No longer afraid: an undocumented immigrant's experience in American health care

“My mother held a one way ticket in one hand. I squeezed her other hand not knowing when I would see her again”. In her TEDMED 2018 Talk, Denisse Rojas Marquez tells her family’s story as undocumented immigrants navigating the US health system. When Denisse’s mother, a hardworking nurse, was denied necessary healthcare in the US due to her immigration status, she was forced to move to Canada, leaving her loved ones behind. These experiences motivated Denisse to pursue a medical career and advocate for policy change to provide basic health care to our nation’s most vulnerable and disenfranchised communities. Despite her odds, Denisse studied at a top medical school and launched an organization whose mission centers on helping undocumented students pursue careers in health and science. 

Watch Denisse Rojas Marquez’s TEDMED 2018 Talk to hear how she defied fear and uncertainty to pave a path towards more equitable healthcare in the US.