My passion for women’s health is deeply rooted in lived experience, ancestral memory, and professional practice. I grew up in a multigenerational home where women carried the weight of caregiving and survival, often without receiving adequate care themselves. Watching my mother and grandmother navigate mental health illness, medical dismissal, and trauma gave me an early understanding of how systemic inequities harm women, especially women of color. It also gave me a personal mission: to make sure that no woman feels unheard, unseen, or uncared for in a healthcare setting. That mission deepened when I was diagnosed with scleroderma at age seven. My own body became a site of medical intervention and clinical misunderstanding, but it was the women, nurses, the ones who paused, who listened, who explained what others rushed through, who taught me what healing could look like. It was through their care that I realized nursing could be a sacred form of advocacy. By reclaiming my own body, I have a new outlook on life and wanting to help other women achieve sovereignty. As a nurse, I’ve had the privilege of directly assisting with gynecological and reproductive health procedures, including, pelvic exams, colposcopies, LEEP procedures, and biopsies. These experiences showed me how vulnerable, and often retraumatizing, routine care can be for patients, especially when providers aren’t trauma-informed or culturally attuned. I took it as my responsibility to create a safe space in the room: to explain what was happening, offer grounding techniques, and affirm patients' autonomy throughout the process. I’ve seen how even brief moments of genuine presence can radically change a woman’s healthcare experience. I'm very grateful to have this experience under my belt, because it taught me how to meet women where they are, and how vulnerability can create trusting relationships. Now, as a DNP student and nurse surveyor, I’m working to expand that impact system-wide. My doctoral project explores how reflective and intuitive leadership models can improve psychological safety and trauma-informed readiness in healthcare environments, including women’s health departments. My long-term vision includes creating mobile, community-based wellness hubs that offer reproductive care, chronic illness support, nutrition education, and ancestral healing, especially in underserved areas of New Mexico. I believe women deserve more than basic care; they deserve care that is respectful, empowering, and rooted in justice. I’m committed to being the kind of nurse leader who fights for that, not just in words, but in systems, spaces, and practices.

My journey into nursing began in a hospital bed when I was just seven years old. I had been diagnosed with scleroderma, a rare autoimmune disease that affected my body and my life in ways that most children never have to face. While others were playing freely and enjoying their childhood, I was navigating medical procedures, grappling with physical limitations, and learning how to live with a chronic illness. That experience left a lasting mark on me. It didn’t just make me resilient — it made me deeply aware of how powerful compassionate care can be. Even as a child, I could tell the difference between providers who saw me as a diagnosis and those who saw me as a whole person. I remember the nurses who made me feel safe and human during some of the most frightening moments of my life. They didn’t just treat my illness; they held space for my fear, my frustration, and my hope. Those nurses inspired me. They showed me what it meant to offer healing that goes beyond medication or treatment plans. I knew then that one day, I would step into that role myself. As I grew older, my vision expanded. I began to see how my personal experience with illness intersected with broader issues in healthcare. I saw how patients who looked like me, who came from working-class families, or who lived in marginalized communities were often dismissed, misdiagnosed, or misunderstood. I realized that my calling wasn’t only to care for individuals, but also to challenge and improve the systems that shape how care is delivered. That’s what led me to pursue my Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and step into leadership. Today, I work as a nurse surveyor, assessing healthcare facilities across the state of New Mexico. I bring both my clinical knowledge and my lived experience into every space I enter. I lead with empathy, cultural humility, and a commitment to justice. My DNP project focuses on creating a reflective and intuitive leadership model for nurse surveyors — one that centers emotional intelligence, trauma-informed care, and psychological safety. My goal is to make healthcare not only compliant with standards, but truly healing for both patients and staff. Nursing is more than a profession to me. It is the path I chose to turn pain into purpose. My experience with scleroderma did not break me. It shaped me into someone who listens deeply, advocates fiercely, and leads with intention. This scholarship will not only support my education — it will help me continue building a future where care is equitable, culturally grounded, and rooted in love.

