Just like many incoming college freshmen, I had no idea what I wanted to major in…Then one day one of my beloved family members was diagnosed with HIV and a month later another…My family was besides itself and so was I. I wanted answers; how did it happen? What could be done to prevent it? Were they going to get better? And I got nothing… Why? Because I come from a close knit Hispanic family that refused to speak about such a disease, and frankly they were too afraid to find out the answers. The obituaries both read cause of death "cancer". From that day on, I made a promise to myself that I would seek a career in public health because I wanted to get out there and educate the Hispanic community about health issues, encourage them to talk about it, and eliminate barriers to health care.

I am grateful to have such an amazing job with an organization that not only values what I do, but takes great pride in assisting the community. A few months ago I was conducting a presentation to a group of Spanish speaking moms at a local school. I was going through the motions,giving them basic info, answering questions, etc. However this was different, I noticed several ladies tearing up, so I paused briefly and asked if everything was okay. They encouraged me to continue so I did. At the end of the presentation one lady raised her hand and softly said "Monica, thank you for caring about us today". "Before today I didn't think I was important, and I didn't think there was anyone out there who cared about us, but now I know that I am important, and for the first time I want to get a mammogram." I want to take care of myself to make sure I am there for my family." That in a nutshell keeps me going every day!

I would tell the Austin community that the Austin Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure is here for them. We work hard year round to raise funds so that we can provide local organizations with the financial resources to provide anyone who cannot afford breast health care, with access to these services. Whether you're a man or a woman, White, Asian, Hispanic, African-American, or speak Spanish, we're here for you. So let us help you. There is NO reason why any woman in the Austin area should go without adequate breast health care.

when I was 10 I wanted to be a ballerina…Typical female response huh? However you should know that my mom started me out in ballet when I was 2 years old, straight out of potty training and into the dance studio. Until I got sent home because little old me could not get my long sleeve leotard and tights off in time to potty…So I got sent home, only to return the next day after spending all night practicing with my mommy how to pull up and down my leotard and tights in record time. This perseverance still stands true to who I am today. If I set my mind to something, I will make it happen. So watch out Austin, bringing the breast cancer mortality rate in our service area to 0 is on my to-do list!

Just one? uh oh. I will have to say my latest guilty pleasure is watching Glee. I don't know if it's the music, the story line, or the characters I can relate to, but I love the show and can't wait to catch up with it on the weekends.

My all time favorite Austin experience is attending the Austin City Limits festival. If you knew me well you may not know how much of a fan I am because even though I absolutely love music, I don't follow it as much as I'd like. But I have not missed a single year nor a single day of ACL since its inception. I guess every year that I return it reminds me of when I first moved to Austin, the excitement of a new city, the convergence of so many different people, and the possibilities that this city would bring. This experience allows me to capture that energy year after year, and reminds me why I love Austin so much.