In light of Brown’s transition to online learning, the U-FLi Center will be sharing narratives from the Class of 2020. We aim to affirm and honor graduating students’ time at Brown. Read about Hemant Kadiamada (he/his) below:

What does it mean to you to be U-FLi?

To me, being U-FLi means being seen…being seen not only for the adversities that we face but also for our successes and resilience in spite of those barriers coming into higher education. I find so much inspiration, strength, and compassion in the U-FLi community at Brown. I love how we inspire each other. I love how I also inspire myself when I remember how far I have come—how far we have come.

What communities at Brown have been influential in making it feel like a home?

I want to give a huge shoutout to the community that working at the Nelson Fitness Center brought into my life. I began working here my freshman year out of financial need. 4 years later, I can honestly say that working at the Nelson turned into so much more than just a way to make money. I believe that what helped me make this shift is when I started taking time to have honest conversations with other students working there, the personal trainers, my bosses (shoutout to Meaghan Pepe—the OG Queen!), the people who do facilities management, as well as friends & strangers who come to engage in something wonderful for themselves and their health. In all honesty, I felt valued in this community—not only for the jobs I did—but also for the relationships I was creating and the care I was receiving from the people around me. It makes me really happy to know that I get to continue being a part of this community when I continue my journey at Brown for medical school.

Advice you’d give your first-year self?

I would definitely tell myself that I do not have to have to solve everything on my own. If something is difficult—whether that be a class, navigating the university space as a first-generation student, feeling lonely, or figuring out my academic path at Brown—I deserve to ask for help, to talk to people who inspire me, & to speak honestly about my passions and my interests. My first year, I was very much focused on being independent—pursuing an amazing educational opportunity at Brown, having an ongoing job to finance my expenses, and being away from Southern California and the challenges I was facing in my own home and family. And this newfound independence did help me grow; nonetheless, by my sophomore year, I grew to learn that I can’t—nor should I believe—that I can do everything on my own. Being connected, having community, and being vulnerable with myself and others are beautiful parts of living. It’s beautiful to be interdependent; it’s beautiful to be more than just myself. 

Favorite memory at Brown?

One of my favorite memories at Brown is most definitely the MHIRT pre-departure orientation which happened at the end of sophomore spring. Undoubtedly, the MHIRT (Minority Health and Health Disparities International Research Training program) was one of the first times at Brown where I felt like I was being invested in…like someone really believed in me and my passions (shoutout to the GHI staff & Eileen Wright!) It was also one of the first times where I felt like I was truly utilizing the university resources around me. At the MHIRT pre-departure orientation, I remember being surrounded by INCREDIBLE, inspiring, and passionate people who were going to Ghana, the Philippines, Romania, and Samoa (woo!) to do public health research. In addition to this, the orientation was the first time I saw a room filled with so many people of color (POC) & first-gen/low-income students who were passionate to make meaningful contributions to global health. Some people were going to countries where their family had roots in, and some people were going to an entirely new country, like me! Nonetheless, it was so impactful for me to see this because I truly hadn’t prior to that moment at Brown. I knew there were other POC and first-gen/low-income students doing pre-med/public health tracks, but I had never seen us come together like this. And moreover, we were coming together because we were given the opportunity to be a part of an incredible program that was investing in us to make a difference in the world.

Who are you away from Brown/outside of the student identity? 

I love discovering and re-discovering passions of mine. Obviously, those passions do sometimes cross paths with what I am doing at Brown, and that’s okay. In that sense, I enjoy being me. I am a dancer. I am an explorer. I am a lover of food and culinary creativity. I love learning about my family’s history and my roots in Mexico and India. I am a huge fan of Becky G. I love walking and biking. I love yoga and strength training. I love the sea and sea animals. I love connecting with friends, family, and meaningful people around me. I also love thinking about how I—how we—can make meaningful change in this world.