Anesha Byrd

Squad Leader

Hi, My name is Anesha Byrd and I am from Spartanburg, SC. I aspire to attend medical school to pursue a career as a Pediatrician. I graduated from Lander University in May 2021 where I received my Bachelors of Science in Biology with a minor in Chemistry! During my undergraduate studies, I received numerous accolades such as graduating from the Honors College, completed a study abroad in Greece, and joined numerous organizations such as the Phirst and Phinest Sorority in the Land, The Illustrious Alpha Kappa Alpha Sororiry, Incorporated.

As a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated we strive to be of service to all mankind and promote change amongst women and girls, so I took a gap year to be of service in my community while I work full-time as a laboratory analyst at IEH Laboratories located in Gaffney and prepare to take the MCAT to apply to medical school.

During my gap year, I became not only a squad leader for Bloom Upstate, but a member of the Junior League of Spartanburg, The Southside Lions Club, and graduated from the Grassroots Leadership Development Institute. Bloom Upstate not only provided me an opportunity to water and help minority girls in my community to bloom surpass any barrier, but a space for me to continue to bloom into a role model. I second our motto, “Relationships make all the difference” as I have gained a Bloom family where all girls and women including the squad leaders are supported, mentored, and equipped.

Watch out as this STEM Black Girl will continue to defy the odds to add more representation in spaces for our upcoming minority girls to enter freely. I find joy in igniting the spark in all girls to remind them just how fire they are, so that’s why I pride myself in remaining educated and involved in the community to burn any disparities affecting girls. One community at a time, I will continue to promote change as we’ve to water within for all to bloom outward into who God designed us to be!