Question 1: I am in the process of utilizing my gap year as I just graduated from Howard University with a double major obtaining a B.A. in Criminology and a B.A. in Spanish, I intend on beginning law school next Fall (August 2025). Question 2: Life itself is the greatest teacher, and I am in a never-ending growth spurt that sprouts from the seeds of life. From attending conferences and events focused on enlightenment to transformative travel experiences, there are no limitations to how I expand my perception of the world beyond the scope of what formal education can provide. At the age of 16, I was accepted into my first law internship program which provided me valuable insights about the law school experience from panels that the program hosted. From there on out, I have intentionally attended several legal-related panels, conferences, seminars, webinars and other events to learn from law students, attorneys, and judges about their: day-to-day responsibilities; how they navigate in a field lacking diversity; their career trajectory; and their “why.” My why was sparked from watching the motion picture, The Hurricane, when I was younger and noticing how unfair the justice system is towards people of color. Upon that realization, I began to learn from more films, documentaries and series that ignited the fire in me to attack head-on the mass incarceration of Black people epidemic. However, I would be selling myself short if I only discovered the impact of law through a domestic lens. Therefore, as a college sophomore, I pursued a fellowship program abroad in Spain to learn that areas of international law. My first time traveling abroad opened my eyes to see that the beauty of law is that it is layered into a multi-web of interests. Question 3: Our national debt is not a hot topic amongst college communities, so when I learned about the mission of Up to Us to raise awareness on the impact of the national debt and how college students can become civically engaged in influencing fiscal policies through hosting campaigns, I decided to serve as the Media Engagement Specialist during my first year of the Howard. The Black Lives Matter movement was at the height of its impetus at this time and following the murder of Daunte Wright, I expressed interest in releasing a statement on the Howard’s Up to Us team’s Instagram page to showcase our support and advocacy for justice on behalf of Wright and his family. I was not only confident that spreading awareness about this issue of police brutality was the right thing to do, but I also understood that to remain silent about any issue that threatens our safety is to maintain complacency in social activism (which was the very premise behind our campaign). After a team discussion, I recognized that the dissenting opinion of my teammate was based on not understanding how this specific issue correlated to promoting fiscal policies and lowering the national debt and not his personal beliefs. With this takeaway in mind that diving deeper to better understand a person’s point of view than what is merely presented at face value, led me to explain my reasoning further. Releasing a statement on this issue of police misconduct directly aligned with our mission. Following my thorough explanation in comparison to my initial expressed interest, the team and I not only released a statement, but we also expanded our mission to specifically include impacting Black communities and students of color. Question 4: While the cost of education at most HBCUs is lower than the cost of education at non-HBCUs, the problem of student loan debt is plaguing HBCU students at a disproportionately higher rate than students attending non-HBCUs. After grants and scholarships are applied to the tuition of an HBCU student, there is still a larger disconnect to pay for the remaining college expenses other than that of a non-HBCU student. To help pay for college, more HBCU students look to federal, state and private loans combined, ultimately making it challenging to repay those aforementioned loans upon college graduation. With aspirations of establishing an HBCU scholarship foundation, I hope to help close the racial wealth gap for students of color to access higher education without financial burdens. Moreover, my passion for motivating students of all backgrounds to increase their knowledge of applying for scholarships and showing students the possibilities of earning a debt-free education sparked the creation of my social media platform known as “Igniting Scholarly Confidence.”

