My name is Diana Martinez-Nava, and I am a proud fourth-year student pharmacist at The University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy. As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, I want to share my journey—one that has been shaped by my culture, my family, and a deep calling to serve my community.
My dream of becoming a pharmacist started when I was about eight years old. I was that small child who could barely see over the counter at the neighborhood pharmacy, standing next to my father as he reached for what he lovingly called his “goodie bags.” Even then, I remember watching the pharmacist—a woman in a crisp white coat—ask my father questions he could only answer with simple nods and a few words of broken English.
By the time I was ten, I had inherited the unofficial title of family translator. Suddenly, I was the one responsible for bridging the gap between the pharmacist and my father, especially as his diabetes became harder to manage. I remember being so curious about those little bottles with names I couldn’t pronounce. Little by little, I learned their meaning. And trip by trip to the pharmacy, a special bond grew—a father, his daughter, and the pharmacist who cared for him with such compassion.
That pharmacist’s name was Nicole. She saw me grow up, from the little girl peeking over the counter to a pharmacy intern working by her side. She became one of my earliest role models. At the time, I thought my story had come full circle.
But it wasn’t until I helped translate for another father-daughter pair at that same pharmacy that I truly understood my purpose. I will never forget the relief in that young girl’s eyes when she realized she didn’t have to struggle alone to explain her father’s prescription. With her help, I was able to look her father in the eye and speak to him in Spanish—his own language. The gratitude and ease that washed over them in that moment was the clearest reminder of why I chose this path.
Nicole—and so many other incredible women I’ve worked alongside—have shaped me into the student pharmacist I am today. My mission now is to honor their example by breaking down language barriers and making sure that no child has to shoulder the responsibility of being an interpreter when all they should be worrying about is simply being a kid.
In May 2021, I earned my first degree: a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Literature with a minor in Chemistry. It felt surreal. I had survived those 90 credit hours of prerequisites, even when Organic Chemistry II felt like the end of the world. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t. In fact, it was just the beginning of my life in healthcare.
As a first-generation Mexican-American and the proud daughter of Mexican immigrants, higher education often felt out of reach—financially, emotionally, and logistically. I was the first in my family to graduate high school, the first to attend college, the first to earn a bachelor’s degree, and now, the first to be in a doctorate program.
It hasn’t been easy. There were so many days I wondered, “Can I really do this?” or “Do I even belong here?”—especially when I didn’t have perfect grades or the same connections as some of my peers. But every time I doubted myself, I remembered that little girl who looked up to Nicole’s white coat with so much awe.
Today, those dreams that once felt impossible are my reality. And they are possible because of the unwavering support of my family, friends, mentors, and the endless curiosity that kept me asking, “Why?”
To anyone who feels like they don’t belong or that their goals are too far away, I hope my story reminds you: you are capable. You are worthy. And you absolutely belong here.
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