My life goal is to assist those who are unable to assist themselves. America's court system has been unjust to people of color, the mentally ill, mentally disablited and the lower classes; it is the new generation who is rising up to change this. As a forensic psychologist, I would be able to assist those in the system in receiving the assistance they require, as well as victims in receiving the justice they deserve. The road to forensic psychology is long and expensive, involving a four-year undergraduate study followed by a Ph.D. program. I'm hoping to find possibilities for generous folks who want to help me afford my studies. Why I want to help those who can't help themselves is my buddy, Dellin. Dellin has low-functioning autism. I became the Best Buddies president after connecting with my now-best friend, Dellin. Dellin has low-functioning autism, but beyond that is a Spongebob superfan, a spicy Dorito chip lover, and simply the kindest human out there. Dellin and I met through a special cooking class in 8th grade and we have grown fond to each other. From 8th grade to now, soon walking in across the stage at graduation. Best Buddies aims to create a space to foster one-to-one friendships between students with IDD (intellectual disabilities) and atypical students. This has taught me the importance of inclusion and what that may look like in different communities. Every week I have leadership training to understand and learn how to advocate for those in need. To see past the disability and see what makes them so special, just like my Dellin. This year we have fostered 8 one-to-one friendships and had 82 members in total. My chapter hosted the Best Buddies Valentine's dance where neighboring towns danced and enjoyed the night in our cafe! I hope to be a forensic psychologist with a focus on helping those with disabilities because mental health is always overlooked. Especially in the eyes of the American judicial system, we need leaders and change. During my years in college, I plan to do lots of research studies globally. I want to understand those in our community and those like Dellin who can't advocate for themselves. We can create change with the young generation and with an open mind. My personal goal is to help at least one person, if I were to leave the earth today, I would have wanted to make a difference in the world. I want to help the system that America has created, whether that is possible or not- only future Yasmeen could tell you. But I am not going to stop trying to help and change the system. Help give out the support that is needed, that is not what might happen, but I can promise it will happen.

Helping special needs students can be a tough but rewarding experience. It not only allows individuals to give back to their community, but it also allows for personal growth and self-reflection. In this article, I will reflect on my volunteer work with special needs students and describe what it has taught me about myself. My involvement with special needs students began in high school when I joined a direct group dedicated to offering support and mentorship to youngsters with impairments. The summer program for IDD kids is held in the high school every weekday. I was initially reluctant and unsure about the time commitment. But, because of my previous experience with a neighbor with autism, I knew how to communicate with the students. Others were surprised when I told them that this was my first summer experience. I wanted them to understand that they were just like any other child, with their own personalities, loves, and dislikes. The first thing I learned from my volunteer work with special needs students was that it is essential to look beyond someone's disability and focus on their abilities. Working with special needs students requires patience, empathy, and understanding. Another significant lesson I learned through my volunteer work with special needs students was the value of inclusion. It helped me realize the importance of creating an inclusive society that provides equal chances for all people, regardless of their talents. It made me realize how much we take for granted in our daily lives and how much effort is still to be done to establish a more inclusive society. I became more aware of the different difficulties that people with disabilities encounter, which inspired me to become an advocate for their rights. One of my best friends' names is Dellin, Dellin has low functioning Autism. I found myself advocating for him because he didn't have anyone else to be his voice. I found myself packing him snacks, taking him out on drives, and picking up thin-threaded shirts because they wouldn’t trigger his sensory issues as regular cotton does. This year I will be walking Dellin across the stage of our highschool graudation. I wanted to make sure there were other connections like Dellin and I's. I became the president of Best Buddies. Best Buddies is a space for childern with IDD and students in the school to have one -to - friendships with one another. Since 2020 we have connect and paired 27 students. I want everyone to have a Dellin, have someone that you truly care about. Dellin has taught me to relax, and be patient with others and myself.

