As an Afro-Puerto Rican woman, I have had to learn different responsibilities faster than others. “To work harder and more than others” has been my motto since I gained consciousness and I know that is the reality for all women of color. We always give triple the amount of work compared to our white counterparts to be considered and accepted in many situations—and even then, we are discriminated against, undermined, and disrespected. However, two special attributes we women of color have are resilience and passion, and my biggest inspiration, Dr. Antonia Coello Novello, has shown all that and more. Though troubled by illness, financial instability, and racism, Novello persevered and became a Puerto Rican doctor, earning her M.D. degree from the University of Puerto Rico. However she didn’t stop there, she continued working and was recognized as the first Intern of the Year at the University of Michigan, gaining years of pediatric residency experience. Dr. Novello became one of the first women of color to work with the National Institute of Health, focusing on the health of young people, women, and minorities that helped highlight the crisis of underage drinking, smoking, drug abuse, AIDS, and childhood immunization. Her focus on these areas significantly improved health care for Hispanics and other minorities and because of her impeccable and impressive line of work, Novello was recognized as the Surgeon General and helped draft the important legislation for the Organ Transplant Procurement Act of 1984. Novello’s pride and representation of minority groups has been a prime example in my upbringing. In the search for an identity “seal” following my move to the US, Novello’s story and passion allowed me to become my most honest self—a confident and prideful Afro-Puerto Rican woman. Through her, I have become an amazing violinist as well as an activist for human rights and a lover of science. I have loved not only her achievements and message but her versatility and genuine passion for people which have encouraged me to become a Biomedical Engineer and fight the bias the STEM fields have against women. With my education, I will research diseases to continue the fight against these stereotypes. I envision myself, as I study to become a Biomedical Engineer, creating a foundation that eradicates and fights disparities in biomedicine, the STEM fields, and health. This foundation will spread new data and findings on women’s reproductive health and diseases like diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and endometriosis that predominantly affect people of color, making it accessible and normal—because it is not something we should be ashamed of. I want to prevent the cycle of suffering and death in people of color and women over lack of research and misinformation. I hope that much like Novello, I will fight against my disadvantages and prove how significant and essential women of color are to not only the Engineering fields but to society. I know I will use the gift of my education as well as the inspiration from astounding women like Novello to advance towards my goals and help other women fight against disadvantages, discrimination, and bias.

A community in which people are respected, positive, and supportive is one I admire. As an Afro-Puerto Rican, finding one is hard—becoming part of diverse and accepting people is something I don’t find easily. Ever since moving to the US, it has become essential to have a support group with people who share common goals and care about their passions, and that is why I’ve set myself on creating one. My biggest inspiration, Dr. Antonia Coello Novello, was an important Puerto Rican doctor whose focus on the crisis of AIDS and drug abuse in children, women, and young people significantly improved health care for disparaged communities. Because of her impeccable and impressive line of work, she was recognized as the first women of color Surgeon General who helped draft the important legislation for the Organ Transplant Procurement Act of 1984. Dr. Novello's pride and representation of minority groups has been a prime example in my upbringing. In the search for an identity “seal” following my move to the US, Novello’s story and passion allowed me to become my most honest self—a confident and prideful Afro-Puerto Rican woman. Through her, I have become an amazing violinist as well as an activist for human rights and a lover of science. Moreover, she has inspired me to continue my education and become a leading researcher who eradicates and fights disparities in biomedicine, the STEM fields, and health. I hope to gain research experience by volunteering my time to hospitals/local companies that work with immuno-engineering and cancer engineering. I envision myself collaborating with fellow students, staff, and members of the community to create a foundation that will spread new data and findings on women’s reproductive health and diseases like diabetes, HIV/AIDS, and endometriosis that predominantly affect people of color, making it accessible and normal, and preventing the cycle of suffering and death over lack of research and misinformation. Because I have experienced different struggles—moving to the US, working in a library department, leading an honor society—my desire to aid others has grown. The passion I carry for people is what motivates me to tutor young children, to work at organizing performances for veterans, to aid the local library in making community events happen, and to create upcycled dog toys and clothing donations. I am grateful for my challenges and service because they have allowed me the opportunity to gain critical skills I will need moving forward—not just in a professional setting, but in general situations, like making decisions and friendships. Most importantly, however, they have allowed me to grow into a more inclusive, empathetic, and understanding person which will aid me in the path of becoming a Biomedical Engineer. As a woman in a STEM field, to which only 28% of women partake, the traits I have worked for will allow me to fight against my disadvantages and prove how significant and essential women and people of color are to not only the STEM fields but to society. They will allow me to continue the fight so that no one ever feels excluded or different for the wrong reasons. Instead, so that all feel welcome, respected, and safe, and have a place they know is respectful and compassionate. I am proud to have learned these values, to have shown people the importance of a community, and as a future leading researcher, student, friend, and person, I hope I can continue to portray these values and apply what matters to me, which, in clarity, is people, after all. I hope I can become another Dr. Novello to represent my people and make them proud.

