Voices of Making Waves: Meet Jezebelle Maldonado
As a sociology major at California State University, Stanislaus, Jezebelle Maldonado (she/her) chose an undergraduate research topic that wasn’t just about academics. It was personal.
“I personally know what it’s like to grow up in a toxic and hostile environment as a Latina daughter, who was raised into the Machismo culture,” she said speaking about a culture where emotional vulnerability in men is seen as weakness.
“My research project focused on Machismo culture – an aggressive pride in masculine identity – and the impact on the mental health of Latinx men,” Jezebelle shared.
“I want to bring awareness to show others in our culture that it’s okay to be open with our emotions. I feel like sometimes it’s like a generational curse, especially within our culture, as it’s something that’s just passed down and that’s forbidden to go against,” she said. “This is similar with mental health as it’s not seen as a real issue.”
Diving into the research
While Jezebelle was excited to dive into her research topic, the process wasn’t without challenges.
“One of the challenges was finding existing research on the topic. There wasn’t much, and what I found was outdated,” Jezebelle explained.
“Another big challenge was recruiting participants. I knew it was going to be tough because the men I wanted to interview weren’t used to talking about their emotions, let alone to a stranger asking about mental health.”
Once Jezebelle got over the initial hurdles, her research led to some revealing results.
“Some of the participants told me that they’re open about their emotions with their moms, but not with their dads. So there were clear trends about the gender roles in households,” she shared.
For other students interested in pursuing undergraduate research, Jezebelle recommends: “Ask your major advisors if they have any research that’s going on that you can assist with. You’ll gain so much knowledge, experience for your resume and you’ll build connections with them!”
“Have timelines for yourself because it’s time consuming and takes a lot of brainpower and patience. Also, if you have the option to choose, do something your passionate about so it doesn’t get boring as you read through a lot of articles and find trends and patterns,” she added.
The importance of relationships
Now a first-generation college graduate with a bachelor’s degree to her name, Jezebelle is working in the healthcare field as a behavior technician and is considering a master’s degree in the future.
“One thing I am taking with me from college is to not be afraid to build connections,” she said. “As shy as I can be, I will be grateful for my mentors and advisors for reminding me to be myself and to make connections.”
Jezebelle graduated from Making Waves Academy and then joined Making Waves Education Foundation’s college and career success program, which provides scholarships and coaching through college.
“The amount of support I get from Making Waves is undefined and shaped me into the person I am today,” shared Jezebelle.
This article was written based off an interview between Jezebelle Maldonado and Elaine Fernandez Bravo, a fellow Wave-Maker alum, UC Davis graduate, and former marketing and storytelling intern at Making Waves.
