Unfortunately being a person of color has led me to face some adversity. I am a driven student and hard working. I understand that education is important, it was instilled in me from a young age. I always did my best in high school and I graduated with a 4.0 grade point average. As I reflect on how these couple of years of university has been I am reminded that at one point during high school I was discouraged and didn’t think I would succeed. The reason for this was I had two teachers tell me that I would not succeed. One teacher told me they didn’t believe I would do well in AP and honors classes. I was shocked when they told me this because I was an excellent student. I thought to myself “Are they seeing something I am not? Will these classes be too difficult?” Despite having taking one honors class the year before and doing well, I was still doubtful. Another teacher told me that they didn’t think I would succeed at a 4 year university and that I was better suited going to a community college. While I understand there is nothing wrong with community college both instances occurred because I was a person of color. I had the grades and the determination to do well, but I was told twice I wouldn’t succeed. As people of color people have expected us to not be the smartest. They expect us to not get our work done on time. They expect that we don’t have the drive to do well in school. That is not the case. For many it’s because they aren’t given the opportunity or they don’t have someone telling them they can do it. I remember feeling so defeated and actually thought they were right for a while but they I talked to my grandma. She helped me overcome all of the doubt I had about my abilities to succeed in university. She told be I was capable, I was smart, and she told me she believed I could do anything I set my mind to. Her support and her believing in me allowed me to believe in myself. After completing my third year at a university I am left with a 4.0 and some words for other students doubting themselves. If any student who is facing the same doubt or questioning themselves I want to tell them you can do this! You are more than capable of pursuing a higher education and don’t let anyone tell you that you cannot do something.

I identify as a Latina woman. It is common in Hispanic culture mental illness is looked down upon and there is no such thing as bad mental health. In the beginning my family made me feel like something was wrong with me because I struggled with depression and anxiety. I was told that it is all in my head and I choose how I feel in the morning. This really stopped me from getting the help I needed sooner. I felt so much shame. I felt like there was something wrong and I thought the way to get through it was to keep it to myself. This created a very lonely environment. This whole experience has made me what to pursue a degree in clinical psychology. I know this is not only a problem in the Latino community but with so many others. I want to be able to help explain to anyone who struggles with a mental illness that there is nothing wrong with them. That it doesn't make you less of a person. I want to speak out on this issue and try to explain to people within these communities that mental health is a real issue. I also wanted to pursue clinical psychology because therapy quite literally changed my life. Having someone to talk to with no judgment being passed lifted a weight off of my shoulders. When I couldn't talk to my family in the beginning at least I had someone. I want to be that person for someone else. I have a passion for serving people and for me, there is no better way to serve someone than by being there and listening. I think my experience will help me relate to people more. I think it will allow me to better put myself in their shoes to find solutions and ways to cope with their problems. I want people to know that they don't have to go through life alone. Eventually my dad began to understand that this was a real problem I was dealing with. Through family therapy he learned to open his mind and it has helped me for the better. I want to help other families learn how to help people struggling with mental illness. I also want people who are struggling to know that the season they are in is temporary and things do get better. I want to be an advocate for mental health. I will help eliminate the stigma that is attached to mental illness.

One of my favorite bible verses is Joshua 1:9 "This is my command - be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." I did not grow up following Jesus. My dad took me to church every Sunday, but I did not want to be there. I felt lost, unloved, and afraid. I though the whole idea of Christianity was weird. I couldn't understand how there was someone who was willing to die for me because he loved me unconditionally. I struggle with depression. This is hard for me to talk about because I grew up believing that being vulnerable and showing emotions was weak. Struggling with depression affected me deeply when I didn't have a relationship with Christ. I felt alone, unworthy, and unloved. It didn't feel worth it to keep going. Honestly I had been angry with God for so long because I didn't understand why I felt the way I did. I felt like even he was betraying me. When I gave my life to Christ my perspective changed. My dad had signed me up for a church retreat and I remember being so annoyed that he was forcing me to go, but I am so thankful he did. God broke my heart for what broke his. He showed me his love, a love I felt unworthy of feeling. He told me that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. He CHOSE me. I mentioned my struggle with depression because even though it is something I am still working through, I know now that I am not alone. That is why Joshua 1:9 is one of my favorite verses. It is a reminder that God is always with me and he is giving me the strength and courage to keep going. I am not afraid of what is to come because I am letting God take control of my life. My faith has helped me immensely. It has given me peace in my hardest times, specifically with school. I am a worrier, an overthinker. I wasn't sure how I was going to pay my way through school but God has made a way. Knowing the word reminds me that I shouldn't worry because God gives the birds everything they need, he will surely give me, his daughter, everything I need. If awarded this scholarship, I would use it to purse a degree in psychology. I want to work in a clinic that is faith based and helps young people push through obstacles with the word of God. I want to help people who are struggling with coping mechanisms while also reminding them that they have a heavenly father who loves them more than anything. I want to help young people realize that with God at the center, they could be strong and courageous!

