No one in my family had ever been able to say, "Go ask the doctor". One day, they will. My path to higher education was paved by a mother who survived odds that should have broken her. Raised on dirt floor in Mexicali, Mexico, and later subjected to sever domestic abuse while shutting across border for school, my mother earned a 4.0 GPA- yet poverty and trauma put college entirely out of reach. Growing up, I watched my parents navigate financial collapse, my sister's intellectual disability, and my father's addiction within our home. Witnessing those struggles showed me how easily opportunities can be lost, and I made a promise to myself to write a different story for our family. Determined to convert my family's survival into a lasting legacy, I became the first in my family to pursue higher education, earning both my bachelor's and master's degrees. Today, as I work toward my Doctor of Physical Therapy, that same upbringing shapes how I view patient care. Long before choosing PT, coaching athletes of all ages taught me my true calling. Winning was exciting, but watching someone rebuild their confidence and achieve what felt impossible was even more gratifying. That desire to uplift others directly carried into my work as a physical therapy aide. Growing up in a cross-cultural household taught me the power of human connection; speaking Spanish allowed me to advocate for native Spanish-speaking patients. But when working with non-English speakers, such as our Arabic-speaking patients, I saw how language barriers threaten healthcare equity. Rather than stepping back, I asked my patients to teach me basic terms- how to greet them, count repetitions, prompt rest, and say thank you.Those moments proved that real healing begins long before treatment, but rather when someone feels respected enough to know they are worth the effort. Early in PT school, my perspective deepened further when I was diagnosed with Graves' disease. Navigating healthcare as a patient while managing rigorous graduate coursework reinforced the vulnerability my future patients feel, fueling my goal to serve medically underserved, multilingual communities upon graduation. Balancing clinical rotations with tuition and medical expenses makes graduate school a heavy financial burden. Receiving the Bick First Generation Scholarship would ease this strain, allowing me to focus entirely on becoming the clinician my community needs and help me continue building a future my mother never had the opportunity to pursue. More importantly, it would allow me to carry forward the resilience she gave me by becoming the kind of physical therapist who helps others believe that their circumstances do not define their future. My family's story didn't end with the obstacles they faced- it continues with the opportunities I choose to create. One day, when someone in my family says, "Go ask the doctor," they will be talking about me. By breaking generations of hardship through education, I intend to ensure that being the first means I will never be the last.

Growing up in a low-income household taught me resilience, gratitude, and perseverance from a very young age. In 2007, when the economy crashed, my father lost his union job, and shortly after, we lost our childhood home. I still vividly remember my mother boiling large pots of water on the stove so my sisters and I could take warm baths since we no longer had hot water. We relied on firewood to heat our home, and there were times when meals consisted mostly of rice and beans because it was all we could afford. Later in life, I learned my parents would sometime sacrifice their own meals to ensure we were fed. Those experiences shaped the trajectory of my life. I became determined to build a future that would allow me to help others facing hardship. I was the first person in my family to attend college and graduate with a Master's Degree, and I'm currently pursuing my Doctorate in Physical Therapy. My experiences continue to motivate me to give back to my community. I hope to work in a hospital-based or home care physical therapy settings where I can advocate for vulnerable patients during difficult times in their lives. I also try to support my own family whenever I can, including helping my grandparents financially. My background taught me that success is not only about personal achievement, but also about uplifting others along the way.

