I'm considering majoring in Public Health, to pursue a career in dentistry because I have a profound calling and a loving heart with the desire to help others along with a maturing interest in Public Health; So what better way than through a career in the health industry! As I entered high school, my brain began to flood with an overwhelming amount of doubts. Seeking to diversify, and further explore the healthcare industry, I took the initiative to dive into the possibility of taking a Dental Assisting course offered by my high school, to establish my interests, and find out for myself, if Dentistry was a viable pathway for me. Throughout the course, my clouded thoughts began to clarify themselves to form an illustration. A few months in, I surprised others and myself with my unrelenting attitude and longing to keep learning, as I began to notice myself falling in love with the thought of pursuing Dentistry. Due to this ongoing interest in Dentistry, I have always attempted to go out of my way to leap at opportunities provided by my school districts, as well as undergoing rigorous training throughout my high school career involving advanced STEM courses, to enrich my knowledge, gain experience, but most importantly attain competence, discipline and leadership traits to fulfill the future role of a healthcare professional. In terms of courses taken at the high school level, I have opted for taking honors and Advanced Placement courses in both science and mathematics. Moreover, I have taken electives such as Medical Core where I obtained foundational knowledge in body systems, anatomy, physiology, medical math, and terminology, including infection control, nutrition, legal and ethical principles, and safety/first aid. As mentioned previously, I took an ROP Dental Assistant course my sophomore year; Which I would by far considered one of the most valuable experiences I have obtained in preparation for my college career, because not only did I obtain my Dental Assistant certification, which includes a Radiation Safety Certificate, an Infection Control Certificate (both recognized by the Dental Board of California), and extensive CPR training by the American Heart Association; But also, an internship opportunity at a local Dental Office in my community, from which I gained skillful as well as character traits which have enabled me to work collaboratively with others in a team environment, and serve others likewise. Furthermore, just last year I am proud to say I was part of the amazing Academic Mentor program at my school during school hours and a Paid tutor after school. To me, these titles have allowed me to flourish in a personal and professional manner. Through my influence on students, I have acted as a compass for those who seek direction, a pillar for those in need of strengthening, and ultimately a hug for comfort; Which is essential for those going into the healthcare field, where the wellbeing of others should be the ultimate priority.

Jack Welch once said, “Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.” In my sophomore year of high school, I struggled heavily with Chemistry; Being a recent addition to the honors curriculum, due to my recent migration to the US, I initially felt ashamed of not being as competent for the subject as others naturally seemed to be. I consecutively hesitated to discuss the challenge I was facing. The concepts swarmed my brain and got lost in a storm of clouds as confusion entered the equation, yet my pride and shame both restrained me from improving my situation. After weeks of constant frustration and build-up anger, a necessary change was long overdue. After school, I began to attend conducive tutoring sessions and dedicated myself to gaining more knowledge in this area of study I regarded with hatred. As a mentee, I was able to engage with upperclassmen individuals, who helped me surpass my inner battles and make outstanding improvements. Seeing the way not only my academic performance had improved; But also my overall personal perspective and self-esteem, thanks to the contributions of my mentors; I wanted to do the same for other fellow students with similar struggles. The next year, I became an academic mentor for... you guessed it chemistry! My main focus apart from helping in academics was to use my role as a leader to encourage, empower, and motivate students through upliftment. As an Academic Mentor, I made it my job to consistently remind my mentees of the importance of self-awareness, self-respect, and resilience. Later on that year, I ventured into becoming a paid tutor on the school campus during the weekends, to help a wider range of students. Sure, I helped students learn concepts such as chemical nomenclature, stoichiometry, and chemical reactions, which I once had struggled with; But above all, I instilled in my mentees the value of mental health, individuality, determination, and the validation of one’s struggles, along with seeking out help. Meanwhile aiding fellow students, I engaged in practicing a growth mindset myself by being a living testimony of persistence and thankfully became proficient in the skillful practice of portraying empathy towards those around me. Through my influence on students, I had the opportunity to act as a compass for those who seek direction, a pillar for those in need of strengthening, and ultimately a hug for comfort. To me, these titles allowed me to flourish in a personal and professional manner. Ultimately, I discovered that becoming a leader is an ongoing and personal journey, yet this entails the unceasing act of enlightening others along the way. This realization has made me become a proactive learner and individual, as I have truly learned how to develop emotionally and academically, considering how much I grew throughout my “chemical” journey. Furthermore, this experience allowed me to view life from a different lens, in the sense that I managed to understand that one can never say never unless one gives their all and allows for the opportunity to evolve one’s perspective regardless of the difficulty it may present. For instance, in my case, despite the hardships encountered, I have grown to fall in love with the subject I once abhorred. Finally, my experience has allowed me to healthily deviate from my idealist views to become realistic and hard-working, especially since not everything in life is handed easily. My paradoxical experience with chemistry has encouraged me to commit myself to pursue my STEM major because I am a living example of someone who persevered despite the struggles in many occasions of my life, yet managed to turn every challenge faced in my favor; Utilizing my overwhelming feelings of neglect, failure, and fear to ignite a greater meaning and thus purpose, to my future goals and desires.

