Like any immigrant mother-daughter duo, my relationship to my single mother is complicated. Despite this quagmire in our relationship, I would be remiss if I didn't say she has wholeheartedly inspired me on my path. We often talk about "Mother Nature" and sustainability as if they were abstract concepts, or something we needed to buy the latest mass-produced gizmo to prove our worthiness of these labels. Regardless, many mothers from non-western cultures have proliferated a life ethos for generations that focused on sustainability and community care -- a cultural aspiration that I find myself instinctually subscribing to due to my upbringing. My mind instantly goes to the plastic bags my mother would pedantically ask me to reuse, or the exasperated gasps of disappointment when I poured the rice water down the sink instead of giving it to the plants. Even if I had an initial begrudging reaction, my mother's frugality and consciousness allowed me to tap into my resource & financial literacy skills -- whether that's being able to budget as a broke college student, bringing Tupperware wherever I go to prevent wasted food, being able to coupon essentials for the women's domestic violence center, or keep track of my credit cards. These attributes have undoubtably been sustaining factors in my financial and emotional stability during college. I have a fond memory of sitting around the table with my college friends during my birthday, taking the time of monopolized attention to explain how to increase your credit score, breaking down how the score is calculated, and elucidating the difference between a HYSA and a ROTH IRA. My friends looked on in awe, until one chimed in, "you're a year younger than most of us, but somehow you're the most adult!" I remember being flustered, accompanied by memories of my mother making me assist her with the bills in lieu of my father's absence. I would reluctantly flip through my mother's checkbook with a miffed expression, not quite understanding the future implications of the inspiration that accumulated through those small moments. Now that I work in a hospital setting as a pharmacy technician, I still use my mother's experience as a moral North Star beyond her resource-conscious influences. I see her face in every protective mother that's distrustful of the healthcare system (for understandable reasons!), and I am able to see clearly the space I need to fill as a provider to answer every single question or qualm. I see her post-divorce worries and fears in the faces of the mothers I help at Chattanooga Room in the Inn (a women's shelter), and the service that is required to assuage those needs. The most valuable tools -- empathy, appreciation, and understanding -- unfortunately, cannot be bought or forced. Women, whether through societal expectation or posterity, pass these on to the generations after them. By some grace of the universe, my mother wasn't an exception, regardless of the troubles we still experience in our relationship. Who am I, if not inspired by her?

The Asian American community is burdened with health disparities owing to cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic challenges. Despite the "model minority" label, this group suffers from elevated rates of illnesses, including Hepatitis B and liver cancer, and struggles to access medical care. To tackle these issues, a comprehensive strategy that acknowledges the distinct requirements and perspectives of Asian American communities is necessary. As an Asian Studies and Mandarin Chinese student, I have had the opportunity to delve deep into the cultural and historical background of Asian-American Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. This academic pursuit has been instrumental in broadening my perspective and understanding of the diverse experiences and challenges faced by these communities, particularly in the context of healthcare. My studies have highlighted the importance of cultural competence when providing inclusive healthcare services, and have provided me with the knowledge and skills necessary to be a more effective and empathetic healthcare professional. Through my academic journey, I have gained a deeper appreciation for the rich and complex histories of AAPI communities and the impact that cultural background can have on healthcare outcomes. While the majority of my coworkers are monolingual, I have been able to provide a higher level of care to patients who speak South Asian languages such as Dari, Farsi, and Pashto, as well as patients who speak Mandarin Chinese. Being able to communicate with these patients in their native language allows me to better understand their healthcare needs and provide more effective care. It has also helped build trust between myself and the patients, which is especially important when dealing with sensitive health issues. By leveraging my language skills, I can bridge the communication gap between patients and healthcare providers, ensuring that they receive the best possible care. I firmly believe that being able to communicate in multiple languages is an essential skill for any healthcare provider, and I am grateful for the opportunities I have had to apply my knowledge as a pharmacy technician. Teamwork coordination is a quintessential skill in developing one's skills as a community leader. Growing up in Iranian and Turkmen cultures has given me a unique perspective and a deep appreciation for diversity. I have been exposed to a wide range of customs, traditions, and beliefs, which has allowed me to develop a broader understanding of many cultures. This has helped me to be more empathetic, understanding, and respectful toward people from all walks of life. As a result, I can work effectively in a team setting as a leader, bringing people from different backgrounds together to achieve a common goal. I am skilled at bridging cultural gaps, fostering collaboration, and creating an inclusive work environment where everyone feels valued and respected. My cultural background has been a tremendous asset in my personal and professional life, providing me with the tools and knowledge to succeed in a diverse and multicultural world. The healthcare disparities faced by the Asian American community require a comprehensive strategy that takes into account their unique cultural, linguistic, and socioeconomic challenges. As an Asian Studies and Mandarin Chinese student, I have gained valuable insights into the diverse experiences and challenges faced by AAPI communities. My language skills have enabled me to provide better care to patients who speak different languages, while my cultural background has helped me to be a more effective leader and team player. By leveraging our diverse cultural backgrounds and working collaboratively, we can create a more inclusive and equitable healthcare system that meets the needs of all patients, regardless of their background or ethnicity.

