Born and raised in Flint, Mi., I know the importance of being my own biggest advocate and avenue for success. My philosophy is "origin does not determine destination," and I live my life without limits. Raised as a foster youth in Michigan, I quickly internalized the importance of having my own back and the true value of self-awareness and perseverance. At the tender age of eight years old, I almost starved to death because my parents were severely addicted to drugs. I can vividly remember lying weak in bed unable to gather enough strength to simply get up. I thought that day would be the end of my life, but instead, I decided to use that hunger to fuel my drive for success and true peace in life. My educational journey has not been easy, to say the least. Growing up as a foster youth means that I am now a young adult navigating the world based solely on my influence and experience, without the guidance or privilege to lean on my parents for advice. Due to financial needs, I have made sacrifices that have prolonged my educational and career journey. Nonetheless, even with detours, I am still headed in the right direction. An avid researcher of justice in minority communities, my career goals include creating a few nonprofits that aid those who have been incarcerated in the United States. Decreasing criminal recidivism in minority communities is my passion, and my goal is to offer creative, mental health-focused and basic life resources to help those who have been incarcerated successfully reacclimate into society. As a self-published writer, entrepreneur, and creative, I know the boundless opportunities that entrepreneurship and creativity truly offer. My career goals also include becoming an intellectual property attorney and aiding minority communities to build generational wealth by way of lucrative trademarks and copyrights agreements. Much like my personal philosophy of life, "origin does not determine destination," I plan to shift the mindset of minority offenders who are now working towards true rehabilitation and rebuilding their lives. I too know how it feels to be counted out in life, and I want to let rehabilitated minority criminals know that they too can live meaningful lives after incarceration. Aiding minority offenders in the courtroom is also very important to me. Over 90 percent of criminal court cases end with clients accepting plea deals. I plan to volunteer my legal services for special criminal cases involving minority defendants, offering top-quality free representation to those who may otherwise not have access. Partnering with local jails and prisons in 2023, I plan to offer mental health-centered creative activities to minorities who are currently incarcerated or have been incarcerated at any stage in life. Offering activities centered around intentional living, such as candle making, I will spread the awareness and importance of strong mental health practices. To conclude, the margin of success in the United States can grow simply from one person helping the next. I am the bridge that will pave the way to generational wealth and success for many minority communities.

Born and raised in Flint, Mi., I know the importance of being my own biggest advocate and avenue for success. My philosophy is "origin does not determine destination," and I live my life without limits. Raised as a foster youth in Michigan, I quickly internalized the importance of having my own back and the true value of self-awareness and perseverance. At the tender age of eight years old, I almost starved to death because my parents were severely addicted to drugs. I can vividly remember lying weak in bed unable to gather enough strength to simply get up. I thought that day would be the end of my life, but instead, I decided to use that hunger to fuel my drive for success and true peace in life. My educational journey has not been easy, to say the least. Growing up as a foster youth means that I am now a young adult navigating the world based solely on my influence and experience, without the guidance or privilege to lean on my parents for advice. Due to financial needs, I have made sacrifices that have prolonged my educational and career journey. Nonetheless, even with detours, I am still headed in the right direction. An avid researcher of justice in minority communities, my career goals include creating a few nonprofits that aid those who have been incarcerated in the United States. Decreasing criminal recidivism in minority communities is my passion, and my goal is to offer creative, mental health-focused and basic life resources to help those who have been incarcerated successfully reacclimate into society. As a self-published writer, entrepreneur, and creative, I know the boundless opportunities that entrepreneurship and creativity truly offer. My career goals also include becoming an intellectual property attorney and aiding minority communities to build generational wealth by way of lucrative trademarks and copyrights agreements. Much like my personal philosophy of life, "origin does not determine destination," I plan to shift the mindset of minority offenders who are now working towards true rehabilitation and rebuilding their lives. I too know how it feels to be counted out in life, and I want to let rehabilitated minority criminals know that they too can live meaningful lives after incarceration. Partnering with local jails and prisons in 2023, I plan to offer mental health-centered creative activities to minorities who are currently incarcerated or have been incarcerated at any stage in life. Offering activities centered around intentional living, such as candle making, I will spread the awareness and importance of strong mental health practices. To conclude, the margin of success in the United States can grow simply from one person helping the next. I am the bridge that will pave the way to generational wealth and success for many minority communities. Receiving this scholarship will allow me to study without financial hardship. I am currently working three jobs to pay for living expenses and graduate school. I know that I will need to work even harder to afford law school as well. I do not have any family support or connection at this time, which has also presented many challenges. Although challenging, I am still striving to reach my career and educational goals because there is a severe need for the services and resources I can provide to minority communities. With the help of this scholarship, I can seamlessly aim toward reaching my educational and career goals.