As an Afro-Puerto Rican woman in the U.S. I have had to learn different responsibilities faster than others. “To work harder and more than others” has been my motto since I gained consciousness. However, moving with no experience with American culture caused severe problems with my motivation and overall willingness to keep going. I struggled to find a label and place in the U.S. and I became apathetic to life, to my relationships, and to my hobbies. Later on, I became connected with BTS member Yoongi, whose open struggle with depression and anxiety I could relate with and whose fight for becoming one of the biggest artists in the world I admire. Yoongi’s alter ego, Agust D, created songs openly criticizing the industry and opening up about his experiences. Through his song “Moonlight” I have understood my own thinking and way of life, how I can reflect rather than ignore, how I can “find” myself. I admire his raw emotions being put on display, and I relate to him as “My biggest enemy is the anger inside me / The more dreadful is the battle with the laziness inside me.” Agust D’s authenticity and story of growth beyond negative emotions has severely inspired me to continue, to “keep running” and “hold onto the things [I can grasp]”. He has given me the mindset of peace and renewal, and because of that, I was able to flourish, reconnecting with my love and curiosity for biology; finding love in reading; obsessing over baking bread; and discovering my passion for learning about people and creating a community. Most importantly, he has allowed me to find pride in my heritage.

Whenever I gained the courage to speak to people they would know within five seconds that I was Puerto Rican. It became a habit—telling everyone, assuring that absolutely no one thought I was American. Yet I submerged myself into acceptable American culture thinking it would make me more approachable. I found my spark: to please others. The only consequence it brought was the loss of my identity, my culture, my native tongue. I thought I had to change myself, to adapt to the people around me. But I understood that my identity isn’t formed by that: it's accepting myself that matters. I decided to follow that mindset and developed myself into a better violinist, friend, person, and student—gaining praise from teachers and being acknowledged at a state level. All the while, I read about my country, practiced my Spanish, collected stickers, and listened to all the radio hits I grew up with. I found ways to connect to my country while growing and acknowledging my present, allowing myself to know I was capable of caring and fitting into the new world I was put in. Because I was able to reflect on my mindset, I was able to flourish, reconnecting with my love and curiosity for biology, reading and studying it more and harder than ever. As I did research, I realized that major problems arise from within the management itself and how it treats people of color. We are mistreated from the moment we enter a clinic and it affects our overall health—how long it takes for us to be treated or properly diagnosed, for example. This mistreatment affects our lives at a deeper level, causing generational trauma or chronic illnesses that could have otherwise been prevented. Worst of all, it causes death. According to the CDC, Native Americans, Black, and Hispanic people have larger mortality rates than white people; women of color have higher mortality rates while giving birth. “White medical trainees believe such myths as black people have thicker skin or less sensitive nerve endings than white people'' (Sabin, AAMC). Bias, racism, and discrimination are so engrained in medicine, like other areas of the world, that people of color are subjected to severe pain levels, worse treatment, and negligence. No person should feel threatened or scared to seek the one place they are meant to feel safe and taken care of. With my education, I will research diseases to continue the fight against these stereotypes. I envision myself, as I study to become a Biomedical Engineer, creating a foundation that eradicates and fights disparities in biomedicine, the STEM fields, and health. This foundation will spread new data and findings on women’s reproductive health and diseases like diabetes and HIV/AIDS that predominantly affect people of color, making it accessible and normal—I want to prevent the cycle of suffering and death in people of color and women over lack of research and misinformation. Though it was hard to accept that I wasn’t defined by proving people where I belonged, I nurtured a silent growth towards acceptance. I will always find ways of challenging who I am—to keep improving and building myself because that is the amazing part of being human. However, there is never letting go of my “Puerto Rican-ness” and no barrier to hold me from showing my pride. But there is also no spark of need to prove people anything—only the spark to be myself: an Afro-Puerto Rican woman who will use the gift of this scholarship to advance towards my goals and help other women and people of color fight against disadvantages, discrimination, and bias.