This year’s winner is Farhiyo of Seattle. She is attending North Seattle College pursuing her Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing. She has three children 7, 10 and 11 years of age. Her estimated date of graduation will be January 2027.

Kristen is pursuing an associate degree in nursing at Shoreline College, while working part time and maintaining a 4.0 grade point average. She plans to apply to work as an ICU nurse, to get a doctorate degree and become a CRNA. Kristen became the primary caregiver and financial supporter for her disabled sister in 2014 after the death of her father. She also volunteers at Operation Night Watch to cook meals for the homeless. One of Kristen’s professors describes her as taking her life traumas and adversities and using them to set higher goals for herself while helping others. They believe she will use the LYD Award “to care for her family, others in the community and to finish her nursing degree.”

The 2022 award winner is a single mom of an 11-year-old daughter. She is enrolled at North Seattle College/UW Tacoma Milgard School of Business, maintaining a 3.96 GPA, and is a first-generation college student. Her career goal is to teach financial literacy to people who may not have access to this education, such as BIPOC communities, single mothers, and young people in the foster care system.