I am interested and planning on pursuing a career in medicine. I am also interested in studying in the field of chemistry and pursuing a bachelor of science degree in college. I eventually want to attend medical school and become a doctor, preferably a dermatologist. I want to be a doctor not only to help people, but to solve the issue and bridge the gap between first generation Americans, Latinos, Caribbean, LGBTQA+, and women in the medical field. Growing up, only being treated by white, straight, male doctors made me feel as though I couldn’t connect to my provider on an emotional level. Moreover, I witnessed how the language barrier affects healthcare treatment tremendously. Members of racial and ethnic minorities are less likely to obtain preventive health treatments than non-minorities, and frequently receive care that is of inferior quality. Furthermore, minority groups also tend to have worse health outcomes for certain illnesses and conditions. Additionally, I want to become a dermatologist because I suffer from eczema and autoimmune diseases. I experienced first hand that living with an autoimmune disease can be extremely challenging, as it involves managing symptoms, taking medication, and making lifestyle changes to support overall health and well-being. Despite the challenges, I found ways on how to turn my struggles with living with an autoimmune disease into my strengths. This even further pushed my drive to pursue a career in the medical field. I learned from the mistakes of my previous dermatologists and doctors and want to help improve the medicine, become an advocate, and create a space for those like me who have been left hopeless by their medical providers. I want to pursue a higher education in medicine to help close the gap between all these very real and unsatisfactory problems in the medical field. Increasing racial and ethnic diversity in the medical field will make a positive impact because it helps to ensure all backgrounds, beliefs, ethnicities, and perspectives are adequately represented in the medical field. In the end, it's about providing the best possible care for all patients and researchers found that physicians from minority backgrounds were more likely to care for patients from vulnerable populations. Not to mention, studies show that students trained at diverse schools are more comfortable treating patients from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds. When the physician is the same race as the patient, patients report higher levels of trust and satisfaction.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always had skin problems, it runs in my family. Atopic dermatitis (eczema) is a condition that makes your skin red and itchy, but most children grow out of it. I was told when I was 8 that I would grow out of it by the time I’m 15. I was 14 at the beginning of this. My skin was getting worse every year and I was going to countless doctors and trying countless treatments but nothing was working. That’s when my mom decided to take me to a Holistic doctor to try natural remedies. I thought that all of my problems would be solved. But I was so wrong. The doctor told me that I need to start an AIP diet. The Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diet is used to reduce inflammation and relieve symptoms of autoimmune disorders. So in other words, I can’t eat anything other than vegetables and meat. I thought it was worth it. I sometimes still wish I never went to that doctor because the next two years were a living hell for me. The hardest part of the diet was the elimination phase of it. It took a huge toll on me, mentally and physically. My body unknowingly got addicted to topical steroids because that's the only thing the dermatologists would prescribe to me. Part of the elimination process was to get off of the topical steroids. For weeks I couldn’t move or get out of bed without being in extreme pain and I had several cuts on my body that had fluid oozing out of it. I started getting hospitalized because the pain all over my body became too much and I became extremely depressed and even became suicidal. I got diagnosed with depression during 2020. Eventually, during quarantine my health started to get better, and I am now doing much better than I was before. Despite the challenges, I found ways on how to turn my struggles with living with an autoimmune disease into my strengths. I have found ways to manage and cope with my disease and found support from friends, family, and community. I also find strength in writing down my experiences in journals. Whenever my condition would get worse, I felt very lonely and felt like no one understood what I was going through. I found comfort in writing, hoping that one day I can publish a book about autoimmune disorders and can raise awareness about autoimmune diseases, as well as support others who are living with these conditions. Throughout this painful process, I found an interest in medicine and learning about different diseases in the body, specifically skin diseases. I learned that I wanted to become a dermatologist to advocate for others with autoimmune and skin diseases like mine. I realized how my experience and knowledge may assist others so that they won't have to go through the journey I had to. I learned from the mistakes of my previous dermatologists and doctors and want to help improve the medicine and create a space for those like me. With the support of my mom, I created a lotion especially for people with my skin condition when I couldn’t find anything that worked for me. I aspire for my lotion to at least aid someone with my skin condition and hope my story will benefit others and improve the living conditions of others.

