Abigail Gonzalez Bejarano is a fourth-year completing her degree in Psychology with a minor in Chicanx Studies. Dating back to her high-school days, she knew that she wanted to work with underprivileged communities in the area of mental health. Coming from a low-income neighborhood, she saw and experienced firsthand the need for advocacy of mental health services in black and brown communities. Her experiences of watching her community and its disadvantages, combined with what she learned in classes, led her to discover the world of research in minority mental health. Her research project investigates the extent to which school climate, parental involvement, and exposure to community violence influence mental health difficulties in youth. Given the critical role of mental health in the school-to-prison pipeline within high-need communities, it is important to identify where interventions should be prioritized. Based on the literature review she has done, factors like school climate/inclusion affect how students feel and behave at school. This is important when justifying dropout rates and implementing interventions.