My name is Whitney Watson, I am a rising senior at Bowie State University majoring in theatre arts with a concentration in acting and directing. With my future degree, I plan to change the entertainment industry for the better. I believe entertainment plays a crucial role in shaping societal views and influencing our idea of “normal.” One of the most pressing social issues that I am determined to address and change is the lack of representation and diversity in popular media. Marginalized communities have been unrepresented and more notably, misrepresented in my field. As a plus-sized black woman, I am passionate about delivering representation to my industry and I believe it is my responsibility to showcase the voices of those who have been overlooked and have been deemed “unattractive” in the industry. I get my strength from knowing that there a young impressionable people who look like me that are under the impression that they aren’t attractive enough to the public to be showcased like everyone else. In order to make a meaningful impact in my field, I plan to use my growing platform to promote authentic and inclusive storytelling. To me, this means working with underrepresented and underappreciated writers, directors, and producers who share my vision for an industry rich in diversity. It also means actively looking for projects that prioritize inclusion and diversity to finally give the spotlight to those who have been pushed into the shadows. In order to achieve my goal, I understand that it is important to get our of my comfort zone and begin building strong relationships within the entertainment community. As I embark on this long and rigorous journey to make my impact on the world by doing what I love, I’m hopeful my efforts will contribute to a more inclusive, equitable, and diverse future for everyone to enjoy. By staying true to myself and my values as well as being intentional in my choice, I am confident I can help create a world where every story is valued and every voice has the opportunity to be heard. In conclusion, my passion for creating change through entertainment and media is unwavering and I am committed to using my efforts and talents for the greater good. Through my hard work, I hope to inspire others to join me in the fight for an enjoyable world for all. Together we can make a difference and create a legacy of a positive change that will resonate for generations after us. Thank you.

My name is Whitney Watson, I am a senior theater arts major at the illustrious, Bowie State University. My Bowie State is not only an HBCU, but it is the first HBCU in the state of Maryland. Choosing to attend an HBCU was important to me as I yearned for a sense of community in my educational journey. Growing up, I struggled to connect with my community as I wished to be a white girl so I could be pretty, and my hair would be “easier.” Now, in my third year at Bowie State, a hot comb has not touched my head, and I have found a place where I am accepted for who I am, without having to excuse my appearance. As I delve deeper into my studies as a Theater Arts major, I have become aware of the issues within the performance industry. With my future degree, I aspire to create change within my industry. It is crucial for me to use my platform to empower young girls who have also struggled with their self-image and representation so they can see their beauty for what it is: beauty. Unfortunately, the media often portrays a narrow definition of beauty leaving many of us feeling unseen. I am proud to be on a path that will allow me to make a difference.

My name is Whitney Watson, I am a twenty-year-old full-time student in my junior year at the illustrious, Bowie State University. The beautification process itself sparked my interest at a young age. A defining feature for me, as a black woman is my skin and my hair. When I was little, I struggled with my self-image and appearance as I struggled with my weight, my skin, and my hair. Around puberty, due to embedded insecurities in addition to my lack of knowledge on how to properly and safely care for myself, I developed an interest in the beautification process. I used to collect things around the house to create my own look, as well as create concoctions that worked better for my skin and hair specifically. When I was older, I came to the realization that my calling was to be a cosmetologist so I could be able to help other people like me find their look and make themselves comfortable in their skin without resorting to unhealthy methods like I did. To prepare myself to go into the cosmetology field, I decided to apply for the Cosmetology program offered at my high school where my world drastically expanded when I was accepted. Soon afterward, we were prompted to get jobs for our work-based learning experiences where I was able to land an assisting job at a hair salon. This job allowed me to work closely with professionals in my field of interest and gain hands-on experience while strengthening my love for cosmetology. Although working in this field is seen as nothing more than a hobby and not a “real occupation” I am determined to pursue my goal to give others confidence in their own skin. As I am currently a full-time college student, I have been aggressively pursuing scholarships to be able to fund my education as I plan to enroll in a cosmetology trade school directly after my graduation. This way, I can finally excel and focus on my dream career, doing what I love; beauty.

My name is Whitney Watson and I’m a junior at the illustrious Bowie State University. My college specializes in business, entrepreneurship, and arts which is why I decided to attend to stay in (ELLC) Entrepreneurship Living ___ for young entrepreneurs such as myself. When I was a junior in high school, I was accepted into my high school’s cosmetology program where we would work to get our cosmetology license. We were able to take our own clients and make our own money using the skills that we were taught. Having my own space and doing what I wanted to do with the money I made by myself gave me some feeling of liberation and accomplishment. During the program, we were instructed to work at a salon for work-study and gain experience in the field. I enjoyed working at the salon, but I only got paid as much as the owner would let me as an unlicensed high school student. Because I felt I deserved more, I decided I would start my own business and get full control of my money and my time instead of working under someone else. Since I had a little experience doing business by selling cookies and doing hair, I felt I should try out an official business. I officially created a business in 2020 during COVID as a beauty product company. As an entrepreneur, I enjoyed being able to choose my own schedule and work when I wanted to, within reason and be in complete control of my earnings. There’s something about being able to have a certain control over something you’re passionate about, that makes me want to keep working on my business. I get control over my earnings, my look, my social presence, my prices, and my products/services and I fell in love with it all. Not only was I inspired by the money I could make, but the liberation of being my own boss and not having to answer to someone else. Starting a business at that time simply made sense because everything was now done online, and more people were supporting smaller businesses. My family urged me to take advantage of the timing, so I put myself out into the entrepreneurship world and it was honestly one of the best things I could’ve done for myself. Being an entrepreneur means you need to have self-control, and at the time, I didn’t have as much. I needed to hold myself accountable since I am now my boss. I enjoyed making my own money, but I needed to practice restraint to be able to use that money to put back into my business and the rest for my tuition. After I began budgeting, I was able to decipher how much money I can put into different things. That way I could have money to put back into my business, my tuition, and for myself. I love working for myself, and I’m proud of my decision to continue pursuing this path.

