did I know my mom, cousin, and I were trained due to our skin stained in brown. I see that even though we were the ones unarmed, our blackness was the weapon they feared. I continuously live in fear. I get scared driving thinking I might do something wrong and get pulled over by the police. I get afraid that a minor traffic stop could be the end of my life. I don’t think anyone should feel that way, so; I will fight for change. That day I thought I was protesting for one person, little did I know I was fighting for everyone else that looks like me, which is why I won’t stop.

I sit in my room terrified, thinking about the future and the person I want to be. Those thoughts are approaching faster and faster because my high school career is almost at its end. When I was little, I always had a different outlook on the world. I was happier and thought everyone lived extraordinary lives. My mom put me in multiple sports; I wasn't a huge fan of any of them. I tried soccer, volleyball, and cheer, but dance is the one that stuck with me. I am on the dance team at my school. I will never forget the adrenaline that rushed through my body backstage before hitting the nationals floor my sophomore year. I remember the chills and heavy heart I had as my footsteps approached that nationals floor. Better yet, the excitement I felt as our name got called for 3rd place in the nation for the large hip hop division. If my elementary self were looking at me right now, she probably wouldn't be surprised. From early on, my grades have always been a priority. To this day, I have maintained a cumulative GPA of 4.0 while being in many clubs and extracurriculars. I am in Beta Club, Black Student Union, and National honors society. I also have worked at KFC for a little over a year. I also take place in the angel tree program once a year to help out families with gifts during the holidays. My younger self would probably be smiling about my achievements and activities I am involved in. But I want to be more than that. I want to do something greater than just academics and activities; I want to be involved in changing the world. Over the past four months, I have attended five protest in the fight for racial justice and police reform. I felt so hurt that we have to protest that our lives matter, but I also felt empowered to see my community all come together. I hope to attend law school and add the black representation in that field. I want to be someone who can advocate for those struggling financially and emotionally. Right now, I'm only on the outside trying to advocate by signing petitions, donating, and spreading awareness on Instagram. In the future, I will be on the inside, directly making changes to the law.

Sweat drenched off everyone’s bodies as it was 8:30 pm and we’ve been marching since 6:00 pm. Everyone is marching all through downtown, holding signs as black as charcoal pierced with names of innocent people. It’s a vast crowd, all strangers to me, but I feel safe, comforted, and at home. About 100 people surround me, and yet I feel like I know all of them. As I walk through the crowd, I see an abundance of different kinds of people; Some were probably doing this same thing in the ’60s, others probably can’t cross the street by themselves, some white, some black, some poor, and some rich. They’re all so different and yet all connected by the innocent lives of those taken by police. I’m now walking with my hands up, chanting “don’t shoot.” I see little black children doing the same thing as me. I’m terrified thinking how young they are being exposed to all this. I fear for our world; I ask myself, “Why did their parents bring them here”? I thought they should be at home playing and having fun. But the sad thing is its reality. Those same little kids won't get to play if they still have to fight for their right to live. We live in a world where people like me can get killed for merely shopping, walking, driving, and existing. In the past, the world for me was sunshines. I thought the people that rule us were trustworthy and amiable. That was the most inaccurate thing I could have possibly thought. I'm aware that everyone has faults. But it wasn't very reasonable of me to think our government was saints. That night of June 1, 2020, as I was marching in downtown Louisville, my whole outlook changed. I saw people dressed in blue armor, ready to attack. I was surrounded by American citizens that were trembling in fear that we soon may be the next name on one of the signs we were holding. I was puzzled because I saw people I thought were supposed to protect and keep people safe, the ones doing the crime. Those knights in the blue armor I use to want to take pictures with when I was little, I now have to take videos of to make sure nothing happens. On my side, I see arms in the sky as fists become clenched together, but I see those knights on the other side. However, They aren't carrying those same swords I saw when I was little. They’re carrying tear gas and guns filled with bullets made of rubber. I see that even though we were the ones unarmed, our blackness was the weapon they feared. They are dressed in vests and shields and look as though they were trained their whole life for this. All we had were face masks and water bottles. Little did I know I too was trained, but mine started when I came out of the womb covered in brown. That day I thought I was protesting for one person, I failed to realize I was fighting for everyone else that looks like me. In the future, I want to see a politician that doesn’t ignore the problems in society; I want someone that will wonder why there are people who own three homes while others sleep on the street. In the future, I want a politician that will do more background checks and make sure people don’t get killed because of their skin or sexual orientation. That politician will be me.

