What does inspiration mean to you? How would you use your platform in your future career in healthcare to inspire and uplift others?

Denotatively, the meaning of inspiration consists of the action or power of moving the intellect or emotions. The concept of moving- or to be moved- in my opinion, is the strongest aspect of this meaning. This leads me to wonder, “what has the power to move me?” Well, at least for myself, it is a difficult task to be moved. My strong sense of autonomy at times makes me envision myself as a mountain, still and strong as I go along a journey in pursuit of my goals. Yet inspiration is the force that knocks down the defenses of my mountain, touches the core beneath my mantle, and transforms my once cool, hard rock into an ever flowing eruption of ideas that yearn to be manifested into this world. It destroys the walls of my ego and self worth. It is an energy that prompts me to change my original course of action, which is one of the scariest things a human can face, yet one that we all must. But inspiration will change you for the better; it will humble you while it kindly pushes you towards growth. It’ll always be a reminder for me that my goals are possible, but that I am not there yet. This does not mean I cannot achieve them, but instead means I cannot ever give up on striving towards them.

Even though I am at the beginning of my journey, as I progress, my vision becomes clearer and allows me to spread the power of inspiration amongst those searching for a clear path. I’ve always been a promoter of excellence. Mediocrity is the pandemic of my generation. As an aspiring Chief Medical Officer of the FDA, I wish to not only be the Hispanic representation this country lacks in many healthcare and government fields, but I also plan to use the power of public health to tackle some of the most pressing issues Hispanics face health-wise. I come from a small Texas town by the Mexican border named Brownsville. Unfortunately, Brownsville was rated the unhealthiest city in America in 2024 by a variety of medical institutions. As I look around at my people, I see that although we are hard-working folk, the country isn’t on our side. We lack the opportunities, the people like us, that come and build a bridge that does not face south. We’ve found a sense of comfort in the Hot Cheetos and the plump hands of our mothers. But sadly this has caused many of us to become vulnerable to horrible diseases such as diabetes that spread like wildfire amongst our loved ones. With my future position in the FDA, I wish to utilize my medical knowledge to pass policies that will protect the people of my home and others that face similar struggles, and I will be the one to build that bridge that inspires many Hispanics like me to the pursuit of a better quality of life and empower them in achieving previously unthinkable feats.

What intentional actions are you currently taking to inspire people around you?

I believe that the best way to inspire, or enlighten, someone is through education. Education begins at the source and branches outwards while positively impacting all in the community. Therefore, I currently offer tutoring services to many in my community that struggle with classes they may be taking, such as dual enrollment or AP courses. I’ve studied very rigorously in all of my classes in order to rise up past educational barriers and succeed, and by sharing my knowledge and path with my peers, I hope to build a chain of new generations of scholars that follow this trail and choose to live a life of scholarly excellence. I always strive to set the best example in all I do, not only because I feel a self-imposed responsibility to, but because I know I serve as an example for many. In doing so, I'm raising the expectation and expanding the frontiers of my community's achievements. Some instances of this occur through artistic mediums such as photography and art, where I share my award-winning photographs of health career professionals and drawings of cultural concepts to hopefully lighten the torch to somebody's passion. Additionally, I often involve myself in community events, especially those pertaining to accessible healthcare, so I can remain in contact with my community, hear them, and offer services to aid them. I also aim to be an inspiration to others by leading them through my many leadership positions, such as Vice President of the National Honor Society at my school, historian of my Green Team club, and member of “She-STEM”, a local non-profit organization that aims to encourage female Hispanics in pursuing STEM careers through community events. In taking up these positions, I have the opportunity to lead and interact with my peers, give them advice in pursuing their dreams, and set the path to success through informative and insightful events. Additionally, I am the current valedictorian of my class, graduating in the year 2025. By choosing to work hard in all of my classes, take more than eight AP tests, and always practicing academic integrity, I have purposefully built myself up to be a role model for my fellow classmates. But even with my accomplishments, the key aspect of being an inspiration has been to not put myself above anyone or anything, because I come from the same struggles and hardships as the majority of the people in my community. It is my responsibility to reach out, bring those in need up, and show them that what they are capable of is more than they could ever know.

If granted the scholarship, describe how you would utilize the award to propel yourself towards your goals and continue serving as a source of inspiration to others.

Coming from a classified rural town and being a Mexican-American immigrant, my economic situation has been the most relentless obstacle I have ever encountered. I have been told that I should give up my goals of getting into Johns Hopkins University, my dream school, because I could never do anything about my innate lack of money. Yet after all these years of persistent effort in my studies, I have realized that I have potential that I feel compelled to fulfill, and, in a way, it is my calling to escape the destined mediocrity that comes with living in an economically challenged community. Gaining this scholarship would be the stepping stone to my success by allowing me to be able to afford basic academic essentials. Not only this, but it will inspire and prove to all the people that have doubted the ability of someone who comes from a home like mine, that we can rise up past the burdens that we are reminded of every time we bubble in “Hispanic”. It will prove to my family members and friends that they too are capable of following this path to prosperity. Additionally, I plan to establish a non-profit organization that shows high school students in need how to apply for scholarships and financial aid so that each and every one of our full potentials can be exerted. The first step for this, though, lies in my own success, in my own hands, and in this very powerful scholarship.