I am a DREAMer

On April 7^th, Augsburg College made the announcement to “expand its commitment to educating students of ability” regardless of their immigration status. This was in support of United We Dream’s National Institution Coming Out Day, the largest immigrant youth-led organization in the nation. One of the commitments Augsburg has pledged to do is to “empower undocumented students to come out of the shadows” and continue their education and obtain a degree. The phrase “to come out of the shadows” lingers on my mind because for the first time I am neither afraid nor ashamed to come out of the shadows and talk about my own journey through this academic world as an undocumented student.

I often think the greatest challenge I have faced has been obtaining a degree in a private college as an undocumented student. But as I consider the phrase “to come out of the shadows” I realize that my biggest obstacle has not been the inability to afford college, but rather admitting my own immigration status for fear of judgment and the stigma associated with being undocumented and living in the shadows. As an undocumented student, college was not an option for me in high school. My school counselor made it clear when I sought her advice and she confronted me with a truth I had not considered, I was an “illegal immigrant” with no means of going to college. Without any guidance or financial support, I worked two jobs to pay tuition while attending a community college. I started as a part time student, but after the first semester I was exhausted and gave up.

Two years later, my younger sister started attending college and I decided to follow her footsteps. I attended a community college for far longer than any other students have, still working full time to pay for tuition. No one in college had ever offered support or talked to me about financial options. In colleges, it had been established that undocumented students do not qualify for financial aid, or any other government funded aid (scholarships included), so the best the schools could do was to set up payment plans.

On June 15^th, 2012 President Obama created a policy, in response to the DREAM Act advocacy, calling for deferred action for certain undocumented young people who came to the United States as children. On August 15, 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) was implemented. Under the stipulations of the new policy, many young people like me could now obtain a work permit, but this did not mean that we were granted legal status. In fact, it is simply a temporary measure and solution that does not grant any benefits legal residents and citizens have. One of the most important for young people is access to financial assistance or government funded scholarships.

In the summer of 2013, I mustered enough courage to apply to a day program in a four-year college or university. I started visiting some of them; certain universities treated me differently after learning about my legal status and one private school even suggested I don’t waste my time in touring the campus since I could not afford it. By Fall, I had lost hope and my dream of experiencing college life seemed more distant than ever. It was then that someone recommended I look into Augsburg College, I hesitated, but I applied anyway. This has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Within weeks, I was contacted by someone in admissions and I was guided through the final application process. I was also awarded a scholarship that paid about a third of my tuition; this was a huge, but welcomed surprise. I was offered a tour, but before I could schedule one I was already meeting the faculty of the social work program.  In the fall of 2013 I started attending Augsburg College with the intent to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work. That same year, a very kind lady suggested that I apply for the Minnesota Dream Act to help pay my tuition; she explained that Minnesota passed The Prosperity Act, better known as The Minnesota Dream Act, that summer. Under this state policy, undocumented students meeting certain criteria could apply for state financial aid. Because I worked full time and I had already completed a big portion of my credits, I was awarded little financial aid, but still helped a lot.

After two years of juggling an internship, a full time job, school and homework, this May I graduate with a Bachelors Degree in Social Work. Stepping out of the shadow has not been easy; putting myself through school hasn’t been easy either.  But it is proof that Latino students are committed and determined to obtain an education. My story is not unique, there are several other students like myself who have achieved and accomplished their academic goals. For those living in the shadows for fear or shame, it is time we stand up and accomplish our dreams. And just like Augsburg College is supporting these students, I hope other colleges and universities unite and together support our community.

My wonderful parents. Photo taken by Martin Rosales

My cousin Lundy and my younger sister Nena. Photo taken by Martin Rosales

Reasons why I want to become a Social Worker

     There is a saying I learned from my older sister, “he who does not live to serve does not deserve to live.” I cannot imagine a world without people who truly live by this principle. It is these people who move and shape society at its core and center. I grew up surrounded by people who sacrificed time, effort, money, energy and even personal assets to devote their lives to serve other people, consequently I started to live like them. I started devoting much of my time and talents to our youth group at my local church, and it is then when I became aware of my deepest desires, it is then when I learned where the greatest needs are. I don’t want to romanticize this idea of becoming a Social Worker because in the real world many barriers and stressors often cloud our vision and makes us question our purpose. But I also know the impact of social work in an individual, I know how meaningful this career can be for me and for those we serve.