Sweat drenched off everyone’s bodies as it was 8:30 pm and we’ve been marching since 6:00 pm. Everyone is marching all through downtown, holding signs as black as charcoal pierced with names of innocent people. It’s a vast crowd, all strangers to me, but I feel safe. About 100 people surround me, yet I feel like I know all of them. As I walk through the crowd, I see an abundance of different kinds of people; Some were probably doing this same thing in the ’60s, others probably can’t cross the street by themselves, some white, some black, some poor, and some rich. I was surrounded by American citizens that were trembling in fear that we soon may be the next name on one of the signs we were holding. They’re all so different and yet connected. That was the most important day of my life, and it made me spark questions about my place in America and how I contribute to it. I never felt so connected to people in my life before that day; I realized I want to do more to feel that way all the time. As I went through all my years at school, I often felt uncomfortable. In my AP world history class, it looked like a newly integrated school, with the only 3 other black kids in the class sitting together. Ever since that night of the protest, I had an awakening about what’s important to me. I realized that staying silent does nothing but sweep issues under the rug; I need to inform people whether they want to listen. I think all the time about how people are hurting and what I can do to help. I now try to attend as many protests as possible and continuously spread awareness on my social media. That night of the protest, I was puzzled seeing people I thought were supposed to protect and keep people safe, doing the crime. I watched as the people who protect and serve throw tear gas and rubber bullets at citizens that only had face masks and water bottles. I have never been more scared. I knew that as police, they were trained for that exact moment. Little did I know I was trained due to my skin being stained in brown. I see that even though we were the ones unarmed, our blackness was the weapon they feared. I fear that a minor traffic stop could be the end of my life. I don’t think anyone should feel that way, so; I will fight for change. What is my greatest inspiration in life you ask, it would be activism. Im driven by helping people and fighting for peoples rights.

One of the first teachers that had a significant impact on my educational experience was my 2’nd grade teacher MS.S. She made my elementary days at Carter Elementary more eventful than ever. She was the kind of teacher that let students learn in a fun way. I remember this one day where we cut sandwiches into different pieces to practice fractions, and afterward, we would eat it. At the time, we did not have a cheerleading team, and me and my friends would act like cheerleaders on the playground. She would see us and teach us chants and cheer us on. She made me feel like I had support from her no interest in what it was. As an elementary teacher, I know that their attitude is supposed to be preppy and excited, but it was genuine and not forced like my other teachers with her. She was a teacher who confided in my home problems, and I felt safe talking to her about it. She was so encouraging and made every student feel comfortable. On the last day of school in her class, she made everyone a backpack with an emotion, career, or fun award on it. Some people had the best hugger, most caring, and funny. Mine was the top model. It was special to me because I would always do model walks and act like a model in her class. When I would model walk in previous grades, my teachers would tell me to sit down and stop. But she saw how happy it made me and took it as a way of how I expressed myself. She gave me hope that some teachers will do more than just teach; they will make you feel loved and supported. From then on I knew that I wanted to be an elementary teacher. I've always been good with kids and I believe I have the personality to be a good elementary teacher. People always try to put me down by telling me I won't make a lot of money but, it's my dream career, and I'm not going to let anything get in the way of it.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience daily. For me, I never really have anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. It caused me to conceal them and not tell anyone how I really feel. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong". I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. In my opinion, the world needs more minority therapists. A therapist that isn't a POC wouldn't necessarily understand different struggles. When I was younger, I sought validation and hated my skin. I did not have anyone to talk to about how I would flatiron my hair every other day for school to look like my white friends. I did not have anyone to talk to about all the microaggressions said to me. Which made me want to be a therapist or counselor. I want to be someone people can talk to about those kinds of things. I could add more minority representation in the field of mental health.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience daily. For me, I never really have anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food; there's no way you could be depressed." But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. It caused me to conceal them and not tell anyone how I really feel. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. I can't entirely blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. In my opinion, the world needs more minority therapists. A therapist that isn't a POC wouldn't necessarily understand different struggles and problems. For example, when I was younger, I sought validation and hated my skin. I did not have anyone to talk to about how I would flatiron my hair every other day in the morning for school to look like my white friends. I did not have anyone to talk to about all the microaggressions said to my face that I never called out because I did not understand it all. If I couldn't even comprehend it at the time, how could I expect the counselors or therapists at my school? Which made me want to be a therapist or counselor. In school, I saw black people face colorism and racist jokes all the time, and they would be too afraid to talk to the school counselor about it. I want to be someone people can talk to about those kinds of things. I will go to college and major in psychology after I will study to get a doctorate. After that, I have faith that I can become a counselor. I have hopes that I could add more minority representation in the field of mental health. It's good to talk and listen to people who can relate and share similar experiences. I hope to break the stigma that black women have to be strong and independent all the time. I want to be the helping and listening voice in my community.

