Click
My name is Julie Ann Rivera-Perez and I work as a contract speicalist
for the GOES-R Flight Project at NASA.
Music
Back in the beginning I remember
I was in Puerto Rico when I got the call from the
Co-Op Program Manager, and I
remember her telling me "this is the call you have been waiting for..."
I was very excited and
from there the rest is history, Here I am...
I would have to say that's
has to be the happiest moment, the day I knew I was, I got accepted
here at NASA. It was very hard
for me to leave the island, to leave my
family, my friends, everything I knew basically
my culture and come out here to Maryland.
I have never been to Maryland before.
So, I remember I was filled with nerves and
excitement at the same time, I just couldn't wait to
get my hands dirty and start working and
learning. I started out as an intern
then I was a Co-Op and I finally got converted
to a full time permanent position. So,
during that time I got to work for the Equal
Employment Office and a little bit with
the Office of Education and the Legal
Office. So, that has been lots of cool
experiences as a Co-Op. I
also worked in the Industry Assistance Office
and I now work for GOES-R.
It's just amazing working with engineers and scientist and
its like learning a different language
and I am also proud of the fact that even though I
work as a contract specialist, I'm also
the co-chair of the Hispanic Advisory Committee for employees here
on center, so I advocate for the Hispanic community
on center and I meet with senior management
and the Center Director on yearly
basis to go over some
issues and challenges that the Hispanic community at
NASA is facing.
Goddard is a wonderful place, that they
know how to balance work and
life very well. So, there's a couple clubs here
on center. I belong to the music and drama club
and I have gotten the chance to play lead roles
in two of their fall musicals.
The latest one was the King and I, which I play Tuptim.
So, I get to sing, even though
I am a contract specialist during the day
I'm a singer at night.
In 2010, I was already here
full-time and I
became ill
and was alone here, I didn't have my family.
and for a while doctors
they didn't know what was going on with me
and finally I went to
Johns Hopkins hospital and I was
diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
and chronic neutropenia, basically
your immune system is not working, you're not producing enough white blood cells
to keep you healthy. I remember telling my husband
I need to go to the hospital, somethings not right
and I am glad I did because I
went into whats called a neutropenic septic shock
at that moment when I was hooked up to I.V.
antibiotics and I was alone in a room
I realized how fragile life is
It was so scary, I realized I really have to live
to my life to the fullest. I can't waste
one second of it. Ever since then you know I'm
I'm doing all these things I've always wanted to do like
play the piano, taking violin classes
I'm painting, I'm still doing community
theater, I'm singing, which is my passion. I'm just really
trying to live my life and not let
anything stop me. My parents have really taught me to
believe in my self. That's
big. That's where it all starts.
The one piece of advice I would give to the
next generation would be, to never
underestimate what you can accomplish, because when you
truly believe in yourself you never ever give up.
no matter what.
music