I grew up in the small town of Ashland in east central Alabama. It is a lovely place in the Appalachian foothills. I have always known that my purpose in life was to help others. I believe that everyone should have access to basic rights such as housing, education, and justice, and it is our duty to help those that may not be able to gain these rights by themselves. I want to take the practices and concepts that I have learned in environmental design such as participatory design combined with the strategies of community and economic development to help people achieve a better quality of life while living sustainably with the nature around them. Using these skills, I believe that I can make a difference in my community.