“Growing up as a Persian-American woman facing financial and cultural barriers in a predominantly white area, my parents instilled a deep love for learning and activism in me. My journey from a lower-income household in Orange County to studying Public Health and Clinical Psychology at UC San Diego has been shaped by my parents’ immigrant experience and my own passion of advocating for marginalized communities. Navigating the healthcare system with my family inspired me to pursue Public Health, while witnessing the injustices in mental health care motivated me to explore the intersection of law and health policy. I hoped to attend UC San Diego due to their top-ranked Public Health program and the commitment to EDI initiatives and programs on campus. Luckily, UCSD’s commitment to financial aid and support for students with low-income backgrounds made it possible for me to attend with the help of the Pell Grant, Cal Grant, and other external scholarships. I have sought to pay it forward...