Why I’ve Chosen Healthcare & How I Hope to Lead as a Woman in the Field: I chose healthcare because I believe healing is both a personal act and a political one. My journey began at the age of seven when I was diagnosed with scleroderma, a rare autoimmune disease. From an early age, I learned what it meant to live with chronic illness, to be misunderstood in a clinical setting, and to feel like more than a diagnosis when the right nurse took the time to truly see me. That experience planted a seed. I knew I wanted to become a nurse, not just to provide care, but to transform care, to ensure others felt held, heard, and human. Growing up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, I witnessed the harsh disparities in care that impacted women, people of color, and low-income communities. I saw how systemic inequities in healthcare were tied to larger issues, patriarchy, racism, poverty, and I knew I couldn’t just work within the system without also challenging it. As a woman pursuing a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree with a leadership focus, I understand that stepping into this role is more than a career move, it’s an act of resistance and reclamation. Women's labor has sustained families and communities for generations, yet we are still underrepresented in executive roles, underpaid, and often overlooked in decision-making spaces, especially in healthcare. I intend to change that, especially in a women dominated field. I believe that access to quality healthcare is a women’s rights issue, and that nursing is one of the most powerful platforms we have to fight for reproductive justice, maternal health equity, and policies that honor our bodies, our choices, and our voices. As a future DNP, I plan to lead with both data and heart, building systems that are trauma-informed, culturally humble, and inclusive of the diverse realities women face across race, class, and gender identity. I believe that collectively, more women need to band together and lift each other up in order to achieve the society necessary toward producing better health outcomes. My goal is to mentor other women, especially BIPOC and first-gen students, and co-create a healthcare future where we don’t just survive, we thrive. To lead as a woman in healthcare is to demand care that is ethical, empathetic, and rooted in justice. That is the impact I hope to leave behind.

My journey into nursing began in a hospital bed when I was just seven years old. I had been diagnosed with scleroderma, a rare autoimmune disease that affected my body and my life in ways that most children never have to face. While others were playing freely and enjoying their childhood, I was navigating medical procedures, grappling with physical limitations, and learning how to live with a chronic illness. That experience left a lasting mark on me. It didn’t just make me resilient, it made me deeply aware of how powerful compassionate care can be. Even as a child, I could tell the difference between providers who saw me as a diagnosis and those who saw me as a whole person. I remember the nurses who made me feel safe and human during some of the most frightening moments of my life. They didn’t just treat my illness; they held space for my fear, my frustration, and my hope. Those nurses inspired me. They showed me what it meant to offer healing that goes beyond medication or treatment plans. I knew then that one day, I would step into that role myself. As I grew older, my vision expanded. I began to see how my personal experience with illness intersected with broader issues in healthcare. I saw how patients who looked like me, who came from working-class families, or who lived in marginalized communities were often dismissed, misdiagnosed, or misunderstood. I realized that my calling wasn’t only to care for individuals, but also to challenge and improve the systems that shape how care is delivered. That’s what led me to pursue my Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and step into leadership. Today, I work as a nurse surveyor, assessing healthcare facilities across the state of New Mexico. I bring both my clinical knowledge and my lived experience into every space I enter. I lead with empathy, cultural humility, and a commitment to justice. My DNP project focuses on creating a reflective and intuitive leadership model for nurse surveyors, one that centers emotional intelligence, trauma-informed care, and psychological safety. My goal is to make healthcare not only compliant with standards, but truly healing for both patients and staff. Nursing is more than a profession to me. It is the path I chose to turn pain into purpose. My experience with scleroderma did not break me. It shaped me into someone who listens deeply, advocates fiercely, and leads with intention. This scholarship will not only support my education, it will help me continue building a future where care is equitable, culturally grounded, and rooted in love.

