From an early age, curiosity has shaped how I see the world. I wanted to understand how things worked, how patterns formed, and why some things change while others remain the same. Yet my path into academia was far from straightforward. I was diagnosed with learning disabilities early in life, within an education system that often failed to recognize difference as potential. Although my passion for science endured, it was often discouraged. Growing up in these circumstances taught me to problem-solve creatively and to persist in the face of skepticism. I developed strategies to learn and to communicate in ways that worked for me, building resilience, adaptability, and resourcefulness. These qualities later became central to my work as a scientist. What began as barriers gradually became strengths: an ability to see connections others might overlook, to approach problems from unconventional angles, and to persevere through complexity. These experiences also shaped my understanding of how structures within academia can both enable and exclude. I have seen how students who face systemic barriers often develop remarkable insight, persistence, and empathy. Their perspectives challenge the assumptions that have long defined academic success and enrich our collective understanding of how knowledge is built and shared. My work in science has always been linked to mentorship and advocacy. I strive to create spaces where students and early-career researchers can see their potential reflected and supported. I aim to model that success in academia can take many forms and that diverse paths of learning strengthen the discipline as a whole. Adversity did not define my trajectory; it refined it. The challenges I faced became the foundation of the persistence and curiosity that now drive my research. More importantly, they instilled a lasting commitment to ensuring that others can see themselves as belonging in science and to helping create the conditions where that belonging can thrive.