1 00:00:00,030 --> 00:00:03,270 Click 2 00:00:03,290 --> 00:00:06,460 My name is Julie Ann Rivera-Perez and I work as a contract speicalist 3 00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:09,540 for the GOES-R Flight Project at NASA. 4 00:00:09,560 --> 00:00:12,820 Music 5 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:15,920 Back in the beginning I remember 6 00:00:15,940 --> 00:00:18,950 I was in Puerto Rico when I got the call from the 7 00:00:18,970 --> 00:00:21,980 Co-Op Program Manager, and I 8 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:25,020 remember her telling me "this is the call you have been waiting for..." 9 00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:28,060 10 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:31,200 I was very excited and 11 00:00:31,220 --> 00:00:34,220 from there the rest is history, Here I am... 12 00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:37,360 I would have to say that's 13 00:00:37,380 --> 00:00:40,540 has to be the happiest moment, the day I knew I was, I got accepted 14 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:43,620 here at NASA. It was very hard 15 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:46,790 for me to leave the island, to leave my 16 00:00:46,810 --> 00:00:49,870 family, my friends, everything I knew basically 17 00:00:49,890 --> 00:00:53,050 my culture and come out here to Maryland. 18 00:00:53,070 --> 00:00:56,080 I have never been to Maryland before. 19 00:00:56,100 --> 00:00:59,230 So, I remember I was filled with nerves and 20 00:00:59,250 --> 00:01:02,350 excitement at the same time, I just couldn't wait to 21 00:01:02,370 --> 00:01:05,500 get my hands dirty and start working and 22 00:01:05,520 --> 00:01:08,530 learning. I started out as an intern 23 00:01:08,550 --> 00:01:11,580 then I was a Co-Op and I finally got converted 24 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:14,760 to a full time permanent position. So, 25 00:01:14,780 --> 00:01:17,860 during that time I got to work for the Equal 26 00:01:17,880 --> 00:01:21,030 Employment Office and a little bit with 27 00:01:21,050 --> 00:01:24,130 the Office of Education and the Legal 28 00:01:24,150 --> 00:01:27,310 Office. So, that has been lots of cool 29 00:01:27,330 --> 00:01:30,380 experiences as a Co-Op. I 30 00:01:30,400 --> 00:01:33,560 also worked in the Industry Assistance Office 31 00:01:33,580 --> 00:01:36,620 and I now work for GOES-R. 32 00:01:36,640 --> 00:01:39,960 It's just amazing working with engineers and scientist and 33 00:01:39,980 --> 00:01:43,020 its like learning a different language 34 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:46,190 and I am also proud of the fact that even though I 35 00:01:46,210 --> 00:01:49,340 work as a contract specialist, I'm also 36 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:52,490 the co-chair of the Hispanic Advisory Committee for employees here 37 00:01:52,510 --> 00:01:55,520 on center, so I advocate for the Hispanic community 38 00:01:55,540 --> 00:01:58,640 on center and I meet with senior management 39 00:01:58,660 --> 00:02:01,820 and the Center Director on yearly 40 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:04,940 basis to go over some 41 00:02:04,960 --> 00:02:07,960 issues and challenges that the Hispanic community at 42 00:02:07,980 --> 00:02:11,060 NASA is facing. 43 00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:14,240 Goddard is a wonderful place, that they 44 00:02:14,260 --> 00:02:17,330 know how to balance work and 45 00:02:17,350 --> 00:02:20,500 life very well. So, there's a couple clubs here 46 00:02:20,520 --> 00:02:23,560 on center. I belong to the music and drama club 47 00:02:23,580 --> 00:02:26,830 and I have gotten the chance to play lead roles 48 00:02:26,850 --> 00:02:29,870 in two of their fall musicals. 49 00:02:29,890 --> 00:02:32,990 The latest one was the King and I, which I play Tuptim. 50 00:02:33,010 --> 00:02:36,040 So, I get to sing, even though 51 00:02:36,060 --> 00:02:39,140 I am a contract specialist during the day 52 00:02:39,160 --> 00:02:42,320 I'm a singer at night. 53 00:02:42,340 --> 00:02:45,430 In 2010, I was already here 54 00:02:45,450 --> 00:02:48,600 full-time and I 55 00:02:48,620 --> 00:02:51,630 became ill 56 00:02:51,650 --> 00:02:54,790 and was alone here, I didn't have my family. 57 00:02:54,810 --> 00:02:57,840 and for a while doctors 58 00:02:57,860 --> 00:03:00,990 they didn't know what was going on with me 59 00:03:01,010 --> 00:03:04,060 and finally I went to 60 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:07,180 Johns Hopkins hospital and I was 61 00:03:07,200 --> 00:03:10,220 diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome 62 00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:13,450 and chronic neutropenia, basically 63 00:03:13,470 --> 00:03:16,480 your immune system is not working, you're not producing enough white blood cells 64 00:03:16,500 --> 00:03:19,560 to keep you healthy. I remember telling my husband 65 00:03:19,580 --> 00:03:22,730 I need to go to the hospital, somethings not right 66 00:03:22,750 --> 00:03:25,820 and I am glad I did because I 67 00:03:25,840 --> 00:03:29,010 went into whats called a neutropenic septic shock 68 00:03:29,030 --> 00:03:32,070 at that moment when I was hooked up to I.V. 69 00:03:32,090 --> 00:03:35,210 antibiotics and I was alone in a room 70 00:03:35,230 --> 00:03:38,260 I realized how fragile life is 71 00:03:38,280 --> 00:03:41,420 It was so scary, I realized I really have to live 72 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:44,450 to my life to the fullest. I can't waste 73 00:03:44,470 --> 00:03:47,550 one second of it. Ever since then you know I'm 74 00:03:47,570 --> 00:03:50,730 I'm doing all these things I've always wanted to do like 75 00:03:50,750 --> 00:03:53,830 play the piano, taking violin classes 76 00:03:53,850 --> 00:03:57,020 I'm painting, I'm still doing community 77 00:03:57,040 --> 00:04:00,110 theater, I'm singing, which is my passion. I'm just really 78 00:04:00,130 --> 00:04:03,260 trying to live my life and not let 79 00:04:03,280 --> 00:04:06,340 anything stop me. My parents have really taught me to 80 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:09,490 believe in my self. That's 81 00:04:09,510 --> 00:04:12,550 big. That's where it all starts. 82 00:04:12,570 --> 00:04:15,720 The one piece of advice I would give to the 83 00:04:15,740 --> 00:04:18,770 next generation would be, to never 84 00:04:18,790 --> 00:04:21,890 underestimate what you can accomplish, because when you 85 00:04:21,910 --> 00:04:24,920 truly believe in yourself you never ever give up. 86 00:04:24,940 --> 00:04:27,960 no matter what. 87 00:04:27,980 --> 00:04:31,050 music 88 00:04:31,070 --> 00:04:34,130 music 89 00:04:34,150 --> 00:04:37,160 music 90 00:04:37,180 --> 00:04:39,026 music