I believe that racial inclusion and cultural understanding is a major social justice movement that means the most to me because it promotes equality and breaks down the racial barriers that divide us which can lead to a more tolerant and inclusive society. Coming from a rural area and having a brother with medical needs, I understood from an early age that there is a tremendous lack of medical resources and Hispanic professionals to serve those communities. From a young age, we had to make several trips to a larger city to get proper medical care for my brother. Having a Hispanic background allows individuals to see these discrepancies in healthcare and contribute to the experience that Hispanics have in healthcare settings. I hope to be a positive influence in healthcare in Hispanic communities. While being a minority in a predominantly white school/area comes with its challenges, being mixed can create identity confusion. For a long time, I felt that I didn’t feel as though I entirely belonged to either. Standing on the edge of both but never entirely in the circle of Chinese or Mexican. However I started to embrace this as not something that made me an outsider, but as something that made me part of multiple communities. So I started to look for people around me who were also mixed and felt this same sense of hesitancy in their heritage. Leading to me becoming a vice president of the Asian Student Union at my school, connecting me with other Asians to become closer to my heritage but also to reach out to other mixed kids to create a community so we know we aren’t alone in this peculiar intersection of identity, race, and culture. Through my clubs and organizations such as ASU, Medical Society, NHS, yearbook, band, and coaching in Miracle League (a special needs baseball organization) I have learned what it means to serve others different from you and how to better your community. These organizations require efforts in and out of school through volunteer hours, meetings, and rehearsals throughout the years to make them successful. And through these clubs, especially Miracle League and ASU, I have learned the dedication needed for improving the environment around you, and how the impact on your community is so important. These experiences of coaching special needs kids and uplifting the diversity in my school showed me valuable lessons in working with others, looking through different perspectives, and serving the community. This is instrumental in helping me learn more about the “real world” and how to live as a young adult. Without these clubs, I wouldn't be who I am today, and without these connections to my community, school, and friends, I wouldn’t have learned the benefits of serving yourself through serving the community. In conclusion, the social justice cause I believe in isn't just thoughts but actions that I perform every day. And by embracing all different types of diversity I believe that we can create a better tomorrow.

I want to become an integral part of bettering underrepresented communities from within the science and healthcare field, by choosing to study as a biology major. I want to help people of all abilities feel as though they can BE a part of their world, not as an outsider, but as a fully vested member of the community. Coming from a rural area and having a brother with medical needs, I understood from an early age that there is a tremendous lack of medical resources and Hispanic professionals to serve those communities. From a young age, we had to make several trips to a larger city to get proper medical care for my brother. Having a Hispanic background allows individuals to see these discrepancies in healthcare and contribute to the experience that Hispanics have in healthcare settings. I hope to be a positive influence in healthcare in Hispanic communities. While being a minority in a predominantly white school/area comes with its challenges, being mixed can create identity confusion, and for a long time, I felt that I didn’t feel as though I entirely belonged to either. Standing on the edge of both but never entirely in the circle of Chinese or Mexican. However I started to embrace this as not something that made me an outsider, but as something that made me part of multiple communities. So I started to look for people around me who were also mixed and felt this same sense of hesitancy in their heritage. Leading to me becoming a vice president of the Asian Student Union at my school, connecting me with other Asians to become closer to my heritage but also to reach out to other mixed kids to create a community so we know we aren’t alone in this peculiar intersection of identity, race, and culture. Another intersection of two different worlds is my “normal life” and the reality of having a special needs brother and how I may be a carrier of the same chromosomal disorder that may leave my children with special needs. Although this chromosomal disorder like other special needs can push many kids to be outsiders, I have committed myself to be part of the solution to this problem. For years I have volunteered and become a coach for Miracle League, a special needs baseball team where special needs kids and families can be a part of a community that supports and understands their struggle. Through Miracle League and college, I hope to help individuals live their lives to their fullest potential, however, that may look. And be a part of a caring supportive community dedicated to helping families and special needs children. Because one day, this might be my child. Through this scholarship and hopefully college, I hope to help individuals live their lives to their fullest potential and be a part of a caring supportive community dedicated to helping families of color that are underrepresented and special needs children through college education and my future career.