While it's easy to adopt a nihilistic mindset about the earth and the ever-growing amount of environmental disasters we experience, it's even easier to lose focus on our contributions to our environment. According to the USDA, an average of 40% of all food produced and an estimated 77.9 million tons of packaging products in the United States went to waste in 2018. Food waste creates methane gas, and plastic packaging can release harmful chemicals into the surrounding soil and disturb local ecosystems. Both of these resources are consistently in demand and instances of waste were largely preventable with appropriate distribution and material recycling accessibility. What can we, as average people, do to mitigate environmental pollution? Refill stores offer an interesting but logical solution to packaging waste, as their popularity for eco-conscious efforts has become increasingly popular as of late. Whenever I can, I try and keep my old detergent and cleaning supply containers to take to the store and back. This store also provides toothpaste tablets as a zero-waste product, which is one less toothpaste tube in a landfill among the millions that do not get recycled. Additionally, it's important to consider that the majority of toothpaste tubes are an amalgamation of plastic and aluminum, which is incredibly difficult to recycle. On top of its environmental benefits, refill stores are also quite cost-efficient, as buying the undiluted cleaning product allows my household to adjust its strength with water and make it last far longer than buying it from a generic grocery store. Another method I particularly like is volunteering with the Nashville Food Project to redistribute produce and groceries from Trader Joe's to impoverished neighborhoods. This redistribution does take a considerable amount of effort for transportation, documentation, and dissemination; coordinating with a sizeable team can both prevent food waste and assure that poorer neighborhoods have access to healthier foods that would typically be more expensive. For food that cannot last long enough to deliver, I occasionally work with Compost Nashville which offers services in turning food scraps into compost. Compost retains harmful pollutants while simultaneously recycling nutrients that would otherwise be trapped in a landfill. For non-necessities, I've opted into a lifestyle recently dubbed "slow fashion". As a woman, it becomes increasingly imperative in our daily and professional lives that we adhere to the latest trends and beauty standards. To satiate this cultural mindset, "fast fashion" has evolved in which clothing retailers design, manufacture, and distribute new inexpensive clothing all within a matter of days, as opposed to traditional fashion cycles that follow seasonal patterns. With the increased need to consume and the mediums that churn out clothing at a breakneck pace, the average American citizen throws away 81.5 pounds of clothing per year, and fashion production as a whole can account for 10% of all global carbon emissions according to UNEP. To combat this, my friends and I have started attending "clothing swaps" hosted on small Facebook groups in our city to reduce our consumption of newly manufactured clothes and save articles that would otherwise be thrown in landfills. I also lend my sewing and mending skills to both my clothes and others to make them last longer and limit myself to only 5 clothing purchases per year. Speaking from a place of honesty, the way our car-centric cities and constant self-education of environmental news can foster a defeatist environment for strengthening our eco-conscious habits in our daily lives. However, as long as there is a planet to fight for, I will take the initiative -- be it small efforts or grand sweeping movements.

