My WHY

I am a woman. I am an immigrant. I am an English Language learner. I am a first-generation college graduate. I am a mother.

I was born and raised in Tijuana, Mexico, a transborder community that is well-known for its high incidence of violence, acculturation, migration, and poverty. Despite these challenges, my community is also rich in (counter) culture, art, social justice activism, and hardworking big-hearted families. I grew up seeing both sides of my community and always knew that I wanted to pursue a career where I could support and empower those that seemed to be left behind, as I felt my family and I were a part of this group. My parents come from small towns in the south of Mexico where their families had to battle poverty, abuse and health issues. My parents had to work from young ages alongside their parents to provide for the family's basic necessities. They are resilient and extremely hardworking people that, against many odds, were able to overcome poverty and provide an education for me and my siblings.

After completing my undergraduate studies at the Universidad Autonoma de Baja California and earning my B.S. in Psychology, I began my professional career at the Desarrollo Integral de la Familia (the Mexican equivalent to the Department of Social Services) as a workshop facilitator for a school-based teen prevention and support program. I visited over 20 schools in some of the most underserved communities in Tijuana and observed first hand the many challenges young people face throughout their education in Mexico. I enjoyed every minute of my interactions with students. This job definitely sparked my interest in school settings, but I also wanted to continue my development in the social services area. Upon moving to the United States as a newlywed in my early twenties, I had the opportunity to work as an advocate supervisor for CASA of Monterey County. This was my first experience with the Department of Social Services and Foster Care System. In this position I was able to advocate for youth and children that had experienced abuse and neglect: It was my dream job! However, the more I learned about the children stories and their outcomes and the more I learned about systems, I realized that, while I loved working at this organization, I needed to be at a place where I could do more prevention work and lay out a positive foundation for all young people. I realized I needed to be in the schools.

After many hours of research and many conversations with the various professionals I collaborated through my work with youth in foster care, I came across the school counseling profession. It was a perfect fit for me. As a school counselor I am able to utilize data-driven equitable practices to support and empower young people in developing positive academic, personal, social and career skills. My passion for social justice, relationship building, and preventative supports for youth and families are at the core of my approach to developing a school counseling program. I believe education is key to overcome poverty and violence, just like my parents showed me, and I am committed to support each of my students so they can have a positive school experience that nurtures their talents and helps them reach their post-secondary goals. San Diego State University has prepared me with the knowledge and skills to successfully develop, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive school counseling program based on the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National Model. I am eager to deep dive in my career as a professional school counselor and fulfill my dream of supporting each child in my school.