Hi, my name is Berline Thermidor and I am from Boston Massachusetts. As of now, I am a Junior at The University of Massachusetts Boston and I am a Sociology Major with a Dance and Education Studies Minor. Along with being a Junior, this is my third year as Captain of the Umass Boston Cheer team. If I had to describe myself, I would say I am bubbly, creative, and friendly. My favorite season is spring because it is not too hot nor too cold and I love the rainbows that light up the sky after rainy days. In my free time, I love to dance, create stories, and read. When I am not doing that I also enjoy making videos and editing. Nevertheless, Over the past few summers I have taught various subjects in many places and I can not wait to do it full-time when I finish my college education. I enjoy teaching and the great relationships that come with it as well as learning new things from others. My vision of becoming an educator is that I wish to make education not only fun but accessible to all students, mainly students of color who may not have access to those education opportunities that are blocked due to racism and prejudice. As well as inspiring young women to chase their educational dreams and aiding them in moving past patriarchal notions. In my adolescence, I was in an education program used to promote education you young children of color which prepared students like me who are from historically marginalized communities to access, navigate, and graduate from college. I cannot imagine how different my life would be if they did not give me all the opportunities they did. I am so grateful for that, and I want to give back and help others reach their full potential. I believe everyone deserves access to similar opportunities and working here will help me give those opportunities to others while also helping me find a path in education. Education is a very important aspect of our lives that seems to usually be overlooked. Some say education is seen to be the equalizer in oppression and I want to be able to give access to that to all growing minds. The thought that some children do not have access to those educational needs is disheartening and as future educators, we need to do something to fix that. Without the fundamental building blocks education provides growing up it makes life ten times harder and I do not wish that upon anyone. A lot of things in our world are changing and evolving and just as they are, our outlook on education should change as well. Enhancing your mental capability is not only for one group of people, it is for everyone.

Instagram: @iibexii Thank you for this opportunity!

My dog, Zulu has changed my life because teaching and being with him has been one of the most rewarding experiences I can have. I taught him things I thought I only saw on television and he taught me a lot about patience and love. He has brought years of joy and happiness into my family and my life and he does not even know how much I love him. After we adopted him from the shelter all my dreams came true and thus his unconditional love, companionship, and support came out, making me become this whole new person. He made me more active, and happier and, he helped improve my mental health which aided me when it come to starting college. A lot of people get to grow up with their dogs and have them for their whole life. However, I felt like I met my dog at the perfect time and he made me the hard-working/ loving person I am today. I love pets because I feel like they are that best friend that will never leave you. They will make you laugh, cry, and just feel crazy but you know at the end of the night you love them to the moon and back. My dog Zulu in particular is my ride-or-die; inseparable from my side no matter what. Honestly, I feel like everyone needs one of those in the world.

My dog, Zulu has changed my life because teaching and being with him has been one of the most rewarding experiences I can have. I taught him things I thought I only saw on television and he taught me a lot about patience and love. He has brought years of joy and happiness into my family and my life and he does not even know how much I love him. After we adopted him from the shelter all my dreams came true and thus his unconditional love, companionship, and support came out, making me become this whole new person. He made me more active, happier and, he helped improve my mental health which aided me when it come to starting college. A lot of people get to grow up with their dogs and have them for their whole life. However, I felt like I met my dog at the perfect time and he made me the hard-working/ loving person I am today.

A Healthy lifestyle is important to me because I feel like it helps you become more connected to those around them and learn more about yourself. As well as how it helped me fight off my graves disease. When I discovered my version of this healthy lifestyle my life was in perfect harmony and I felt superb in multiple aspects of my life. However, I did not just wake up and find this self-defining moment written to me on a silver platter I had to learn what fit me. Over two years ago I was diagnosed with Graves Disease. Graves' disease is an immune system disorder that results in the overproduction of thyroid hormones. This could lead to an irregular heartbeat, which in turn can cause problems such as blood clots, heart failure, and even stroke. At the time I thought I just needed to lose weight and I would be 'fixed' little did I know that would not work. During that time of confusion and terrible eating habits, I saw trends screaming to "eat healthier" and "lose weight" to be considered beautiful and socially acceptable. Reaching my personal goals was even harder when I was pulled into following these trends. For a long time, my mind was clouded by trends and I missed out on what was important; A healthy lifestyle. When Covid first hit and we were all pushed into our homes, what seemed like a lifetime to some was a self-discovering time for me. I had realized why all these trends I tried to follow were not working. I would stick to them for a week or two, feel good about myself, then stop which messed up my body even more. I would eat well for an X amount of time then go back to what I was doing before. I had come to realize that my fitness goal was not supposed to be for pockets of time but a lifetime. It was supposed to be something I could follow and appreciate, not hate and drag along with me. After I had discovered a lifestyle that worked for me it was like all the pieces had fallen into place. I was feeling better, I was doing better mentally and physically and I had even grown closer to my family by encouraging them to go on this journey with me as well. In turn, choosing to have this healthy lifestyle also helped me figure out what I wish to study in college and how I want to help others like me who may be clouded by social media and just need a helping hand. The thing about a healthy lifestyle is it is not like leggings that have a one size fits all deal. It varies from person to person and can honestly change your life. A healthy lifestyle is important because it helped me learn a lot about myself and my body. I feel like something like that is essential to learn when you are a young woman who is coming of age in this big crazy world.

I would not say I am a Social Media Influencer, but a role model to my followers to spread positivity, stay safe, and love themselves more than anything else. I do this through dance, makeup, or even inspirational words anything to help everyone feel more confident in their skin and appreciate themselves cause your body is a temple and you have to treat it right. My entire life as a young woman of color it is rare I saw people like me in the media spreading love and positivity. It has always been my dream to be that for other girls growing up in this scary world that always finds a way to put women down. Not on my page, where I express my confidence through dance and the love I have for people I might never get to meet I push these girls to be confident, try their hardest, and spread love to those around them. My passion for the art of dance and my will to make everyone around me smile mix together to create my page where my whole personality is put out for display.

We are nature. We are a part of nature and we can change nature. This idea is nature I feel like is bigger than us and more important than we even know. I feel like as humans we unintentionally are selfish and worry so much about all the complicated things we forget about the simple things that allow us to live every day. I love nature because of how it makes me feel and how it unknowingly provides for me and everyone around me. It gives us what we need to flourish and keep one's body and soul together. I try to appreciate nature because nature not only provides us with scents that we usually have to imagine but with an amazing array of colors, sights, and calming sounds that only bring warmth to one's heart. My favorite time in nature is when I went to the Dominican Republic and got to experiences nature right in front of me all the time. Small lizards at my feet while I eat, the sound of birds in the morning like I'm waking up in a Disney movie, and the cool breezes that make me feel better than any fan could. More ways I try to appreciate nature are by taking hikes with my family, encouraging better recycling habits, and supporting plant the tree projects around me. Nature loves me and that is why I love nature and try my best whenever I can to appreciate it.