According to a study published in 1987 in the American Annals of the Deaf (Vol. 132, No. 4), deaf girls are twice as likely to have been sexually abused than hearing girls, and deaf boys are five times as likely to have been sexually abused as compared with hearing boys. Simply, there is a need for accessible resources for the Deaf Community. I am dedicated to contributing to health equity by supporting a community of people often overlooked by having both the medical knowledge as well as the cultural awareness to serve them appropriately. Deafness in itself is not a disability. In 2017, I worked with a deaf boy adopted by a hearing family. His biological family did not have the ability to provide the support he needed as a deaf person, and for the first eleven years of his life, he had no language. When I met him, he did not even know his name. Over the course of the following year, I assisted his new family by connecting them with resources, so they could learn sign language together. Now he has a language and knows his name! Watching his determination to learn, no matter the obstacle inspires me to excel despite the limitations I have been facing. I have always been able to find ways to overcome mental health issues and be successful in high school and the undergraduate program at St. Louis College of Pharmacy. COVID, however, proved to be nothing like anything I had experienced while I was studying in the doctorate program, leading to an additional obstacle. “This is America, the Land of Opportunity. If the opportunity you have is not what you want, why are you staying?” This question was posed to me by my instructor at St. Louis College of Pharmacy after expressing my concerns about my work environment. She had left Serbia around the Bosnian Civil War, so she has a unique perspective on life. The most important lesson for me during the pandemic was that a toxic work environment will impact other parts of my life and that I did not need to stay. I left and started working in a supportive learning environment. At the local Centers for Independent Living, organizations supporting people with disabilities that are led by people with disabilities, I have collaborated with the Student National Pharmaceutical Association, a professional pharmacy organization with the mission to “Serve the Underserved.” Together we have organized multiple Health Fairs with ASL interpreters to have accessible health information. With pharmacy and ASL students present, this allows both student groups to practice their skills in preparation for working as a professional. We provide free blood pressure and glucose screenings. I also invite various health or community organizations to provide more screenings and information such as HIV/AIDS, Poison Control, and housing. My future goal is to organize Health Fairs across the nation at these Centers. Since COVID-19, I have collaborated with GRYT Health and Bristol-Myers Squibb to hold The Advocacy Exchange, a virtual health fair to support the community during the pandemic. This has opened my understanding of “community” beyond what even I considered possible. I believe in "Education and Empowerment," as my life's trademark. My desire is to educate healthcare providers and the public on accessibility for people with disabilities and then empower people with disabilities to be advocates for their health. All patients have the right to health information presented in a way that they can understand. When I graduate, I will still be a pharmacist. Having the opportunity to be a technician will allow me to be a better pharmacist in leading my team. I also realized more fully that if I am emotionally empty, I cannot effectively support others nor can I be as productive as I could. Through both in-person and online opportunities, I am determined to advocate for my community by first advocating for myself

Deafness in itself is not a disability. In 2017, I worked with a deaf boy adopted by a hearing family. His biological family did not have the ability to provide the support he needed as a deaf person, and for the first eleven years of his life, he had no language. When I met him, he did not even know his name. Over the course of the following year, I assisted his new family by connecting them with resources, so they could learn sign language together. Now he has a language and knows his name! Watching his determination to learn, no matter the obstacle inspires me to excel despite the limitations I have been facing. I have always been able to find ways to overcome mental health issues and be successful in high school and the undergraduate program at St. Louis College of Pharmacy. COVID, however, proved to be nothing like anything I had experienced while I was studying in the doctorate program, leading to an additional obstacle. The most important lesson for me during the pandemic was that a toxic work environment will impact other parts of my life and that I did not need to stay. I left and started working in a supportive learning environment. According to a study published in 1987 in the American Annals of the Deaf (Vol. 132, No. 4), deaf girls are twice as likely to have been sexually abused than hearing girls, and deaf boys are five times as likely to have been sexually abused as compared with hearing boys. Simply, there is a need for accessible resources for the Deaf Community. I am dedicated to contributing to health equity by supporting a community of people often overlooked by having both the medical knowledge as well as the cultural awareness to serve them appropriately. At the local Centers for Independent Living, organizations supporting people with disabilities that are led by people with disabilities, I have collaborated with the Student National Pharmaceutical Association, a professional pharmacy organization with the mission to “Serve the Underserved.” Together we have organized multiple Health Fairs with ASL interpreters to have accessible health information. With pharmacy and ASL students present, this allows both student groups to practice their skills in preparation for working as a professional. We provide free blood pressure and glucose screenings. I also invite various health or community organizations to provide more screenings and information such as HIV/AIDS, Poison Control, and housing. My future goal is to organize Health Fairs across the nation at these Centers. Since COVID-19, I have collaborated with GRYT Health and Bristol-Myers Squibb to hold The Advocacy Exchange, a virtual health fair to support the community during the pandemic. This has opened my understanding of “community” beyond what even I considered possible. I believe in "Education and Empowerment," as my life's trademark. My desire is to educate healthcare providers and the public on accessibility for people with disabilities and then empower people with disabilities to be advocates for their health. All patients have the right to health information presented in a way that they can understand. When I graduate, I will still be a pharmacist. Having the opportunity to be a technician will allow me to be a better pharmacist in leading my team. I also realized more fully that if I am emotionally empty, I cannot effectively support others nor can I be as productive as I could. Through both in-person and online opportunities, I am determined to advocate for my community by first advocating for myself

Deafness in itself is not a disability. In 2017, I worked with a deaf boy adopted by a hearing family. His biological family did not have the ability to provide the support he needed as a deaf person, and for the first eleven years of his life, he had no language. When I met him, he did not even know his name. Over the course of the following year, I assisted his new family by connecting them with resources, so they could learn sign language together. Now he has a language and knows his name! Watching his determination to learn, no matter the obstacle inspires me to excel despite the limitations I have been facing. My chronic medical condition has impacted my life by influencing how I interact with large groups of people. I have always been able to find ways to overcome it and be successful in high school and the undergraduate program at St. Louis College of Pharmacy. COVID, however, proved to be nothing like anything I had experienced while I was studying in the doctorate program, leading to an additional obstacle. The most important lesson for me during the pandemic was that a toxic work environment will impact other parts of my life and that I did not need to stay. I left and started working in a supportive learning environment. As a future pharmacist, I desire to advocate for patients with disabilities in healthcare. I am dedicated to contributing to health equity by supporting a community of people often overlooked by having both the medical knowledge as well as the cultural awareness to serve them appropriately. At the local Centers for Independent Living, organizations supporting people with disabilities that are led by people with disabilities, I have collaborated with the Student National Pharmaceutical Association, a professional pharmacy organization with the mission to “Serve the Underserved.” Together we have organized multiple Health Fairs with ASL interpreters to have accessible health information. With pharmacy and ASL students present, this allows both student groups to practice their skills in preparation for working as a professional. We provide free blood pressure and glucose screenings. I also invite various health or community organizations to provide more screenings and information such as HIV/AIDS, Poison Control, and housing. My future goal is to organize Health Fairs across the nation at these Centers. Since COVID-19, I have collaborated with GRYT Health and Bristol-Myers Squibb to hold The Advocacy Exchange, a virtual health fair to support the community during the pandemic. This has opened my understanding of “community” beyond what even I considered possible. I believe in "Education and Empowerment," as my life's trademark. My desire is to educate healthcare providers and the public on accessibility for people with disabilities and then empower people with disabilities to be advocates for their health. All patients have the right to health information presented in a way that they can understand. When I graduate, I will still be a pharmacist. Having the opportunity to be a technician will allow me to be a better pharmacist in leading my team. I also realized more fully that if I am emotionally empty, I cannot effectively support others nor can I be as productive as I could. Through both in-person and online opportunities, I am determined to advocate for my community by first advocating for myself.

