Author’s note: Some quotes are paraphrased or lightly edited from the original recorded interview. The recorded interview will be provided with a voice over and transcript when it becomes available. This is also reviewed and approved by the interviewee.
“Did you know that in statistics, there are not many BIPOCs in that field (dermatology)? I want to be part of that statistics. I want to break that.”
Maameyaa Asiamah became the first generation in her family to receive a college degree. Even more so, she graduated with a biochemistry degree at the College of Science at RIT. Biochemistry was notoriously difficult to pass, even as a deaf student, but with her peer’s continued support, she renewed her passion to navigate through the challenges of the science that would have prevented her from succeeding altogether.
To understand where Maameyaa came from first, she immigrated to the United States from Ghana, West Africa at 6 years old. Her mother was a high school dropout with no formal education. According to her family, West African culture viewed Maameyaa’s deafness as a curse, but that didn’t stop her family from continuing to support her. Her parents were willing to learn American Sign Language (ASL) to make sure Maameyaa could succeed, because one day, she knew she would come back to contribute to their community. This hit Maameyaa’s heart closer to home. In West Africa, she was the only Black student in her school where she felt she had to be careful with her non-BIPOC peers while attending, such as keeping her hair shorter due to the Ghana’s Deaf School’s policy. When she entered Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), she met so many diverse students and found resources which made her feel like she’s herself and rediscovered her identities. Being a biochemistry major didn’t define her, but her involvement with different extracurricular activities and obtaining scholarships shaped her future in becoming a dermatologist. The networking opportunity was her only place where she could find to connect with people compared to her post-graduation. Once she stepped into the real world, she lost the privilege of staying connected with her support system but that further strengthened her resolve to stay optimistic beyond her graduation.
“Just don’t give up. I don’t let someone tell me no or that I can’t do it. That’d make me feel inferior. I can do more with finding a mentor, getting more support, sharing resources, and more. Don’t let them stop you either.”
Her post-graduation allowed her to re-examine her passion toward dermatology while recalling her research experiences. Her passion began with her sister who has a chronic skin condition which motivated Maameyaa to invest her time in researching different kinds of skin conditions and medicines. Dr. Pimple Popper, a Youtube creator, was her favorite bedtime routine because she was fascinated with different skin issues that she never thought of. Once Maameyaa found a solution to her sister’s skin condition, then a new problem showed up and it fueled her motivation to help her sister find the right medicine. This reflection of hers helped her to decide to take a gap year after her 6-month co-op internship ended.
Maameyaa owes her thanks to two role models: her mother and Mariam Paracha, PharmD, her Principal Investigator of the RxASL project. Her mother was forever her cheerleader and a fan to support her journey. Despite being a high school dropout, her willingness to learn ASL and encouragement helped open the pathway for Maameyaa. Maameyaa’s dad is also a great cheerleader because he will always have her back in everything she does. Grabbing the opportunity in front of her was the greatest advice Maameyaa received because it allowed her to interact with friends, mentors, especially her mentor, Mariam Paracha. Maameyaa felt relatable to Mariam because of their shared experiences as immigrants and oppression by her own peers but also admired Mariam’s resilience. If anyone looks up to Maameyaa and tells her that she’s their role model, she would be honored and humble. She believes in the future generations that will build new paths for more to come.
"...To be authentic...I am here to support and empower them. I want them to be better than me and more successful than me because who will take from there after me? I want them to grow further. That's my goal."
