I, Ermelinda Centeno, was born in Utica, N.Y. in 1972.  My family migrated to Utica, N.Y. from Arecibo, Puerto Rico in 1958.  Growing up in Utica was like growing up in Puerto Rico, the only difference was the weather.  The tropical sounds of salsa and meringue were always bouncing off the walls.  The delicious criollo dishes from Puerto Rico filled my plate and greeted you at the door.  When I entered into Kindergarten I spoke very little English, however, I understood  the language.  I was placed in a school out of my district to attend and ESL program.  My home was always filled with love and support. It became a very special place to me, and is the place where I learned and experienced the basic skills of becoming an advocate for the vulnerable children in my community.  I learned to become a person who helps others, guides them in the right path when they are in need of direction, and to have compassion for others.  I experienced the values of  leadership and to be someone who is a strong believer in the humanity for others.

      At the age of eight my life was changed, and I learned the value of leadership and steps to take when action is needed to help people in need.  Having great significance of understanding of why your environment is important to be safe and when underdeveloped it will affect our health, welfare, and safety.  After so many years of my father battling his sister’s alcoholic and drug addiction, he decided to take action for her children, and he had them all removed from her home.  My parents became foster parents, and my three cousins were the first foster children to live in my home.  After that one day my mom received a call in the middle of the night saying that two little babies were found frost bit from being left outside too long. She took them in. Now it was me, my two brothers, my three cousins, and the two little babies all being cared for.  I enjoyed helping my mother.  I made sure my cousins felt at home.  It was hard for them, and I always spoke to them and reassured them that they would never be in danger again.  A year later my mom received a call from Puerto Rico, and her cousin cried to her telling her that his wife had abandoned him and his three children.  He could not care for the little girl, so my mom said “bring her to me”.  My family confidently accepted her; she would be safe, comfortable,  and she was one more addition to my family. 

      The love and compassion that I was taught as a child has engraved itself into my heart, and I  love to help people.  I worked for five years at the Nelson Avenue Family Residence, a homeless shelter for families in the South Bronx. There I worked as a youth worker with all of the children.  I assisted young children in understanding the importance of reading, and techniques that helped them learn how to read, in addition I developed a creative writing workshop for teens.  The workshop opened doors for internships and literary arts related field trips.  I also coordinated career consultant workshops.  I have always provided for the needs of the program, and worked in tandem with everyone to most effectively manage the joint initiatives so they may have the greatest impact upon the population I worked with.  Working for the Nelson Avenue Family Residence was very populated by violent driven people.  I was able to get these same people to learn that there is a different way, and that violence is not the solution. Many issues knocked at my door beginning with teen pregnancy, gang related fights, cancer, hygiene, and many self-esteem issues. 

      I’m very proud of the person that I am today, and with my education at the School of Public Health at Hunter College allows me to keep my dream alive.  My education will add more tools to my box to help teach my community today and in the future.  I have donated my hair twice to children with cancer.  The second time I did it was to teach my daughter, Celia, a lesson on giving.  Giving can be something you bought for someone, but the best gift is giving to others to help them.  Realizing that something as simple as my hair that grows so fast is not the case for everyone, and my hair will make a big difference in the life of a child bald due to cancer.  After researching with my 5 year old daughter we found an agency called "Wigs for Kids", and Celia wrote a letter about the gift of giving during the holidays.  She received a thank you note, and she was so proud to share with her class.  Her teacher contacted me to speak to the children, and I was a part of a giving and sharing lesson.  This is one of the things I've done that I am so proud to have shared with my daughter.  I’m always in control of my situation, capable of managing multiple tasks at once, and often without prior planning.  I try to make the most of a situation while making everyone feel comfortable and never skipping a beat.  A great deal of people rely on me daily.  These individuals include staff, administrators, parents, and people of all ages.  I treat them all with respect, while maintaining my authority.  My commitment, not only to the individuals, but also to their families I work with has been an invaluable element.  My parents cared for countless foster children, and taught me the value of helping people.  As a child myself I was able to welcome frightened and anxious children into my home.  I helped them understand that someone did care about them.  As a future public health professional I will continually make prevention a fundamental value in our society, one that benefits all families and ensures the safety of our country.