S3G Advisors NextGen Scholarship

From the moment my family arrived in the United States as refugees, healthcare became a labyrinth of unspoken rules and hidden barriers. I remember watching my mother's hands tremble as she filled out endless forms in a language she barely understood, seeing the confusion in my grandmother's eyes when doctors dismissed her traditional remedies as superstition, and feeling the weight of responsibility when I had to translate medical terms at age twelve that even I didn't fully comprehend. These experiences revealed a truth that would become my life's work: the American healthcare system, while advanced in many ways, systematically fails immigrant communities through a combination of linguistic isolation, cultural misunderstanding, and structural inequity. The problem I've become obsessed with solving goes beyond mere access to care, it's about transforming the entire experience of healthcare for populations who currently navigate it with fear, confusion, and far too often, preventable suffering. My obsession crystallized during a single heartbreaking night in the emergency room with my diabetic uncle. His blood sugar had spiraled out of control, but he'd avoided treatment until collapse because he feared the cost and didn't understand his medication instructions. As I watched the nurses work to save him, I noticed how their frustration at his "noncompliance" melted into compassion when I explained he couldn't read the English dosage instructions. That moment revealed the chasm between healthcare providers and immigrant patients—not due to malice, but to a system not designed for true cross-cultural care. The statistics paint a grim picture: Limited English proficiency patients experience significantly higher rates of medical errors, immigrants utilize preventative care at dramatically lower rates, and chronic conditions like hypertension and diabetes run rampant in our communities not because we don't care about our health, but because the system hasn't cared enough to make health understandable and accessible to us. What drives my passion is the knowledge that these barriers are solvable with the right combination of cultural competence, systemic advocacy, and community empowerment. As a nursing student, I'm already working to bridge these gaps by volunteering as a medical interpreter and developing visual medication guides that transcend language barriers. But my vision extends far beyond individual interactions. I dream of reforming intake procedures to be truly multilingual, creating training programs that teach providers not just medical terminology but cultural humility, and ultimately establishing community health centers where patients aren't just treated but truly understood. The path won't be easy, it requires challenging entrenched systems and confronting uncomfortable truths about healthcare inequity, but every time I see a elderly Somali woman light up because I greeted her in our shared language, or watch relief wash over a father's face when he finally understands his child's treatment plan, I know this is the work I was born to do. This scholarship would provide not just financial support, but validation that our community's health matters, that our voices deserve to be heard in hospitals and clinics as much as in our homes, and that the next generation of immigrant families might navigate healthcare with confidence rather than fear. That possibility of transforming a system that currently excludes into one that truly heals is what gets me out of bed for 6am clinicals and keeps me studying late into the night. Our communities have survived so much; we deserve healthcare that helps us thrive.

The problem I’m most passionate about solving is healthcare inequality in underserved and immigrant communities—a crisis I’ve lived through and committed to confronting. I dream of building solutions that bridge the gap between medical institutions and marginalized people—solutions rooted in cultural competence, compassion, and accessibility. I first realized the urgency of this issue as a child growing up in a working-class Mexican-American household in Chicago. My family, Indigenous Amuzgo and proud, often avoided going to the doctor. Not because they didn’t care about their health—but because healthcare wasn’t designed for people like us. My parents didn’t speak fluent English. We didn’t have consistent insurance. I remember interpreting for my mother at medical appointments as a young teen, feeling the burden of a system that ignored people like her. I knew then that healthcare should not be a privilege—but a right that meets every person where they are. As I matured, my frustration with the healthcare system transformed into action. I took on the role of President of the Future Health Professionals Club at Northeastern Illinois University, where I organize health education events and mentorship opportunities for students from low-income and immigrant backgrounds. I also co-founded the Islas-Muñoz Foundations, a nonprofit dedicated to mentoring Latino youth in Chicago through college prep workshops and motivational outreach. Most recently, I was selected as a ChicagoCHEC Fellow at Northwestern University, a cancer research and health equity program that deepened my understanding of how race, class, and geography intersect with access to care. These experiences have shown me the transformative power of action, and I am inspired to continue making a difference. This summer, I’ll travel to Burundi, Africa, on a fully funded medical service trip to assist in healthcare outreach and learn from international physicians. For someone who once lacked access, contributing to global solutions is humbling and empowering. I’ve also launched a small cleaning business, JM Building Cleaning Services, LLC, to help support my education and family—proving that even with limited means, there’s always a way forward. I’m triple-majoring in Human Resource Development, Psychology, and Pre-Medicine with a Spanish minor. I envision opening a bilingual community clinic that offers affordable primary care, mental health services, and preventative education for immigrant and low-income families. I want to create the safe, respectful, and inclusive space I wish my family had. My aspiration is not just to become a doctor, but to revolutionize the healthcare experience. This is not just a passion, it’s deeply personal. It’s my purpose. And I am unwavering in my commitment to making healthcare a system that serves everyone equally.