Growing up, I quickly learned how financial challenges shaped many of the decisions my family had to make, like prioritizing immediate work. Witnessing these obstacles made me realize that I wanted to break this pattern and become the first in my family to pursue higher education as a means to transform my future. Being a part of the 2% to 8% population of Latinas in STEM, going to college gives me the chance to fulfill my goals of creating equity. As a prospective college student, I plan to use my education intentionally and come back to help my community by constructing research-based community biotech labs residing in Hispanic populated areas to expand access to students through the use of lab equipment, mentorship, and hands-on experimentation. Funding me gives me the time to invest in my education so that I can later use what I learn to uplift my community.