2020 has been a tragic, unusual, and unforgettable year, to say the least. With more reason, the song I chose as inspiration for my playlist is called "This will be our Year" by The Zombies as well as "Hold on" by John Lennon, to commemorate the faith instilled upon us for the new year after a year full of unprecedented events that took us all by surprise that forced us all, to quite literally keep holding on by a leap of faith. Although the inspiration for this playlist is profound, the playlist itself is rather light-hearted, comforting, empowering, and rock-oriented.

In my sophomore year of high school, I took the initiative of taking a Dental Assisting course. A few months in, I surprised others and myself with my unrelenting attitude and longing to keep learning, as I began to notice myself falling in love with the thought of pursuing Dentistry. After full completion of the course, in a year span, I had successfully obtained certifications accredited by the Dental Board of California and henceforth, my Dental assistant certification at 15 years old. This picture was taken during a long day at my internship location assisting a young patient with braces!

Undeniably the STEM field continues to expand in its various sectors. By fusing the principles of STEM, a major industry has grown to become an eminence, to say the least. An admirable contributor to the advancement of healthcare in America who inspires me to contribute to the progressive development of STEM is African American physician, Rebecca Lee Crumpler. Dr. Crumpler characterizes as the first woman to ever receive a medical degree in the United States, as a person of color. Despite her status in America as a black woman, she clearly overpassed all of the obstacles in her way to reach her end-goal of surpassing the stigma placed upon individuals of her racial background and sex, by earning her medical degree in 1864, amidst a racially derived civil war. Similarly to Dr. Crumpler, I wish to excel in the healthcare industry as a Doctor of Dental Surgery, due to the instituted discrimination towards my stigmatized LatinX community. In her days Dr. Crumpler aided the African American community, after the civil war through missionary work and through means of the Freedman’s Bureau, where she provided medical care for newly freed slaves. I wish to help other minorities, likewise, by participating in nonprofit organizations that target impoverished communities and thus victims of mal praxis and insufficient patient care from undignified and avaricious providers. Despite being subject to intense racism and sexism while practicing medicine, Dr. Crumpler remained determined, becoming an epitome of resilience. In like manner, I wish to become an example to other young women, especially in this new era of America’s overdue political, social, and racial awakening. In her lifetime, Dr. Crumpler published a manual-like book instructing women in the health care of their families. This is not only admirable due to her profile in America at that given time, but also because she exceeded her duties as a physician and upheld her duty as an implicit educator by promoting the wellness of others. Personally, I want to serve as an educator, firstly as a practicing physician and as an advocate for the rights of minorities in the US. As a result of the prejudice and misogyny instilled in our society, young women are often taught to act in a hating manner towards one another, as opposed to building each other up. We are designed to see each other as a threat, when in reality the battle is of women against defamation and inequality, above all else. With this in mind, I am invested in encouraging young women to this realization, as well as to the value of higher education and the need for women in STEM to diversify the common narrative that shadows women and their capabilities, not much different from the narrative that discriminated against Dr. Crumpler decades ago. By inducing a collaborative, communal, and growth-mindset to our upcoming generations, I am sure I will be an active part in our headway to progress in STEM but most importantly our future.

