“I was raised in Los Angeles, California and went to UC Davis where I studied Human Development & Chicano Studies. Before starting medical school at Loyola, I completed a post-baccalaureate program at UC San Diego and worked as a qualitative researcher examining student equity at a local community college. The journey and challenges of being a Latina in medicine have led me to discover my passion for mentorship, commitment to reducing inequity in the medical field and desire to create a sense of community. I have learned that the challenges of inequity and identity faced by predominantly first-generation minority students are often intertwined with mental health and this is what has inspired me to pursue Psychiatry this application cycle.”