As a member of the African American community on my mother's side, the legacy of my ancestors has always been engraved in my heart and mind. We are to work hard so that those who come after us may live a better life than us full of prosperity and wealth. These same ideas were passed down to my parents, and they were instilled in me as well. As a member of the West Indies community on my father's side, the legacy of my ancestors has always been to gain status and power so that those who come after us do not have to work has hard to achieve their own dreams. While I understand where the ideals of both sides of my lineage come from, I can not say that I agree wholeheartedly. Working hard to achieve your dreams is important. It creates a sense of pride and fulfillment. Unfortunately, my lineage has instilled the idea of working to the bone in order to achieve these dreams no matter the cost. Growing up I was led to believe that the only paths available to me were in medicine, engineering, or law. In order to bring status and prosperity to my family, I had to pick a career path that would leave me wealthier than my parents. What my lineage has failed to realize is that money and status do not equate to happiness. These ideals are not at the heart of a family or the memories that are made. Growing up I put aside many different passions in order to pursue careers that made my family happy, and I let myself believe that continuing our legacy in the way they had taught me would make me happy too. I succeeded in academics and I worked hard to gain money to support my dreams. In the midst of all the sweat I was accumulating by chasing these dreams so feverishly, I lost sight of the things that mattered most to me individually. What my lineage had failed to relay to me was that all these accomplishments came with sacrifices, sacrifices I was no longer willing to take. I came to realize that the top is lonely when you outcast everybody around you in order to get there. To me, legacy is about the memories you create that can be passed down from generation to generation. It is about the morals you instill within your children to make them better, more understanding people. It is about the love you create that will last a lifetime. Creating happiness within your life is more important than allowing generational pressure to tie you down to live a predetermined lifestyle. In my future home, I want to create a new legacy, one in which I allow my children to achieve the goals that they set for themselves without the constraints of their ancestors to hold them down. Of course, I want them to work hard for what they want, but not at the cost of their own health, both mental and physical. As much as I love my family and those that came before me, I want to change our lineage and our legacy for the better. While my career path in life does align with the ideals of my father's lineage, I have made these choices solely on my own terms and for my own happiness. [ the photo ] Attached is a photo of my grandmother, the strongest, bravest woman that I know.

My heart raced as I stood next to all of my new colleagues as we helped each other put on our PPE to keep us protected. I turned to my right to look at my colleagues who I would be working with for the day and asked her if she was ready. As we entered the tent and the first car came to a stop, I took a deep breath. With a nasal swab and test tube in one hand, and an envelope with pertinent information about how to get their results in the other hand, I greeted my first set of patients for the day. As a Covid-19 Clinician and Vaccination Facilitator, I have witnessed the rise and fall of the pandemic. Working in underserved areas of New Jersey such as Union, Elizabeth, Newark, and so on, I have witnessed the amount of financial and mental stress this pandemic has put on many of the people in my community. I have also seen the joy and hope that the vaccination has brought to many of these people as well. In the short time, I have spent with countless people, I have heard their stories, shared in their sorrow, and cheered in their excitement. From my unique experience, I have had to learn how to face the unknown. There were many occasions when I would conduct a test unsure if the person was positive or negative, and the only thing between me and the virus was a disposable mask. In the heat of many moments, I have had to learn how to bring reassurance to many of the conflicted people who came to receive the vaccine. I have had to learn how to adapt to giving aid to people who endured barriers such as language differences and deafness. However, with each case, I tried the best of my ability to treat every person equally, showing that I care, and truly wish to see each of them leave my presence happier and healthier than they came. I have been lucky enough to work alongside many incredible nurses who have taught me the importance of proper bedside manner and how to deescalate intense situations. Working in healthcare is no easy feat, and there are many days in which the tasks can be rigorous and trying. Being a frontline worker has not only equipped me with the tools needed to better my community, but to prepare me for my role as a healthcare provider as well. The experiences I have gained I will treasure for a lifetime, and I would not trade for the world.