Being first-gen is hard. You shouldn’t feel ill-equipped or alone. And you definitely shouldn’t have to deal with the gatekeepers of the profession.
You embrace challenge. You’ve taken high-stakes exams, been accepted to professional school, and financed your education. You’ve already come so far.
You may not have a professional network, but now you have this community. We’re former first-gen, teaching next-gen. You belong here, and you can make it.