My name is Whitney Watson, I am a 20-year-old junior at Bowie State University. I’m currently majoring in theater arts after majoring in Business at Prince George's Community College. My family and I were very involved in the community during my childhood. I recall the feeling of giving back to my community gave me, I made some lifelong friends along the way too. At a young age, seeing how one simple act of kindness can completely change someone’s situation, their minds, their situation, or their lifestyle gave me a reason to keep giving back to the same community that gave so much to me. Whether I stood outside a market giving food or passing down clothes to give to those who need them, I make sure I try to give back in any way I possibly can. I feel our future depends on it. When I was in middle school, the kids of one of the families we donated our clothes to came to stay with us for their Christmas break. Seeing her happy in a shirt that once made me so happy, brought me so much joy and made me want to do more for other people who might need new clothes. Through that week, she and I got to know each other a little, and I found that although we had different lives, we were extremely similar, like my mother, she and I just grew up differently. Both of my parents and their families had come from nothing. One had immigrated to the United States, and one came from poverty in a small town. That was one of the reasons that our mother urged us to give back to our community, as she gave back to hers because she started in those situations and would’ve benefited greatly if she had someone like her to help her. So, when I try and help, I think of my mom. I think of how she would feel getting a new pair of shoes that her parents couldn’t afford, or how some food would help her, and her sisters eat for the night. My mother did so much to get to the position she is in now, but if she had just a little bit of help, she probably would not have had to work herself half to death. My siblings and I grew up in a broken household where my mother was the sole provider for our family. In order to attend college, my siblings and I have been aggressively pursuing scholarships and loans. After constantly pursuing scholarships through my high school years, I was able to put myself through my first years of online Community College at Prince Georges Community College where I majored in business. Although I was able to pay for my tuition without any loans, I was depressed and unhappy with my choice. My mother advised me to major in what I would actually love, so I decided to major in the arts instead of what I felt to be the right major. The next semester, I transferred to Bowie State, and I’ve never felt happier. I was able to work toward my dreams and give back like my mom did. But since I decided to pursue that dream, I haven’t been able to pay for college and had to seek support. In order to continue being able to continue my education, I need assistance.

When I was little, I have always had issues with my appearance as I had struggled with my weight, had super sensitive skin, and eczema. Around puberty, I became more self-conscious due to my surroundings. At school, my peers’ bodies started changing and begin telling me their opinions about what I looked like. At home it continued. Everyone was getting on to social media at the time and dieting was strongly encouraged, so I developed an interest in the beautification process in general. I used to collect things around the house to use and create my own look. Now that I am older, I have come to realize that my dream career is to be a cosmetologist to be able to help other people like me find their look without resorting to unhealthy methods. To prepare myself to go into this field, I applied for the Gwynn Park Cosmetology program offered at my high school where my world drastically expanded. At the beginning of my junior year, I was blessed with the opportunity to get accepted into the cosmetology program, and then soon afterward, we were prompted to look for jobs for our work-based learning experiences, so I landed an assisting job at a hair salon in Temple Hills Maryland. This job has allowed me to work closely with professionals in my field of interest and to gain hands-on experience and assistance with my schoolwork at the same time, which I am very thankful for. Before taking this program, I was mostly interested in how to grow my hair and make it look good. After a while, I gained an interest in the health of my hair, skin, and nails making me look into dermatology. While working as an assistant, I was encouraged to have more than one back up plan and to have more than one source of income. So, with this idea in mind, I decided to work to gain my license and perform services to help pay for college. Before I took an actual step towards being a cosmetologist, I had no idea what I wanted to do after high school, but since I have joined the program, I have a general idea of what I want to do: Dermatology. I’ve always enjoyed learning new things, and this course has equipped me with loads of new information that I can apply to my life. With the knowledge this course has provided me with, I can properly care for my sensitive skin, my hair, nails, and myself in general. If it were not for the course I’m taking, I probably would not have opened my own lip gloss business, began doing hair for money, or even had the thought of dermatology cross my mind. This course opened so many opportunities up to me that I wouldn’t have thought of otherwise. There has been a significant change in my demeanor since I’ve joined this course. For example, through my 9th and 10th grade experiences, I didn’t have any interests or goals in mind, and it showed. I wasn’t confident in myself, I was insecure, and always second guessed everything I did. Thanks to the people I met while taking this program, I have learned the most valuable lesson I could learn: “Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself.” (Coco Chanel) Now that I have something to work for, I am not in anyone’s business but my own. I finally have something going for me and now, I stopped guessing myself, and most of all, gained I see the light at the end of the tunnel.

