#SoCaltech: Stephanie Cortez
“I can't claim to represent all minorities, but I can absolutely speak to my experience as a Mexican woman in STEM. My journey to Caltech was surprisingly straightforward. I had an interest in science since I was very young. I got an early acceptance, so dream come true for me. Coming into Caltech, I maintained a good stubborn attitude about my capability. This pride only lasted so long. I was working on the very first Chem 1 a set, and I messed up a calculation. That moment stuck with me throughout my frosh year. In the back of my mind, I heard, ‘But aren't you a chem major?’ Panic set in, but I ignored it. The voice came back. ‘Why don't you know this? It's simple. Aren't you smart?’ Second term rolled around, same nagging. Third term, same nagging. I skipped a lot of lectures and obsessed about all the ways that I didn’t fit in. I told myself, ‘This is absolutely not who I am, this isn't who my family is, and this isn't what my history is.’ Mexico is a country pretty much founded on the sense of not belonging. Mexico is a country of hardworking Mestizos, mixed-race people like me. So, why should I be so afraid to throw myself into STEM with everything that I have? Finally, another voice joins in. It's my mom. I'm standing in front of Beckman Auditorium saying goodbye to my parents. ‘I am so proud of you. You know, this means so much.’ My mom was born and raised in rural Sinaloa, Mexico. If today's headlines about Narcos and El Chapo or shootings and corruption tell you anything about Sinaloa, it’s that it isn't exactly the state that turns out scientists. Statistically, I shouldn’t have made it to one of the most prestigious research institutions in the world. But here I am. I am a good scientist, and I am a good scientist because I am Mexican, not in spite of it.”
Stephanie Cortez is a Caltech junior majoring in chemistry. This quote is a condensed version of a talk she gave at Storytelling for Scientists: The Liminal Zone, a virtual showcase of four storytellers from the Caltech community sharing their passion for science with the Caltech community presented by Theater Arts at Caltech on March 17.
#SoCaltech is an occasional series celebrating the diverse individuals who give Caltech its spirit of excellence, ambition, and ingenuity. Know someone we should profile? Send nominations to magazine@caltech.edu.