ORPHANED at five and raised in and out of Jamaica’s State care system, 26-year-old Latanya Williams is now on the cusp of becoming a dentist. In her final year of a Doctor of Medical Dentistry degree programme, she is determined to be the first in her family to enter the medical field — and prove that a person’s origins do not define his/her destiny.

Williams shared that she grew up in the foster care system and was placed with two families before later entering State care at around 13 years old. She said she’s resided at five different children’s homes across the island, before eventually being placed in a transitional living programme at 19 years old.

Though she did not grow up with the traditional family structure, Williams insists that the people who entered her life and offered guidance, mentorship and support became her family.

Now, she’s seeking to give back to her community, all while hoping to inspire youth in State care to dream big.

“I’ve always wanted to heal people just as the many people who came into my life…touched me and healed me. It’s not necessarily like I was physically sick, but I did not have parents and that support system that I needed. They came into my life and they provided that, and they didn’t have to. They didn’t know me from anywhere, but they did that for me, and because of the help that I got, I want to help others,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

Latanya Williams is a final-year student at the University of Technology, Jamaica, pursuing a Doctor of Medical Dentistry degree programme.

“Doing my clinicals in school and volunteering at the different health fairs and the different hospitals…I get to see the day-to-day, regular people just going about their day, and you see where dentistry comes into their life. You never know how much it helps to ease someone’s pain, whether they were having a toothache, they didn’t like their smile, or even if you give someone their first cleaning in 20 years. It gives you a sense of purpose.

“Even though the degree is taking longer than anticipated, whether it be financial reasons or whatever, the drive that I get, I may get tired, but I never get tired of it,” said Williams.

She credits the transitional living programme with helping her prepare for life beyond State care. The programme is primarily aimed at youth exiting State care or vulnerable young adults needing support to achieve independence. Williams said she left the programme when she was 21 years old.

The young woman shared that through the programme she was taught practical life skills, including budgeting, obtaining a driver’s licence and understanding matters relating to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) — all experiences she was grateful to have.

The 26-year-old said she also received financial assistance, where possible, as well as counselling and mentorship support through the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA). Additionally, she received help through scholarships to fund her educational dreams.

Among the people who played a significant role in her development was Justice Sonia Linton, who taught her the value of education.

“With her, every week you had to read a book, and you had to give her a full report about the book. At the time, I really hated it, but having grown up, I can say that it has shaped me…Being in an environment like that, it rubbed off on me. She would always tell me, ‘Latanya, you have a lot of potential; you just need to put your head to it, be consistent, and don’t give up.’ She’s always been a big inspiration for me, and in everything I will always remember her. The fact that she was a woman and she achieved so much, I knew that anything was possible,” said Williams.

The first in her family to attend medical school, she said one of her greatest motivations is breaking generational cycles. She noted that both her mother and grandmother had children at a young age, a pattern she has already broken. She said, too, that her mother was also an orphan and while that is not a cycle she is guaranteed to break, she intends to create a stable family foundation for her children when the time comes, making sure to take care of her health.

Among the accomplishments she’s most proud of is her acceptance into the Youth Parliament, where she represented St Andrew South Eastern. She added that she was also highlighted for her efforts to build a community garden at a home at which she resided while in the transitional living programme, a project she hopes to bring to the community in which she now resides.

Williams said she has already identified land and is in talks with the National Land Agency and the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) to develop the project.

She also dreams of opening her own dental practice, and plans to give back to individuals who cannot afford dental care through her services.

“I feel very thankful because there are people who have been in my situation and they didn’t make it out. I am always very thankful, even though there was always the feeling of missing out on having that maternal bond, paternal bond, but I was always thankful because of how far I have come, especially in terms of my education,” said Williams.

She has also learnt to view the difficult periods of her life as part of the journey rather than a reason to stop.

“I like to think about the fact that an object in motion always stays in motion, just like the laws of physics. I like to apply that to my life. I always heard this famous saying that if you’re going to hell, why would you stop and stay there? You have to go through it. The only way out is through.

“I see amazing women all the time. Ever since I was young, I’ve always wanted to be an amazing woman to some girl out there. I will be a first-generation doctor and, not to sound cliché, but it will mean the world to me. I come from a line of women who don’t see the ninth grade, much less having an interview talking about dental school, and so it’s a demanding programme, but anything worth having is worth fighting for,” she told the Sunday Observer.

As she prepares to enter the profession, she said she hopes her story will encourage another child in State care to believe that their circumstances are not the final chapter of their story.

“If they [read] my story, I just want to say to them that, ‘You can make it out and the support is there, but you have to ask for it as well’,” she encouraged.