My name is Whitney Watson, I am currently a college sophomore studying theatre arts at Bowie State University. I’ve been given the opportunity to study theatre, music, dance, and visual arts. I enjoy being able to express myself to my audience and feel the art with them. I want to get to a point where I can express myself and soothe others with what I create because it makes me truly happy and I hope it could bring forward a new age where all people, body types, shades, and sizes can be seen as beautiful too. My parents are not financially able to pay all my tuition and fees to attend college. I grew up in a single-parent household where I live with my mother, sister, and grandparents with my mother being the sole provider for our household which brings me to the importance of generational wealth. Generational wealth is basically the accumulation of wealth over multiple generations within a family. As a black woman, it is a concept that has significant importance for us, who have historically been excluded from the same opportunities for economic advancement as white men and women. For black women, generational wealth means the ability to break the cycle of poverty and disadvantage that has plagued their communities for centuries. Black women have faced numerous obstacles when it comes to building wealth, including discrimination in education, employment, and housing. These systemic barriers have made it difficult for us to accumulate the same level of wealth as our white counterparts, and have left them vulnerable to economic instability and insecurity. education has also been a crucial factor in building generational wealth for black women. Higher education has been linked to higher earnings and greater financial stability, and black women have been pursuing higher education in increasing numbers. By obtaining advanced degrees and pursuing high-paying careers, black women have been able to increase their earning potential and pass on their knowledge and resources to future generations. My mother grew up in poverty and now has made a stable home for me and my siblings to grow up in. She’s done all she could to break the cycle and begin building generational wealth for her kids. I don’t want all of her hard work to go in vain and plan to continue her cycle in building wealth for our community in my own way. By continuing my education and improving my chances, I plan on helping my community build our deserved wealth and even the playing field. In conclusion, generational wealth means a great deal to black women. It represents the ability to overcome systemic barriers and build a brighter future for themselves and their families. Through entrepreneurship, education, and other strategies, we have demonstrated their resilience and resourcefulness in building and passing on wealth to future generations. By continuing to support and invest in black women, we can help to create a more equitable and prosperous society for all.

My name is Whitney Watson and I’m currently a sophomore at Bowie State University. My passions are art, and theatre. I chose the path of theatre arts because I enjoy expressing myself to an audience and feeling the art with them. My career path has a lot to do with my visual appearance, which I used to always struggle with in my life. The theatre has always been a passion of mine. I enjoy being able to communicate with my audience in different ways. I believe our society has shed a negative light on pursuing any of the arts as a career and has been seen as nothing more than just a hobby. Although yes, art has many forms and is enjoyed by many people, yet no one wants to give up the chance of stability of working a “normal” job to do what they love. I want to show my community that we don't all have to be doctors or lawyers and that careers in the arts aren't just for the white community. For the longest time, men (usually white) have dominated the art world, preventing many talented black women to get the recognition they deserve. Knowing that would typically break my stride, and push me towards giving up on my dreams, but it only inspires me to do what I love so other people who look like me can find the inspiration too. During my career, my goal is to make an impact on my community and show the world that beauty comes in many forms. I hope to inspire people that look like me to live their lives the way they desire and not how society deems them "acceptable" to others. I’ve been given the opportunity to study theatre, music, dance, and visual arts at an HBCU which I believe is the best decision I've ever made. Being around people that are part of my community, not only made me feel welcomed but seeing my peers unapologetically being themselves and striving for greatness, makes me have hope and believe I can do the same. At Bowie, I found a love for myself I haven't found before. I was obsessed with getting my hair done and "looking presentable." Now, I've taken the jump to loc (not dread) my hair, and live unapologetically. I plan to become one of the greatest actresses of my time. Although I may have a way to go to get to my goal, I have enough devotion to the field to get me through the downsides that come with success.

My name is Whitney Watson and I’m currently a sophomore at Bowie State University. My passions are art, and theatre. I chose the path of theatre arts because I enjoy expressing myself to an audience and feeling the art with them. My career path has a lot to do with my visual appearance, which I would always struggle with. During my career, my goal is to make an impact on my community and show the world that beauty comes in many forms. I hope to inspire people that look like me to live their lives the way they desire and not how society deems them "acceptable" to others. I’ve been given the opportunity to study theatre, music, dance, and visual arts at an HBCU which I believe is the best decision I've ever made. Being around people that are part of my community, not only made me feel welcomed but seeing my peers unapologetically being themselves and striving for greatness, makes me have hope and believe I can do the same. At Bowie, I found a love for myself I haven't found before. I was obsessed with getting my hair done and "looking presentable." Now, I've taken the jump to loc (not dread) my hair, and live unapologetically. I plan to become one of the greatest actresses of my time. Although I may have a way to go to get to my goal, I have enough devotion to the field to get me through the downsides that come with success.

My name is Whitney Watson and I’m currently a sophomore at Bowie State University. My passions are art, and theatre, which are often seen as nothing more than a hobby. Any kind of art gives the creator the ability to make their audience feel something, whether it would be comfort, happiness, sadness, or guilt. I chose the path of theatre arts because I enjoy expressing myself to an audience and feeling the art with them. Theatre has always been a passion of mine. I enjoy being able to communicate with my audience in different ways. I believe our society has shed a negative light on pursuing any of the arts as a career and has been seen as nothing more than just a hobby. Although yes, art has many forms and is enjoyed by many people, yet no one wants to give up the chance of stability of working a “normal” job to do what they love. What you create is a window to your soul, and makes an impact not only on you but to the people you share your creations with. Whether it would be, performing arts, visual arts, or music arts. All of these give the creator the ability to make their audience feel something whether they try to or not, what the audience hears/sees is up to their interpretation and could potentially change opinions and lives. For the longest time, men have dominated the art world, preventing many talented women from getting the recognition they deserve. Knowing that would typically break my stride, and push me towards giving up on my dreams, but it only inspires me to do what I love so other people who look like me can find the inspiration too. I’ve been given the opportunity to study theatre, music, dance, and visual arts and although I may not be the best now, I enjoy being able to express myself to my audience and again, feel the art with them. I believe no specific piece has one true meaning, instead, they all mean a plethora of things, to the creator and to the audience. I want to be able to get to a point where I can express myself and soothe others by what I create because it makes me truly happy. I plan to become one of the greatest actresses of my time. Although I may have a way to go to get to my goal, I have enough devotion to the field to get me through the downsides that come with success.