I sit in my room terrified, thinking about the future and the person I want to be. Those thoughts are approaching faster and faster because my high school career is almost at its end. When I was little, I always had a different outlook on the world. I was happier and thought everyone lived extraordinary lives. My mom put me in multiple sports; I wasn't a huge fan of any of them. I tried soccer, volleyball, and cheer, but dance is the one that stuck with me. I am on the dance team at my school. I will never forget the adrenaline that rushed through my body backstage before hitting the nationals floor my sophomore year. I remember the chills and heavy heart I had as my footsteps approached that nationals floor. Better yet, the excitement I felt as our name got called for 3rd place in the nation for the large hip hop division. If my elementary self were looking at me right now, she probably wouldn't be surprised. From early on, my grades have always been a priority. To this day, I have maintained a cumulative GPA of 4.0 while being in many clubs and extracurriculars. I am in Beta Club, Black Student Union, and National honors society. I also have worked at KFC for a little over a year. I also take place in the angel tree program once a year to help out families with gifts during the holidays. My younger self would probably be smiling about my achievements and activities I am involved in. But I want to be more than that. I want to do something greater than just academics and activities; I want to be involved in changing the world. Over the past four months, I have attended five protest in the fight for racial justice and police reform. I felt so hurt that we have to protest that our lives matter, but I also felt empowered to see my community all come together. I hope to attend law school and add the black representation in that field. I want to be someone who can advocate for those struggling financially and emotionally. Right now, I'm only on the outside trying to advocate by signing petitions, donating, and spreading awareness on Instagram. In the future, I will be on the inside, directly making changes to the law.

“ Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter” ~ Martin Luther King Jr. This quote represents me and everything I will continue to do in the future. I don’t particularly appreciate remaining silent on issues that are hurting people. I never understood how people could sit and remain quiet while others are screaming for help. About two years ago, I was the kind of person that did not speak up or address specific topics and issues. It was not because I did not care, but because I wasn’t as educated. I love helping people and making people feel more supported. If I had the chance to support and help everyone in the world, I would. I am all about giving a voice to people who are too afraid or can't speak up. I want to provide as much to the world as it was intended. We weren't put on this world to hate each other or fight over money; we were put on Earth to come together and make it better. I am not subliminal to the problems the world has, and I know that I may not be able to do much right now, but I know we must help each other. I understand that we will never move forward in life if others are struggling while others are advancing. If we remain silent and push issues like race, global warming, and sexuality under the rug, then life won't be as good. I hope that I can somewhat make a difference and this quote makes me feel like I can.

