Country of Origin: Mexico
Age of Arrival: 6 months
Hometown: Jackson Heights, NY Degree: Undeclared
Thanks to TheDream.US, I’ve been able to realize my dream of going to college, and, hopefully I will be the first one in my family to graduate. I want to serve as an inspiration to my brother and sister. My journey to college has been rough, but I was able to get through it by working hard throughout high school, and, if I can walk across the stage at graduation and say to my parents, “I did this for you,” it will all be worth it. Crossing the border was not easy; they made many sacrifices when coming to the United States because they wanted to give my siblings and I a better life. in which are paying off.
When I was in middle school, I learned that I was undocumented. My parents knew that I would see that my passport was different from my siblings’ passports, so they explained to me what it meant to be undocumented. They told me that I just had to be patient and wait for a law that would give me the chance to gain legal status. The most important thing that they told me was to not feel like less of a person just because I don’t quite have the same opportunities as people who are considered to be U.S citizens.
My journey started in 2000, when I was only 6 months old and had arrived to the U.S along with my mom, dad and grandma. My mom was able to complete some college and was able to find a job as an executive secretary in Mexico. My dad was only able to complete some high school which didn’t benefit him when he was looking for a job. However, they decided to make the challenging journey across the border.
Now, my dad works at a restaurant in Manhattan. My mom works at home, making sure that my siblings and I have food to eat, a clean house to live in and clothes to wear. Both my little brother and sister were born in the U.S. My sister is currently a junior in highschool, and my brother is in 7th grade.
In high school, I finally began to feel like the U.S. was my home. Despite that, I still had a hard time getting through high school, but I participated in activities that I cared about and that helped. I was part of the music band and participated in the National Honor Society. I also ran on the cross-country team and played handball during my sophomore year. I even had the chance to take a few college courses while I was still in high school. One of the reasons why I am part of this scholarship is because of my guidance counselor. She helped me so much on my journey to college. She found scholarships and resources, and, most importantly, she never made me feel any less important or worthy because I was a DREAMer. She was always looking out for me as well as my parents and I am very thankful for that.
TheDream.US has given me the opportunity to integrate myself into the higher education community, something I’ve dreamt about for so long. I am excited to start my college experience and meet new friends. I think this will be a chance for me to feel equal among my peers and find professors and mentors to support me on my journey.