If someone had asked me just one year ago if I believed I would be working on Capitol Hill, I probably would have laughed off the suggestion as pure fantasy. With TechCongress, that fantasy became a reality, as that is precisely what I'm doing today. As the child of Cuban immigrants, I was instilled at an early age with a sense of the importance of being a public servant and protecting the interests of our shared American community. Growing up, I would see my family's struggle and challenges while chasing the American dream in a foreign land. Each year, we faced successes and heartbreaks, but we always had each other in the end. From these childhood experiences, I developed an admiration for my country because there is always an opportunity in this land. These stories inspired me and filled me with a sense of pride for the nation that welcomed my family and other immigrant families through countless generations. This is our shared struggle and a reference I use to motivate me to achieve what is sometimes deemed impossible. Family work ethic and a sense of community taught me valuable lessons moving forward. I was the first in my family to graduate with both a bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences at Florida State University and a master's degree in Public Health at Florida International University. My dream wasn't complete yet because I knew I wanted to finish my doctorate by studying emerging technologies that can develop preventive therapeutics to improve an individual's quality of life. Yet, I had to find a way to fund my degree as I worked two jobs as both a tutor and teaching assistant to pay my tuition.
During this time, I was fortunate enough to receive a National Science Foundation doctoral fellowship offer that trained me for technical skills in bioinformatics and artificial intelligence modeling. As a researcher, I determined epigenetic changes to the human transcriptome resulting from environmental stressors we are exposed to each day. I became enamored with technology from my research. Transcriptomics allowed me to see patterns beyond the microscopic world using Big Data, helping us determine changes in the code of life. Even though I was making tremendous strides in my research and technical expertise in genomics, I found myself going back to that call for public service. Some areas needed improvement in my institution, and I volunteered to help make a positive change in my spare time. In this capacity, I served as the President of the Environmental Health Student Association (EHSA), Graduate Senator of the Student Government, and Vice-Chairman of the Graduate and Professional Student Committee. When our EHSA team delivered over 500 pounds of food to the Student Food Pantry on campus, we combatted food insecurity amongst our students through policy and leadership. At this point, the light bulb turned on in my mind, and I realized that I could serve my community through my research and service. What better place to make a monumental difference than in our nation's capital?
I searched for opportunities that could place me in Capitol Hill to use my unique technical background to make impactful changes in tech policy. Through my research, I found the Congressional Innovation Scholars Program at TechCongress. Here I saw an opportunity to be of service to my country and collaborate with a set of extraordinary individuals in the field of technology policy. Even though it took a giant leap of faith, I moved from Miami to Washington D.C. in the middle of a snowstorm, the first I had ever experienced in my life. Through the Congressional Innovation Scholars Program, individuals like me who were told it's impossible to achieve specific dreams are now making it possible! I enter this program with clear eyes and a whole heart ready to build on the legacy of those who have served before me. At the end of this year, I hope that I will have made meaningful change for the citizens of our country.