I ruined my Moms chance at normal college life. I came into the world when she was just an eighteen-year-old college freshman. After I was born, her educational career took some unexpected turns, and she made it her mission that I would not have the same challenges. Education has always been of high value to me, especially since I have seen firsthand the effects of being uneducated. My Mom worked several jobs throughout my childhood to make sure I had a great life, and though I appreciate her hard work and love her for it, it is not the life that either of us wants for me. As an African American student, I understand the importance of being Black and educated in the United States. Education is often used as a weapon to create division and perpetuate inequality, but once you receive your education, it is something that cannot be taken from you. I have always been a high achiever in school, and I do not plan to change that. I am sometimes told that I am overly ambitious, but I take that as a compliment. I have big dreams and ideas, and I know I have the drive to bring them to reality. At only 17 years old, I am graduating with my Associate's Degree in Spring 2023, and I plan to transfer my credits to a four-year institution. The value of an education not only lies in benefiting myself but the benefit of others as well. Higher education is just a stepping stone to a greater plan and purpose. I plan to enter the healthcare field and combine direct patient care and public health to promote health, increase access to adequate healthcare, and provide health education to low-income and minority communities. Minority communities, especially Native American and African American, are severely underserved, and their populations suffer disproportionate health risks and outcomes. I believe my purpose is to help these underserved communities by educating them and providing resources. I have always been interested in advocacy and social activism, and I want my career to reflect that. I can make change possible with higher education and the qualifications to work in the necessary settings. One of my long-term goals is to run a public health program that will focus on changing the minds of the community; it will restore trust in the healthcare system and confidence in healthcare settings, as well as promote a health-oriented mindset. It will provide public health education, promote health literacy, and increase access to healthcare and other wellness services for those who do not have it. In addition, I plan to work on health legislation that will create permanent change and improve environmental, mental, and physical health. Along with working to receive my degrees and volunteering for various health organizations, such as the American Heart Association and Luv Michael association, I currently work at a local pediatrics office, learning the basics of the healthcare system. During my time there, I have learned about various topics such as insurance, gaps in care, common health issues, environmental health issues, and more. However, most of all, it has helped me learn how health spans across all of our lives indefinitely. It is a crucial part of our lifestyle, and we can improve the quality of life across populations through health.

Music has changed my life. I have gone through many changes in the last few years. I have lost many family and friends, faced adversity in professional and academic settings, and battled illness. However, there has been one thing to offer me solace without fail: music. From encouragement when I am down and upliftment when I am up, music is something I can always turn to. One song, in particular, is something I can play on any occasion because the message has gotten me through some of the most challenging times of my life. W.A.Y.S by Jhene Aiko is a song with a beautiful message about having a positive outlook on life. Through her lyrics, she lets the listeners know a hard fact about life: it only gets more complicated. The challenges never stop coming, life never stops to give you a break, time never stops moving, and you can never change that. However, you can change how you view life as these things happen. W.A.Y.S. is an acronym for "Why Aren't You Smiling?" It means that in this life, you have to live positively and with a heart full of gratitude because, without it, you will never get anywhere. You have to stay strong for your loved ones and show them that you can persevere through the challenges you face, and keep what is important close to your heart so you do not lose yourself in the journey to success or achievement. You must trust yourself and have patience, and everything will work out. This song has drastically changed my perspective on life, and it is because of it that I can overcome and endure life's hardships with an open and loving heart and spirit.

I started playing the violin when I was nine years old. My family was surprised since, as a black family, we historically do not usually play classical instruments. I was the one to change that in my family. Music has always been a large part of my life, and it is a large part of my culture. However, when people of all races think of “black music,” they may think of hip-hop, R&B, and jazz, but classical music would rarely be considered. My love for classical music started when I was a little girl; It was just my mom in me, and we did not have much money, so I used to watch TV and movies on DVDs from my local library. I watched animated fantasy and action movies, and the soundtrack always stood out. I loved listening to not only the lyrics but the instrumentals of the music. After, on my radio at night, I used to play the classical music station and fall asleep to it. So when I finally got the opportunity to play an instrument in school, I knew exactly what I would pick: the violin. Now at seventeen years old, I have been playing the violin for almost ten years. Like any musician, I have good and bad memories with my instrument, but the lessons I have learned along the way make everything worthwhile. Music has taught me to be disciplined, creative, and resilient. It has taught me never to give up and to be hopeful that everything will come to pass with hard work. When I entered high school, my school did not have a music program, and I thought that was the end of my orchestra journey. However, I heard about a local organization called DC Youth Orchestra Program, where kids can play in orchestras on the weekends. It was prestigious and expensive, but with hard work, I aced the audition and received the scholarship to play for free. I have played at DCYOP through all four years of high school, and I have greatly improved from when I first started. Music is beneficial for the young mind, and if more kids got into music, we could positively impact the younger children in my generation. I want to inspire other young children to get into music, specifically black children. There are so few of us playing classical instruments professionally that I want to inspire others to join. As one of the only black kids in my program, I am the representation that other kids need to see themselves. I always talk to my younger family members to encourage them together t into music, and it has worked with my little sister, who has now been playing the cello for two years and attending a performing arts academy. There are so many ways to get minority children into music with cost-effective methods; they just need a helping hand. I want someone who encourages kids to get into music and a role model they can look up to.

