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Latinas in STEM Social on September 20, 2018

9/26/2018

On Thursday, September 20th, Latinas in STEM members, STEM professionals and Latinas in STEM supporters gathered for a fun-filled night in Union City, NJ. The event was sponsored by Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of NJ and held at the newly opened Sanitas Medical Center. An inspirational talk about the Importance of Self-Care was given by Amazon best-selling author, speaker, certified health coach and yoga teacher, Kenia Nunez. We capped the night with a salsa and bachata lessons by Manny Vaquez.

Thank you to all that attended. Thank you Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of NJ for supporting our mission to inspire and empower Latinas in STEM fields.

Don't miss out our next event on Saturday, September 29, 2018, at Sanitas Medical Center. Families are invited to tour the medical facility, meet professionals in medical fields, learn about various careers in STEM, take part in forensic DNA activity and learn about nutrition. Click the button below to RSVP.

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Struggles of a Latina in STEM

9/15/2018

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Diana Albarrán Chicas

Photo by Amanda Demme via Vanity Fair.

At different stages in my career I have thought about sharing what I have learned as a Latina throughout my academic and professional STEM journey. I’ve thought about sharing the good, the bad, the ugly, and the wish it never happened. Not because my story is special or unique, but rather because I find some of the commonly shared narratives incomplete.

As an immigrant who was the first to graduate from high school, I often read about hard working parents that do their best to support their families. But, I don’t often read about how difficult it can be for those families to acclimate into the American culture. How taxing it can be for both the parents and children to be part of a culture that makes it very difficult for them to engage, whether it be due to language or class barriers.

I don’t often read about how once in college despite our parents best intentions to help us and support us, they unfortunately cannot provide us with tactical guidance with our majors or give us advice to help us land coveted internships. Nor can they help us navigate the complexity of corporate world politics. We must figure all of this out on our own while simultaneously continuing to support our parents and extended families.

Don’t get me wrong; my parents to this day are my inspiration and the source of my strength. They keep me grounded, help me keep things in perspective, and are constant reminders of my values. But, when I show up to work it is not just me showing up, it is me and all the cultural nuances that make me a proud daughter of hard working immigrants. My Latinidad is embedded in me; it evolves with me with every new experience, and is the driving force behind my success.

My intention with this blog going forward is to be honest about the difficulties and struggles I, and many like me, face daily as we strive for success in our academic and professional careers. Not for sympathy, but rather to help share a different perspective and hopefully to help bridge cultural differences.

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Latinas in STEM Social on September 20, 2018

Struggles of a Latina in STEM

Diana Albarrán Chicas

Latinas in STEM Blog

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