My name is Whitney Watson and I’m currently a sophomore at Bowie State University. My passions are art, and theatre, which are often seen as nothing more than a hobby. Any kind of art gives the creator the ability to make their audience feel something, whether it would be comfort, happiness, sadness, or guilt. I chose the path of theatre arts because I enjoy expressing myself to an audience and feeling the art with them. Sometimes it’s hard to love yourself when all you see being praised is the generic beauty standard advertised everywhere. Many younger people struggle with realizing the beauty they have in themselves because of what has been deemed as “beauty” through the media. Self-esteem plays such a big part in everyone’s lives and could easily affect anyone’s mental health causing different serious issues that aren’t often talked about. Theatre has always been a passion of mine. I enjoy being able to communicate with my audience in different ways. I’ve had very low self-esteem for most of my life which held me back from pursuing my dreams in the theatre field. I noticed that I stopped myself from taking action because I only saw people that didn’t look like me, in big roles. I realized that many other people like me are hold themselves back for the same reasons I was. I believe our society has shed a negative light on pursuing any of the arts as a career and has been seen as nothing more than just a hobby. Although yes, art has many forms and is enjoyed by many people, no one wants to give up the chance of stability of working a “normal” job to do what they love. For the longest time, men have dominated the art world, preventing many talented women from getting the recognition they deserve. Knowing that would typically break my stride, and push me towards giving up on my dreams, but now, it only inspires me to do what I love so other people who look like me can find the inspiration too. I’ve been given the opportunity to study theatre, music, dance, and visual arts and although I may not be the best now, I enjoy being able to express myself to my audience and again, feel the art with them. I believe no specific piece has one true meaning, instead, they all mean a plethora of things, to the creator and the audience. I want to get to a point where I can express myself and soothe others with what I create because it makes me truly happy and I hope it could bring forward a new age where all people, body types, shades, and sizes can be seen as beautiful too I plan to become one of the greatest actresses of my time. Although I may have a way to go to get to my goal, I have enough devotion to the field to get me through the downsides that come with success.

My name is Whitney Watson and I’m currently a sophomore at Bowie State University. My passions are art, and theatre, which are often seen as nothing more than a hobby. Any kind of art gives the creator the ability to make their audience feel something, whether it would be comfort, happiness, sadness, or guilt. I chose the path of theatre arts because I enjoy expressing myself to an audience and feeling the art with them. Sometimes it’s hard to love yourself when all you see being praised is the generic beauty standard advertised everywhere. Many younger people struggle with realizing the beauty they have in themselves because of what has been deemed as “beauty” through the media. Self-esteem plays such a big part in everyone’s lives and could easily affect anyone’s mental health causing different serious issues that aren’t often talked about. Theatre has always been a passion of mine. I enjoy being able to communicate with my audience in different ways. I’ve had very low self-esteem for most of my life which held me back from pursuing my dreams in the theatre field. I noticed that I stopped myself from taking action because I only saw people that didn’t look like me, in big roles. I realized that many other people like me are holding themselves back for the same reasons I was. I believe our society has shed a negative light on pursuing any of the arts as a career and has been seen as nothing more than just a hobby. Although yes, art has many forms and is enjoyed by many people, yet no one wants to give up the chance of stability of working a “normal” job to do what they love. For the longest time, men have dominated the art world, preventing many talented women to get the recognition they deserve. Knowing that would typically break my stride, and push me towards giving up on my dreams, but now, it only inspires me to do what I love so other people who look like me can find the inspiration too. I’ve been given the opportunity to study theatre, music, dance, and visual arts and although I may not be the best now, I enjoy being able to express myself to my audience and again, feel the art with them. I believe no specific piece has one true meaning, instead, they all mean a plethora of things, to the creator and the audience. I want to get to a point where I can express myself and soothe others with what I create because it makes me truly happy and I hope it could bring forward a new age where all people, body types, shades, and sizes can be seen as beautiful too I plan to become one of the greatest actresses of my time. Although I may have a way to go to get to my goal, I have enough devotion to the field to get me through the downsides that come with the success of inspiring the next generation to be confident enough to step into the light with me.

My name is Whitney Watson and I’m currently a sophomore at Bowie State University. My passions are art, and theatre, which are often seen as nothing more than a hobby. Any kind of art gives the creator the ability to make their audience feel something, whether it would be comfort, happiness, sadness, or guilt. I chose the path of theatre arts because I enjoy expressing myself to an audience and feeling the art with them. Theatre has always been a passion of mine. I enjoy being able to communicate with my audience in different ways. I believe our society has shed a negative light on pursuing any of the arts as a career and has been seen as nothing more than just a hobby. Although yes, art has many forms and is enjoyed by many people, yet no one wants to give up the chance of stability of working a “normal” job to do what they love. What you create is a window to your soul, and makes an impact not only on you but to the people you share your creations with. Whether it would be, performing arts, visual arts, or music arts. All of these give the creator the ability to make their audience feel something whether they try to or not, what the audience hears/sees is up to their interpretation and could potentially change opinions and lives. For the longest time, men have dominated the art world, preventing many talented women to get the recognition they deserve. Knowing that would typically break my stride, and push me towards giving up on my dreams, but it only inspires me to do what I love so other people who look like me can find the inspiration too. I’ve been given the opportunity to study theatre, music, dance, and visual arts and although I may not be the best now, I enjoy being able to express myself to my audience and again, feel the art with them. I believe no specific piece has one true meaning, instead, they all mean a plethora of things, to the creator and the audience. I want to get to a point where I can express myself and soothe others with what I create because it makes me truly happy. I plan to become one of the greatest actresses of my time. Although I may have a way to go to get to my goal, I have enough devotion to the field to get me through the downsides that come with success.

