Health disparities in the US are a persistent issue that disproportionately affect minority and low-income communities, resulting in worse health outcomes and greater suffering compared to their wealthier counterparts. These disparities do not only harm individuals – they strain entire systems and communities, and they reflect the deep-rooted societal injustices shaped by prejudice, bias, and systemic neglect. I first became aware of these inequities as I applied to medical school and realized how different my background was from most other applicants. As a member of multiple minority groups in the rural south, I have experienced firsthand the barriers that marginalized communities face within healthcare. At 10 just years old, I served as a child interpreter at my family’s doctor’s appointments because official interpreters were unavailable. Because of this barrier, most of our concerns were left unanswered and medical conditions weren’t ever fully explained. Specialty care was also over an hour away, requiring a full day off work, and placing a burden on our single-parent household. Over time, we began avoiding healthcare, not because we wanted to, but because care was inaccessible, inconvenient, and financially overwhelming. Sadly, our experience was not unique. Many of the people I grew up with faced similar challenges: unaffordable care, lack of insurance, cultural and language barriers, and limited access to quality care. These are not just individual hardships. These issues are the result of a system that has historically excluded and underserved vulnerable populations. These targeted insults contribute further to the generational trauma and financial burden that is passed down through generations, making it harder for individuals and families to thrive. It is unacceptable to live complacently within a system that benefits some at the expense of others. I refuse to live and work passively within this system – I am here to change it. I care deeply about this issue because I have lived it, and I want to be a part of the solution. I am committed to building a career focused on dismantling these barriers to increase healthcare access and equity for marginalized communities, improving their health outcomes and quality of life. This scholarship would not only support my academic journey, but it would also allow me to advocate for those often overlooked in our healthcare system. It would help me achieve the goal of becoming a culturally competent, community-driven healthcare professional who advances health care and health outcomes for everyone, not just the privileged few.