Deafness in itself is not a disability. Three years ago, I worked with a Deaf boy adopted by a hearing family. His biological family did not have the ability to provide the support he needed as a Deaf person, and for the first eleven years of his life, he had no language. When I met him, he did not even know his name. I read about language deprivation and about how isolating deafness can be, especially if a child does not have access to language development. To actually see and meet someone who experienced it was much more real and disheartening. His adopted family had the means and decided when they adopted him that the whole family would learn sign language, but they did not know where to start. Over the course of the following year, I assisted his new family by connecting them with resources, so they could learn sign language together. Now he has a language and knows his name! His transformation is amazing. I am studying to become a pharmacist to advocate for my patients. I have organized an ASL Club at STLCOP to educate my classmates about serving the Deaf and people with disabilities. One of the Deaf presenters, I brought to campus, shared that whenever she went to the doctor; the medical professionals would only speak to her hearing parents, who knew very little sign language, about her health. She would sit there, unaware of the discussion. Her parents would tell her a very basic summary in ASL. She hated healthcare professionals and hid under the table, especially for vaccines. It was not until years later that a healthcare provider spoke with her, with an ASL interpreter, and explained to her the importance of vaccines as well as answered her questions. Medical procedures became less painful and confusing once she understood their purpose. At the local Centers for Independent Living, I have collaborated with the Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA), a professional pharmacy organization with the mission to “Serve the Underserved.” Together we have organized multiple Health Fairs in the community with ASL interpreters to have accessible health information. We provide free blood pressure and glucose screenings. I also invite various health or community organizations to provide more screenings and information such as HIV/AIDS, Poison Control, and housing. My future goal is to organize Health Fairs across the nation at these Centers. Since COVID-19, I have collaborated with GRYT Health and Bristol-Myers Squibb to hold The Advocacy Exchange, a virtual health fair to support the community during the pandemic. This has opened my understanding of “community” beyond what even I considered possible. I believe in "Education and Empowerment," as my life's mantra. My desire is to educate healthcare providers, as well as the public, on accessibility for people with disabilities and then empower people with disabilities to be advocates for their health. All patients have the right to health information presented in a way that they can understand. Selflessness is learning someone's language to provide the best care possible.

Deafness in itself is not a disability. In 2017, I worked with a Deaf boy, who grew up without a language. When I met him, he did not even know his name. Over the course of the following year, I assisted his new family by connecting them with resources, so they could learn sign language together. Now he has a language and knows his name! As a future pharmacist, it is my goal to provide medical information that is accessible to the Deaf. In order to do this, I have organized an American Sign Language (ASL) club to educate my classmates and other healthcare providers, and I have organized Health Fairs to provide opportunities for the providers to interact with the Deaf through an interpreter, while also creating a learning opportunity for ASL students to practice their medical interpreting. One of the Deaf presenters for the ASL club shared that whenever she went to the doctor; the medical professionals would only speak to her hearing parents, who knew very little sign language, about her health. She would sit there, unaware of the discussion. She hated healthcare professionals and hid under the table, especially for vaccines. It was not until years later that a healthcare provider spoke with her, with an ASL interpreter, and explained to her the importance of vaccines as well as answered her questions. Medical procedures became less painful and confusing once she understood their purpose. In 2020, after converting to an online organization, I have the opportunity to educate students from across the nation about the importance of accessibility for our patients. I hosted a pharmacist from Costa Rica to share how pharmacy is different in other countries, but the need for accessible information remains the same. At the local Centers for Independent Living, organizations supporting people with disabilities that are led by people with disabilities, I have collaborated with the Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA), a professional pharmacy organization with the mission to “Serve the Underserved.” Together we have organized multiple Health Fairs with ASL interpreters to have accessible health information. With pharmacy and ASL students present, this allows both student groups to practice their skills in preparation for working as a professional. We provide free blood pressure and glucose screenings. I also invite various health or community organizations to provide more screenings and information such as HIV/AIDS, Poison Control, and housing. My future goal is to organize Health Fairs across the nation at these Centers. Since COVID-19, I have collaborated with GRYT Health and Bristol-Myers Squibb to hold The Advocacy Exchange, a virtual health fair to support the community during the pandemic. This has opened my understanding of “community” beyond what even I considered possible. I believe in "Education and Empowerment," as my life's mantra. My desire is to educate healthcare providers, as well as the public, on accessibility for people with disabilities and then empower people with disabilities to be advocates for their health. All patients have the right to health information presented in a way that they can understand.

I am a pharmacy student at St. Louis College of Pharmacy and taking American Sign Language to better communicate with the Deaf. In 2017, I worked with a Deaf boy, who grew up without a language. When I met him, he did not even know his name. Over the course of the following year, I assisted his new family by connecting them with resources, so they could learn sign language together. Now he has a language and knows his name! I desire all of my patients to have this access. As a future pharmacist, it is my goal to provide medical information that is accessible to the Deaf. In order to do this, I have organized an American Sign Language (ASL) club to educate my classmates and other healthcare providers, and I have organized Health Fairs to provide opportunities for the providers to interact with the Deaf through an interpreter, while also creating a learning opportunity for ASL students to practice their medical interpreting. One of the Deaf presenters for the ASL club shared that whenever she went to the doctor; the medical professionals would only speak to her hearing parents, who knew very little sign language, about her health. She would sit there, unaware of the discussion. She hated healthcare professionals and hid under the table, especially for vaccines. It was not until years later that a healthcare provider spoke with her, with an ASL interpreter, and explained to her the importance of vaccines as well as answered her questions. Medical procedures became less painful and confusing once she understood their purpose. In 2020, after converting to an online organization, I have the opportunity to educate students from across the nation about the importance of accessibility for our patients. I hosted a pharmacist from Costa Rica to share how pharmacy is different in other countries, but the need for accessible information remains the same. I was scheduled to graduate in May 2023, so I was unable to apply for my school's scholarships. Previously, I had brought my car in for repairs, but during this process, the engine was damaged. This led to a car accident. I am now scheduled to graduate in May 2024. Unfortunately, my school's scholarship application has closed. This scholarship will help me finish my last year of school. I have been working towards this goal since 2015, and I would like to finish what I started. I have lived at home, taken public transportation, and worked at the school as well as a retail and hospital pharmacy. I have applied for my school's scholarship every year (when permitted), and I have applied for scholarships on Bold.org and other websites. Music has a powerful influence on us. It expresses emotions and feelings that we cannot easily say in words. A rotten day can change with the music. When the Deaf attend a concert, they pay the same ticket price as everyone else there. Through an interpreter, the Deaf can have that connection with everyone else. Because of this, I have worked with venues to have evening shows with interpreters. Through sign language, the Deaf have equal access.

The US Constitution establishes expectations that the country should expect from the government. This is important for any organization because clear communication prevents misunderstanding and frustration. Just like a constitution can help prevent misunderstanding, having a common language or having a professional interpreter when supporting our Deaf patients. Deafness in itself is not a disability. In 2017, I worked with a Deaf boy, who grew up without a language. When I met him, he did not even know his name. Over the course of the following year, I assisted his new family by connecting them with resources, so they could learn sign language together. Now he has a language and knows his name! To continue the fight for accessibility for the Deaf, I have organized an American Sign Language (ASL) Club in the Tallo Community to educate my classmates about serving the Deaf and people with disabilities. One of the Deaf presenters shared that whenever she went to the doctor; the medical professionals would only speak to her hearing parents, who knew very little sign language, about her health. She would sit there, unaware of the discussion. She hated healthcare professionals and hid under the table, especially for vaccines. It was not until years later that a healthcare provider spoke with her, with an ASL interpreter, and explained to her the importance of vaccines as well as answered her questions. Medical procedures became less painful and confusing once she understood their purpose. In 2020, after converting to an online organization, I have the opportunity to educate students from across the nation about the importance of accessibility for our patients. I hosted a pharmacist from Costa Rica to share how pharmacy is different in other countries, but the need for accessible information remains the same. At the local Centers for Independent Living, organizations supporting people with disabilities that are led by people with disabilities, I have collaborated with the Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA), a professional pharmacy organization with the mission to “Serve the Underserved.” Together we have organized multiple Health Fairs with ASL interpreters to have accessible health information. With pharmacy and ASL students present, this allows both student groups to practice their skills in preparation for working as a professional. We provide free blood pressure and glucose screenings. I also invite various health or community organizations to provide more screenings and information such as HIV/AIDS, Poison Control, and housing. My future goal is to organize Health Fairs across the nation at these Centers. Since COVID-19, I have collaborated with GRYT Health and Bristol-Myers Squibb to hold The Advocacy Exchange, a virtual health fair to support the community during the pandemic. This has opened my understanding of “community” beyond what even I considered possible. I believe in "Education and Empowerment," as my life's mantra. My desire is to educate healthcare providers, as well as the public, on accessibility for people with disabilities and then empower people with disabilities to be advocates for their health. All patients have the right to health information presented in a way that they can understand.

