My name is Andrea Bautista Rangel, and I am attending Bastyr University's Master of Science in Midwifery program. I am a first-generation Mexican-American woman. Growing up, I was always fascinated by pregnancy, birth, and children. I could often be found holding my ear to a pregnant woman’s belly or volunteering to hold a new baby. As I grew older, I loved listening to the birth stories and experiences of the people around me. It was then that I realized that what should be a beautiful and empowering moment for many can instead feel fearful and voiceless. For my own mother, who grew up surrounded by natural birthing practices, the experience was shaped by pressure and loss of agency. She was persuaded to receive an epidural she didn’t want and now faces daily pain as a result. Seeing her experience made me realize how critical it is for birthing individuals to feel empowered, informed, and heard throughout their pregnancies and births to have care that honors their choices and values.I didn’t always know I wanted to become a midwife. At six, I dreamed of being a zookeeper, and by twelve, I aspired to be a psychologist. However, one thing has always remained constant: a deep-seated desire to help others. Whether I was helping my dad care for an injured animal on the farm or assisting a child at my daycare in putting on their coat for the first time, I found deep joy and purpose in service. Over the years, that desire has grown into something more. My undergraduate degree is in Kinesiology with an emphasis in pre-healthcare. Originally, I planned to pursue a career in physical therapy, but I realized I wanted a deeper connection with patients and a broader scope of care. I discovered midwifery through my own culture, where low-intervention birthing practice is greatly valued. As I researched, I discovered how many individuals had traumatic births in the hospital but later had birthed with midwives and appreciated the respect, attentiveness, and empowerment. I hope to provide that same level of care to my future patients, especially those in underserved or bilingual communities. As a first-generation Mexican-American student, my passion for medicine and midwifery comes from a place deep in my heart, a desire to make quality Obstetrics care accessible for all. Many individuals lack access to healthcare or avoid seeking it due to feeling unwelcome or misunderstood in environments that don’t reflect their culture or language. I want to serve my community not only by making midwifery more accessible but also by using my bilingualism to bridge the gap between care providers and patients. I want to be able to serve a wider community of individuals by providing care both in English and in Spanish because everyone deserves to have their perfect birth. My goal is to ensure that every birthing person feels seen, respected, and empowered in one of life’s most beautiful and difficult experiences.

My name is Andrea Bautista Rangel. I am a Latinx first-generation future college student. I didn't always want to be a doctor, actually, I wanted to be a professional dancer up until middle school when I fell in love with medicine and how vast and changing it is. I hope to major either in kinesiology or biology and become a physician. My parents and my community are everything to me and they drive me toward my goals. My parents immigrated from Mexico, and my dad owns a small business, so he does not have Health insurance. Most of my extended family is in similar situations. I grew up watching them invalidate their illness to avoid going to a doctor since the American healthcare system is not affordable. My father works eight hours a day, seven days a week, and about ten years ago, he tore his meniscus while working. When he went to the doctor, he said he would need surgery as it was a complete tear and was wearing down his knee. He would have to take two months off of work to recover. Taking two months off was not an option for my dad; he is the sole provider for my family and cannot afford to take time off or pay for the surgery in general. I think this is a situation many Americans find themselves in, put between their health and money. Not only is money an issue but racial disparities. According to the American Bar Association, “NAM found that “racial and ethnic minorities receive lower-quality health care than white people—even when insurance status, income, age, and severity of conditions are comparable.” POC are not taken as seriously as their white counterparts. I want to become a Doctor to combat these traumas and issues in our community. I will advocate for affordable/free healthcare because everyone deserves access to healthcare. I also hope that becoming a doctor will add more diversity to the healthcare field and that more kids can see a doctor who looks like them. If I could do anything with my life I would own my own naturopathic-based practice where I could hire other healthcare providers to offer different specialties to the patients. My goal in life is to help advocate for and help make healthcare free and if not that more affordable so anyone can visit a doctor without stress about money. The STEM field changes from day to day. There are so many different jobs and areas of work that I have a daily conflict with myself about which healthcare field to enter. I love the hands-on and personal work of nursing but also the more rigorous side of being a doctor. As a young woman who will be a future doctor of color who also suffers from an Anxiety disorder, I would have a different and empathetic view when interacting with my patients. I strive to give the most unbiased, open-minded, and educated perspective to the healthcare field. I think all doctors need to have a deeper understanding of mental health and how to treat it.

