Throughout my journey, I’ve grown with the flow of adversity. I’ve realized that no matter what position the universe puts you in, there’s always a lesson to be learned or reminded of.

After my parent's divorce, I lived a turbulent life with my mom and older brother. I was exposed to drug abuse, neglect, criminal activity, and molestation. With very few role models, I looked up to my brother. I wanted to shave my head, wear high socks, and join a gang just like him. I was severely misguided, on a path towards death or incarceration. 

On a typical summer night, I would attempt to wake my mom up as she lay in bed, blacked out. My brother took this opportunity to throw house parties, where I would often drink, smoke, and huff laughing gas and enjoy the music. The police almost always stopped these get-togethers—at most giving a warning—but one night, things changed. 

Instead of going out, I stayed inside to practice magic tricks. As police raided the party, they noticed me, a 10-year-old inside with a magic set. The officers promptly removed me from the household, and I was put in foster care. My greatest trick at the time.

I was eventually placed in temporary care with my aunt until my mom's condition improved. But my brief sleepover turned into legal guardianship as my mom struggled to escape the grips of her addiction. I started to question what my future would look like.

Luckily, with a new supportive environment, I quickly realized the value of education. After pushing myself in high school, I was accepted into San Diego State University, where I embarked on various endeavors to quench my curiosity. My education wouldn't have been possible without the Guardian Scholars program, which connected me with peers with similar backgrounds. I knew I had a community to call home for a while.

Throughout my undergraduate education, I took time to cultivate my vision for the future, and everything has been slowly falling into place. Through service to myself, others, and the community, I hope to enact change, by steadily improving myself and then those around me.

I recently graduated with a bachelors of arts in interdisciplinary studies and an emphasis in biology, communications, and psychology. I work in three different positions as a behavioral health specialist, a festival harm reduction specialist, and as a transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) technician. I also volunteer as a clinical research technician, psychedelic peer support specialist, and as an activist for various causes.

I hope to further my education and involvement in society through therapy, research, advocacy, and art by blending my interests into one cohesive journey.