I raised the scalpel out in front of me, attempting to accurately measure where I was going to make the incision. Out of all of the kids in the grade, I was the only one who chose to go further and dissect the brain. I cut slowly along the top, and the sides, until the right and left hemispheres revealed themselves. After labeling each lobe, I presented my work to my teacher. Upon close examination, my teacher looked up at me, paused, and told me it was the best brain dissection she had seen in five years. 

    This was in eighth grade, and I am now a Junior in high school. Once I entered high school my curiosity began to shift towards women's rights and political advocacy. While working for a women's rights organization and meeting with state legislators, I began to reminisce about my past fixation on neuroscience. I started to learn more about the way's sexism and science intertwined, leaving many women out of the conversation.  Although, I wanted to highlight the inequity in neuroscience, I wasn't sure if I could focus on my scientific and equal rights goals without neglecting one. Eventually, I realized that I didn't have to choose between a STEM career and being an unapologetic feminist. I ultimately chose to combine the two.