kimyrie
Kimyrie's name is a loving mix of her grandmother and her aunts, and she carries that warmth with her. She's a positive force, plain and simple. "When you are accomplished academically, people tend to see you only as such," she says. "I just want to be known as a kind person. Just someone that is easy to talk to, and someone who can give other people a reason to smile."
She went to Open High School and is headed to Spelman College this fall. At school, she was the executive editor of the Yearbook Club, a manager for the football team, and part of the Black Student Union. She found The Pedestal Fund through Partnership for the Future, and had doubts she would win. She just happened to be on the phone with her PFF friends when she opened the email saying she got it, and they were able to celebrate together. Her family was excited too, extra funds always help.
Kimyrie has been dealing with anxiety and self-doubt since she was a kid. But the more she's pushed herself out of her comfort zone, the braver she's gotten. In ten years, she sees herself working as a pharmacist with her Pharm.D. She's always known she wanted to do something in the medical field, but her fear of blood steered her away from the usual paths. The more she learned about pharmacy, though, the more it clicked.
She's the oldest of five kids, the oldest cousin, the oldest niece - so there's a lot on her shoulders. Her parents have never pressured her, and she's grateful for that. But she still strives to set a good example. "I want to show my siblings and my cousins that there is no limit, no matter what is against us."
She's a little nervous about getting homesick at Spelman, but she's also excited to live somewhere new. She doesn't love thinking about the future, she trained herself out of that for her anxiety, but she knows one thing for sure: she wants to feel fulfilled by her work every day. And if everything goes right, after she retires, she'd love to live on a farm, living peacefully with her animals.
Her advice for seniors? If you know you procrastinate, start early. She didn't take her own advice, and she knows she got lucky. But she gets it now, starting early on applications, essays, and recommendations really matters. With her hard work, Kimyrie got into 17 colleges, was salutatorian of her class, and graduated high school with her associate's degree from J. Sergeant Reynolds.
The Pedestal Fund is honored to help Kimyrie step into a future where she can help others, feel fulfilled, and live a life that feels like her own.