I am passionate about mental health in the Hispanic community. As a 1.5 generation immigrant, I know the stigma of mental health issues that plague the Hispanic community. I struggled with depression and anxiety from a young age. I became aware of my immigration status fairly young and that greatly contributed to my anxiety. Because it is so taboo to talk about mental health issues in the Hispanic community, I found it hard to voice my problems, especially to my parents. I suffered in silence for many years before finally seeking help. When applying to the nursing program at my local community college, I knew I had to dress my issues if I was going to be the best nurse I could be. After talking to my counselor, she pointed me in the right direction and I started cognitive behavioral therapy. My first therapist, Francesca, helped fill my toolbelt with a lot of healthy coping mechanisms and helped me approach my parents with my concerns. It took several years, along with the help of the right SSRI, but I finally found all the right ways to cope with my anxiety and depression. I have a rock-solid support group that consists of my loving fiancé, my rockstar mom, my best friend that so happens to be a licensed counselor, and my big brother. I've also mastered the ABCD model, which helps me stop the negative thoughts and disprove them. I also rely heavily on my hobbies to help me cope with the stress of working in the health care field. I love to read and try to read one more book than I did the year before. I am not a natural-born artist, but I dod able in painting. I also like to write fiction. I have a blog where I post my stories. I use all my healthy mechanisms in my day-to-day life. However, I know they will be even more important now that I am pursuing my bachelor's degree in nursing. My plans for the future include becoming a mental health nurse and using all my skills to help my community break down the stigmas and taboos on the subject. I want the community health clinic I'm currently working for to become the go-to spot for my community to seek mental health services.