Name: Carol Esperanza Alata Jr.
College: University of Southern California
Major: Computational Neuroscience w/ a Biomedical Engineering Emphasis and a Native American Studies Minor on the Pre-Med Track
Class of: 2023
Scholar's Story:
"What does it mean to be a WOC in STEM? Specifically as a parda Latina in STEM? How do you thrive? How do you survive for starters? All of these questions are to be addressed.
Being a first generation, low-income Latina in STEM means being in a classroom setting where it is rare to find anyone with your background. It means needing to find a true purpose as to why you want to do this. I remember taking a class, Calculus 3, that really had me questioning why I am doing STEM. There is so much surmounting pressure to want to quote-unquote “prove people wrong” or “impress others” by being the “bad-ass Latina” who is making strong punches and strides. Your purpose will need to go beyond wanting to defy and/or impress others for the sake of bashing horrendous stereotypes; it will need to come from within you. I learned that the real reason as to why I wanted to be in STEM, apart from representing my community, is because I wanted to be able to save lives and impact my community in a way that contains technological innovation. I wanted to be the one that makes the prosthetics that my community uses and be the one that is performing ethical clinical research studies of my people for my people. With that being said, I still want you to keep in mind that wanting to be involved in representation also partook in my decision as I learned in the 2020 USC Latinx Empowerment Conference that less than 1% of Latinas obtain doctoral degrees. We are the minority with the lowest doctoral attainment than any other ethnicity, and that means that we need to rise by teniendo coraje, apoyo, y poniendose las pilas.
"Everything you wanted is on the other side of fear."
In order to thrive in these sometimes toxic STEM environments where you find yourself to feel alone or isolated, you need to understand that you are there for a reason, and that reason is to pursue your passions no matter what people say or think about you because of your vibrant background—your Latinidad. It is about being brave through integrating yourself into communities that you may find yourself uncomfortable in. Being a Latina in STEM is about being fearless, or taking action in the face of fear, because you soon learn that everything you wanted is on the other side of fear.
In my second semester general chemistry course, I took the initiative of sitting close to the front, and then further faced the fear of raising my hand in class. I felt that I was being put on the spot, but after asking my question, I learned that many white or Asian students who surrounded me, despite not having my background or sensing that feeling of discomfort due to demographic under representation, had the same confusion. Furthermore, after I got used to asking and answering questions, I saw that there were students who did not give correct answers, and the worst thing that came about was that they were incorrect and were later explained why. I believe that being told you are wrong will forever make you learn that concept because you are finally able to track down how to reach the correct conclusion. Interpersonal interactions with professors can also make you feel more welcome in the classroom, and allow you to increase your confidence with the subject matter at hand.
For starters, especially during my first semester of college at USC, I wish I was told that it is best to ease yourself into STEM. To explain further, it is best to start off with one STEM class, and see how you do, than to be bombarded with two three-hour labs, intensive lectures, and midterms that just so happen to fall on either the same week or the same day. When you are going into your first semester, I strongly suggest trying to figure out how to handle your academics before choosing to make large commitments. As a first generation college student, I felt that I needed to get myself involved in everything debajo del sol because I felt that if I didn't, I would then fall behind. In reality, trying to acaparar todo can actually overwhelm you and make you feel more lost que mandado hacer. There is nothing wrong with having a slow and steady start.
It is also about reaching out to help as soon as you start the semester by attending professors' and TAs' office hours and finally being resourceful! At USC, the Kortschak Center for Learning and Creativity allowed me to personally assess my time management skills as well as my motivation. Although I was incredibly motivated to thrive at this institution going into my second semester, I was struggling with setting up a study plan and executing it effectively. As shown by my LASSI scores that I am choosing to post so you don't feel alone if you are struggling in this, my motivation was being undermined by not attaining the valuable skill set of creating calendars, setting deadlines, prioritizing one thing over the other, and most important of all of them, SELF CARE! First semester was so difficult for me because I was just burning myself out by pulling an endless amount of all-nighters derived from time-management and not obtaining mechanisms for high-stress levels. Through teniendo coraje by reaching out for apoyo at the center and becoming a part of their Academic Coaching program, I was able to obtain a skill set that would allow me to be successful in my future endeavors. In fact, I received notification on May 13 that, despite the trials and tribulations that came with this COVID-19 Pandemic, I was able to finish CHEM-105B strong with an A-, which solidified my fervor of wanting to continue being Pre-Med.
One more thing that really aided me was, again (I know, otra vez), not being afraid to seek help. Reaching to counseling services to improve upon my mental health really aided me in being able to cope with anxiety, stress levels, and emotional baggage that came from both past experiences and inter-generational trauma. I think it must be acknowledged that less than 20% of the Latinx community reaches out to their doctor for mental-health related symptoms and less than 10% of the Latinx community reaches out to a mental-health professional. I believe that needs to change as that can also aid our attainment in education. When we are healthy on the inside, we are able to project positivity on the outside through our interactions and the way we feel internally. Although healing is not a linear slope, seeking mental health services can further improve your state of mind and make the healing process that much easier.
To conclude, I can tell you that you can feel free to reach out to me at any time if you are feeling that you are struggling in any of the aspects I stated or other things that you are feeling as a POC, WOC, and/or FLI college student at a PWI. While the journey is not easy, I can tell you that I and many other students of your background have found it worthwhile. I can also say that we are all here to support each other. Although STEM environments can be super competitive and give off the vibe that “another one bites the dust”, it is possible to ultimately find a community getting involved in organizations that allow you to embrace your culture like Latino Students in Medicine (LSM), Hermanas Unidas (HaUdeUSC), and Latinx Student Assembly (LSM).
Con mucho amor,
Carol Esperanza Alata Jr.
USC CPNS 2023
alata@usc.edu"
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