My grandmother Rosa has been the most unwavering force of wisdom, love and resilience throughout my life's journey. Though she received minimal formal education growing up in rural Mexico, her compassionate spirit, insatiable curiosity about the world, and dedication to family radiate as brightly as anyone I've ever known. One particular moment with her encapsulates the immense impact she's had on shaping the person I aspire to become. It was the summer after my freshman year of college, and I found myself overwhelmed by feelings of isolation and self-doubt as a first-generation student at an elite university. The rigor of my coursework, coupled with the culture shock of being surrounded by students from drastically different backgrounds, had me questioning whether I truly belonged. In a rare moment of vulnerability, I tearfully expressed these insecurities to my grandmother during one of our weekly phone calls. Without hesitation, she responded with the wisdom and empathy that could only come from someone who intimately understood struggle and perseverance. "Cuando tuve que dejar la escuela para trabajar en el campo, nunca me resigne a dejar de aprender," she began. When she had to leave school to work in the fields as a child, she never resigned herself to stop learning. She spoke about how each daily encounter - whether conversing with clients as a housecleaner or observing the natural world during grueling labor - became an opportunity to gain knowledge, perspective and wisdom far beyond what any classroom could provide. My grandmother radiated a sense of awe for the privileges education could unlock, while also recognizing that true intelligence is a hunger that transcends any circumstance. She reminded me that I walker a path she could only dream of, and that temporary feelings of doubt were inevitable, but could never outweigh a resilient spirit. "Camina siempre con humildad y convicción," she stated - walk always with humility and conviction. In that moment, her words helped me recognize that I defined my own narrative, and could use my intersecting identities and circumstances as a first-generation, low-income Latina to gain unique perspectives. My grandmother has exemplified leading with compassion, integrity and determination against all odds. Thanks to her guidance, I've regained confidence in my abilities and pathways. With humility and conviction, I'm embracing the pioneering journey to blaze trails for generations to follow. Her lasting legacy of lifelong, ethical learning will forever ground me through inevitable ebbs and flows on the road ahead.