I am interested in pursuing a degree in STEM because I want to become a diagnostic medical sonographer. My goal is to provide excellent care for my patients and make them feel as comfortable as possible, just like the professionals that helped my parents.

The biggest issue we're facing right now is racism; just because we may or may not experience or see it happening every day does not mean it doesn't exist. It is deeply alarming to know how often it is happening worldwide, especially in the United States. The United States has one of the highest labor mortality rates amongst other developed nations, especially women of color. The solution? To treat all patients equally regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, culture, etc., and to hold all negligent medical professionals accountable for their actions. What about refugees or those seeking asylum? The United States has continuously been separating children from their parents when crossing the Mexican-American border, violating women's rights by taking away their ability to choose to have children through the non-consensual hysterectomies performed on them. And unfortunately, lots of countries in Europe and Asia tend to neglect refugees and those seeking asylum if they happen to be a part of the small percentage of people of color (especially those who identify as African-American and Black ). As a young Afro-Latina, I've had a few experiences myself. I remember peers asked me in elementary school if my mother was my mother since she's not black. I remember being constantly watched in the store when I tried on some boots I wanted to buy. I remember visiting a store in a predominately white town with my family, but the white employees constantly stared at my father and me. I didn't feel safe, and no one should have to go through that. I can only imagine how terrible it is for those that have experienced racism on a much larger scale since I'm one of the "lucky" ones. If we want to progress as a human race, racism needs to stop.

As I grew up, the best financial advice I have ever received from the adults around me was to always set money aside for the "necessary" expenses such as bills, gas, groceries, school payments, etc. It is "common sense," but it is surprising to know how many others just like me are on a journey of learning the same things as I did! Let's face it, sometimes we like to spend our money on things that we want but don't need, like those $100 pair of Birkenstock sandals. Did I need them? No, but did I want them and end up happy with my purchase? Yes! The key to getting ourselves the things we enjoy without feeling guilty is to financially plan and leave an "x" amount of money aside so you can pay off all of the bills and have a piece of mind. "Oh, but wait, what about if I want to save money?!". To save money is just as simple. First, you set aside your necessary funds, evaluate the amount you have left and ask yourself "will I be financially stable if I save an "x" amount of money from this paycheck? Have I considered if I'd be spending discretionary time out?" Keep practicing these habits, and staying on top of your finances will only get easier!

I am the youngest (and only daughter) of my siblings. I have two older brothers with whom I share a twelve and eight-year age gap. As I grew up, it was difficult for me to understand why my older siblings were always so stressed with school and why they had to quit. Little did I know that my brothers were fighting to stay in school. My brothers immediately had taken student loans to go to school because our parents (as much as they wanted to) couldn't pay for their education. The United States' educational system does not educate enough about how student (and private) loans worked during high school. We could make education more accessible and better for future generations if we educate every young adult about the potential consequences of specific financial aid options before blindly accepting any offer. Let's inform every young adult that it's OKAY if they can't start college at eighteen years old. Every individual should evaluate their financial situation realistically, and if that means saving up money to begin their education at twenty years old (and so on), then so be it!