In my community, there is a noticeable lack of hispanic involvement in the healthcare system, making it difficult for the older generations who struggle with their English to receive proper medical or dental care. I want to use my background as a first generation, future college graduate with a degree in dental hygiene to help those who struggle to give trust in healthcare workers. Receiving my degree in four years will enable me to start my own clinic here in the WYCO area and truly focus on bettering the trust between a healthcare professional and a patient. These struggles within the community of having a lack of hispanic involvement in the healthcare system, come from the patients lack of experience with receiving care.

I received the chance to work as a pharmacy technician for 1 year from the beginning of my junior year to the start of my senior year and in my entire time there, I was the only Spanish speaking technician. This experience for me was crucial in helping me decide what I ultimately wanted to do when I graduated college. I had the opportunity to see firsthand the fear hispanic people had when paying a visit to the pharmacy. They were scared. I could hear their struggles to speak in English and when I offered to speak in Spanish with them, they always gave a large sigh of relief. That sigh of relief is what I want to give my community. 

I want to help others feel welcome and confident in my capabilities to receive the proper help they need to remain healthy and live long and comfortable lives. Apart from dental care, I want to partner with a hispanic physician to ensure my patients can trust in the both of us to properly receive help. My 2 older sisters and I, all have decided to go into careers that help people. My older sister is in her second year of medical school and is on her way to becoming a physician. My 2nd oldest is graduating this may and will be an elementary school teacher. I have two wonderful examples of genuine people in my life who have and will continue to dedicate their lives to helping others and I want nothing more than to follow in their footsteps. My older sister and I have always thought of creating our own clinic together and we plan to make this dream come true no matter what life will throw at us.

We have an endless amount of gratitude for our parents, both my mother and father have quite literally given us everything. They have given us every possible opportunity to dream big in this world. I am able to have these high expectations for myself because I have the best support system right at home. My father has always told us stories of his hometown in Mexico being absolutely nothing compared to the WYCO area. We may not have the prettiest of things but he has always made it clear to us that as a child this community was his dream. Now it has become our reality which leads to all of us wanting to make it a better place and continue to provide amazing opportunities for people. The first generation hispanic community has endlessly worked for this area to thrive with their constant innovations within the business world but it’s time for someone to take care of them and their health to make sure they can watch the younger generations continue their greatness. I have a passion for helping others and receiving my college education will help take me one step closer to bettering my community which has given me so much. I am grateful and proud of where I come from and I want to give back and continue to provide resources for my community to ensure everyone may continue to succeed and receive proper care in their lives, without being afraid.