My journey into nursing began in a hospital bed when I was just seven years old. I had been diagnosed with scleroderma, a rare autoimmune disease that affected my body and my life in ways that most children never have to face. While others were playing freely and enjoying their childhood, I was navigating medical procedures, grappling with physical limitations, and learning how to live with a chronic illness. That experience left a lasting mark on me. It didn’t just make me resilient, it made me deeply aware of how powerful compassionate care can be. Even as a child, I could tell the difference between providers who saw me as a diagnosis and those who saw me as a whole person. I remember the nurses who made me feel safe and human during some of the most frightening moments of my life. They didn’t just treat my illness; they held space for my fear, my frustration, and my hope. Those nurses inspired me. They showed me what it meant to offer healing that goes beyond medication or treatment plans. I knew then that one day, I would step into that role myself. As I grew older, my vision expanded. I began to see how my personal experience with illness intersected with broader issues in healthcare. I saw how patients who looked like me, who came from working-class families, or who lived in marginalized communities were often dismissed, misdiagnosed, or misunderstood. I realized that my calling wasn’t only to care for individuals, but also to challenge and improve the systems that shape how care is delivered. That’s what led me to pursue my Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and step into leadership. Today, I work as a nurse surveyor, assessing healthcare facilities across the state of New Mexico. I bring both my clinical knowledge and my lived experience into every space I enter. I lead with empathy, cultural humility, and a commitment to justice. My DNP project focuses on creating a reflective and intuitive leadership model for nurse surveyors, one that centers emotional intelligence, trauma-informed care, and psychological safety. My goal is to make healthcare not only compliant with standards, but truly healing for both patients and staff. Nursing is more than a profession to me. It is the path I chose to turn pain into purpose. My experience with scleroderma did not break me. It shaped me into someone who listens deeply, advocates fiercely, and leads with intention. This scholarship will not only support my education, it will help me continue building a future where care is equitable, culturally grounded, and rooted in love.

As a nurse who lives with an autoimmune condition and who grew up in a community where chronic illness is common and resources are limited, I understand deeply how nutrition can either fuel healing or reinforce cycles of illness. Peer-reviewed research clearly shows that dietary patterns have a direct impact on the prevention and progression of major diseases, but I’ve also learned that information alone doesn’t create transformation, trust, cultural humility, and access do. If awarded this scholarship, I will continue developing my leadership and clinical skills to integrate nutrition education into care in ways that are culturally relevant, trauma-informed, and rooted in self-determination. My goal is to bridge the gap between evidence-based nutritional guidance and what patients can realistically implement based on their circumstances, traditions, and values. I plan to assist patients and families through: Culturally Grounded Education I will co-create nutrition workshops and resource guides that reflect the food traditions of my community, especially Latinx and Indigenous practices, while incorporating modern evidence about anti-inflammatory, whole-food nutrition. People are more likely to engage with new habits when they feel culturally affirmed, not shamed. Holistic Healing Conversations I will engage patients in conversations that link nutrition to not just physical health, but to emotional, mental, and even spiritual well-being. I believe food is medicine, but also memory, identity, and ritual. By holding space for these layers, I can support true behavior change that’s sustainable. Systems-Level Advocacy Through my DNP project and nurse surveyor role, I aim to advocate for food access policies in clinical settings, such as hospital-based produce programs, referral networks with local farms, and nutrition consultation as a standard component of chronic illness care. Trauma-Informed Coaching Many individuals have complicated relationships with food due to poverty, intergenerational trauma, or body image issues. I will offer non-judgmental, trauma-aware coaching that invites patients to make empowered, incremental changes rather than feel overwhelmed by restrictions. My ultimate vision is to create mobile, community-based wellness hubs that combine nursing, nutrition, herbal education, and healing justice principles, especially in rural and underserved parts of New Mexico. I want families to know that they are not powerless in the face of diagnosis. Their bodies are not broken. They deserve resources, education, and dignity. This scholarship will allow me to continue embodying this mission, blending science with soul, leadership with love, and clinical skill with cultural connection, to transform not only individual health outcomes, but entire community ecosystems.

My journey into nursing began in a hospital bed when I was just seven years old. I had been diagnosed with scleroderma, a rare autoimmune disease that affected my body and my life in ways that most children never have to face. While others were playing freely and enjoying their childhood, I was navigating medical procedures, grappling with physical limitations, and learning how to live with a chronic illness. That experience left a lasting mark on me. It didn’t just make me resilient, it made me deeply aware of how powerful compassionate care can be. Even as a child, I could tell the difference between providers who saw me as a diagnosis and those who saw me as a whole person. I remember the nurses who made me feel safe and human during some of the most frightening moments of my life. They didn’t just treat my illness; they held space for my fear, my frustration, and my hope. Those nurses inspired me. They showed me what it meant to offer healing that goes beyond medication or treatment plans. I knew then that one day, I would step into that role myself. As I grew older, my vision expanded. I began to see how my personal experience with illness intersected with broader issues in healthcare. I saw how patients who looked like me, who came from working-class families, or who lived in marginalized communities were often dismissed, misdiagnosed, or misunderstood. I realized that my calling wasn’t only to care for individuals, but also to challenge and improve the systems that shape how care is delivered. That’s what led me to pursue my Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and step into leadership. Today, I work as a nurse surveyor, assessing healthcare facilities across the state of New Mexico. I bring both my clinical knowledge and my lived experience into every space I enter. I lead with empathy, cultural humility, and a commitment to justice. My DNP project focuses on creating a reflective and intuitive leadership model for nurse surveyors, one that centers emotional intelligence, trauma-informed care, and psychological safety. My goal is to make healthcare not only compliant with standards, but truly healing for both patients and staff. Nursing is more than a profession to me. It is the path I chose to turn pain into purpose. My experience with scleroderma did not break me. It shaped me into someone who listens deeply, advocates fiercely, and leads with intention. This scholarship will not only support my education, it will help me continue building a future where care is equitable, culturally grounded, and rooted in love.