Autoimmune diseases occur when the body's immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells in the body. These diseases can be chronic and can have a significant impact on a person's physical and emotional well-being. For as long as I can remember, I’ve had atopic dermatitis (eczema) where my skin would become red and itchy. It runs in my family. I was told when I was 8 that I would grow out of it by the time I’m 15. I’m 16 now and my skin was getting worse every year to the point that I began missing school. I was put on The Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diet to reduce inflammation and relieve symptoms of autoimmune disorders. However, my health took a turn for the worst when I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease, an autoimmune disease causing chronic inflammation and consequential failure of the thyroid gland. I started getting hospitalized because the pain became too much and even became suicidal. I learned that living with an autoimmune disease can be extremely challenging, as it involves managing symptoms, taking medication, and making lifestyle changes to support overall health and well-being. Despite the challenges, I found ways on how to turn my struggles with living with an autoimmune disease into my strengths. I have found ways to manage and cope with my disease and found support from friends, family, and community. I also find strength in writing down my experiences in journals. Whenever my condition would get worse, I felt very lonely and felt like no one understood what I was going through. I found comfort in writing, hoping that one day I can publish a book about autoimmune disorders and can raise awareness about autoimmune diseases, as well as support others who are living with these conditions. Throughout this painful process, I found an interest in medicine and learning about different diseases in the body, specifically skin diseases. I learned that I wanted to become a dermatologist to advocate for others with autoimmune and skin diseases like mine. I realized how my experience and knowledge may assist others so that they won't have to go through the journey I had to. I learned from the mistakes of my previous dermatologists and doctors and want to help improve the medicine and create a space for those like me. With the support of my mom, I created a lotion especially for people with my skin condition when I couldn’t find anything that worked for me. I aspire for my lotion to at least aid someone with my skin condition and hope my story will benefit others and improve the living conditions of others.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always had skin problems, it runs in my family. Atopic dermatitis (eczema) is a condition that makes your skin red and itchy, but most children grow out of it. I was told when I was 8 that I would grow out of it by the time I’m 15. I was 14 at the beginning of this. My skin was getting worse every year and I was going to countless doctors and trying countless treatments but nothing was working. That’s when my mom decided to take me to a Holistic doctor to try natural remedies. I thought that all of my problems would be solved. But I was so wrong. The doctor told me that I need to start an AIP diet. The Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diet is used to reduce inflammation and relieve symptoms of autoimmune disorders. So in other words, I can’t eat anything other than vegetables and meat. I thought it was worth it. I sometimes still wish I never went to that doctor because the next two years were a living hell for me. The hardest part of the diet was the elimination phase of it. It took a huge toll on me, mentally and physically. My body unknowingly got addicted to topical steroids because that's the only thing the dermatologists would prescribe to me. Part of the elimination process was to get off of the topical steroids. For weeks I couldn’t move or get out of bed without being in extreme pain and I had several cuts on my body that had fluid oozing out of them. I started getting hospitalized because the pain all over my body became too much and I became extremely depressed and even became suicidal. I got diagnosed with depression in 2020. I tried committing suicide not long after that. In total, I had three suicide attempts. Despite the challenges, I found ways to turn my struggles with living with an autoimmune disease into my strengths. I have found ways to manage and cope with my disease and found support from friends, family, and community. I also find strength in writing down my experiences in journals. Whenever my condition would get worse, I felt very lonely and felt like no one understood what I was going through. I found comfort in writing, hoping that one day I can publish a book about autoimmune disorders and can raise awareness about autoimmune diseases, as well as support others who are living with these conditions. I learned that living with an autoimmune disease can be extremely challenging, as it involves managing symptoms, taking