I grew up in Southern California and lost my father when I was just 9 years old. With five kids in the family, the youngest only a month old, my mom had to step up and work any job she could find. She did it all—Mary Kay, Avon, selling scrapbooking supplies, jewelry in K-Mart, cleaning houses, and even cutting hair. These were after her 8-5 in a furniture company in the billing department. Whatever it took to make ends meet. While we were fed and clothed, we often had to take care of the house on our own. Our responsibilities included keeping things tidy and prepping ingredients meals, so when she got home exhausted, she could just cook. She worked tirelessly but never let us see her struggle. We learned not to ask for anything extra because we knew the sacrifices she was making. By the time I reached high school, my mom was burnt out. She discovered more affordable housing in Texas, and we quickly packed up what we could fit into her minivan and took off, leaving our grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins behind. Her hometown. My hometown. all that we knew for the hope of a better life. My mom has always done her best for us and, despite her challenges, she managed to retire last year. Yet, she still cleans houses, teaches English to Spanish speakers, and cuts hair to make extra money. My mom is still unmarried after my fathers death. For all that she put into us kids and our livelihood, she had no time to seek love and romance. iIt's my goal to give back to her, truly retire her by becoming a dental hygienist. I want to provide for her, myself, and my 12-year-old daughter. I’m also a single parent and a survivor of domestic abuse, which has added its own challenges. But despite everything, I’ve been taking night classes steadily to reach my educational goals. I became a dental assistant 10 years ago and have much experience in clinical setting to succeed as a Dental hygenist. After becoming a dental hygienist, I plan to pursue a specialized pathway to become a Myofunctional Therapist. This role focuses on correcting oral musculature issues that can lead to crowded jaws, reduced tongue space, and collapsed airways—all of which can impact sleep quality and overall health. Poor oxygenation during sleep can cause cardiovascular stress, allergies, and mental health issues like anxiety and depression. I dream of volunteering at low-income clinics to provide preventative care and education to underserved communities. I believe everyone deserves access to quality dental care, and I want to make a difference in the lives of those who face financial barriers as I have, and my family has. My journey hasn’t been easy, but every step I take brings my goals closer into view. From my widowed single-mother the greatest takeway has been persistance, determination, resilience and positivity. I want to be a role model for my daughter, showing the challenges we face are for growth purposes and it’s possible to overcome them.

I grew up in Southern California and lost my father when I was just 9 years old. With five kids in the family, the youngest only a month old, my mom had to step up and work any job she could find. She did it all—Mary Kay, Avon, selling scrapbooking supplies, jewelry in K-Mart, cleaning houses, and even cutting hair. These were after her 8-5 in a furniture company in the billing department. Whatever it took to make ends meet. While we were fed and clothed, we often had to take care of the house on our own. Our responsibilities included keeping things tidy and prepping ingredients meals, so when she got home exhausted, she could just cook. She worked tirelessly but never let us see her struggle. We learned not to ask for anything extra because we knew the sacrifices she was making. By the time I reached high school, my mom was burnt out. She discovered more affordable housing in Texas, and we quickly packed up what we could fit into her minivan and took off, leaving our grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins behind. Her hometown. My hometown. all that we knew for the hope of a better life. My mom has always done her best for us and, despite her challenges, she managed to retire last year. Yet, she still cleans houses, teaches English to Spanish speakers, and cuts hair to make extra money. My mom is still unmarried after my fathers death. For all that she put into us kids and our livelihood, she had no time to seek love and romance. iIt's my goal to give back to her, truly retire her by becoming a dental hygienist. I want to provide for her, myself, and my 12-year-old daughter. I’m also a single parent and a survivor of domestic abuse, which has added its own challenges. But despite everything, I’ve been taking night classes steadily to reach my educational goals. I became a dental assistant 10 years ago and have much experience in clinical setting to succeed as a Dental hygenist. After becoming a dental hygienist, I plan to pursue a specialized pathway to become a Myofunctional Therapist. This role focuses on correcting oral musculature issues that can lead to crowded jaws, reduced tongue space, and collapsed airways—all of which can impact sleep quality and overall health. Poor oxygenation during sleep can cause cardiovascular stress, allergies, and mental health issues like anxiety and depression. I dream of volunteering at low-income clinics to provide preventative care and education to underserved communities. I believe everyone deserves access to quality dental care, and I want to make a difference in the lives of those who face financial barriers as I have, and my family has. My journey hasn’t been easy, but every step I take brings my goals closer into view. From my widowed single-mother the greatest takeway has been persistance, determination, resilience and positivity. I want to be a role model for my daughter, showing the challenges we face are for growth purposes and it’s possible to overcome them.