My leg bounced under the dinner table endlessly. I had always been an anxious child, my mind racing with thought. No one ever thought anything of it, didnt bat and eye, little did they know I had high-functioning anxiety. On the outside I was organized, self-sufficient, driven and a people pleaser. Internally, I was crumbling, over producing unrealistic thoughts and constantly overanalyzing my every move. My family brushed off my anxious habits as quirks, “different” is how they would describe me. Anxiety can present in a variety of ways. For me as a child that was in routine and sensory. I couldn't stand the feeling of a loose shirt, so much it would send me into a full blown panic attack. If I was in a new place, with an abundance of people, the night after the event I would wake up in a cold sweat having a panic attack. Panic attacke, after panic attack but still managed to look typical on the outside. I was teaching myself how to be the perfect camaflouger, conceal dont let it show. I plan to attend UW to major in Psychology and apply to med school to become a Family Physician with a minor in ethnic studies or social justice. I want to be a psychology major to have the education to help my future clients with mental health struggles. You may wonder why I am choosing to be a psychology major despite my GAD. I think all doctors need to have a deeper understanding of mental health and how to treat it. I have had excellent doctors, but when I got diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, I wish I could have had more support and an explanation from my physician. At the beginning of my diagnosis, I felt very alone while speaking with my therapists because they couldn’t relate to what I was going through. Finding out they had similar mental health issues when they were young made me feel more seen and understood, so I hope to do the same with my clients as a doctor. When you go to a doctor searching for mental health treatment, they ask you to fill out a 5-question paper, prescribe an SSRI, and send you on your way. I want to work more closely with my patient to give the best care possible and give as much support before transferring them to a psychiatrist/therapist. In the Latinx community, mental health is not always taken seriously and can be written off as “laziness” or just ignored overall. I want to be able to support my future clients, treat them and educate their guardians on mental health.POC are not taken as seriously as their white counterparts. I want to become a Doctor to combat these traumas and issues in our community. I will advocate for affordable/free healthcare because everyone deserves access to healthcare. I also hope that becoming a doctor will add more diversity to the healthcare field and that more kids can see a doctor who looks like them.

My parents immigrated from Mexico, and my dad owns a small business, so he does not have Health insurance. Most of my extended family is in similar situations. I grew up watching them invalidate their illness to avoid going to a doctor since the American healthcare system is not affordable. My father works eight hours a day, seven days a week, and about ten years ago, he tore his meniscus while working. When he went to the doctor, he said he would need surgery as it was a complete tear and was wearing down his knee. He would have to take two months off of work to recover. Taking two months off was not an option for my dad; he is the sole provider for my family and cannot afford to take time off or pay for the surgery in general. I think this is a situation many Americans find themselves in, put between their health and money. Not only is money an issue but racial disparities. According to the American Bar Association, “NAM found that “racial and ethnic minorities receive lower-quality health care than white people—even when insurance status, income, age, and severity of conditions are comparable.” POC are not taken as seriously as their white counterparts. I want to become a Doctor to combat these traumas and issues in our community. I was also drawn to work in the healthcare field because when I was 14 years old I was diagnosed with GAD(Generalized Anxiety Disorder). Coming from a Hispanic background my parents at times were unsure how to help me as people who came from a country where mental health was not prioritized. I think all doctors need to have a deeper understanding of mental health and how to treat it. I have had excellent doctors, but when I got diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, I wish I could have had more support and an explanation from my physician. At the beginning of my diagnosis, I felt very alone while speaking with my therapists because they couldn’t relate to what I was going through. Finding out they had similar mental health issues when they were young made me feel more seen and understood, so I hope to do the same with my clients as a doctor. When you go to a doctor searching for mental health treatment, they ask you to fill out a 5-question paper, prescribe an SSRI, and send you on your way. I want to work more closely with my patient to give the best care possible and give as much support before transferring them to a psychiatrist/therapist. In the Latinx community, mental health is not always taken seriously and can be written off as “laziness” or just ignored overall. I want to be able to support my future clients, treat them and educate their guardians on mental health. I will advocate for affordable/free healthcare because everyone deserves access to healthcare. As a first-generation Mexican American student who plans on studying medicine, a white-dominated area of study, My goal in the future is to bring variety to the healthcare field so other Women of Color can see someone who looks like them working a white-collar job.