medication, and making lifestyle changes to support overall health and well-being. I especially want to talk about the mental toll it can take on someone. Throughout this painful process, I found an interest in medicine and learning about different diseases in the body, specifically skin diseases. I learned that I wanted to become a dermatologist to advocate for others with autoimmune and skin diseases like mine. I realized how my experience and knowledge may assist others so that they won't have to go through the journey I had to. I learned from the mistakes of my previous dermatologists and doctors and want to help improve medicine and create a space for those like me. With the support of my mom, I created a lotion especially for people with my skin condition when I couldn’t find anything that worked for me. I aspire for my lotion to at least aid someone with my skin condition and hope my story will benefit others and improve the living conditions of others.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always had skin problems, it runs in my family. Atopic dermatitis (eczema) is a condition that makes your skin red and itchy, but most children grow out of it. I was told when I was 8 that I would grow out of it by the time I’m 15. I was 14 at the beginning of this. My skin was getting worse every year and I was going to countless doctors and trying countless treatments but nothing was working. That’s when my mom decided to take me to a Holistic doctor to try natural remedies. I thought that all of my problems would be solved. But I was so wrong. The doctor told me that I need to start an AIP diet. The Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diet is used to reduce inflammation and relieve symptoms of autoimmune disorders. So in other words, I can’t eat anything other than vegetables and meat. I thought it was worth it. I sometimes still wish I never went to that doctor because the next two years were a living hell for me. The hardest part of the diet was the elimination phase of it. It took a huge toll on me, mentally and physically. My body unknowingly got addicted to topical steroids because that's the only thing the dermatologists would prescribe to me. Part of the elimination process was to get off of the topical steroids. For weeks I couldn’t move or get out of bed without being in extreme pain and I had several cuts on my body that had fluid oozing out of them. I started getting hospitalized because the pain all over my body became too much and I became extremely depressed and even became suicidal. I got diagnosed with depression in 2020. I tried committing suicide not long after that. In total, I had three suicide attempts. Despite the challenges, I found ways to turn my struggles with living with an autoimmune disease into my strengths. I have found ways to manage and cope with my disease and found support from friends, family, and community. I also find strength in writing down my experiences in journals. Whenever my condition would get worse, I felt very lonely and felt like no one understood what I was going through. I found comfort in writing, hoping that one day I can publish a book about autoimmune disorders and can raise awareness about autoimmune diseases, as well as support others who are living with these conditions. I learned that living with an autoimmune disease can be extremely challenging, as it involves managing symptoms, taking medication, and making lifestyle changes to support overall health and well-being. I especially want to talk about the mental toll it can take on someone. Throughout this painful process, I found an interest in medicine and learning about different diseases in the body, specifically skin diseases. I learned that I wanted to become a dermatologist to advocate for others with autoimmune and skin diseases like mine. I realized how my experience and knowledge may assist others so that they won't have to go through the journey I had to. I learned from the mistakes of my previous dermatologists and doctors and want to help improve medicine and create a space for those like me. With the support of my mom, I created a lotion especially for people with my skin condition when I couldn’t find anything that worked for me. I aspire for my lotion to at least aid someone with my skin condition and hope my story will benefit others and improve the living conditions of others.