     Aside of the work itself, there is another aspect of Social Work; Education. I know that many people take education for granted and maybe at some point in my life I did too, but I always knew that education was a big part of my life and my foundation as an individual, I am very confident that there are several people out there like me who strive to become a better human being to serve others. Education is just a step forward to a better today. These might be just words on black white, but the very essence of my desire to further my education is this: Those who read lead, and those write set things right. As an aspiring Social Worker, I seek to encourage, inspire and influence other individuals to excel and go beyond expectations to live a respectable life and learn to serve others.

     I strongly believe in social justice, service and enhancing the quality of lifestyle of an individual, which is the mission of the social work profession. I also believe in supporting and promoting social change through community involvement and action. As a person who has worked with both, youth and adults, I am confident in carrying out the duties of a Social Worker in either setting. In working with youth, I learned that I possess leadership skills and creative ways of communicating well with children, teens and young adults. On the other hand, working with adults as a Patient Advocate has been character building and I’ve learned to deal with different personalities in a respectful manner.

     My background as a Latino minority has definitely influenced my respect towards individuals as human beings. However, I understand that it is not enough to come from a different culture or ethnicity to understand the role of diversity in social work. It is important to have exposure and knowledge about a vast variety of cultures and subcultures. Rather than taking race, class, sexual orientation, gender or age as separate from an individual, it should be seen as part of the whole picture. Especially in social work, we are more than likely to work with a diverse population and encounter unique circumstances and people as well. I believe that social work should not be biased, but seek to challenge human errors and validity. Acquiring knowledge about the human behavior in all aspects and content on one’s life is vital for a social worker, and the focus should be on the core social work values but never forget the importance of diversity.

     The ethical principles based on the core values of social work are definitely something I aspire. Becoming a social worker has been something I’ve been hoping to become for a long time. In the majority of my jobs I have been surrounded by people who devote much of their time to serve others and strive to build better human relationships, whether as social workers, religious leaders, clinical psychologists or teachers. And like those individuals, I also want to commit and devote to the service and to uphold the values and ethical standards of Social Work.

Between Two Worlds

My Family back in Mexico

Lately I've been thinking about the way my mom perceived things back in Mexico, it was her that finally convinced my sisters and I to immigrate to meet my father here. And I am very thankful for the opportunity and the challenge she set before my sister’s and I.

This song by mana brought much of those melancholic feelings last night:


You know how sometimes you feel like you don't belong? I feel like that all the time. I am a total stranger in this land, but you know what's worse? I am also a complete stranger in my own land; Mexico. My English lacks syntax, and my Spanish sucks. I barely know the history of the US, much less the history of Mexico. I think as an American but my heart & feelings are Mexican. I love Mat Kearney but Mana is still my favorite band in Spanish.

As many of you know, not only was I accepted to Augsburg, but I also got a generous scholarship from them, and today when I got my Auggie t-shirt in the mail I was overwhelmed with joy. You guys might not understand this feeling, but it’s like running over and over again on a long path and finally seeing a stop or a rest area. I was running out of fuel and ready to quit, my sisters and I didn’t see a way to pay for school except working to meet our academic goals. Over the past 6 years, I’ve been working full time jobs trying to pay my way to school because we are not eligible for any financial aid. I have abandoned school, but returned twice and yet I feel like I haven’t accomplished anything for my age, and I feel so out of tune sometimes. But when I get encouraging words from my wonderful friends and family I feel like I belong somewhere, like I actually make a difference in your lives. And that is the best rest area my soul could have.

