CeraVe Skincare Scholarships for Diversity and Equity

As a child of Black Caribbean immigrants, I learned the importance of resilience through my family’s experiences with racism, low income, and poor social support. Despite these barriers, my parents utilized available social and community programs to access stable employment and educational opportunities, improving our family’s health, well-being, and socioeconomic conditions. 

Volunteering at ACToronto as a consultation assistant sparked my interest in community health. I gained experience working with vulnerable and marginalized individuals and contributed to the Women & HIV/AIDS Initiative (WHAI) report. Through transcribing and analyzing interviews with women at risk of HIV or living with HIV, I learned about the lack of access to health and social services marginalized groups face due to stigma, exclusion, prejudice, and poverty. These experiences showed me how structural and societal power imbalances can impact the health of vulnerable and marginalized people, highlighting the importance of health equity initiatives and programs for marginalized groups. 

As a Black woman, I believe reducing the structural, social, and health-based inequities vulnerable communities face is crucial for our healthcare system to function effectively. I am drawn to nursing due to its holistic focus that promotes justice, human dignity, and equity. As a future nurse, I will help improve health outcomes in vulnerable populations by providing patient-centred care that is empathetic, compassionate, and culturally sensitive. Pursuing nursing aligns with my values and will allow me to uplift and make a difference in my community.