When I first came to the University of California Berkeley, I felt very alienated from the masses. Being a Black woman in STEM is both equally rewarding and terrifying. The current Black student population at UC Berkeley is less than 5%, meaning that Black students make up such a minute fraction of Cal’s population, forcing perseverance to be a must. For many, STEM courses do not encourage a welcoming environment for many Black students. While I believe UC Berkeley provides their pre-med/pre-health student population with sufficient resources, I do feel that for marginalized students within the pre-med path, there is more to be done. Likewise, Berkeley’s community and fight for environmental justice and advocacy have always been admirable for their progress and virtue. However, when I learned that many of our environmentally harmful systems are affecting Black and Brown communities at an alarming rate, I knew that representation of those affected was needed greatly. I knew I needed to be resilient. Providing our Black and Brown students here with not only representation in their student government but also feeling as if their voices are being heard is essential in improving Berkeley’s environment for Black students. My time here at UC Berkeley has been heavily involved in student government and being a part of the academic Department of Ethnic Studies to not only understand educational policy but how to change the systemic oppression in higher education that continues to make Black students feel alienated and isolated from their non-Black peers. I am very passionate about improving the mental and environmental health of Black and Indigenous women on UC Berkeley’s campus through lobbying, policy work, and advocacy in academic institutions. Additionally, the African American community and educational departments here at Berkeley have been built and uplifted by Black women, something that continues to encourage me through every trial and tribulation here at Cal. To give back to this community that has shown me nothing but love and grace is something I will gladly take pride in continuing to uplift and aid. Advocacy for women of color has always been a pillar of my life. My family is low-income, and there were multiple times when health products were too expensive for us. In high school, menstrual equity for lower-income students was a critical platform for me as well as providing menstrual resources for female-identifying students during the pandemic. Unfortunately, providing these resources came with multiple protests, marches, and pleas to city officials in providing equal healthcare and protection for our lower-income and unhoused communities of marginalized peoples. Nevertheless, the most significant experience I have had was giving resources back to my community, a community of young girls who also could not afford their basic healthcare needs. While I plan to pursue a medical career, I believe one cannot practice medicine without advocacy. Therefore, overcoming adversity for me is anything and everything I do in preparation for and while practicing medicine is advocating for marginalized people who look like me.

When I first came to the University of California Berkeley, I felt very alienated from the masses. Being a Black woman in STEM is both equally rewarding and terrifying. The current Black student population at UC Berkeley is less than 5%, meaning that Black students make up such a minute fraction of Cal’s population, forcing perseverance to be a must. For many, STEM courses do not encourage a welcoming environment for many Black students. I can recall the amount of pre-med requisite courses I have been in and counted less than 10 Black students in a course of at least 200. While I believe UC Berkeley provides their pre-med/pre-health student population with sufficient resources, I do feel that for marginalized students within the pre-med path, there is more to be done. Likewise, Berkeley’s community and fight for environmental justice and advocacy have always been admirable for their progress and virtue. However, when I learned that many of our environmentally harmful systems are affecting Black and Brown communities at an alarming rate, I knew that representation of those affected was needed greatly. I knew I needed to be resilient. Providing our Black and Brown students here with not only representation in their student government but feeling as if their voices are being heard is essential in improving Berkeley’s environment for Black students. To me, that had to come from the student body. My time here at UC Berkeley has been heavily involved in student government and being a part of the academic Department of Ethnic Studies to not only understand educational policy but how to change the systemic oppression in higher education that continues to make Black students feel alienated and isolated from their non-Black peers. I am very passionate about improving the mental and environmental health of Black and Indigenous women on UC Berkeley’s campus through lobbying, policy work, and advocacy in academic institutions. Black issues are consequential to me for Black culture and community are what this nation is built upon. Specifically, the culture and society of Black women have bore, raised, influenced, and taught me to be the person I am today. Additionally, the African-American community and educational departments here at Berkeley have been built and uplifted by Black women, something that continues to encourage me through every trial and tribulation here at Cal. To give back to this community that has shown me nothing but love and grace is something I will gladly take pride in continuing to uplift and aid.As I grew older, my interest in medicine felt more like a fantasy until I sought out my psychiatrist who truly transformed my life. Having a Black psychiatrist validate my mental health was something I never knew would be so impactful to me over two years. Being in her office made me feel like a little Black girl who just wanted to listen and take care of her patients. My psychiatrist made me realize how I wanted to be a pediatrician, for representation in medicine for Black children is transformative. While my interest in medicine is coupled with a love for biology, I feel medicine is honestly rooted in the growth and connection a physician makes with their patients and how it can save their lives, just as my psychiatrist did for me.

