Iemaan's application showed her immense resilience and commitment to learning and working with medically-underserved populations.

The following passage is one of our favorites from Iemaan's application.

"From an early age, I understood the world through the lens of stories. Whether engaging with teachers, parents, or my peers, the right tale could always bring me closer to others. As I grew older, I discovered the power of stories to sway people’s hearts and inspire them to action. I matured from storyteller to advocate, weaving together the narratives of my local community to start a federally recognized nonprofit organization called Tea House. Our first client was a young mother widowed just days after the birth of her fifth child. Our team helped her obtain a Green Card, housing assistance, and a pathway to employment. Though I did not know it yet, the seeds of my desire to pursue medicine were sown in these early acts of service that were intimately rooted in my passion for empathizing with and understanding others through human connection."

"I found purpose in telling the stories of the disadvantaged, opening my heart to their experiences, and urging others to action. As I raced from classroom lecture to courthouse hearing, I paused to see my face on television, listen to my voice on the radio, and read my words in the newspaper. Amid the darkest chapter in my life, I found meaning by giving a voice to populations who had been historically marginalized and silenced by society."