Rip, rewrite, repeat. Ever since I could remember, I loved any opportunity to write handwritten notes. Every class, I assembled a line of colorful pens and markers, prepared to turn monotonous notes into bursts of color within my notebook. However, as time went on, I noticed that no matter how hard I tried, the notes would never be completed. As the students around me seamlessly moved from one slide to the next, I found myself ripping notes repeatedly, a sound that echoed throughout every classroom I entered. By the end of one semester, the spine of my composition notebook succumbed to the wounds of my endless rips, collapsing in on itself. What may have appeared to be an egregious attempt at perfection to my peers became an unwanted impulse. This year, I learned that this, among other things, was a manifestation of OCD. This diagnosis has changed my perspective on the way I go about life, and I am forever grateful for the kindness and compassion I have received from therapy. However, while I could go on about how this last year of receiving care has helped me navigate difficult times in my life, I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the significant barriers and moral failings of the mental healthcare system, which prevent so many from receiving the culturally competent, compassionate care they deserve. From financial barriers such as cost and lack of access to insurance, to the mistrust marginalized communities have developed toward healthcare professionals due to the dismissal of their experiences, we must acknowledge these circumstances in our advocacy. If I had the opportunity to create one meaningful change in the mental healthcare system, it would be through the reallocation of federal funds to initiatives that support mental healthcare. This year, legislation was passed that has resulted in insurance restrictions, funding cuts, and program eliminations, all of which will continue to disproportionately affect the ability of marginalized communities to access the mental healthcare they deserve. Teletherapy has given so many individuals the opportunity to seek mental healthcare in a way that best fits their needs, including individuals with disabilities that affect their mobility and individuals who live in rural areas where in-person therapeutic services are out of reach. However, teletherapy will be unable to provide its benefits at its highest potential if these legislative changes continue. Federal funding would not only make mental health care more accessible financially but also promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives in education and beyond, which would prepare aspiring and current mental health professionals to provide culturally competent care to diverse communities. Additionally, these opportunities would create an accessible pathway for underrepresented students to pursue higher education and increase representation within the mental healthcare field. As demoralizing as the state of the world has been, I refuse to lose hope in a better system because change is possible, and teletherapy reflects that. Everyone deserves to have a space in their lives where they are supported, heard, and accepted as they are, especially when navigating their mental health. The pursuit of mental healthcare should not become an extra burden, but rather a much-needed weight off one’s shoulders. I cannot emphasize enough how impactful receiving mental healthcare has been for me, and I am passionate about extending the same compassionate, thoughtful, and culturally competent care to members of my community in the future. Today, I am pursuing an education in Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin so that one day, I can make this dream come true.