As a Black girl who has always been deemed “academically gifted,” I’ve often faced a harsher judgment from people who don’t believe I belong in academically centered spaces. Teachers are often surprised by my “prowess” and test scores. I am often complimented on my “sophisticated” speech and “professional” tone. To many academic advisors I have had, I am abnormal. Many times I have heard that teachers or adults think my academic capability is unexpected because I do not “match” how I sound or perform. I am not a stereotypical Black girl. I am not loud or “ghetto”. I do not dress a certain way or speak a certain way. Because I do not fit the expectations and assumptions of my advisors, I am exceptional. This realization — in which I realized I was one of a few Black girls in highly academic spaces — made me conclude that in no way am I special. I am special, of course, in my own way; I am not more special than my white peers, just because I am Black. I have come to understand that for a long time, I am and will continue to be a picture of success, an “anomaly” of the Black community. My experience and so many others demonstrate the racism rooted so deeply in our education system. We have established a country in which all people are “equal” and yet the same opportunities and education are not given to communities of color, especially not Black communities. I overcome this barrier by taking back my power and defying the stereotypes that have been placed before me. I am exceptional not because I am Black, but because of my accomplishments, my ability, and the future I will achieve. By attending college, getting my master's and a law degree in Public Policy, and pursuing the career of my dreams I become a picture of success and pave the path for more Black girls like me. However, I come from a mother who has three kids and is still paying off her own education. Despite her hard work and determination as a teacher, she is paid unfairly and cannot afford the extreme prices of education today. While financial aid has helped greatly, it has not completely covered the cost of my future undergraduate degree at the University of California Berkeley. I seek this scholarship to offset her burden and attain my degree without financial stressors.

Standing in front of a room and giving a speech has never been my strong suit. Nervousness often creeps in, causing me to stumble over my words, especially if I don't have a plan. Yet I often find myself in front of rooms, giving directions or delivering speeches, whether in a room of sixty delegates in Model UN or leading a club meeting for my school’s Green Team. These moments challenge me, but they’ve also taught me how to prepare and persevere. One of my proudest leadership moments was organizing an Earth Day rally in our Long Beach community. The idea started with a simple vision: to raise awareness about the climate crisis and inspire action among the people affected by it. What followed was months of planning, problem-solving, and collaboration. With my amazing team of friends beside me, I worked to create an event that included community members of all ages, local businesses, and entertained live music. This process wasn’t without its challenges. We faced a lot of logistical challenges including finding last-minute replacement speakers, securing event insurance for our rally’s location, and promoting it well enough to encourage attendance on a rainy spring day. Despite it all, I leaned on my ability to plan and problem-solve to get us through the day. I delegated tasks, kept my team motivated, and maintained focus on our goal. Seeing the event come together was a satisfying conclusion to the chaos that ensued prior. On Earth Day, I delivered a speech on the pressing issue of climate change, its global and personal effects, and what we as young people can do to combat it. It was a moment of personal growth, a moment that forced me to realize the power of a collective effort and vision brought to life. This rally showed me that being a leader isn’t always doing things by yourself, but taking charge, leading a team, and using the help around you to lead a collective effort. Taking AP Environmental Science freshman year sparked my love for the environment. Climate change and its effects were something I’d been aware of but not actively a voice against. APES ended up combining some of my favorite subjects. We examined the cross sections of math, science, and English, how environment and society interact, and how crucial (yet detrimental) human life is to the environment. From this point on, I knew that somehow, environmental science had to be intertwined with my career. Within weeks I’d started an environmental club with a few friends, in which we implemented a better recycling program at our school. I worked tirelessly with non-profits outside of school to create an impact. I organized rallies and actions, reaching out to other environmental organizations, influential community figures, and of course, members of my community. My passion for the environment has led to the start of my own non-profit, EcoJustice, which aims to highlight the realities of environmental racism in my community and become an educational resource center for all ages on how they can combat climate change. Ultimately, my work in environmental science and studies is focused on community betterment. I envision a future in which we live in harmony with our environment but also make environmentalism inclusive. Our white-centered activism culture in the United States often draws people of color away from the cause. I want to change that. My career goal is to create policy that not only benefits our environment but uplifts the diverse communities within it.

Standing in front of a room and giving a speech has never been my strong suit. Nervousness often creeps in, causing me to stumble over my words, especially if I don't have a plan. Yet I often find myself in front of rooms, giving directions or delivering speeches, whether in a room of sixty delegates in Model UN or leading a club meeting for my school’s Green Team. These moments challenge me, but they’ve also taught me how to prepare and persevere. One of my proudest leadership moments was organizing an Earth Day really in our Long Beach community. The idea started with a simple vision: to raise awareness about the climate crisis and inspire action among the people affected by it. What followed was months of planning, problem-solving, and collaboration. With my amazing team of friends beside me, I worked to create an event that included community members of all ages, local businesses, and entertained live music. This process wasn’t without its challenges. We faced a lot of logistical challenges including finding last-minute replacement speakers, securing event insurance for our rally’s location, and promoting it well enough to encourage attendance on a rainy spring day. Despite it all, I leaned on my ability to plan and problem-solve to get us through the day. I delegated tasks, kept my team motivated, and maintained focus on our goal. Seeing the event come together was a satisfying conclusion to the chaos that ensued prior. On Earth Day, I delivered a speech on the pressing issue of climate change, its global and personal effects, and what we as young people can do to combat it. It was a moment of personal growth, a moment that forced me to realize the power of a collective effort and vision brought to life. This rally showed me that being a leader isn’t always doing things by yourself, but taking charge, leading a team, and using the help around you to lead a collective effort. Taking AP Environmental Science freshman year sparked my love for the environment. Climate change and its effects were something I’d been aware of but not actively a voice against. APES ended up combining some of my favorite subjects. We examined the cross sections of math, science, and English, how environment and society interact, and how crucial (yet detrimental) human life is to the environment. From this point on, I knew that somehow, environmental science had to be intertwined with my career. Within weeks I’d started an environmental club with a few friends, in which we implemented a better recycling program at our school. I worked tirelessly with non-profits outside of school to create impact. I organized rallies and actions, reaching out to other environmental organizations, influential community figures, and of course, members of my community. My passion for the environment has led to the start of my own non-profit, EcoJustice, which aims to highlight the realities of environmental racism in my community and become an educational resource center for all ages on how they can combat climate change. Ultimately, my work in environmental science and studies is focused on community betterment. I envision a future in which we live in harmony with our environment but also make environmentalism inclusive. Our white-centered activism culture in the United States often draws people of color away from the cause. I want to change that. My goal is to one day create policy that not only benefits our environment but uplifts the diverse communities within it.

