Paula Diaz-Medina, 17, was born and raised in Camden, N.J. with her older brother, Antonio Diaz-Medina, and younger brother, Yohan Santiago. She is a senior at Woodrow Wilson High School in Camden. Paula keeps her head high even though the reputation of her dear city is not that great.

She will attend Cabrini University in Radnor, Pa. in the fall of 2018. After she graduates, she intends to obtain a Ph.D. in Psychology.

Paula plays varsity volleyball at her high school to relieve stress. She continues to struggle living in the inner city with just her older brothers and mother in her life. Her mother is Paula’s main source of motivation. She tries to be a role model for her younger brother.

Her biggest motivation is her mother and also the people around her that doubt her. Paula continues to push through adversity and to strive to become the best. She hopes to give back to her family.

Paula does not want to be a number in a graph of statistics. She aspires to be the change that she wants to see in world. Her goal is to change Camden and give it a better reputation than how it is portrayed. She is determined to impact society in a positive way to improve societal conditions for the next generations of minorities.