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always had skin problems, it runs in my family. Atopic dermatitis (eczema) is a condition that makes your skin red and itchy, but most children grow out of it. I was told when I was 8 that I would grow out of it by the time I’m 15. I was 14 at the beginning of this. My skin was getting worse every year and I was going to countless doctors and trying countless treatments but nothing was working. That’s when my mom decided to take me to a Holistic doctor to try natural remedies. I thought that all of my problems would be solved. But I was so wrong. The doctor told me that I need to start an AIP diet. The Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diet is used to reduce inflammation and relieve symptoms of autoimmune disorders. So in other words, I can’t eat anything other than vegetables and meat. I thought it was worth it. I sometimes still wish I never went to that doctor because the next two years were a living hell for me. The hardest part of the diet was the elimination phase of it. It took a huge toll on me, mentally and physically. My body unknowingly got addicted to topical steroids because that's the only thing the dermatologists would prescribe to me. Part of the elimination process was to get off of the topical steroids. For weeks I couldn’t move or get out of bed without being in extreme pain and I had several cuts on my body that had fluid oozing out of them. I started getting hospitalized because the pain all over my body became too much and I became extremely depressed and even became suicidal. I got diagnosed with depression in 2020. Eventually, during quarantine, my health started to get better, and I am now doing much better than I was before. Despite the challenges, I found ways how to turn my struggles with living with an autoimmune disease into my strengths. I have found ways to manage and cope with my disease and found support from friends, family, and community. I also find strength in writing down my experiences in journals. Whenever my condition would get worse, I felt very lonely and felt like no one understood what I was going through. I found comfort in writing, hoping that one day I can publish a book about autoimmune disorders and can raise awareness about autoimmune diseases, as well as support others who are living with these conditions. Throughout this painful process, I found an interest in medicine and learning about different diseases in the body, specifically skin diseases. I learned that I wanted to become a dermatologist to advocate for others with autoimmune and skin diseases like mine. I realized how my experience and knowledge may assist others so that they won't have to go through the journey I had to. I learned from the mistakes of my previous dermatologists and doctors and want to help improve medicine and create a space for those like me. With the support of my mom, I created a lotion especially for people with my skin condition when I couldn’t find anything that worked for me. I aspire for my lotion to at least aid someone with my skin condition and hope my story will benefit others and improve the living conditions of others.

I am interested and planning on pursuing a career in medicine. I am also interested in studying in the field of chemistry and pursuing a bachelor of science degree in college. I eventually want to attend medical school and become a doctor, preferably a dermatologist. I want to be a doctor not only to help people, but to solve the issue and bridge the gap between first generation Americans, Latinos, Caribbean, LGBTQA+, and women in the medical field. Growing up, only being treated by white, straight, male doctors made me feel as though I couldn’t connect to my provider on an emotional level. Moreover, I witnessed how the language barrier affects healthcare treatment tremendously. Members of racial and ethnic minorities are less likely to obtain preventive health treatments than non-minorities, and frequently receive care that is of inferior quality. Furthermore, minority groups also tend to have worse health outcomes for certain illnesses and conditions. Additionally, I want to become a dermatologist because I suffer from eczema and autoimmune diseases. I experienced first hand that living with an autoimmune disease can be extremely challenging, as it involves managing symptoms, taking medication, and making lifestyle changes to support overall health and well-being. Despite the challenges, I found ways on how to turn my struggles with living with an autoimmune disease into my strengths. This even further pushed my drive to pursue a career in the medical field. I learned from the mistakes of my previous dermatologists and doctors and want to help improve the medicine, become an advocate, and create a space for those like me who have been left hopeless by their medical providers. I want to pursue a higher education in medicine to help close the gap between all these very real and unsatisfactory problems in the medical field. Increasing racial and ethnic diversity in the medical field will make a positive impact because it helps to ensure all backgrounds, beliefs, ethnicities, and perspectives are adequately represented in the medical field. In the end, it's about providing the best possible care for all patients and researchers found that physicians from minority backgrounds were more likely to care for patients from vulnerable populations. Not to mention, studies show that students trained at diverse schools are more comfortable treating patients from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds. When the physician is of the same race as the patient, patients report higher levels of trust and satisfaction.