One of my qualities or characteristics that I value most in myself is my patience. I feel as though patience can go along way in life. As a child, I wasn’t always shown patience and understanding, which is one of the many reasons why I want to make sure I show the people I choose to surround myself with, the most patience, compassion, and understanding as I can. I fully believe that you can never know exactly what someone is going through, so sometimes some patience and understanding goes a long way, even if it isn’t shown. I’ve always been known to show an extreme amount of kindness to others, especially those that I don’t know. My mother would have to be cautious of my whereabouts in public and who I would spend my time around because I wasn’t quite able to tell the difference between good and bad intentions of others. Some may think that it’s useless and ignorant to do, but I strongly believe that everyone deserves to receive kindness, and humanity giving and helping one another plays an important role in our future as a society. I’ve been told countless times, that there’s always someone that has it worse than me. I hadn’t realized how true that was until I spent sometime outside of my bubble and spoke to new people with different backgrounds than me. Seeing the side of those who would greatly benefit from small acts of kindness from others, was and will always be such an eye-opening experience for me. Seeing other people’s perspectives and how they live will always push me to continue to show at least some kindness rot everyone because you’ll never know who really needs it. Personally, I believe everyone needs some form of kindness or help no matter their background because even though we won’t know who needs it more, everyone needs some form of love. As I grew older, I now believe that kindness without boundaries, is self-destruction. Since I’ve always taken giving to others and showing kindness so seriously, my kindness has been used against me countless times. After living for a little, I’ve been trying to find a balance to continue giving and doing what I think is right, but in moderation to keep my sanity. My mentor once told me “it’s very important to take care of yourself first and not to let your giving spirit burn out” and I think back to that phrase every now and then when I feel myself drowning in things to do. After seeking guidance from others that were in the same place as me, I’m now trying to find a limit of what and how much I can give to others without burning out. As I go to “in person” college this semester, I plan to continue showing kindness to my peers. I know that a college setting may stress a lot of people out about a lot of things, so I’m certain that giving help to others with certainly make things easier for everyone. Although I’m sure my boundaries will most likely be tested by those around me, I will try to stand firm in my boundaries in how much time, money, resources, and energy that I can give to my peers. I’m sure my journey of trying to balance things will be a difficult one for me, but I think it is a lesson that needs to take place at some point. Now that I’m finding a way to give in moderation, I can have more energy for those that need my energy.

When I was little, I always had issues with my appearance as I struggled with my weight, super sensitive skin, and eczema. Around puberty, I became more self-conscious due to my surroundings. At school, my peers’ bodies started changing, and begin telling me their opinions about what I looked like. At home, it continued. Everyone was getting on to social media at the time and dieting was strongly encouraged, so I developed an interest in the beautification process in general. I used to collect things around the house to use and create my own look. Now that I am older, I have come to realize that my dream career is to be a cosmetologist to be able to help other people like me find their looks without resorting to unhealthy methods. To prepare myself to go into this field, I applied for the Gwynn Park Cosmetology program offered at my high school where my world drastically expanded. At the beginning of my junior year, I was blessed with the opportunity to get accepted into the cosmetology program, and then soon afterward, we were prompted to look for jobs for our work-based learning experiences, so I landed an assisting job at a hair salon in Temple Hills Maryland. This job has allowed me to work closely with professionals in my field of interest and to gain hands-on experience and assistance with my schoolwork at the same time, which I am very thankful for. Before taking this program, I was mostly interested in how to grow my hair and make it look good. After a while, I gained an interest in the health of my hair, skin, and nails making me look into dermatology. While working as an assistant, I was encouraged to have more than one backup plan and to have more than one source of income. So, with this idea in mind, I decided to work to gain my license and perform services to help pay for college. Before I took an actual step toward being a cosmetologist, I had no idea what I wanted to do after high school, but since I joined the program, I have a general idea of what I want to do: Dermatology. I’ve always enjoyed learning new things, and this course has equipped me with loads of new information that I can apply to my life. With the knowledge this course has provided me with, I can properly care for my sensitive skin, my hair, my nails, and myself in general. If it were not for the course I’m taking, I probably would not have opened my own lip gloss business, begun doing hair for money, or even had the thought of dermatology cross my mind. This course opened so many opportunities for me that I wouldn’t have thought of otherwise. There has been a significant change in my demeanor since I joined this course. For example, through my 9th and 10th-grade experiences, I didn’t have any interests or goals in mind, and it showed. I wasn’t confident in myself, I was insecure, and always second-guessed everything I did. Thanks to the people I met while taking this program, I have learned the most valuable lesson I could learn: “Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself.” (Coco Chanel) Now that I have something to work for, I am not in anyone’s business but my own. I finally have something going for me and now, I stopped guessing myself, and most of all, gained I see the light at the end of the tunnel.