As I heard the lyrics "I'll show you every version of yourself tonight" from my phone screen, I felt myself revert to freshman year of college of me. When I first came to the University of California Berkeley, I felt very alienated from the masses. Being a Black woman in STEM is both equally rewarding and terrifying. The current Black student population at UC Berkeley is less than 5%, meaning that Black students make up such a minute fraction of Cal’s population, forcing perseverance to be a must. For many, STEM courses do not encourage a welcoming environment for many Black students. I can recall the amount of pre-med requisite courses I have been in and counted less than 10 Black students in a course of at least 200. While I believe UC Berkeley provides their pre-med/pre-health student population with sufficient resources, I do feel that for marginalized students within the pre-med path, there is more to be done. Likewise, Berkeley’s community and fight for environmental justice and advocacy have always been admirable for their progress and virtue. However, when I learned that many of our environmentally harmful systems are affecting Black and Brown communities at an alarming rate, I knew that representation of those affected was needed greatly. I knew I needed to be resilient. Providing our Black and Brown students here with not only representation in their student government but feeling as if their voices are being heard is essential in improving Berkeley’s environment for Black students. To me, that had to come from the student body. I am very passionate about improving the mental and environmental health of Black and Indigenous women on UC Berkeley’s campus through lobbying, policy work, and advocacy in academic institutions. Black issues are consequential to me for Black culture and community are what this nation is built upon. Specifically, the culture and society of Black women have bore, raised, influenced, and taught me to be the person I am today. Additionally, the African-American community and educational departments here at Berkeley have been built and uplifted by Black women, something that continues to encourage me through every trial and tribulation here at Cal. To give back to this community that has shown me nothing but love and grace is something I will gladly take pride in continuing to uplift and aid. Advocacy for women of color has always been a pillar of my life. My family is low-income, and there were multiple times when health products were too expensive for us. In high school, menstrual equity for lower-income students was a critical platform for me as well as providing menstrual resources for female-identifying students during the pandemic. Nevertheless, the most significant experience I have had was giving resources back to my community, a community of young girls who also could not afford their basic healthcare needs. I explain my college experience so far as a collection of shards of glass in a mirrorball. Taylor's music has kept me grounded through an ever-changing reality. To remind me of where I came from and what is important to me is critical in continuing to advocate for voices and faces like mine. I may feel alone at times here in California but when listening to Taylor sing through her own history I feel connected with her. As if, in those very moments, our shards of glass are creating a mosaic. It is there I feel us on our tallest tip-toes, shining for each other.

When I first came to the University of California Berkeley, I felt very alienated from the masses. Being a Black woman in STEM is both equally rewarding and terrifying. The current Black student population at UC Berkeley is less than 5%, meaning that Black students make up such a minute fraction of Cal’s population, forcing perseverance to be a must. For many, STEM courses do not encourage a welcoming environment for many Black students. I can recall the amount of pre-med requisite courses I have been in and counted less than 10 Black students in a course of at least 200. While I believe UC Berkeley provides their pre-med/pre-health student population with sufficient resources, I do feel that for marginalized students within the pre-med path, there is more to be done. Likewise, Berkeley’s community and fight for environmental justice and advocacy have always been admirable for their progress and virtue. However, when I learned that many of our environmentally harmful systems are affecting Black and Brown communities at an alarming rate, I knew that representation of those affected was needed greatly. I knew I needed to be resilient. Providing our Black and Brown students here with not only representation in their student government but feeling as if their voices are being heard is essential in improving Berkeley’s environment for Black students. To me, that had to come from the student body. My time here at UC Berkeley has been heavily involved in student government and being a part of the academic Department of Ethnic Studies to not only understand educational policy but how to change the systemic oppression in higher education that continues to make Black students feel alienated and isolated from their non-Black peers. I am very passionate about improving the mental and environmental health of Black and Indigenous women on UC Berkeley’s campus through lobbying, policy work, and advocacy in academic institutions. Black issues are consequential to me for Black culture and community are what this nation is built upon. Specifically, the culture and society of Black women have bore, raised, influenced, and taught me to be the person I am today. Additionally, the African American community and educational departments here at Berkeley have been built and uplifted by Black women, something that continues to encourage me through every trial and tribulation here at Cal. To give back to this community that has shown me nothing but love and grace is something I will gladly take pride in continuing to uplift and aid. Advocacy for women of color has always been a pillar of my life. My family is low-income, and there were multiple times when health products were too expensive for us. In high school, menstrual equity for lower-income students was a critical platform for me as well as providing menstrual resources for female-identifying students during the pandemic. Unfortunately, providing these resources came with multiple protests, marches, and pleas to city officials in providing equal healthcare and protection for our lower-income and unhoused communities of marginalized peoples. Nevertheless, the most significant experience I have had was giving resources back to my community, a community of young girls who also could not afford their basic healthcare needs. While I plan to pursue a medical career, I believe one cannot practice medicine without advocacy. Therefore, overcoming adversity for me is anything and everything I do in preparation for and while practicing medicine is advocating for marginalized people who look like me.