My experiences of having a special needs brother and having both Mexican and Chinese heritage have significantly shaped how I approach my life and lead the environment around me, and I plan to use these experiences to guide me along in my quest to help individuals live their lives to their fullest potential, however, that may look. Because I want to help people of all abilities feel as though they can BE a part of their world, not as an outsider. The best way I can devote my life to helping others is through a career in the medical field. Throughout my childhood, I was able to participate in most after-school activities including baseball, soccer, martial arts, and band. If I had an interest, most times there was a way to explore it. Unfortunately, this is not always the case for children with disabilities. Due to my younger brother's chromosome difference, he struggled to find those same opportunities. He is part of a community that is often overlooked. Miracle League tries to create these opportunities for kids to be kids. It is an organization that is solely focused on creating an environment that helps children with disabilities have the same experiences as their peers. I have volunteered with this organization since my brother was old enough to play and in the last few years, I was allowed to become an Assistant Coach. Being a coach creates a level of responsibility that is unmatched. You are often responsible for creating a safe environment for children to play but you are also responsible for creating a fun environment for them to play. This takes lots of organization, patience, care, and silliness. I have found that this community is no different than the baseball leagues I grew up playing in. My players are often just as competitive, funny, and enthusiastic about baseball as I was at that age. There is a fall season and a spring season that often requires me to dedicate time to coach's meetings, games, and team parties. This hasn't always been easy with school and my activities, but it is something that is sincerely fulfilling to me and completely worth every minute. My brother can participate in this league even into adulthood and I hope to continue to contribute right alongside him. Although Miracle League is a small part of helping others I plan to use my future education and experience to help those I saw firsthand who were disadvantaged and pushed to the sideline of medical care. Coming from a rural area and having a brother with medical needs, I understood from an early age that there is a tremendous lack of medical resources and Hispanic professionals to serve those communities. From a young age, we had to make several trips to a larger city to get proper medical care for my brother. Often my dad was the only Spanish-speaking healthcare professional in a clinic that had a high percentage of Spanish-speaking patients. Having a Hispanic background allows individuals to see these discrepancies in healthcare and contribute to the experience that Hispanics have in healthcare settings. I hope to be a positive influence in healthcare in Hispanic communities. And with this scholarship, I hope to further my education to help others, without burdening my family with the large financial cost of college. Thank you for considering me.

My experiences in high school clubs and volunteer opportunities have significantly shaped how I approach my life and lead the environment around me, and I plan to use these experiences to guide me along in my quest to help individuals live their lives to their fullest potential, however, that may look. Because I want to help people of all abilities feel as though they can BE a part of their world, not as an outsider. While being a minority in a predominantly white school/area comes with its challenges, being mixed can create identity confusion, and for a long time, I felt that I didn’t feel as though I entirely belonged to either. Standing on the edge of both but never entirely in the circle of Chinese or Mexican. However I started to embrace this as not something that made me an outsider, but as something that made me part of multiple communities. So I started to look for people around me who were also mixed and felt this same sense of hesitancy in their heritage. Leading to me becoming a vice president of the Asian Student Union at my school, connecting me with other Asians to become closer to my heritage but also to reach out to other mixed kids to create a community so we know we aren’t alone in this peculiar intersection of identity, race, and culture. But the role of leadership that has taught me the most is being a coach of a special needs baseball team in the Miracle League organization and I have learned SO much during this time. What I learned was vastly different than what I expected. I learned that each child may not be happy to be there. That some kids just could not perform what I had expected of them. This was a realization that I was part of the problem. I realized I had to meet each player on their level and likely wouldn’t progress as quickly as I hoped. One of the greatest teachings was understanding that the team needed to trust me and look forward to me leading them in a way that was encouraging and not exasperated by the lack thereof. What I need to learn is that I need to trust them as well! I should expect that they CAN rather than, they likely could not. There was one girl, 6yrs, who was in a wheelchair and was born with only one leg and one arm. I kept setting up the tee for her and using hand-over-hand assistance. She kept telling me in her limited verbal cues, “No!” Finally, unsure of what to do, I removed the tee and stepped back. The other coach pitched a ball and she swung and missed a couple of times. But I was already in awe that she could use just one arm to swing. And finally, she HIT the ball! It was an incredible moment both for me and her. Her family was all in the stands clapping and crying because this was her first time to hit without a tee. This was the moment I knew I had to allow the other kids to show up and allow them to give it their very best to at least TRY, but I think this is the closest to understanding what a good leader can do. Set the person up to try on their own, allowing them to shoot their shot, then celebrate their wins as they achieve them. You have to muster up your courage to inspire and step back so that others can shine in their own right.

