"My journey from rural Colorado to becoming an Astronomer"

In this talk, I will discuss my life journey to becoming an Astonomer. My childhood, career path, and current identities give me the empathy to understand the barriers that exist for underrepresented groups in academia. I grew up in a low socioeconomic environment in a small rural town in Colorado. We lived under the poverty line and I am a first-generation college student. My hometown had higher-than-average rates of poverty, teen pregnancy, and drug overdose deaths. During my childhood, my family dealt with alcoholic, mental health, and drug problems. I became interested in astronomy early in high school after attending a public star party. Subsequently, I received a scholarship to attend Astronomy Camp at the University of Arizona (UofA) and this camp influenced me greatly in choosing astronomy as a career. I also received a full-ride scholarship to attend UofA for my undergraduate degree and without this support I might have not been able to attend college. Today, I am disabled and identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community. My lived experience helped me personally understand how public outreach and mentoring can have a profound impact on an individual’s life and help increase Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in Astronomy.