Deafness in itself is not a disability. In 2017, I worked with a Deaf boy, who grew up without a language. When I met him, he did not even know his name. Over the course of the following year, I assisted his new family by connecting them with resources, so they could learn sign language together. Now he has a language and knows his name! As a future pharmacist, it is my goal to provide medical information that is accessible to the Deaf. In order to do this, I have organized an American Sign Language (ASL) club to educate my classmates and other healthcare providers, and I have organized Health Fairs to provide opportunities for the providers to interact with the Deaf through an interpreter, while also creating a learning opportunity for ASL students to practice their medical interpreting. One of the Deaf presenters for the ASL club shared that whenever she went to the doctor; the medical professionals would only speak to her hearing parents, who knew very little sign language, about her health. She would sit there, unaware of the discussion. She hated healthcare professionals and hid under the table, especially for vaccines. It was not until years later that a healthcare provider spoke with her, with an ASL interpreter, and explained to her the importance of vaccines as well as answered her questions. Medical procedures became less painful and confusing once she understood their purpose. In 2020, after converting to an online organization, I have the opportunity to educate students from across the nation about the importance of accessibility for our patients. I hosted a pharmacist from Costa Rica to share how pharmacy is different in other countries, but the need for accessible information remains the same. At the local Centers for Independent Living, organizations supporting people with disabilities that are led by people with disabilities, I have collaborated with the Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA), a professional pharmacy organization with the mission to “Serve the Underserved.” Together we have organized multiple Health Fairs with ASL interpreters to have accessible health information. With pharmacy and ASL students present, this allows both student groups to practice their skills in preparation for working as a professional. We provide free blood pressure and glucose screenings. I also invite various health or community organizations to provide more screenings and information such as HIV/AIDS, Poison Control, and housing. My future goal is to organize Health Fairs across the nation at these Centers. Since COVID-19, I have collaborated with GRYT Health and Bristol-Myers Squibb to hold The Advocacy Exchange, a virtual health fair to support the community during the pandemic. This has opened my understanding of “community” beyond what even I considered possible. I believe in "Education and Empowerment," as my life's mantra. My desire is to educate healthcare providers, as well as the public, on accessibility for people with disabilities and then empower people with disabilities to be advocates for their health. All patients have the right to health information presented in a way that they can understand.

My life’s mantra is, “Education and Empowerment.” My name is Steven Kramer, and I am a pharmacy student at St. Louis College of Pharmacy (STLCOP) and take American Sign Language (ASL) classes at Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC). As a future pharmacist, I desire to advocate for patients with disabilities in healthcare. I see a future where people with disabilities, particularly the Deaf, have access to resources in a way they can understand. Locally, I organize health fairs with interpreters to make a difference. Deafness in itself is not a disability. In 2017, I worked with a Deaf boy adopted by a hearing family. His biological family did not have the ability to provide the support he needed as a Deaf person, and for the first eleven years of his life, he had no language. When I met him, he did not even know his name. Over the course of the following year, I assisted his new family by connecting them with resources, so they could learn sign language together. Now he has a language and knows his name! At SWIC, I joined their ASL Club which has a monthly “Sign and Dine” where I have met and interacted with members of the Deaf community. This way I can learn sign language from the Deaf and gain trust in this community. In high school, I found research showing a need for pharmacists to be more accessible for the Deaf, so I decided to pursue a pharmacy career. I have joined the Health Professional Student Leadership Council, a collaboration between St. Louis medical schools, to learn about the different healthcare professions, their roles, and expertise, and to network with future healthcare providers from these schools. Providers must know how to work together for the best health outcomes for their patients. I have organized an ASL Club at STLCOP to educate my classmates about serving the Deaf and people with disabilities. One of the Deaf presenters shared that whenever she went to the doctor; the medical professionals would only speak to her hearing parents, who knew very little sign language, about her health. She would sit there, unaware of the discussion. Her parents would tell her a very basic summary in ASL. She hated healthcare professionals and hid under the table, especially for vaccines. It was not until years later that a healthcare provider spoke with her, with an ASL interpreter, and explained to her the importance of vaccines as well as answered her questions. Medical procedures became less painful and confusing once she understood their purpose. In 2020, the ASL Club converted to an online organization through the Tallo Community. I have the opportunity to educate students from across the nation about the importance of accessibility for our patients. I hosted a pharmacist from Costa Rica to share how pharmacy is different in other countries, but the need for accessible information remains the same. At the local Centers for Independent Living (CIL), which are organizations that support people with disabilities, led by people with disabilities, I have collaborated with the Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA), a professional pharmacy organization with the mission to “Serve the Underserved.” Together we have organized multiple Health Fairs with ASL interpreters to have accessible health information. With pharmacy and ASL students present, this allows both student groups to practice their skills in preparation for working as a professional. We provide free blood pressure and glucose screenings. I also invite various health or community organizations to provide more screenings and information such as HIV/AIDS, Poison Control, and housing. My future goal is to organize Health Fairs across the nation at these Centers. Since COVID-19, I have collaborated with GRYT Health and Bristol-Myers Squibb to hold The Advocacy Exchange, a virtual health fair to support the community during the pandemic. This has opened my understanding of “community” beyond what even I considered possible. I have connected with a pharmacist in India and Costa Rica and we have discussed how healthcare professionals around the world can better advocate for their Deaf patients. When not organizing these events, I have worked part-time at local pharmacies where I would counsel on medication as well as vaccinate. In 2021, I began working at a hospital to experience a different pharmacy setting. Here I delivered medication to the floors and learned how to appropriately enter the IV hood. I believe in "Education and Empowerment," as my life's mantra. My desire is to educate healthcare providers, as well as the public, on accessibility for people with disabilities and then empower people with disabilities to be advocates for their health. All patients have the right to health information presented in a way that they can understand. I make a difference in the community by educating everyone I interact with, the country by empowering the CILs located in every state through connection with their local SNPhA organization, and the world through The Advocacy Exchange and the Tallo Community, which empowers local advocacy organizations to serve their community and future students to be more aware of the Deaf community and people with disabilities. Every aspect of life needs to be more accessible, and it is my life's mission to make this happen. Sign language changes lives!

My life’s mantra is, “Education and Empowerment.” I am a pharmacy student at St. Louis College of Pharmacy (STLCOP) and take American Sign Language (ASL) classes at Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC). As a future pharmacist, I desire to advocate for patients with disabilities in healthcare. I am choosing pharmacy as a career in order to support a community of people often overlooked by having both the medical knowledge as well as the cultural awareness to serve them appropriately. Deafness in itself is not a disability. In 2017, I worked with a Deaf boy adopted by a hearing family. His biological family did not have the ability to provide the support he needed as a Deaf person, and for the first eleven years of his life, he had no language. When I met him, he did not even know his name. Over the course of the following year, I assisted his new family by connecting them with resources, so they could learn sign language together. Now he has a language and knows his name! I have organized an ASL Club at STLCOP to educate my classmates about serving the Deaf and people with disabilities. One of the Deaf presenters shared that whenever she went to the doctor; the medical professionals would only speak to her hearing parents, who knew very little sign language, about her health. She would sit there, unaware of the discussion. Her parents would tell her a very basic summary in ASL. She hated healthcare professionals and hid under the table, especially for vaccines. It was not until years later that a healthcare provider spoke with her, with an ASL interpreter, and explained to her the importance of vaccines as well as answered her questions. Medical procedures became less painful and confusing once she understood their purpose. In 2020, the ASL Club converted to an online organization through the Tallo Community. I have the opportunity to educate students from across the nation about the importance of accessibility for our patients. I hosted a pharmacist from Costa Rica to share how pharmacy is different in other countries, but the need for accessible information remains the same. At the local Centers for Independent Living, organizations supporting people with disabilities that are led by people with disabilities, I have collaborated with the Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA), a professional pharmacy organization with the mission to “Serve the Underserved.” Together we have organized multiple Health Fairs with ASL interpreters to have accessible health information. With pharmacy and ASL students present, this allows both student groups to practice their skills in preparation for working as a professional. We provide free blood pressure and glucose screenings. I also invite various health or community organizations to provide more screenings and information such as HIV/AIDS, Poison Control, and housing. My future goal is to organize Health Fairs across the nation at these Centers. Since COVID-19, I have collaborated with GRYT Health and Bristol-Myers Squibb to hold The Advocacy Exchange, a virtual health fair to support the community during the pandemic. This has opened my understanding of “community” beyond what even I considered possible. I believe in "Education and Empowerment," as my life's mantra. My desire is to educate healthcare providers, as well as the public, on accessibility for people with disabilities and then empower people with disabilities to be advocates for their health. All patients have the right to health information presented in a way that they can understand.

