Who Is The Bachelor's Casandra Suarez?

In case there's any doubt in your mind after watching The Bachelor contestant, Cassandra Suarez, in her fleeting attempt to capture Matt James's heart, she's a darling. Or, as someone who knew her in high school exclaimed after hearing about her participation in the show, "she is a sweetheart!" As if we needed any more of a reason to like her, after being eliminated on night one, Suarez belted out one of our favorite break-up songs in the history of the universe: Kelly Clarkson's "Because of You" (via Instagram).

Suarez has been an extraordinarily good sport about her early elimination. "That was a very unique and crazy short lived experience," she reflected, "I only wish we would have had time to chat but can we talk about the beautiful and badass group of women he has to choose from – gonna be a tough decision that's for sure." Despite her early exit, there's no doubt in our mind that the 25-year-old emergency department social worker has sun in her future.

A self-professed Brené Brown admirer, Suarez graduated from the University of Southern California with a master's degree in social work in 2020 (via Linkedin). Before starting her job as an emergency department social worker, she worked for four years interning in diverse mental health fields, helping to treat traumatic and chronic stress, volunteering on a suicide hotline, and identifying and counseling people struggling with depression, anxiety and grief. Suarez describes her work, with "individuals with chronic and severe mental illness, substance abuse issues, homeless populations, and young adults with special needs" as a "privilege." Even outside her job, she's committed to helping others. She seems particularly concerned with battling homelessness in San Jose, Calif., having volunteered with a local campaign towards support for affordable housing in the city (via San Jose Inside).

When she's not at work, The Bachelor contestant knows how to relax. Music festivals, wine, and beach life, all appear to be part of Suarez's self-care regimen. So is listening to Cardi B rap up a storm. And, according to her ABC profile, Suarez wouldn't say no to "stargazing and eating s'mores in her sweatpants with no makeup on." Honestly? Sounds like our kinda girl.

Perhaps because Suarez has dedicated her life to supporting others, she's surrounded herself with people who will go the extra mile. Suarez's incarcerated brother held a viewing party in prison to watch her Bachelor episode (via Instagram). Her sister picked her up after she was eliminated, an experience that flooded her inbox with "kind words and messages," opening her eyes to the size of her support circle.

Being rejected on national TV is not the only thing that Suarez has overcome with grace. Suarez sees the journey to get her master's degree as a tremendous personal success story. "As someone who experienced childhood trauma and dealt with waves of anxiety and depression for many years, I didn't know if I could be successful in the mental health field," Suarez wrote upon graduating, "the little Mexican girl who grew up on the 'east side' only dreamed of this life I'm living." There's no doubt that she's living it with style. Suarez can rock pastel-shaded satin dresses and tie-dye sweatsuits like few we've ever seen.

Matt James may not have gifted Suarez with a rose, but that certainly doesn't mean she's not worthy of one. Any future suitor might consider swapping out roses for sunflowers, which, as per Suarez ABC profile, "make [her] very happy." What might make a perfect date for the Newport Beach resident? Nothing in the dark, which she hates. If a restaurant is on the table, Suarez wants her plate of food all to herself (and honestly, who doesn't?).

Other than that, Suarez is pretty easy going. Her dates appreciate the fact that "they can take her anywhere and don't have to worry about entertaining her." If we were looking to woo her, we might take her back to Spain. She described her 2018 trip to Barcelona, Madrid, and the Balearic Islands, as "magical." If Spain isn't on the table, maybe beer and baseball, or a day at the horse races?