Living the life of my dream is leading a life of impact and purpose. My goal in life is to help reform criminal Justice and how the system treats minority offenders. The life of my dreams includes a world where others have all the resources needed to reach their full potential. The life of my dreams impacts the dreams of others as well. I am a current graduate student dedicated to changing the lives of minorities living in the United States. As an advocate for the reduction of juvenile recidivism, I spend my time researching and providing services and resources to underserved communities. As a first generation college graduate, I know securing funds for advanced degrees is very challenging, especially for African American students. The need for guidance and resources within the juvenile justice system stretches far beyond the “school to prison pipeline.” Our minority juveniles are being funneled in and out of the criminal justice system at disproportionate rates, lowering their chances to become mentally healthy and productive members of society. Black youth are incarcerated at a rate of 433 per 100,000 compared to White youth who have an incarceration rate of 86 per 100,000. This is true although African American only account for 13% of the US population. This disparity clearly shows the gaps where racism and classism serve as a disadvantage to minorities, further exposing faults in the criminal justice system and systemic racism. With the help of this scholarship, I can advance my education, ultimately changing the lives of many minority juvenile offenders and shifting the trajectory of the criminal justice system in the United States. As an older graduate student, many of my classmates are sometimes 5-6 years younger than I am. I find it very refreshing exposing my classmates to my level of life experience and learning from their youth as well. I choose to complete my education at an HBCU because of the class environment and the high caliber of intelligence from both professors and students. I constantly find ways to connect course curriculum to real world experiences and current events so that my classmates are always conversing and learning on a deeper, more relatable, level. I promote my personal academic success and the success of my fellow learners by sharing my experience as a youth growing up in Flint, Mi., and living in many major comity throughout the United States. There is a strong need for minority legal professionals in this country. Only 3% of attorneys in the United Stares are African American, and I to increase that number by joining the profession. I am a dedicated student who is not a stranger to nontraditional success and a firm believer in hard work. With the help of this scholarship, I will be able to comply education and serve minority communities on a greater, more impactful, scale.

I am a current graduate student dedicated to changing the lives of minorities living in the United States. As an advocate for the reduction of juvenile recidivism, I spend my time researching and providing services and resources to underserved communities. As a first generation college graduate, I know securing funds for advanced degrees is very challenging, especially for African American students. The need for guidance and resources within the juvenile justice system stretches far beyond the “school to prison pipeline.” Our minority juveniles are being funneled in and out of the criminal justice system at disproportionate rates, lowering their chances to become mentally healthy and productive members of society. Black youth are incarcerated at a rate of 433 per 100,000 compared to White youth who have an incarceration rate of 86 per 100,000. This is true although African American only account for 13% of the US population. This disparity clearly shows the gaps where racism and classism serve as a disadvantage to minorities, further exposing faults in the criminal justice system and systemic racism. With the help of this scholarship, I can advance my education, ultimately changing the lives of many minority juvenile offenders and shifting the trajectory of the criminal justice system in the United States. As an older graduate student, many of my classmates are sometimes 5-6 years younger than I am. I find it very refreshing exposing my classmates to my level of life experience and learning from their youth as well. I choose to complete my education at an HBCU because of the class environment and the high caliber of intelligence from both professors and students. I constantly find ways to connect course curriculum to real world experiences and current events so that my classmates are always conversing and learning on a deeper, more relatable, level. I promote my personal academic success and the success of my fellow learners by sharing my experience as a youth growing up in Flint, Mi., and living in many major comity throughout the United States. There is a strong need for minority legal professionals in this country. Only 3% of attorneys in the United Stares are African American, and I to increase that number by joining the profession. I am a dedicated student who is not a stranger to nontraditional success and a firm believer in hard work. With the help of this scholarship, I will be able to comply education and serve minority communities on a greater, more impactful, scale.

Born and raised in Flint, Mi., I understand the importance of building your own destiny and making your own way. There were not many opportunities and the city was extremely impoverished. Although we didn’t have clean water, we remained motivated to strive for the success that would change our lives forever. I grew up in the foster care system, living from one house to the next. Without the true sense of foundation in family, I because you build a strong foundation within. I quickly leaned that my path to success would not be easy because I was poor and had no access to the sufficient resources or opportunities. I’d go on to become an exceptionally intelligent student who secured the Bill Gates Millennium Scholarship that would ensure that I received a free undergraduate education. At that very moment is when I because to feel unstoppable, I finally had the chance I thought would never come. Completing my undergraduate career in 2015, my urge to help others would lead me to Child Protective Services. I serves as an investigator in Texas and devoted my life to ensuring child safety and furthering my education. I knew that my impact would reach far beyond this agency and the skills of acquired. A current graduate student at Texas Southern University, I am feeling refreshed and prepared to expand my knowledge and ability to truly make an impact. I plan to further my education, attending law school to become an Intellectual Property Attorney. I plan to launch a creative agency, providing entrepreneurial resources and services to up and coming creators. Providing information on copyright, trademark, business formation and much more, I plan to aid in the emergency of successful minority owned businesses and ventures. Minority communities are less likely to have access to basic necessary that make a successful business. Providing such access will change the access to wealth in the United States. As a black female entrepreneur, I know how hard it is to properly build and maintain a thriving business. Many of us have million dollar ideas but no access to all of the tools needed to make it happen. I plan to bridge the gap between minority entrepreneurs and widespread visibility and wealth. I plan to provide minority communities with entrepreneurial tools and services that will change the trajectory of their lives for generations to come. Improving the lives of minorities in the United Stares overall.