When I first came to the University of California Berkeley, I felt very alienated from the masses. Being a Black woman in STEM is both equally rewarding and terrifying. The current Black student population at UC Berkeley is less than 5%, meaning that Black students make up such a minute fraction of Cal’s population, forcing perseverance to be a must. For many, STEM courses do not encourage a welcoming environment for many Black students. I can recall the amount of pre-med requisite courses I have been in and counted less than 10 Black students in a course of at least 200. While I believe UC Berkeley provides their pre-med/pre-health student population with sufficient resources, I do feel that for marginalized students within the pre-med path, there is more to be done. Likewise, Berkeley’s community and fight for environmental justice and advocacy have always been admirable for their progress and virtue. However, when I learned that many of our environmentally harmful systems are affecting Black and Brown communities at an alarming rate, I knew that representation of those affected was needed greatly. I knew I needed to be an “up-stander”. Providing our Black and Brown students here with not only representation in their student government but feeling as if their voices are being heard is essential in improving Berkeley’s environment for Black students. To me, that had to come from the student body. My time here at UC Berkeley has been heavily involved in student government and being a part of the academic Department of Ethnic Studies to not only understand educational policy but how to change the systemic oppression in higher education that continues to make Black students feel alienated and isolated from their non-Black peers. I am very passionate about improving the mental and environmental health of Black and Indigenous women on UC Berkeley’s campus through lobbying, policy work, and advocacy in academic institutions. Black issues are consequential to me for Black culture and community are what this nation is built upon. Specifically, the culture and society of Black women have bore, raised, influenced, and taught me to be the person I am today. Additionally, the African American community and educational departments here at Berkeley have been built and uplifted by Black women, something that continues to encourage me through every trial and tribulation here at Cal. To give back to this community that has shown me nothing but love and grace is something I will gladly take pride in continuing to uplift and aid. Advocacy for women of color has always been a pillar of my life. My family is low-income, and there were multiple times when health products were too expensive for us. In high school, menstrual equity for lower-income students was a critical platform for me as well as providing menstrual resources for female-identifying students during the pandemic. Unfortunately, providing these resources came with multiple protests, marches, and pleas to city officials in providing equal healthcare and protection for our lower-income and unhoused communities of marginalized peoples. Nevertheless, the most significant experience I have had was giving resources back to my community, a community of young girls who also could not afford their basic healthcare needs. While I plan to pursue a medical career, I believe one cannot practice medicine without advocacy. Therefore, to be an “up-stander” for me is anything and everything I do in preparation for and while practicing medicine is advocating for marginalized people who look like me.

Untethered. Uncomfortable. Uniform. Acclaimed social researcher Brene Brown details the meaning of connection as “the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued”. Throughout her research, Brown emphasizes the importance of our connection to others being only as deep as our connections with ourselves. I don't think I have fully grasped that last part yet. Within the past four years, it felt as if being connected with me was just something people say, not something you do. It was too uncomfortable and vulnerable. Throughout my childhood, there was no place for vulnerability and for emotion. Everything is rooted in being realistic.. For 15 years I hid the emotions inside and never talked about my feelings in depth. Introspection was a stranger. I felt my life was so uniform and uncomfortable and untethered and I couldn't find a way to fix it. I felt out of control on how I was perceived as well as how others perceived me. But I was in control of one thing-food. Food is a connection device across cultures and societies. But what does a 15 year old girl do when she already does not understand connection? She continues a pattern of disconnection. For two years, I was diagnosed with disordered eating. Along with that diagnosis was clinical depression as well as panic disorder. I felt completely out of control. Of myself, of my life. It got to the point where my parents' last resort was to place me in a pediatric psychiatric program. That's where I was introduced to Dr. Morrissey. For all my life, I have been very introverted in nature. All emotions and feelings were always met with logical criticism and anxiety. During our first sessions, I was reluctant to connect with Dr. Morrisey. She did not know me and I wanted to make sure she wouldn't be able to. I have no idea what changed. Our monthly sessions became a space where I actually felt comfortable with my feelings. No longer was I a stranger to vulnerability. Throughout this time, I feel I went through a lengthy period of self-healing. I mean, I first really started listening to Brene Brown along with spending more alone time. I think it's okay to be hesitant of introspection, it's scary and unstable. However, Dr. Morrissey allowed me to actually view introspection as pure connection which is something not forced. Introspection breeds creativity and desire for what you need. During this time, I started educating myself on my culture. Audre Lorde became a household name for me in the matter of weeks. I started directing scenes for my theater program and entered them into our district and state level competitions (got a superior by the way). I was always passionate about helping others and their struggles, but this time in my life made me realize that I was also passionate about helping myself and learning more about myself. I used literature, theater, and even film to connect with myself and as an outlet. My blossom of creativity was truly the best thing to ever happen to me. Life was still fairly unstable and untethered, but I had created my own looking glass of how I saw my own environment. I still wish to help others, with plans on becoming a doctor. However, my goals are not just rooted in the act of practicing medicine. I wish to be Brene Brown and Dr. Morrissey is to me. Guidance. I wish to guide people through instability to introspection and to realize that they deserve to feel seen, heard, and valued.