Public health is the only way to help our communities. With the current COVID pandemic, most people associate public health solely with disease prevention, but it is much more. Public health is promoting and improving population health, and it is needed more than ever during these difficult times. As an African American young woman, I have first-hand experience with some pressing public health crises affecting minority communities, and I want to devote my career to changing them. As a very community-oriented person with a passion for advocacy, I will excel in this field. Public health is so broad that I have endless options; I could be a public health analyst, physician, or something else. I want to focus on helping our underserved minority populations and improving our communities' overall quality of life. Some of the most significant public health crises affecting minority communities are homelessness, housing instability, and food insecurity. There are so many families and individuals who have nowhere to go. In my area, many homeless shelters and public housing are being torn down due to gentrification for unaffordable housing, and it is doing nothing but putting people in danger. Another significant issue is food insecurity; minority communities are riddled with food deserts, as they have little to no access to healthy eating options and are surrounded by unhealthy options. This is one of the reasons minority populations are at such a high risk for so many diseases, specifically heart disease, as it is one of the leading causes of death for black men and women. Unfortunately, these are just a few of the many issues affecting our minority communities, and there is barely anyone to speak up for them. It takes more than raising your voice to create change for severe issues like these. In order to make a long-lasting change, I believe you have to go directly to the top. Public health legislation is critical, and I want to help write and pass health policies that will help improve the community. In today's times, with the COVID-19 pandemic, health disparities, and comorbidities, we must also place more emphasis on public health. One of my long-term goals is to run a public health program that will focus on changing the minds of the community. It will provide public health education, promote health literacy, and increase access to healthcare and other wellness services for those who do not have it. Currently, I work at a pediatrics office in my area, where our lead physician and the rest of our staff are black women. I love to see how we interact with black parents and children who enter our doors with a sense of familiarity and how comfortable and confident they are in voicing their concerns and asking questions. Because minority populations are often not treated fairly in medical spaces, they do not trust their doctors or feel confident. I want my program to reinstall a sense of security in minority populations so they can be in control and confident in their health.

I learned I wanted to enter healthcare after I almost died. When I was seven years old, I was diagnosed with neutropenia, a rare blood disorder that affects my white blood cell count. Before my diagnosis, white doctors at the hospital denied running blood labs like my Mom requested and tried to send me home even though something was clearly wrong. I had contracted two strains of flu and had no white blood cells in my system. If it were not for my Mom and a hematologist at the hospital, I would have died. Both my Mom and the hematologist were black healthcare workers and recognized the injustice occurring before them. Unfortunately, it is common for white doctors to disregard the voices of black patients. As I enter my medical career, I want to bridge the disconnect between black patients and the healthcare system and help the black community gain trust in their physicians. It is no secret that the world needs black physicians and healthcare personnel. Since it was so rare for me to see black doctors growing up, my biggest role model was my Mom. She has worked in healthcare her whole life, and I have been along for the ride. I remember attending classes with her while she was in nursing and PTA school, going to work with her, and watching her do direct patient care. Over time, I have learned just how important it is to have cultural representation in medicine and how it benefits the patients and the overall community. Black physicians are more likely to work with patients in underserved communities than white physicians. As a very community-oriented person with a passion for helping others, I want to work with underserved populations, especially the black community. Those in low-income and underserved communities must see people who look like them in such a prominent role as physicians. There is a cultural connection between black physicians and patients that allow physicians to have a deeper understanding of their patients and for the patients to trust their physicians. My goal is to be the physician that patients trust to listen to them and address their needs. I want to be the role model for other young black and minority children and show them that they can do anything. As I have gotten older and learned more about the world and the issues of today, I have become more interested in community health. My career will continue with more than just direct patient care; I will also work in the public health field. Clinical care is just as important as community health, and with the COVID-19 pandemic, health disparities, and comorbidities, we must also place more emphasis on public health. One of my long-term goals is to run a public health program that will focus on changing the minds of the community. It will provide public health education, promote health literacy, and increase access to healthcare for those who do not have it. Currently, I work at a pediatrics office in my area, where our lead physician and the rest of our staff are black women. I love to see how we interact with black parents and children who enter our doors with a sense of familiarity and how comfortable and confident they are in voicing their concerns and asking questions. Throughout my medical career, I want to ensure that black patients can enter every clinic with the same confidence level.