I grew up in Southern California and lost my father when I was just 9 years old. With five kids in the family, the youngest only a month old, my mom had to step up and work any job she could find. She did it all—Mary Kay, Avon, selling scrapbooking supplies, jewelry in K-Mart, cleaning houses, and even cutting hair. These were after her 8-5 in a furniture company in the billing department. Whatever it took to make ends meet. While we were fed and clothed, we often had to take care of the house on our own. Our responsibilities included keeping things tidy and prepping ingredients meals, so when she got home exhausted, she could just cook. She worked tirelessly but never let us see her struggle. We learned not to ask for anything extra because we knew the sacrifices she was making. By the time I reached high school, my mom was burnt out. She discovered more affordable housing in Texas, and we quickly packed up what we could fit into her minivan and took off, leaving our grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins behind. Her hometown. My hometown. all that we knew for the hope of a better life. My mom has always done her best for us and, despite her challenges, she managed to retire last year. Yet, she still cleans houses, teaches English to Spanish speakers, and cuts hair to make extra money. My mom is still unmarried after my fathers death. For all that she put into us kids and our livelihood, she had no time to seek love and romance. iIt's my goal to give back to her, truly retire her by becoming a dental hygienist. I want to provide for her, myself, and my 12-year-old daughter. I’m also a single parent and a survivor of domestic abuse, which has added its own challenges. But despite everything, I’ve been taking night classes steadily to reach my educational goals. I became a dental assistant 10 years ago and have much experience in clinical setting to succeed as a Dental hygenist. After becoming a dental hygienist, I plan to pursue a specialized pathway to become a Myofunctional Therapist. This role focuses on correcting oral musculature issues that can lead to crowded jaws, reduced tongue space, and collapsed airways—all of which can impact sleep quality and overall health. Poor oxygenation during sleep can cause cardiovascular stress, allergies, and mental health issues like anxiety and depression. I dream of volunteering at low-income clinics to provide preventative care and education to underserved communities. I believe everyone deserves access to quality dental care, and I want to make a difference in the lives of those who face financial barriers as I have, and my family has. My journey hasn’t been easy, but every step I take brings my goals closer into view. From my widowed single-mother the greatest takeway has been persistance, determination, resilience and positivity. I want to be a role model for my daughter, showing the challenges we face are for growth purposes and it’s possible to overcome them.

I grew up in Southern California and lost my father when I was just 9 years old. With five kids in the family, the youngest only a month old, my mom had to step up and work any job she could find. She did it all—Mary Kay, Avon, selling scrapbooking supplies, jewelry in K-Mart, cleaning houses, and even cutting hair. These were after her 8-5 in a furniture company in the billing department. Whatever it took to make ends meet. While we were fed and clothed, we often had to take care of the house on our own. Our responsibilities included keeping things tidy and prepping ingredients meals, so when she got home exhausted, she could just cook. She worked tirelessly but never let us see her struggle. We learned not to ask for anything extra because we knew the sacrifices she was making. By the time I reached high school, my mom was burnt out. She discovered more affordable housing in Texas, and we quickly packed up what we could fit into her minivan and took off, leaving our grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins behind. Her hometown. My hometown. all that we knew for the hope of a better life. My mom has always done her best for us and, despite her challenges, she managed to retire last year. Yet, she still cleans houses, teaches English to Spanish speakers, and cuts hair to make extra money. My mom is still unmarried after my fathers death. For all that she put into us kids and our livelihood, she had no time to seek love and romance. iIt's my goal to give back to her, truly retire her by becoming a dental hygienist. I want to provide for her, myself, and my 12-year-old daughter. I’m also a single parent and a survivor of domestic abuse, which has added its own challenges. But despite everything, I’ve been taking night classes steadily to reach my educational goals. I became a dental assistant 10 years ago and have much experience in clinical setting to succeed as a Dental hygenist. After becoming a dental hygienist, I plan to pursue a specialized pathway to become a Myofunctional Therapist. This role focuses on correcting oral musculature issues that can lead to crowded jaws, reduced tongue space, and collapsed airways—all of which can impact sleep quality and overall health. Poor oxygenation during sleep can cause cardiovascular stress, allergies, and mental health issues like anxiety and depression. I dream of volunteering at low-income clinics to provide preventative care and education to underserved communities. I believe everyone deserves access to quality dental care, and I want to make a difference in the lives of those who face financial barriers as I have, and my family has. My journey hasn’t been easy, but every step I take brings my goals closer into view. From my widowed single-mother the greatest take away has been persistence, determination, resilience and positivity. I want to be a role model for my daughter, showing the challenges we face are for growth purposes and it’s possible to overcome them.