When We Are Not Broken founder Nick Cotto was first profiled earlier this year, she had just begun reemerging from the shadow of a harrowing cancer battle. At the time, she was still finding her footing, unsure whether she could return fully to the photography and storytelling work that had defined her mission.
Today, just a few months later, Cotto’s story has taken an unexpected and inspiring turn: she is on her way to becoming a lawyer.
Cotto describes the period following her recovery as disorienting. Though she remained passionate about We Are Not Broken, the nonprofit movement she launched to help women reclaim their stories through visual and written testimony, she felt called in a different direction.
“I just knew my calling was somewhere else,” Cotto shared in a recent interview. “It was still within that realm, but something deeper.”
That new direction crystallized one morning at a Texas beach, where Cotto, seeking clarity, sat quietly at the water’s edge and prayed. She recalls sensing God’s voice telling her to “get really small,” a humbling image that ultimately pointed her toward law school.
“I felt like God was telling me, ‘You’re going to go to school. You’re going to go to law school.’ And I just knew it.”
Despite having previously earned a bachelor’s degree in her home country, Cotto had to start over due to credentialing differences. She enrolled at Austin Community College and is set to complete a two-year paralegal program in just one year, thanks to her intense course load and determination.
She plans to begin her undergraduate pre-law program at Liberty University this January and then pursue a law degree at either the University of Texas or Baylor.
It’s a significant change, but Cotto says, “I feel like it still connects to We Are Not Broken—because I still want to fight for women.”
Her new focus is criminal law, and she’ll begin interning with the District Attorney’s Office this August. Though Cotto has stepped away from photography, she remains a steadfast advocate for the hundreds of women she once profiled.
“I still talk to all the women. I get calls from them weekly,” she said. “I feel like I made a major impact.”
One story that continues to resonate with readers is that of a young girl photographed during her battle with cancer, featured prominently in We Are Not Broken’s media. Today, that girl is cancer-free and thriving in high school, living proof of the healing that Cotto’s work helped amplify.
Reflecting on her journey, Cotto offered a powerful message to others: “You’re never too broken. You’re never too old. You just have to keep going and pursuing your dreams.”
Cotto remains accessible on Instagram at @nickcreatenow, where she continues to share glimpses of her new journey built on the same foundation of resilience and purpose that launched We Are Not Broken.
Today, just a few months later, Cotto’s story has taken an unexpected and inspiring turn: she is on her way to becoming a lawyer.
Cotto describes the period following her recovery as disorienting. Though she remained passionate about We Are Not Broken, the nonprofit movement she launched to help women reclaim their stories through visual and written testimony, she felt called in a different direction.
“I just knew my calling was somewhere else,” Cotto shared in a recent interview. “It was still within that realm, but something deeper.”
That new direction crystallized one morning at a Texas beach, where Cotto, seeking clarity, sat quietly at the water’s edge and prayed. She recalls sensing God’s voice telling her to “get really small,” a humbling image that ultimately pointed her toward law school.
“I felt like God was telling me, ‘You’re going to go to school. You’re going to go to law school.’ And I just knew it.”
Despite having previously earned a bachelor’s degree in her home country, Cotto had to start over due to credentialing differences. She enrolled at Austin Community College and is set to complete a two-year paralegal program in just one year, thanks to her intense course load and determination.
She plans to begin her undergraduate pre-law program at Liberty University this January and then pursue a law degree at either the University of Texas or Baylor.
It’s a significant change, but Cotto says, “I feel like it still connects to We Are Not Broken—because I still want to fight for women.”
Her new focus is criminal law, and she’ll begin interning with the District Attorney’s Office this August. Though Cotto has stepped away from photography, she remains a steadfast advocate for the hundreds of women she once profiled.
“I still talk to all the women. I get calls from them weekly,” she said. “I feel like I made a major impact.”
One story that continues to resonate with readers is that of a young girl photographed during her battle with cancer, featured prominently in We Are Not Broken’s media. Today, that girl is cancer-free and thriving in high school, living proof of the healing that Cotto’s work helped amplify.
Reflecting on her journey, Cotto offered a powerful message to others: “You’re never too broken. You’re never too old. You just have to keep going and pursuing your dreams.”
Cotto remains accessible on Instagram at @nickcreatenow, where she continues to share glimpses of her new journey built on the same foundation of resilience and purpose that launched We Are Not Broken.
