I'm Greta Garrison, a freshman at Yale University. I grew up on an organic first-generation family farm in Ithaca, New York. I play the trumpet, and love listening to music – jazz, hip hop, rnb, classical, folk, latin pop, and everything else. I have 3 younger siblings, 2 dogs, and a cat (who I miss dearly). I've worked many jobs, from farm work to wedding catering to a Law internship, but my favorite has been being a barista (though my latte art is a work in progress!). This scholarship would help me afford college. Though my family is low-income (I have been on medicaid and have received free school lunch my whole life), the financial aid office has made things difficult for us because they take into consideration assets, which includes my family's land, tractors, and barn/other farm buildings. These assets are not lipid – my family cannot sell these to send me to college, as it is their business and their whole life. This means that while I have the maximum pell grant (maximum federal aid), I have received NO institutional aid. I spent all of my savings from working on my first semester, and will have to consider loans/transfer options if I'm not able to raise enough money to stay here. I apologize if this is too much information, but hope the description can help you understand the situation I am in and why I need this scholarship. I'm currently pursuing the Global Affairs major. I want to travel the world and help promote equity (potentially through Law), and am looking at applied Law in fields of immigration reform, environmental action, and international diplomacy. I want to help protect both the communities I come from, and those across the world who are in need of advocacy. Eventually, (after some field work) I hope to give back to my community by becoming a college professor, and inspiring others like I am being inspired now at Yale. If I can finish my degree here, I'll believe I'll have the opportunity to make a real impact on the world, and come to it with the perspective that I can only get from an education at a place like this, where I can converse and make connections with international students and people from all over the world who have varying perspectives and backgrounds. This preparation will help ensure that I can give back to my community and those like me one day, and make informed decisions throughout my life. I believe that it's so important for leaders to better understand what changes need to be made, and on a global scale – so if I'm ever going to be one or know any, getting my college degree seems like the first step.

I adjust and readjust the three forks, making sure they’re perfectly parallel and aligned with the wine glasses. “Lovely,” I whisper. I grew up helping at Healthy-Food-For-All fundraisers, a nonprofit my mom started to help low-income families access fresh and organic produce. Over time, I’d move from setting places for the fancy dinners, to waiting tables, and finally helping organize the events themselves. I would give farm tours to groups of Elementary kids who didn’t know that carrots grew in the ground, or who’d never even heard of mustard greens. Kids that knew McDonalds and Wendy’s as their sources of food; shopped for groceries at Dollar General. For several semesters, I participated in the Social Justice Intensive, a program run by the Youth Farm Project. We would work in the earth, weeding and harvesting while we discussed issues of injustice. We talked about the importance of sustainable farming, how unethical farming practices can harm the land. Of course, we focused on issues of food insecurity as well, learning how systemic racism makes it harder for some people to access healthy food, and how being removed from food sources negatively affects populations. I was intrigued by the history of it – understanding why there are fewer farmers of color, and how difficult it can be for immigrants and newer generation citizens to get access to fertile and farmable land. My dad is still the only Asian American farmer I know, and before this program I’d never thought about why. Eventually, I found my own ways to benefit my community and fight food insecurity. I began volunteering at Friendship Donations Network, a local food pantry that rescues food that would otherwise be thrown out, and redistributes it to people who need it. My family is committed to showing the world that there are sustainable farming methods and healthy, delicious food options. I want to make these options accessible for everyone. Some of the other ways I contributed to my community: -Organized a fundraiser to support the Black Lives Matter movement by running bus ads. You can read Ithaca Times article and my interview at: https://www.ithaca.com/news/tompkins_county/local-youths-raising-money-for-anti-racist-bus-ads-black-business-support/article_61583f2c-aa99-11ea-a366-1704c885ad21.html -Led a free band camp for youth in my community, meeting weekly and teaching them skills of basic jazz improvisation. - Hosted a volunteer radio show in my town on WRFI station 88.1. Broadcast throughout the Fingerlakes region on Wednesdays from 4-5pm. -Worked with NYS Assemblymember Anna Kelles, local Cornell professors and students, and local medical experts to try and integrate emergency Naloxone training into school health curriculum in NYS. - Worked on a project to reduce waste in my community, communicating with local businesses to allow the public to fill up reusable water bottles. -Started an project to increase the presence of American Indigenous stories in my Elementary school's library, read these books to 1st graders I want to make more of a difference in the future. I'm pursuing the Global Affairs major. I want to travel the world and help promote equity (potentially through Law), and am looking at applied Law in fields of immigration reform, environmental action, and international diplomacy. Eventually, (after some field work) I hope to give back to my community by becoming a college professor, and inspiring others like I am being inspired now at Yale. This scholarship would help me afford college. Though my family is low-income (I have been on medicaid and received free school lunch my whole life), the financial aid office here takes into consideration assets, which includes my family's farmland, tractors, etc. I have the maximum amount of federal aid, but have received NO institutional aid.

