Morgan Gibson

I am overjoyed that I was successfully able to exercise my civic duty of voting in the U.S. Presidential 2024 election. There were many unexpected challenges that I had to face to get to this point. Voter interference was an unfortunate factor in making my vote count. It got to a point where my only option was to fly back home to vote in my home county, making my mail-in ballot invalid. This was a sacrifice that was worth the struggle to me because of the policies related to biology that are on the ballot. I know that the topic of reproductive health and rights is one of the most important issues for women in the United States. Sexual reproduction between a male and a female starts with the fertilization of an egg via a sperm cell creating a zygote. The zygote will develop into a fetus, then a baby in approximately 40 weeks. This aspect of sexual reproduction was expanded upon as I learned more about biology at Howard. It is an important issue and the fact that I was able to vote felt like a chance to make an impact on the biology, sexual reproduction, and women's health policies too.

I am so excited to have the chance to participate in the 2024 U.S. presidential election. Doing your civic duty is essential for many different reasons which may vary from person to person. In this election, more than one biology-related thing led me to the ballot box. But one of the most prominent was the policies on public health and vaccinations. The Republican party candidate, Donald J. Trump is known for his vaccine skepticism during his prior term. How he treated the viral pathogen, COVID-19 led to the death of thousands of Americans. The nature of a virus is, that it is a very small germ that carries a piece of genetic information and uses a host to sustain its own life. We must keep in mind that the COVID-19 virus is still relatively new, as well as the fact that it does not yet have a cure. Researchers and laboratory technicians have created immune boosters and treatments but no cure. This aspect of biology is very important to me because it is directly related to health, human biology, and safety. I am glad that I have the chance to participate in my civic duties as well as make an impact on the biology policies on the ballot.

On Sunday I had the pleasure of conducting my duties as a chapel assistant. I help with whatever I can around the Cramton Auditorium and prepare for the speakers, ensuring they feel welcome. But a major aspect of what I do is connecting with the chapel family or in other words, the congregation. As I stand at the entrance of the auditorium smiling and radiating good energy, I get to be one of the first people they encounter. I get to welcome them to this week’s chapel service and chat with them before service. Connecting with the community in any capacity, no matter how small allows the congregants to feel welcome and decompress. This along with my other duties creates a space where people can be supported spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. Focusing on the mental aspect, I do my best to be holistically positive, wellness-focused, and stress-reducing in the actions that I take. What this does to the people I encounter is soothe their mental state and lower their cortisol levels thereby reducing their stress. Hormones such as cortisol impact both your mental and bodily health poorly. It disrupts the function of certain processes in the body and it can worsen already present mental health disorders. This is why I try to form a bond with my community members even if it is just a passing smile. I believe that the actions I take can leave an impact on a biological level on their spiritual, emotional, mental, and even biological well-being.