When my younger brother, a boy on the autism spectrum, was in the seventh grade, he faced severe anxiety following six months of bullying at school. As his older sister, I understood that a confidable listener, the protector he could seek refuge with, and the advocate who would fight for him as his school failed him continuously. Being only 14 at the time, I carried was part of a mission to aid my brother and stand with my family through a difficult coping process. I decided to begin by picking up my guitar and simply learning my brother's favorite songs. Following one of his panic attacks, I knocked on my brother's door and told him I had something cool to show him. My hands strummed as I sang the tune of Calvin Harris’s “I Need Your Love”, my brother’s eyes glimmering with illusion. “Wow! How did you learn that?” he inquired. With a simple jam session, we discovered the key to healing that my brother and the entire family desperately searched for. Music therapy is an innovative field that combines music with psychology to heal individuals with intellectual disabilities and patients in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and nursing homes. This career is transforming music into medicine, becoming one of the first forms of artistry in healthcare. Traditional counseling and prescriptions were effective, but there was something special about seeing my brother’s anxiety ease away when I sang and played his favorite songs for him on my guitar. I am excited at the prospect of breaking into this blooming field, and such a possibility has been facilitated by institutions that recognize the impactfulness of the arts. My brother, his resilience, and his acceptance of music as a tool for his healing motivate me to continue my education. My aim is to become a music therapist and researcher that expands on what music therapy is, what it does in the lives of many, and how it can be integrated into new spaces, such as schools. Additionally, I find it essential to advocate for the expansion of arts therapies, ensuring that all have access to them regardless of their socioeconomic status. Integrating art into medicine the way music therapy does is now more crucial than ever not only for disabled individuals but for all people who are collectively recognizing that mental health awareness is key to our society’s betterment. Awareness of each person’s unique challenges in life is more crucial than ever, and I look forward to facilitating a future where the arts are a recognized form of medicine for our local communities and beyond.

From age three, my favorite pastime was singing into my pink toy microphone. My childhood was full of superstar reenactments, adorning myself with princess dresses and my mom's heels to take my dining room table as my stage. My microphone went wherever I went, whether at the grocery store or my preschool's show and tell. As I grew older, my true passion remained singing and eventually songwriting. This craft was my main focus all through middle school and high school through choir and musical theatre. Never did I doubt my love for music or my decision to pursue it when I embarked on college. The only question was where it would lead me and what my focus would be. Music therapy is an innovative field that combines music with psychology to heal individuals with intellectual disabilities and patients in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and nursing homes. This career is transforming music into medicine, becoming one of the first forms of artistry in healthcare. Even at home, I have put music therapy techniques into practice with my little brother, a young man on the autism spectrum who has been the main fuel for my pursuit of this profession. Traditional counseling and prescriptions were effective, but there was something special about seeing my brother’s anxiety ease away when I sang and played his favorite songs for him on my guitar. These personal experiences defined my goals and led me to the Berklee College of Music, where I am now beginning my second year as a Music Therapy major. I am excited at the prospect of breaking into this blooming field, and such a possibility has been facilitated by institutions that recognize the impactfulness of the arts. Nonetheless, first-generation, Latinx students like myself can face many barriers while trying to obtain a career in art therapy and in the arts as a whole. They may be faced with doubts by skeptical family members who may ask, “Why music?”. After all, most immigrant families share the same wish to see their children obtain jobs with better working conditions than theirs, and the arts tend to be risky. However, these obstacles are why I seek to engage in advocacy as a researcher who can shed light on what music therapy is, what it does in the lives of many, and why more and more individuals should break into this field. With my love for the performing arts still motivating me, I see myself continuing to perform and write my music independently. As an artist, I look forward to writing bilingual music and performing the Latin genres that I heard in my home growing up, sharing it for the whole world's enjoyment. Within my practice as a music therapist, I look forward to implementing songwriting techniques so each patient will be able to experience unique healing by engaging creatively. Awareness of each person’s unique challenges in life is now more crucial than ever, and I look forward to facilitating a future where the arts are a recognized form of medicine for our local communities and beyond.

When my younger brother, a boy on the autism spectrum, was in the seventh grade, he faced severe anxiety following six months of bullying at school. As his older sister, I understood that a confidable listener, the protector he could seek refuge with, and the advocate who would fight for him as his school failed him continuously. Being only 14 at the time, I carried was part of a mission to aid my brother and stand with my family through a difficult coping process. I decided to begin by picking up my guitar and simply learning my brother's favorite songs. Following one of his panic attacks, I knocked on my brother's door and told him I had something cool to show him. My hands strummed as I sang the tune of Calvin Harris’s “I Need Your Love”, my brother’s eyes glimmering with illusion. “Wow! How did you learn that?” he inquired. With a simple jam session, we discovered the key to healing that my brother and the entire family desperately searched for. Music therapy is an innovative field that combines music with psychology to heal individuals with intellectual disabilities and patients in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and nursing homes. This career is transforming music into medicine, becoming one of the first forms of artistry in healthcare. Traditional counseling and prescriptions were effective, but there was something special about seeing my brother’s anxiety ease away when I sang and played his favorite songs for him on my guitar. I am excited at the prospect of breaking into this blooming field, and such a possibility has been facilitated by institutions that recognize the impactfulness of the arts. My brother, his resilience, and his acceptance of music as a tool for his healing motivate me to continue my education. My aim is to become a music therapist and researcher that expands on what music therapy is, what it does in the lives of many, and how it can be integrated into new spaces, such as schools. Additionally, I find it essential to advocate for the expansion of arts therapies, ensuring that all have access to them regardless of their socioeconomic status. Integrating art into medicine the way music therapy does is now more crucial than ever not only for disabled individuals but for all people who are collectively recognizing that mental health awareness is key to our society’s betterment.

As a little girl, I enjoyed sitting and conversing with my father about my interests and potential career paths. Given that I will be the first in my family to attend college, my parents have been my largest support. However, during one fateful conversation with my dad, he made a statement that would strike me for the rest of my life. Having worked in construction since he immigrated to the U.S. twenty years ago, he told me, “Hija, when you embark on a career that will provide you with air conditioning, you will know that you have made it.” Since then, I have maintained a drive to take my father’s advice and make those years of grueling work worth it. Education and equity are crucial values for my family and they shall be core goals for me as I embark on a career as a music therapist. Music therapy is an innovative field that combines music with psychology to heal individuals with intellectual disabilities and patients in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and nursing homes. This career is transforming music into medicine, becoming one of the first forms of artistry in healthcare. Even at home, I have put music therapy techniques into practice with my little brother, a young man on the autism spectrum who has been the main fuel for my pursuit of this profession. Traditional counseling and prescriptions were effective, but there was something special about seeing my brother’s anxiety ease away when I sang and played his favorite songs for him on my guitar. I am excited at the prospect of breaking into this blooming field, and such a possibility has been facilitated by institutions that recognize the impactfulness of the arts. Nonetheless, first-generation students can face many barriers while trying to obtain a career in art therapy and in the arts as a whole. They may be faced with doubts by skeptical family members who may ask, “Why music?”. After all, most immigrant families share the same wish to see their children obtain jobs with better working conditions than theirs, and the arts tend to be risky. However, these obstacles are why I seek to engage in advocacy as a researcher who can shed light on what music therapy is, what it does in the lives of many, and why more and more individuals should break into this field. First-generation and students of color will be pivotal as music/art therapists, for they will approach neglected patients with the best understanding of their circumstances, making for better systems of care. Awareness of disabilities and of each person’s unique challenges in life is now more crucial than ever, and I look forward to facilitating a future where the arts are a recognized form of medicine for all.