My journey into nursing began in a hospital bed when I was just seven years old. I had been diagnosed with scleroderma, a rare autoimmune disease that affected my body and my life in ways that most children never have to face. While others were playing freely and enjoying their childhood, I was navigating medical procedures, grappling with physical limitations, and learning how to live with a chronic illness. That experience left a lasting mark on me. It didn’t just make me resilient, it made me deeply aware of how powerful compassionate care can be. Even as a child, I could tell the difference between providers who saw me as a diagnosis and those who saw me as a whole person. I remember the nurses who made me feel safe and human during some of the most frightening moments of my life. They didn’t just treat my illness; they held space for my fear, my frustration, and my hope. Those nurses inspired me. They showed me what it meant to offer healing that goes beyond medication or treatment plans. I knew then that one day, I would step into that role myself. As I grew older, my vision expanded. I began to see how my personal experience with illness intersected with broader issues in healthcare. I saw how patients who looked like me, who came from working-class families, or who lived in marginalized communities were often dismissed, misdiagnosed, or misunderstood. I realized that my calling wasn’t only to care for individuals, but also to challenge and improve the systems that shape how care is delivered. That’s what led me to pursue my Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and step into leadership. Today, I work as a nurse surveyor, assessing healthcare facilities across the state of New Mexico. I bring both my clinical knowledge and my lived experience into every space I enter. I lead with empathy, cultural humility, and a commitment to justice. My DNP project focuses on creating a reflective and intuitive leadership model for nurse surveyors, one that centers emotional intelligence, trauma-informed care, and psychological safety. My goal is to make healthcare not only compliant with standards, but truly healing for both patients and staff. Nursing is more than a profession to me. It is the path I chose to turn pain into purpose. My experience with scleroderma did not break me. It shaped me into someone who listens deeply, advocates fiercely, and leads with intention. This scholarship will not only support my education, it will help me continue building a future where care is equitable, culturally grounded, and rooted in love.

My journey into nursing began in a hospital bed when I was just seven years old. I had been diagnosed with scleroderma, a rare autoimmune disease that affected my body and my life in ways that most children never have to face. While others were playing freely and enjoying their childhood, I was navigating medical procedures, grappling with physical limitations, and learning how to live with a chronic illness. That experience left a lasting mark on me. It didn’t just make me resilient, it made me deeply aware of how powerful compassionate care can be. Even as a child, I could tell the difference between providers who saw me as a diagnosis and those who saw me as a whole person. I remember the nurses who made me feel safe and human during some of the most frightening moments of my life. They didn’t just treat my illness; they held space for my fear, my frustration, and my hope. Those nurses inspired me. They showed me what it meant to offer healing that goes beyond medication or treatment plans. I knew then that one day, I would step into that role myself. As I grew older, my vision expanded. I began to see how my personal experience with illness intersected with broader issues in healthcare. I saw how patients who looked like me, who came from working-class families, or who lived in marginalized communities were often dismissed, misdiagnosed, or misunderstood. I realized that my calling wasn’t only to care for individuals, but also to challenge and improve the systems that shape how care is delivered. That’s what led me to pursue my Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and step into leadership. Today, I work as a nurse surveyor, assessing healthcare facilities across the state of New Mexico. I bring both my clinical knowledge and my lived experience into every space I enter. I lead with empathy, cultural humility, and a commitment to justice. My DNP project focuses on creating a reflective and intuitive leadership model for nurse surveyors, one that centers emotional intelligence, trauma-informed care, and psychological safety. My goal is to make healthcare not only compliant with standards, but truly healing for both patients and staff. Nursing is more than a profession to me. It is the path I chose to turn pain into purpose. My experience with scleroderma did not break me. It shaped me into someone who listens deeply, advocates fiercely, and leads with intention. This scholarship will not only support my education, it will help me continue building a future where care is equitable, culturally grounded, and rooted in love.

