Who I am:

My journey began in the Bronx, where I was born, and continued in Queens, NY, where I was raised by a multi-ethnic family of educators. Surrounded by communities diverse in background, cuisines, and values, my curiosity about what factors contributed to the prosperity of distinct communities piqued. This led to playing different instruments, dancing to any song, and joining new sports teams. Although my family faced an environment that brought mental health crises, they always taught me to persevere and remain true to what is meaningful – acquiring knowledge to access resources that can help the community. Consequently, I became fascinated by exploring the intersection between mental health and social justice. Determined to make a difference, I pursued a Master’s Degree in Forensic Psychology to fulfill my lifelong passion for helping others overcome life’s challenges. Through organizations such as CUNY, Reisenbach Philanthropies, Fortune Society, and Hispanic Federation, I have been able to serve in various human services roles and conduct my research project: “The Susceptibility to False Confession Based on Ethnicity and Race.” I envisions that my project, alongside my ongoing work, will contribute to creating a more equitable justice system and providing protection for marginalized and oppressed individuals.

My Fulbright grant focuses on:

–further developing my skills as an educator and a mentor, so I can serve as an impactful guide for future generations of leaders. I hope to inspire my students in Poland through my teaching methods while also learning anything and everything I can from them. I also wish to focus on the exploration of intercultural awareness so I can possess robust cultural competence when working with clients back home from different backgrounds.

I decided to apply for a Fulbright grant because:

In many ways, Fulbright Poland is a natural choice for me, including the deep ethnic connection I share with the nation through my grandfather who piqued my curiosity of family history for many years. Beyond my personal connection to the country, I know that the Fulbright grant is going to make me a part of a vibrant higher educational system both invigorating and reworking its systemic ideas which will help me flourish as a young educator and ambassador to be. Finally, in the countless books I have read on prominent psychologists, one Polish psychologist, Alice Miller, stood out and became my largest academic influence because her work on trauma and parental child abuse is fascinating, monumental, and follows a life story that resonates profoundly with me.

After completing my Fulbright grant I would like to:

–continue as a professor of psychology as I obtain a doctoral degree, help improve the mental health, wellbeing and social justice initiatives of my community, and practice psychotherapy. My passions particularly lie in the study of developmental psychology to further learn about strategies for facilitating youth development. Insight from the Fulbright opportunity will help me develop an educational paradigm for schools that is progressive, scientifically sound, and targeted toward reducing juvenile delinquency, particularly in underprivileged communities.