I became a Licensed Vocational Nurse in 2018 and started working in environments most people avoid. I’ve worked in correctional facilities, hospice care, and skilled nursing. I have cared for people facing death, incarceration, and complete isolation. These experiences showed me how easily people can be forgotten, especially when they are poor, sick, elderly, or living on the margins. I chose nursing because I want to be the one who sees them, listens to them, and treats them like they matter. Over the years, I’ve realized that I am built for this work. I stay calm in crisis. I think clearly when everything feels chaotic. I speak up when my patients need someone in their corner. My approach is direct, steady, and grounded. I’ve gained the trust of people who are used to being judged or ignored. That trust means everything to me. It is the reason I want to keep growing in this profession. I am now working toward becoming a Registered Nurse so I can expand my clinical knowledge and take on more responsibility. My long-term goal is to open a small residential care facility that prioritizes safety, dignity, and quality care for underserved adults. I don’t just want to succeed in the healthcare system. I want to create change within it. To make this happen, I have remained focused. I’ve continued working full-time while completing prerequisite coursework. I am currently a Health Technician/LVN at a pubic elementary school serving grades TK-8th. I’ve stayed in good academic standing and taken initiative to prepare for the demands of nursing school. At work, I’ve taken on leadership responsibilities, mentored new nurses, and advocated for patients with complex needs. Every step I’ve taken has been part of a larger plan to move forward, both professionally and personally. None of this has come easy. I grew up in poverty. At one point, I lived in a house with no electricity. I’ve experienced addiction, hardship, and personal loss. But those struggles gave me something important. They gave me grit, empathy, and purpose. They gave me the perspective I now bring into every clinical setting. I am prepared to serve every demographic and every background. I know why I am on this path. I want to help people not just survive their circumstances, but feel seen and cared for in the process. I also have something to prove, that I can do this. That is my why today and for the future.

1. I am currently pursuing my Registered Nurse license with long-term plans to open a small care facility focused on dignity, safety, and service for elderly and underserved populations. This award would ease the financial burden of returning to school as a working LVN and allow me to continue growing my skills without sacrificing the quality of care I give my patients. I have over six years of experience in correctional healthcare, hospice, skilled nursing, and orthopedic case management. These settings have sharpened my ability to think critically, communicate clearly, and lead calmly in high-pressure situations. My most meaningful accomplishments haven’t been awards or promotions, but moments when patients trusted me to advocate for them when no one else would. That’s where I thrive. I’ve overcome significant barriers to get here. I grew up in poverty, at one point living without electricity, and I’ve had to rebuild from the ground up more than once. I’ve also mentored new nurses, served as a calming presence during crisis care, and worked closely with families navigating end-of-life decisions. My lived experience is my strength, and I bring it into every clinical setting I enter. With the support of this award, I’ll keep going. 2. My goals closely align with ACHE of SoCal’s purpose of advancing equity, access, and leadership in healthcare. As a nurse who has worked in correctional settings, hospice, and crisis management, I have seen firsthand how gaps in leadership and access lead to patient suffering. I want to be part of changing that by creating more available beds for at need seniors in California. I’m pursuing my RN to take on more responsibility and eventually open a care facility that serves those often overlooked. I believe in leading from the ground level up by showing up, advocating loudly, and never forgetting where I came from. My leadership comes from experience, not title, and I carry it into every patient interaction. ACHE’s commitment to growing future leaders in healthcare, especially those from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds, reflects my own vision. I have lived through systemic barriers and have worked hard to turn those experiences into tools that serve others. With continued education, mentorship, and support, I will step into leadership roles that allow me to push for real change, not just within facilities, but across communities.

I became a Licensed Vocational Nurse in 2018 and started my career in some of the toughest environments. I’ve worked in correctional facilities, hospice care, and skilled nursing. My patients have ranged from young children to the elderly, and from people facing death to those serving life sentences. These experiences taught me how to see people fully, especially when they are at their lowest. Oftentimes, healthcare does not meet people in their greatest moments. Patients seek healthcare when they're most vulnerable. Each person's individual story and personal history shapes how I treat my patients. I’m direct, protective, and honest. I advocate fiercely, especially for people who have no one else speaking up for them. Whether I'm behind locked doors in a prison or holding someone’s hand in hospice, my approach never changes. My consistency has allowed for even the most overlooked to find hope. These experiences haven’t just sharpened my clinical judgment. They’ve strengthened my ability to build trust quickly, manage emotionally complex situations, and speak up in systems where patients are often treated like numbers. I’ve seen what happens when care is rushed or impersonal, and I’ve made it my personal mission to be the kind of nurse who doesn’t cut corners, no matter the setting. What inspired me to keep going was the realization that I’m good at this work. I think clearly under pressure, I communicate well, and I stay calm when everything feels like it’s falling apart. Over time, I became someone my patients trusted. That trust means everything to me. It made me realize this isn’t just a job. It’s my calling. I’m now pursuing my Registered Nurse license because I want to grow. I want to work in more advanced clinical settings and build a stronger foundation so I can do more for my patients. One of my long-term goals is to open a small care facility where people feel safe, respected, and supported. I’ve seen the gaps in the system, and I want to be part of the solution. My background hasn’t been easy. I didn’t grow up with much. At one point, I was living in a home without electricity. I’ve gone through things that nearly broke me. But those experiences gave me grit, empathy, and purpose. I bring all of that into my work as a nurse. I may not have started this journey with a clear roadmap, but I know exactly where I’m headed now. Nursing is not just something I do. It is who I am, and I plan to use every skill I have to make a difference for people who need it most. I believe people deserve compassion, even in the darkest chapters of their lives and I am proud to be someone who provides it.

When I was four, my mom left an abusive marriage with no money and three kids. We moved into a tiny apartment and got by on food stamps. She enrolled in community college with nothing but a determination to build a better life. I watched her study late at night after working all day. It took years, but she became an attorney. That experience showed me early on what strength looks like and that you can start over, no matter how far gone you feel. I didn’t take a straight path into nursing. There were times in my life when I was completely lost. I’ve lived in places without electricity. I’ve been in situations where I truly didn’t see a way forward. I know what it feels like to be at rock bottom, to be judged, to feel like your life doesn’t matter. That kind of pain doesn’t leave you. But it can shape you into someone who sees people clearly, who doesn’t look away when things get hard. When I became a Licensed Vocational Nurse, something clicked. I started working in settings that most people avoid. I’ve done hospice, corrections, skilled nursing, and case management. I’ve worked with inmates, people on the brink of death, and patients who have no one. That’s where I thrive. I’m blunt, calm under pressure, and I don’t panic when chaos hits. My patients trust me because I’m real with them. I talk to them like human beings because I know what it’s like to not be seen that way. The more I worked, the more I realized this is where I belong. Not just as an LVN, but as someone who can go further. That’s why I’m going back for my RN. I want to level up my skills and take on more responsibility. I want to be the nurse who makes hard calls, who trains others, who leads. Long term, I want to open a small care facility where people can feel safe and respected. I’ve seen what happens when people don’t have access to good care, and I’m not okay with that. My past doesn’t define me, but it drives me. I didn’t grow up with privilege. I didn’t have connections or a roadmap. But I had grit. I had a mom who showed me what survival looks like and I’ve turned that into purpose. Nursing isn’t just a job for me. It’s personal. I know what pain feels like. I also know what healing feels like when someone shows up and doesn’t give up on you. This scholarship would help me keep going. I’m not afraid of the hard work, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a financial strain. I’m committed to finishing my RN program and continuing to serve people who often get overlooked. I’m proud of how far I’ve come, and I know I have more to give.