Daily Inspiration: Meet Cristal Ortiz

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cristal Ortiz

Hi Cristal, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My name is Cristal Ortiz. I am 21 years old and was born and raised in Sampson County, NC. I am a college student majoring in Neuroscience and minoring in Chemistry at Duke University. I am a content creator and have partnerships with brands such as Bulk Supplements and C4 Energy; I have my brand, Cristal, and my rental subscription service, Cristall Clothes. Growing up, I was inspired by my hardworking parents and was taught that hard work will get you where you need to be. I graduated from Clinton High School in 2021 Summa Cum Laude and am attending Duke University on an entire ride. During high school, I would post content consistently, even though the audience was sub 10k followers on Instagram; once I got to college, I started to take content creation as a side hustle more seriously and managed to grow my platform over the next three years. I currently have about 120k followers as a junior in college. I focus on clothes, working out, and everyday college life. It has been a trial-and-error situation in which I managed to be a full-time student, working and attending extracurricular events such as clubs and volunteering. Still, one thing is sure: where there is a will, there is a way. Along the way, I have picked up projects and skills that have honed my ability for future use.

Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Being a content creator–amongst other things, has not been a smooth road. Keeping up with content, projects, and brand partnerships can sometimes be challenging. It has taken detailed scheduling and focus to balance everything; at the beginning of my college years, I was overwhelmed, but I have now reached a nice balance that works well for me.

I appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My everyday life has mostly been me as a college student on the pre-med track. I am a Neuroscience major, so I love everything about the brain and the nervous system. As a college student, I am also a social media creator and create content that spans fitness, exercise, and everyday life.

I am most proud of where I come from. My family has Mexican roots, and we focus on working hard. My family is my pride and joy; all my hard work goes to them. What sets me apart from others is that I am passionate about getting things done and will ensure things get done. I also have the credentials to prove this.

I hold an Associate’s in Arts from Sampson Community College (2021) and have been a certified Spanish Interpreter since Spring 2020. A Summa Cum Laude graduate from Clinton High School in 2021, I secured a full-ride scholarship to Duke. I am a Cardea Fellow and QuestBridge scholar at Duke, serving as Co-Vice President of the Duke QuestBridge Chapter. I direct Patient Advocacy at the Duke Help Desk in the Emergency Department and am Co-Publicity Chair for the Duke Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students. During my early college years, I researched at the Duke Lemur Center and later undertook primate brain mapping at Boyer Lab in the spring of 2023. I contribute research to the Bass Connections Team: Spine Surgery Recovery Navigators. Actively engaged in the Durham community, I volunteer to teach Neuroscience to 2nd-5th graders through the Duke Neurocare Community and Education Outreach committee. I also have experience in creating digital content. My current job is as a graphic designer for Duke Student Affairs. I wrote a blog and created the zine “Femicidio: The Shadow Pandemic.” I collaborated in writing the zine “In Solidarity” and was editor and designer for Duke Journal of Health Equity (2022-2023).

What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I was timid and reserved. I still am at times, but I am more extroverted now. As a kid, I did not learn to speak English until the age of 7, so adapting to a new world was challenging and a new feat to accomplish at a young age. From then on, I was focused on reading and learning as much English as possible. I read so much that at 10/11, I had reached the most AR reading points in my grade. This was exciting; it opened doors of opportunity in the academic setting and focused on excelling in academics.

In middle school, exposure to math and science project fairs at East Carolina University opened my eyes to finding joy in the sciences. In middle school, I read an issue of National Geographic in January 2015 that highlighted the first year of the human brain, which significantly impacted me. It inspired me to look more into neuroscience and the opportunities it could bring forth. I had a great mentor in high school who believed in my capabilities and what I could achieve when applying to college. Now, I study neuroscience and am excited to learn something new daily. I will graduate next year with a Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience.

I look forward to continuing to work and pursuing a career in the medical field. I am now dedicated to achieving goals, loving to learn something new every day while cherishing people and moments. I appreciate every new day to come, and I look forward to making every day count. I am a woman of faith and grateful to God for all the blessings and hardships. Without Him, I would not be here. To end this interview, I would like to add a verse that has been a source of strength. Isaiah 6:8, “I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.” Thank you, Voyage, for having me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://cristalortiz.godaddysites.com/?blog=y
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cristal._.ortiz/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8HvVMUXb7EIBXL4bBCjGUA