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 Melissa Antonia Perez (she/hers) below:

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

“Yo vengo de todas partes, Y hacia todas partes voy: Arte soy entre las artes, En los montes, monte soy.” – José Martí To me, being U-FLi is about achieving, striving, and preserving for something bigger than myself. It means bringing so much to every table I am a part of, not only my voice, but also that of my family, their histories, and our stories. Quiere decir que vengo de todas partes because I carry a multiplicity of origin stories. I’m not just a student from Miami, I am from a family of Cuban immigrants, the first in my family to attend university. Hacia todas partes voy, bringing my origins to new horizons. Being U-FLi is my pride, my honor, my privilege.

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

It took a really long time for Brown to feel like home, and it took good friends and professors to get there.

Advice you’d give your first-year self?

I would tell my first-year self to seek out resources and worry less about finding friends– the real ones will come eventually!

Favorite memory at Brown?

One of my favorite memories at Brown was the first snowfall of my first year. I’d never seen snow before, and I remember all the students of Pembroke campus running out of the dorms. Snowball fights erupted everywhere, holiday music was blaring from invisible speakers, people were slipping on the snow and laughing all over the place. It’s a memory that always reminds me of that magical, floaty, first-year feeling.

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

Alongside the student identity, I am a daughter, niece, grand-daughter, sister, cousin, girlfriend… All of these aspects of my life are just as important as my student identity. Realizing that I would never –could never– be just a student was one of the major lessons I learned whilst at Brown. I try to do justice to all of these roles, to value and appreciate my loved ones as they deserve, and to remember that the most important lessons in life are loving and being loved.

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 Max Kozlov (he/his) below:

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

To me, it means simultaneously to fly solo on making important decisions all through college all the while having a spotlight of familial pressure shining down on you.

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

Brown Outing Club

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 Gabi Gonzalez (they/he) below:

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

Being in community with other queer/trans friends has been so grounding, exciting, and fun! I love them so much, I’m so thankful to celebrate with them and for their support during my low points while at Brown. I’ve been able to grow so much with my chosen family: my friends through the Queer Alliance, UFLiCenter, and BCSC I love y’all aaaaa!

Advice you’d give your first-year self?

Look sis, things are gonna be tough. You can’t hide yourself from your family forever. It’s also gonna be so difficult to rebuild your self-esteem – you’re wonderful, beautiful, thoughtful, sometimes that ho, and it’s gonna be okay because you will get there! I know it’s so easy to say this right now but you have lots of people who care for you and want to see you succeed! Cherish those small victories and know that you will keep growing, learning, and blossoming into a beautiful you.

Favorite memory at Brown?

As a Community Care Co-Coordinator for TWTP 2018 with Helya and Donia, I got to see new queer/trans students of color become acquainted with Brown and form networks with each other – it was so cute and they gave me so much hope for the future!

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 Alejandra Gonzalez (they/them) below:

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

Being U-Fli means to me the strength, power, and wisdom of being able to achieve your own goals and pave your own path. I always remind myself that if my parents made the difficult decision to migrate to the U.S., I have inherited their strength and I am able to do anything and able to persevere despite the unfamiliar/uncertain terrain. We come from a long line of resilient people.

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

I have really found home in the LGBTQ+ Center and especially Zeta Delta Xi. I absolutely love Zete and my fellow fraternity brothers as they have welcomed me with open arms since day one and have been great supporters in my goals and endeavors. Furthermore, they have played an important role in my journey of self-love and body positivity.

Advice you’d give your first-year self?

I have really found home in the LGBTQ+ Center and especially Zeta Delta Xi. I absolutely love Zete and my fellow fraternity brothers as they have welcomed me with open arms since day one and have been great supporters in my goals and endeavors. Furthermore, they have played an important role in my journey of self-love and body positivity.

Favorite memory at Brown?

I wish I could remind my first-year self that I should not be as much as a worrier and that I have incredible abilities that I am still uncovering. I also would remind them that they absolutely belong here and are worthy of their accomplishments (career/personal/spiritual) and more. Despite my dyslexia/ADHD and trauma from school-to-prison pipeline, I was still able to push myself forward, remain strong, and graduate from this institution, which many people even my high school educators believed I would not be able to do. My new found confidence and security in myself is actually among my most important accomplishments.

