CLARISSA CABIL UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA- LOS ANGELES
The IMPACT! program for Filipino-Americans hosted by the US-Asia Institute provided me with the opportunity to surround myself with brilliant minds from all over the world. From interacting with Congressional Representatives, lobbyists, government agencies, leaders of grassroots movements, to the Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines, this fellowship not only served as an invaluable and insightful experience in and of itself, but it opened up doors to various professional opportunities that I have not yet explored or discovered as an undergraduate nursing student before applying to the program.
Through IMPACT!, I had the most honorable opportunity to intern at the Asian/Pacific Islander Domestic Violence Resource Project (DVRP) during the summer of 2020. With DVRP, I was able to work on projects aimed at increasing access to resources for underrepresented and overlooked communities like the API survivor community. I know that the experiences and lessons that I have acquired from both my time as an intern at DVRP and during the IMPACT! program will inform my professional journey as a nurse that strives to serve as a model for compassionate, community-based health care that promotes the health, wellness, and quality of life of ALL people.
Each of the influential interactions that I shared with the people involved in this program allowed me to realize that in order to be the best nurse, I must advocate for my patients both inside and outside of the hospital. By challenging myself to experience something completely different from my current track of learning, I was able to learn more about the intersection between policy making and health care. I have learned that health care not only requires interdisciplinary interaction between physicians and other providers, but between business leaders and government officials. Through the IMPACT! program, I was able to explore the American legislative process first-hand and cultivate the necessary skills to not only act as a leader within medicine, but also within policy and civic engagement.
I finally want to express my utmost gratitude towards the hard-working and inspiring individuals at the Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in the United States as well as at the US-Asia Institute-- Ms. Mary Sue Bissell, Mr. Glenn Lau-Kee, Mr. Marlon Young, Mr. Zev Moses, and Ms. Temi Adeyemi-- for creating the IMPACT! program for Filipino-Americans and selecting me with the honor of being a part of the 2020 inaugural cohort. As a woman of color and a woman in STEM, I am so thankful for the opportunity of working alongside an inspiring and resilient group of Filipina women--Isabelle Belleza, Shekinah Deocares, Tiffany Garnace, Kathleen Mallari, and Samantha Solemnidad. Thank you all for showing me the importance of utilizing my voice to speak up for myself and for others, and thank you for showing me the strength, passion, and pride in being a Filipina woman."
