After graduating from the University of Southern California's Master in Healthcare Administration program, I plan on applying to top PhD health policy programs in the country. This award will allow me to lessen financial stress while I continue my program as a first-generation, low-income graduate student. I moved to California to begin my college career during the pandemic and alone while figuring out the journey. I almost had my college career cut short with a 2.2 GPA as I balanced working full time, taking 18 units, being involved on and off campus and dealing with issues going on back home. After a year, I brought my GPA to a 3.1 and decided to continue my education and apply to MHA programs. I am currently the Digital Democracy Outreach for Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, Price Ambassador at USC, Co-President for the Latinx Graduate Student Association, Co-Director of Social Programming for the Price Latinx Student Association, Research Assistant for USC Dornsife Center for Economic and Social Research (CESR) and the Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics. I am on the Communications Committee for ACHE since January. I have also received some scholarships at USC, such as the Latino Alumni Scholarship, Norman Topping Fellow, and the Price Stutter Minority Graduate Fellowship in Health Administration. I am also a 2024 Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholar and California Latino Legislative Caucus Foundation Scholarship Recipient, to which 834 applicants across California apply, and only 76 recipients are chosen. My goals align with ACHE of SoCal's purpose and objectives because of how I plan on using my education to give back to my community. Ensuring my community has access to quality care and advancing my healthcare leadership excellence are just two of the goals I have for myself. Community service is vital for me and have shown this in work I have done with my communities in Nashville and Los Angeles. I hope to one day have a PhD in health policy from a top 10 program in the country where I can then take the skills and education back to my community. I would love to work alongside policy makers to advocate for the Latinx, immigrant, LGBTQ+, low-income communities to guarantee the healthcare we all deserve. Policy work is my passion and would love to continue my work in the years to come. As someone who grew up low-income, with a single mom, Mexican and openly gay in Nashville, I would have never believed I would be in a masters program at 22 and dreaming of one day having a PhD. ACHE is a professional society for healthcare leaders who are committed to improving health, and with my third year of being active within the organization, I believe my goals definitely align with the organization's purpose and objectives. People who come from my background need to take positions that were not made for us to advocate for those who can not advocate for themselves and assuring everyone has access to quality healthcare.