In the summer of 2018, I run my first marathon. I did not know how much running meant to me until I enrolled in a running class at the community college. In this class, I met an amazing person that inspired me to start running long distance. Although it took me almost six hours to finish, I never gave up. Yes, there were moments were mentally I could not do it anymore but I found the strength and power to keep moving forward. Crossing that finish line felt amazing! This summer I will be running my third marathon.

I moved to the United States at the age of fifteen. I did not speak any English or knew much about U.S history. Learning a new language was challenging but feeling alienated was even more difficult. In high school, I was teased and made fun of for speaking 'broken English' or speaking the language with an accent. I must be honest; I became ashamed of my accent and my identity for many years. My mother immigrated north when I was just an infant and left me and my siblings behind under the care of my grandmother. My mother's absence had a detrimental effect on my psychological well-being. For most of my childhood, I experience loneliness and feelings of abandonment. I also experienced physical, emotional, and sexual abuse which made me feel helpless, unprotected, and not loved enough. Most of these feelings continue to manifest even after reuniting with my mother and later in my life. I became a single mother myself at the age of twenty-two and it was then I understood a mother would sacrifice anything to provide a better life and future for her children. I also realize it was up to me to let the traumas of my past get in the way of my future. I became to live in the present and putting my traumas behind. Although my traumas are no longer a driving force in my life, it took time and therapy to overcome those painful feelings and memories. The pandemic has awakened some of those thoughts and feelings, but I’m seeking help, and meeting with a therapist once a month is helping me work through those emotions to maintain a stable mental state. As far as my first experience in high school, through my education, I learned more about myself and the experiences of my Latinx community in U.S. society. I came to realize my accent is part of who I am. My accent is like the color of my skin. My accent means I speak two languages “Valgo por Dos.” My accent tells my story. I often asked, ‘hey you have an accent where you from?’ I take it as a compliment and as an opportunity to tell the story of how my family immigrated to the United States. I’m proud of my identity and who I have become. My hope for the future is to continue evolving in my career, complete my MA in Educational Leadership, and obtain a senior-administrator position at the community college in the future. I'm currently working serving students with disabilities and I hope my program and the college as a whole continue to work together to break the stigma around mental health and look at it as a presence of wellness and self-care rather than an absence of illness. I also hope that more trauma-informed care training is provided to educators, staff, and administrators so we can work together to develop and implement strategies and programs that will more effectively meet the needs of all students.

I am a Latina, a mother, an immigrant, and a first-generation college graduate. When I first decided to attend community college, I had no idea what I wanted to do in the future. After experiencing a challenging first semester, I felt I did not belong in college. I decided to seek support from several student services programs, and through emerging myself in these programs, I witnessed first-hand the amazing things they were doing for low-income and first-generation students like me. I realized this is where I wanted to be in the future; a place or position where I could also make a difference and support disadvantaged students achieve their higher potential. I believe education is the power of transformation and in the process, we are not only transforming ourselves but also transforming others. I had the privilege to be part of this transformation by serving a diverse population of students for over five years at the community college level. My education has also been essential in shaping change. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Humanities from San Jose State University (SJSU). Through my educational experience, I was able to expand my knowledge on Social Justice issues and become more aware of the inequalities disadvantaged groups face in higher education and our communities. Both my educational and employment experiences have provided me with opportunities to grow, the ability to support students accomplish their goals, and to continue promoting social and cultural awareness at the college and the community. Although I have accomplished a lot in my career, the higher I have moved up, the further I feel I am from making a meaningful impact in higher education. This is my reason for pursuing a Master's degree in Educational Leadership. Through working at two different community college districts, I have had the opportunity to emerge myself in the administrative conversation, but listening is not enough. A seat on the other side of the table will provide me with more opportunities to make a meaningful impact on students' educational experience and future. I also want to prove to myself that I can succeed and achieve an education beyond an undergraduate degree. I acknowledge that first-generation college students are less likely to achieve higher education. Those who do complete an undergraduate degree, are most likely to stop there and not continue with a professional degree beyond a Bachelors. We often doubt ourselves and our potential. Once I graduated from SJSU, I told myself this was the end of the educational road for me; I have accomplished enough. Yet, I realized that the road continues. I realized I can achieve more than enough. By moving on further in my education, I’m not only fulfilling my personal goals, but I can also inspire my Latinx community, single mothers, first-generation students, or anyone who has doubted their potential, to do the same. We are intelligent and intellectual people capable of succeeding and paving that academic road for future generations to follow. Making a difference in students' educational journey is what excites me the most about my work, and I genuinely believe I can make a more impactful difference, but I lack the academic level and additional training I need to become a more prolific leader. Graduate school will help me deepen and strengthen my leadership skills. It will allow me to step outside my comfort zone and become the leader that I aspire to be. It will also help me learn more about the higher education system and provide opportunities to contribute to the field. I have heard from many educators and administrators that leadership is not about what we do now, but about what we do next. I am confident that the Educational Leadership program will help me continue enhancing my knowledge and understanding of higher education and prepare me for a position as a senior-level administration at the community college in the future. A position as an administrator will mean an opportunity to continue making an impact, influence policy in the higher education system, and create more engaging and inclusive opportunities for all students. I am determined to become a leader who brings equity values to life. Graduate school cost money but I refuse to let the financial aspects stop me from reaching my dreams and furthering my education. If I was to be granted this scholarship opportunity, the funds will help me cover for tuition and textbook. Being awarded this scholarship opportunity also means accomplishing my wildest dream of becoming a leader, mentor, and creator of change in the higher education setting.