1. My name is Andrea Bautista Rangel. I am a Latinx first-generation future college student. I didn't always want to be a doctor, actually, I wanted to be a professional dancer up until middle school when I fell in love with medicine and how vast and changing it is. I hope to major either in kinesiology or biology and become a physician. My parents and my community are everything to me and they drive me toward my goals. My parents immigrated from Mexico, and my dad owns a small business, so he does not have Health insurance. Most of my extended family is in similar situations. I grew up watching them invalidate their illness to avoid going to a doctor since the American healthcare system is not affordable. My father works eight hours a day, seven days a week, and about ten years ago, he tore his meniscus while working. When he went to the doctor, he said he would need surgery as it was a complete tear and was wearing down his knee. He would have to take two months off of work to recover. Taking two months off was not an option for my dad; he is the sole provider for my family and cannot afford to take time off or pay for the surgery in general. I think this is a situation many Americans find themselves in, put between their health and money. Not only is money an issue but racial disparities. According to the American Bar Association, “NAM found that “racial and ethnic minorities receive lower-quality health care than white people—even when insurance status, income, age, and severity of conditions are comparable.” POC are not taken as seriously as their white counterparts. I want to become a Doctor to combat these traumas and issues in our community. I will advocate for affordable/free healthcare because everyone deserves access to healthcare. I also hope that becoming a doctor will add more diversity to the healthcare field and that more kids can see a doctor who looks like them. If I could do anything with my life I would own my own naturopathic-based practice where I could hire other healthcare providers to offer different specialties to the patients. My goal in life is to help advocate for and help make healthcare free and if not that more affordable so anyone can visit a doctor without stress about money. 2. The STEM field changes from day to day. There are so many different jobs and areas of work that I have a daily conflict with myself about which healthcare field to enter. I love the hands-on and personal work of nursing but also the more rigorous side of being a doctor. As a young woman who will be a future doctor of color who also suffers from an Anxiety disorder, I would have a different and empathetic view when interacting with my patients. I think all doctors need to have a deeper understanding of mental health and how to treat it. At the beginning of my diagnosis, I felt very alone while speaking with my therapists because they couldn’t relate to what I was going through. Finding out they had similar mental health issues when they were young made me feel more seen and understood, so I hope to do the same with my clients as a doctor. I want to work more closely with my patient to give the best care possible and give as much support before transferring them to a psychiatrist/therapist. I want to be able to support my future clients, treat them and educate their guardians on mental health. 3. It was a typical summer day for me. I finished cleaning the house and decided to play on my computer. While playing, I noticed something strange. My left eye kept twitching. I did not think about it too much and brushed it off as stress-induced since I had been applying for Running start classes. That evening when my sister got home from work, she recounted a bizarre story of something a student had done, which made me laugh. The left side of my lip drooped when I smiled; this was not normal. I scrambled for my phone and looked up my symptoms. Bells Palsy. The words were bright on my page. I shook my head. I was probably wrong and was jumping to conclusions, but I could not help but wonder. That night I went to say goodnight to my mom and "You are going to urgent care tomorrow, and we will figure this out but for now, go to bed, okay," my mom said calmly. The Next morning my sister informed me that she would come at 11 to take me to my appointment at Urgent Care. When 11 came, I was an anxious mess. "What brings you here today?". I wiped my tears as I walked back to the car. I had been right. Bell's palsy was facial weakness or paralysis that affected one part of the face and is thought to be caused by a viral infection in the ear. The doctor told me it was possible it could worsen but most likely go away in a month to a year. He prescribed me a week of antibiotics and artificial tears to keep my eye moist since it now would not close completely. I felt hopeless. I was worried about how people would treat me now that I had a visible illness and how it would affect my day-to-day life. I took my antibiotics for a week, took B12 vitamins, and did facial exercises. I did everything possible to help my recovery. After two weeks of my diagnosis, My Bells Palsey was gone entirely. We had caught it early enough and had it treated. Having Bells Palsy has taught me that sometimes life throws you a curveball, but you cannot do anything but run with it. Hard things happen in life, and you cannot control anything except how you react to it.

