What is your hometown? La Puente, CA

What colleges did you attend? Degrees earned? Mt. San Antonio College: AA-T in Sociology, AA in Social and Behavioral Sciences
UC Irvine: BA in Chicano Latino Studies, Minor in Sociology

What motivated you to go to college? My parents have always been my motivation, the reasons why I did continue my education.

Describe your college experience as first-generation. I had no idea what I was doing, I did not know what my end goal was, the WHY I was in school. When I found community and I knew what it meant to get an educational, I felt that I became unstoppable. My family started understanding, and my community started watering me.

What unique challenges did you face? Not knowing what I wanted to really do in college, and also navigating all of this, while being the first in my family to go to college.

How did you overcome those challenges? I found my support programs, I found my friends, my mentors, all that where able to give me the strength I needed to know WHY I was in this education world.

What did you advise other first-generation students? Echenle ganas, you are meant to be where you are supposed to be at. Do not be afraid to ask questions, explore every option. Take care of yourself.