My journey into nursing began in a hospital bed when I was just seven years old. I had been diagnosed with scleroderma, a rare autoimmune disease that affected my body and my life in ways that most children never have to face. While others were playing freely and enjoying their childhood, I was navigating medical procedures, grappling with physical limitations, and learning how to live with a chronic illness. That experience left a lasting mark on me. It didn’t just make me resilient; it made me deeply aware of how powerful compassionate care can be. Even as a child, I could tell the difference between providers who saw me as a diagnosis and those who saw me as a whole person. I remember the nurses who made me feel safe and human during some of the most frightening moments of my life. They didn’t just treat my illness; they held space for my fear, my frustration, and my hope. Those nurses inspired me. They showed me what it meant to offer healing that goes beyond medication or treatment plans. I knew then that one day, I would step into that role myself. As I grew older, my vision expanded. I began to see how my personal experience with illness intersected with broader issues in healthcare. I saw how patients who looked like me, who came from working-class families, or who lived in marginalized communities were often dismissed, misdiagnosed, or misunderstood. I realized that my calling wasn’t only to care for individuals, but also to challenge and improve the systems that shape how care is delivered. That’s what led me to pursue my Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and step into leadership. Today, I work as a nurse surveyor, assessing healthcare facilities across the state of New Mexico. I bring both my clinical knowledge and my lived experience into every space I enter. I lead with empathy, cultural humility, and a commitment to justice. My DNP project focuses on creating a reflective and intuitive leadership model for nurse surveyors, one that centers emotional intelligence, trauma-informed care, and psychological safety. My goal is to make healthcare not only compliant with standards, but truly healing for both patients and staff. Nursing is more than a profession to me. It is the path I chose to turn pain into purpose. My experience with scleroderma did not break me. It shaped me into someone who listens deeply, advocates fiercely, and leads with intention. This scholarship will not only support my education, it will help me continue building a future where care is equitable, culturally grounded, and rooted in love.

My journey into nursing began in a hospital bed when I was just seven years old. I had been diagnosed with scleroderma, a rare autoimmune disease that affected my body and my life in ways that most children never have to face. While others were playing freely and enjoying their childhood, I was navigating medical procedures, grappling with physical limitations, and learning how to live with a chronic illness. That experience left a lasting mark on me. It didn’t just make me resilient; it made me deeply aware of how powerful compassionate care can be. Even as a child, I could tell the difference between providers who saw me as a diagnosis and those who saw me as a whole person. I remember the nurses who made me feel safe and human during some of the most frightening moments of my life. They didn’t just treat my illness; they held space for my fear, my frustration, and my hope. Those nurses inspired me. They showed me what it meant to offer healing that goes beyond medication or treatment plans. I knew then that one day, I would step into that role myself. As I grew older, my vision expanded. I began to see how my personal experience with illness intersected with broader issues in healthcare. I saw how patients who looked like me, who came from working-class families, or who lived in marginalized communities were often dismissed, misdiagnosed, or misunderstood. I realized that my calling wasn’t only to care for individuals, but also to challenge and improve the systems that shape how care is delivered. That’s what led me to pursue my Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and step into leadership. Today, I work as a nurse surveyor, assessing healthcare facilities across the state of New Mexico. I bring both my clinical knowledge and my lived experience into every space I enter. I lead with empathy, cultural humility, and a commitment to justice. My DNP project focuses on creating a reflective and intuitive leadership model for nurse surveyors — one that centers emotional intelligence, trauma-informed care, and psychological safety. My goal is to make healthcare not only compliant with standards but truly healing for both patients and staff. Nursing is more than a profession to me. It is the path I chose to turn pain into purpose. My experience with scleroderma did not break me. It shaped me into someone who listens deeply, advocates fiercely, and leads with intention. This scholarship will not only support my education, it will help me continue building a future where care is equitable, culturally grounded, and rooted in love.