I became interested in the field of Speech-Language Pathology when my cousin received speech services at an early age. Sometimes, I would attend his different sessions, and while observing them, I was quickly intrigued by the relationship he developed with his speech-language pathologist. With these interactions, I realized my passion for the field because I wanted to create a comforting environment to perform therapy in which one could engage in interactive games while providing treatment for young individuals. Throughout each session, I saw improvement in my cousin’s speech; that is when I truly knew I wanted to be a clinician. I then applied for college and received an acceptance letter to CSU Long Beach. In addition to my major classes, I sought volunteer experiences to sharpen my skills in real-world settings. During my time at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, I was able to display each course concept I …show more content…
The cultural diversity of clinicians within our field needs to be significantly improved. A study found that 92% of Speech-Langauge Pathologists identify as White, and 8% of SLPs identify as Asian, Black, or Multiracial (ASHA, 2019). Given this statistic, there is an increasing need for multiracial/culturally diverse clinicians to improve access to speech care. For example, increasing racial/ethnic diversity in the field can provide greater cultural awareness of differences in speech, learning styles, and treatment preferences. Currently, our field's lack of cultural diversity highlights the importance of future clinicians willing to advocate for different cultures. I hope to advocate for these different cultures, particularly the Asian community, where I can rely on my Filipino-American background and connect with families of immigrant