My name is Joana Hernandez. I am currently a Senior at South Cobb High School. I plan on attending college and continuing my education in nursing. I’ve always had a passion for the healthcare field. I want to become a Military nurse, Perfusionist, or a Travel nurse. I plan on aiming for my PHD and becoming the first doctor in my family. It is one of my biggest dreams. I am excited to see what this new chapter of my life will have for me as I am going off to college and growing older every day. As I grow older that comes with greater responsibility, which can be scary but that is a part of life. As a teenager who has struggles with mental health, I know the feeling of wanting to be alone and lost in your own thoughts that make you feel horrible. It truly creates damage to your mental health. Mental health is huge and sadly everyone is educated on this topic. No one deserves to feel pain and the feeling of being stuck in dark moments. Which is why I am so motivated to help those in need. I love talking to people and expressing myself. I know I can take on any challenge sent my way.

To begin with I love being a part of the fellow’s program with Dr. Venessa being the CEO. I heard about her when she came to an event held by Hosa at my school, and it was a blessing getting to know her. From the moment I sat down with her and discussed about the program I loved her vibe and attitude towards helping people. Seeing her be driven and motivated to go out and express mental health awareness caught my attention and made me want to do it as well. So, when I heard she had her first internship open I wanted to be a part of it. I love helping people and putting smiles on their faces, it brings me joy. When I first got to speak with Dr. Venessa, I felt an instant connection with her she is full of great energy which shows she loves what she does which is why after getting into the program and helping her with events and organizing I felt safe and heard by her and my peers apart of the program. We create great ideas and work well together which is what makes us thrive. I am tremendously proud of Dr. Venessa for everything she has contributed and grown as a person. By being president of the program, it has helped me step out my comfort zone and has allowed me to show others what I can achieve. I have always been a very shy person, making me not speak about my thoughts and ideas which sets me back and I got fed up with that I wanted to make a change for myself, and I have done that. I have struggled with mental health, and it is very draining so as I can relate to others it is my motivation to help spread awareness on mental health everyone has a voice and should be heard feeling stuck in a dark place is horrible the feeling of being alone is draining. I strive to help others in need and allow them to feel loved.

I also want to touch base on Women’s History Month which is from Saturday March 1, 2025- Monday March 31, 2025. It is an honor that I am a woman especially coming from a Hispanic community and by being the oldest of one sibling it has shown me what great responsibility is. Women hold such great power and have fought so hard for all their contributions throughout history which is very important to be educated on. Throughout history being a woman was seen as less, and no opportunities were given to us women but my joining forces and working together it allowed us to be heard. There was a Women’s March that occurred on August 9th, 1956, it was powerful as 20,000 women of all races were a part of this. Protesting those harsh laws that affected women and held limits on what woman can and can’t do. Advocating for woman’s rights made a change those harsh limits were set aside; woman received the respect that was long waited for, and it is with great power that we recognize all the achievements created by powerful woman. “There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish.’’- Michelle Obama. “As women achieve power, the barriers will fall. As society sees what women can do, as women see what other women can do, there will be more women out there doing things, and we’ll all be better off for it.’’ – Ruth Bader Ginsburg.