As a teenage girl, I am exposed to criticism, underestimating, and gender stereotypes every day when I take a step outside my door. Due to this, I decided to initiate a platform based on the complete opposite attitudes and ethics, to contribute to turning the tables around among the student body in my community. Voices of Women aids young women through academic and mental health content and resources, & by actively inspiring young students, day by day, one post at a time, through encouraging words, advice, and resources; To alleviate the many stressors we all face as students and young women. The mission of this platform, above all, pertains to creating content that helps students maintain a healthy academic and emotional balance, in their everyday life. I can not mention on how many occasions, I have seen other teenage girls verbally and physically displaying hatred towards one another, or how many times I have experienced prejudice from fellow female classmates. Given this hostile environment, my goal is to keep edifying this platform for the sole purpose of encouraging the act of building up one another in a whole-rounded manner, instead of tearing each other apart, uselessly. In the social media industry, I see a lot of social media creators who call themselves “influencers”, yet they sadly use their platform to portray themselves living a luxurious life, meanwhile they breed drama amongst themselves and thus teach their young viewers that drama, fame, and money are the foundational elements that they need to become successful. Moreover, many of these social media creators although entertaining, make the youth devalue and degrade the substantial importance of earning a collegiate education to build a life independently. The problem with this is that the future of our world depends on our future generations, who are now seemingly becoming indifferent to obtaining foundational education, simply because they are being fed the notion that success is either based on luck, popularity, as opposed to knowledge, proficiency, and most importantly, hard work. Thus, my goal is to grow the demographic of my current social media platform, further from my school community, in the manner that in a near-future it grows into a holistic media organization that exemplifies positive psychology and academic resourcefulness by simultaneously helping viewers learn how to improve their journey as students and women in this society. My platform is meant to serve as a haven for young girls nearing young adulthood, who need to hear from someone that they can do it, but also that they are doing enough and that the priority is their mental health above anything because emotional intelligence propagates academic success and academic success propagates a brighter future. My creation serves as another way to help young female students become more resourceful and aware of their mental health, as well as academics in an appealing way to our upcoming generations, which is through scrolling on social media. Psychologists often assert that children learn from what they are cognitively capturing in their surroundings. This can be violence through the majority of video games, rebellion through TV realities, depression, anxiety, memory loss, poor academic performance, among other consequential effects of social media as a whole entity. The sad reality is that as technology advances, we are all, only becoming further engaged in virtual reality. If this is true, what better way to contribute to the betterment of our future generation’s psychological and professional health, than by creating a platform based on inducing proactiveness into others, so that by the same token, new generations could enact change themselves, through means of utilizing the potential their voices and actions have in our society.

Towards the end of my junior year of high school, the COVID-19 pandemic came swerving into all of our lives quite unexpectedly, to say the least. As an idealist, while everything seemed to be heading into a dilapidated nature, a part of me always hoped to go back to school to ideally finalize my high school career, with all of the experiences that I had been dreaming would one day become reality, such as award events, Grad night, and Prom all with some of my favorite people in the world. Unfortunately, my first day of senior year was held through Zoom, and nothing has changed in my school district, up to this day, in terms of Covid restrictions, however, various things changed me throughout these unprecedented times. As I mentioned previously, going into my senior year of high school, virtually, has been more than a challenge for me, as well as for other students nationwide and internationally. This academic year for me meant more than just an academic goal-setting, it meant going out of my comfort zone and ultimately making a change in my school’s community. As time passed, and I saw all of my ideal goals shift their course, discouragement began flooding my mental space. The conversations among the student body became depressing, as everyone felt resigned to their perfect senior year experience. Although many times I felt the same way as many of my peers, I decided to instead, come to terms with the idea, and circumvent the restrictive norms put into place due to the pandemic, and create something to help others and in turn, myself, surpass the academic and most importantly, emotional distress, everyone was abruptly subject to. On a limb, I became fully determined and committed to the idea of creating a social media platform that would do exactly that. Voices of Women is now a social media platform on Instagram with the whole purpose of aiding young women through academic and mental health content and resources, & by actively inspiring young students, day by day, one post at a time, through encouraging words, advice, and resources. The mission of this platform, above all, pertains to creating content that helps students maintain a healthy academic and emotional balance, in their everyday life. Thus, I proposed to make a change by inducing proactiveness into others. The platform is meant to serve as exposure for underclassmen to explore prospective clubs and activities, apt for everyone to take advantage of; As well as advice through the perspective of upperclassmen, and even former alumni, on the college application process, tips on stress