I distinctly remember growing up without ever seeing a Native dentist, doctor, or athlete. As a result, I never pictured myself growing into one of those roles. But somewhere along the way, I realized that I could do it. Now, in my senior year at the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD), I’m working on a dual degree in chemistry and American Indian studies — on my way to becoming the person I never saw: a Native American dentist.
Growing up in the Rock River Valley of southern Wisconsin, I split my time between my divorced parents’ houses. My father lived in a town of 80,000; my mother in a town of 4,000, so I got a taste of a big town and a small town.
I also got a sense of what it means to be surrounded by strong women. My grandmother played a huge role in forming the woman I’ve become. She taught me to read and write, and helped me build a strong mind. I also found strength in my mother and stepmother, Minda, who taught me about “girl power.” She was the first woman I’d ever met who didn’t care what others thought.
That strength got me through high school in Evansville, Wisconsin, where I didn’t do that well. I had horrible grades at the end of my high school career. With poor grades and lacking the financial support necessary for college, I decided that getting a degree immediately after high school wasn’t the best option. Instead, I spent three years in trade school (where I got straight A's), worked in a variety of jobs, and waited until I was 26 to apply to the University of Arizona (UA).
While I was excited to start my college career, I found it hard to find my footing. I really struggled with being a nontraditional student — I’ve never lived on campus, and much of undergrad is campus based. Living off campus, I felt disconnected from my classmates. With responsibilities outside the classroom, I also found it difficult to connect with my professors. I felt like my professors forgot that many of us have entire lives outside academia.
For me, that’s especially true because my extracurricular life includes competitive bike racing — I enter races across North America that often take days or weeks to complete. So far, I’ve been pretty blessed in the bike racing world. I set the women’s single speed record for the 2019 Tour Divide — which is basically a 2,700+ mile traverse of the Continental Divide spanning from Banff, Alberta, Canada, to Antelope Wells, New Mexico — in just 18 days. I also won the women’s field for Smoke ’n’ Fire, a 400+ mile bike packing race in 2018; set the women’s course record in 2018 for the 80-mile Tuscobia Trail Race in Wisconsin; and won the 2019 Colorado Trail Race for the women’s field, placing 17th overall. I couldn’t do this without the help of my sponsors, Broken Spoke and CHUMBA USA.
Being able to balance my life in college and outside class eventually reached a critical point, and I decided that UA wasn’t the right fit and transferred to the University of Maryland (UMD). Almost immediately, I felt like a member of the community. I was able to develop a personal relationship with most professors, and I felt like they saw me as a person, not a number.
Being at UMD allowed me to pursue my desire to become a doctor of dental surgery for the Native American community, and I majored in chemistry and American Indian studies to combine my two passions. The prerequisites for dental school line up pretty close to what it takes to get a degree in chemistry. It is also important for me to understand federal Indian policy. Combining the two fields has given me what I need to move forward, even when times get tough.
I deal with imposter syndrome quite a bit in the realm of science and academia. But realizing that I can become the person I never saw growing up helps to keep me motivated. How can I expect future generations of Anishinaabe to continue our legacy if I’m not willing to help pave the path?
As far as I know, my band has never had a dentist from within our community, and I’m ready to be the first one who steps up. I’m extremely aware of the dental health disparities of Native people versus the general U.S. population. But I believe that those disparities can be alleviated through preventive care, which I feel the Native American community does not know enough about.
I know my path is long, but it’s a lot about enjoying the journey, whatever that may look like. Life isn’t a straight line; it’s a winding, confusing path of joy, sorrow, bliss, and burden. Allow yourself the time to explore your passions, and to discover what truly fulfills you. Once we accept the fact that we really don’t know that much, our brains become open to other perspectives, and our life’s purpose may end up presenting itself. Mine certainly did. Five years ago, I would never have told you that I was going to pursue a career in dental medicine. I waited, and now I wouldn’t trade my college education for anything.