My life’s mantra is, “Education and Empowerment.” My name is Steven Kramer, and I am a pharmacy student at St. Louis College of Pharmacy (STLCOP) and take American Sign Language (ASL) classes. As a future pharmacist, I desire to advocate for patients with disabilities in healthcare. I envision contributing to health equity by supporting a community of people often overlooked by having both the medical knowledge as well as the cultural awareness to serve them appropriately. Deafness in itself is not a disability. In 2017, I worked with a Deaf boy adopted by a hearing family. His biological family did not have the ability to provide the support he needed as a Deaf person, and for the first eleven years of his life, he had no language. When I met him, he did not even know his name. Over the course of the following year, I assisted his new family by connecting them with resources, so they could learn sign language together. Now he has a language and knows his name! In high school, I found research showing a need for pharmacists to be more accessible for the Deaf, so I decided to pursue a pharmacy career. I have organized an ASL Club at STLCOP to educate my classmates about serving the Deaf and people with disabilities. In 2020, the ASL Club converted to an online organization through the Tallo Community. I have the opportunity to educate students from across the nation about the importance of accessibility for our patients. I hosted a pharmacist from Costa Rica to share how pharmacy is different in other countries, but the need for accessible information remains the same. At the local Centers for Independent Living, organizations supporting people with disabilities that are led by people with disabilities, I have collaborated with the Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA), a professional pharmacy organization with the mission to “Serve the Underserved.” Together we have organized multiple Health Fairs with ASL interpreters to have accessible health information. With pharmacy and ASL students present, this allows both student groups to practice their skills in preparation for working as a professional. We provide free blood pressure and glucose screenings. I also invite various health or community organizations to provide more screenings and information such as HIV/AIDS, Poison Control, and housing. My future goal is to organize Health Fairs across the nation at these Centers. Since COVID-19, I have collaborated with GRYT Health and Bristol-Myers Squibb to hold The Advocacy Exchange, a virtual health fair to support the community during the pandemic. This has opened my understanding of “community” beyond what even I considered possible. I believe in "Education and Empowerment," as my life's mantra. My desire is to educate healthcare providers, as well as the public, on accessibility for people with disabilities and then empower people with disabilities to be advocates for their health. All patients have the right to health information presented in a way that they can understand.

Imagine choosing a pair of prescription glasses without knowing if it will help until after spending a day wearing them. This is how it is with the Deaf community with their interpreters at various skill levels. As a pharmacy student, I organize health fairs for the Deaf while inviting student interpreters to provide an opportunity for them to gain medical interpreting skills under professional interpreters’ supervision. My dream life is to be able to educate healthcare providers on accessibility for patients with disabilities and then to empower people with disabilities to be advocates for their health. As a future pharmacist, I desire to work with governments and healthcare systems around the world to make changes in policies and guidelines to make sure the Deaf have access to care. Presently, I have connected with members from the International Pharmaceutical Federation who are also advocating for the Deaf in their community in their culture’s unique sign languages to share ways we can better support the Deaf in our communities. When advocating for patients in healthcare who speak another language than the provider, an interpreter will facilitate communication. In the same way, when serving the Deaf community, sign language interpreters will be able to make the message clear. Members of hearing communities typically have access to education in their community’s language; however, members of the Deaf community may not have had reliable access to education. For example, as mentioned above, while growing up the Deaf person’s education experience may have had a variety of interpreters of different skill levels or no sign language exposure at all. This unique situation requires healthcare providers to be patient when educating through a sign language interpreter. Healthcare will become more accessible for the Deaf as we educate providers, empower patients, and equip interpreters that enable clear communication.

"What is it like to "hear" a hand? You have to be deaf to understand" and so begins the poem by Willard J. Madsen explaining his life growing up as a deaf person and the struggles he faced. Growing up as a hearing person, I found myself ashamed of my voice. In eighth grade, I met someone who is Deaf. I began learning sign language as a way to express myself without speaking. Interacting with her made me realize that people with disabilities were people like everyone else. However, I also realized that members of the deaf community are overlooked by the hearing society because hearing people will not listen to their concerns. By learning sign language, I can learn about their concerns, and with the voice I have, speak to hearing people and change perspectives. As a pharmacy student at St. Louis College of Pharmacy, my personal goal is to become fluent in sign language with an emphasis on medical sign language, so I can focus on making sure the Deaf community has the best access possible to health information by knowing their language. Since then, I have collaborated with the Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA) to hold health fairs in the community. SNPhA's mission of "Serving the Underserved" connects well with mine, "Educating Providers on Accessibility for Patients with Disabilities and Empowering Patients with Disabilities to be Advocates for their Health." One of my personal favorite parts about my Health Fairs is that pharmacy students work with sign language students to educate the community with the support of professional pharmacists and interpreters. This provides an opportunity for both groups of students to prepare themselves to serve the community more effectively in their future careers. My goal is that SNPhA organizations across the country will collaborate with their local Center for Independent Living to hold Health Fairs in the community and educational events on campus for pharmacy students to learn and work with people with disabilities, so they can provide better access to health information. Since COVID-19, I have collaborated with GRYT Health and Bristol-Myers Squibb to hold the COVID Advocacy Exchange, a virtual health fair to support the community during the pandemic. This has opened my understanding of “community” to beyond what even I considered possible. In the spring of 2016, I met an eleven-year-old deaf boy. His biological family was not able to give him the support he needed as a deaf person. Because of this, for the first eleven years of his life, he had no language. He did not even know his name. It was very heartbreaking. Thankfully, another family adopted him, and all seven of them learned sign language to communicate with him. This completely changed his life! He can read, write, sign, and knows his name. Fighting fear is a daily challenge, but I have decided to use the voice I have to uplift the signing voices of the Deaf community.

In 2016, my mother was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). This shook my world, as she has been trusted support to me when life is tough. My mother has been attending counseling sessions to help her manage this disorder. I want to help families to have peace of mind, and a pharmacy career will allow me to do that. In 2016, I met an eleven-year-old boy who grew up without access to a language. Thankfully, another family, who learned sign language to communicate with him, adopted him. His story is very common in the Deaf community. This is why not only am I taking American Sign Language (ASL) classes to make sure the Deaf have access to care in a way they can understand, but I founded the ASL club to educate future pharmacists on cultural competency when interacting with the Deaf community. According to a study published in 1987 in the American Annals of the Deaf (Vol. 132, No. 4), deaf girls are twice as likely to have been sexually abused than hearing girls, and deaf boys are five times as likely to have been sexually abused as compared with hearing boys. In the YouTube video, “Hedy vs Heidi - Overcoming Her Depression Story,” Heidi, a prominent Deaf figure in the Deaf Community, encourages the Deaf watching to express their feelings with a counselor. As a Student National Pharmaceutical Association member, I have organized multiple community Health Fairs at Centers for Independent Living. I also invite various health or community organizations to provide more screenings and information. Since COVID-19, I have collaborated with GRYT Health and Bristol-Myers Squibb to hold the COVID Advocacy Exchange, a virtual health fair to support the community during the pandemic. This has opened my understanding of “community” to beyond what even I considered possible. My ambition is to help families impacted by mental health issues, especially those in the Deaf community. Through counseling, my mother has obtained the skills to live a very productive life, and I desire to help others have that opportunity.