I believe college can be so beneficial for so many reasons. Whether you chose to use your degree or not I think it teaches young people important life skills. It teaches time management, problem solving, and critical thinking. I allows you to grow as an individual and develop your beliefs and ideologies. As a first generation college student I have had many challenges. The first being applying to college. Nobody in my family had gone through the process of applying so I had no clue where to start. I didn't know the application deadlines, I didn't know what made a good essay, I didn't even know how I would pay for school. One of the biggest challenges has been how to pay for school. I didn't qualify for aid so I have been working full time and applying to as many scholarships as possible. While this is difficult and time consuming it has taught me a few things. It has taught me time management. I have to get all of my assignments done while balancing a social life and a work life. It has also taught me that I value my education because I am willing to do what is necessary to finish school. I value it because my dad sacrificed so much so that I would be willing to go to school. He has done his best to give me the best opportunities and I want to make him proud! Another challenge I have faced is personal. I have struggled with depression since high school and it is extremely challenging. I have this core belief that if I don't succeed my first go around that I am a failure, but that is not true. I have this belief that if I don't succeed my first go around, that I am not worthy. I am learning by going to school that I am so much stronger than I think. It takes courage to go after your dreams, even when its hard. It take strength to keep going when you don't have the energy to. Going to school and doing my school work everyday is helping me realize that I can overcome this and use my degree to help other people who are struggling with the same thing I am struggling with. My mental health struggles have helped me decide the path I want to take for my career. I want to go into clinical psychology and help others struggling with mental illness.

I met my best friend my sophomore year of high school, her name is Heidie. I transferred schools my sophomore year and I was scared. I didn't know anyone and I was fairly shy before so I had this fear that I wouldn't be able to make any friends. The first year we met and we would talk but our bond wasn't that strong. We were more like acquaintances until she invited me to sit with her on the bus ride to school and we got to talking and I am forever grateful that she had the courage to ask me to sit with her. Since then we pretty much do everything together. When it came time to apply for schools we applied to the same ones and we chose to go to school together. We go to the gym together every morning. We go to church together once a week. I think my favorite memories by far would have to be when we just sit in the car and talk. Talk about anything and everything that is on our mind. We could talk for hours and it feels like minutes. Jamming out to music in the car, singing at the top of our lungs. I feel completely safe to be myself with her, with no judgements on either side. She is my chosen family. She is not blood, but she is my sister and I love her with all of my heart. This friendship is one of the most important relationships in my life. A little back story: I struggle with depression and I have always felt that I am a burden or not worthy of having lasting relationships. I have always felt like I was not enough and deserved to be alone. This girl has been the biggest blessing in my life because she is constantly reminding me that I am worthy. When I am experiencing a low, she is right there with me holding my hand. She reminds me that it is okay to feel all emotions, but I cannot allow those thoughts to define me. She has the biggest heart of anyone I have ever met and she is the only friend I have felt comfortable enough to be myself. I don't think she realizes it but she is helping heal a part of me that felt unlovable, a part that felt broken. She is my biggest supporter and wants the best for me. We have the kind of friendship where there is no jealousy. We celebrate each other's accomplishments together and support each other through the tough times. There has never been competition. Even though I have a sister, whom I love dearly, I think God knew I needed another. She is the answer to my prayers. I will forever be thankful to have someone in my life who loves me unconditionally.