I would not be where I am today in life if it were not for my single-parent father, my daddy! His loving heart, mentoring spirit, competitive fire, and nurturing soul have helped mold me into the person I am today. Seeing the struggle that he endured to raise me and my brother alone has helped shape me into the fierce young lady that writes this to you. My father is all about empowerment. He raised me to depend on no man or woman. He gave me the gift of wisdom as he has planted seeds that will continue to grow for the rest of my life. Having been through the storm and overcoming several obstacles, he imparted lessons on me based on his experience. He shielded me from making mistakes he had seen in the past. He warned on judging character and actions to look beyond the exterior and superficial. Thus, with the support from the Debra Victoria Scholarship, I would be able to achieve my career goals, using the lessons my dad taught, of having the power to change the narrative of innocent defendants’ stories by becoming a lawyer and ultimately, a judge. This is my Defenders’ Credo. I know that through this career path, I can affect change in the criminal justice system in a positive way. So, why be a judge? Judges are the arbitrator of right and wrong and having the ability to use judicial sensitivity while applying it on a fair scale will allow me to uphold the laws of the land for fair and equitable application. Upon graduation, I will work as a criminal defense attorney to establish a successful trial record defending those who have been wrongfully prosecuted because they are of a systemically vulnerable group. After years of diligent service as an attorney, my goal is to be appointed as a judge. To that end, I will determine are judges supposed to be our morality compass or merely referees in the game? To those points, receiving the Debra Victoria Scholarship would be beneficial not just for me, but for the greater good, and more specifically, it would be a welcome source of support for my single-parent father. My dad has been the integral part of my life since I was born. He has been mommy and daddy to me. From doing my hair to teaching me how to shoot a basketball. Did I mention, he taught me how to run routes on the football field? All jokes aside, he was the person who instilled that academic excellence in me. Growing up in a single-parent household has taught me that I do not want to raise children alone. I looked at how hard my dad worked and cared for us that he barely had time for an outside life. This dedication to a cause has definitely not gone unnoticed by me and others. Where do you think I get it from? My dad was so focused on my well-being that even while he was completing college, he actually would carry me into his college biology class in my car seat when he could not afford a babysitter. It is that type of singularly-focused dedication and determination, which has been instilled into me that has helped me achieve the success I have had up to this point in life. It is that same drive inside of me that will keep me achieving my goals, moving forward to a career in law as I work to break barriers not only in my life, but the lives of others as well.

There was never really any doubt in my mind that I would attend Howard University. In the spirit of paying homage to those who came before me, it is only right that I attend an HBCU. Attending an HBCU is bigger than education. It means that I am full fledge, 100% part of a village that values the significance of equality. Oh, and let us not forget the experience, and oh what an experience it is! The Yard, the Quad, the Set, the Union, need I go on? Personally, attending an HBCU is the transcendence of staying true to one’s self-identity. Attending an HBCU for a little Black girl born on the hills of Tallahassee, Florida is equivalent to a Catholic going to the Vatican or a Muslim visiting Mecca. I admire how HBCUs attract a diaspora of Blackness. I prefer to develop my life skills in the nurturing confines of an HBCU where the color of my skin is the least of my worries. This is not just about a battle-of-the-bands, but about having a hunger that a bologna sandwich can’t fix and needing nourishment that strawberry milk won’t quench. As an aspiring attorney, I will use my HBCU education to uphold the laws for fair and equitable application. Howard has been pivotal on my career path towards helping minorities obtain exceptional legal representation. Formerly, early Civil Rights activists fought hard for Black people to have a place of higher education, so why not leverage my ancestral birthright, right? Power-up with the spirit of a lineage of brilliant Black minds. A heritage that was too strong to stay buried beneath the sea. Some of us jumped from ships because we thought death was better than bondage, so my mind will stay free to always pay homage at my HBCU.

While I am not where I want to be, I have persevered to have the quality of true grit, the fear of not being successful. Success to me is the perpetual ability to tear down any obstacles in front of you. The most impactful obstacle in my life has helped shaped me into the resilient and hardworking woman I am today. I was living the quintessential teenage dream, and then suddenly, my whole life got flipped upside down when I moved from Tallahassee to Atlanta without my mom right when my high school journey was set to begin. Not only did I move to a remote state without my mother coming with me, but I also lived with three other people in my Granny’s one-bedroom apartment for almost three years. Leaving behind all my friends I grew up with, plus the familiarity of all I had known, in addition to not having my mom around was a very pivotal moment. This move taught me how to grow-up quickly and adapt to new surroundings. There was no shortcutting the process. So, in the face of adversity, not only did I not have a drop-off in my performance at school, but I actually thrived as a 