Greetings, my name is Kharis Hughes and I am a graduate student at Alabama State University, pursuing a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. My pathway into this profession has been heavily influenced by not only my own experiences with battling mental health but through the stories of loved ones who were not able to receive the help they needed the most. During my junior year of high school, my close friend Ed decided to take his own life. To this day, that morning, and hearing the news of his death is etched in my memory. Dealing with this sudden loss of a close friend left me in a place constantly confused, asking what I could have done to prevent this from happening. Unbeknownst to me at the time, that experience helped open me up to something that I didn’t yet understand the gravity of. In 2017, while pursuing my bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences, at the University of Central Florida, I discovered Black Man’s Candor. Black Man’s Candor serves as a mental health support group where Black students can discuss various ‘touchy’ topics (i.e., father figures in the Black community, the effects of trauma, and recognizing your triggers). My involvement and leadership in this organization were one of the major catalysts that pushed me to pursue a career in mental health, especially with “my people” at the forefront. Even though I originally began my education at the University of Central Florida with aspirations of becoming a pediatrician, Black Man’s Candor, my personal experiences, and continuing to learn more about mental health stigmas led me to my true passion: Counseling. Making this shift to a completely different career and educational path was not an easy change, but I am so grateful for learning what my true passions and dreams are. What drew me to the Mental Health Counseling program specifically is its focus on diversity in counseling as well as implementing the teachings in my future work. This program focuses not only on the root causes of many mental health issues but works hands-on with the many underserved minorities that are often plagued by undiagnosed mental health issues. I believe that committing the rest of my educational career and professional development to the destigmatization and advocacy for mental health in the Black community as a counselor can help to create that bridge between our people and receive the proper mental health care that everyone deserves. Personally, adolescence was one of the roughest mental health periods of my life, and I see that same issue playing out in our youth and adolescents of today. Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a growing generational mental health crisis, especially within communities of color, and with greater respect to children and teenagers. After completing my graduate education and accompanying licensure, I specifically intend on working primarily with Black and brown adolescents in navigating their mental health. I presently pay for my graduate school education entirely out of pocket because I am committed to investing in my future. Maintaining a stable living arrangement while paying for tuition, books, supplies, and other related costs places a tremendous financial burden on me. Unfortunately, the burden of these financial obligations could prevent me from giving my schooling complete attention. If awarded the Barbara J. DeVaney Memorial Scholarship, I would not only be able to reduce the burden of student loans and financial stress, but it would allow me to focus more on my studies as well as engage in more extracurricular activities, volunteer work, and other forms of community involvement.

Greetings, my name is Kharis Hughes and I am a graduate student at the historic Alabama State University in Montgomery, Alabama, pursuing a master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I am dedicated to the significant influence that mental health may have on people, families, and communities as a graduate student in counseling. My pathway into this profession has been heavily influenced by not only my own experiences with battling mental health but through the stories of loved ones who were not able to receive the help they needed the most. During my junior year of high school, my close friend Ed decided to take his own life. To this day, that morning, and hearing the news of his death is etched in my memory. Dealing with this sudden loss of a close friend left me in a place constantly confused, asking what I could have done to prevent this from happening. Depression and suicide were two topics that I knew extraordinarily little about until grief counselors came to our school and spoke with affected students about such sensitive topics. Unbeknownst to me at the time, that experience helped open me up to something that I didn’t yet understand the gravity of. Depression and suicide were two topics that I knew extraordinarily little about until grief counselors came to our school and spoke with affected students about such sensitive topics. Spending most of my formative years in an environment where conversations about mental health were never really prioritized, and frankly were extremely stigmatized, definitely shaped the way I perceived mental illness back in high school. It further changed my worldview to speak with grief counselors and begin my research on depression, suicide, and how their rates disproportionally affected marginalized people, especially those in low-income areas. This research sparked my interest in mental health. In 2017, while pursuing my bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences, at the University of Central Florida, I discovered Black Man’s Candor. Black Man’s Candor serves as a mental health support group where Black students can discuss various ‘touchy’ topics (i.e., father figures in the Black community, the effects of trauma, and recognizing your triggers). My involvement and leadership in this organization were one of the major catalysts that pushed me to pursue a career in mental health, especially with “my people” at the forefront. Even though I originally began my education at the University of Central Florida with aspirations of becoming a pediatrician, Black Man’s Candor, my personal experiences, and continuing to learn more about mental health stigmas led me to my true passion: Counseling and Psychology. Making this shift to a completely different career and educational path was