Sweat drenched off everyone’s bodies as it was 8:30 pm and we’ve been marching since 6:00 pm. Everyone is marching all through downtown, holding signs as black as charcoal pierced with names of innocent people. It’s a vast crowd, all strangers to me, but I feel safe. About 100 people surround me, yet I feel like I know all of them. As I walk through the crowd, I see an abundance of different kinds of people; Some were probably doing this same thing in the ’60s, others probably can’t cross the street by themselves, some white, some black, some poor, and some rich. I was surrounded by American citizens that were trembling in fear that we soon may be the next name on one of the signs we were holding. They’re all so different and yet connected. That was the most important day of my life, and it made me spark questions about my place in America and how I contribute to it. I never felt so connected to people in my life before that day; I realized I want to do more to feel that way all the time. As I went through all my years at school, I didn’t show my real self and often feel uncomfortable. In my AP world history class, it looked like a newly integrated school. While the only four black kids and I sat together, I still felt like something was off. I didn’t t want to speak up about race issues because I did not want to be labeled as the ‘’bitter black women.’’d. During that time, I thought being silent was more beneficial. .Ever since that night of the protest, I had an awakening about what’s important to me. I realized that staying silent does nothing but sweep issues under the rug; I need to inform people whether they want to listen. I think all the time about how people are hurting and what I can do to help. I now try to attend as many protests as possible and continuously spread awareness on my social media. That night of the protest, I was puzzled seeing people I thought were supposed to protect and keep people safe, doing the crime. I watched as the people who protect and serve throw tear gas and rubber bullets at citizens that only had face masks and water bottles. I have never been more scared. I was running away with my mom and cousin by my side as our life flashed before our eyes. I knew that as police, they were trained for that exact moment. Little did I know my mom, cousin, and I were trained due to our skin stained in brown. I see that even though we were the ones unarmed, our blackness was the weapon they feared. I continuously live in fear. I get scared driving thinking I might do something wrong and get pulled over by the police. I get afraid that a minor traffic stop could be the end of my life. I don’t think anyone should feel that way, so; I will fight for change. That day I thought I was protesting for one person, little did I know I was fighting for everyone else that looks like me, which is why I won’t stop. In the future, I want to help my community from the inside. I plan on going to law school and becoming an attorney. If I cant rely on our justice system now to change, I plan on changing it myself in the future.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time, not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience daily. For me, I never really have anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I tell someone that I might be depressed, they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, "you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food, there's no way you could be depressed". But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place when they tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. It caused me to conceal them and not tell anyone how I really feel. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own, and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. I can't fully blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent, but sometimes I need help, and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. In my opinion, the world needs more minority therapists. A therapist that isn't a POC wouldn't necessarily understand different struggles and problems. For example, when I was younger, I sought validation and hated my skin. I did not have anyone to talk to about how I would flatiron my hair every other day in the morning for school to look like my white friends. I did not have anyone to talk to about all the microaggressions said to my face that I never called out because I did not understand it all. If I couldn't even comprehend it at the time, how could I expect the counselors or therapists at my school? Which made me want to be a therapist or counselor. In school, I saw black people face colorism and racist jokes all the time, and they would be too afraid to talk to the school counselor about it. I want to be someone people can talk to about those kinds of things. I will go to college and major in psychology after I will study to get a doctorate. After that, I have faith that I can become a counselor. I have hopes that I could add more minority representation in the field of mental health. It's good to talk and listen to people who can relate and share similar experiences. I hope to break the stigma that black women have to be strong and independent all the time. I want to be the helping and listening voice in my community.

Sitting in the dark in my room, lazy, not wanting to move. I sit the whole time not wanting to clean up or do anything. That is something I experience on a daily basis. For me, I never really have anyone to talk to about it. In the black community, it's hard to reach out for help or support. Whenever I would tell someone that I might be depressed they would act like my problems are invalid. They would say, " you have a roof over your head, clothes, and food, there's no way you could be depressed". But depression is more than being provided with basic necessities. You can have everything in the world and still feel sad and out of place. When they would tell me that I would be conflicted about my emotions. It caused me to conceal them and not tell anyone how I really feel. It made me look at my family differently. I know that they went through struggles and hardships of their own and they just didn't want to admit it. A lot of that comes from the generational trauma of slavery and segregation. I can't fully blame them because the black woman is supposed to be seen as "strong" and independent. But I can't be that all the time. I shouldn't have to be strong and fearless all the time. I feel like no one in my family understood that. I try my best to be independent but sometimes I need help and I shouldn't be ashamed to ask for it. In my opinion, the world needs more minority therapists. A therapist that isn’t a POC wouldn’t necessarily understand different struggles and problems. For example, when I was younger I sought validation and hated my skin. I did not have anyone to talk to about how I would flatiron my hair every other day in the morning for school to look like my white friends. I did not have anyone to talk to about all the microaggressions said to my face that I never called out because I did not understand it all. If I couldn’t even comprehend it at the time how could I expect the counselors or therapists at my school to? Which made me want to be a therapist or counselor. In school, I saw black people face colorism and racist jokes all the time and they would be too afraid to talk to the school counselor about it. I want to be someone people can talk to about those kinds of things. I will go to college and major in psychology. After I will study to get a doctorate. After that, I have faith that I can become a counselor. I have hopes that I could add more minority representation in the field of mental health. It's good to talk and listen to people who can relate and share similar experiences. I hope to break the stigma that black women have to be strong and independent all the time. I want to be the helping and listening voice in my community.

