Anne Marie Birkbeck-Garcia

I cried tears of joy today. I’m so grateful and humbled to be in this first wave of healthcare workers to get the COVID-19 vaccine. I’m proud of my Mexican Filipino Heritage but I’ve been scared for months. The fact is that 1 in 1150 Latino Americans have died and 1 in 1925 Asian Americans have died. The numbers are worse for Indigenous and Black Americans. Today I was vaccinated for my community, patients and family. I work in the hospital and am afraid to get COVID. I’m more afraid to give COVID to someone. I see infants and children that are vulnerable. My health conditions make me vulnerable. I choose to believe in science. I’m proud to demonstrate to my community that this vaccine is safe. These have been 9 tiresome months but we can do this. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.