"If I can stop one heart from breaking, I shall not live in vain; If I can ease one life the aching, Or cool one pain, Or help one fainting robin Unto his nest again, I shall not live in vain." - Emily Dickinson "What is it like to "hear" a hand? You have to be deaf to understand" and so begins the poem by Willard J. Madsen explaining his life growing up as a deaf person and the struggles he faced. Growing up as a hearing person, I was not comfortable speaking. I found it easier to use my older siblings to speak for me. Much of my younger years consisted of me trapped by fear. In eighth grade, I met someone who is Deaf. I began learning sign language as a way to express myself without speaking. Interacting with her made me realize that people with disabilities were people like everyone else. However, I also realized that members of the Deaf community are overlooked by the hearing society because hearing people will not listen to their concerns. By learning sign language, I can learn about their concerns, and with the voice I have, speak to hearing people and change perspectives on what it means to have a disability. As a pharmacy student at St. Louis College of Pharmacy, my personal goal is to become fluent in sign language with an emphasis on medical sign language, so I can focus on making sure the Deaf community has the best access possible to health information by knowing their language. One way I have done this is by collaborating with the Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA) to hold health fairs in the community with interpreters for the Deaf. My goal is that SNPhA organizations across the country will collaborate with their local Center for Independent Living to hold Health Fairs in the community and educational events on campus for pharmacy students to learn and work with people with disabilities, so they can provide better access to health information. Returning to the poem by Emily Dickinson, each life is valuable. I desire to support the community at large but each person individually as well. In the spring of 2016, I met an eleven-year-old deaf boy. His biological family was not able to give him the support he needed as a deaf person. Because of this, for the first eleven years of his life, he had no language. He didn't even know his name. It was very heartbreaking. He was "fainting robin." Thankfully, another family adopted him, and all seven of them learned sign language to communicate with him. This completely changed his life! He can read, write, sign, and knows his name! He always had an identity, but the lack of lanaguage prevented it from truly showing. Fighting fear is a daily challenge, but I have decided to use the voice I have to speak out in support of the signing voices of the Deaf community.

I need this scholarship because of the delayed graduation COVID-19 has caused. I am a pharmacy student at St. Louis College of Pharmacy (STLCOP). I organize community health fairs for people with disabilities. I reached out to IMPACT CIL, an advocacy organization for people with disabilities, to hold our second health fair at their facility in April. I first realized something was wrong when the coordinator from IMPACT CIL informed me that she was having difficulties gathering health organizations to come to our event. In 2019, 55 different organizations and advocacy groups presented, so I was surprised that they were not interested in returning. Then, the lockdown was announced, and everything was cancelled. While all this was happening, CVS purchased Schnucks Pharmacy, a local grocery chain with a pharmacy. All employees lost their position with Schnucks, but CVS hired everyone back. Many of our patients’ insurance was no longer accepted, which led to long-time patients leaving and increased frustration with those who stayed as their copays increased. We were no longer able to sell over-the-counter medicine, as it was considered Schnucks products, and we were separate stores. The timecard was not working, so I was working without pay, and CVS discontinued technology that allowed Schnucks Pharmacy to be more efficient in dispensing medication. Then, school resumed. Students were given the choice of in-person or online classes. I chose in-person because I was longing for camaraderie. Instead, I found a campus empty of students, as most chose online learning, and once again, I was studying alone. I panicked and lost focus. After failing my first class ever, I resumed online learning and passed the rest of my classes safely at home. STLCOP graduate-level classes are only offered once a year, so failing a class means delaying graduation. During spring 2021, I was not a student. I used this time to find a new pharmacy position at Mercy Hospital South. I feared that if I left CVS, I would be abandoning my patients during the pandemic and that the next pharmacy position would be even worse than my CVS Pharmacy experience. I met with a trusted instructor, and she encouraged me to seek out a new opportunity if the opportunity I am at is not what I want. If the new opportunity is worse, I should keep moving until I feel supported at work. She encouraged me that I should feel safe at work. If I am emotionally empty, I cannot effectively support others. It is important to have breaks to recharge myself and refocus on my goals. Moreover, I will always verify that the hours I worked match the hours paid. Thankfully, CVS eventually paid me. The most important lesson for me was that just because something was unplanned does not make it bad. It might even be better than originally thought. When I graduate in 2023, I will still be a pharmacist. Additionally, I will now have both hospital and retail pharmacy experience. COVID delayed but will not stop me.

My name is Steven Kramer, and I am a third-year professional pharmacy student at St. Louis College of Pharmacy (STLCOP) and take American Sign Language (ASL) classes at Southwestern Illinois College. My life’s mantra is, “Education and Empowerment.” As a future pharmacist, I desire to advocate for patients with disabilities in healthcare with the goal of impacting a community of people that is often overlooked. Deafness in itself is not a disability. Four years ago, I worked with a Deaf boy adopted by a hearing family. His biological family did not have the ability to provide the support he needed as a Deaf person, and for the first eleven years of his life, he had no language. When I met him, he did not even know his name. I had read about language deprivation and about how isolating deafness can be, especially if a child does not have access to language development. To actually see and meet someone who experienced it was much more real and disheartening. His adopted family had the means and decided when they adopted him that the whole family would learn sign language, but they did not know where to start. Over the course of the following year, I assisted his new family by connecting them with resources, so they could learn sign language together. Now he has a language and knows his name! His transformation is amazing. I am studying to become a pharmacist to advocate for my patients. For example, I attended a presentation where a presenter shared how she struggled to take her medicine, which led to homelessness for many years. Eventually, a healthcare provider listened to her concerns, and now she is adherent and has control over her illness. She was able to have her life back, including the joy of playing her violin again. I have organized an ASL Club at STLCOP to educate my classmates about serving the Deaf and people with disabilities. One of our Deaf presenters shared her story. She said whenever she went to the doctor; the medical professionals would only speak to her hearing parents, who knew very little sign language, about her health. She would sit unaware of the discussion. Her parents would tell her a very basic summary in ASL. She hated healthcare professionals and hid under the table. It was not until years later that a healthcare provider spoke with her, with an ASL interpreter, and answered her questions. Medical procedures became less painful and confusing once she understood their purpose. At the local Centers for Independent Living, I have collaborated with the Student National Pharmaceutical Association, a professional pharmacy organization with the mission to “Serve the Underserved.” Together we have organized multiple Health Fairs in the community with ASL interpreters to have accessible health information. We provide free blood pressure and glucose screenings. I also invite various health or community organizations to provide more screenings and information. Since COVID-19, I have collaborated with GRYT Health and Bristol-Myers Squibb to hold the COVID Advocacy Exchange, a virtual health fair to support the community during the pandemic. This has opened my understanding of “community” to beyond what even I considered possible. I have helped connect many organizations with this new online opportunity to help increase this collaborative effort. I believe in "Education and Empowerment," as my life's mantra. My desire is to educate healthcare providers, as well as the public, on accessibility for people with disabilities and then empower people with disabilities to be advocates for their health. All patients have the right to health information presented in a way that they can understand.

“Yesterday was plain awful. You can say that again. Yesterday was plain awful. But that’s not now; that’s then,” sings Annie and Daddy Warbucks in the musical Annie. One might even sing, “2020 was plain awful” to be more accurate. 2020 started normally enough. I am a pharmacy student at St. Louis College of Pharmacy (STLCOP) at the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy. I organize health fairs in the community for people with disabilities. On January 7, 2020, I collaborated with The Rec Complex of Fairview Heights, IL, to hold their first health fair for our city. I reached out to IMPACT CIL, an advocacy organization for people with disabilities, to hold our second health fair at their facility in April. Finally, I was working with Club Fitness to hold health fairs at their gym with the BattleHawks, the newly formed St. Louis football team, as well as at STLCOP. An upcoming BattleHawks’ home game was to support Pink Wings of Hope, a cancer support group for deaf individuals. I would interpret the Oath of a Pharmacist at the American Pharmacists Association’s conference. The upcoming summer, I was thrilled to have a health booth during the preshow activities at The Muny prior to their theatre productions. I first realized something was wrong when the coordinator from IMPACT CIL informed me that she was having difficulties gathering health organizations to come to our event. In 2019, 55 different organizations and advocacy groups presented, so I was surprised that they were not interested in returning. On March 15, 2020, my church held its last in-house service. The following week was STLCOP’s spring break, and we never returned for in-person classes. The conference was cancelled. The IMPACT CIL health fair was cancelled. The Club Fitness health fairs were cancelled. The BattleHawks disbanded. The Muny had no in-person theatre. I was left studying alone at home. Simply, I felt like Princess Fiona from the musical Shrek, waiting in her tower. While all this was happening, CVS purchased Schnucks Pharmacy, a local grocery chain with a pharmacy. Everyone was let go but thankfully, rehired; however, all benefits acquired over the years working at Schnucks were lost. Many of our patients’ insurance was no longer accepted. We were no longer able to sell over-the-counter medicine, as it was Schnucks products. The timecard was not working, so I was working without pay, and CVS discontinued technology that allowed Schnucks Pharmacy to be more efficient in dispensing medication. Then, fall 2020 happened. Students were given the choice of in-person or online classes. I chose in-person because I was longing for camaraderie. Instead, I found a campus empty of students, as most chose online learning, and once again, I was studying alone but this time at STLCOP. After failing my first class ever, I resumed online learning and passed the rest of my classes. STLCOP graduate-level classes are only offered once a year, so failing a class means delaying graduation. During spring 2021, I was not a student. I used this time to find a new pharmacy position at Mercy Hospital South as well as moving in with my brother at his apartment. My fear was that if I left CVS, I would be abandoning my patients during the pandemic and that the next pharmacy position would be even worse than my CVS Pharmacy experience. I met with a trusted instructor, and she encouraged me to seek out a new opportunity if the opportunity I am at is not what I want. If the new opportunity is worse, I should keep moving to the next one. The most important lesson for me was that just because something was unplanned does not make it a bad thing. It might even be better than originally thought. When I graduate in 2023, I will still be a pharmacist. Having the opportunity to be a technician will allow me to be a better pharmacist in leading my team. Additionally, I will now have both hospital and retail pharmacy experience. I also realized more fully that if I am emotionally empty, I cannot effectively support others nor can I be as productive as I could. Moreover, I will always verify that the hours I worked match the hours paid. Thankfully, CVS eventually paid me. Since COVID-19, I have collaborated with GRYT Health and Bristol-Myers Squibb to hold the COVID Advocacy Exchange, a virtual health fair to support the community during the pandemic. This has opened my understanding of “community” to beyond what even I considered possible. I have helped connect many organizations with this new online opportunity to help increase this collaborative effort. Through both in-person and online opportunities, I am determined to advocate for my community by first advocating for myself. “2020 was plain awful. But that’s not now; that’s then.”

