My passion for learning and advancing research in adversity-based topics results from my own background having held several marginalized identities. I was born and raised in the city of Chicago, in an intergenerational household of Mexican descent, making me a first-generation American. Growing up, I had the privilege of attending well-funded private schools, a stark contrast to the neighborhood I lived in and the education my friends in my community received. From a young age I recognized the impact that socioeconomic status has on individuals and communities, but the biggest feature I noticed was how my family and friends had little access to quality healthcare and mental healthcare services due to socioeconomic barriers. It wasn't until I got to college that I began to learn and understand the historical and political contexts that have created and reinforce the systemic disenfranchisement of communities of color in the United States.