My name is Andrea Bautista and I am a 17 year old first Generation Mexican American student currently attending Green River Community College to complete my AA degree. I plan to attend UW to major in Psychology and apply to med school to become a Family Physician with a minor in ethnic studies or social justice. I want to be a psychology major to have the education to help my future clients with mental health struggles. You may wonder why I am choosing to be a psychology major despite my GAD. I think all doctors need to have a deeper understanding of mental health and how to treat it. I have had excellent doctors, but when I got diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, I wish I could have had more support and an explanation from my physician. At the beginning of my diagnosis, I felt very alone while speaking with my therapists because they couldn’t relate to what I was going through. Finding out they had similar mental health issues when they were young made me feel more seen and understood, so I hope to do the same with my clients as a doctor. When you go to a doctor searching for mental health treatment, they ask you to fill out a 5-question paper, prescribe an SSRI, and send you on your way. I want to work more closely with my patient to give the best care possible and give as much support before transferring them to a psychiatrist/therapist. In the Latinx community, mental health is not always taken seriously and can be written off as “laziness” or just ignored overall. I want to be able to support my future clients, treat them and educate their guardians on mental health. My parents immigrated from Mexico, and my dad owns a small business, so he does not have Health insurance. Most of my extended family is in similar situations. I grew up watching them invalidate their illness to avoid going to a doctor since the American healthcare system is not affordable. My father works eight hours a day, seven days a week, and about ten years ago, he tore his meniscus while working. When he went to the doctor, he said he would need surgery as it was a complete tear and was wearing down his knee. He would have to take two months off of work to recover. Taking two months off was not an option for my dad; he is the sole provider for my family and cannot afford to take time off or pay for the surgery in general. I think this is a situation many Americans find themselves in, put in between their health and money. Not only is money an issue but racial disparities. According to the American Bar Association, “NAM found that “racial and ethnic minorities receive lower-quality health care than white people—even when insurance status, income, age, and severity of conditions are comparable.” POC are not taken as seriously as their white counterparts. I want to become a Doctor to combat these traumas and issues in our community. I will advocate for affordable/free healthcare because everyone deserves access to healthcare. I also hope that becoming a doctor will add more diversity to the healthcare field and that more kids can see a doctor who looks like them.

My leg bounced under the dinner table endlessly. I had always been an anxious child, my mind racing with thought. No one ever thought anything of it, didnt bat and eye, little did they know I had high-functioning anxiety. On the outside I was organized, self-sufficient, driven and a people pleaser. Internally, I was crumbling, over producing unrealistic thoughts and constantly overanalyzing my every move. My family brushed off my anxious habits as quirks, “different” is how they would describe me. Anxiety can present in a variety of ways. For me as a child that was in routine and sensory. I couldn't stand the feeling of a loose shirt, so much it would send me into a full blown panic attack. If I was in a new place, with an abundance of people, the night after the event I would wake up in a cold sweat having a panic attack. Panic attacke, after panic attack but still managed to look typical on the outside. I was teaching myself how to be the perfect camaflouger, conceal dont let it show. I plan to attend UW to major in Psychology and apply to med school to become a Family Physician with a minor in ethnic studies or social justice. I want to be a psychology major to have the education to help my future clients with mental health struggles. You may wonder why I am choosing to be a psychology major despite my GAD. I think all doctors need to have a deeper understanding of mental health and how to treat it. I have had excellent doctors, but when I got diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, I wish I could have had more support and an explanation from my physician. At the beginning of my diagnosis, I felt very alone while speaking with my therapists because they couldn’t relate to what I was going through. Finding out they had similar mental health issues when they were young made me feel more seen and understood, so I hope to do the same with my clients as a doctor. When you go to a doctor searching for mental health treatment, they ask you to fill out a 5-question paper, prescribe an SSRI, and send you on your way. I want to work more closely with my patient to give the best care possible and give as much support before transferring them to a psychiatrist/therapist. In the Latinx community, mental health is not always taken seriously and can be written off as “laziness” or just ignored overall. I want to be able to support my future clients, treat them and educate their guardians on mental health.