My strength comes within the flood of my anxiety. How it taught me to love and care about those around me. The water will not stop rising. No matter how high I climb or how many times I drain the water, it comes back. This story begins around second grade. It was second grade when I first sensed the puddle near my feet. It happened when I was given the task to go downstairs to retrieve paper towels. After avoiding copious commands involving going downstairs by myself, my mother barked that I had to tackle those stairs. As I entered, I began to lose my breath in the very basement that I had taken my first steps in, had my very first sleepover, and watched the movie Big Hero 6 more than I could count. I grabbed the paper towels and spun around. My imagination ran wild as I peered at the drapes, wondering what horrors might be lurking beyond them. Looking down, I noticed that what was once a puddle had risen up to my neck. Maybe it was that I finally finished the task, or maybe it was that I was out of the storm, but the pressure broke once I was away. I gained the nickname “Sunshine” at school because of my overall talkative and buoyant personality. Being the only Asian kid in grade school, I learned to stick up for myself quickly. It was important to me that no one else felt that helpless. But advocacy is different from self-help. When my mind had time to be alone, the puddle always came back. From then on, I found myself living in the water. Following me, holding on to me, and at times, even choking me. I couldn't succeed if I was not pushing myself into danger. I used to say that the tide wasn’t high, or even that I didn't have a puddle under me during simple tasks. I had come to believe that “Sunshine” should not have a storm in her head and I learned to live with the discomfort that it brought on. My friend, Dellin, helped me navigate my storm. Dellin has low-functioning Autism. I found myself advocating for him because he didn't have anyone else to be his voice. I found myself packing him snacks, taking him out on drives, and picking up thin-threaded shirts because they wouldn’t trigger his sensory issues as regular cotton does. It was through this love of helping those who couldn't help themselves that I found myself okay in my puddle. Today, I tend to remind myself that I'm not simply the age I turned, but that I am still the little girl scared of her own basement. That I am still the pre-teen scared of sitting in the backseat. I find myself protecting her when change happens. Growing, sitting, and accepting my fluctuating anxiety is a struggle I will continuously strive to overcome. I find myself working in communities that support neurodivergent kids that have a hard time advocating for themselves. The friendships I've made have helped me realize that this is something I need to do for the rest of my life, to help the Dellins and Yasmeens of the world. Because having water beneath your feet makes it a bit easier to help those who are drowning. It is through appreciating my water that rises- that helps others drain theirs.

A problem that I feel is important to solve for me as a child of immigrants, mental health is a challenging topic. Although Im not directly creating a direct solution, this is definitely a step in the right direction. The stigma associated with treatment in immigrant families can be a complex issue, stemming from cultural attitudes, language obstacles, and mental health misinformation. Instead, I offer a solution centered on teaching immigrant families about the benefits of therapy as well as addressing their worries and hurdles to obtaining treatment. To begin, we would need to do research to identify the specific cultural ideas and values that may contribute to the stigma associated with therapy in immigrant families. Since money is a finite resource, I would want to work with a top research university such as Harvard or MIT. This could include focus groups and interviews with members of various immigrant communities. We would create culturally responsive instructional materials regarding mental health and therapy based on the study. These materials would be available in many languages and address typical misconceptions and concerns about treatment that immigrant families may have. We would also collaborate with trustworthy community organizations and leaders to raise awareness about the importance of mental health and decrease the stigma associated with counseling. Hosting community activities, workshops, and talks on mental health and therapy, as well as giving resources and recommendations for mental health services, could be part of this. Where the location of the hosting actives and resources is really imporant, since makign sure this is a postive experince is really imporant. Hosting somewhere where all expensies paid is also imporant as immigrant familes may see having to pay as having to give another thing up. We would provide interpretation and translation services for individuals and families seeking mental health care in order to overcome language obstacles. This could include collaborating with multilingual mental health practitioners or training mental health clinicians on how to interact with translators. Furthermore, we would reach out to immigrant families through social media and other digital platforms, emphasizing the significance of mental health and counseling. This could include developing entertaining and educational information about mental health and treatment, sharing personal stories of people who have benefited from therapy, and giving resources and recommendations for mental health services. We can assist minimize the stigma associated with treatment in immigrant families and highlight the value of mental health for people and communities by applying these tactics.