In my community, I want to see changes in the police department. Over the Summer, my City, Louisville, was the face of the news for a while. We will now be known as the city with many police brutality and police officers who can't do their job. I want our community to do more to protect its citizens. My community shouldn't be afraid that the police will kill us. It's scary walking past the police department wondering if you could lose your life. Along with that, our justice system is terrible. Our justice system fails to prosecute police officers and fails to give Louisville citizens the justice they deserve. Because of that, I attended four protests over the Summer. I went to show support for Breonna Taylor and her family and show that we need change. Our community was tired and didn't deserve what was happening. In our country, there are many problems that Americans like to ignore and set to the side. One important cause for me is homelessness. It baffles me how billionaires own three homes while people are living on the streets. It isn't fair, and the government needs to help them. The way I see it, the government could care less about the lower class. I, a high school student, feel like I do more than the rich. I'm working a minimum wage job, but I give them whatever I can whenever I see a homeless person on the street. All it takes is a few hundred dollars a rich person could give, and it would help them so much. I also feel like Capitalism is the reason for it. It creates unlivable circumstances with less pay. For example, in America, rent could be $300 a month, groceries $100, gas $60, and other bills $200. Now while working a minimum wage job that only pays $10 an hour cannot pay for that. When many Americans look at that scenario, their instinct is always to say "work harder" or get a "better job." The problem with that is America has it set that to have a good job; you need a college education. How can one get a college education when it cost $20,000 a year. The government wants you to go into debt so we can pay their bills. There is no possible way an 18-year-old would be able to pay for that, and everyone else in America knows it as well. Although there are money and educational changes I want to see in America, I would also like to change people's attitudes. Some people in America are so racist, homophobic, classist, and sexist. I frequently talk about those issues on my social media platform. I want to see older generations lifting up their LGBTQ family members instead of shaming and disowning them. I want to see older white families not getting mad when someone dates outside their race. I want to see men not degrading women for what they wear or how they dance. If I could, I would eliminate all these problems, but I know it will take time. We are improving, but I could be way better. In the world, I want to change the great divide and racism from everyone. I no longer want to see debates about whos the best country in the world. I want all the countries to help each other before it's too late. I want to see everyone visiting and moving to different countries without being treated like an outsider. I want to see world leaders communicating and sharing ideas. Lastly, I no longer want to see talks of war. We need to stick together; there is no point in fighting each other.

I plan to pursue a psychology major. I believe that psychology is the foundation for so many careers. It would be essential to me with my goal of being a therapist because psychology is the study of mind and behavior and I would need to know how the mind of a human functions and behavioral functions to understand my patients. I and so many others have struggled with mental health. The world needs more minority therapists because a therapist that isn’t a POC wouldn’t necessarily understand different struggles. Like how when I was younger I sought validation and hated my skin. I did not have anyone to talk to about how I would flatiron my hair every other day in the morning for school to look like my white friends. I did not have anyone to talk to about all the microaggressions said to my face that I never called out because I did not understand it all. If I couldn’t even comprehend it at the time how could I expect the counselors or therapists at my school to? So I hope I could add more representation in that field.