In 2016, my mother was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). This shook my world, as she is a trusted support to me when life is tough. My mother has been attending counseling sessions to help her manage this disorder. I want to help families to have peace of mind, and a pharmacy career will allow me to do that. Four years ago, I met an eleven-year-old boy who is deaf. His biological family was not able to provide the support he needed as a Deaf person, so he had no language. Thankfully, another family, who learned sign language to communicate with him, adopted him. His story is very common in the Deaf community. This is why not only am I taking American Sign Language (ASL) classes to make sure the Deaf have access to care in a way they can understand, but I founded the ASL club to educate future pharmacists on cultural competency when interacting with the Deaf community. According to a study published in 1987 in the American Annals of the Deaf (Vol. 132, No. 4), deaf girls are twice as likely to have been sexually abused than hearing girls, and deaf boys are five times as likely to have been sexually abused as compared with hearing boys. Hensenderson, a Scottish journalist from Herald, a Scottish newspaper, states, “almost half of [the] people interviewed by Deaf Connections, a Glasgow-based charity, in a survey said they had considered killing themselves.” Jeanne Bose has two deaf children. In her blog, she mentioned how her deaf son was not invited to birthday parties while her hearing daughter was. This devastated him. In the YouTube video, “Hedy vs Heidi - Overcoming Her Depression Story,” Heidi, a prominent Deaf figure in the Deaf Community, encourages the Deaf watching to express their feelings with a counselor. As a member of the Student National Pharmaceutical Association, with the mission of “Serving the Underserved,” I have organized multiple community Health Fairs at Centers for Independent Living. We provide free blood pressure and glucose screenings. I also invite various health or community organizations to provide more screenings and information such as HIV/AIDS, Poison Control, and housing. My future goal is to organize Health Fairs across the nation at these Centers. One of my personal favorite parts about my Health Fairs is that pharmacy students work with ASL students to educate the community with the support of professional pharmacists and ASL interpreters. This provides an opportunity for both groups of students to prepare themselves to serve the community more effectively in their future careers. A humbling but thrilling moment was being selected for the Spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Award because my passion for advocating for patients brought to life the true goal of that Act of 1990. Since COVID-19, I have collaborated with GRYT Health and Bristol-Myers Squibb to hold the COVID Advocacy Exchange, a virtual health fair to support the community during the pandemic. This has opened my understanding of “community” to beyond what even I considered possible. I have helped connect many organizations with this new opportunity to help increase this collaborative effort. My ambition is to help families impacted by mental health issues, especially those in the Deaf community. Through counseling, my mother has obtained the skills to live a very productive life, and I desire to help others have that opportunity.

In 2016, my mother was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). This shook my world, as she is a trusted support to me when life is tough. My mother has been attending counseling sessions to help her manage this disorder. I want to help families to have peace of mind, and a pharmacy career will allow me to do that. Four years ago, I met an eleven-year-old boy who is deaf. His biological family was not able to provide the support he needed as a Deaf person, so he had no language. Thankfully, another family, who learned sign language to communicate with him, adopted him. His story is very common in the Deaf community. This is why not only am I taking American Sign Language (ASL) classes to make sure the Deaf have access to care in a way they can understand, but I founded the ASL club to educate future pharmacists on cultural competency when interacting with the Deaf community. According to a study published in 1987 in the American Annals of the Deaf (Vol. 132, No. 4), deaf girls are twice as likely to have been sexually abused than hearing girls, and deaf boys are five times as likely to have been sexually abused as compared with hearing boys. Hensenderson, a Scottish journalist from Herald, a Scottish newspaper, states, “almost half of [the] people interviewed by Deaf Connections, a Glasgow-based charity, in a survey said they had considered killing themselves.” Jeanne Bose has two deaf children. In her blog, she mentioned how her deaf son was not invited to birthday parties while her hearing daughter was. This devastated him. In the YouTube video, “Hedy vs Heidi - Overcoming Her Depression Story,” Heidi, a prominent Deaf figure in the Deaf Community, encourages the Deaf watching to express their feelings with a counselor. As a member of the Student National Pharmaceutical Association, with the mission of “Serving the Underserved,” I have organized multiple community Health Fairs at Centers for Independent Living. We provide free blood pressure and glucose screenings. I also invite various health or community organizations to provide more screenings and information such as HIV/AIDS, Poison Control, and housing. My future goal is to organize Health Fairs across the nation at these Centers. One of my personal favorite parts about my Health Fairs is that pharmacy students work with ASL students to educate the community with the support of professional pharmacists and ASL interpreters. This provides an opportunity for both groups of students to prepare themselves to serve the community more effectively in their future careers. A humbling but thrilling moment was being selected for the Spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Award because my passion for advocating for patients brought to life the true goal of that Act of 1990. Since COVID-19, I have collaborated with GRYT Health and Bristol-Myers Squibb to hold the COVID Advocacy Exchange, a virtual health fair to support the community during the pandemic. This has opened my understanding of “community” to beyond what even I considered possible. I have helped connect many organizations with this new opportunity to help increase this collaborative effort. My ambition is to help families impacted by mental health issues, especially those in the Deaf community. Through counseling, my mother has obtained the skills to live a very productive life, and I desire to help others have that opportunity.

