September 8th was the day I ventured out and left my hometown to pursue my degree in nursing. I still remember kissing my abuelita goodbye and receiving her and my grandfathers blessing before venturing off and living alone in a state I had never been. I remember closing the door behind me while leaving my grandparents house and looking back to see their faces and having the reluctant thought that this might be the last time I ever see them. But, I decided to do this for them they came to this nation with nothing and built their whole life here so that our family could have the ability to prosper and make our own beautiful mosaic with our grandparents as our foundation. I have encouraged many of cousins to attend college. After having earned my associates degree I became my families first generation graduate. As I purse my bachelors degree in nursing I will be the first gen to earn a bachelors degree. I encourage my peers by mentioning to them my story. I show them that even though I never really had much money, skill or knowledge… I applied myself and I studied and I worked hard to get where I am. I encourage them to challenge themselves and to break the barrier and defy humanities outlook on people of color. It’s beautiful to see Latinos in the medical field and in any field that grants them the power to excel in life. After telling my story I enjoy sharing my perspective of college life. I let my peers know it is hard but the things that are hard are often the things that are most important. If it were easy anyone would do it. Hence, finding the motivation in themselves and seeking to better their own future should be of great importance to them. Everyone has to start somewhere. The hardest part is always convincing one’s mind that they can better themselves. I use my family as my motivation but at the end of the day my ultimate goal is to save lives and cure. I would assure to my peers that they should never limit themselves and they should take a leap of faith and never be to comfortable with where they are in life because there is always room for improvement. Knowledge is power and it is important to educate ourselves rather than just believing everything we hear. One should always feel the need to learn and in doing this they can build their own thoughts and facts using their own methodology rather than following the trends of the world or basic news outlets. The information and applications are out there it just takes a giant leap of faith to apply.

My name is Sandra Estanislao Quintana I am a Latina from a rural community in California, named San Jacinto. I am twenty four years old and I currently am working towards becoming a registered nurse. My parents both immigrated to California when I was a little girl they shared the dream of most immigrants which was to give their children an opportunity to better themselves in a country that had so much so offer. My mother’s family resides here in California she has 7 brothers and 4 sisters. A majority of my childhood was spent at my abuelitos house because my parents worked. When it came time for me to start going to preschool my abuelita would braid my hair everyday and walk about five of my cousins and I to school. She never had the chance to go to school back in Mexico so she would tell us how much she dreamt of just getting that chance to sit at a desk. She also never learned to read but she tried her best to learn how to write her name and although imperfect she tried her best. I tell you about my childhood because it wasn’t always easy. At such a young age I would come home from school and help make bottles and feed my little cousins. It was hard because my abuelitas house was full of so many little kids so we each had to care for ourselves because most of the time she was busy. I remember caring for all of little cousins when they fell or got hurt. I loved to care for them and help them. I am convinced my childhood led me to my yearning in wanting to become a nurse. I am twenty four years old but seeing the health and welfare of my family decline really weighed heavy on my heart for years. Losing my uncle to stage 4 colon cancer back in 2016 and seeing how depressed my grandmother got and the effects it had on her health I stopped everything for them. Not only them but for my own sanity and mental health. A lot of people judge me because I am Latina with no degree but they don’t know how many challenges and adversities I overcame. I am so blessed to still have my abuelitos here with me on earth. Although they are so much older and their health is declining I appreciate every day I get to hear their voice. This year I ventured out to Minnesota to pursue my dream. Saying goodbye to my abuelitos and knowing I might never see them again is a thought no person deserves to have. However, I think back to the days my abuelita would tell me that she just wished she could sit at a desk even at the age of 70 that was still her wish… That thought is what motivated me to continue her legacy through nursing. I plan on caring for patients and healing people one by one because I know what it feels like to be a shadow on this earth. I plan on welcoming life and grieving with families when it’s time to say goodbye. I plan on showing people how lifestyle changes like, exercising more can increase their life by years. Most importantly, I plan on advocating for the Latinx community by translating needs and wants to their provider. In addition, my journey could be an example to the Latinx community that they can become nurses too, together we can break the 3.6% statistic of Latinx nurses in the field!

