It is essential to increase racial diversity in health care because it’s been proven that people of color have their words and thoughts believed when the physician or attending understands the patient's background, and culture, and how it affects and alters their treatment. On page 2 of the Article “Defining Cultural Competence: A Practical Framework for Addressing Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Health and Health Care.” They explain what a culturally competent healthcare system should emulate, it should acknowledge and incorporate the importance of culture, use cross-cultural relations, watch out for dynamics that occur due to cultural differences, and adapt its services to meet culturally unique needs. It has been proven that when people of color go into healthcare institutions and they verbalize the pain that they feel. They’re usually not listened to and are sometimes perceived as overreacting which is why the percentage of people of color who pass away is much higher than their white counterparts because they are heard. For example, on the KFF website, figure 1 displays the disparity between the number of deaths of white individuals compared to Black, Hispanic, American Indian, Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander in the United States. This disparity could be caused by the financial gap we have created in society not being able to afford the vaccine or over-the-counter medications or it may be due to the fact that many individuals can’t afford healthcare insurance which would still cause people of color not to have access to the vaccine or over the counter medications. A goal that I want to achieve is to have my research published. But the main goal that I have is to make a difference in this world. I desire for the medical research that I partake in to be remembered and used for future generations. I want to work in a pharmaceutical lab testing and creating new medications to provide for those in need. One of the main reasons I chose this path is because there was a time when my mother's medications were the only things keeping her on this earth. That is why I decided to go into this industry, the work we do changes people's lives, and we make a difference every day in this world. With every medication we make, every piece of research we find, and every patient we see and/or diagnose. The road to getting into the industry may be difficult and exhausting but the reward of knowing I am making a difference with the occupation I have is worth all the pain and suffering I will have to endure. I want to give another family the blessing of keeping their loved one a little longer or curing that loved one. Batancourt, Joseph R., et al. “Defining Cultural Competence: A Practical Framework for Addressing Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Health and Health Care.” Association of Schools of Public Health, 2003. Hill, Latoya, and Samantha Artiga. “COVID-19 Cases and Deaths by Race/Ethnicity: Current Data and Changes over Time.” Kaiser Family Foundation, 22 Aug. 2022, www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/covid-19-cases-and-deaths-by-race-ethnicity-current-data-and-changes-over-time/.

My favorite moment in high school was when I saw my mother's face after my High School graduation. Here’s a little back story on my family tree. My biological father was a gang member but left that life when I was born, he couldn’t raise me because he was shot in the head and due to the bullet still being in his head. He would get easily agitated and aggressive. My biological mother was on drugs and was unable to take care of me, so my father's sister stepped up to the plate when she already had a daughter and took me in as her own. She was already a single mother, but she loved me unconditionally, so when I started to speak I called my father’s sister, “my mother”. She is the definition of a resilient woman, a loving woman, a determined woman, and most importantly a woman that would not allow her shortcomings to affect both of her daughters. She is where I got my love of God from. She is where I got that God is my foundation. She taught me confidence. She taught me empathy. She taught me patience. She taught me everything that I needed in order to take this world by storm. I would not have accomplished everything I have in my life if it wasn't for her. Here is why this is my favorite moment in High School. When I was in middle school, I told her and displayed through my report cards that wanted to achieve academic excellence. I explained the standards that I had for myself and throughout the years, she has upheld them and she would always say that “she never wanted me to have any regrets about the life that I chose, so she was going to be hard on me”. When I started high school, she would always say, “Oh my gosh, what if you go to Harvard?” or “What if you’re a CEO and etc…?” And I would always say “mom, what are you talking about? I feel like those are high expectations.” But in reality, those may have been high expectations but she was speaking life into my future and she wanted me to be better than she was. She wanted me to grow in my confidence. She wanted me to see that the sky is the limit. I am forever grateful for the talks my mother and I had.

