Rosie Sanchez is currently working towards completing her Ph.D. in Anthropology from the UCI School of Social Sciences. Rosie's STEM journey began as a pre-med and pre-health student, but she eventually transitioned to the social sciences while maintaining her engagement with STEM topics. Initially faced with challenges in community engagement during her STEM studies, Rosie redirected her focus toward ethnic studies and anthropology. Her motivation stems from her personal experiences and the communities she works with, particularly in the context of climate change and labor. Rosie's current research project explores the impact of climate change on essential workers and their families during various disasters in Los Angeles and Southern California. Inspired by her ethnic studies background, Rosie decided to pursue research aligned with her goals, choosing anthropology for its collaborative opportunities across different fields, including STEM. Rosie dispels misconceptions about anthropology and highlights its connection to STEM-related topics. She suggests that incorporating personal experiences and observations related to labor and climate change can enrich social science and health classes, enabling students to study and engage with these critical subjects. Rosie emphasizes the significance of making students aware of their own experiences and the relevance of these topics to their lives. Concerning climate change, sustainability, and the environment, Rosie believes that everyone deserves a healthy environment, and education plays a pivotal role in understanding and taking action. Despite the challenges, she believes individuals and communities can work together to achieve a healthier environment. Rosie's work focuses on community-based research, acknowledging the knowledge and expertise of community members while collaborating with them to develop climate change, sustainability, and environmental solutions. She emphasizes the importance of involving those most impacted by climate change, such as high school students, in the decision-making process. Finally, Rosie expresses concern about the misconception of climate change as a distant issue, highlighting that its effects are already visible. She worries that perceiving climate change as a problem for only the future might hinder urgent action and mitigation efforts.