My name is Whitney Watson and I’m currently a sophomore at Bowie State University. My passions are art, and theatre, which are often seen as nothing more than a hobby. Any kind of art gives the creator the ability to make their audience feel something, whether it would be comfort, happiness, sadness, or guilt. I chose the path of theatre arts because I enjoy expressing myself to an audience and feeling the art with them. Theatre has always been a passion of mine. I enjoy being able to communicate with my audience in different ways. I believe our society has shed a negative light on pursuing any of the arts as a career and has been seen as nothing more than just a hobby. Although yes, art has many forms and is enjoyed by many people, yet no one wants to give up the chance of stability of working a “normal” job to do what they love. What you create is a window to your soul, and makes an impact not only on you but to the people you share your creations with. Whether it would be, performing arts, visual arts, or music arts. All of these give the creator the ability to make their audience feel something whether they try to or not, what the audience hears/sees is up to their interpretation and could potentially change opinions and lives. For the longest time, men have dominated the art world, preventing many talented women to get the recognition they deserve. Knowing that would typically break my stride, and push me towards giving up on my dreams, but it only inspires me to do what I love so other people who look like me can find the inspiration too. I’ve been given the opportunity to study theatre, music, dance, and visual arts and although I may not be the best now, I enjoy being able to express myself to my audience and again, feel the art with them. I believe no specific piece has one true meaning, instead, they all mean a plethora of things, to the creator and the audience. I want to get to a point where I can express myself and soothe others with what I create because it makes me truly happy. I plan to become one of the greatest actresses of my time. Although I may have a way to go to get to my goal, I have enough devotion to the field to get me through the downsides that come with success.

It was very difficult for me to make friends. I would get very anxious when it comes to talking to new people after a while. But one of the few friends I made in my life had passed doing time in the military. I was so distraught, I could do my homework, talk to my friends, or even get food. I didn’t want to do anything but cry for weeks. Because of this, my grades dropped significantly. Even as I tried making up my schoolwork, nothing could get me out of the dark place I was in. Shortly after, one of my other classmates passed due to cancer, and just as I thought I couldn’t get any lower than where I was, I dug myself deeper. Thinking back on the couple of friends I’ve lost before them, I was in a self-made prison. Even as I try to pull myself together now that I’m doing better, I took a huge hit from big losses in a short period of time both, financially, and academically. I tried to go out often to occupy my time and prevent myself from being alone with myself and the thought of my old friends, although it helped some, I can’t forget the fact that I’m going to be back in school in less than a month to make more connections that I’m terrified to lose. Not only that, but I may still be busy grieving instead of focusing on my academics. My passion is theatre arts and I worked too hard towards my dream to lose my stride now. I’m determined to finish school and be able to fondly look back on all my old friends fondly as they were the ones that inspired me in the first place. I refuse to let them watch over me to fail now.

My name is Whitney Watson and I’m currently a sophomore at Bowie State University. My passions are art, and theatre, which are often seen as nothing more than a hobby. Any kind of art gives the creator the ability to make their audience feel something, whether it would be comfort, happiness, sadness, or guilt. I chose the path of theatre arts because I enjoy expressing myself to an audience and feeling the art with them. Theatre has always been a passion of mine. I enjoy being able to communicate with my audience in different ways. I believe our society has shed a negative light on pursuing any of the arts as a career and has been seen as nothing more than just a hobby. Although yes, art has many forms and is enjoyed by many people, yet no one wants to give up the chance of stability of working a “normal” job to do what they love. What you create is a window to your soul, and makes an impact not only on you but to the people you share your creations with. Whether it would be, performing arts, visual arts, or music arts. All of these give the creator the ability to make their audience feel something whether they try to or not, what the audience hears/sees is up to their interpretation and could potentially change opinions and lives. For the longest time, men have dominated the art world, preventing many talented women to get the recognition they deserve. Knowing that would typically break my stride, and push me towards giving up on my dreams, but it only inspires me to do what I love so other people who look like me can find the inspiration too. I’ve been given the opportunity to study theatre, music, dance, and visual arts and although I may not be the best now, I enjoy being able to express myself to my audience and again, feel the art with them. I believe no specific piece has one true meaning, instead, they all mean a plethora of things, to the creator and the audience. I want to get to a point where I can express myself and soothe others with what I create because it makes me truly happy. I plan to become one of the greatest actresses of my time. Although I may have a way to go to get to my goal, I have enough devotion to the field to get me through the downsides that come with success.

I believe our society has shed a negative light on pursuing any of the arts as a career and has been seen as nothing more than just a hobby. Although art has many forms and is enjoyed by many people, no one wants to give up the chance of stability of working a “normal” job to do what they love. What you create is a window to your soul, and makes an impact not only on you but on the people you share your creations with. Whether it be performing arts, visual arts, or music arts, all of these give the creator the ability to make their audience feel something. What the audience hears/sees is up to their interpretation and could potentially change opinions and lives. I have decided to study theatre, music, and visual arts because I enjoy expressing myself to an audience and feeling the art with them. I believe no specific piece has one true meaning, instead, they all mean a plethora of things, to the creator and the audience. I want to get to a point where I can express myself and soothe others with what I create because it makes me truly happy. I am unable to attach videos of my music but please enjoy some of my artwork.

