When Diana Rinza was a bilingual medical interpreter, she worked with a 16-year-old boy who was facing anxiety, depression and difficulty participating in school

Rinza said the patient’s mom – who was undocumented and had stage four lung cancer – was struggling to pay rent and take care of her health. These pressures were affecting the patient’s mental health, she said.

Now a graduate student in medical and psychological anthropology, Rinza said she is determined to bring stories like this into public view. She added that she credits her experience as a medical interpreter with developing her ability to offer support and listen to others’ concerns – an attribute that earned her the True Bruins R.A.I.S.E. Award.

Rinza was one of 25 students recognized with the True Bruins R.A.I.S.E. award, which celebrates UCLA students who have stepped up to help a student in crisis and exemplify respect, accountability, integrity, service and excellence, according to the award’s website.

The awardees were recognized at the ninth annual True Bruins R.A.I.S.E. Awards Dinner on Feb. 19 held by the Undergraduate Students Association Council’s Office of the Internal Vice President, the Graduate Students Association, UCLA Case Management Services and the UCLA Office of the Dean of Students .

Rinza said she often felt isolated from other students, as she balanced commuting to UCLA while taking care of her daughters. She said she found a welcoming environment at the Students with Dependents program at the Bruin Resource Center – a space providing resources and support for students with caregiving responsibilities to help them achieve their academic goals – according to the BRC’s website.

“My biggest, biggest goal is for them to realize that they belong in higher education,” she said. “I started going to UCLA when I was 42, so I want them to know that there are ways to overcome any barriers in life.”

Lindsay O’Brien, a fourth-year English student and another True Bruins R.A.I.S.E. award recipient, said she used her role as an outreach intern at the LGBTQ Campus Resource Center to make mental health resources more accessible for students.

She added that she walks students through how to access Counseling and Psychological Services, answering their questions to ensure they aren’t overwhelmed with information.

“You get in your head when you’re super isolated or super stressed or grinding and hustling trying to make it through to get your degree, but hearing someone’s humanity can snap you out of that,” O’Brien said.

Julie Bernardo, a graduate student in nursing and True Bruins R.A.I.S.E. award recipient, said she has also advocated for mental health awareness by reviving the Wellness in Nursing club – which focuses on preventing emotional burnout and promoting wellness for healthcare providers.

She also published a book titled “From Blind Side to Strong Side: Preventing the Cycle of Domestic Abuse,” which details stories of domestic abuse survivors and provides resource recommendations for victims of abuse. Bernardo said she donated copies of her book to Los Angeles women’s shelters and the UCLA Campus Assault Resources and Education Program – a confidential support service for students and faculty affected by sexual violence.

“You’re not alone,” she said. “I wanted other people to know … you’re not in any way lesser or anything for being a survivor, and exactly the opposite. It’s so inspiring and really breathtaking.”

O’Brien said the award recognized that her advocacy has an impact, inspiring her to continue her work.

“I am very passionate about being compassionate,” O’Brien said. “I know that a better world is possible if you are being the best version of yourself that you can be.”