I have a passion for helping people and I want to have a career that utilizes that. I don’t really know yet what my future holds career-wise. I know I either want to become a lawyer, teacher, or therapist. For any of those careers, college is a necessity for them. Within my college experience, I want to make connections, get good grades, and gain new opportunities. I want to make sure I put my all into completing my assignments and understanding the lessons so that I can pursue my career dreams. If I keep up my grades and grasp all the information then I can receive my bachelor’s degree which will set a foundation for my future. The reason I am not so set on a career yet is because I’ve contemplated way too many times between choosing the career that rewards the most money or the one that rewards the most happiness. I want to be a teacher; however, I know teachers don’t get paid what they deserve. I know life isn’t about money but it doesn't make sense how little they get paid considering how hard they work. The society we live in is so obsessed with wealth it’s hard to overlook the pay. I see how teachers are fighting to get paid what they deserve and I want there to be a change before I become one. I feel like teachers have such a huge impact on students’ lives due to the great relationships they create. I’ve always had a passion for helping little kids and I feel like teaching would be something I would enjoy. I would also enjoy being a therapist. I and so many others have struggled with mental health. The world needs more minority therapists because a therapist that isn’t a POC wouldn’t necessarily understand different struggles. Like how when I was younger I sought validation and hated my skin. I did not have anyone to talk to about how I would flatiron my hair every other day in the morning for school because I hated my natural hair. I didn’t have anyone to talk to about the microaggressions that said to me that I never called out because I did not understand it all. If I couldn’t even comprehend it at the time how could I expect the counselors or therapists at my school to? I also want to add more black representation in the law field. I enjoy debating with my friends and classmates on issues because they push me to think harder about the topic. I see videos on Instagram about people getting discriminated against and hate crime videos. When she sends me stuff like that it makes me wonder if they have good lawyers that could represent them and if they don’t I wish I could put myself in that position to help them. I could help those that don’t get the proper representation due to the many biases and racism in those fields. I would try my best to fix the system and make sure that everyone gets the proper help and education fairly. If I do my part to not ignore the problems with society then I will be fulfilling my goals.

I have a passion for helping people and I want to have a career that utilizes that. I don’t really know yet what my future holds career-wise. I know I either want to become a lawyer, teacher, or therapist. For any of those careers, college is a necessity for them. Within my college experience, I want to make connections, get good grades, and gain new opportunities. I want to make sure I put my all into completing my assignments and understanding the lessons so that I can pursue my career dreams. If I keep up my grades and grasp all the information then I can receive my bachelor’s degree which will set a foundation for my future. The reason I am not so set on a career yet is because I’ve contemplated way too many times between choosing the career that rewards the most money or the one that rewards the most happiness. I want to be a teacher; however, I know teachers don’t get paid what they deserve. I know life isn’t about money but it doesn't make sense how little they get paid considering how hard they work. The society we live in is so obsessed with wealth it’s hard to overlook the pay. I see how teachers are fighting to get paid what they deserve and I want there to be a change before I become one. I feel like teachers have such a huge impact on students’ lives due to the great relationships they create. I’ve always had a passion for helping little kids and I feel like teaching would be something I would enjoy. I would also enjoy being a therapist. I and so many others have struggled with mental health. The world needs more minority therapists because a therapist that isn’t a POC wouldn’t necessarily understand different struggles. Like how when I was younger I sought validation and hated my skin. I did not have anyone to talk to about how I would flatiron my hair every other day in the morning for school because I hated my natural hair. I didn’t have anyone to talk to about the microaggressions that said to me that I never called out because I did not understand it all. If I couldn’t even comprehend it at the time how could I expect the counselors or therapists at my school to? I also want to add more black representation in the law field. I enjoy debating with my friends and classmates on issues because they push me to think harder about the topic. I see videos on Instagram about people getting discriminated against and hate crime videos. When she sends me stuff like that it makes me wonder if they have good lawyers that could represent them and if they don’t I wish I could put myself in that position to help them. I could help those that don’t get the proper representation due to the many biases and racism in those fields. I would try my best to fix the system and make sure that everyone gets the proper help and education fairly. If I do my part to not ignore the problems with society then I will be fulfilling my goals.