The first time I was exposed to mental health began in 2013 when my mother was diagnosed with Postpartum Depression. During this time, my father and I, and even the healthcare system, lacked the appropriate support to help her recover. Taking care of her around the clock often left me tired and exhausted and caused my grades as a high schooler to drop. As a first-generation American, I learned just how little research there was for this illness and the lack of support for low-income families with mental health issues. I was inspired to create more awareness and research Postpartum Depression by pursuing a degree in Psychology at Citrus College. I used the various resources offered at Citrus College by joining the Honors Transfer Program. I utilized the research assignments in my honors classes to study different mental illnesses associated with pregnant mothers. I gathered sources and created abstracts on the repercussions the illness had with infant-mother bonding. Upon learning that pregnant mothers who are informed about Postpartum Depression develop less intense symptoms than those who are not, I began giving presentations in my classes on the subject to educate others about the illness. In 2019, I created a website called Postpartum Depression Sanctuary that detailed preventative measures for Postpartum Depression and its effects on child development. I also offered a virtual support group that provided an outlet for mothers, including my mother, to share their experiences and to heal. Not only did my mother use my website, but she also involved herself in the support group where she talked about her past in detail with several other mothers, helping her heal and encouraging her to seek further support. At Citrus College, I have had the opportunity to advocate for mental health awareness. Upon transferring to a university, I will continue my advocacy for mental health awareness. I hope to create a non-profit organization that educates mothers on specific issues and provides mental health support for them by organizing an open community of participants dedicated to helping one another and collaborating with therapists. Once this program is established, I hope to expand it to benefit college students by focusing on teen mental health and introducing art therapy for young children. Becoming involved in these experiences allowed me to better advocate for mental health and discovered more about mental illnesses in my community. The efforts and experiences I was involved in allowed me to spread mental health awareness to larger crowds that I wouldn’t have otherwise been able to reach if it wasn't for my willingness to pursue them. The profits from this scholarship will go towards funding my transfer education tuition and housing, developing my non-profit organization, and improving the Postpartum Sanctuary website and support group, all to support my mission statement to bring the topic of mental health to the forefront of society.

Being a first-generation college student, I have had the privilege to witness my parents make a living for themselves and see how resilient they are. Upon arriving in the United States, my father decided to create his own business, and my mother began by applying to the first job that would hire. My parents have taken the opportunities offered by the United States and have used them to benefit their goals and ambitions. Seeing my parents develop from where they were by following their own goals and ambitions, despite the adversity, has proved to me that I am what I work for. Being a first-generation student has impacted my education because it has allowed me to see the world differently. My parents' adversity has inspired me to create my form of freedom. My father had his own business has inspired me to start my own business, aside from pursuing my degree in Psychology. This has shown me that people can be successful on their own. The experiences and stories I have heard and witnessed from my parents have shown me the strength of immigrants. It has encouraged me to propel myself into my future and has led me to break boundaries. Following this rhetoric has allowed me to be the first in my family's generation to go to college and apply to a university. It has motivated me to continue on a path of growth to be a living example that hard work pays off. I have been able to apply this to my education and to my aspirations to help others.