As a medical practitioner who was raised by a single immigrant mother, I have come to realize that my upbringing has played a significant role in shaping who I am as a professional today. Growing up, my mother instilled in me the importance of hard work, perseverance, and empathy. These values have helped me to be a better intern pharmacist and to better serve my patients. Single mothers are more likely to live in poverty than married couples or other family structures. According to the National Women's Law Center, the poverty rate for single-mother families is 37.8%, compared to 6.5% for married-couple families. My family was no stranger to these statistics as, after the divorce, my mother could not get ahold of half of my father's assets that were entitled to her. It took almost a decade and numerous court proceedings to even receive a third of what she was owed. We also faced social ostracization in a town where we were already discriminated against for our race. Our financial and social situation for years made things extremely difficult for us, but my mother would miraculously persevere. I truly believe that the thing that inspires me most about my mother is her unyielding dedication. She had experienced immense trauma from her childhood in an active warzone during the Iran-Iraq war, firsthand experiencing the Iranian Revolution in 1979, and experiencing domestic abuse from my father. In my childhood, I saw firsthand the continued struggles that she went through to provide for our family while recovering from severe c-PTSD. She had to work multiple jobs and often put in long hours just to make ends meet while simultaneously protecting us from the physical and psychological abuse my brother and I also faced from our father. In turn, this taught me the value of hard work and dedication, which I apply to my work as a medical practitioner. I understand that being a healthcare provider is not just a job, but a vocation, and I am willing to put in the extra effort to provide the best care for my patients. My mother's dedication gave way to her resilience. In my youth, she had to face numerous challenges, but she never gave up. She always found a way to provide for us and to make sure that we had everything we needed. This taught me that no matter how difficult the situation, there is always a way to find a solution; through this, I was inspired to volunteer with clinics specializing in assisting women who are victims of domestic violence and abuse. I am proud to be an independent, resilient, and dedicated woman in the comportment my mother is, and to help other women like her. As a medical practitioner, I apply this mindset when facing challenges both in my practice and in a social environment, and it helps me to think critically and empathetically to find solutions to problems that I encounter while providing care to underserved patient populations.

As a West Asian woman from a migrant family, both working and studying in healthcare, I have struggled to navigate the biases and stereotypes that come with my background. I've had classmates, coworkers and even professors make racist comments about my race and ethnicity, and it's hard to deal with the fact that these people are supposed to be my peers and mentors in this field. It's hard to focus on my studies and feel motivated when I constantly feel like an outsider, especially in a field that is supposed to champion empathy and medical care for diverse patient populations. Even at work, despite my qualifications and experience, I have often felt like I have to work twice as hard to prove my worth in the field. I have been met with mistrust and discrimination from colleagues, patients, and even supervisors. What worries me by extension is that, on the patient side, disparities in healthcare can have serious consequences for ethnic minorities in terms of both health outcomes and quality of life. Statistics from studies show that Black Americans are more than twice as likely to die from heart disease as white Americans and that Indigenous American adults are more likely to die from chronic liver disease or cirrhosis than white Americans. It is important to continue to address these issues through research, education, and policy changes to ensure that all Americans have equal access to high-quality healthcare. however, the racism I experience daily from peers is a failed litmus test for cultural competency with patients, and certainly provides cause for concern. Regardless of the unease I feel in my experiences, I do firmly believe that being a minority in healthcare undergoing hardship has cultivated a strong sense of empathy for patients who are disabled or ethnic minorities. Ethnic minorities are more likely to experience bias and discrimination from healthcare providers, which can lead to mistrust of the healthcare system and reluctance to seek care. This is where I can break the cycle, and be a positive figure in exercising cultural competency drawn from my own lived encounters. It has been difficult to navigate these challenges, but I try to remind myself that my passion for helping others is what drives me to continue working in healthcare. Despite these struggles, I believe that representation matters and people from all backgrounds need to be authority figures in the healthcare field. I hope that by speaking out and continuing to work in healthcare, I can help to break down stereotypes and pave the way for greater diversity in the field.

It is without a doubt that I believe books are powerful tools for our society as they provide knowledge, foster empathy, and inspire critical thinking. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, a novel no stranger to the quintessential elements of a socially impactful book, is a novel that everyone should read because it offers a thought-provoking and cautionary tale about the potential dangers of a technologically advanced society. In the book's futuristic setting, Individuals are stripped of their individuality and freedom and are instead controlled by the government via drugs and conditioning. The novel explores themes such as the loss of individuality, the dangers of consumerism, and the manipulation of people by those in power. One of the major themes in Brave New World is the loss of individuality. The society in the novel is designed to be perfect, but it comes at the cost of individuality. People are conditioned to be happy and content with their predetermined roles in society and are discouraged from thinking for themselves or questioning the status quo. This theme is especially relevant in today's world where people are constantly bombarded with messages to conform to societal expectations and to be happy and successful at all costs. The novel also explores the dangers of consumerism as a manipulation tactic. The society in Brave New World is built on consumerism, and people are conditioned to be constantly seeking pleasure and consumption. This theme is particularly relevant today, as we live in a world where consumerism is the norm, and people are often encouraged to buy more and more, regardless of their needs. Finally, Brave New World is a warning about the dangers of allowing those in power to manipulate people. The government in the novel uses drugs and conditioning to control the population, and this serves as a reminder that those in power will always try to control the masses. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley can be essential reading for just about anyone. The ubiquitous themes weaving a strong cautionary tapestry about consumerism, propaganda, and identity are still relevant today, and the novel serves as a reminder to be vigilant about the dangers of giving up our freedom for the promise of a perfect society.

