The ways in which I support equality and diversity have been to volunteer my time towards programs that empower underprivileged communities. My hope is that through volunteering I can help contribute to base essentials that will uplift my black and brown sisters and brothers. I have volunteered at a Central Texas Food Bank, Habitat for Humanity, and the City of San Antonio doing vaccine sign-ups for Covid, and for a local church in San Antonio writing grants to fund and maintain the functions of a food pantry. Volunteering allows me to serve my community in a way that I feel will give those who are underprivileged the best way to be set up to get closer to the table of equality. I remembered what it was like to be in a disadvantaged position, and I remember people who helped level the playing field for me. I hope to do the same for others in order to bring about equality and diversity.

As the psychiatrist read through the list of her questions, numerous thoughts ran through my head. Am I finally getting the help that I need? Is this the right thing? At the end of the consultation, the psychiatrist said, “I am going to write you a prescription for 40 mg of Atomoxetine.” According to the study “Gender Differences in Objective and Subjective Measures of ADHD Among Clinic Referred Children (2019),” 3.2% of women in the United States have an actual ADHD diagnosis. At 37, I am so proud to say that I am a part of this number. A large number of women with ADHD are misdiagnosed, and often fall into a state of depression, because they know that something is wrong, but are not sure what. The last sentence just described years of my angst. For years, I knew there was something a little “off” about me, but I was never really sure what or why. I knew that if I didn’t sit in front of the classroom, I couldn’t connect with the instructor. I knew that paying attention to conversations was difficult, and instead of listening, I would drift off into daydreams. The worst was the intense procrastination. Not just late assignments, but real-life things such as missing deadlines on bills and payments and pleading for due date extensions. As a wife and a mom, I knew this needed to change. I wanted to stop being depressed, and instead, feel like the best person I could be. As of May, I will have been on Atomoxetine for seven months. It is one of the best things that could have happened to me. I am thinking clearer, am a more productive person, feel happier, and, of course, am starting grad school in the fall. I am so proud.