My parents are not financially able to pay all of my tuition and fees to attend college. I grew up in a single-parent household where I live with my mother, sister, and grandparents with my mother being the sole provider for our household. Because my father does not provide any financial assistance to support my sister and I, all of our care falls on my mother’s shoulders financially and emotionally. After both of our graduations, it has been significantly more difficult to make financial arrangements that would allow each of us to go to the college of our choice debt-free. This is why I am aggressively pursuing scholarship opportunities each day to ensure that I do not start off my career as an Dermatologist in debt. Being a doctor is one of the highest paying jobs in America that on average pays about $400,000 a year. However, the average medical school debt is about $200,000. That is half the salary of a seasoned doctor. Emmie Martin writes “In the U.S., the gender pay gap remains a reality for many women. Overall, they earn just 81.4% the amount their male counterparts make, according to data from the bureau of Labor Statistics for the second quarter of 2019. And it’s worse for women of color.” Basically, on average I could potentially make $400,000 a year but since I am a woman of color, according to the study, I would end up making about $320,000 not detracting the money student debt may take out of the check. When I was little, I have always had issues with my appearance as I had struggled with my weight, had super sensitive skin, and eczema. Around puberty, I became more self-conscious due to my surroundings. At school, my peers’ bodies started changing and began telling me their opinions about what I looked like. At home it continued. Everyone was getting on to social media at the time and dieting was strongly encouraged, so I developed an interest in the beautification process in general. I used to collect things around the house to use and create my own look. Now that I am older, I have come to realize that my dream career is to be a cosmetologist to be able to help other people like me find their look without resorting to unhealthy methods. To prepare myself to go into this field, I applied for the Gwynn Park Cosmetology program offered at my high school where my world drastically expanded. At the beginning of my junior year, I was blessed with the opportunity to get accepted into the cosmetology program. In this program I found my passion in dermatology; the study of the hair skin and nails.

Dermatology and cosmetology have been a long-life dream of mine Since I was a child, I have always known that I wanted to pursue a career in the beauty industry. I used to collect things around the house, like my grandma’s wig, baby powder, and different color lip glosses, and use them to create my own look. Now that I am older, I have come to realize that my dream career is to be a Dermatologist. Being a doctor is one of the highest paying jobs in America that on average pays about $400,000 a year. However, the average medical school debt is about $200,000. That is half the salary of seasoned doctor. Emmie Martin writes “In the U.S., the gender pay gap remains a reality for many women. Overall, they earn just 81.4% the amount their male counterparts make, according to data from the bureau of Labor Statistics for the second quarter of 2019. And it’s worse for women of color.” Basically, on average I could potentially make $400,000 a year but since I am a woman of color, according to the study, I would end up making about $320,000 not detracting the money student debt may take out of the check. To prepare myself to go into this field, I applied for the Gwynn Park high school Cosmetology program offered at my high school. At the beginning of my junior year, I was blessed with the opportunity to get accepted into the program, and then soon afterward, I landed an assisting job at a hair salon. The job has allowed me to work closely with professionals in my field of interest and to gain hands-on experience and assistance with my schoolwork at the same time. The license in cosmetology will give me the knowledge needed for my career in dermatology seeing as how both study the skin, hair, and nails. Furthermore, a license in cosmetology will help me pursue my dream of opening my own salons after I have retired from a career in dermatology. In addition to my cosmetology courses, when I attend Community College this year, I plan to major in business management so I can gain the knowledge necessary to manage my salons. I always get so much joy from using my creativity to make new things and improve old things. In addition to this, I also feel that it is my calling to better the lives of others by making them feel better about themselves, because personally if I look good, I feel good. After becoming a dermatologist, I plan to continue this calling by opening a non-profit organization along with my salon and beauty supply store. The non-profit will allow all of the youth who are interested in the beautification process can come together. The common interest will facilitate the creation of healthy relationships with people who have the same mindset as them. It has been my experience that having people of the same mindset as you will help you thrive in that field. If I get this scholarship, I will be one step closer to having the future of my dreams and having the ability to help others in the pursuit of theirs’s.

Living in a household ran by older women obsessed with diets, my sister and I were constantly being told that we should lose weight and that we were “too big” for our age. Looking back at pictures, I personally think I looked fine, but as an 8-year-old, I internalized what my mother said and put my childhood on hold. I did so by hiding my insecurities under baggy clothes, showering with clothes on, and not eating much and when I did so in private. The lack of eating caused my body to go into a type of “survival mode” in which the body stored more fat from the food I did eat in fear that I would not have access to food later. In the end the process made me get bigger and my classmates reminded me of it frequently. I was constantly bullied and harassed about the way I looked in and out of the place I call home. Having an older sister in front of me and a young brother behind me cast me constantly in their shadow resulting in my achievements being over looked. However, my mistakes were amplified to set an example for my younger brother. I also was looked down upon for mistakes that were completely out of my control. An example of the unfair treatment would be my brother and sister being zoned for a different school that was deemed to be better. My older sister was zoned for Oxon Hill Highschool before me and my family moved and the zoning carried over into the rest of her years. However, when it was my turn to have my address to be turned in for zoning, I was zoned for Gwynn Park High School as that was the zone for the new address. Then when my younger brother was being zoned my mother remember my situation and used a different address was used which zoned him for Oxon Hill High School. The addresses were completely out of my control as my mother handled them however, I was then looked down on for not going to what was deemed to be a better high school. The situation was completely unfair, but I still suffered the consequences. The consequences being that my family favored my siblings more than me. My family also did not nurture me like they did my siblings because they believed because I was outgoing, I was also strong and did not require support in difficult situations. My mom also frequently made plans for me to be else were during family events to not cause “problems”. The culmination of rejection and blatant mental abuse made me come to the conclusion that I wasn’t wanted anywhere. The conclusion was amplified when my mother told me I was “unplanned” for and a “surprise child”. To alleviate the feeling of rejection I tried creating new looks, learning how to do my hair like models and taking acting classes. I did so in an effort to prove that I’m worth more than I was deemed to be. Despite me trying to alter my appearance for their attention, with hair colors, cuts, and trendy clothing, my family still mocked me for my appearance, and the weight I gained. My self-esteem continued to fall as my teachers would laugh and joke about my appearance as well. In 8th grade I finally tried to take my life because I felt as though I wasn’t worthy of anything. I felt no one would care how you felt unless you were pretty, or dead. On my first attempt, I tried using broken glass from a make-up mirror. Luckily, I didn’t know where the important arteries were. I continued to try praying that I’d finally bleed out. After a couple of days of trying, I went to school and my classmates saw that I had cuts and told me that I’d go to hell if I kept doing so. However, at the time I felt so bad that I continued cutting that night. Eventually my consoler called me out of class with my mom waiting for me to take me to a mental institution for attempted suicide. Luckily the meeting took place on the morning that I had figured out which were the important arteries. After going to the institution and going through meetings my mother decided to not commit me and brought me home. However, when I got home, I was never left alone I couldn’t shower, sleep, or have knives. I also had to leave the door open in any room I was in. Even at one of my lowest points my family still mocked me saying I was doing everything for “attention”. The reaction from my family made me feel as though they took nothing seriously about me not even my attempts at death which made me sink deeper into a depression. So, as soon as I was left alone again, I attempted to drown myself, but was unsuccessful. After a while I decided I’ll just die of natural causes, and would do anything reckless that could cause my death. Awhile later I had a change of heart and began to try to improve myself to alleviate negative feelings rather than try to end myself. When I got in high school, I started participating in sports and different physical activities and started to take my body seriously. Before COVID, in my junior year, I was participating in 3 different sports: Volleyball, Swimming, and Softball. I got accepted into our high school’s cosmetology course so I could learn how to properly enhance the beauty. Leading to me currently studying for dermatology and choosing cosmetology as my career. Now I feel better because I have found something to live for: Me.

