(she/they/hers)
I was drawn to social work and case management as a first-hand witness of injustice at the public defender's office in Maricopa County, Arizona. The motivation to enter the "helping" field was ingrained through lived experience; I always knew it would be a part of my own path. However, it was my professional experience that directed me toward helping those who have faced oppression and violence at the hands of societal systems. Ultimately, I had the revelation that social work was the field for me and to applying to the Master of Social Work program at the University of Denver, here in Durango.
During my time here, I aspire to leave my clients and community better than I found it, support others in their therapeutic and mental health journeys, and to advocate for better resources and reform in the community. My passions for social work and social justice were fostered by my time at the public defender's office in Maricopa County in their records department and at the La Plata County Department of Human Services in their Child Welfare department. I earned my Bachelor of Art in Asian Studies with a minor of Political Science from Florida International University while working full-time. As I develop my therapeutic approach, I prefer to take a strengths-based perspective and prioritize the self-determination of all clients, while taking an integrated approach to best meet the needs of each individual.
I am currently in my 2nd year at the University of Denver doing my Master of Social Work with a concentration in Advance Social Work Practice and working with Latinx and Native populations. I love language learning, playing videogames, going on hikes with my dog and partner, and connecting with friends, both old and new. I look forward to becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and working within the town across the mental health field and giving back to the community that has taught me more than I could have ever hoped for.