Carmen Rodriguez

October 16, 2024

Folklorico. Merengue. Line. Dancing keeps Carmen Rodriguez connected to her Dominican culture and roots. Those roots also gave her a strong foundation when she moved from rural Dominican Republic to New York City, studying mathematics at Bard College. Rodriguez went on to earn her master’s degree of public health in epidemiology and biostatistics at the […]


Carla Rosales

October 16, 2024

Carla Rosales found herself essentially on her own in a new city in New Orleans, not knowing anyone, not knowing much about the college process and little financial aid. But with her supportive parents in her native Honduras and her family’s faith and culture, she overcame many hurdles and doubts to move to New Orleans […]


Brianda Alcazar

October 16, 2024

Brianda Alcazar, a California native who attended kindergarten in Sonora, Mexico, grew up with an immigrant-life experience of dual cultures, languages, and traditions.   Alcazar is using this experience to identify with and help Latino immigrants.   With a passion for social work that capitalizes on her strong motivation and empathy for other people, Alcazar […]


Brenda Frutos

October 16, 2024

Growing up as “the minority kid” in school isn’t easy, but it helped Brenda Frutos develop a passion for fighting for health equity among Latinos.   Frutos not only earned her master’s degree in public health from West Chester University of Pennsylvania, she also is working as a certified health education specialist.   She provides […]


Breann De Santiago

October 16, 2024

A packing warehouse may not seem inspirational on the surface, but for Breann it is a symbol of her family’s and her father’s dedication and perseverance in the face of big hardships. She certainly shares these characteristics, because she’s already become one of the first in her family to go to college and is gaining […]


Blanca Chavez

October 16, 2024

In a world in need of optimism, Blanca Chavez is a shining beacon of positivity.   Based on her upbeat grandfather’s legacy and her father’s goal-oriented example, Chavez believes that good health is a human right. She wants to reframe negative concepts into stigma-busting, health-boosting solutions.   Before starting her master’s degree in public health, […]


Benjamin Aceves

October 16, 2024

Growing up in the mainly low-income, Latino areas of Baja, Calif., and Coahuila Mexico, Benjamin Aceves developed a compassion for his community.   He decided he wanted to help people get healthier.   So, not only did Aceves become his family’s first-ever college graduate with a degree in political science and German, he also earned […]


Beatriz Sosa Prado

October 16, 2024

Born in Mexico City, Beatriz Sosa Prado later immigrated with her family to Los Angeles.   Influenced by the many challenges that immigrants encounter once they come to the United States, Sosa Prado pursued educational degrees with aims of being an advocate for them.   Indeed, with the support of her family and husband, Sosa […]


Atenia Ruiz

October 16, 2024

Seeing how her migrant farm-worker parents labored diligently to improve their family’s lives in Las Vegas, Atenia Ruiz learned the value of hard work and dealing with adversity.   Now Ruiz, a first-generation Mexican-American who earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology, is pursuing a master’s degree in public health with an emphasis in epidemiology and […]


Ashton Balarin

October 16, 2024

“You’re not gonna know until you try.”   That’s the motto Ashton Balarin’s parents used to grow her confidence, to try and reduce health disparities in her native Fiesta city of San Antonio.   Balarin is certainly putting that motto to work.   She graduated from UT San Antonio with a bachelor’s degree in public […]