Growing up, money always seemed to be an issue. My mom had me at a young age but persisted to finish her education. She gave up so much to raise a kid and receive her Master’s degree. But along with this came student loans, which would continue to affect her further into her adult life and even today. In the second grade, I was accepted into an elite private school based on an academic scholarship, and while I loved my experience at this school, I was always seen as the “scholarship kid”. It was pretty clear that you could tell the difference in living between the girl with a two-story house and me, living in an apartment with my single mother. As I’ve gotten older and realized that money is as important as air in this world, I understand the sacrifices my mom has had to make to raise me and my younger brothers. As I entered the workforce and had money of my own in my hands, I realized the importance that comes with it. And while my family does still struggle to get by month-to-month sometimes, we’re making it. However, in terms of higher education, the money “thing” gets quite difficult. Private colleges have never been an option for me unless I get a full-ride. Even at Public schools, I may have to take out loans just to pay for my future. While this is daunting, it's given me the push to go after what I need, apply for scholarships, and research different types of financial aid. If there is one thing I want to do, it is make my education worth it. This money will give me the ability to make that happen, to create a better life for myself. With my degree in environmental engineering, I want to try my best to give back to my community and the world as a whole. While some of my goals may be for a larger perspective, what I truly want to do is community focused. Along with owning my engineering firm and working alongside other educated professionals in the field, another one of my goals is to completely eradicate environmental racism. Growing up in communities affected by environmental racism has made me hyper-aware of the effects of it. Food deserts and low city maintenance (just to name a few) have made me realize how important the environment is everywhere, even in communities where sustainability might be deemed as “too white” or “too expensive”. Despite the hardships that I have faced and will continue to face, I refuse to not make an impact. I will do my best to utilize my education and benefit my community.

Growing up, money always seemed to be an issue. My mom had me at a young age but persisted to finish her education. She gave up so much to raise a kid and receive her Master’s degree. But along with this came student loans, which would continue to affect her further into her adult life and even today. In the second grade, I was accepted into an elite private school based on an academic scholarship, and while I loved my experience at this school, I was always seen as the “scholarship kid”. It was pretty clear that you could tell the difference in living between the girl with a two-story house and me, living in an apartment with my single mother. As I’ve gotten older and realized that money is as important as air in this world, I understand the sacrifices my mom has had to make to raise me and my younger brothers. As I entered the workforce and had money of my own in my hands, I realized the importance that comes with it. And while my family does still struggle to get by month-to-month sometimes, we’re making it. However, in terms of higher education, the money “thing” gets quite difficult. Private colleges have never been an option for me unless I get a full-ride. Even at Public schools, I may have to take out loans just to pay for my future. While this is daunting, it's given me the push to go after what I need, apply for scholarships, and research different types of financial aid. If there is one thing I want to do, it is make my education worth it. With my degree in environmental engineering, I want to try my best to give back to my community and the world as a whole. While some of my goals may be for a larger perspective, what I truly want to do is community focused. Along with owning my engineering firm and working alongside other educated professionals in the field, another one of my goals is to completely eradicate environmental racism. Growing up in communities affected by environmental racism has made me hyper-aware of the effects of it. Food deserts and low city maintenance (just to name a few) have made me realize how important the environment is everywhere, even in communities where sustainability might be deemed as “too white” or “too expensive”. Despite the hardships that I have faced and will continue to face, I refuse to not make an impact. I will do my best to utilize my education and benefit my community.

The dream version of my future self includes a career at an engineering firm, making an impact on my community and the environment as a whole.

My freshman year I took my first ever environmental science class, and I fell in love. The connection between economic, social, and environmental aspects of our world intrigued me. So much so that I became a huge advocate for the environment. I decided to join the Green Team, a club one of my closest friends started. Within it we created one of the first ever recycling programs at an LBUSD high school. We’ve together created not only this recycling program but have had events that celebrate our environment. Events that aim to bring awareness to students across the district, not just our school. My role in this club is ever so important to me. As social media manager, it’s my job to make sure we bring in more people to our events, provide infographics that relate to what we’re doing, and reach out to other school clubs who may want to collaborate. Green Team was the first ever club I joined, it gave me the courage to join other clubs and made me want to make a difference. Since our government isn't making the necessary actions they need to make, it's up to our generation to take action. To understand that this is our world next, and we have to do all we can to save it.