I want to pursue a career in the nonprofit healthcare sector because I believe every person deserves access to quality care, compassion, and support during some of the most difficult moments of their life. As a future Physical Therapist, I hope to work in a hospital-based or home care setting where I can advocate for patients who are often at their most vulnerable. Whether someone is recovering from surgery, learning to walk again after a stroke, managing a chronic illness, or simply trying to regain independence after an injury, I want to help ensure they receive the best care possible regardless of their background or circumstances. My interest in physical therapy comes from seeing how much of a difference rehabilitation can make not only physically, but emotionally and mentally as well. Patients are often overwhelmed, discouraged, or fearful about their future. Physical therapists have the unique opportunity to build meaningful relationships with patients while helping them regain confidence, mobility, and independence. I am drawn to this profession because it combines science, problem-solving, and human connection in a way that can truly change lives. I am especially passionate about working in nonprofit hospital systems or home health settings because these environments often serve individuals who may not otherwise have access to consistent healthcare resources. Many patients face barriers such as financial hardship, lack of transportation, language differences, or limited family support. In these situations, advocacy becomes just as important as treatment itself. I want to be the type of healthcare professional who not only provides skilled therapy services, but also listens to patients, educates them, and helps them navigate challenges that may impact their recovery. In a hospital setting, I hope to support patients through critical transitions in care and encourage them during moments when progress feels impossible. In home care, I would have the opportunity to meet patients where they are most comfortable and understand the environmental and social factors that affect their daily lives. Both settings would allow me to provide individualized, patient-centered care while promoting dignity and independence. Beyond direct patient care, I hope my work will create a positive impact by helping patients feel heard, respected, and empowered throughout their recovery journey. Even small improvements in mobility or function can dramatically improve someone’s quality of life, allowing them to return to meaningful activities, care for themselves, or spend time with loved ones. Knowing that I can play a role in helping someone regain that independence is what motivates me to pursue this career. Ultimately, I want to dedicate my career to serving others through compassionate healthcare and advocacy. Working in the nonprofit sector would allow me to contribute to communities that need support the most while making a lasting difference in the lives of my patients and their families.

As a first-generation queer Mexican-American and soon-to-be physical therapy student, I proudly identify as a member of multiple underrepresented groups- culturally, socioeconomically, and in terms of sexual orientation. I will be the first in my family to earn a doctoral degree, and I carry the weight of that responsibility with pride and purpose. After completing my Master's in Coaching and Exercise Science in 2021, I spent three years building real-world experiences, refining my goals, and preparing myself to return to academia. I enter physical therapy school with a perspective shaped by perseverance, intersectionality, and a deep commitment to uplifting the overlooked. Growing up in a working-class Mexican-American household in San Diego, I rarely saw medical professionals who looked like me, spoke my language, or understood my family's cultural values. Healthcare often felt like something we engaged with out of necessity rather than trust or comfort. As a queer person, I've also experienced how assumptions, lack of inclusivity, and unconscious bias can negatively affect the quality of care and the willingness to seek it. These layers of underrepresentation have not discouraged me- they've clarified my mission. I want to be the kind of provider I wish my community had: someone who listens without judgement, communicated across cultures, and understands that identities like race, ethnicity, gender, and sexuality shape health experiences in real and nuanced ways. Whether it's a queer teen recovering from surgery who needs emotional safety in addition to physical healing, or a Spanish-speaking elder uncertain about the value of PT, I want to meet each patient where they are- with cultural humility, empathy, and evidence -based care. Over the past 11 years, I coached water polo across all levels- from youth to college. This experience developed my ability to build trust, encourage growth, and empower individuals from all walks of life. Coaching isn't just about athletic performance- it's about helping people feel seen, capable, and valued. These are exactly the outcomes I hope to bring into the physical therapy space, especially for marginalized patients who may feel invisible in clinical environments. The physical therapy profession grows stronger when it reflects the diversity of the populations it serves. As a bilingual, queer, Mexican-American provider, I aim to help expand that representation- not just in appearance, but in action. My presence in the profession alone will speak volumes to young patients, queer individuals, and LatinX families who haven't often seen themselves in healthcare roles. But I also plan to go further: advocating for inclusive care practices, contributing to culturally informed treatment plans, and using my voice to advance equity in the field. I know what it's like to navigate systems not built for you- to feel unseen, unheard, and uncertain. Representation in healthcare isn't a checkbox- it's a foundation. I'm not entering this profession to fit in- I'm here to stand out, speak up, and make space. For every patient who's ever felt overlooked, I'm here to reshape what care feels like- for those who've long stood in the margins.