What does inspiration mean to you and how would you use your platform in your future career to inspire others?

Inspiration. What really is inspiration? According to Google, inspiration is “the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.” But to me, I have a completely different definition of what inspiration truly is. Inspiration to me is my parents, my relationship with God, and even sometimes myself. Inspiration to me means seeing my dad work many fast food jobs and raising my brother and me as a stay-at-home dad while my mom would work countless hours at the hospital. Inspiration to me is seeing my dad always be an example of selflessness and always sacrificing for others so that no one gets left behind. Inspiration to me is seeing my mom work hard at 4 jobs day and night to help continuously allow my brother and me to have a life better than she did. Inspiration to me is knowing that my mom had to work hard to get where she’s at in everything that she does. Inspiration to me is knowing that both of my parents are first-generation students to attend college, and that path to be set apart wasn’t easy.

Inspiration to me is knowing the God that created me and has chosen me. Knowing His word and knowing that every person in the Bible that has abided by Him had to go through some of the toughest battles. When in doubt, when in fear, when in triumph, or any other emotion, they had to lean on God. Just like how in my day-to-day life, I have to lean on God to be my anchor in this world. He inspires me to know that I am different and to rejoice in being different because that’s what makes me, me. That every single plan that He has for me and every desire that I have will align together. That He is ordering my steps and is walking before me, behind, me, and beside me.

Lastly, inspiration to me is myself. And not myself now, but my younger self. My younger self hid from the world. My younger self didn’t know if she would make it another day because of the thoughts that she had that no middle schooler should think about but she decided to keep fighting. My younger self doubted herself then but looked toward the future which is who I am now. Because of that doubt, I am now self-assured. Because of the fight, I am now here.

I used to think I had no significance and no audience. Now, I have come to realize that is not true. We all have a platform, it is just about how we use it. I would use my platform as a minority physician in mental health as a psychiatrist and in mental health reform and activism. I’ll continue to spread the message that it's okay to not be okay, there is help, and that the fight is not one that you have to do alone. This is how I would inspire others.

What are you currently doing to inspire those around you?

In a world that often seems consumed by self-interest and apathy, I am determined to be a beacon of inspiration for those around me. Through my involvement in my local church, I have made it my mission to invite others to encounter and build their relationship with Christ, fostering a sense of spiritual growth and community. I have invited multiple people, especially friends and family, to church, and through it, they have been volunteering at my church, attending Sunday services, and attending youth services. Many staff members have told me that they are inspired by my boldness to follow God but encourage others to do so as well. My friends that I invite have told me that being invited to church has inspired them to do the same for others and that knowing God has changed the trajectory of their lives. Ultimately, by following in the footsteps of Jesus, I strive to love and serve people unconditionally, recognizing the inherent worth and dignity of every individual.

Additionally, I have embarked on a meaningful endeavor known as T's Closet, which is my Girl Scout Gold Award project dedicated to the memory of my beloved grandmother. Inspired by her unwavering love for others and her tenacious spirit in the face of breast cancer, T's Closet provides essential resources, such as hygiene products and clothes, to those battling this disease and their families. This project took over my entire sophomore year of high school but in the best way possible. I learned valuable lessons such as time management, prioritizing various aspects of my life, and that the hardest work you can often do can turn out to be the most rewarding. Through this initiative, I am honored to carry on her legacy, her memory, carry on a project for my local community which she cared so greatly about, and wanted to do desperately before she passed on Christmas Eve in the heart of the covid pandemic. I am honored to carry on her legacy by combining compassion with tangible assistance to positively impact my local community. And lastly, I am honored to carry on her legacy by inspiring others to care more about the community that they’re in, to care more about the people within it, and to carry on the legacies of their loved ones in a way that can help, serve, and impact other people in a positive light. By embracing these endeavors, I hope to continue to inspire and uplift others, demonstrating the transformative power of love and service. I hope to continue to inspire and uplift others no matter their age, race, sexuality, nationality, or where I know them from. And I hope to continue to inspire and uplift others in any way shape or form that I can because I believe that that is my main life goal: to inspire others to make a difference and to spread love in a world that seems to often do the opposite.

What you would do with the scholarship award if you were to receive it?

What I would do with the scholarship award if I got it is, I would input the money into a savings account that I have specifically for scholarships that I receive. Then, when the time comes, I would directly use the money first for tuition because I know I won't get much from FAFSA and I don't want to be in debt or use it for miscellaneous costs.