Jack Thorne once said "Those we love never truly leave us. There are things that death cannot touch" (Thorne). I was just starting my senior year when I found out my uncle was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. I remember watching him endure so much pain through out his treatments. Often times, I would break down in class or I would walk out of class because I could not stop thinking about him. He battled tirelessly for about eight months, but sadly his body couldn't combat that evil malignant cancer. Eventually, he was put on life support and his family was asked to make the decision of continuing the treatment that was keeping him alive or letting go. Consequently, my uncles family decided to let him go. July 16th, 2016 is a day I will never forget. I had been asked by my parents and sister if I wanted to go say my final goodbye and I refused. My heart couldn't grasp that it was time to let go, and my mind couldn't understand my uncles families selfish motives. But, I decided to go at the very last minute and my family was all gathered in his room. I have a total of 12 aunts and uncles, 7 aunts and 4 uncles to be exact. The room was dark everyones heads were down and I remember freezing and I took my baby cousin from my uncles daughter and I went down stairs where I would find solace and peace in the statue of Jesus outside of the hospital. My baby cousin was about 8 months. To this day I will never forget how he fixed his eyes to the sky. I'm convinced that in that moment he saw his grandfathers soul leave his body and this earth. This filled my heart and I looked up and smiled with tears in my eyes and I knew my uncle was gone and he was no longer suffering the burdens he faced here on earth. This is when I found my strength to persevere through life without my uncles sweet smile and laugh. Losing my uncle has awoken a force in me I never knew I had in myself. I had gained the strength to push forward and mend my bond with Christ. I regret to admit that I was angry and I turned my back on Christ. But, I quickly found my way back home after picking myself up and dusting off the pain, anger, pity, and grief I was covered in. I felt the strength to go through college and try my best for him. I took my uncles death to heart and I vowed to study and work hard to become a registered nurse. I'm proud to say many years later after many trials and tribulations I am two years short of becoming a registered nurse. I quickly realized that this life is beautiful. I reflected on how beautiful my uncles life was. He loved to laugh and sing. He lived everyday without a care or worry in the world. He defined living boldly and having courage. Thus, I stopped taking life for granted and I appreciated my loved ones so much more than I already had. I decided to take risks like apply for nursing programs which in turn wasn't easy at all. I had many short comings and many denials but I accepted my failures with grace. My uncles life was never easy but I look at him and I reflect on his beautiful, messy life and I use it as my inspiration to keep fighting and to keep persevering. Upon losing my uncle I had a closer connection to Christ and I relied heavily on the Bible. My all time favorite bible verse to this day is; "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7-8). Reflecting back on this bible verse I always read it and related it back to my uncle and his life. Nonetheless, I never realized how it was so closely related to my life as well. Today, I can say I relate even more to that bible verse now because life as a nursing student is not easy. Throughout my journey through nursing school I will keep the faith and I won't stop until the fight is over. Everyday is a battle but we must find the courage and the inspiration to fight and better ourselves. Death can not touch the memories we have made with our loved ones. Where death is; light and life is found even in the darkest places, finding that light in the darkness is a fight we must not fear but rather, overcome.

This is Bella prior to taking this picture she was sniffing that yellow daisy in her hair. She has a very spunky attitude and is very hyperactive. She fills my days with light and laughter. She was the smallest from her liter, she is tiny but mighty! She can jump on the couches and she loves car rides. She has definitely proven that love is a four-legged word. I am proud to say my best friend has a fur tail and she is the most reliable companion I could ever have!

Kobe Bryant once said, "Life is too short to get bogged down and be discouraged. You have to keep moving. You have to keep going. Put one foot in front of the other, smile, and just keep rolling." Life for me has not been easy at all. In high school I struggled with depression and anxiety. I can remember how dark some days felt, I would wake up some days and I remember wishing I could just sleep in all day. I didn't care to see the light or to be near anyone. These major changes in my life happened after losing my uncle to stage 4 colon cancer. To my surprise I never would have thought that a life of such darkness would soon bloom into light and flourish into something beautiful. Overcoming the dark times in my life was difficult. It took constant months of therapy and self will. I learned that in the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity. I stopped feeling sad and accepted my short comings and failures. I learned to cope with emotion by placing my trust in God. This helped lead me to better understand the world. I came to find out that we are all human. We all are carrying our own cross, our own burdens and pain every day. It was because of this that I learned to be more caring and selfless. After caring for many people and carrying my own cross I found an admiration for nursing. I knew that one day all my pain would not have been in vein. Now, being a certified nurse assistant I have had the pleasure of being there for many dying patients. I can see now that if I would've taken this beautiful messy life of mine for granted a patient would be left alone with not one hand to hold at the last seconds of their lives. This leads me to my present goal of becoming an RN and being there to dignify every life from the very first breath of life to the last. As a nursing student I have built many relationships with people. Some of who seem so strong but they also break as well. Most of us all struggle with the burden of pressure and a constant yearning for perfection. We rely on each other and help each other by doing as much as we can as a team. Rather than competing against each other we all want to be there for one another so we can all see each other succeed. To this day life does get hard at times. But, I have many solutions to overcoming the trials and tribulations of this life. I wish so badly, that I could go back and give my younger self a hug for hating my life. I have heard so many awesome stories from my patients and I have looked in the eyes of a World War II veteran. I've heard the stories of many veterans and it makes me happy to hear the stories of the men and women who so tirelessly fought for this country. In the end, life does get better. There is always room for growth. And, there is always light at the end of the tunnel. I am convinced that we are the paint brush and Christ is our painter, painting the most beautiful picture of our lives one by one. Sure, there's some messy turns and rough textures but wouldn't you love to see your masterpiece?

