trevordayschool

I had seen many people in my own family die prematurely, and of things that I couldn't then understand. I owe a lot of my interest in public health and why I'm so passionate about it from a lived experience at Trevor Day School, primarily from the amazing Ms. Irma Jarcho. I was admitted to Trevor through A Better Chance, a nonprofit that helps enroll minority students into independent schools across the country. When I visited Trevor, the first thing I noticed was The Center, where people were in an open environment that wasn't as snooty or pretentious as other schools that I visited. At Trevor, friendly people greeted me; the teachers were just amazing; and I saw a lot of people who looked like me. It was one of the most diverse, independent day schools that I saw at the time. I could see myself at Trevor. It was one of the best decisions of my life. Mason: What milestones have you reached since your time at The Day School? Natalie: First were new family members: My mom gave birth to my little brothers. Then, 13 years ago, I got married and had two beautiful babies. I call them babies, but they're ten and seven, and they're the loves of my life. They're the ones who keep me motivated about my work. Not just in maternal health, but social justice as well. Having a Black son and a Black daughter, you just see so much that happens in this world and you want to do the best for them. Other milestones within my career are being able to, not just be awarded grants, but make an impact in communities. The emails or the phone calls, or even when I'm out walking and someone stops me and says, "Hey, you're Dr. Hernandez, I follow you on LinkedIn!" It's surreal, but I know it's my life's mission. A milestone that I want to achieve in the future is to be inducted into the National Academy of Medicine. I also want to go into philanthropy and start a fund that supports local community-based organizations that are led by Black and Brown women who strive to achieve equity in women's health. In my work, I've seen a lot of injustices or unfair practices when it comes to funding for the haves and the have nots. Especially working at an HBCU. I want to be able to make a shift in that paradigm for our communities. Mason: What are some of your proudest achievements? Natalie: My proudest moment professionally was getting my PhD. I'm a first-generation college graduate. I left New York to go to Emory University in Atlanta, GA for Senior class, 1996 48 / TREVOR MAGAZINE WINTER 2023–24

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