Luisa de Vera Buena Memorial Scholarship

In today's society, Filipino women face a plethora of hardships that hinder our progress, innovation, and well-being. Filipino women can often find themselves grappling against racial and gender discrimination, as well as pervasive financial hardships. This causes a negative impact on our community and can manifest in all aspects of our lives -- health, employment, socializing, and much more. Navigating the complexities of supporting a family, one's self and a career can have a deep impact on an individual's personal and professional growth. As a Filipino woman pursuing a degree in Computer Science, I naturally felt out of place when stepping foot into my classes. I was surrounded primarily by men, rarely coming across another female student, and once in a blue moon would I meet another Filipino woman in my same position. It didn't seem like a big deal at first until I began to notice it manifesting in various aspects of my academic career. I would feel afraid to speak in class discussions, the possibility that my perspective would be "too different." I sometimes felt like a walking stereotype, wondering if this was truly the right major to be in. These constant feelings of being an outsider mentally exhausted me, which then caused me trouble in my studies and a decline in my well-being. However, this was just my experience. Now, imagine the experience of other Filipino women in the world who are less fortunate than I. Those who cannot afford to attend college. Those who experience colorism and face harsh remarks based on their appearance alone. Those who are qualified for a job or role, but are overlooked merely due to their gender. Those who want to pursue a career, but are left with the duties of caring for their children and family. Filipino women are held to standards that can sometimes be impossible to reach, resulting in women with dreams that are left untouched. Despite the challenges I experience, I continue to persevere for the women who cannot. The many Filipino women around the world who are unable to pursue their dream education or career deserve their chance, and I will not let mine go to waste. I believe it is vital for Filipino women to overcome these barriers. Accessible resources that not only encourage a successful career but also help eliminate financial hardships as well as racial and gender discrimination, are necessary for these changes to occur. If empowered enough, I would seek to create programs targeted toward Filipino women that can alleviate such burdens. For example, improving mental health by creating support groups or providing affordable/free healthcare; Creating job workshops or STEM initiatives that can encourage Filipino women to pursue their desired careers; Providing scholarships and grants to diminish the cost of obtaining a higher education; Initiating a mentorship program that allows us to seek guidance that can help navigate through life, school, and jobs. Despite the significant challenges Filipino women face, a brighter future is possible with the implementation of the proper resources. By providing beneficial programs and tools, a more inclusive and supportive environment can be cultivated which caters to the success of Filipino women. Their full potential can be reached while they overcome these barriers, and their dreams will not go untouched.

Within the thin walls of an apartment bedroom, crayons smashed onto paper, a Toys-R-Us ukulele's strings strummed, plastic vegetables sizzled, and a teddy bear's heart restarted. Moving from the Philippines at a young age, my parents and I found community within a small, tight-knit group of newly-arrived Filipino immigrants in the same apartment complex. All of our mothers were sponsored by hospitals as nurses, working night shifts while our fathers hosted nightly hangouts for me and my pig-tailed friends. Whether we knew it or not, those playdates became the breeding ground for our dreams: artists, musicians, chefs, doctors. However, as we grew older, our dreams shifted and changed for many reasons: college was too expensive, kuyas (older brothers) were given more support, our dreams were deemed unrealistic, younger siblings needed care, and we lacked generational knowledge to understand what opportunities were available to us. These challenges disheartened me as I saw many of my ates (older sisters), who once dreamed of reaching the stars or healing minds, decide to pursue 'realistic' and familiar careers such as nursing or forego their dreams of higher education entirely. In many aspects, I was fortunate to not experience the same degree of sexism, maternal responsibilities, or debilitating financial burdens at a young age. This allowed me to start an AAPI alliance club in high school, seek inspiration from teachers who believed in me, convince my parents of my potential, and earn scholarships that opened doors for exploration in college. As a college freshman, I delved into the historical and institutional problems Filipino women face, including how Filipino labor, migration, and nursing are intrinsically tied by American policies (as explored in "Empire of Care" by Catherine Ceniza Choy). I realized that my personal experiences and struggles as a first-gen Filipina were shaped by cultural values, financial struggles, and racism, but also by a lineage of Filipinas who had worked tirelessly to overcome historical barriers. During my college journey, I discovered a passion for statistics and data analytics. While learning new technical skills, I kept my personal experiences and learned histories close. Whether creating apps to promote the retention of first languages for immigrants or developing data dashboards on air pollution and its impact on marginalized communities, my background continually informs me on how to use technology for good. My passion projects led to a sponsorship by Amazon this summer to conduct research in data analytics! I am excited to further enhance my skills so that in the future, I can volunteer for organizations like AAPI Data. There, I aim to highlight the specific problems Filipino women face, using data to drive policy changes and community support initiatives. As I now navigate the challenges of being a Filipina woman in STEM, balancing college with part-time jobs, and supporting myself, my passion for diversity and representation for Filipinas continues to fuel my drive. My aim is to return to my community and inspire others to reach for the stars, just like our childlike selves once dreamed. With continued support on my journey, I will establish mentorship networks to connect Filipina mentors with high school mentees, promoting generational and communal knowledge while providing personal support. By addressing these challenges and leveraging our strengths, we can empower Filipino women to achieve their dreams and advance our community.