When I first decided to attend community college, I had no idea what I wanted to do in the future. After experiencing a challenging first semester, I felt I did not belong in college. I decided to seek support from several student services programs, and through emerging myself in these programs, I witnessed first-hand the amazing things they were doing for low-income and first-generation students like me. I realized this is where I wanted to be in the future; a place or position where I could also make a difference and support disadvantaged students achieve their higher potential. I believe education is the power of transformation and in the process, we are not only transforming ourselves but also transforming others. I had the privilege to be part of this transformation by serving a diverse population of students for over five years at the community college level. My education has also been essential in shaping change. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Humanities from San Jose State University (SJSU). Through my educational experience, I was able to expand my knowledge on Social Justice issues and become more aware of the inequalities disadvantaged groups face in higher education and our communities. Both my educational and employment experiences have provided me with opportunities to grow, the ability to support students accomplish their goals, and to continue promoting social and cultural awareness at the college and the community. Although I have accomplished a lot in my career, the higher I have moved up, the further I feel I am from making an impact in higher education. This is one of my reasons for pursuing an MA degree in Educational Leadership at Mills College. Through working at two different community college districts, I have had the opportunity to emerge myself in the administrative conversation, but listening is not enough. A seat on the other side of the table will provide me with more opportunities to make a meaningful impact on students' educational experience and future. I also want to prove to myself that I can succeed and achieve an education beyond an undergraduate degree. I acknowledge that first-generation college students are less likely to achieve higher education. Those who do complete an undergraduate degree, are most likely to stop there and not continue with a professional degree beyond a Bachelors. We often doubt ourselves and our potential. Once I graduated from SJSU, I told myself this was the end of the educational road for me; I have accomplished enough. Yet, I realized that the road continues. I realized I can achieve more than enough. By moving on further in my education, I’m not only fulfilling my personal goals, but I can also inspire my Latinx community, single mothers, first-generation students, or anyone who has doubted their potential, to do the same. We are intelligent and intellectual people capable of succeeding and paving that academic road for future generations to follow. Making a difference in students' educational journey is what excites me the most about my work, and I genuinely believe I can make a more impactful difference, but I lack the academic level and additional training I need to become a more prolific leader. Graduate school will help me deepen and strengthen my leadership skills. It will allow me to step outside my comfort zone and become the leader that I aspire to be. It will also help me learn more about the higher education system and provide opportunities to contribute to the field. I have heard from many educators and administrators that leadership is not about what we do now, but about what we do next. I am confident that the Educational Leadership program will help me continue enhancing my knowledge and understanding of higher education and prepare me for a position as a senior-level administration at the community college in the future. A position as an administrator will mean an opportunity to continue making an impact, influence policy in the higher education system, and create more engaging and inclusive opportunities for all students. I am determined to become a leader who brings equity values to life, but graduate school cost money. If I was to be granted this scholarship opportunity, the funds will help me continue my education road with the hopes of one day becoming a leader, mentor, and creator of change.