My passions include playing tabletop games with my friends and also instructing families about how to be safe and have fun around water. After I did not achieve my academic goals and only received a two-year degree I continued my work as a lifeguard and swim instructor for the City of Boston and did that for more than a decade. I have always been one to like the water and had always dreamed of living somewhere warm near the beach. My depression and anxiety could have interrupted this plan and dream permanently if it were not for the moments when I am sitting with my friends playing games, telling stories, and playing games. Some of my goals and aspirations are to write a book, complete my degree in Communication, and pursue my dream of studying abroad and perfecting my Japanese and Spanish. I am Venezuelan-born and my father is Japanese American and always proud to be multiethnic. At some point in my life, my depression almost won as I thought it was too later to go back to school. I felt like my life was becoming gray and mundane and realized I wrote less and was becoming less creative. “Oh, I’m an adult now” I’d thought to myself. I was getting into unhealthy relationships and gave up on my dreams. What I always enjoyed about playing role-playing games with my friends is that we could be whomever we wanted to be. Even now that we’re older for a few hours when we meet we can pretend to be adventurers diving into a dangerous dungeon. In these moments, I am not focused on the weight of my mental illness. Escaping into a different character has helped me cope with my mental illness. When our game ends, or when a character dies it is never the end of the world. It is an escape from the internal dialog that tells me I am not good enough, or my life will remain boring and bland. 

As a swim instructor for young children, I cannot help but smile. What helps me through my depression and anxiety is helping children feel comfortable and safe in the water. When a child is scared or feels uneasy or unsure in the water it is my job to help with that. The feeling of helping someone overcome fear has the most positive effect on my mental health. I want to help people overcome fear, and to help them realize that they are stronger and braver than they may think. My ultimate goal is to inspire others and help them overcome adversity in their life and share my experiences with them.