Personal Statement

In my hometown of Ontario, California, my identity as a Latinx woman of color had rarely been challenged, as I was surrounded by people who looked just like me. I enjoyed representing my peers in student government, where I did not face discouragement obtaining leadership positions. However, this comfort I had experienced was shattered when I arrived at Georgetown University and ran for student government. That year, although there was an even distribution of men and women running for office, only men (and predominantly white men) were elected to represent the class. It was through this defeat that I realized that I needed to be the catalyst of change who would amplify the voices of underrepresented communities. Guided by this mission, I ran again the following year — bringing other women with me — and won. Over the next two years, I dedicated my work to ensuring other women could find a seat at the table. I hosted forums for women to identify their leadership strengths and run effective campaigns. I built strong coalitions with women on campus in order to encourage them to pursue leadership positions across the entire university. My fight for women continues everyday.