I believe that Single-Parent and the word resilient go hand and hand. My biological father was a gang member but left that life when I was born and my biological mother was on drugs and was unable to take care of me, so my father's sister stepped up to the plate when she already had a daughter and took me in as her own. She was already a single mother, but she loved me unconditionally, so when I started to speak I called my father’s sister, “my mother”. She is the definition of a resilient woman, a loving woman, a determined woman, and most importantly a woman that would not allow her shortcomings to affect both of her daughters. She is where I got my love of God from. She is where I got that God is my foundation. She taught me confidence. She taught me empathy. She taught me patience. She taught me everything that I needed in order to take this world by storm. I would not be here if it wasn't for her. When I told her and displayed that wanted to achieve academic excellence. I explained the standards that I had for myself and throughout the years, she has upheld them and she would always say that “she never wanted me to have any regrets about the life that I chose, so she was going to be hard on me”. When I started high school, she would always joke and say, “Oh my gosh, what if you go to Harvard?” or “What if you’re a CEO and etc…?” And I would always say “mom, what are you talking about? I feel like those are high expectations.” So when I was accepted to UC Davis, she was my number one supporter, and I'm forever grateful that she is my mother. She always pushed me and reminded me that “a closed mouth doesn't get fed”. Meaning I had to advocate for myself because no one else knows me as I do. This is something that I have lived by and that I reiterate to close friends all the time. This topic applies to my educational journey. There was a time when I didn't think I would go to college, yet I felt like it was one of my only ways out of Bakersfield. So what my mom instilled in me; the advocacy, confidence, love, and determination. Molded me to be resilient, fight for my education, fight for myself and for the people who will come after me. I plan to give back to my community by bringing back the teachings that I learned while in college and the workforce. When I was in high school we had a club called Melanin Queens and it was to empower young black women. I would like to come back and help further that program at my old high school, then at other high schools. I would like to incorporate poetry, send the girls to different college campuses, and bring speakers to the high school to share their stories. I want to let them know that they are seen and heard. I was once in their shoes and there were things in the program that needed to be fixed I want to help with that because this program really helped me connect with myself and other melanated girls that didn’t understand me and didn’t understand themselves.

I battled with my mental health and came out as a champion. Here let me explain, when the pandemic started I was a Freshman in college and when quarantine started I was transitioning from my Freshman year to my Sophomore year. My Sophomore year was so hard and exhausting. I had two jobs and I was going to school full-time. I barely had time for myself and that took a toll on my mental health. Experiencing quarantine I learned that I’m a social person and during that time human interaction was something I lacked due to Covid running rampant. So I had to remain in isolation. I was also experiencing imposter syndrome during this time. I felt as though I was being pulled in so many different directions. I am a Christian, god-fearing young woman. So during the pandemic, I had to rely on God like never before. The Pandemic challenged me in every way and I had to make God my foundation. I prayed every morning and every night, I sometimes had to pray during the day to remind me of everything I have and that I’m grateful for. During the Pandemic, I was able to maintain my friendships and relationships. But I did isolate myself due to having so much on my plate, and that resulted in me feeling lonely at times and having to reach out to talk with them. I had let them know that there wasn't any hate or anger as to why I wasn't talking with them, it was more of me trying to figure out how to save my own mental health. In my sophomore year, I started the physics series needed for my major, and that was a pivotal point in my life. I was dealing with impostor syndrome, I thought that I wasn't good enough and I felt like I was losing my mind. I wanted to drop my major as a chemical engineer, but I soon began to pray, and talk with my family. Approaching the solution that changing my major wasn't an option and it was a defense mechanism triggered by my fear of failure and exhaustion. Once I had that realization, things soon began to change. I started to make study groups, reached out to my friends more, and attended office hours. I also realized that I didn't have to stay in that negative mindset, I have the choice to be grateful for everything that I have and to know that I'm working hard and trying my best. Soon after that, one quarter passed, the second quarter passed, and the third and final quarter of physics ended. So I'm forever grateful for the individuals that I surrounded myself by. I knew I wanted to go into pharmaceuticals and that just solidified my plans that I could do it, I will do it and I will soon be there. Right now I'm working to obtain an internship in a pharmaceutical company and I'm building up my resume to do so I'm forever grateful for the journey I had to take.