Aliyah Chasten

On April 15, 2003, the youngest of 3 siblings was born in Wilmington, North Carolina. Born and raised in my hometown, I was always outspoken and energetic. My family enjoyed fishing on the coast, exploring new destinations, and family functions. Throughout my school years, I attended a majority-white school, meaning I was the only black girl in most of my classes. Although everyone did not look like me, I always stood out and made sure to be myself. As a kid, I dreamed of joining the entertainment world as a singer and actor. I admired my favorite Disney stars on the big screen and wanted to be like them one day. As I got older, my childhood dreams changed. Those desires vanished, and I was more into math and science as those subjects were mainly what they pushed students to learn in school.
In my household, I was raised by my mother and father, and I grew up with my two sisters in my younger years, but later, I became more of an only child as my siblings went to college. My mother was a school teacher, and my father was a chemical engineer. Education was always critical in my household. I was always active in something, whether that was sports, camps, afterschool activities, or church ministry. Today, I am a junior at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. I am a public relations student involved in many different organizations and activities on campus. I always knew I was going to NCAT at an early age because my parents are alumni.