In the diverse America that we see today, it's no surprise that many marginalized groups of people in the healthcare system get left behind in comprehensive treatment. In the process of pursuing my Doctorate of Pharmacy at Belmont University, I've been further exposed to the way racial minorities are underserved in medicine which is reminiscent of my experiences, being from a migrant Muslim family. In my future as a health practitioner, I aim to address the social predeterminants of health while providing comprehensive and culturally competent medical assistance to serve black, indigenous, migrant, and disabled communities. A major factor contributing to healthcare disparities for racial minorities is economic inequality. Many minority communities have higher rates of poverty, which can make it difficult to afford healthcare costs such as copays, deductibles, and medication. This can lead to delays in seeking care or skipping necessary treatment, which can have serious consequences for health outcomes. This can further lead to disabilities, as people of color are often more likely to live in neighborhoods with a lack of access to quality healthcare facilities and services. This can include a lack of hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies, as well as a lack of transportation to reach these facilities. This lack of access can make it difficult for individuals in these communities to get the care they need, leading to health problems and disabilities. To address these societal issues, I plan to get involved in community outreach and education efforts. This could include partnering with local organizations to provide free health screenings and education to underserved communities, as well as giving presentations at schools and community centers to raise awareness about important health issues. By sharing my expertise and empowering these communities to take charge of their health, I hope to make a positive impact on their well-being. One way I currently do this is by applying my Advance Spanish at my position at CVS to alleviate the burden of a language barrier, and am heavily involved in the Pharmacy Spanish presentations for active curriculum credit at Belmont University College of Pharmacy. Additionally, I am fluent in Farsi, which allows me to communicate seamlessly with Afghan refugees who have recently been granted asylum in Tennessee. It is with these efforts that I intend to continue to aid the underserved members of society with my position of authority as a pharmacist after graduation. Another simple way I plan to dedicate my future practice to serving underserved minorities is by providing culturally sensitive and inclusive care to all patients who come to me for help. This includes taking the time to listen to their concerns, understanding their unique needs and cultural beliefs, and working with them to find the best possible treatment options. I also plan to be proactive in identifying and addressing health disparities within these communities, such as by advocating for policies and programs that promote health equity. This comes relatively naturally to me, as I just imagine the type of care and empathy I wish my family and I had received when we first arrived in this country. In conclusion, as a future pharmacist, I am committed to using my skills and resources to better society and serve underserved communities, including indigenous, brown, and black minorities. By providing culturally sensitive care, participating in community outreach and education efforts, and advocating for policies and programs that benefit these communities, I hope to make a positive impact on their health and well-being.

Being patient is incredibly difficult for someone like me, but as rewarding. My life is constantly on wheels -- kinetically busy with projects, school, and my illustration client work. I often find that my bodily health cannot keep up with the expeditious nature of my life, and as a workaholic, I tend to ignore my needs until something drastic happened. This time, it was my feet that supported me working at my pharmacy -- the strain that I had put on myself for years and years without correcting my foot alignment led to my recent diagnosis of tarsal tunnel syndrome. I was devastated, not because of my own health, but for the fact that it would impact my work. My podiatrist, upon hearing my grievances, sat me down for an emotional intervention. She told me that there was no way she could have gone through medical school without the medical self-care measures she took, regardless of how much workload she took on. "Be patient with yourself, otherwise no one else will". I took more days off of work to recuperate my feet from the searing pain sensations I was experiencing from work, and eventually, the podiatry office sent me my custom foot inserts. It's only been a month, but I have seen improvement, as well as some soreness from the adjustment. I want to get frustrated at myself for not being able to work as much, but I continue to reaffirm to be patient and respect my body, not as a work machine, but as a human being that heals and grows, for the sake of myself and future. I have never felt better.

