Brenda Lizzet Lopez

August 2007

Language at times separates us from others, but Brenda Lizzet Lopez has a plan to fill the healthcare gaps for the Latino community surrounding her. She is an eighteen-year-old bilingual student of Mexican heritage dedicated to becoming a dental hygienist.

Brenda has proven herself to be a leader in every sense of the word. She is a member of the BETA Club and has received four outstanding academic awards. The evidence of her hard work can be seen in her presence on the Principal’s list each year, her numerous “Top Cat Awards,” Character and Citizenship Awards, and her involvement with the community. As a young woman in Asheboro, North Carolina, Brenda has participated in the local March of Dimes Walk-a-thons, contributed to the cleaning of the state’s waterways through the North Carolina Big Sweep, instructed and directed sessions to inform Latino youth on the dangers and consequences of smoking in the 2004 “No Fumo” campaign, informed the Latino community on new immigration regulations at La Fiesta del Pueblo, and serves as a translator at local dental office for non-English speaking Latinos.

As a native of Mexico, Brenda became a fluent English speaker at the age fourteen and ever since she has served as a translator for many Latino families. By performing such service she has determined her career path, to become a dental hygienist. By volunteering at local dentist offices she has witnessed the minimal assistance Latinos receive when they have dental appointments. Most of the Latinos in her area do not maintain good dental hygiene and do not visit a dentist regularly due to the lack of ability to speak English. As a dental hygienist, her objective will be to promote dental hygiene in the Latino community and strive to ensure that Latinos receive meaningful services when they visit a dentist. It is not only her goal to be a dental hygienist but also to become the first Latina dentist in the city of Asheboro. Brenda leads by example and will become a beacon for her generation. Her dedication to serve those in need and to offer her time to reach out to her community makes her a CHCI Young Leader of Today.