management, mental health, as well as a walkthrough of their personal experience which they could use to guide themselves during these rough times and in the near future; So that by the same token, they could enact change themselves, through means of utilizing the potential their voices and actions have in our society, which epitomizes what Voices of Women advocates for. Unquestionably, I am certain when I state that, I am contributing to the overall growth and success of our future generation, and unquestionably our future leaders by empowering the young women in my community. Being able to create this platform has allowed me to value my skillset in terms of organizational skills, creative graphic design, and educational relatable content. Likewise, I have learned the value and reward of helping others by any means possible. Out of this entire experience, I have grown into a person with a much more compassionate understanding of other’s struggles and have taught myself the art of becoming a better individual and global citizen through social awareness. Being empathetic and socially aware is actively educating oneself on the importance of others’ struggles and situations; Going beyond my immediate surroundings and instead into the shoes of others. Presently, I endeavor in the process of educating myself and my peers, continuously, about the overall importance of acknowledging and learning about each other’s battles; With the social and political climate, we have been subject to this past year, in addition to the tragic pandemic repercussions, I believe every act portraying social awareness and the enactment of positive change in our communities easily translates as attribution to bettering our country. Although this seems to be a given for some people; Alas, as mankind continues to degrade its community efforts of educating adequately with communion and peace as its foundation; Our society will continue to lead a negative pathway to instability, hatred, and upheaval. This year I have grown to learn the minimal effort that it takes to do one of the most simple and necessary of things; Yet the most rigorous nowadays in our shallow society, which is loving one another and truly being appreciative of diversity through inclusivity.

As a ten-year-old, my life underwent a radical change. Abruptly, I was forced away from everything that I valued the most. As a child of two asylum-seeking immigrant parents, I was forced to learn what being a minority truly means in this country. I saw both of my parents, everyday struggling to maintain a roof over our heads; I saw them humble themselves down, further from what they had ever done in their lives, to build a future for me. Alongside my parents, I felt disoriented in this phase of my life. Transitioning to the United States, and adapting to a culture that was not my own to assimilate was burdensome. What was especially rigorous, however, was forming my character. The quality of life I had lived, was nowhere near what other kids my age had dealt with. I had to mature much faster than my peers. I had to transition from a naive, afraid child into a young adult at the age of ten. Due to this, I felt like no one truly understood the reason for my isolating nature, when all I wished for was to be empathized with. On many occasions, even when I attempted to better myself and open myself up for change to take its inevitable nature, I was slapped in the face with demeaning behaviors and condescending remarks from classmates, that made me feel neglected and unimportant. What added to my pain, was the barrier I had subconsciously built for my parent’s sake. I did not want to add unto their miserable state of mind with my crumbling amount of emotions, which back then, I considered irrational and undeserving of their attention. Stumbling from friend group to friend group, I finally allowed myself to become comfortable with being alone. I realized that as much as I searched for companionship, I was not going to find it, without first, finding myself and realizing my worth. I stopped consuming others’ unsolicited criticism and prejudice and instead started practicing emotional hygiene. As I did, I started stimulating my potential introspectively, by actively practicing a growth mindset. I realized that by victimizing myself, and believing what everyone had to say about my persona, I would never surpass the expectations set up for me by society; Most importantly, I would never accomplish my goals, due to a lack of emotional intelligence. With more reason, I decided to encounter every hardship I faced as a blessing. I utilized my overwhelming feelings of neglect, failure, and fear to ignite a greater meaning and thus purpose, to my goals and desires in the future. My whole life, I have been characterized as a “misfit”. Growing up in a third world country, I grew up visiting asylums inhabited by low-income elderly people, who merely longed for life’s simplicities. Now, being a part of the largest minority group in the US, I can testify upon the disparities my community faces, not only economically, socially, & politically, but paradoxically in the healthcare industry. As I make headway to pursue higher education at a four-year university, majoring in a STEM field, and later on a doctorate in Dental Surgery, I hope to uplift the stigmatized LatinX community in the US & strive for the advancement of women predominantly, through means of firstly becoming an integral addition to the healthcare field, with the primary mission of providing my people educational support, both clinical, & emotional; As well as by serving in a non-profit organization and activist groups, to bring awareness & enact change to stop the inhumane obstructions of the Hippocratic Oath of healthcare professionals, that systematically and disproportionately targets minorities in this country. All considered, being a “misfit” to me, means being an innate leader; A person born to rise and conquer, driven by the hardships they have endured personally. In conclusion, being a so-called “misfit” in the past has enabled me to act as a compass for those who seek direction, a pillar for those in need of strengthening, and ultimately a hug for comfort; Lastly, being a“misfit” has taught me to view my life, with a wider lens and myself as the only photographer capable of capturing the picturesque scenery that composes my life.

