What is your hometown? Baldwin Park, CA

What colleges did you attend? Degrees earned? UC Irvine - B.S. in Political Science
Arizona State University - M.S. in Secondary Education
UC Los Angeles- Ed.D. in Educational Leadership

What motivated you to go to college? I wanted to go through the entire educational pipeline so that my younger family members would know that it was possible.

Describe your college experience as first-generation. There were times that were exciting, but there were a lot of times that I felt I did not belong in these elite spaces. It was challenging to navigate such complicated systems too.

What unique challenges did you face? I faced the challenge of having to work multiple jobs to support myself throughout college. Also, I had to work through imposter syndrome.

How did you overcome those challenges? I found networks where I was supported and sought out mentors that I could trust and respect.

What did you advise other first-generation students? I highly advise first-gen students to plug into a community where you can be yourself, decompress, and get supported. Going through the educational pipeline is not easy, but with hard work, mentors, and perseverance it is possible.