Hello, my name is Yvette Rodriguez. I was born and raised in Southern California and I have a Hispanic background. Both of my parents were born in Mexico and immigrated to the U.S. as teens. I love everything about my culture and do everything I can to learn about others'. I love to play all kinds of sports and enjoy watching them as well, especially soccer. In my culture, everyone treats everyone like family and acts of service are how we show one another that we care. However, mental health is not entirely embraced in my culture, and in fact, has caused a lot of damage among my family members due to untreated or ignored signs of mental illness. I knew that I had always wanted to be a public servant to one day have a chance to help others. That's why I chose this field, I have a chance to give back to the very community that shaped me, and help break generational cycles that once caused harm.