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Every since I was a child, I knew I wanted to do resourceful. My meaning of resourceful equates to Leonardo da Vinci’s Renaissance Man- someone who is well-rounded in many subjects and can apply multiple subjects to everyday life.

Currently, I am attending culinary school in Charlotte, North Carolina; I am projected to graduate in May 2018. After I graduate with my Associate’s Degree, I am more than dedicated and determined to finish my Bachelor’s degree.

I graduated high school in May 2012 and since then, I have faced a successful teenage pregnancy, single parenting, incarceration, and recently, homelessness. To better understand, my daughter and I moved out of a homeless shelter in 2015 and are “still facing” homelessness.

I put “still facing” in quotations because we currently live with my clergy parents. In more or less words, they are very ashamed of me and are beginning to non-verbally convey that they are ready for us to move out.

Admittingly, I made lots of poor choices and I have grown tremendously from my consequences. However, when I am home, I am constantly reminded that no matter how hard I push and how hard I hustle, I am still the family disappointment.

But, in the words of my role model, Still I Rise.

Massage therapy has always been appealing to me but I never pursued it due to my parent’s views. However, at 23yrs, I could honestly careless. I have always been interested in anatomy, physiology and the body. I began culinary school in hopes to become a chef but as I matriculated through the program, I have found that I would rather help people make better food choices and help them feel relaxed.

I enjoy studies of the chakras, holistic health and healing, crystals, yoga, meatless diets, herbs and massage therapy. My parents hate all the above with a deeply rooted, Christian passion. But, it’s oaky. My father struggles with bodily gout and claims to be fighting obesity.

He drinks his “weight loss” supplements while eating a pan-fried pork lion, smothered in gravy. For years, I have been encouraging my parents eat differently but they deliberately choose not to. My listed hobbies will one day save their lives; they just don’t know it yet.

I have three classes left in my Associate’s degree. My prayer is that I will be able to start massage therapy school on June 5^th, 2016. I will be a part-time student in a 48-week program; my projected LMT graduation date will also be in May 2018. I use my LMT with culinary arts degree to better help my future clients as I finish my Bachelor’s degree.

I hope that this essay peaks your interest and moves the committee into wanting to fund my future. When I was younger, I took education for granted. I wasted lots of time following the crowd; I am beyond ready to stand out. I am the blackest sheep of the family and proud of it. Please help me become a LMT. I truly enjoy the practice and know that it will help a lot of people, myself and my parents included.