I'm still very new to cybersecurity and new to college in general. I was an awful student in high school. I'm talking straight D's and F's before eventually dropping out in 2013. In 2018 I joined an adult school and passed 3/4 of the GED tests before I got pregnant with my daughter. My pregnancy was very high risk and I was put on bed rest. After having my daughter I decided to wait until after her first birthday to resume my studies. In May of 2020, we were pretty deep into the pandemic and my plans were put on hold. Finally, near the end of 2022, I decided it was time. I rejoined my adult school where I studied hard. My teacher pulled me aside and suggested I speak to our Riverside City College consultant. I applied for dual enrollment classes at RCC while I finished my GED. Two weeks later I was enrolled as a college student, and three weeks after that I finished my final test and attained my GED. As a full-time parent and part-time student, I've maintained a 4.0 grade point average. During my first semester, I was invited to a seminar called "Sheroes; Women in Cyberprenaurship" hosted by the heads of the Cyber Defense Program at RCC showcasing a group of women in the cybersecurity field who were successful and making changes to impact the next generation of women who were taking a step forward in the field. Immediately after the seminar I made an appointment with an educational counselor and switched my major from computer science to cyber defense. Since changing my major, I've become president of the Women in CyberSecurity club at Riverside City College and have recently gotten accepted into the pre-apprenticeship program for the Inland Empire CyberSecurity Initiative. I know that I'm new to the field and still learning but I'm so passionate about cybersecurity and have a drive to put myself out there and learn as much as I can. I know that CyberSecurity is a very male-dominated field, but I know that having more diverse people join will only make it better. Everyone no matter their gender, race, orientation, or background can bring a new and fresh perspective. Doing well in this field could change things for my family. I want to be able to provide for my daughter and show her that even if your journey to success is difficult or slow-going, it's possible to achieve what you set out to do if you try your best and never give up.