Women are single handedly changing the face of entrepreneurship in the United States. In 2021, women entrepreneurs launched more than 50% of the newly emerging businesses. Though this statistic is truly outstanding, women only make up for less than 25% of all entrepreneurs in the United States. This gender disparity has exposed a gap in wealth and access to opportunities that I intend to close through my educational and career goals. Launching a creative agency that provides access to entrepreneurial skills and resources, I plan to help many up and coming creators and entrepreneurs gain the wealth and visibility they deserve. More specifically, women and minority communities. I am currently a graduate student at Texas Southern University with goals to attend law school and become an Intellectual Property Attorney. As a woman, not only will this encourage other women to strive for greatness, I understand how hard it is to access basic and necessary information and funding. Access to guidance on copyright, trademarks, or even how to form a business is extremely vital when building a successful and lasting venture. I plan to provide entrepreneurial resources and services to for women and minority communities in efforts to shift the distribution of wealth in the United States.

I am a current graduate student dedicated to changing the lives of minorities living in the United States. As an advocate for the reduction of juvenile recidivism, I spend my time researching and providing services and resources to underserved communities. As a first generation college graduate, I know securing funds for advanced degrees is very challenging, especially for African American students. The need for guidance and resources within the juvenile justice system stretches far beyond the “school to prison pipeline.” Our minority juveniles are being funneled in and out of the criminal justice system at disproportionate rates, lowering their chances to become mentally healthy and productive members of society. Black youth are incarcerated at a rate of 433 per 100,000 compared to White youth who have an incarceration rate of 86 per 100,000. This is true although African American only account for 13% of the US population. This disparity clearly shows the gaps where racism and classism serve as a disadvantage to minorities, further exposing faults in the criminal justice system and systemic racism. With the help of this scholarship, I can advance my education, ultimately changing the lives of many minority juvenile offenders and shifting the trajectory of the criminal justice system in the United States. Many factors have contributed to my decision to further my education and pursue law. With a law degree I can help many minority communities gain access to wealth. I plan to launch a creative agency that not only allows racial minority groups access to information and funding, but also class minorities. More specifically those who have been incarcerated. With a law degree I can also represent minorities within the criminal justice system, aiding in the fight to end racism and discrimination in sentencing and incarceration. I also plan to serve as a criminal defense attorney to minority offenders who otherwise would not have access to adequate representation. Pursuing law allows me to provide minority communities with the resources, connections and representation they deserve. There is a strong need for minority legal professionals in this country. Only 3% of attorneys in the United Stares are African American, and I to increase that number by joining the profession. I am a dedicated student who is not a stranger to nontraditional success and a firm believer in hard work. With the help of this scholarship, I will be able to complete my education and serve minority communities on a greater, more impactful, scale.

Born and raised in Flint, Mi., I understand the extreme need for criminal Justice reform. Driven by integrity and compassion, I plan to become a criminal attorney once I complete graduate and law school. As a current graduate student, my main focus is juvenile recidivism and researching racial disparities within the criminal Justice system in minority communities. I plan to open a creative agency that employs those with extensive criminal history. Giving them access to opportunities and resources that will change their lives forever.

I am a current graduate student dedicated to changing the lives of minorities living in the United States. As an advocate for the reduction of juvenile recidivism, I spend my time researching and providing services and resources to underserved communities. As a first generation college graduate, I know securing funds for advanced degrees is very challenging, especially for African American students. The need for guidance and resources within the juvenile justice system stretches far beyond the “school to prison pipeline.” Our minority juveniles are being funneled in and out of the criminal justice system at disproportionate rates, lowering their chances to become mentally healthy and productive members of society. Black youth are incarcerated at a rate of 433 per 100,000 compared to White youth who have an incarceration rate of 86 per 100,000. This is true although African American only account for 13% of the US population. This disparity clearly shows the gaps where racism and classism serve as a disadvantage to minorities, further exposing faults in the criminal justice system and systemic racism. With the help of this scholarship, I can advance my education, ultimately changing the lives of many minority juvenile offenders and shifting the trajectory of the criminal justice system in the United States. As an older graduate student, many of my classmates are sometimes 5-6 years younger than I am. I find it very refreshing exposing my classmates to my level of life experience and learning from their youth as well. I choose to complete my education at an HBCU because of the class environment and the high caliber of intelligence from both professors and students. I constantly find ways to connect course curriculum to real world experiences and current events so that my classmates are always conversing and learning on a deeper, more relatable, level. I promote my personal academic success and the success of my fellow learners by sharing my experience as a youth growing up in Flint, Mi., and living in many major comity throughout the United States. There is a strong need for minority legal professionals in this country. Only 3% of attorneys in the United Stares are African American, and I to increase that number by joining the profession. I am a dedicated student who is not a stranger to nontraditional success and a firm believer in hard work. With the help of this scholarship, I will be able to comply education and serve minority communities on a greater, more impactful, scale.