My name is Perla Gutierrez and I am 20 years old. I grew up in a household where drug use was present and in a family whose parents were divorcing. Both of these circumstances largely impacted my mental health. For years I struggled with feelings of sadness but I thought it was just that, feeling sad. I also struggled with excessive worry and feelings of low self esteem because I felt like I was not enough because both my parents were using at the time and because they couldn’t make things work and I somehow felt it was my fault. This past year I decided to get the help I needed to overcome these emotions and to start to heal the little girl inside of me. While doing this I was diagnosed with anxiety disorder which led to showing signs of depression. I felt so lost and like I wasn’t enough but thankfully with the help of my wonderful therapist, and my now sober father, I am doing what is necessary to get better. I mention this because this past year has really impacted me and has made me consider clinical psychology as a profession. My therapist has helped me so much, in ways I didn’t know I needed, and I realized that I want to help some little girl or boy work through their emotions in a healthy way. I want kids to know that they are worth it and that there is someone out there who wants the best for them and loves them. I want to help show them that they are valued and worthy. I want to be a shoulder for them to lean on and an ear to listen. I want to change their world just like my therapist has helped change mine. I deserve this scholarship not only because I intend to use my degree to help others but also because I am extremely hard woking an would not let the money go to waste. School is very important to me and I want to be the first one in my family to graduate from college. I want to make my dad proud because I know the efforts he has gone through to give me a better life. I would greatly appreciate this scholarship because I am paying my way through school on my own. I really want this degree and I am doing everything in my power to make sure it happens.

There is so many consequences of early childhood trauma. When children are victims of abuse it can lead to anxiety, depression, and so many other mental health issues. It can lead to them having a hard time trusting others. It can lead to low self-esteem. It can lead to overall unhappiness. I want to help kids who have been victims of abuse. I want to become a clinical psychologist with my population being children. I want to help these children overcome the obstacles that have set in their place. I want to be someone who they can count on and who they can turn to with their feelings. I want to teach them healthy techniques on how to cope. I want them to feel loved and safe and that they can overcome these obstacles. This topic is very personal to me and I have made it my mission to help other kids who are going through any type of abuse. Both of my parents have used drugs during the course of my life. Growing up one of them would leave for weeks and I remember feeling so sad that they wouldn't come back. I remember feeling like I did something wrong and that is why they chose to leave. I didn't know why they were leaving at the time, I just remembered the fear that they would not be coming back. This parent has now been clean for 14 years and is my absolute hero. They realized they needed to make a change and did the hard work to get clean and now they are prospering in life. They have remarried and have provided the best life possible for me and my siblings. While I am living in a wonderful loving home with this parent now, it has created some trauma. I struggle with anxiety. A lot of my anxiety stems from how I grew up. I have a hard time trusting people and asking for help. I have been going to therapy and my therapist has been such a big help for me. She has helped me realize that people are capable of change and that nothing is 100% certain in life but I need to have faith and lean into that uncertainty. I want to be this person for some little kid out there. I want them to be able to talk to me and go home at the end of the day knowing that they are cared for and someone wants the best for them.

I have struggled with anxiety for as long as I remember. When I spoke to my Latin family about how I was feeling, they said that I can choose how I feel and I can choose how I woke up in the morning. For the longest time, I thought there was something wrong with me. That there was something wrong with the way I was feeling. It made me feel guilt and shame because I knew I had a good life and I was mad at myself for feeling the way that I was feeling. My anxiety got so bad to where it was showing physical symptoms so my dad took me to the doctors and they explained to him that I needed to treat my anxiety before it got worse. He didn't understand it but he could tell that I was not okay so we gave therapy a try. In the Latino community, there is no such thing as "bad mental health." Most Latinos believe that mental health illnesses are all in your head. This was my experience and I know so many Latin people with this same experience. This whole experience has made me what to pursue a degree in clinical psychology. I know this is not only a problem in the Latin community but with so many others. I want to be able to help explain to anyone who struggles with a mental illness that there is nothing wrong with them. That it doesn't make you less of a person. I want to speak out on this issue and try to explain to people within these communities that mental health is a real issue. I also wanted to pursue clinical psychology because therapy quite literally changed my life. Having someone to talk to with no judgment being passed lifted a weight off of my shoulders. I want to be that person for someone else. I have a passion for serving people and for me, there is no better way to serve someone than by being there and listening. I think my experience will help me relate to people more. I think it will allow me to better put myself in their shoes to find solutions and ways to cope with their problems. I want people to know that they don't have to go through life alone. I also want them to know that the season they are in is temporary and things do get better. I want to be an advocate for mental health. I want to help eliminate the stigma that is attached to mental illness.