Entropy is a thermodynamic function that describes the disorder of molecules. In 2014, I experienced entropy as my parents and I hopped on a plane with no return date, from El Salvador to the United States. As a soon to be ten year old, I left everything that was known to me. I abandoned my childhood. Although fairly young, both of my parents consulted with me about the decision to move. However, I knew that for my parents to even consider leaving their beloved “Pulgarcito de America”, the subject at hand was serious. I suppressed my desires to complain, for I knew they were putting up a facade to be strong in their decision making. I knew they longed for my future success and, most importantly, my safety which was unfortunately put at risk in a small, developing country, such as El Salvador. Organized crime in El Salvador was, and is currently, a seriously alarming issue, especially for my family in 2014. My parents being asylum seekers sought refuge in this country. As our life underwent this entropic change, I saw my parents struggle immensely. With a language barrier came the difficulty of finding jobs in my mother’s and father’s designated careers- a doctor of Dental Surgery and Lawyer respectively. With the lack of economic stability in this new country came the inability to find a home soon after moving. Our new home was confined to a small room. Along with all the living difficulties came utter frustration from my parents, which undeniably felt as if they were in retrogression. Despite these struggles, I always attempted to abide by the ideals my mother instilled in me. Originating from a humble, and more significantly a Christian household, my mother always inspired me to act with love and faithfulness. It was with these morals in mind that I persevered through my household challenges. Alongside my parents, I experienced my own personal difficulties. I was initially required to not only skip fifth grade but also take an extra ELA class meant to further my understanding of the English language due to my biliteracy. Adapting to a culture that was not my own to assimilate was burdensome. What was especially rigorous, however, was forming my character. I had to mature much faster than my peers. I had to transition from a naive, afraid child into a young adult at the age of 10. I struggled tremendously to catch up academically. I stumbled upon a variety of discouraging academic and social experiences when I first arrived in this country, for example, my first “needs improvement” report card or the emotional abuse I dealt with during my first year in middle school; All in all, the fact that I felt emotionally unstable, and alienated in the roles that predominantly constituted me as a person at that given time in my life. Instead of repressing my emotions, I began practicing emotional hygiene, which pertains to “... adopting brief daily habits to monitor and address psychological wounds...” As I did, I found guidance and strength. I reflected upon all the burdens my parents endured every day, and I slowly, but surely started demanding myself more, stimulating my potential. Throughout my high school career, I have exemplified my devotion to achieve academic growth by primarily and voluntarily participating in Embedded support for all of my classes, by investing additional time from the required, to talk personally with my educators, clear up doubts, build a stronger bond with my mentors, and ultimately develop as a pro-active learner. By the same token, I have participated in various Cal-SOAP workshops, independent web seminars, and virtual student panels, publicized by my high school’s college advising staff, to get comfortable with the surreal idea of successfully applying to the colleges of my choice. My academic achievements have all been consequential of my determination and resilient character; Notwithstanding, these challenges enabled a greater desire within me to keep endeavoring, evolving, and inspiring others. Every hardship I have faced, I turned in my favor. I utilized my overwhelming feelings of neglect, failure, and fear to ignite a greater meaning and thus purpose, to my goals and desires in the future. With this diligence embedded in me, I am invested in uplifting the stigmatized LatinX community in the US and advocate for the advancement of women in STEM predominantly. I intend to surpass expectations and become an “unconventional” Latina woman pursuing a career in the medical field while being an activist for the rights of my marginalized community because just as I am breaking the status quo as a double minority in this country, due to my race and gender, the pinnacle of success in my life, will be by helping my people. An influential leader is not one who grows independently and egotistically, but rather one who shares their obtained knowledge, for the betterment of others, as a global citizen, which is what I wish to epitomize.