Hello! Recently, I've been engaging with many documentaries and books that involve Black history and culture, and I feel that it's imperative that I use this platform that I have to share the things I've watched or read that have changed my worldview. I would like to also emphasize the fact that it doesn't need to be Black History Month for you to educate yourself and others on or appreciate Black history/culture. Please look up trigger warnings if you do decide to read or watch anything on this list! It's good to educate yourself, and educating yourself on history is usually uncomfortable, but take care of yourself. Self care is an act of resistance! Without further ado, here is my read/watchlist recommendations for Black History Month 2026, with little to no context. (None of this is sponsored by the way). Books to Read 1. "N*groes with Guns" by Robert F. Williams This book will radicalize you so much. 2. "Recitatif" by Toni Morrison Th...
Ok, I have a word limit for this so I'll just give you guys a bit of background info on what this is then I'll get into the post because this post is actually an assignment for the internship.
1. This is Fred Hutch
2. This is the internship I did
So I have a few favorite things from this internship, ranging from the scenery to the labs. (Mostly the labs) But the thing I loved the most, were the tours. Seeing the labs and meeting people who work there and what they do is fantastic.
This is from the first tour, a picture of the view from the sky bridge. Yes, a skybridge!
This is from a PCR lab. PCR stands for polymerase chain reaction. It essentially makes a bunch of copies for a specific gene. Copies are made by putting DNA into a thermocycler. Changes in temperature can change the bonds of the DNA, for example, heat breaks the hydrogen bonds, cold binds primers, and warm copies DNA using TAQ polymerase. #science
We took the DNA copies and put them in a microtube with some dye that would make the DNA glow under a blacklight if there was DNA in it, and we also added a negative control to another microtube so we had something to compare it with. The microtube with the DNA is on the right, and it has this orange glow. I was so proud of this because it felt like I had made my own little baby DNA. My children are in a little microtube.
Another thing that really made an impression, was meeting Dr. Fauci. Yes, that happened I promise I was just too intimidated to get my own picture, but there will probably be a group picture on the Fred Hutch website. It wasn't really the fact that I met him that made an impression, but the fact that I was there. I was a midwest girl, with an immigrant family, and humble background, in a big city, at a huge, international cancer research center, sitting like 3 feet away from the Chief Medical Advisor to the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES!!! That's what really made me say, "Man snap out of it. Hundreds of people applied for this and YOU got in. YOU are sitting in a room with Dr. Fauci. Not luck, not pity, not a need for diversity, YOU DID THIS."
Anyways, I had the time of my life and I don't want to end this on such a serious note, so here's a cute bunny I saw out of a window there.
I really hope you enjoyed reading this post! If you'd like to see more content from me, please subscribe to my email newsletter, follow my Pinterest, and share my blog with a friend that might be interested! Come back next week for more words from Willow!
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