I am from a small town in California and have always been there for many people in need. I have volunteered at my parish St. Anthony’s Catholic Church for about 8 years. Every year we partake in the walk for life and honor the lives of innocent babies that were killed due to abortion. Each cross represents the 36,000 babies that are killed everyday. We walk the streets of our town carrying white crosses about 40 inches tall. All the churches in town come together ranging from Catholics, Christians, Protestants, and Baptists. In total there’s about 1000 people that participate. When we arrive to the church after walking about 2 miles we hammer the crosses in the dirt alongside a common road every passerby will see. In total there’s about 2000 crosses nailed into the ground. I have also taken part in One Life LA and walked alongside many pro life advocates such as Lila Rose, Eduardo Verástegui, and hearing Fr. Frank Pavone speak. I am a pro life advocate because I have heard the tragic stories of abortion. I have held a women in my arms while I was praying a rosary outside of an abortion clinic located in San Bernardino near where I reside. She was fearful, and she said she had no other options because she was struggling as is with her one child. I assured her that she is safe and that our parish would help her. I have her options for help and assured her she would not be alone on this journey and that Christ was always with her. I gave her my rosary and she ended up walking away from the abortion clinic. In all the days I have sat our there just knowing I saved one baby’s life was enough for me and I will never forget that experience. My best friend recently had a baby and told me she remembers my talks about abortion and that I was the only reason why she kept her baby. I currently am a Certified Nurse Assistant. I work with people who are on there last days and I treat them with the dignity and respect they deserve. I am a firm believer that every life deserves a chance to live from womb till tomb. Recently, I was accepted into a nursing program. I am aspiring to earn my bachelors degree in nursing in hope to become an RN specializing in labor and delivery. My hope is to welcome life into this world as it should be. However, I also know there will be dark times where something may go wrong with mother or baby or even both. But, I know that Christ will grant me the grace and strength to overcome these trials. As Philippians 4:13 reads, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” I look forward to furthering my education and pursuing the future my God has planned for me.

My name is Sandra Quintana Estanislao. My name is often looked down upon because of my Hispanic decent. However, I take pride in my last names. My grandma immigrated to California with 2 kids to begin with. In total she had 13 kids and managed to cross them all over illegally and when she was here managed to get them their legal documents to become U.S. citizens. My grandmother never went to school a day in her life. She would always tell me throughout my life how she always wished she could be able to sit down at a desk. She never learned how to read or write but still managed to successfully raise 13 children and buy a home here (which she still owns). When I was a young girl I would read to her and her eyes would fill with emotion. When I was first learning to write I taught her how to use a pencil and I would be patient with her. She is now 83 years old and still pushes me to my full potential. I promised her that I would do whatever it takes to make her proud, and to never take my education for granted. My grandma raised me my early years of life because my parents were constantly working. So, I spent a lot of time with her. I am the first generation student in my family. I am a nursing student aspiring to earn my BSN. Life has not been easy for me or my family. I’ve learned that in life we have to take the punches and roll with it. Just like a merry go round, the carousel never stops spinning, this world never stops turning. I believe that nothing in life is given to you, rather it is earned. Therefore, I spend everyday studying and focusing on school. By September I’ll be leaving my whole entire family including my grandparents for two whole years. I have a fear that the next time I return I may not get the chance to see them again. I know that they may not be here to see their granddaughter be the first college graduate they’ve raised. However, I know that I must do this so succeed for my grandmother. Every sacrifice she has made for us will not be in vein. Recently, my grandmother has not been doing too good health wise she is declining. She has been diagnosed with chronic heart failure. I am now working part time at my current job to allow me to care for her and change her. It has been a humbling experience for me to be providing her the same care she provided for me as a young girl. This has led me to feel proud, humbled, emotional, and rewarded. When I care for her I see her pain and trials and it makes me want to continue my education so that I may help others as well. I’ve seen my grandmother struggle through many trials and tribulations in her life and she survived. She overcame every curve ball thrown her way gracefully. She relied on Christ to restore her life and heart with hope. My favorite quote from the Bible reads, “By grace through faith” (Ephesians 2:8). I know that I can overcome everything life throws at me by grace and through my faith. Just as my mother and grandmother showed me to do. God is greater than the highs and lows of life. I am confident that through Christ I can face any challenge life has for me. I am the granddaughter of Teresa Estanislao. I will be the first generation college graduate of my family and I will make them proud. I am beyond ready for nursing school and with these key values my perseverance will soon pay off.