Dermatology and cosmetology have been a long-life dream of mine Since I was a child, I have always known that I wanted to pursue a career in the beauty industry. I used to collect things around the house, like my grandma’s wig, baby powder, and different color lip glosses, and use them to create my own look. Now that I am older, I have come to realize that my dream career is to be a Dermatologist. Being a doctor is one of the highest paying jobs in America that on average pays about $400,000 a year. However, the average medical school debt is about $200,000. That is half the salary of seasoned doctor. Emmie Martin writes “In the U.S., the gender pay gap remains a reality for many women. Overall, they earn just 81.4% the amount their male counterparts make, according to data from the bureau of Labor Statistics for the second quarter of 2019. And it’s worse for women of color.” Basically, on average I could potentially make $400,000 a year but since I am a woman of color, according to the study, I would end up making about $320,000 not detracting the money student debt may take out of the check. To prepare myself to go into this field, I applied for the Gwynn Park high school Cosmetology program offered at my high school. At the beginning of my junior year, I was blessed with the opportunity to get accepted into the program, and then soon afterward, I landed an assisting job at a hair salon. The job has allowed me to work closely with professionals in my field of interest and to gain hands-on experience and assistance with my schoolwork at the same time. The license in cosmetology will give me the knowledge needed for my career in dermatology seeing as how both study the skin, hair, and nails. Furthermore, a license in cosmetology will help me pursue my dream of opening my own salons after I have retired from a career in dermatology. In addition to my cosmetology courses, when I attend Community College this year, I plan to major in business management so I can gain the knowledge necessary to manage my salons. I always get so much joy from using my creativity to make new things and improve old things. In addition to this, I also feel that it is my calling to better the lives of others by making them feel better about themselves, because personally if I look good, I feel good. After becoming a dermatologist, I plan to continue this calling by opening a non-profit organization along with my salon and beauty supply store. The non-profit will allow all of the youth who are interested in the beautification process can come together. The common interest will facilitate the creation of healthy relationships with people who have the same mindset as them. It has been my experience that having people of the same mindset as you will help you thrive in that field. If I get this scholarship, I will be one step closer to having the future of my dreams and having the ability to help others in the pursuit of theirs’s.

High school senior, Asia Simo, was suddenly kicked off the cheerleading squad after three years at Captain Shreve High School in Louisiana simply because her hair was "too thick” for the “half-up, half-down” standard that the team required for most of the games. Asia accumulated demerits for having her hair out of uniform, which led to her eventual dismissal, despite not being an issue in previous years. This is one of the many events that I wish was not so common in today’s society I am appalled that people have the power to deny employment to people who wear their God-given natural hair in a particular fashion. It is acts of discrimination like this that cause me to view society in a negative light. Many people argue that the look of tattoos, piercings, or afros portrays the person to be untidy or reckless, thus making the company gain a bad reputation. They believe that the person’s appearance is the only thing that matters when hiring them. Although appearance does play an important role, it should never be the major determining factor in whether or not the person should get a job. Hairstyles and body modifications are just two out of the hundreds of different ways that people choose to express themselves. If the body modification or hairstyle is not set up in a way that can harm people or hinder their daily tasks on the job, there is no reason why the person should not be considered, or at least that’s how I see it. As black women, we are often conditioned to straighten our hair or get a weave before an important event. For example, I remember that when I was young I would get my hair “done” when I was going to church or an Easter dinner to now, going to a job interview or weddings. The straightening of our hair, or changing our appearance sprung from trying to adhere to the “white man’s” expectations or trying to look white enough to be accepted in society. But I believe, why try to fit in when you were made to stand out? It’s to the point where African American women don’t know how to properly take care of their curly, not “nappy” hair. Now here is where I come in! I feel that if no one is going to teach little girls how to Love, appreciate, and take care of their natural hair, it has to be me. This is how I will serve my community by educating little girls on how to love their hair and themselves.