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

When I am asked about my identity outside of Brown, I always say I am a proud tía of two beautiful, caring, intelligent children, my Valery and Jade. I am that tía with the great stories or that is always doing arts & crafts. I guess overall, I am a storyteller and artist. I am always sewing dresses or knitting/crocheting clothing. My favorite medium of art is filmmaking and in 2018 I directed/wrote my first LGBTQ+ short film “Venus Retrograde” , which premiered at an event with the Outfest Film festival. I love film because I love storytelling and also if used properly it could be a very accessible tool for educational purposes.

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 Gabriela Ortiz (she/hers) below:

Advice you’d give your first-year self?

Try to reach out for support systems for U-FLI students more.

Favorite memory at Brown?

Meeting all my friends and loved ones. Springtime when the flowers bloom. My first snow.

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 Khaila J. Mickens (she/they) below:

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

Coming into a place that wasn’t built for you or your success, combating culture shock, shame, and worries from home to try and do the best you can for you and your family.

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

The BCSC, theater, any space with QPOC.

Favorite memory at Brown?

TWTP as a freshman.

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

An older sister, a daughter, a mother (to my dog), a teacher, and an explorer.

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 Heather F. Argueta (she/hers) below:

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

UFli has definitely been one of the communities that has made Brown feel like home. I have always looked forward to their events including the “Welcome Back” celebration and the fun study break sessions. I have also made several friends at UFli, who have been part of my support system. We all understand each other’s struggles and cheer each other on!

Advice you’d give your first-year self?

Always prioritize self care. Taking a nap, watching a funny TV show, or exercising are activities that refuel you to thrive in a rigorous academic environment like Brown. Self-care is key to feeling and doing well at Brown.

Favorite memory at Brown?

My favorite memory at Brown is doing the Louie’s challenge with my friends last semester. For those who don’t know what the Louie’s challenge is, you pull an all-nighter (studying or fooling around with your friends) and you all go to Louie’s Family Restaurant on Brooke St at 5am. They open at 4:45am and start serving at 5am. There is nothing better than eating delicious diner food with your friends while being sleep deprived!

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 Jocelyn Cervantes (she/hers) below:

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

Being U-FLi to me means creating my own path to success. It means questioning why anyone has ever doubted me. Many times its proving statistics wrong. However, the most important part of being U-FLi to me is bringing joy and pride back to the people who built me. My family and community have instilled values in me that have allowed me to break through systemic obstacles and truly succeed in places that were not made for me. I do it for them so being able to share what I’ve learned along with my experiences is the most important part of being U-FLi for me.

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

The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers is a space where I identified with so many people and felt a sense of home. We gathered over traditional Latinx food and discussed resumes, elevator pitches, internships, and terrible professors. Nerdy, but honestly a space that needs to grow since the engineering department is not very diverse.

Advice you’d give your first-year self?

I’d tell myself that sophomore year engineering classes were going to kick my butt; however, during long nights of studying for those horrifying classes I would build the most amazing group of friends that I now call my family. I would tell myself that the next couple of years were going to be filled with the best life experiences. I’d say that I could keep hating Brown because even as a senior I still hate it, but it served its purpose in my life and for that I’m grateful.

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

Away from Brown I spend most of my time exploring and meeting new people. When I’m not a student I skate, surf, dance, and eat every type of food there is to try in LA. Some of my favorite things to do while I’m home in LA is finding new “hidden” hikes or viewpoints to take my friends to over some drinks.

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 Naomy Pedroza (she/her) below:

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

Being U-FLi means disrupting the system and paving the path for future generations

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

I really lucked out with my freshman unit. We’ve lived together all 4 years and they have made me feel so held! Similarly, my family at the Call Center has been so supportive and filled my life with so much love.

Advice you’d give your first-year self?

Stop seeking validation through academics and do more of what makes you happy and what helps other people.

Favorite memory at Brown?

For my 22nd birthday, I rented a projector from the CIT and invited all of my friends over for makeshift-karaoke. We sang and danced for hours and my heart was so full. Also, the day I played hooky with some pals and drove up to NH to see the Strokes play at a Bernie rally.

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.