The main question you can always guarantee to be asked by anyone is, “Why do you want to be a nurse?” My answer to that question is broad, but I’ll summarize it for better understanding. Since I can remember, I have always been the kid who lends a helping hand in any situation, even if I am afraid. It’s always been instinctual for me to jump into action to save someone without being asked. Based on what brings me joy, I knew I would only be content with my profession in the long term if it were based on positively contributing to someone’s life. I’ve also always shown interest in beauty and self-care, so I’m interested in going into the aesthetics side of nursing. I was a makeup artist for years, and it was so gratifying that just thirty minutes of making someone beautiful could positively affect their whole week. I’m attending Arizona College of Nursing, working on my BSN to start my nursing career. I plan on finishing my bachelor’s degree and starting my master’s degree immediately to ensure I don’t lose focus. I believe a master’s in nursing will also help me obtain my aesthetic practice and help me become a midwife in the future. Usually, in my free time from school and work, I organize events to support specific groups of marginalized people. Assistance for these groups includes serving meals, protesting alongside aides, or showing my support through understanding. This prepares me for nursing by opening my mind to other viewpoints and understanding how close empathy and understanding can bring people together. With Kamala Harris as the new democratic nominee, I feel I must help her get elected in any way I can. If that means canvassing house to house or approaching random people in public to get them signed up to vote, I’m willing to make those sacrifices for the sake of our democracy. Seeing a black woman fighting for women's reproductive rights is refreshing. Even though I’m not a nurse yet, I already know how the reproductive rights ban will and already has disproportionally affected women’s lives in the U.S. I intend to use all the knowledge I’ve learned in nursing to inform the community about how essential reproductive rights are and how important it is to vote. Regardless of the outcome of the presidential race, I will still appreciate being a part of something so much bigger than me. I’m writing this essay hoping for financial help to make the remaining year less stressful. Throughout this year, I've noticed sometimes I’m so stressed about bills that it leaves me doubting myself and unfocused on the end goal. I've always heard that school would be hard, but no one speaks about all the bills you will constantly be behind on while trying to keep up with your tuition. If awarded this scholarship, it would change my stress levels tremendously and give me more time to plan my success through the program. Even though I've felt lost plenty of times during this process, my GPA is 3.6, which isn't bad for someone always stressed about school. This scholarship would help me focus solely on school instead of my finances, like in previous semesters. Just this one scholarship could help me obtain my degree smoothly because the only thing I lack in this experience is the money to fund it. Even though it’s just one scholarship, I know it could positively change my schooling experience by ensuring I’m not stressed over money or doubting myself academically due to stress.

The main question you can always guarantee to be asked by anyone is, “Why do you want to be a nurse?” My answer to that question is broad, but I’ll summarize it for better understanding. Since I can remember, I have always been the kid who lends a helping hand in any situation, even if I am afraid. It’s always been instinctual for me to jump into action to save someone without being asked. Based on what brings me joy, I knew I would only be content with my profession in the long term if it were based on positively contributing to someone’s life. I’ve also always shown interest in beauty and self-care, so I’m interested in going into the aesthetics side of nursing. I was a makeup artist for years, and it was so gratifying that just thirty minutes of making someone beautiful could positively affect their whole week. I’m attending Arizona College of Nursing, working on my BSN to start my nursing career. I plan on finishing my bachelor’s degree and starting my master’s degree immediately to ensure I don’t lose focus. I believe a master’s in nursing will also help me obtain my aesthetic practice and help me become a midwife in the future. Usually, in my free time from school and work, I organize events to support specific groups of marginalized people. Assistance for these groups includes serving meals, protesting alongside aides, or showing my support through understanding. This prepares me for nursing by opening my mind to other viewpoints and understanding how close empathy and understanding can bring people together. With Kamala Harris as the new democratic nominee, I feel I must help her get elected in any way I can. If that means canvassing house to house or approaching random people in public to get them signed up to vote, I’m willing to make those sacrifices for the sake of our democracy. Seeing a black woman fighting for women's reproductive rights is refreshing. Even though I’m not a nurse yet, I already know how the reproductive rights ban will and already has disproportionally affected women’s lives in the U.S. I intend to use all the knowledge I’ve learned in nursing to inform the community about how essential reproductive rights are and how important it is to vote. Regardless of the outcome of the presidential race, I will still appreciate being a part of something so much bigger than me.