As a first-gen BIPOC woman with generational trauma and disabilities, the pursuit of my education in STEM has been far from a walk in the park. Despite the disadvantages and struggles, I truly believe that my conditions have ushered me into a unique type of empathy that plays a crucial role in reshaping the healthcare system as we know it today. My upbringing was full of violence from both of my parents who suffered war trauma and continued to spurn the cycle of abuse from their perilous situations in Iran. Being the eldest daughter of our family, I was implicitly tasked with the unique burden of breaking this cycle of abuse -- to forge my own path in recovery and freedom from a vicious cycle for the sake of myself and my younger brother. Unfortunately, when I finally left my toxic household and made it to college, I was placed on academic probation because of my untreated PTSD. I soon took a leap of faith from my "out of sight, out of mind" mental health mindset from my old household, swallowed my pride, and received a consultation for a PTSD assessment, subsequently getting the diagnosis. My pride was wounded from this diagnosis, but in a sense, I slowly grew another type of dignity -- that I had been able to acknowledge my shortcomings to mitigate a cycle of emotional repression. My grades skyrocketed after receiving medication and therapy; I finished the semester with all A's and narrowly avoided losing my scholarship. By the grace of my hard work, my sophomore year was smooth sailing, and I was able to delve forward with my pharmaceutical career goals. I became a certified pharmacy technician, applying my experience with mental health to counseling patients on their medications related to GAD and PTSD. I have experienced so many revelations about mental health in the healthcare industry, and how people often struggle with acknowledging that they need treatment. Mental health and its treatment are extremely stigmatized in our society but are often the key to unlocking the full potential of our lives, as well as mitigating the cycles of abuse that permeate our society. I had the pleasure and privilege to counsel other first-gen immigrant youth who were taking the leap of faith to address their psychological issues from growing up in households with strenuous standards. I was even able to counsel my younger brother on his antidepressants before leaving for college in an in-depth manner to ensure the most optimal therapeutic outcomes. Trauma is grotesque, but what I choose to do as an independent adult is of my own autonomy to break this cycle of trauma, extending this into my practice as a future pharmacist. It is a moral imperative that we utilize our scars to mend others to reshape a conscious, inclusive, and perspicacious society.

Growing up as the eldest daughter of an immigrant family, one tends to have to bear the brunt of experiencing responsibility and life earlier than your peers, and especially learn said lessons in responsibility out of survival. I am no stranger to this, but in exchange for early maturity, there was one aspect I forbade myself from embodying -- failure. Failure is a natural part of life. It is a learning opportunity since the dawn of humans as a species developing their pattern-seeking behavior to form the complex systems and societies we have today. As a high schooler, it was not a matter of life-and-death hunting mammals in pre-historic forests - but felt as such anyways. I was accustomed to getting all A's throughout my academic career until I got to college, where I failed my first class ever, in Biology. I physically could not stomach it, nor could I move on and use that failure to propel me further in my academics. I was stuck, emotionally numb, and unable to accept that this had happened to me. I was placed on academic probation and at risk of losing my scholarship. After much deliberation and introspection, I decided to go get tested for psychological problems. The results were clear - I was diagnosed with complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. The standards my parents had held me to were upheld with strict verbal and physical abuse, and I never allowed myself space to unpack it for fear of internalizing a sense of failure for things that weren't in my control as a child. I soon bit the bullet and began therapy and medication, in doing so gaining a greater sense of empathy and understanding for my future career in pharmacy, and my grades skyrocketed. I was absolved of academic probation, and I achieved a solid mix of As and Bs on my 2nd-semester Freshman report card much to my relief. Healing isn't linear, nor are the lessons one learns applied and nurtured in a linear fashion. As an extremely academic-minded person with a mathematical approach to my life problems, this second stage of my lessons in failure was extremely hard to grasp. In my 1st year of Pharmacy school, I was hit with a wave of impostor syndrome, as most of my classmates are several years older than me, and I struggled to keep up with the coursework. This was also the first time I was living on my own without my abusive mother, having to pay my own bills and working 30 hours a week at the Pharmacy in order to do so, during a strenuous graduate program - a deadly combination. I could not accept failure or the fact that I was overworking myself, and created a false narrative in my mind that I was mentally sound because I was on medication. It wasn't enough. I had to take a medical leave for a week due to my injuries sustained from overworking myself, much to my chagrin. Forcing me to understand my way of life was not sustainable, and that my healing from c-PTSD was not linear and needed attention, I emerged out of my medical leave and rescued all of my grades from the brink of failing. It is now the end of my 2nd semester, and my grades have improved tenfold from understanding that healing isn't like a linear equation - I needed to be consistently kind to myself, and comprehend that failure is always a growth opportunity - to deny it in and of itself is a failure to a sustainable state of mental wellbeing.

Video essay in link!