My name is Fernanda, and I am a proud first-generation Mexican college student and a junior undergraduate at Johns Hopkins University. I am in the process of organizing a National Latinos in Research conference—an event created by students, for students—to uplift, empower, and guide Latino undergraduates pursuing careers in research and medicine. This conference aims to be an event that will connect latinos students who want to pursue medicine and research with Johns Hopkins medical students and physicians. This vision was born from a deep need I witnessed in my community and a reality we can no longer ignore.

I will never forget a story I heard about a woman in her 30s who arrived at a clinic terrified and in pain, repeating in Spanish that she didn’t know what was happening to her. She had avoided seeking medical care for months because her previous experiences left her humiliated. The doctors and nurses did not speak her language, and she walked away feeling invisible, misunderstood, and completely alone. She described rehearsing her symptoms in Spanish, praying the physician would somehow understand. As I listened to her story, I pictured my mother, my family, and my community. I saw generations of Latinos forced to navigate a healthcare system that was never built with us in mind. In that moment, I understood something that changed me: language, culture, and representation in medicine are not optional. They can be the difference between early treatment or late diagnosis, between relief or suffering, between life or death.

Today, Latinos make up nearly 19 percent of the United States population, yet only 6 percent of physicians. Research fields show a similar imbalance. This gap fuels preventable health inequalities that continue to harm our communities. It is well-documented that when patients can speak to physicians who understand their language and culture, they are more likely to seek medical help, follow treatment, and trust the care they receive. But the roots of this problem stretch far earlier than the clinic. These barriers begin in college, where Latino students who dream of becoming doctors or researchers often face the journey alone. Many lack mentors. Many lack guidance. Many lack representation. And many, despite their talent and potential, step away from paths that were never designed to support them.

That is why I created the Latinos in Research Conference. My goal is to build a space where community replaces isolation, where culture is celebrated instead of silenced, and where Latino students can find mentors, inspiration, and a network that believes in them. This conference will bring together undergraduate students, medical students, researchers, and physicians to create connections, open doors, and show Latino students that they belong in every lab, every clinic, and every institution—especially the ones that have historically lacked voices like ours.

This movement is completely student-led. We do not have large sponsors or built-in university funding. We have heart, vision, and determination, but we need support to make this dream possible. Donations will help cover essential costs such as guest speakers, presentation materials, space setup, food for attendees, and resources that make the event accessible to all students who wish to participate. Every contribution, no matter the amount, directly supports Latino students who are working to change the future of medicine and research.

If you believe representation matters, if you believe language should never be a barrier to medical care, and if you believe that Latino students deserve the same opportunities to learn, grow, and lead in science and medicine, I ask you to join me. Your support will not just fund an event—it will help build a movement. It will open doors for students who will one day open doors for others. And it will bring us closer to a future where Latino physicians and researchers are not rare, but proudly present, visible, and leading.

Thank you for reading, for sharing, and for believing in this mission. Together, we can change the face of medicine, one student and one community at a time.

Con cariño,

Fernanda