Living most of her life in the border region of San Diego and Tijuana, Jessica Aguilar describes herself as a fronteriza. Her experiences existing between cultures and countries has shaped her academic career. Working in a shelter for unaccompanied migrant children, she was inspired to study migration stories and what they can tell us about our past, present, and future. She also explains how she navigated college and graduate school and shares advice for other first gen students. (#38076)