1). I'm Greta Garrison, a freshman at Yale University. I grew up on an organic family farm in Ithaca, New York. I play the trumpet, and love listening to music – jazz, hip hop, rnb, classical, folk, latin pop, and everything else. I have 3 younger siblings, 2 dogs, and a cat (who I miss dearly). I've worked many jobs, from farm work to wedding catering to a Law internship, but my favorite has been being a barista (though my latte art is a work in progress!). 2). This scholarship would help me afford college. Though my family is low-income (I have been on medicaid and received free school lunch my whole life), the financial aid office has made things difficult for us because they take into consideration assets, which includes my family's land, tractors, and barn/other farm buildings. These assets are not lipid – my family cannot sell these to send me to college, as it is their business and their whole life. This means that while I have the maximum pell grant (maximum federal aid), I have received NO institutional aid. I spent all of my savings from working on my first semester, and will have to consider loans/transfer options if I'm not able to raise enough money to stay here. I apologize if this is too much information, but hope the description can help you understand the situation I am in and why I need this scholarship. 3). I'm pursuing the Global Affairs major. I want to travel the world and help promote equity (potentially through Law), and am looking at applied Law in fields of immigration reform, environmental action, and international diplomacy. Eventually, (after some field work) I hope to give back to my community by becoming a college professor, and inspiring others like I am being inspired now at Yale. 4). -In the summer before high school, I got together a group of peers and organized a fundraiser to support the Black Lives Matter movement by running bus ads. You can read Ithaca Times article and my interview at: https://www.ithaca.com/news/tompkins_county/local-youths-raising-money-for-anti-racist-bus-ads-black-business-support/article_61583f2c-aa99-11ea-a366-1704c885ad21.html -Over the past few summers, I led a free band camp for youth in my community, meeting weekly and teaching them skills of basic jazz improvisation. First summer we met at my house, with about 20 kids participating over the course of a summer, and hosted a concert at a Healthy Food For All (local non-profit organization) event. Second summer, was hosted at High School band room, received a grant to hire local professional musicians to come in as ‘guest artists’, helping teach alongside me. We welcomed collegiate music professors as well as a few performers. Around 40 different kids participated. - I hosted a radio show in my town (volunteered) playing music, reading PA’s, interviewing people, and speaking to listeners live on WRFI Community Radio station 88.1. Broadcast throughout the Fingerlakes region on Wednesdays from 4-5pm. -Worked with NYS Assemblymember Anna Kelles, local Cornell professors and students, and local medical experts to try and integrate emergency Naloxone training into school health curriculum in NY. - Worked on a project to reduce waste in the community, communicating with local businesses to allow the public to fill up reusable water bottles. -Volunteered for Friendship Donations Network (local food pantry), started a youth books project, among other things. 5. My senior year, I spent a lot of time worrying about colleges and failed to support and be there for my family. We grew apart. I've since decided to always put them first, and now try to prioritize calls and trips back. 6. Ambition, Drive, Impact (& humor!)