The main question you can always guarantee to be asked by anyone is, “Why do you want to be a nurse?” My answer to that question is broad, but I’ll summarize it for better understanding. Since I can remember, I have always been the kid who lends a helping hand in any situation, even if I am afraid. It’s always been instinctual for me to jump into action to save someone without being asked. Based on what brings me joy, I knew I would only be content with my profession in the long term if it were based on positively contributing to someone’s life. I’ve also always shown interest in beauty and self-care, so I’m interested in going into the aesthetics side of nursing. I was a makeup artist for years, and it was so gratifying that just thirty minutes of making someone beautiful could positively affect their whole week. I’m attending Arizona College of Nursing, working on my BSN to start my nursing career. I plan on finishing my bachelor’s degree and starting my master’s degree immediately to ensure I don’t lose focus. I believe a master’s in nursing will also help me obtain my aesthetic practice and help me become a midwife in the future. Usually, in my free time from school and work, I organize events to support specific groups of marginalized people. Assistance for these groups includes serving meals, protesting alongside aides, or showing my support through understanding. This prepares me for nursing by opening my mind to other viewpoints and understanding how close empathy and understanding can bring people together. With Kamala Harris as the new democratic nominee, I feel I must help her get elected in any way I can. If that means canvassing house to house or approaching random people in public to get them signed up to vote, I’m willing to make those sacrifices for the sake of our democracy. Seeing a black woman fighting for women's reproductive rights is refreshing. Even though I’m not a nurse yet, I already know how the reproductive rights ban will and already has disproportionally affected women’s lives in the U.S. I intend to use all the knowledge I’ve learned in nursing to inform the community about how essential reproductive rights are and how important it is to vote. Regardless of the outcome of the presidential race, I will still appreciate being a part of something so much bigger than me. I’m writing this essay hoping for financial help to make the remaining year less stressful. Throughout this year, I've noticed sometimes I’m so stressed about bills that it leaves me doubting myself and unfocused on the end goal. I've always heard that school would be hard, but no one speaks about all the bills you will constantly be behind on while trying to keep up with your tuition. If awarded this scholarship, it would change my stress levels tremendously and give me more time to plan my success through the program. Even though I've felt lost plenty of times during this process, my GPA is 3.6, which isn't bad for someone always stressed about school. This scholarship would help me focus solely on school instead of my finances, like in previous semesters. Just this one scholarship could help me obtain my degree smoothly because the only thing I lack in this experience is the money to fund it. Even though it’s just one scholarship, I know it could positively change my schooling experience by ensuring I’m not stressed over money or doubting myself academically due to stress.

I can remember the bright lights like they were yesterday and still feel the bass in my ears. These are all the sweet effects of a concert, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for most people, but my favorite event. Turning 21, I never wanted to be at a club or a bar, but if you offered concert tickets, I would be all in. Forget being so drunk you can't remember the night; I'd much rather attend an event that I'm guaranteed never to forget. With concerts being my favorite pastime, it's hard to narrow down my favorite experiences, but it is manageable if I narrow it down to three. My three favorite concerts of all time were Michael Franks, Teezo Touchdown, and Sza. Micheal Franks is a jazz artist I grew up listening to due to my mother's undeniable love for his music. I've seen him four times, every time almost feeling like the last because of his age. Most people my age find jazz too slow and stable, but it is one of my favorite music genres. Teezo Touchdown is an American singer-songwriter who is the perfect mix of rock and R&B. The way his concert made me feel was unheard of. I remember it being stressful, but I knew I'd feel like someone had solved all my problems by the end. One main thing I judged every concert on was the crowd, and this crowd was phenomenal. No one seemed out of place, every soul in the building's head banging in unison, smiles on everyone's faces while we repeated every word to every song. Someone should study how impactful his music is because the stress I felt prior seemed to have stayed in the venue after the concert. I have always been a massive fan of Sza, even when she performed on small stages, so to see her now selling out arenas, I can be proud of one of my favorite artists. Sza is the current princess of rhythm and blues; with her amazing vocals and stage presence, it's hard to describe her as anything else. I've seen her twice, and both shows were something I could never forget. At the first show in 2018, I managed to sit at the end of the stage because I complained to security about my heels, not knowing what would come next. When she finally came out, I was front and center to all her tricks, flips, and spins I'd only seen on video before. The second time in 2022, I wasn't as close, but she gave that same untamable energy that was practically intoxicating. What I appreciated the most about seeing her years later was seeing her growth and seeing people enjoy her just as much as I do. Concerts can be many things, but I resonate so much with them because of their nostalgia. Hearing old music always brings me back to the first time I listened to the tune, and that's an indescribable feeling. I inserted the picture of me and my sister outside of the Teezo Touchdown concert.

