Found in translation

Every year, Alison Jimenez accompanied her parents to the Westminster Free Clinic in Thousand Oaks for their annual checkup. She always looked forward to the occasion because while her parents met with doctors, she happily walked away with a backpack full of school supplies.

But from a young age, Jimenez, whose parents immigrated to the United States from Mexico, realized something was missing. Because of the clinic's shortage of Spanish-speaking interpreters and the language barrier between her parents and their providers, her family couldn't grasp all of the information being shared.

Jimenez knew there was something she could do to help. Inspired by her mother's own acts of service as a Guadalupana, a member of a faith-based community devoted to Our Lady of Guadalupe and serving others, she began looking for a way to make a difference.

"Since I was a little girl, my mom would take me to her Guadalupana events at our Catholic church," Jimenez said. "Her faith inspired mine and my desire to serve my community."

Speaking the same language

When an internship opportunity at the clinic became available during the second half of her high school career, Jimenez, who was born and raised in Moorpark, California, immediately saw its potential. The internship would allow her to work directly with Spanish-speaking patients, provide translation services that bridged language barriers and strengthen the patient-provider relationships she always wished her own parents had experienced.

Jimenez, who recently completed her internshi, is now joining UCLA as a first-year student majoring in molecular, cell, and developmental biology - and is thrilled to be the first in her family to become a Bruin.

Her mentor, Lisa Brach Safaeinili, executive director of the Westminster Free Clinic, is doubly thrilled by the opportunities awaiting Jimenez.

Having worked closely with Jimenez during her internship, Safaeinili watched her grow from a shy volunteer into an accomplished student leader. She saw her guide a team of 50 high school medical volunteers while providing compassionate care to the clinic's Spanish-speaking, low-income patients.

One evening, when the clinic's internet service unexpectedly went down, Jimenez sprang into action. She quickly reorganized patient flow alongside clinic staff, ensuring bilingual volunteers were paired with non-English-speaking patients. Her efforts prevented delays and helped maintain the quality of patient care.

Safaeinili knows these fast-paced problem-solving skills will serve Jimenez well, both as a UCLA student and in her future career in healthcare.

"Alison genuinely cares about the patients she works with and actively works to make all our volunteers feel included and valued," Safaeinili said. "Her leadership, kindness and commitment to healthcare service are precisely what create stronger communities."

'One of the happiest moments'

When Jimenez and her parents arrived on campus on this past April for UCLA's annual Bruin Day celebration, she felt a mix of emotions. She was proud to have been admitted to one of the nation's leading public universities, but also wished her parents could fully share in the excitement.

Because the majority of Bruin Day's programming was delivered in English, Jimenez felt her parents could do little more than follow her from presentation to presentation, doing their best to decipher unfamiliar information.

Their experience changed when they attended the "familia bonding" activity hosted as part of the 2026 Bruins Unidos: The Latinx Student Experience at UCLA welcome event.

Standing on the patio outside Kerckhoff Hall, Jimenez and her parents were greeted by students and staff in Spanish, surrounded by other Spanish-speaking families. Almost immediately, Jimenez noticed a difference in her parents' demeanor.

"I could visibly see my parents feel welcomed and comfortable," Jimenez said.

It was exactly the kind of culturally and linguistically affirming environment that Jimenez had spent two years helping create for patients and families at Westminster Free Clinic. Now, she was witnessing the impact firsthand.

"Seeing my parents experience community - in a language they understand - at the university I will be attending made all the difference for me," Jimemez said. "What was so special about Bruins Unidos is that it allowed my parents to feel like they belong here too. That was one of the happiest moments of that day. It was then, I think, that it really sank in that their daughter will be attending UCLA."

Caption for main image: "Nothing is impossible, especially with the support of my parents," said Alison Jimenez, an incoming first-year student. "All they've ever asked of me is to try my hardest in everything I do. That unconditional trust has always inspired me to go the extra mile, and I'll continue to honor that as I begin this journey."