4x Principal’s Scholar, 3-sport athlete, Advanced Chorus singer, and a District Attorney Office Intern (the only high school intern), amongst many more achievements. Nevertheless, this only fortified me into a better student who values the importance of education as I see it as my only way out of the hardships I have faced. This gave me that "can’t go back" attitude that I have today because even though I have been denied multiple scholarship awards, I continue to persevere by applying. Giving up is not an option, and my single-parent dad taught me that you miss 100% of the shots you do not take. With this by-the-bootstraps mentality, I have developed into a very independent, young woman who knows that effort, not favor, is the key to success. Every accolade I have earned is the result of the time and energy I invested. Hard work and perseverance are like my right and left hands. I am a go-getter who does not wait for something to be handed to me as I go out and get it on my own. Utilizing this quality of mine, I aspire to become a criminal defense attorney as the legal system has always been the great equalizer in my community. While most lawyers tend to settle for the best deal in a case through plea agreements, I will challenge the system to obtain freedom for my clients by displaying true grit to advocate for what is best for their needs and not the needs of the carceral system. Defendants should not have to bargain to lessen their sentence in prison but should negotiate to have legal proceedings free of analyses made with inherent biases, judgements, and preconceived notions. Due to my convictions, I cannot and will not stand by and watch someone, who by a preponderance of evidence is innocent, have to serve time for crimes they did not commit. Through resiliency, I would exceed the standard of representation as a criminal defense lawyer by ensuring that defendants’ rights are substantially met and lead with the courage to challenge the obstruction of justice at any and all levels of the courts. Breaking down systemic barriers, I will change the narrative of innocent defendant stories by holding the criminal justice system accountable for doing what is right for people to not fall victim to systemic injustice through my power of true grit.

(Please refer to video below too.) Law has been a passion of mine for the better part of the last decade. From “Law and Order” to “How to Get Away with Murder,” I have always had a fascination with being an attorney. To take steps toward my plans in high school, I applied for the Atlanta Bar Association internship with the hopes of furthering my professional development in the field of law. I knew that invaluable experience would only increase my probability of reaching my goal. Through a very competitive vetting process with only a select few chosen, I made the cut of being awarded a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of interning at the District Attorney’s Office which allowed me to gain first-hand insight from legal subject-matter experts. This provided me with the experience I need in pursuit of my immediate and long-range career plans. I have worked in a courtroom, prepared legal briefs, dined with judges, toured jails, and attended luncheons with attorneys. Relative to immediate plans, as a Third-Year Senior, choosing Criminology as my undergraduate major was a no-brainer to pave the way for subsequent graduate-level studies in Law. Please note that I attend the university that produced the barrier-breaking United States Supreme Court Justice, Thurgood Marshall. So, when you talk about strategically planning my goals with very calculated steps, I am well on the path to fulfilling my calling through my intentional steps. My plan in my professional life is to improve my community through the judicial system. I firmly believe in helping marginalized groups obtain exceptional legal representation. Considering how many defendants have inadequate counsel, it is no surprise how often justice often goes unserved. I am referring to justice for those who are wrongfully accused and falsely convicted. Due to my convictions, I cannot and will not stand by and watch someone, who by a preponderance of evidence is innocent, serve time for crimes they did not commit. My near future, immediate plans begin with obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Criminology, then being accepted to and attending Law School. Upon finishing Law School with my Juris Doctorate, I plan to pass the State Bar Exam. Long-range career-wise, after becoming able to practice law, I will work for a Law Firm to establish a successful trial record defending those who have been wrongfully prosecuted because they are of a systemically vulnerable group. Once established as a best-in-class lawyer, my plan is to ascend upwards on the hierarchy of corporate leadership becoming a Partner at a Law Firm. After years of diligent service as an attorney, my ultimate long-range career plan is to be appointed as a judge to uphold the laws of the land in a way that benefits all, and not just the privileged, while exercising fair judicial sensitivity. Being a judge has always been the ultimate career destination. You are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty; however, that is not the case for every defendant. Take the Scottsboro Boys and the Exonerated Five, for example. These young men were robbed of their childhood because the justice system judged the color of their skin and not the overwhelming preponderance of reasonable doubt and irrefutable evidence. I aspire to be in a position where I can level the playing field for innocent defendants to not be jailed unlawfully for offenses they did not commit and suffer a lifetime of punishment unjustly. Are judges supposed to be our morality compasses or merely referees in the game? By focusing my studies on Criminology, I will build a solid foundation to adequately answer that question and justly apply the answer.

