Growing up as a queer Latinx person, I recognized injustices and the shortcomings of institutions before I could articulate and understand them. Now as an adult working in youth-centered spaces, I feel motivated and inspired by the individuals I see living openly and unapologetically as themselves. After pursuing my master’s of social work, I would like to continue to work with LGBTQ+ individuals, in particular, trans and gender nonconforming youth of color. While trans and gender nonconforming individuals of color in some areas have built strong communities and mutual aid networks, there is still a lack of well funded services and programs available to these populations that combat the physical, mental, economic, and social hardships they face. The majority of LGBTQ+ youth served by resourced organizations and programs are white and cisgender because more of these services exist in predominately white neighborhoods. Further, these spaces can feel unwelcoming for trans youth of color who do not feel like their experiences are understood or respected. There is a need for more services that are specifically geared towards trans and gender nonconforming youth of color and legislation that protects and promotes their wellbeing. I am passionate about working with this population to advocate for change and to develop interventions they need that are inspired by their resilience and acts of resistance. I am very privileged that my experiences so far have empowered me to want to and feel capable of combating these inequities and others faced by people who have been historically overlooked and underserved. When I think about my career, I know that I want my work to remain deeply rooted in social justice and reflect the experiences and needs of marginalized individuals and communities. I am particularly interested in pursuing work at the macro-level by designing and managing community-level programs and interventions. Ideally, I would like to see myself in a program manager role within the next five years. No matter what title I hold, I want to be able to influence policy decisions while keeping my work grounded in the lived experiences of the populations I serve. My personal, academic, and work experiences so far have allowed me to excel as an educator, resource broker, facilitator, mediator, and advocate. As a Multicultural Advocate at my university, I worked to promote inclusion on a micro, mezzo, and macro scale in a residence hall community by engaging in one-on-one and group dialogues about social identity. At the same time on campus, I was a First Year Acquaintance Rape Education (FYCARE) Workshop Facilitator, the Vice President External of an LGBTQ+ student organization, and a volunteer with two community organizations. Each role required me to build rapport with diverse groups of individuals and speak confidently on social issues. During my BSW field placement, I served as the Illinois Safe Schools Alliance Policy and Advocacy Intern at Public Health Institute of Metropolitan Chicago. There, I was able to further my knowledge of policy and practice within the context of an organization. Through working with LGBTQ+ youth in Illinois schools, educators, community members, stakeholders, and partner organizations, I supported individual cases and contributed to the overall growth of the program’s initiatives. After graduation, I began my current position as a Prevention Specialist at Youth Outreach Services. In addition to teaching an evidence-based prevention curriculum, I have learned quite a bit about grant reporting and stewardship and building mentor relationships with young people. I am grateful that I have had so many opportunities to explore my interests and develop my skills and am excited to continue to do so by pursuing further education.