My experiences in high school clubs and volunteer opportunities have significantly shaped how I approach my life and lead the environment around me, and I plan to use these experiences to guide me along in my quest to help individuals live their lives to their fullest potential, however, that may look. Because I want to help people of all abilities feel as though they can BE a part of their world, not as an outsider. While being a minority in a predominantly white school/area comes with its challenges, being mixed can create identity confusion, and for a long time, I felt that I didn’t feel as though I entirely belonged to either. Standing on the edge of both but never entirely in the circle of Chinese or Mexican. However I started to embrace this as not something that made me an outsider, but as something that made me part of multiple communities. So I started to look for people around me who were also mixed and felt this same sense of hesitancy in their heritage. Leading to me becoming a vice president of the Asian Student Union at my school, connecting me with other Asians to become closer to my heritage but also to reach out to other mixed kids to create a community so we know we aren’t alone in this peculiar intersection of identity, race, and culture. But the role of leadership that has taught me the most is being a coach of a special needs baseball team in the Miracle League organization and I have learned SO much during this time. What I learned was vastly different than what I expected. I learned that each child may not be happy to be there. That some kids just could not perform what I had expected of them. This was a realization that I was part of the problem. I realized I had to meet each player on their level and likely wouldn’t progress as quickly as I hoped. One of the greatest teachings was understanding that the team needed to trust me and look forward to me leading them in a way that was encouraging and not exasperated by the lack thereof. What I need to learn is that I need to trust them as well! I should expect that they CAN rather than, they likely could not. There was one girl, 6yrs, who was in a wheelchair and was born with only one leg and one arm. I kept setting up the tee for her and using hand-over-hand assistance. She kept telling me in her limited verbal cues, “No!” Finally, unsure of what to do, I removed the tee and stepped back. The other coach pitched a ball and she swung and missed a couple of times. But I was already in awe that she could use just one arm to swing. And finally, she HIT the ball! It was an incredible moment both for me and her. Her family was all in the stands clapping and crying because this was her first time to hit without a tee. This was the moment I knew I had to allow the other kids to show up and allow them to give it their very best to at least TRY, but I think this is the closest to understanding what a good leader can do. Set the person up to try on their own, allowing them to shoot their shot, then celebrate their wins as they achieve them. You have to muster up your courage to inspire and step back so that others can shine in their own right.

I want to become an integral part of bettering underrepresented communities from within the science and healthcare field, by choosing to study as a biology major. I believe that college education and service opportunities will guide me along in my quest to help individuals live their lives to their fullest potential, however, that may look. I want to help people of all abilities feel as though they can BE a part of their world, not as an outsider, but as a fully vested member of the community. However I want to accomplish this without the burden of financial stress on my family, and I hope to use this scholarship to help me achieve my goals of lending a helping hand to underserved communities and use it to further my education. Coming from a rural area and having a brother with medical needs, I understood from an early age that there is a tremendous lack of medical resources and Hispanic professionals to serve those communities. From a young age, we had to make several trips to a larger city to get proper medical care for my brother. Often my dad was the only Spanish-speaking healthcare professional in a clinic that had a high percentage of Spanish-speaking patients. Having a Hispanic background allows individuals to see these discrepancies in healthcare and contribute to the experience that Hispanics have in healthcare settings. I hope to be a positive influence in healthcare in Hispanic communities. While being a minority in a predominantly white school/area comes with its challenges, being mixed can create identity confusion, and for a long time, I felt that I didn’t feel as though I entirely belonged to either. Standing on the edge of both but never entirely in the circle of Chinese or Mexican. However I started to embrace this as not something that made me an outsider, but as something that made me part of multiple communities. So I started to look for people around me who were also mixed and felt this same sense of hesitancy in their heritage. Leading to me becoming a vice president of the Asian Student Union at my school, connecting me with other Asians to become closer to my heritage but also to reach out to other mixed kids to create a community so we know we aren’t alone in this peculiar intersection of identity, race, and culture. Another intersection of two different worlds is my “normal life” and the reality of having a special needs brother and how I may be a carrier of the same chromosomal disorder that may leave my children with special needs. Although this chromosomal disorder like other special needs can push many kids to be outsiders, I have committed myself to be part of the solution to this problem. For years I have volunteered and become a coach for Miracle League, a special needs baseball team where special needs kids and families can be a part of a community that supports and understands their struggle. Through Miracle League and hopefully college, I hope to help individuals live their lives to their fullest potential, however, that may look. And be a part of a caring supportive community dedicated to helping families and special needs children. Because one day, this might be my child. Through this scholarship and hopefully college, I hope to help individuals live their lives to their fullest potential and be a part of a caring supportive community dedicated to helping families of color that are underrepresented and special needs children through college education and my future career.