In the Latino community, there is no such thing as "bad mental health." Most Latinos believe that mental health illnesses are all in your head. This was my experience and I know so many Latin people with this same experience. I have struggled with anxiety for as long as I remember. When I spoke to my Latin family about how I was feeling, they said that I can choose how I feel and I can choose how I woke up in the morning. For the longest time, I thought there was something wrong with me. That there was something wrong with the way I was feeling. It made me feel guilt and shame because I knew I had a good life and I was mad at myself for feeling the way that I was feeling. My anxiety got so bad to where it was showing physical symptoms so my dad took me to the doctors and they explained to him that I needed to treat my anxiety before it got worse. He didn't understand it but he could tell that I was not okay so we gave therapy a try. This whole experience has made me what to pursue a degree in clinical psychology. I know this is not only a problem in the Latin community but with so many others. I want to be able to help explain to anyone who struggles with a mental illness that there is nothing wrong with them. That it doesn't make you less of a person. I also wanted to pursue clinical psychology because therapy quite literally changed my life. Having someone to talk to with no judgment being passed lifted a weight off of my shoulders. I want to be that person for someone else. I have a passion for serving people and for me, there is no better way to serve someone than by being there and listening. I think my experience will help me relate to people more. I think it will allow me to better put myself in their shoes to find solutions and ways to cope with their problems. I want people to know that they don't have to go through life alone. I also want them to know that the season they are in is temporary and things do get better. I want to be an advocate for mental health. I want to help eliminate the stigma that is attached to mental illness.

I was raised by a single dad for most of my life. He never got a chance to go to college because my parents had me when they were very young. He finished high school and immediately started working to provide a life for me. He worked so hard so that he could give me a better life. He wanted to give me a better chance than he had because his parents were immigrants. They didn't know the first thing about going to college. My grandparents started working when they were in third grade. They came to the United States to give my dad a better life. To us, he achieved that. He got to finish high school, something they never got the chance to do. My goal is to obtain my Ph.D. I have already obtained my associate's degree and am now working on my bachelor's degree. I am not doing this for myself. This past spring I graduated with my associate's degree. I did that for my dad and grandparents. I graduated with a 4.0 GPA. I was at the top of my class. I wanted them to know that all of their sacrifices were not for nothing. I want to make them proud. I have made them proud. My past generations sacrificed so much so that future generations could have an easier life. I am also doing this for my younger sister and brother. I want to be a role model to them and show them hard work pays off. I want to motivate them to do well in school and I want them to see we have the opportunity to not struggle because our parents and grandparents did that for us. I am also doing this for other Mexican American students. When I was applying to schools I noticed that there was a lot of diversity on campus. So many Latino/Hispanic people attend those institutions but, not all of them graduate. So many minority students have so many obstacles thrown their way that they simply cannot finish school. Some can't afford it, some have to help take care of their families, and so many are told they should just give up. I want to help break the idea that Mexican American people cannot graduate school. We can! It might be harder but it will be worth it! I also want to prove to myself that I can do it. I want to prove that I have what it takes. I want to show myself that my hard work will pay off!

One thing that makes mental health care inaccessible to young people is the stigma that surrounds mental health. I grew up in a culture that didn't believe mental health was a real thing. That made it hard for me to get help when I needed it. It took a while to explain to my dad, and for him to understand, that bad mental health is a real thing and not something that is just in my head. I think schools should have a class required for people to take that explains mental health and the problems that can arise. By doing this people from around the world will hopefully have an easier time seeking help if it is seen as a real issue.