not an easy change, but I am so grateful for learning what my true passions and dream are. In late 2019, while trying to plan the final year of my undergraduate career while also trying to picture what my future would be like, I had an epiphany about my future career. I knew that I needed to be on a career path where I could learn more about the mind and human interaction and do so while helping people like me. In essence, I wanted to attend a school that would provide me the chance to turn my enthusiasm for social justice, mental health parity, and advocacy into practical activities. Through my studies, I aimed to create a forum for free discussion, empowerment, and education for minority people who have long been marginalized by the majority. With the culmination of this newfound knowledge, I understood the next logical step would be to pursue higher education, which is precisely where Alabama State University’s Clinical Mental Health Counseling master's program fits into my story. As the daughter of a proud alumnus of Alabama State University, I grew up thoroughly knowledgeable about the seeds of rich Black culture and academic excellence that were planted and continue to flourish on the Montgomery, Alabama campus. What drew me to the Mental Health Counseling program specifically is its focus on diversity in counseling as well as implementing the teachings in my future work. This program focuses not only on the root causes of many mental health issues but works hands-on with the many underserved minorities that are often plagued by undiagnosed mental health issues. For many Black people, and countless other minority groups, counseling, therapy, and mental health care have always been deeply taboo throughout our history. Most of us know someone who might be struggling with certain mental or intellectual differences, but it is often kept very hush-hush and is not to be spoken about outside of our inner circles. Unfortunately, Black people experience mental health issues just as often as any other racial demographic, and in many cases, more frequently and severely. I believe that committing the rest of my educational career and professional development to the destigmatization and advocacy for mental health in the Black community as a counselor can help to create that bridge between our people and receive the proper mental health care that we deserve. After completing my graduate education and accompanying licensure, I specifically intend on working primarily with Black and brown adolescents in navigating their mental health. Personally, adolescence was one of the roughest mental health periods of my life, and I see that same issue played out in our youth and adolescents of today. Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a growing generational mental health crisis, especially within communities of color, and with greater respect to children and teenagers. While many middle and high schools have full-time guidance counselors on staff, they are often overworked with so many tasks that make it difficult to have counseling sessions with students that are overwhelmed with life and their studies. After receiving my licensure I plan to contribute pro-bono work to marginalized children and youth, through their schools, to ensure that they can receive the adequate mental health care they need, without adding more stress on their school staff. For me, working with kids and teenagers is especially important. The correct support throughout these formative years can have a long-lasting effect because this stage of life is crucial for determining future well-being. I want to provide a safe environment where young people can freely express themselves and freely explore their emotions through developmentally appropriate counseling and intervention. I have been a major proponent of advocacy and awareness of mental health since I was an undergraduate student, and plan to remain the same throughout my studies and into my professional career. I plan to continue this by offering free workshops, support groups, or psychoeducational sessions in the community and opening the dialogue on how important prioritizing mental health is. Utilizing social media to broadcast these services can be beneficial to reach the target populations, as well. Increasing the number of diverse mental health professionals, like me, would greatly improve accessibility for communities of color. People of color are more likely to seek mental health treatment from specialists who have similar cultural backgrounds and experiences, according to studies. Unfortunately, the majority of those working in mental healthcare are still white. Therein lies the problem. Accessibility would be greater by seeing mental health professionals that look like their clients. I have a strong dedication to meeting the mental health needs of underprivileged minority communities, especially children, adolescents, and people in inner cities and rural areas. I do this out of compassion, advocacy, and social duty. I place a strong focus on inclusivity and understanding in this attempt, as well as the particular difficulties the LGBT community faces. I believe that everyone, regardless of race, socio-economic status, gender, or sexual identity, should have access to quality, competent mental health care. My commitment to this cause motivates me to keep learning about the complex realities of many minority groups. I actively engage with these groups' history, tales, and cultural settings to offer supportive services that are both sensitive to and pertinent to other cultures. I presently pay for my graduate school education entirely out of pocket because I am committed to investing in my future. Maintaining a stable living arrangement while paying for tuition, books, supplies, and other related costs places a tremendous financial burden on me. Unfortunately, the burden of these financial obligations could prevent me from giving my schooling complete attention. The Darclei V. McGregor Memorial Scholarship can help make a tremendous difference in my life. As a counselor in training, I am committing the rest of my educational career and professional development to the destigmatization and advocacy for mental health, not only in my community but in communities beyond. With the help of my educational pursuits, we can create a bridge between our most vulnerable populations and receive the proper mental health care that we all truly deserve.