From Hurt to Healing: My Mission to Change the System by Brianna

From Hurt to Healing: My Mission to Change the System by Brianna - August 2024 Scholarship Essay

Since a young age, I've meticulously planned out many aspects of my life. Each Sunday, I planned my outfits and lunch for the entire week and even wrote down long-term goals that teenage Brianna would soon have to achieve. Unfortunately, at a young age, I was also exposed to the harsh reality of split homes and the family court system. The countless court dates that continue to this day force me to watch my dad's emotions change depending on the outcome. Each verdict, each court date, and each decision resulted in my mother willingly walking out of my life for good. She left me with no guidance and no help. I am now 17. I've experienced my first prom, heartbreak, and many birthdays alone. I never want another child to experience the pain I’ve felt. There were no programs, services, or mandated policies to help me navigate this new era in my life with a fractured home. Consequently, my interest in becoming a family law and criminal legal lawyer and activist emerged; however, in honor of younger Brianna, I planned my steps toward this large goal with mini, but still significant steps. It will take numerous degrees, time, funding, and dedication but I wouldn’t ever consider changing my profession. My next big educational goal is to attend a higher learning institution to major in political science and minor in either journalism or women's studies. Georgetown, Harvard, Yale, and Columbia are a few of my top choices for college.

Although under the same umbrella, family law and criminal law are two different raindrops. But, they are from the same cloud. I want to help anyone who feels alone, unheard, neglected, or forgotten just like 8-year-old Brianna. Before challenges with my family, I had conventional aspirations such as being a baker or a gymnast. Apart from my family trauma, growing up I began to acknowledge what it meant to be an African American and a woman in America. I realized that I must throw my hat into the ring and indulge in the power the law can possess. Thriving for justice while following logical steps intrigued me through classes I’ve taken in high school such as Youth Court and AP Government. Youth Court class has allowed me to act as a judge, bailiff, and juror. I learned the exact process most courts follow as well as how to formulate thoughtful questions. I enjoyed learning how to create appropriate consequences for the cases brought to us, but nothing brought me more joy than participating in a “legal process” that made my school safer and equitable. Classes such as AP U.S. Government have allowed me to express my beliefs and justify them through real amendments to our US Constitution. I am grateful I was allowed to discuss current events, and further my interest in how historical cases and events have shaped our country. I want to be a part of that history and innovate new ways to improve our justice system.

Starting with my next big educational goal- a degree in political science or public policy- I’m confident both degrees are worthwhile. A degree in political science will grant me the experience and knowledge of how government institutions function and the basis for my further learning in specific areas such as family and criminal law. I will gain further insight on how pre-existing laws affect family dynamics and those incarcerated, so I can help them to the best of my ability. Public policy will help me advocate on a local, state, or federal level for policies that support families going through separation. My ultimate dream by the end of my career is to open one, possibly multiple, centers in neighborhoods for children going through family separation. These centers will allow kids experiencing family separation to play and talk with one another, while also getting personal help with anything they are struggling with. A far-fetched dream of mine is to help wrongly accused inmates on death row who may have been placed there years ago, due to racism or insufficient evidence to support their innocence. I know either of these degrees will help me with that, and hopefully, the university I attend will have internship opportunities to further my skills in civil outreach and more grassroots work. I am ready to begin this journey, knowing that each crucial step will bring me closer to a future where no child has to navigate a fractured home alone and each person in the system is given the fairness and understanding they deserve.