Celia - University of Michigan
“I didn’t realize that was my mother’s goodbye.”
From Me, The “Other” film
I remember what my mother once told me before she passed away while battling an aggressive form of breast cancer: “The most expensive piece of real estate is the six inches between your right and left ear. It’s how you use it that determines your destiny. We are only really limited by how we choose to challenge our mind.” She passed away when I was twelve years old. I went from living with my aunts, to living with friends of my mom, to a cousin in France, to being put into reform school. I was born in Cameroon and raised in three different continents. It was all too overwhelming. I wished my mom was present to witness or shield me from all that was happening. I felt deep sadness and a sense of abandonment. Given that my early childhood structured me well to understand hardship, sacrifice, and the importance of education; my mother’s wise advice became my ultimate refuge. I decided to put into good use the six inches between my ears and was accepted at the University of Michigan and I’m currently majoring in Cellular and Molecular Biology. I also volunteer at local hospitals and dedicate my time helping others and providing them with a sense of belonging and happiness despite their circumstances.
Who is a hero or heroine in your personal life?
I do not believe that I have a ‘hero’ per se. I do want to make one person proud and that is my mother. Circumstances did not allow sufficient time to get to know her. With that said, there were many things that I was able to observe during the time I had with her and many years later I realized that there was so much more she wanted to do but was unable to accomplish. My hope is to fulfill not only my dream, but also finish some of the things she started back in Cameroon.
What is one of your favorite things to do?
I love “get-togethers”, whether it’s for a cookout or more intimate things such as making dinner with friends followed by meaningful conversations.
Can you relate a story from your childhood?
I cannot recall the exact details of this moments, but one thing I remember was that I cried so much when my cousin was doing my hair. Even when my cousin or my mom were adding those pearls to my hair, I was still crying. Now looking at this photo, you can’t even tell that my eyes were watering minutes before. What makes it so funny for me today is that they had to trick me by offering me “Beignets” or “puff-puff” or in English translation “mini doughnuts” for me to stop crying.
What’s one thing that most people don’t know about you?
I fear and hate snakes.
What’s your favorite place in the world?
My favorite place in the world is being in the Operating Room (OR) for research. So many eye-opening moments occurred those days and every time I think of those moments, I do not wish to be anywhere else.
What do you do to relieve stress?
I run, I do yoga, or I go Salsa dancing.
What’s your favorite movie of all time?
The Proposal
What are your favorite books?
The Power of Habits By Charles Duhigg and Einstein: His Life and Universe By Walter Isaacson
Who is an historical figure that you would have loved to have met?
I would love to have met Michael Jackson and Albert Einstein. MJ was music part of my childhood. Songs such as Heal The World, They Don’t Care About Us, You Rock My World and Will You Be There are the main songs that I recall watching on TV over the summer. Even though I did not know the lyrics, I recall murmuring the beats. His music was very empowering and the sound and intensity of it always made me drop everything I was doing, dance, and then go back to what I was doing.
Albert Einstein was someone that I really admire. He had such a curious mind. His ability to wonder why certain things were the way they were and puzzling with a question until he found a justifiable answer, was something I have come to love about him over the years. With such a passion, he went against all odds and proved to everyone else who thought he was crazy that they were wrong. Its very remarkable to me how he was one man who managed to get the attention of all the scientists, just to tell them how wrong they were about certain applications of physics. His incorporation of the art of humanities into physics (despite lacking knowledge in those domains) were the times he shined the most in my view. What I also admire about him was how he viewed himself: just a normal guy still trying to solve the theory of relativity. Furthermore, he was relatable in that he was Jew who was not accepted by certain members of his society. When he came to the United Sates and realized how African Americans were treated, he did what he knew best: Teach. He taught African American men an important topic relevant at the time. A time in which a black men was allowed no where near that sort of knowledge. Like any human being, he was not perfect. He appeared to be super stubborn, but beyond my admiration for his work, I firmly believe that his stubbornness led him to be one of the greatest scientist the human race ever got to experience.