1. Johnna Brumfield
11-8-15
V100
Who am I? This question is a question that can be interpreted in a multitude of ways. It
can literally mean who am I to the world from a physical stand point meaning I am a woman, a
sister, a daughter, and a Christian. This question can also mean how I view myself mentally,
meaning I am a fighter, I am faithful, I am supportive, I am opinionated. All of these things make
up who I am but making a list of things I am doesn’t make me. What really makes me is
something much deeper than a list. It is an accumulation of struggles and triumphs and life
experience that really makes me as a person. Even though I have much more in life to experience
so far everything I have been through has helped mold me into the person I am for better or for
worse. Sometimes things happen in life that make you shut down and put your guard up, where
other things tear down these walls and help build better things like connections and relationships.
One of these cases would be back when I was in high school and I decided to try out for a drama
production and soon feel in love with acting. I had to open myself up and let myself be
vulnerable to be able to experience something that has become a passion of mine. Drama forced
me to become someone else and let out emotion I would have never let out to the public any
other way, thus allowing me to experience something completely new and exciting. During a
play I would have to scream as loud as I can in front of a large audience and I would have to cry
and curse. I would never have done this out in the open but drama allowed me to expand my
outgoing personality in a good way. Along with drama I was in marching band for four years and
now have a soft spot in my heart for music. I learned how to be a leader in marching band and
how to be someone people look up to. Both of these activities made me strive to be better and
become an example for those who are younger than me.
Looking at how these two activities affected me helped me realize that I was capable of
achieving my goals and being a figure to look up to in the community. However I was still
unexposed to the world having grown up in a small community. College has helped open my
eyes to diversity and have conversations with people I never would have back in my home
community. I participated in Summer Bridge and I honestly can say that I see a difference from
before bridge and after bridge. I have never been a person who is good with change. I am
outgoing and I like to try new things but I don’t like to change major things in my life, one being
moving away to college and meeting other college students in bridge. I honestly did not want to
do bridge, period. I was very angry that I had to participate in bridge and I only decided to
participate because of a scholarship. After the experience though I am glad I did it. Even though
I felt the class work was pointless during bridge I was able to get adjusted to the environment
and talk to people and diversify myself. I did learn how to communicate with a group of people I
don’t know and learn to jump in head first if that’s what it takes, because in life and in my future
career as a police officer I will be exposed to change all the time and new faces and people. I
needed the help that I received from bridge to experience that change and be able to understand

2. what it’s like to talk to people I don’t know. I also know the importance of making a connection
with a person. This skill will be able to help me throughout my entire life. Through bridge I was
also able to experience IREF. Now IREF is a re-entry facility for men and we are aloud once
every other week to go in and talk to these gentlemen. We give speeches and have conversations.
Honestly I feel that this program has helped me with communicating to people I don’t know and
helping lessen the stigma we hold about men who are incarcerated, but hasn’t done much for me
otherwise. I haven’t felt that WOW moment that others get, but I have received some skills with
communicating and learning how to eliminate implicit bias in myself and spot it in others. IREF
is a great opportunity though for the students and residents at the facility.
To achieve things you have to take these opportunities. You also have to set goals. I
honestly haven’t made too many goals sense coming to college. I have a million short term goals
such as finish my paper or work on my math homework, but I only have one real long term goal.
That goal is honestly just to graduate with good academic standing and be accepted into the
police academy. This goal is completely achievable with a little hard work in my classes and just
finishing all my short term goals on completing the task at hand. That is me, and my experience
thus far.