The legal system has always been the great equalizer in my community. Lately, there have been several seminal moments that have stretched our legal system to maximum elasticity. From political strategy scandals to the boundaries of sexual assault and high-profile double-standards, applying the law with consistency has become an exercising futility. Considering how many defendants have inadequate counsel, it is no surprise how often justice goes unserved. I cannot stand by and watch someone, who by a preponderance of evidence is innocent, get railroaded by the system. Law is swift and it can be unforgiving, but in the right hands, it can be oh so powerful when applied with care and perspective. Therefore, my plan of action begins with obtaining a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminology and Spanish, then attending law school. Upon graduating with my Juris Doctorate Degree, I plan to pass the bar exam and become a bilingual criminal defense attorney. Then, I will work for a law firm to establish a successful trial record of defending those who have been wrongfully convicted because of the systematic marginalization of people of color. Once established as a best-in-class lawyer in my field, my goal is to ascend upwards on the hierarchy of corporate leadership by becoming a partner at a law firm. After years of diligent service as an attorney, my ultimate goal is to be appointed as a judge to uphold the laws of the land in a way that benefits all, and not just the privileged, while exercising fair judicial sensitivity. Once all is said and done, my ultimate plan is to establish my own law firm, to fight for justice on behalf of indigent defendants who have been unfairly incarcerated. As a result, to even amplify the sentiment on the changes I would make, I will use my college education to uphold laws for fair and equitable application not just in my community, but to all. My interest to defend people who are unable to defend themselves was sparked from watching the motion picture, The Hurricane, when I was younger and noticing how unfair the justice system is towards people of color. Our justice system is built on the premise that you are innocent until proven guilty; however, that is not the case for every defendant. For example, take the “Scottsboro Boys” and “The Exonerated Five.” These young men were all railroaded and robbed of their childhood because the justice system judged their color, not the overwhelming preponderance of reasonable doubt. My aspiration is to be in a position where I have the power to change the narrative of innocent defendants’ stories. I am at a point in my life where I now seek to know are judges supposed to be our morality compass or merely referees in the game? By receiving my Juris Doctorate Degree, I will have a solid foundation to answer that question, as I plan to be a lawyer with my ultimate goal of becoming a judge.

Well, considering I am a college freshman, you would think that I would not have the cache to adequately answer the first question, but au contraire mon frère. During my short time as a college student, I am already serving as an intern in the Constitutional Review Committee of the Howard University Student Association Senate to tirelessly advocate for self-proposed legislation that would establish a Scholarship for deserving Howard University student activists. I have been involved in Revolt, Incorporated where I dedicate my time to enrich the community by serving on the Community Service Committee, empower women by serving on the Events Committee, educate the youth by serving on the Public Relations Committee, and organize information as the newly elected Secretary. Furthermore, I am a part of the Model United Nations Team representing the country of Nigeria. During the conference, I successfully collaborated with other African Delegations to ensure an intracontinental plan for the current pandemic by passing my resolution piece, which resulted in being awarded the Committee Leadership Award. The biggest thing I have done this past year that made a difference in not just my community, but communities all over the country (and the world for that matter), was working as a Community Mobilizer to serve on the winning campaign in the historic election in Georgia that contributed to a transcendent Capitol Hill victory that had a cataclysmic impact on the world. My journey to get here is one where my mother decided to leave me with no financial help, forcing me to sleep on the floor in my grandmother’s tiny, one-bedroom apartment. Thus, the Future Black Leaders Scholarship will impact me by affording me the means to greatly assist my family financially and provide a stable flow of income once I begin my career in the lucrative field of law, especially considering that me and my special needs, autistic brother live solely off the support of my single dad’s income alone as our mother does not provide for me or my brother. My education will be the inspiration for my brother to pursue higher education. Upon graduation, my career goals are to work for a Law Firm to establish a successful trial record defending those who have been wrongfully prosecuted because they are a systemically vulnerable group. Once established as a best-in-class lawyer in my field, my goal is to ascend upwards on the hierarchy of corporate leadership, becoming a Partner of the Law Firm. After years of diligent service as an attorney, my ultimate goal is to be appointed as a judge to uphold the laws of the land in a way that benefits all while exercising judicial sensitivity to the many prejudices of our legal system. I am at a point in my life where I now seek to know are judges supposed to be our morality compass or merely referees in the game? This is why I believe by receiving my Law Degree, I will have a solid foundation to answer that question.