My name is Evelyn Wearing. I am a 46 year old Hispanic women that occupies several roles, such as a wife, mother of 4, daughter, sister and for the past 20+ years as an Occupational Therapy Aide in the field of Rehabilitation Medicine, for an inner city hospital located in Brooklyn, N.Y.

I am a person that is very passionate about serving others and one that takes my responsibilities seriously, as I devote 110% in everything that I do. After all that I have experienced in my life, especially during the past year, it is easy to live my life depressed and walk around feeling sorry for myself. However, resilience, being one of my best qualities, continues to propel me forward and helps me to overcome obstacles that would’ve otherwise taken me out.

The effects of working during the pandemic has been pretty intense, as it has negatively impacted my physical and mental health. However, I would not change a single thing, As it has also ignited a passion in me to pursue a career where I can advocate to implement positive changes within organizations and advocate for those that are overlooked and unable to speak for themselves.

Working during the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated my commitment to my employer, colleagues and to patients. Unfortunately, it has also revealed the lack of care and compassion that many employers demonstrate to their employees. As well as confirm the importance of leadership having a disaster plan in place so they can better serve the organization and the population it serves.

I am all about making the best out of every situation and look forward to using my experience to bring about some good.