As cliche as it may sound, ever since childhood, my goal has always been to help people. I spent a lot of time looking for the career path that would suit me, but it wasn't until my own struggles with mental health that I discovered the field of psychology. Psychology quickly became my passion, but I soon realized the challenges of it. Although care and attitudes towards mental health have drastically improved in recent years, growing up as a black girl, I've noticed internal and external problems that still afflict the black community. This is why my utopian vision for optimal mental health for the Black community is one where mental health care is accessible and destigmatized. Accessibility seems to be the issue people are more willing to discuss - at least regarding the cost of therapeutic services. With and especially without insurance, seeking critical mental health care is expensive. It can also be hard to find in rural and underserved communities. However, when I mention accessibility, I also refer to access to the right type of care. Black communities disproportionately report a history of medical trauma and mistrust. Access to black mental health professionals would be a comfort to many. Within our community, issues of stigma have consistently discouraged people from seeking appropriate treatment. Mental health issues are often seen as an issue of weakness or lack of discipline. I've experienced firsthand how mental health issues can alienate a person. I've seen how people refuse to acknowledge their trauma and health struggles. I believe mental health care and advocacy can help achieve social justice for communities of color. The lack of accessibility and the stigma around mental health care has created a cycle of abuse, trauma, and shame for many. Mental health care and advocacy are the first steps in breaking generational curses and advancing as a population. A strong community is only the result of the well-being of its members. Although my motivations for pursuing mental health are now tied to a larger cause of social justice, my interests are deeply personal. I want to help my community. I want to find peace for my parents, my friends, my auntie... I want to heal my younger self, who had to navigate her mental health issues alone. Even in an age of rampant pessimism, I still hold firm in my utopian vision. Considering the progress the mental health field has made in the past few years alone, I think change is possible. It will take hard work and passion, but those are things that I have never shied away from. I will continue to advocate for mental health and serve my community in any way I can.

I, like many students, started volunteering to earn volunteer hours. Last summer, I decided to begin the lofty goal of amassing one hundred volunteer hours, an achievement that would grant me a special certificate to put on my college resume. However, as I volunteered at different places, I discovered a purpose outside of myself and grew so much as a person. I began my journey at Hope Ranch Therapeutic Riding Center, the barn where I also take riding lessons. I had always loved horses, and the community at Hope Ranch was incredibly supportive, so when I heard that they needed volunteers, I jumped at the opportunity. Although most of the work included sweeping or mucking stalls, I didn’t mind. The barn became my safe space - where I felt most at peace. When I was able to volunteer with lessons, I loved being able to help the therapy riders enjoy horses as I do. Volunteering at Hope Ranch taught me patience and mindfulness, as working with horses (and people) forces you to be present in the moment. My positive experience at the ranch inspired me to find other ways to help my community. Once the school year had started, I volunteered as a mentor at the Boys & Girls Club. Every Tuesday, I would go there to lead the program for the kids, which helped me realize the value of forming genuine connections with people. Although the mentees and the other mentors started as strangers, by the end of the program, we had all become close to one another. My problem-solving and communication skills were also tested, as dealing with a rowdy group of elementary schoolers isn't easy. The leadership role I took as a mentor gave me the confidence to pursue other leadership roles and make a larger-scale impact. I became vice president of Youth Impacting Community, a community organization responsible for distributing grant money to non-profits. It was eye-opening to research all the different non-profits and discover all the areas of need within our community. This experience again pushed my problem-solving and communication skills, as I had to work with the other committee members to make difficult decisions. Through volunteering, I have learned so much about myself. I've come a long way since last summer when all I wanted to do was get enough volunteer hours. Focusing on the lessons I had learned and my ability to serve my community made meeting my 100-hour goal easy. However, I'm not stopping there. Next year I will be the president of Youth Impacting Community, a mentor at the Boys & Girls Club, an ambassador for the Flint Hills Volunteer Center, and of course, I will always return to the barn. I will continue to do whatever I can to positively impact my community - never forgetting how much I have learned through volunteering. I am incredibly grateful for my community and all the opportunities I have to make it an even better place.