I am interested in studying in the field of chemistry and pursuing a bachelor of science degree in college. I eventually want to attend medical school and become a doctor, preferably a dermatologist. I want to be a doctor not only to help people, but to solve the issue and bridge the gap between first-generation Americans, Latinos, Caribbean, LGBTQA+, and women in the medical field. Growing up, only being treated by white, straight, male doctors made me feel as though I couldn’t connect to my provider on an emotional level. Members of racial and ethnic minorities are less likely to obtain preventive health treatments than non-minorities, and frequently receive care that is of inferior quality. Furthermore, minority groups also tend to have worse health outcomes for certain illnesses and conditions. Additionally, I want to become a dermatologist because I suffer from eczema and autoimmune diseases. I learned from the mistakes of my previous dermatologists and doctors and want to help improve the medicine, become an advocate, and create a space for those like me who have been left hopeless by their medical providers. Furthering my education will help close the gap between all these very real and unsatisfactory problems in the medical field

One technology that inspires me about the way in which technology can make the world a better place is renewable energy. As the world becomes more reliant on technology, the demand for energy continues to increase. However, the traditional sources of energy, such as fossil fuels, are finite and have negative impacts on the environment. Some examples of the negative impacts of fossil fuels are air pollution and smog, water pollution and oil spills, acid rain, mercury emission, and greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. Renewable energy technologies, such as solar and wind power, offer a cleaner and more sustainable alternative to traditional sources of energy. These technologies harness natural processes, such as the sun's rays or the wind, to generate electricity without producing harmful emissions. In addition to reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, the widespread adoption of renewable energy technologies can also help to mitigate the impacts of climate change. For example, solar panels can reduce our carbon footprint by replacing the use of fossil fuels for electricity generation, and wind turbines can help to reduce air pollution by replacing the use of coal-fired power plants. Renewable energy technologies are also becoming increasingly affordable and efficient, making them more accessible to a wider range of people and communities. In addition, the use of renewable energy can help to create jobs and stimulate local economies, particularly in rural areas. Overall, I believe that the development and widespread adoption of renewable energy technologies can have a significant positive impact on the environment and the quality of life for people around the world.

The song Africa by Toto has a special place in my heart because it’s my father’s favorite song and is the song we danced to at my sweet sixteen. 'Africa' was written by Toto members David Paich and Jeff Porcaro, and it ended up on the band's 1982 album Toto IV. The lyrics consist of a heartfelt, fantastical, and stereotyped vision of the beauty of Africa. My dad immigrated to Queens, New York in the 80s from Guyana, and the song was released in 82. When he discovered this song, he immediately fell in love with it. My father had a rough upbringing and was never really good with words, but whenever he would play this song I knew it was his way of him telling me he loved me and my brother. David Paich said that the song is about a man's love of the continent Africa, rather than a personal romance, but I associate this song with my father’s love and it makes me feel secure and loved.

I lost my maternal grandmother on October 9, 2022, to cancer. She died almost exactly three years after my maternal grandfather, on October 12, 2019. I never told anyone this, but I always held some sort of resentment toward her and my grandfather. I could never explain why because it wasn't as if they were bad people, but my mother’s family was very dysfunctional. My grandparents were divorced but my grandmother still acted as if they were married and still called him her “husband”, even after he died. I think I might have thought of her as “weak” for still holding onto my grandpa even after all these years. He was her second boyfriend before they got married, but I could never understand her. I never understood why she kept on trying to push her beliefs of Christianity onto me and how my mother allowed it when that wasn’t my religion. My mother is a light-skinned Latina and my father is a dark-skinned South Asian and my grandmother never fully accepted him, which also may be part of the reason why I didn’t like her. The last time I saw her was August 31 and I wish I spent more time with her in person. The cancer was spreading and her condition was deteriorating and the last time I spoke with her was a week before she died, on the phone. She was talking about how much pain she was in and I took it as her complaining and found it annoying. I always thought she was complaining but never really realized how much pain she was truly in. I wished so badly after she passed that I was a better granddaughter to her, that I spoke with her more and spent time with her more My mother's strength despite losing both of her parents in a short amount of time inspired me. She kept strong for the family and that opened my eyes to how I ignored my grandmother’s pain and promised that I wouldn’t make that mistake again. Her death inspired me to pursue a career in medicine to help people like her because I never want to ignore someone else’s pain again. However, medical school is extremely competitive but I’m willing to do it for her. I wonder if she was still here, would she be proud of me or of my decision.