I plan to attend UW to major in Psychology and apply to med school to become a Family Physician with a minor in ethnic studies or social justice. I want to be a psychology major to have the education to help my future clients with mental health struggles. You may wonder why I am choosing to be a psychology major despite my GAD. I think all doctors need to have a deeper understanding of mental health and how to treat it. I have had excellent doctors, but when I got diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, I wish I could have had more support and an explanation from my physician. At the beginning of my diagnosis, I felt very alone while speaking with my therapists because they couldn’t relate to what I was going through. Finding out they had similar mental health issues when they were young made me feel more seen and understood, so I hope to do the same with my clients as a doctor. When you go to a doctor searching for mental health treatment, they ask you to fill out a 5-question paper, prescribe an SSRI, and send you on your way. I want to work more closely with my patient to give the best care possible and give as much support before transferring them to a psychiatrist/therapist. In the Latinx community, mental health is not always taken seriously and can be written off as “laziness” or just ignored overall. I want to be able to support my future clients, treat them and educate their guardians on mental health. My parents immigrated from Mexico, and my dad owns a small business, so he does not have Health insurance. Most of my extended family is in similar situations. I grew up watching them invalidate their illness to avoid going to a doctor since the American healthcare system is not affordable. My father works eight hours a day, seven days a week, and about ten years ago, he tore his meniscus while working. When he went to the doctor, he said he would need surgery as it was a complete tear and was wearing down his knee. He would have to take two months off of work to recover. Taking two months off was not an option for my dad; he is the sole provider for my family and cannot afford to take time off or pay for the surgery in general. I think this is a situation many Americans find themselves in, put in between their health and money. Not only is money an issue but racial disparities. According to the American Bar Association, “NAM found that “racial and ethnic minorities receive lower-quality health care than white people—even when insurance status, income, age, and severity of conditions are comparable.” POC are not taken as seriously as their white counterparts. I want to become a Doctor to combat these traumas and issues in our community. I will advocate for affordable/free healthcare because everyone deserves access to healthcare. I also hope that becoming a doctor will add more diversity to the healthcare field and that more kids can see a doctor who looks like them. My goal in the future is to bring variety to the healthcare field so other Women of Color can see someone who looks like them working a white-collar job. I find that sometimes discrimination is bred out of a fear of the unknown,

Andrea Bautista. I was never fond of my name. If my name were a cupcake, it would be a vanilla cupcake with a singular cherry on top. Compared to my cousins, my name was always bland Crystal, Joselyn, and Jimena. All beautiful names were passed down to them, and I was plain old Andrea. I even remember when I was in 3rd grade, I decided I would change my name. I confidently marched up to my mom and declared my new name was Dawn. "How do you pronounce your name? Ann-drey-uh or on-drey-uh?". A question I was asked often by new people and most frequently substitute teachers in, which my whole class would yell "it's un-drey-uh!". I would always laugh when this happened, but when I thought about how do you pronounce my name? I went home and asked my mom. "Ahn-dray-uh(Andréa)," she answered swiftly. My name was soft in her mouth and rolled off the tongue. "My name," I thought. Finally, this felt familiar, not the old lady name my peers often called me. Now when people ask for my name, I can confidently say "its, Andréa." Names are our identities, and like identities, we have to put meaning and understanding into them. We find our name in the way we find ourselves. Andréa means brave, masculine, warrior, and courageous in many languages. Andrea is traditionally a European name which for a while made me sad. I felt like something was taken from me, but my name to me is what connects me to my history. "what would my name be if Spain hadn't colonized Mexico? Maybe Yaotl." I thought. I have grown to accept that it's just a part of me. Regardless my name is my keepsake, and I'm glad to hold such a beautiful name. I hope to live up to the definition of my name. I'm proud to hold the name that was once my great-great-grandmother—a petite woman with a strong character. I'd like to think she passed that down along with her name to me. Names are important. Your name holds your history and your parent's dreams. People call you by it, whether it's in a loving way or a rude one. Your name is sweeter in the mouth of someone dear to you than someone who hurt you saying it. Your name is like a limb, an extension of you. That is why names are important. They represent you.

I want to become a Doctor to combat traumas and issues in the hispanic community. I will advocate for affordable/free healthcare because everyone deserves access to healthcare. I also hope that becoming a doctor will add more diversity to the healthcare field and that more kids can see a doctor who looks like them.