I am Victor Olmos, a first generation Mexican American that recieved their PhD in Genetics May 2024. My career in science began at a young age when I learned that my family has Huntington's disease and that has lead me to specialize in age associated neurodegenerative diseases. I first began my scientific career at Stanford University in the lab of Dr. Marius Wernig where I worked helped develop new differentiation methods with stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells. I then continued my journey at Yale in the lab of Dr. Janghoo Lim where I utilize mice models to understand the pathogenesis of Spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) which is a polyglutamine disease similar to Huntington's disease. Being a minority and first generation I understand the struggles of entering the field of science and navigating college. I have worked with the Yale chapter of the Society for Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science and helped win the chapter of the year award two years in a row due in part to the outreach programs I designed and lead. I have also worked for the Yale center for teaching and learning to mentor first generation low income students at Yale and help teach them tools to navigate college at an Ivy league college. I hope that by sharing my personal stories with those I mentor that they may one day pursue a career in the sciences and join me in developing cures for these diseases.