My Story
My father is a first-generation American citizen from a large Mexican-American family. Raised in Watts and Compton, my dad lived through the 1965 riots. His parents only had a 5th-grade education. Immediately after high school, he joined the Marine Corps to escape being recruited into the local Sureños gang, a branch of the Mexican Mafia. He later transferred to the Air Force after marrying my mother and retired after 20 years of service. My dad wanted to set an example for his three children, and, at age 40, he became the first person in his family to complete his college degree.
My mother grew up in rural New Mexico and was raised by a single mom. Because her mother worked two jobs, she was integrally involved in raising her three siblings. After graduating from high school, she married my father and enlisted in the Air Force. After 20 years of service to our country and supporting our family while my father was in college, she earned her college degree. She is the only one in her family to earn a college degree.
My parents’ upbringing taught them the value of education and the reality of the American Dream. They instilled those values in my siblings and I. My attending medical school will be the culmination of their hard work and my dream.
Growing up, our family moved 11 times before I turned 16. We were stationed in San Angelo, Los Angeles, Alaska, D.C., and San Antonio, among other places. While I didn’t realize it at the time, living all across our country and in a variety of cultures gave me a deeper appreciation of the value of diversity and the importance of inclusion. It has taught me to be adaptive and flexible and to appreciate where I was living, no matter where that might be.
My parent’s example also taught me the value of service. They served their country for a combined 40 years. In each of the 11 communities in which we lived, my parents volunteered as Scout Leaders, CPR/First Aid Instructors, and many other capacities. Community service is a Jimenez family value. I have emulated my parents by spending countless hours volunteering for Kinetic Kids, Special Reach, and OuttaSight Athletes. I believe that becoming a physician will enable me to serve my patients when they are in their greatest need.