I want to become an integral part of bettering underrepresented communities from within the science and healthcare field, by choosing to study as a biology major. I believe that college education and service opportunities will guide me along in my quest to help individuals live their lives to their fullest potential, however, that may look. I want to help people of all abilities feel as though they can BE a part of their world, not as an outsider, but as a fully vested member of the community. However I want to accomplish this without the burden of financial stress on my family, and I hope to use this scholarship to help me achieve my goals of lending a helping hand to underserved communities and use it to further my education. Coming from a rural area and having a brother with medical needs, I understood from an early age that there is a tremendous lack of medical resources and Hispanic professionals to serve those communities. From a young age, we had to make several trips to a larger city to get proper medical care for my brother. Often my dad was the only Spanish-speaking healthcare professional in a clinic that had a high percentage of Spanish-speaking patients. Having a Hispanic background allows individuals to see these discrepancies in healthcare and contribute to the experience that Hispanics have in healthcare settings. I hope to be a positive influence in healthcare in Hispanic communities. While being a minority in a predominantly white school/area comes with its challenges, being mixed can create identity confusion, and for a long time, I felt that I didn’t feel as though I entirely belonged to either. Standing on the edge of both but never entirely in the circle of Chinese or Mexican. However I started to embrace this as not something that made me an outsider, but as something that made me part of multiple communities. So I started to look for people around me who were also mixed and felt this same sense of hesitancy in their heritage. Leading to me becoming a vice president of the Asian Student Union at my school, connecting me with other Asians to become closer to my heritage but also to reach out to other mixed kids to create a community so we know we aren’t alone in this peculiar intersection of identity, race, and culture. Another intersection of two different worlds is my “normal life” and the reality of having a special needs brother and how I may be a carrier of the same chromosomal disorder that may leave my children with special needs. Although this chromosomal disorder like other special needs can push many kids to be outsiders, I have committed myself to be part of the solution to this problem. For years I have volunteered and become a coach for Miracle League, a special needs baseball team where special needs kids and families can be a part of a community that supports and understands their struggle. Through Miracle League and hopefully college, I hope to help individuals live their lives to their fullest potential, however, that may look. And be a part of a caring supportive community dedicated to helping families and special needs children. Because one day, this might be my child. Through this scholarship and hopefully college, I hope to help individuals live their lives to their fullest potential and be a part of a caring supportive community dedicated to helping families of color that are underrepresented and special needs children through college education and my future career.

I want to become an integral part of bettering underrepresented communities from within the science and healthcare field, by choosing to study as a biology major. I believe that college education and service opportunities will guide me along in my quest to help individuals live their lives to their fullest potential, however, that may look. I want to help people of all abilities feel as though they can BE a part of their world, not as an outsider, but as a fully vested member of the community. Coming from a rural area and having a brother with medical needs, I understood from an early age that there is a tremendous lack of medical resources and Hispanic professionals to serve those communities. From a young age, we had to make several trips to a larger city to get proper medical care for my brother. Often my dad was the only Spanish-speaking healthcare professional in a clinic that had a high percentage of Spanish-speaking patients. Having a Hispanic background allows individuals to see these discrepancies in healthcare and contribute to the experience that Hispanics have in healthcare settings. I hope to be a positive influence in healthcare in Hispanic communities. While being a minority in a predominantly white school/area comes with its challenges, being mixed can create identity confusion, and for a long time, I felt that I didn’t feel as though I entirely belonged to either. Standing on the edge of both but never entirely in the circle of Chinese or Mexican. However I started to embrace this as not something that made me an outsider, but as something that made me part of multiple communities. So I started to look for people around me who were also mixed and felt this same sense of hesitancy in their heritage. Leading to me becoming a vice president of the Asian Student Union at my school, connecting me with other Asians to become closer to my own heritage but also to reach out to other mixed kids to create a community so we know we aren’t alone in this peculiar intersection of identity, race, and culture. Another intersection of two different worlds is my “normal life” and the reality of having a special needs brother and how I may be a carrier of the same chromosomal disorder that may leave my children with special needs. Although this chromosomal disorder like other special needs can push many kids to be outsiders, I have committed myself to be part of the solution to this problem. For years I have volunteered and became a coach for Miracle League, a special needs baseball team where special needs kids and families can be a part of a community that supports and understands their struggle. Through Miracle League and hopefully college, I hope to help individuals live their lives to their fullest potential, however, that may look. And be a part of a caring supportive community dedicated to helping families and special needs children. Because one day, this might be my child. Through this scholarship and hopefully college, I hope to help individuals live their lives to their fullest potential and be a part of a caring supportive community dedicated to helping families of color that are underrepresented and special needs children through college education and my future career.

