As a first-generation Latina who has decided to pursue a master's degree in Social Work, I find it an honoring but lonely process. Being proud of my roots and heritage, I came to embody a part of my culture, representing the community and serving others. Therefore, being away from my family and pursuing a dream is difficult. However, due to my experiences working at nonprofits, I began to experience internalized oppression along the way. I started doubting myself and acting out of fear, feeling like I didn't belong there and criticizing myself.
When I started working with Latino Youth, I observed that many were also experiencing internalized oppression, which has manifested into symptoms of depression, anxiety, self-harming, and physical fights. These youth often feel detached from their parents and culture due to confusion about their identity. I noticed that this issue was not always consciously done but unconsciously exhibited due to Latinos in the United States adopting beliefs and customs to fit in and assimilate into the dominant social group for reasons like feeling accepted and meeting one of the most fundamental needs.
I started to notice that Latinos encounter internalized oppression when they believe, act, and apply certain beliefs of the dominant group to themselves when they adopt the ideological beliefs of the privileged group, conscience or unconsciously, they accept the condition of subordination as something natural, which becomes in self-hatred, judgment, and criticism toward themselves, and having fear-based reactions.
The experiences of each generation related to systemic racism often shape and have critically shaped the beliefs and self-image of people who are oppressed by the policies, institutions, and interpersonal interactions that perpetuate racism and harm people of color. It is an aggravating and impotent situation that due to our history around segregation of groups (in this case, the oppression of Latinos), we currently have to not only fight for the equity of the systems here in the United States but also fight with our own beliefs and our own internalized oppression. Since I am a Latina, I can also relate to the thoughts, feelings, and beliefs that result from the challenges listed above.
This scholarship will enable me to finish my studies and have a more significant impact on my community by addressing these beliefs individually and continuing to work with Latino and Latino youth. I will be able to empower Latinos through mental health treatment and psychoeducation and by helping the Latino community recognize the strength and healing power of their culture. Everyone can change this belief system by claiming their place and feeling proud of their heritage, history, culture, traditions, and values.
As a Latina of Mexican descent, I witnessed several cultural stressors and mental health-related concerns within my community. I found that those around me were reluctant to discuss topics related to mental health. My interest in behavioral health was inevitable after my older brother was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at fifteen. Latine communities often view mental health concerns as taboo, which made it challenging to find proper care for my brother, and obtaining efficacious treatment took nearly six years. Had treatment been more accessible for my brother, he would have been diagnosed and treated much sooner and could have enjoyed his early adolescent years.
Destigmatizing mental health conditions can make treatment more accessible to the public and encourage help-seeking behavior. During my undergraduate career at Texas Tech University (TTU), I sought opportunities to learn about the science behind mental health conditions and healthcare. I took a variety of psychology courses for my major and courses for my minor in addictive disorders and recovery studies (ADRS). I was a Latinx Mental Health and Resiliency (LMHR) lab member and worked closely with Dr. Brandy Piña-Watson. Through my involvement in the LMHR lab, I learned about the mental health disparities among Mexican descent college students and adolescents, such as anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and alcohol use issues.
In 2019, I began my Ph.D. program in counseling psychology at TTU. While working toward my Ph.D., I have participated in eight clinical externships that have set an excellent foundation for me to provide efficacious treatment as a future psychologist. Through my externships, I have worked with historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with SMI diagnoses, low socioeconomic populations, individuals experiencing homelessness, clients with intellectual disabilities, elderly adults, and individuals from rural areas. Through my externship experiences and graduate courses, I have learned that cultural competence is not a destination that one can arrive at. It is a lifelong process to make a good clinician. Practicing cultural humility is not simply a therapeutic “tool,” but a lens clinicians use for an individualized and integrative approach.
My experience with my older brother and his mental health journey impacted how I view healthcare services. It is imperative to broaden access to mental health services with the aim of recovery and improving the lives of those who need our help. I am committed to expanding access to mental healthcare. I plan to do this with advocacy, research, and utilizing cultural humility in clinical practice. I hope to become a counseling psychologist in a hospital or integrative primary care setting. I believe a career within a healthcare setting will allow me to provide mental health services to underserved populations. Ultimately, I aim to work as a director of mental health services, which would allow me to create opportunities to increase equitable healthcare access.
By attending TTU, I have access to several impactful clinical training and educational experiences. The research I am a part of has contributed to the de-stigmatization of mental health in the Latine community. I plan to seek opportunities where I can learn more about mental health and integrated healthcare. In graduate school, I am faced with financial challenges in pursuing a doctoral degree. Due to the rigor of the program, I am not able to hold external employment. Receiving the Amplifying Latinx Voices will greatly assist in my future goal to become a culturally sensitive psychologist who provides evidence-based care within an integrative healthcare setting. I would be extraordinarily grateful and honored to receive the Amplifying Latinx Voices as it would help ameliorate the financial stress related to attending graduate school.
