I was born and raised in a working class neighborhood in Pasadena, California to Immigrant parents. After finishing up high school in Pasadena, I was fortunate enough to attend the University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB). This was a major accomplishment for my community and me as I was not only the first member of my family to go to college, but the first person in my neighborhood to go to college. At UCSB I majored in History with a minor in Education. After college, I decided to give back to the community that supported me all my life. I was fortunate enough to be hired as a middle school teacher in Pasadena, CA. Later, I spent several years as a middle school teacher in South Central Los Angeles.During law school, I worked for the Northwest Workers Justice Project helping mainly immigrant and Spanish-speaking clients file wage theft claims. The next year, I had the privilege of working for Sponsors Organized to Assist Refugees (SOAR) via the Oregon Justice Resource Center (OJRC)—both Portland based non profits. At SOAR I provide immigration legal services to families who could not afford to hire a private attorney.After SOAR, I spent a year interning for Multnomah Defenders Inc. (MDI) working as a certified law student. At Multnomah Defenders Inc. (MDI) I worked as a public defender on cases ranging from violation of a restraining order to class A misdemeanors. My time at MDI provided me with valuable trial and court experience.My experiences and opportunities in life have instilled in me a passion to help others. I feel privileged to have the opportunity to practice law and to be surrounded by caring and compassionate individuals.