Legacy: “An amount of money or property left to someone in a will.” Whenever I think of the word legacy, I think of how people will think of me and what I did after I have died. Money and property rarely come to mind, so it surprised me a bit that this was the first definition of this word. My understanding of this word was not even listed as a definition. I want people to remember me by my passion to support the community, particularly people with disabilities. “Educating Providers and Empowering Patients” is my mission statement. Four years ago, I worked with a Deaf boy adopted by a hearing family. His biological family did not have the ability to provide the support he needed as a Deaf person, and for the first eleven years of his life, he had no language. When I met him, he did not even know his name. I had read about language deprivation and about how isolating deafness can be, especially if a child does not have access to language development. To actually see and meet someone who experienced it was much more real and disheartening. His adopted family had the means and decided when they adopted him that the whole family would learn American Sign Language (ASL), but they did not know where to start. Over the course of the following year, I assisted his new family by connecting them with resources, so they could learn ASL together. Now he has a language and knows his name! His transformation is amazing. Leaving a legacy is not the same thing as being famous. Anyone can become famous, but they may leave a legacy of shame and hurt to their family and community. Leaving a legacy is having one’s local community remember the person with respect. Even more so, it is treating one’s family with dignity so that even if the community does not remember, the family will. For me, my legacy is those whom I have supported and helped connect to resources, such as the boy mentioned above. There are different kinds of valuable legacies. Money and property, as the definition noted, are important, but there are also intangible legacies too. A practical example would be Mr. Fezziwig from A Christmas Carol. His kindness influenced his workers as Scrooge remembered him fondly. My legacy is the Health Fairs I organize. Five years ago, on April 15, I held my first Health Fair. Before this, I attended an informational meeting for the Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA). I asked the leadership of SNPhA at St. Louis College of Pharmacy if their mission of "Serving the Underserved" included the Deaf. It was something they had not considered, but if that was something I was interested in doing, they would support me Since then, I have joined SNPhA as a member, and together, we have held 10 Health Fairs for the Deaf, people with disabilities and their families, virtually due to COVID-19, independently, collectively, and some just for the pharmacy students to learn about advocacy resources in the community. STLCOP pharmacy students work together with ASL interpreter students to educate the community with the support of professional pharmacists and ASL interpreters. This provides an opportunity for both groups of students to prepare themselves to serve the community more effectively in their future careers. LINC Inc., a Center for Independent Living, selected me for their Spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Award because they felt my passion for advocating for patients brought to life the true goal of that Act of 1990. Since COVID-19, I have collaborated with GRYT Health and Bristol-Myers Squibb to hold the COVID Advocacy Exchange, a virtual health fair to support the community during the pandemic. This has opened our community beyond the Greater St. Louis area. I have helped connect many organizations with this new opportunity to help increase collaboration efforts. No matter the setting, my mission has stayed the same, "Educating Providers on Accessibility for People with Disabilities and Empowering Patients to be Advocates for their Health." The legacy I want to leave behind is a legacy of access. We are a community of differences, and I want to ensure that all members of the community have the opportunity to be successful, no matter the challenges they may face.

My name is Steven Kramer, and I am a third-year professional pharmacy student at St. Louis College of Pharmacy (STLCOP) and take American Sign Language (ASL) classes at Southwestern Illinois College (SWIC). My life’s mantra is, “Education and Empowerment.” As a future pharmacist, I desire to advocate for patients with disabilities in healthcare to support a community of people that is often overlooked by providing the medical knowledge as well as the cultural awareness to serve them appropriately. It is important for people to be involved in our community because it helps everyone, regardless of ability, to be successful. Four years ago, I worked with a Deaf boy adopted by a hearing family. His biological family did not have the ability to provide the support he needed as a Deaf person, and for the first eleven years of his life, he had no language. When I met him, he did not even know his name. I had read about language deprivation and about how isolating deafness can be, especially if a child does not have access to language development. To actually see and meet someone who experienced it was much more real and disheartening. His adopted family had the means and decided when they adopted him that the whole family would learn sign language, but they did not know where to start. Over the course of the following year, I assisted his new family by connecting them with resources, so they could learn sign language together. Now he has a language and knows his name! His transformation is amazing. I am studying to become a pharmacist to advocate for my patients. Pharmacy might not seem like a path to empower a family to give their child a language, but it still empowers patients. For example, I attended a presentation where a presenter shared how she struggled to take her medicine, which led to homelessness for many years. Eventually, a healthcare provider took time to listen to her concerns and educate her, and now she is adherent and has control over her illness. For the pharmacist, it might only be minutes, but for the patients that we are educating and empowering, it could be life-changing. She was able to have her life back, including the joy of playing her violin again. At SWIC, I joined their ASL Club that has a monthly “Sign and Dine” where I have met and interacted with members of the Deaf community. Learning from the Deaf is the best way to learn ASL, as it is their first language. I have also attended multiple workshops to learn best practices when communicating with the Deaf. At STLCOP, I have participated in multiple experience-based learning opportunities, such as rotations, including an independent community pharmacy. There I learned that patients are coming for their medication, but they also can benefit from emotional support. Additionally, I work in a retail community pharmacy to gain pharmacy and communication skills. Even though we do not have as much time to sit and discuss with the patients as in the independent setting, the few minutes we have with the patients, we strive to make as worthwhile as possible. I have joined the Health Professional Student Leadership Council, a collaboration between the Washington University School of Medicine, Goldfarb School of Nursing, and STLCOP, to learn about the different healthcare professions, their roles and expertise, and to network with future healthcare providers from these schools. Providers must know how to work together for the best health outcomes for their patients. I have organized an ASL Club at STLCOP to educate my classmates about serving the Deaf and people with disabilities. One of the Deaf presenters, I brought to campus, shared her story. She said whenever she went to the doctor; the medical professionals would only speak to her hearing parents, who knew very little sign language, about her health. She would sit there, unaware of the discussion. Her parents would tell her a very basic summary in ASL. She hated healthcare professionals and hid under the table, especially for vaccines. It was not until years later that a healthcare provider spoke with her, with an ASL interpreter, and explained to her the importance of vaccines as well as answered her questions. Medical procedures became less painful and confusing once she understood their purpose. At the local Centers for Independent Living, I have collaborated with the Student National Pharmaceutical Association (SNPhA), a professional pharmacy organization with the mission to “Serve the Underserved.” Together we have organized multiple Health Fairs in the community with ASL interpreters to have accessible health information. We provide free blood pressure and glucose screenings. I also invite various health or community organizations to provide more screenings and information such as HIV/AIDS, Poison Control, and housing. My future goal is to organize Health Fairs across the nation at these Centers. STLCOP pharmacy students work with SWIC ASL students to educate the community with the support of professional pharmacists and ASL interpreters. This provides an opportunity for both groups of students to prepare themselves to serve the community more effectively in their future careers. One of the Centers selected me for their Spirit of the Americans with Disabilities Award because they felt my passion for advocating for patients brought to life the true goal of that Act in 1990. Since COVID-19, I have collaborated with GRYT Health and Bristol-Myers Squibb to hold the COVID Advocacy Exchange, a virtual health fair to support the community during the pandemic. This has opened our community to further beyond what even I considered possible. I have helped connect many organizations with this new opportunity to help increase collaboration efforts. I believe in "Education and Empowerment," as my life's mantra. I desire to educate healthcare providers, as well as the public, on accessibility for people with disabilities and then empower people with disabilities to be advocates for their health. All patients have the right to health information presented in a way that they can understand.

Mom! Dad! Something is happening to my sister! When I was younger, my sister had seizures. The doctor prescribed medicine which helped stop the seizures, but it did not solve all her medical conditions. Thankfully, the doctor eventually diagnosed her with Asperger’s syndrome, and after some trials; she was prescribed medication that helped her without harsh side effects. I want to help families to have peace of mind, and a pharmacy career would give me opportunities to do that. Upon the diagnosis, my sister’s school administration suggested transferring her to a school for children with autism. Fortunately, LINC Inc.’s Youth and Family advocate said that although that school was appropriate for a child with autism, it was not appropriate for a child with Asperger’s. Thankfully, her school followed the advice given. After this, my sister was prescribed Paxil, which allowed her to attend at this integrated school in a regular classroom with the assistance of a full-time aide. After elementary school, she progressed to high school and eventually graduated college with two degrees. Seeing how the medication improved her life inspired me to become a pharmacist to support people with disabilities to have better access to medication. As a member of the Student National Pharmaceutical Association, with the mission of “Serving the Underserved,” I have organized multiple community Health Fairs at Centers for Independent Living, including LINC Inc. My mission is two-fold, "Educating providers on accessibility for people with disabilities and Empowering patients with disabilities to be advocates for their health." This ties in with my sister’s story as her school administration was doing what they thought would be best; however, they did not realize that Asperger’s syndrome was not exactly autism. By educating them, they were able to see that a full-time aide would be the more suitable solution. Eventually, my sister was empowered to seek assistance from our community college’s Disability and Access Center and earned two degrees. Through medicine, my sister has been able to live a very productive life, and as a pharmacist, I desire to help others have that opportunity.

