I was born in Jalisco, Mexico, and came to this country when I was five years old. My father first came to California during the last wave of the Bracero Program in the late 1950s and together with my mother they worked in the fields for the next 30 years. I am the youngest of four and the only one that had the opportunity to attend school, so I am a proud first-generation, daughter of migrant farm-working Campesinos. I have been working in the EOPS/CARE Program in Cabrillo since 2006 serving first-generation students who share a similar background as myself. I feel so fortunate to be able to guide students as they navigate their way through college.

I have been dancing Mexican traditional dance since the age of 7. Dance has offered me a space of belonging, expression, creativity, community and most important a way to connect with others. Dance became even more important while in college because it allowed me to connect with other students and faculty and in many ways became a retention tool as I found my place in a higher ed institution. Find ways to make those connections that will be meaningful to you, that will help you stay grounded and that will offer you a sense of belonging.