For DonorsFor Applicants

Healing Self and Community Scholarship

$1,000
4 winners, $250 each
In Review
Application Deadline
Nov 22, 2024
Winners Announced
Dec 22, 2024
Education Level
Any
Eligibility Requirements
Education Level:
High school senior, undergraduate, or graduate student
Race/Ethnicity:
BIPOC
Background:
Interest in changing the world through art and health promotion

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 75% of mental illnesses begin by age 24 and disproportionately affect youth of color. Mental health challenges affect countless people every day and yet many suffer in silence and aren't able to find support.

The inaccessibility of mental health care is produced by a variety of factors, such as the high financial costs of therapy or other treatment and the stigmatization of mental illness that can exacerbate feelings of isolation in BIPOC communities. All young people deserve an equal opportunity to thrive as they develop into adulthood.

This scholarship seeks to empower students to practice healthy coping mechanisms, pursue higher education, and go on to change the world.

Any BIPOC high school senior, undergraduate, or graduate student who is interested in changing the world through art and health promotion may apply for this scholarship.

To apply, tell us what contribution you would like to make to help mental health care become more affordable and accessible.

Selection Criteria:
Ambition, Drive, Impact
Published May 12, 2024
Essay Topic

What unique contribution would you give the world to make mental health care affordable and accessible to anyone who needs support?

100–250 words

Winners and Finalists

December 2023

Finalists
Kayla Brown
Christy Roberson
Marrissa Bastien-Buie
Jelia Farr
Elise Andrews
Chauntrell Turner
Lydia Chapman
Selima Brown
Courtney Roberts
Patricia Okolo
De'Yani Dillard
Camille Long
Nathalie Larson
Darcie Thomas
Beatrice Asekomhe
Egypt Byrd
Camila Garcia
Ayani Hashi
Valerie Igbikiowubo
Sheba Bentum-Mensah
Isaiah Howard
Crystal Maoga
shekinah konadu
Olivia Williams
jasmine blake
Anasofia Gallegos
Grace Staes
Chloe Edwards
Hafsa Sheikh
Autumn Dixon
Alfonso Smith
Quincy Franks
Fajr Butt
Samiya Harragin
Alyssandra Lachica
Jared Villery
CHLOE THOMPSON
Djamilliah Paepke-Chile
Amanda (Arlo) Topete
Raegan Bowen
Samantha Odaro
Daniel Castro
Kristina Olegario Loy
Destiny Ejiofor
Aaliyah Mitchell
Elijah Gonzalez
Jeremiah Lewis
Damaria Ponder
Kennedy Donnell
Ravyn Hicks
Ebony Medina
Alicia Gonzalez-Gastelum
Kenonica Joseph
Michelle Johnson
Mackenzie Flowers
Nakaila Tate
Sadie Brown
Vivian Gaiko
Kaitlyn hernandez
Jada James Ogbechie
Tamara Aguetse
Hulda Fernandes
Thomas Martin
Isela mendoza
Damon Garcia
Anima Acharya
Grace Beecher
Onyinyechi Colette Charles-Azike
Rosamargarita mendoza
Michelle Fan
Kelsey Jefferson
april nava
Hannah Hawkins
Allahna Johnson
Micai Thornton
Safa Faheem
Stephanie Ortiz
Harmony Anthony
Adanze Benjamin
Clarissa Reyna
Sunny Arnold
Aaliyah Bullock
Jayden Linton
Alexa Formby
Karen Perez
Adriane Navarro
Melanie McIntosh
Ritika Senthil Kumar
mary adeleke
Nana K
Brianna Oyeyemi
Andrew Brizan
Jumana Ahmed
Jasmin Greene
Jessica Meza perez
mikaylin alston
Jada Mapp
Sophia Taveras
Drayton Jones
Mya Bogers
Genevieve Slaton
Sharla Rider
Jonathan Gedam
Taciana Carroll

Winning Application

Ty Coleman
Syracuse UniversityBoston, MA
As a Rising Senior in college, I have had the opportunity to create a men of color organization on my campus that is dedicated to prioritizing men's mental health and healthy forms of manhood. The reason I decided to start this group is because it is extremely important that the BIPOC community starts to focus on mental health. Men Assertively Manifesting Bold Alliances (MAMBA) strives to create unity among men of color on our campus so we can become the best versions of ourselves through one another. This means we need to be able to be okay with being vulnerable and also know when we need help and how to pursue it. With 80 percent of therapists being white, it is extremely difficult to find one who looks like you, which is why it's crucial to have a support system and community of people who share similar experiences as you. So many men in this world are not taught that being vulnerable and showing your feelings is acceptable, so many of us have grown up most, and sometimes all of our lives with a hard shell and very stoic. So, with a group like MAMBA, I know it will have a positive impact on our community and make men feel more comfortable reaching out for help. While MAMBA may not directly make mental health care affordable or accessible, It will transform young men of color into men who are not afraid to reach out for help when they need it.
Natalie Hernandez
West Texas A & M UniversitySan Angelo, TX
When I was a junior in high school, I remember leaving for spring break on a sunny Friday afternoon. In a blink of an eye, my week of spring break turned into a year of isolation. The 2020 pandemic hit many people hard. Every day when we turned on the news, it felt like one catastrophe after another. The pandemic took a lot away from me and my high school experience, but it also taught me the importance of prioritizing mental health. This realization influenced me to pursue a degree in music therapy. Myself and many others turned to the arts for comfort during isolation and after that experience, I knew there could never be enough music and art in the world. Music therapy is a unique kind of therapy because it relies on music to address the needs of the patient. Music therapy has been proven to help those struggling with anxiety, depression, and other kinds of mental disorders. Music therapists have always had to advocate for their clients because they cannot always do it for themselves and I am prepared to advocate for the rest of my professional career. I truly believe everyone deserves to be helped without having to worry about what financial problems may follow. I am devoted to helping my future clients and making mental health care a right instead of a luxury.

FAQ

When is the scholarship application deadline?

The application deadline is Nov 22, 2024. Winners will be announced on Dec 22, 2024.