Personal Narrative: A Month After Graduation Changed My Life

“I know it’s been a while bro but congratulations on graduating. Seeing that has motivated me to go back to school, so I can finish my degree. I know I have never said it but when your family made it out it felt like we all did. Keep working bro. Much love.” A month after graduation I received that text message from a childhood friend. After reading the message I began to reminisce on my early years spent in the inner city of Newark, New Jersey. I remembered the difficult times my family endured, especially during middle school when my father was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Since I was the oldest of my siblings, certain life events forced me to mature rather quickly and assume responsibilities that most children never imagine. I can look back …show more content…
I did not only witness health disparities, my family was a statistic lost in the decimals and percentage of society. It was obvious to me that many of my family’s health issues were direct results of our lack of finances and lack of health education in our community. Thus, doctor visits became a question not of health but rather cost. Even when medical visits were made, things like medication were often out of reach due to finances and cultural practices. These experiences allow me to appreciate my West Indian and Hispanic roots and fuel my desire to find approaches that are culturally and financially plausible. Being a doctor in underserved areas will also give children a living testament on how hard work and the value of education.
I plan to be a leader in the community because I too, once saw sports as the only way of making it out of the ghetto. For many individuals that is a stark reality, but with my leadership and aid to bring community-based programs to underserved areas I hope to change that mentality. Community involvement has allowed me to gain experience in this by doing so on my own college campus and surrounding