Genesis Maria Sorrick - 2024 Graduate Hood Recipient

Genesis Sorrick - Master of Arts, Philosophy

Genesis Sorrick gave birth to her first child amidst the chaos of COVID-19, the eerie orange sky from raging wildfires, and protests against police brutality. Inspired to understand the world better and envision a brighter future for her daughter, she decided to return to college and complete her B.A. in Philosophy at SF State.

Later, during Sorrick’s first semester as a Philosophy graduate student at SF State, she began to experience excruciating pain and debilitating neurological symptoms. She channeled her energy into understanding her experience and found solace in her studies. She wrote brilliant research papers, contributed insightfully to discussions, and worked conscientiously as a teaching assistant while maintaining a 4.0 grade-point average. Living with chronic pain led Sorrick to her thesis: a remarkably original, meticulously researched and highly persuasive account of medical gaslighting.

Sorrick’s journey has been shaped by additional obstacles. She is Mexican-born and the first in her family to complete a college degree. Also, as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, she came out in a primarily conservative town. Rather than dissuade her from pursuing her dreams, these experiences helped Sorrick develop the strength and tenacity she needed to thrive at SF State, raise her children and live with chronic pain. She is a remarkable person, strongly committed to enacting
positive change as a philosopher and mother