Being a first-generation college student comes with an immense amount of pressure, let alone one who was raised by a single mother in a low-income economic state. Therefore, I wasn't a stranger to the financial burden that college would bring upon my family. Despite possessing the ambition, talent, and potential to thrive academically, I was deterred from pursuing higher education simply because of its exorbitant cost. Furthermore, choosing a healthcare career was not a decision made lightly. Weighing the risks against the passion I have to become a physician is an ongoing battle with every new challenge that arises. I knew the commitment I was making to this field entering undergrad; the time and dedication needed. I was prepared for these endeavors, but having the funding is my biggest obstacle. This is one of the reasons I work full-time as a medical scribe in the emergency department to remove some of the financial stress from my mother and cover the extra costs that come with a college degree: textbooks, lab fees, parking passes, etc. However, the income from my job is minimal and barely covers most of my additional costs. This also doesn't include my budget for basic necessities: rent, groceries, gas, electric bill, etc. Due to the ever-increasing cost of living, my attention is diverted away from my studies and the opportunities my college can offer. My time is very limited, and I’m often not able to attend seminars, medical conferences, and extracurricular activities that could advance my ambitions. By awarding me the Bright Lights scholarship, you would be allowing me to circumvent some of the financial burdens listed above and rekindle the passion I have for my career without the constant shadow of financial strain looming overhead. With the support of this scholarship, I would be able to dedicate more time, energy, and passion to my professional development opportunities. Freed from the constant worry about finances, I could fully immerse myself in my coursework and engage in research projects that would enhance my knowledge and skills. Additionally, the scholarship would alleviate the pressure on my family, allowing them to focus on their financial stability without the added strain of supporting my education. As a case in point, my mother and younger brother are on the precipice of homelessness due to family strife. For the past year, my mother and brother have been living in an RV camper to cut and reduce expenses to have the budget for a home. Oftentimes, I consider taking a break from college and moving closer to my family to provide more support. Hence, this investment in my future would not only benefit me personally. Ultimately, this scholarship represents more to me than just financial assistance; it symbolizes an investment in my potential to make a meaningful impact in the healthcare field. By enabling me to pursue my dream of becoming a physician and serving underrepresented populations I would be contributing to a broader community. In conclusion, this scholarship, specifically designed to support first-generation and underrepresented minority students, embodies a crucial step towards dismantling barriers to higher education and fostering inclusivity within academia. I hope to continue contributing to the ongoing efforts to create a more inclusive and equitable society by becoming one of the few multiracial women in the medical profession. Along with being a pillar of hope and dreams for the younger generations growing up in a socioeconomic background similar to mine.

Anytime I’m asked this question I have to stop myself from saying “I haven’t needed to show resilience or overcome anything” because I have, time and time again. However, being raised by a single mother with two younger brothers below the poverty line most of my resilience just seems like any other day to me. However, moving to a new state for college was the biggest challenge I have faced so far in my life, especially as the first person in my family to graduate from high school and be accepted to college. Immediately after I graduated I worked full time for 2 ½ months to save up enough money to pay for the move to Florida. I drove down with half of my family to help me move into my apartment. Unfortunately, I was rejected from that apartment due to failed registration on their end. My family and I spent the rest of the day driving to different apartments to find any vacancies, but due to most of the apartments being college-affiliated, there was no availability. I lost my downpayment and the money in gas, food, etc that it took to drive down to FL and back to GA in one day. I cried the entire way home. My family had taken the day off from work to help me, which meant less money on their paycheck. Which worsened my mood because everyone in my family lives paycheck to paycheck. But as soon as I was home, in my bed, and cried until no more tears would come out; I got to work. I looked up all the resources my university offered and drafted emails to be sent out that morning. After a few emails and brief phone calls, I had a plan to meet with my school's care program staff on Tuesday. I drove down by myself on Monday and spent the entire day in class filled with anxiety. I slept in my car that night on the 4th floor of the school parking garage. I didn’t have any other options and this was my last resort. Fortunately, I had the first appointment of the day at 8 AM. The director of the program had walked in during my conversation with the staff and overheard part of my conversation. Apparently, I wasn’t the first person this apartment complex had displaced. The director pulled up the on-campus student housing portal to check for any cancellations. She told me there was a 4x4 housing available but I had to pay a $250 deposit. I didn’t have the money to pay at the time, so she gave me the information and told me to discuss the option with my family. Initially, I wanted to cry again because I felt so defeated and my emotions had been on an emotional roller coaster the past three days. I went back to my car and sat in silence for five minutes. Then, I called my mom and told her about the housing opening. I had to make a decision quickly because someone else in a similar position to me could take that dorm room if they paid before me. I fully expected my mother to tell me to come home because we couldn’t afford to spare $250. However, she​ told me to go eat lunch and she would call me back within a few hours. She called me back after 2 ½ hours and told me that I could get the money but I would have to babysit for a friend of hers in Florida during my entire first semester.

Choosing a healthcare career was not a decision made lightly. Initially, my dream was to become a veterinarian. However, one of the most influential moments that pushed me into the healthcare field happened after I started to volunteer at the nursing home where my mother worked. The event that pushed me towards a healthcare career sadly came with the death of a sweet and kind elderly man. I volunteered on the weekends to assist the residents with entertainment activities. With one resident I would walk with him down the hallways, listening to him tell stories about his family. He used to own a dairy farm before coming to the nursing home and at this time I still wanted to be a veterinarian; so I loved to listen to his stories. After his death, my mother told me that he would ask about me during the week and would get more excited each day that my mother told him I would be returning on the weekend. While spending time with him during my volunteer hours I learned that his family did not visit him, even during the holidays. This is not uncommon for residents at nursing homes, but I considered this man as part of my family at this point. So, when my mother got home from a 12-hour shift on Friday and told me that I would not need to come to the nursing home this weekend; I initially laughed and said “Why?” I remember the look my mother gave me that day every time I sign another volunteer sign-up sheet. I prepare myself for every possibility by remembering what my mother told me. They were understaffed that day in the nursing home and didn’t have enough nurses to cover each wing of the nursing home. My mother walked into his room to prepare him for his afternoon medication and lunch. She told me that he didn’t complain of any pain, just that he was holding his left arm. She immediately asked if he was okay and called for a nurse. She knew that he needed his medication, but she was a CNA and was not able to administer medication legally. By the time the nurse was able to make it to his room, he had passed away. My mother decided a week later to enroll in an LPN program at our local college. To this day I don’t believe my mother forgives herself for not being able to help this man even though she had the knowledge to help. My mother's decision to go back to school was the last push that I needed to finalize my decision to go into the medical field. She was unable to enroll in this program the first time because she did not have a high school diploma. So, she immediately enrolled in the GED program. Her tenacity to improve her education to be able to help others is why I was inspired to be a doctor. I could have become a nurse and follow in her footsteps. However, I always wanted to do more and give more to the residents. Now, I work as a scribe and volunteer at a hospital in the emergency department. I see these physicians consulting multiple other physicians to advocate for each patient to get the care they need. I see the care team that they build for a patient. I see them call patients back a week later to check in and see if they are improving or followed up with a specialist. I see myself becoming the physician that advocates for her patients.