Country of Origin: Bahamas
Age of Arrival: 4 years old
Hometown: Lauderhill, Florida
Degree: Nursing
When you’re undocumented, applying to colleges and universities is an especially painful process. I sat and stared at my unfinished college applications and cried. They were nearly finished – aside from the citizenship section. When I finally found a college willing to give me a chance, I didn’t have money to afford it. Then, I received TheDream.US scholarship, and everything changed. College is finally a possibility.
I am a first generation college student. At Broward College, I plan to study nursing. I want help those that don’t have access to the proper healthcare, be passionate about my work, and serve as a role model for my four siblings.
When I was just four years old, my family came from the Bahamas to the States. The first few years were really difficult. I was jealous of the kids around me. I was teased, because my accent was different and made me stand out. My mom had to work long hours with little pay and tolerated disrespectful bosses and coworkers, because it is not easy to work without proper documentation. Once, we were even conned by someone who claimed they would help us receive documentation. My mother sacrificed so much to provide us with a good life.
The most stressful thing about living without documentation is the risk of being deported. Things in America are drastically changing. There’s no telling what will happen tomorrow or the next day. However, I want other undocumented students to know: even when things seem to not be going to well, keep faith that it will get better. Where there’s a will, there’s a way! There are organizations like TheDream.US that will help you achieve all that you dream about.