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I can vividly remember the first time my friend Gianna asked me to go to the Columbus Dream Center with her. I had been going to Rock City church for a while and I had heard about the Dream Center and its purpose. It had interested me enough, but at the time I was a little on edge about going to a downtown homeless shelter with some people who I really only knew on a first-name basis. For the first couple of times, I turned down Gianna’s offer. I made up all different kinds of excuses because I was scared. Eventually, though, I gave in. I threw my fear to the side and decided it was “now or never”.  That choice to attend a Tuesday night meal night changed my life forever.

Walking into the Dream Center for the first time was an experience that I cannot compare to anything else. As soon as I stepped inside I was welcomed by everyone with a kind smile and introductions. Before the guests even started to arrive, I felt at home and at peace. All of the nerves that I had built up before were quickly washed away. When the guests started to arrive, though, was when it felt like my heart grew a million sizes. I got to sit down with individual guests and ask them basic questions about how they were holding up. That night, I talked to about 4 people, and I still think about them very often. I prayed over them and we began to watch service. After that, we all got to go into the dining room and eat the meal that someone donated. This experience taught me many life lessons that I still use to this day.

The Columbus Dream Center taught me to have stronger empathy for those around me. It is easy to get caught up in the mini struggles of your everyday life; however, if you step back and put yourself in their shoes, you realize just how small your problems seem. I can remember leaving the first day feeling so grateful that I never had had to worry about food or a warm place to sleep growing up. 

Obviously, the Dream Center holds a very special place in my heart, and this year, my love for the Dream Center is coming full circle! Team Poverty decided to team up with the Dream Center for Legacy Week. Our project is called Covering Columbus and we are making fleece tie blankets for the guests. The winter can get very cold, especially at night, and we hope that a simple tie blanket can make a world of a difference in these people’s lives!

The above pictures are both of my team at the Dream Center!

Since as early as I can remember everyone around me has always noted how empathetic and caring I was. I had mostly just shrugged the compliments off, thinking they were nice, but failing to see what they were pointing out. The first time I really realized these were some of my biggest strengths was this summer. My mom works at The Moritz College of Law here at OSU and one of her former students posted on Facebook that she had a prison penpal, named Bell, who was going through some hard times. With COVID-19 and everything else crazy going on in the world, she was seeking people to write to her friend in prison. I jumped on the opportunity, looking at it first as a chance for a new friendship and second because I am very interested in prison reform. I wasn’t expecting her to even answer me, so you could imagine the pure excitement and joy I had when I opened her first letter. 

It’s been three months since our first mailing exchange and I can honestly say that Bell is one of my best friends. She has taught me some very important lessons in such a short time. For one, I have learned that my perspective on the world was so narrow previously. People have it way worse than I do, and I have used empathy to be able to jump inside her shoes. Bell grew up getting bounced around between foster families. When poverty struck, she began to look to drugs and prostitution as a way to survive. It is honestly no wonder that she ended up in the criminal justice system because of her situation. She has made me a more driven and passionate person. I find purpose in my friendship with her, not only because she teaches me something new every week, but also because she has allowed me to see exactly why I am in college in the first place. That being to work hard in undergrad so that I can pursue law school and then eventually be able to make a difference in the ways of changing the justice system as well as prison reform. Bell has also inspired me to join the Ohio Innocence Project chapter here at Ohio State!

After about 2 months of communication with Bell, she gave my name and address to a few of her other friends so that they, too, could write to me. I know that I am making a difference in their lives, by being a shoulder to lean on, a listener, and even a Christian mentor. I hope to soon have many more penpals just like Bell and one of my biggest goals is to start a club here at OSU where we can write to people in prison! This endeavor has had a huge impact on me and I want to spread it throughout this campus and city!

The first picture is of my prison penpal named Bell! The second and third are of my folder that I keep all of the letters that have been written to me from my writing buddies!

My third artifact is something that I am extremely excited about, and I feel quite honored that I get to share this information with you all. Last February, I was offered the job as a Recruitment Host, through the Office of Admissions at The Ohio State University. As a Recruitment Host, I have gotten to experience many different things that I would have never gotten to experience without the position. For one, I get to work at OSU admissions events. These allow me to greet potential students and their families. I basically get to brag about the university that I love so much, in hopes that these students will pursue their degrees here. The best part of my job, though, is getting to work with football. Over the summer, I gave tours of the Woody Hayes Athletic Center to prospective football players and their families. This was a super fun way to learn more about athletics here at OSU, but also get to make connections with people I never thought possible. This fall, I got to work all of the home football games! I have learned so much about how the process of admissions and athletics work here at Ohio State, and I would not change this job for the world! It is so cool that I was born a buckeye, went to preschool here, am in the process of getting my degree here, and that I get to share with hundreds of people why this is the best school ever!