Autoimmune diseases occur when the body's immune system mistakenly attacks healthy cells in the body. These diseases can be chronic and can have a significant impact on a person's physical and emotional well-being. For as long as I can remember, I’ve had atopic dermatitis (eczema) where my skin would become red and itchy. It runs in my family. I was told when I was 8 that I would grow out of it by the time I’m 15. I’m 16 now and my skin was getting worse every year to the point that I began missing school. I was put on The Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diet to reduce inflammation and relieve symptoms of autoimmune disorders. However, my health took a turn for the worst when I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s disease, an autoimmune disease causing chronic inflammation and consequential failure of the thyroid gland. I started getting hospitalized because the pain became too much and even became suicidal. I learned that living with an autoimmune disease can be extremely challenging, as it involves managing symptoms, taking medication, and making lifestyle changes to support overall health and well-being. Despite the challenges, I found ways how to turn my struggles with living with an autoimmune disease into my strengths. I have found ways to manage and cope with my disease and found support from friends, family, and my community. I also find strength in writing down my experiences in journals. Whenever my condition would get worse, I felt very lonely and felt like no one understood what I was going through. I found comfort in writing, hoping that one day I can publish a book about autoimmune disorders and can raise awareness about autoimmune diseases, as well as support others who are living with these conditions. Throughout this painful process, I found an interest in medicine and learning about different diseases in the body, specifically skin diseases. I learned that I wanted to become a dermatologist to advocate for others with autoimmune and skin diseases like mine. I realized how my experience and knowledge may assist others so that they won't have to go through the journey I had to. I learned from the mistakes of my previous dermatologists and doctors and want to help improve medicine and create a space for those like me. With the support of my mom, I created a lotion especially for people with my skin condition when I couldn’t find anything that worked for me. I aspire for my lotion to at least aid someone with my skin condition and hope my story will benefit others and improve the living conditions of others.

Feminism is a political, ideological, and social movement that seeks to advance the rights and status of women and the overall equality of the sexes. It is based on the belief that women should be treated as equal to men in all aspects of society, including in terms of social, political, and economic rights and opportunities. To put it simply, feminism to me means that all genders should get equal rights and opportunities. Feminism is important because it seeks to challenge and dismantle systems of patriarchy, which have historically oppressed and discriminated against women. It promotes gender equality and fights against gender-based violence and discrimination. Millions of people's lives around the world, including mine, have been influenced by feminism. An inspirational person to me is my older cousin, Bharti. Girls going to college is disapproved of in my family while it is okay for the boys in my family too. My brother is even encouraged to become a doctor, showing the double standards in my family, however, when I was younger, my older cousin became the first girl in my family to attend college and she is currently doing her residency to become a surgeon in her home country, Guyana. My cousin had a profound impact on my view on feminism and has inspired me to work towards creating a more just and equal society for all people, regardless of their gender. Seeing her achieve something that was deemed impossible opened a door of possibilities for me and is a prime example of feminism. It made me want to follow in her footsteps, with or without my family's approval, of becoming a dermatologist. I am contributing to the feminist movement in my community and school because I am currently a GOALS for Girls alumni. GOALS (Greater Opportunities Advancing Leadership and Science) for Girls is a summer intensive all about STEM taking place in the Intrepid. As an alumni, it is my job to attend GOALS events that help empower women, such as the Unstoppable Women Leadership Symposium, where I met NASA astronaut Ellen Ocha, the first Hispanic woman in space. Additionally, I help recruit young girls for the summer program. I also try to educate myself and others about feminist issues and actively work to challenge and dismantle systems of patriarchy and gender-based discrimination in my daily life. An illustration of this is how I attended college and medical school despite my family's opposition and misogynistic viewpoints. I aspire to go to become a doctor to inspire other young girls like me who were discouraged from pursuing higher education.