“A crash of drums! A flash of light! My golden coat flew out of sight! The colors faded into darkness; I was left alone.” Joseph sings at the end of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat." During the story of Joseph, he had troubles, but he looked to God for help, and God brought people into his life to help him like Potiphar and the Pharaoh. Similar to how these men played a role in Joseph's life, Aaron Slaughter played a crucial role in my life. He is a role model for me. I first met Mr. Slaughter when I was in seventh grade in the youth choir at my church. After we had spent some time learning a new song to lead the church on a Sunday morning, Mr. Slaughter would always find the scripture in the Bible on which the lyrics were based and discuss how we could apply it to our lives. If one is not careful, just going through the motions of singing in front of the church is very easy to do. I have always enjoyed performing, so I am grateful for Mr. Slaughter to bring our songs back to the Bible, so it was in the forefront of our minds. When my family changed church service hours, I had the privilege of having Mr. Slaughter as my high school Bible study leader my senior year. Then, at the end of the year, he moved up with the graduating class as his youngest daughter was moving on to college and he became my college Bible study leader. Mr. Slaughter has taught me over the years to not just do something without thinking about what it means; just like he did with the songs in the choir. As my high school Bible study leader, he covered many topics such as being a Godly man, dealing with issues teenage guys may face, and seeking God for help. As my college Bibe study leader, Mr. Slaughter taught me that is it okay for a man to cry and to be passionate about something no matter what others may think. He also taught me to be willing to do hard things if that is what God is calling me to do, such as organizing health fairs for people with disabilities. Mr. Slaughter was the first man I saw cry, outside my own father. It hurt him to see people hurting, and he would do everything in his ability to make a difference. Whenever there was a problem, rather than hoping someone else would fix it, Mr. Slaughter worked to find a solution. Four years ago, I worked with a Deaf boy adopted by a hearing family. His biological family did not have the resources to provide the support he needed as a Deaf person, and for the first eleven years of his life, he had no language. When I met him, he did not even know his name. I had read about language deprivation and about how isolating deafness can be, especially if a child does not have access to language development. To actually see and meet someone who experienced it was much more real and disheartening. His adopted family decided when they adopted him that they all would learn sign language. Over the course of the following year, I assisted his new family by connecting them with resources, so they could learn sign language together. Now he has a language, knows his name, and has friends! My desire is to do what Mr. Slaughter showed me by example. If there is a problem, fix it. I want the community, especially the Deaf community, to have access to health information and community resources in a way they can understand. This is why I am studying American Sign Language as well as pharmacy, so that I can more effectively communicate with the Deaf about their medicine. At Centers for Independent Living, I have collaborated with the Student National Pharmaceutical Association, a professional pharmacy organization with the mission to “Serve the Underserved.” Together we have organized community health fairs with interpreters for the deaf. We provide free screenings with various health or community organizations. Just as Joseph needed God’s strength and support when he was sold into slavery in Egypt by placing many people in Joseph’s path who were able to give him the support he needed, so Mr. Slaughter played an important role in my life as I transitioned from boyhood to manhood. ‘Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.’ 1 Timothy 4:12 (NASB) I am grateful to God for Mr. Slaughter who has helped me and many others to be that example.

“A bosom friend–an intimate friend, you know–a really kindred spirit to whom I can confide my inmost soul.” –Anne Shirley When I met Carrie at the beginning of the pharmacy program at St. Louis College of Pharmacy, it seemed like a regular day; however, Carrie’s support has drastically influenced my life. Not only has Carrie allowed me to cry on her shoulder after horrible exams, but she has also volunteered at many of the events I organize in the community to support the Deaf and people with disabilities. At the first Deaf event she volunteered at, she wore all black. Unknown to her, all of the American Sign Language interpreters wore black too. With a great sense of humor, we look back and laugh about this. Another memory I have of Carrie is during the COVID-19 lockdown this summer, she took time out of her schedule to stop by my rotation site to give me support, as we had not seen each other since March. I was so excited to see my friend. This image is my White Coat Ceremony, which celebrates a student’s entrance into the professional program. Then, when I graduated with my bachelor's degree, Carrie volunteered to show her support to all the graduates. Carrie is a bright spot on the STLCOP campus by making sure all students, staff, and faculty feel welcome. Carrie’s role as a housekeeper has become even more important in making sure students are safe on campus. When Carrie told me that the College was doing everything it could do to keep the students safe, I trusted her. Carrie is my bosom friend, and I am grateful for her kindness and support. She has been a constant support during the seven-year pharmacy program. Thank you, Carrie!

My name is Steven Kramer, and I am a third-year professional pharmacy student at St. Louis College of Pharmacy (STLCOP) and take American Sign Language (ASL) classes. As a future pharmacist, I desire to advocate for patients with disabilities. My drive is to impact a community of people that is often overlooked with the medical knowledge as well as the cultural awareness to serve them appropriately. Four years ago, I worked with a Deaf boy adopted by a hearing family. His biological family did not have the ability to provide the support he needed as a Deaf person, and for the first eleven years of his life, he had no language. When I met him, he did not even know his name. I had read about language deprivation and about how isolating deafness can be, especially if a child does not have access to language development. To actually see and meet someone who experienced it was much more real and disheartening. His adopted family had the means and decided when they adopted him that they all would learn sign language. Over the course of the following year, I assisted his new family by connecting them with resources, so they could learn sign language together. Now he has a language and knows his name! I am studying to become a pharmacist to advocate for my patients. Pharmacy might not seem like a path to empower a family to give their child a language, but it still empowers patients. For example, I attended a presentation where a presenter shared how she struggled to take her medicine, which led to homelessness for many years. Eventually, a healthcare provider listened to her concerns and educated her, and now she is adherent and has control over her illness. It might only be minutes, but for the patients that we are educating and empowering, it could be life-changing. She was able to have her life back. At STLCOP, I have participated in multiple experience-based learning opportunities. Last summer, I interned at an independent community pharmacy. Additionally, I work in a retail community pharmacy to gain pharmacy and communication skills. Even though we do not have as much time as at the independent setting, the few minutes we have with the patients, we strive to make as worthwhile as possible. I have joined the Health Professional Student Leadership Council, a collaboration between the schools on the Washington University Medical Campus. Providers must know how to work together for the best health outcomes for their patients. I founded the ASL Club at STLCOP to educate about serving the Deaf. One of the Deaf presenters recalled the medical professionals would only speak to her hearing parents, who knew very little sign language, about her health. She would sit there, unaware of the discussion. It was not until years later that a healthcare provider spoke with her, with an ASL interpreter, and answered her questions. Medical procedures became less painful and confusing once she understood their purpose. At Centers for Independent Living, I have collaborated with the Student National Pharmaceutical Association, a professional pharmacy organization with the mission to “Serve the Underserved.” Together we have organized community Health Fairs with ASL interpreters. We provide free screenings with various health and community organizations as vendors. When considering SLCOP, I discovered research by Dr. Ferguson of Sothern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) School of Pharmacy. She met with twenty Deaf individuals to discuss their relationships with their pharmacist. Eight said they use trial and error to take their medicine. This increased my desire to become a pharmacist who could better communicate with the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Research is an important part of my story in this way. As a member of the American Pharmacists Association-Academy of Student Pharmacists (APhA-ASP, I collaborated with Dr. Ferguson and a graduate student at SIUE School of Pharmacy. Our research project’s title “Evaluating the Effectiveness of Medication Administration Videos Translated into American Sign Language,” was published in the Journal of the APhA. We presented our findings at the 2018 APhA conference. Earlier this year, APhA interviewed me on advocating for Deaf patients for their national magazine April 2020 edition. The greatest challenge I have faced while giving back has been myself. At the first Health Fair, I organized everything. It wore me out mentally and emotionally while also taking a toll on my grades. At the next Health Fair, I made sure to delegate the work among my teammates, which reduced the work and stress on my part. An unexpected benefit was that by having more people involved; there were more people spreading the word. This allowed my desire to advocate for the community to be more accessible to all. This scholarship will help me pay for tuition. I must obtain the medical knowledge first to make sure it is accessible for the Deaf. As patients will place their trust in me, I must respect that trust by making sure I am competent and staying informed with the latest breakthroughs in medicine. Information for the community must be accessible and accurate, and I have made an oath to the community. I believe in "Education and Empowerment.” My desire is to educate healthcare providers on accessibility for people with disabilities and then empower people with disabilities to be advocates for their health. All patients have the right to health information presented in a way that they can understand.

Three years ago, I met a deaf boy who lived eleven years without a language. He did not even know his name. Thankfully, he was adopted by another family, and I was able to help them find resources in the community to advocate for their son. Now he knows his name and has a community! I have organized community health fairs with interpreters for the deaf. I believe all people have the right to accessible health information and community resources in a way they can understand. 1)DEAF Inc. in Webster Groves 2)Ferguson, MO 3)STLCOP International Night 4)LINC Award 5)LINC Fundraiser