The Colgate-Palmolive Company generously provides funding for trainees from underrepresented minority groups to conduct 10 week summer research projects focused on pigment cell biology with PASPCR supervisors. We are excited to introduce you to this year’s interns, Hametd Zayuri Hernández Muñoz, Jordan Holloway, and Estrella Yulisa Castillo Lambarri.
I am proud of what I am and what I want to be, sometimes I feel like I can take on the world and other times that the world is going to take on me, but regardless, my work and my effort speak for me.
My name is Hametd Zayuri Hernández Muñoz. I am 17 years old and I am studying as a Nursing Assistant. I come from a small indigenous place in the mountains of Querétaro called Jalpan de Serra, and although there are problems of poverty, there are people who have given me great opportunities. At the age of 6, I managed to enter a prestigious school in my community in which there are outstanding students. This primary, secondary and high school course has shaped me as a person.
Throughout my life, I want to generate positive changes for society and from now on, I am working for this. I am currently the disseminator of the rights of children and adolescents in my town. In 2023, I participated in the 11th National Conference of Attorneys for the Protection of Children and Adolescents, in which I spoke about addictions and the impact they have on children and adolescents. In March of this year, I was invited to record a program in which we talked about the importance of family.
But I also like to work on a personal level. Thanks to this, I have been able to develop oratory skills and explore performance arts. I have taken courses in theater, violin, ballet, chess, etc. I have been able to develop thanks to the support of my parents and my family. Currently, my goal and my dream is to study medicine and I am working to achieve it. The experience that PASPCR and the LIIGH has given me this summer will open up even more opportunities, thank you.
Jordan Holloway is a PASPCR summer fellow mentored by Dr. Melissa Harris.
Jordan is a Pelham, Alabama native and currently a junior at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, majoring in Biomedical Sciences with a concentration in Chemistry. In the future, Jordan aspires to attend medical school and specialize in Dermatology upon obtaining his Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Sciences. Jordan is very active on campus, holding positions as treasurer and member of the UAB men’s club volleyball team, working as a medical scribe at the Whitaker Dermatology Clinic of UAB Hospital, mentoring for the Blazer Male Excellence Network, serving as the class liaison for the Biomedical Sciences Student Organization, an honors student in the School of Health Professions Honors Program, and an Undergraduate Research Assistant within Dr. Harris’ Lab. He is also actively engaged in community volunteer work. During his leisure time, Jordan enjoys playing volleyball and pickleball with his friends.
Estrella Yulisa Castillo Lambarri is a PASPCR summer fellow mentored by Dr. Christian Molina Aquilar.
Estrella Castillo, a 17-year-old student, attends Distance High School at Gestalt University with the support of tutoring, loaned technological tools, and infrastructure provided by the Institute of Educational Excellence, along with the assistance of scholarships from Niños y Niñas de la Sierra IAP.
She hails from the indigenous zone called Jalpan de Serra, Querétaro, Mexico. Born and raised in the beautiful region of Sierra Gorda, she has shown a strong commitment to her education, striving to better herself every day.
In Jalpan, more than 90% of the population is in one of the three poverty grades. Despite the challenges posed by the lack of development in the sierra, Estrella has maintained her focus and determination towards her goal of studying Medicine since she was very young. Her interest in this career stems from her desire to make a difference in her community and her passion for helping others.
She is mindful of the limitations that exist in her locality for women to progress. Therefore, she is making the most of the opportunity to study at the summer school at the International Laboratory of Human Genome Research (LIIGH) at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), thanks to the support of the PASPCR and Colgate-Palmolive. She is aware that this experience will provide her with valuable knowledge and tools that she can use to further her professional development.
In the future, Estrella hopes to overcome the challenges her community faces and use her education and skills to contribute to the development and growth in Jalpan de Serra. Her aspiration to become a doctor not only speaks to her personal ambition but also to her desire to contribute to the well-being of her community.