The Grind Never Stops: A First-Generation Latina in Public Health

By: Amy Gonzalez, MPH

As a first-generation Latina student, my journey into public health was anything but easy. I still remember finishing hospital night shifts as a medical scribe, leaving at 1:00 am, and curling up to sleep in the backseat of my car outside the university before my 8 a.m. classes. Those moments of exhaustion and uncertainty could have defined me, but they didn’t. Instead, they became the foundation of my resilience and my belief that perseverance creates opportunity. When I graduated with my bachelor’s in biology, I faced the same reality that many of us from working-class families encounter: financial pressures don’t magically disappear once you have a degree.

 To make ends meet and begin paying off student loans, I worked two jobs. One of those jobs, at the local health department, was supposed to be temporary. Instead, it opened my eyes to the world of public health and completely changed the course of my career. In that role, I learned that public health is far more than data and statistics; it is people, stories, and communities. I witnessed how outreach programs can prevent disease, how emergency preparedness can save lives, and how culturally aware messaging can build trust. I began to understand that our work is most powerful when it meets people where they are and when it respects the lived experiences of the communities we serve.

Today, I am proud to serve as the lead epidemiologist for that same health department in South Texas, while still working a part-time job, because the grind never stops. But neither does our determination. The sacrifices of our families fuel our drive to keep pushing forward. Despite never having had the opportunity, my parents had an unwavering belief in education, which is why I continue to pursue new challenges and achievements and to create a path for those who come after me. For many of us, the road is filled with obstacles: language barriers, financial burdens, imposter syndrome, or the weight of being “the first.” These challenges can feel overwhelming, yet they shape us into professionals who bring empathy, creativity, and resilience to the table. They also give us a unique perspective that is not just valuable, but integral to the field of public health, a field where understanding the communities we serve is just as critical as any technical skill.

To the women just beginning their journey: your struggles do not define you. What defines you is how you transform those hardships into fuel for your dreams. Each late night, each setback, and each sacrifice adds to the strength you will carry forward. Our lived experiences and perspectives as Latinas are not just valuable; they are essential to building a public health workforce that reflects the communities it serves and advocates for them authentically.

 The grind never ends, but neither does our resilience. With every step we take, we prove that our presence matters, our voices belong, and our contributions are shaping the future of public health. Your journey might be difficult, but it will also be powerful because it is in overcoming those very difficulties that we discover our purpose and the impact we are meant to make.