“As an early-career faculty, woman, immigrant, Latina, and first-generation College/Ph.D., it is challenging to dissociate my professional trajectory from my background when discussing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). As a Brazilian growing up in Rio de Janeiro, I was surrounded by several aspects of different cultural backgrounds and in close contact with one of the most diverse cultures from different regions of Brazil. Overall, this life experience taught me that diversity is a crucial part of a human being’s experience and existence itself. More specifically, this background taught me that to be fully engaged in a community, one must feel included and valued, sharing a sense of pride and belonging. In this sense, promoting DEI is a priority to me and an intrinsic part of the VI Lab’s mission.” – Dr. Oliveira