I started writing about this event that has completely changed my life, and as I prepare to begin a new phase in life, I am reminded of the humble beginning I have had… This is just the beginning, I am eager to discover the rest. I can’t thank my loved ones enough! I only ask for one thing, don’t ever stop believing in me, because it is the sweet words I hear from you everyday that makes me who I am. ☺

Every beginning had a spark-

When I first came to the US it was nothing more than a change of address for me. Never did I imagine the implications and the transformation that were about to take place in my life. I arrived here as a child (ten years old to be exact), and just as any other child I was more interested in the pleasures and the novelties any other kid would be interested in, junk food, theme parks and cartoons.

It wasn’t until my cognitive development kicked in that I realized the change I had been experiencing: the language, the culture, the social norms and the trends. I saw the shift in my thinking, it was like an awakening and I liked it. I no longer saw a small village with little to do, but a big city with a lot of commotion. The change was happening too fast but my neurons absorbed every little detail of my new life. I felt out of place in a school with different people, different languages, and different philosophies, but I was unusual, rare and awkward myself. I absorbed the language, the courses, and the patterns of behavior of this new country. After all I was at the peak of my psychosocial and cognitive development. Little by little my ethnocentrism was disappearing and acting like an “American” was normal to me.

My mother’s reasoning to convince my sisters and I to move here were a better future, a new language and most importantly my family finally together, she wanted my sisters and I to have the same opportunities. I left with nothing but my hopes and dreams of a young girl. And with a broken heart I moved to Minnesota.

I still remember the first time I saw my dad after 7 years, he was standing next to his blue ’62 Oldsmobile with his jean jacket and sunglasses looking, what I thought then, cool. It was a hot summer day in Arizona when my dad picked us up to drive to Minnesota; he wanted to visit other states and wanted us to see the diverse cities through the Midwest. The scenery was unforgettable! As we drove through the sandy mountains I was reminded of the desserts with a cactus here and there and the heat of the sun on our skin. I had the window open and I felt the wind play with my hair and caress my face, my eyes were wide open, I didn’t want to miss a thing.

After the road the trip was over, reality finally sank in and I realized that nothing was going to be the same. I felt out of place and detached from everyone around me. Not knowing the language was frustrating and challenging. My parents registered my sisters and I at a school with the best academic programs. I liked the school and all my classes. Although I missed climbing the trees in my old outdoor school, eating fruits from the trees that grew in the back yard, and recess with my friends and the foods from the vendedoras, ladies that sold many ethnic foods to choose from during lunch time.

I learned to speak, write and read English in less than six months. It’s been such a long way from the very first sentence that I spoke in public: “May I have my hat please.” It was to the school bus driver, I had forgotten my hat in the bus one day and I told my dad about it, he taught me how ask him to give my hat back. At that moment I didn’t know that sentence was so proper. But the bus driver simply smiled and showed me a red winter hat, he must have asked if that was it, but I didn’t understand and I simply said “yes” and took it. When I remember that, I laugh and smile because I never forgot that sentence

I didn’t fit in and I knew it, the kids in school dressed differently, acted different and related to each other differently. My very first friend was a blond blue-eyed girl who wanted to learn Spanish. At first we had trouble communicating, but we managed. I don’t think her friends liked me very much but during lunch they tried to be nice and I tried not to say much. I remember being so quiet that I didn’t speak unless I was spoken to. Later on, two more Hispanic students were admitted to the school, I started talking to them but it was a little hard because they were boys. My sister and I were the only Hispanic girls in the school and we had different lunch times and different classes. I felt lonely and I wished to go back to my country. My parents didn’t allow me to leave and I had to put up with the school. The classes were easy, through elementary and middle school I was put in challenge classes because the teachers realized that regular classes were too easy for me, what they didn’t realized was that trying to fit in was the hardest part of it all.

Adjusting to a change of this magnitude was not easy at first, but I embraced and learned to enjoy the shift.

Now that I’m older, I wish I could’ve lived in Mexico a little longer, I wish I could’ve studied Math, Science and Cultural History in Mexico just a little longer. But I do not regret the decision my parents made 15 years ago. It’s true I left friends, family and innocent dreams, but I discovered more than what I bargained for.

…Things changed when I got to high school, but I will leave that story for another day ☺