As a Muslim in a predominantly immigrant community, I have grown up seeing how health is often something that is ignored or misunderstood. Uncles, grandparents, and cousins who are unable to understand the results of complicated health tests and medications often came to me for help. I also saw people who ignored diseases that ran in their families, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease, choosing not to eat healthily and exercise. These experiences ultimately set my career and education goals, as I am now pursuing a degree in public health at the University of Texas at Austin with the ultimate goal of becoming a doctor. Public health is a field that focuses on the communication aspect of health care and how prevention, awareness, and promotion of health are extremely important to ensuring healthy communities. With the knowledge I gain from my degree, I hope to fill the gap I see in clinics and hospitals where non-native English speakers leave without a sufficient understanding of their own health. I feel that immigrants are often overlooked in the context of communities that are underrepresented in health care, and this often results in miscommunication between healthcare providers and their patients. Doctors and other health care providers should have the necessary skills to treat all patients, regardless of their background and experiences. Another issue I saw with the relationship between immigrant patients and the healthcare field was mistrust. My parents and many others in our community often ignore guidelines for regular health checkups, especially as they age. In my education thus far, I have learned that preventative care is the best way to ensure healthy lives for patients. Yearly cancer screenings, regular health appointments, and at-home care have all been proven effective in the early detection and treatment of severe health conditions. However, people in my community have not been adequately informed of the importance of preventative care, and they instead see appointments with healthcare professionals as only necessary when there is an established problem. In a time when people are dying of diseases that can go undetected for long periods of time, our communities must be aware of how health is a priority. As a Muslim, I have always been taught that our faith is one of intellect and that a secular education does not conflict with my faith, but rather, it should support my spiritual endeavors. Working to improve the current systems we have in place to treat patients so that they better support more communities is a way in which I feel that I can use my education to serve humanity and thus keep Islam with me as I move through my life.

As a Muslim in a predominantly immigrant community, I have grown up seeing how health is often something that is ignored or misunderstood. Uncles, grandparents, and cousins who are unable to understand the results of complicated health tests and medications often came to me for help. I also saw people who ignored diseases that ran in their families, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease, choosing not to eat healthily and exercise. These experiences ultimately set my career and education goals, as I am now pursuing a degree in public health at the University of Texas at Austin with the ultimate goal of becoming a doctor. Public health is a field that focuses on the communication aspect of health care and how prevention, awareness, and promotion of health are extremely important to ensuring healthy communities. With the knowledge I gain from my degree, I hope to fill the gap I see in clinics and hospitals where non-native English speakers leave without a sufficient understanding of their own health. I feel that immigrants are often ignored in the context of communities that are underrepresented in health care, and this often results in miscommunication between health care providers and their patients. Doctors and other health care providers should have the necessary skills to treat all patients, regardless of their background and experiences. Another issue I saw with the relationship between immigrant patients and the healthcare field was mistrust. My parents and many others in our community often ignore guidelines for regular health checkups, especially as they age. In my education thus far, I have learned that preventative care is the best way to ensure healthy lives for patients. Yearly cancer screenings, regular health appointments, and at-home care have all been proven effective in the early detection and treatment of severe health conditions. However, people in my community have not been adequately informed of the importance of preventative care, and they instead see appointments with healthcare professionals as only necessary when there is an established problem. In a time when people are dying of diseases that can go undetected for long periods of time, our communities must be aware of how health is a priority. As a Muslim, I have always been taught that our faith is one of intellect and that a secular education does not conflict with my faith, but rather, it should support my spiritual endeavors. Working to improve the current systems we have in place to treat patients so that they better support more communities is a way in which I feel that I can use my education to serve humanity, and thus keep Islam with me as I go through life.

I remember laying in bed at 3 a.m., fighting the urge to fall asleep as I held "A Little Life" by Hanya Yanagihara. Even though I had to put it down to refresh my mind at times, I could not stop reading, waiting for the happy ending for the characters. This book follows Jude, a character with a painful and troubled past, and his group of friends, who care deeply for him without knowing what he has been through. Each character has their hopes and dreams and passions but also their flaws. Although the book was incredibly heavy and saturated with detailed stories of trauma, I believe that the book was a raw reminder of not only the flaws in our world but also the good, the people that continually support their loved ones despite their flaws. Reading this book completely altered my perception of the world, and made me realize the impact I have on the people around me. I felt a need to keep in mind what others might be going through, and I made myself open to being there for anyone who might need me.

Middle school was rough. I was a puffy-haired girl with unplucked eyebrows, never without a book in her hand. I wore Harry Potter t-shirts and refused to wear makeup. Clearly, I didn't have many friends. In high school, all this changed, as I felt increasing pressure to "fit in" by abandoning my books, straightening my hair, and wearing trendy clothes that didn't reflect my interests. I felt myself leaving my originality and passions for social validation. Although I always felt like middle school me on the inside, I felt as though I had to suppress her to become who everyone else wanted me to be. Changing my appearance and the way I presented myself to others didn't do much for the loneliness I felt because I could never truly relate to others. I decided to join my school's book club to see if I could find people who enjoyed the same things as me. Even though I walked into the first meeting fearful, I found an inviting group of people with whom I shared so much in common. I became more genuine as I realized that the people around me didn't value me for the way I looked or what I liked. Surrounding myself with people who loved me regardless of what I wear or what I enjoy allowed me to realize that being myself is far more important than being a filtered version of myself to gain approval from people I didn't know. Today, the support I have from my friends and family allows me to be my genuine self. I crochet, I read, and I listen to One Direction daily. Although I constantly hear the joke that I'm a grandmother in a teenager's body, I know that I'm being myself, and that's all that matters.