Personal Stories from the Diaries of Women - Entry #1

I am an African American woman, low income, first generation college student from Memphis, TN. I have always had not the best mental health because of environmental factors. Furthermore, I struggled a lot with identity, financial understanding, and accepting loss at such a young age. I believe my lowest time was in 2018, when my father passed away from two types of cancer. It did not hit me immediately. Once it did, I went through a terrible patch for two years after that. Because environmental factors and the loss of a parental figure, I was in seventh grade wishing I could commit suicide. However, I overcame that with my will power and the people around me. My mother is the most supportive person in my life and with her encouragement, I am now the person I am today. I have strong resilience and a strong will to live and thrive.

Ollisha C., 19 Years Old, Freshman in College

Written By Zoe Bantin