The main thing that makes me proud to be American is how our athletes complete their hearts out every 4 years during the Olympics. Every athlete competing in any sport puts their all to make our country proud which is an honorable task. My favorite athlete of all time would have to be 11-time Olympic champion Ms. Simone Biles. The initial thing that drew me to her was her balance and posture while performing. The main thing that kept me interested over the years is her willingness to be better than before. Watching Simone over the years has felt beyond empowering; to see a black woman like me become the most decorated gymnast in history has shown me there are no heights I cannot reach. Seeing Simone accomplish everything she sought out for made me commit to refusing to be a product of my environment. Honestly, at times I find myself discouraged by how black people are still treated poorly in society but people like Simone Biles give me hope. There aren’t many people who can say their inspiration is nationwide, but Simone can. Her resilience throughout her career reminds me to never give up on what I believe is right.

Being a child, I only remember the love we had for each other, not the disdain or the hate that fueled my parents’ relationship. I can only see the good times, not the times when I wasn't sure if my mom would make it out alive. I can only make out the smiles on our faces from fun, not the tears in our eyes from the torment. Most of the time when my siblings try to relate to a past story, I don't remember it because it seems I wrote my storyline. The original story I was a part of became so toxic I had to forget it and make a new one. My father's abuse of my mother, which resulted in him going to prison, has impacted my life drastically, whether it's me being a child or an adult I can still see the invisible scars there. The abuse made me weary of any man who could become close to me or had the potential to love me. I've noticed that instead of embracing new relationships like most people, I push them away till no return. I never want to love someone more than I love myself like my mom did, that's my biggest fear. Watching my parents go through a divorce in my early teens gave me a completely different outlook on life and relationships. Originally, I thought everything could be a fairytale just like the movies I watched growing up, but I was sadly mistaken realizing if this was a book, my dad would be playing the big bad wolf. Everything he did during the divorce and after ended him up in prison left me thinking “Why were your kids not enough?". I always wanted to be just like my parents as a child, my whole outlook changed when I grew up and found God. I saw the flaws that the people I once found perfect had that held them back in life and I experienced the pain that changed them into unrecognizable individuals. I always vowed to be the opposite of both of my parents and gave my life to Christ early in hope's to avoid what they had become. I've been successful in my attempts to keep Christ centered by always keeping my eye on the prize, regardless of how bad things could ever be, I know I can put my faith in God and he will guide me. The mistakes of my father are always there to remind me as well, that nothing is ever worth losing your life over. My plan to avoid those same circumstances is to continue to center God, my success, and my goals over everything else. I embody Agape love by always treating people the way I would want to be treated and by making positive contributions to the lives of my neighbors or peers. I plan to give back to my community by fundraising for black/brown who are affected by racial disparities and it also have always been my dream to start my own food pantry with the help of a few friends.

Being a child, I only remember the love we had for each other, not the disdain or the hate that fueled my parents’ relationship. I can only see the good times, not the times when I wasn't sure if my mom would make it out alive. I can only make out the smiles on our faces from fun, not the tears in our eyes from the torment. Most of the time when my siblings try to relate to a past story, I don't remember it because it seems I wrote my storyline. The original story I was a part of became so toxic I had to forget it and make a new one. My father's abuse of my mother, which resulted in him going to prison, has impacted my life drastically, whether it's me being a child or an adult I can still see the invisible scars there. The abuse made me weary of any man who could become close to me or had the potential to love me. I've noticed that instead of embracing new relationships like most people, I push them away till no return. I never want to love someone more than I love myself like my mom did, that's my biggest fear. Watching my parents go through a divorce in my early teens gave me a completely different outlook on life and relationships. Originally, I thought everything could be a fairytale just like the movies I watched growing up, but I was sadly mistaken realizing if this was a book, my dad would be playing the big bad wolf. Everything he did during the divorce and after ended him up in prison left me thinking “Why were your kids not enough?". I always wanted to be just like my parents as a child, everything changed when I grew up. I saw the flaws that the people I once found perfect had that held them back in life and I experienced the pain that changed them into unrecognizable individuals. I always vowed to be the opposite of both of my parents. I've been successful in my attempts by always keeping my eye on the prize, regardless of how bad things could ever be, I know I'll make it though. The mistakes of my father are always there to remind me as well, that nothing is ever worth losing your life over. My plan to avoid those same circumstances is to center myself, my success, and my goals over everything else. I've been in therapy on and off since incarceration dealing with feelings of abandonment, insecurities, and missing a father who doesn't deserve to be missed. Without therapy, I don't know where I would be in life today and I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to express myself without fear of being judged.