WEBVTT

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<v 0>Making connections is a program for underrepresented minorities and paved the way</v>

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for us to get connected to higher education through like sat prep courses,

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or just telling us about scholarships available,

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allowing us to meet admissions officers and even just giving us a space to ask

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questions about college.

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Cause I know we didn't have that growing up as a first generation immigrant to

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this country, my parents didn't know anything about college.

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So making connections was that program for me,

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where I can just ask all the questions and someone was there to answer them.

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I wanted to learn as much as possible so I could help my siblings.

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And I got diagnosed July, 2017. I was just watching TV.

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And then a thought had entered my mind to give myself a check and I

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felt something like hard. And I was like,

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this is something I have to go get checked out.

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So I went to go get the biopsy probably like a week later they called me.

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And the first thing the guy asked me was like, are you driving?

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I knew immediately there was something wrong. And so I went,

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I ran looking for a conference room so I can take the call privately and

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cry if I needed to.

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And he said your results came back positive for cancer.

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And I had just froze cause I was like, Oh my God,

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I didn't know anybody who had a cancer. I didn't drink, I didn't smoke.

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I was really active. I was healthy,

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but cancer doesn't care when it shows up, you have no choice,

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but to try and fight back. So I believe the first person I met with was Dr.

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Dawson.

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One of the founding mothers of making connections, technically helped me in

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high school. And then now she's helping me by saving my life.