My experiences of having a special needs brother and having both Mexican and Chinese heritage have significantly shaped how I approach my life and the environment around me, and I plan to use these experiences in order to guide me along in my quest to help individuals live their lives to their fullest potential, however, that may look. Because I want to help people of all abilities feel as though they can BE a part of their world, not as an outsider. While being a minority in a predominantly white school/area comes with its own challenges, being mixed can create an identity confusion, and for a long time I felt that I didn’t feel as though I entirely belong to either. Standing on the edge of both but never entirely in the circle of Chinese or Mexican. However I started to embrace this as not something that made me an outsider, but as something that made me part of multiple communities. So I started to look for people around me that were also mixed and felt this same sense of hesitancy in their own heritage. Leading to me becoming a vice president of the Asian Student Union at my school, connecting me with other Asians in order to become closer to my own heritage but also to reach out to other mixed kids to create a community so we know we aren’t alone in this peculiar intersection of identity, race, and culture. Another intersection of two different worlds is my “normal life” and the reality of having a special needs brother and how I may be a carrier of the same chromosomal disorder that may leave my children with special needs. Although this chromosomal disorder like other special needs can push many kids to be outsiders, I have committed myself to be part of the solution to this problem. For years I have volunteered and became a coach for Miracle league, a special needs baseball team where special needs kids and families can be a part of a community that supports and understands their struggle. However, this chromosomal disorder that profoundly affects my brother has also, from the beginning, inspired me to become an integral part of bettering this community from within the science and healthcare field. And I hope to help individuals live their lives to their fullest potential, however that may look. And be a part of a caring supportive community dedicated to helping families and special needs children. Because one day, this might be my child.

I run around on a rubber baseball field, feeling the salty sunscreen-mixed sweat run down my forehead, partially from stress and partially from the hot summer days that litter themselves around August. Parents chant personal nicknames behind the chain link fences for their children while they play baseball at all ability levels, from using wheelchairs to wearing sensory ear muffs. This field of dreams is called “The Miracle League” a baseball organization for special needs individuals of all differing abilities. From my first year as a freshman, inside an itchy bright neon shirt with “volunteer” plastered on the front, to proudly moving up my senior year with a cool official dri-fit shirt with “Coach Hinojosa" laid nicely on the back. The Miracle League has taught me so much; it has been a significant step in my journey to pursue more knowledge about the medical field. The Miracle League has always been a well-known environment for me. My little brother has a rare chromosomal disorder and requires high support in all areas of life. He joined The Miracle League at a young age, and since then, I have experienced the reality of having a “normal life” intertwined with the twists and turns of the special needs world. Due to these obstacles, my family moved from Midland to Dallas to give my brother a better chance at life after he was born. Yet, through this strife, we found a community that made us feel as though we weren't alone. They care for us, not in a pitying “we feel bad for you” way, but in the “we understand you and stand by you” way that truly brings people together. While on the field with The Miracle League, I recognized the chaos that’s often reflected in my life: that feeling of chaotic instability interwoven with beautiful moments. I have carried this bittersweet feeling for many years. I have learned how to replace my brother’s G-button in case it fell out, I have regularly managed a feeding machine for him, and I have navigated people’s questions and reactions about his special needs almost daily. But I have also felt the excitement of watching my little brother run the bases on the field and play with his friends. However, due to my first-hand experience, I understand the endeavors of having a special needs family member and their medical complexities, along with the deep impact it can have not only on the individual but the people who love that person. After undergoing chromosomal testing, my dad discovered he was a genetic carrier for my brother’s disorder. This, unfortunately, means there is a high chance I am also a carrier. Being a carrier means that while I am unaffected, my children could suffer from having an unbalanced chromosome (like my brother) and be severely affected or even non-compatible with life. This truth may have a tremendous impact on my future, and this is a heavy weight that I carry. However, this chromosomal disorder that profoundly affects my brother has also, from the beginning, inspired me to become an integral part of bettering this community from within the science and healthcare field. I believe that college education and service opportunities will guide me along in my quest to help individuals live their lives to their fullest potential, however, that may look. I want to help people of all abilities feel as though they can BE a part of their world, not as an outsider. Because one day, this might be my child. While I hope for the best, one can never know for sure what life can bring.