Pride for Puerto Rico runs deep in Marisabel Roman Afanador’s blood, from the traditional Bomba traditional musical style to the rich cultural heritage.
Still, the country historical has struggled with health issues and domestic violence.
That’s why Afanador, a San Juan native who learned from her grandmother’s resilience in the face of domestic violence, is dedicated to make a difference in the lives and health of women—specifically las mujeres de la isla (women of the island).
Afanador works as a licensed social worker and is passionate for public health promotion and education because of all the possibilities it provides.
She wants to focus on the disparities and the social determinants of health.
To increase her training, she applied for the Éxito! Latino Cancer Research Leadership Training program, which recruits 25 master’s-level students and professionals for a five-day Summer Institute to promote doctoral degrees and careers studying Latino cancer.
“The [Éxito!] summer institute provided experiences and information that motivates me toward completing this next step [of getting a PhD],” Afanador said. “It also gave me a glance at all the opportunities that are out there.”
