Where can I start? I guess it's best to start at the very beginning...
I was born in Mexico 19 years ago. Neither of my parents had the opportunity to attend high school and had to work hard to provide for their families. Like most people, my family was having a hard time financially, so my father immigrated to the U.S while my mother and I stayed behind. He was here for a few months but soon realized he could no longer live without seeing my mother and me, so he went back for us. We arrived in the U.S when I was five years old.
It was difficult adapting to the new life, especially since I attended five different elementary schools (including the one in Mexico) and being a single child, I was very quiet and shy. Knowing no English, made it even more difficult. Well, with time, I learned English; we moved residence three times before residing in the house we are currently buying, and my two brothers were born.
I went to high school and survived the International Baccalaureate program, a program similar to Advance Placement programs but much more rigorous and with international recognition, and received my I.B Diploma. I was a member of the marching band and the award winning dance drill team, and many honor organizations. I graduated in the top 5% of my class (a class of a little over 500 students). I graduated with honors of course, and many scholarships.
I applied to four different universities, the University of North Texas, Texas Tech University, The University of Texas, and Texas A&M University. I was accepted at all, and chose the one I liked the best.
Currently I am at a university double majoring in Sociology and Spanish and plan on graduating a year early because of the number of credits I came in with as a freshmen. I am involved in many activities, including a dance team, a bible study, an honor society but most importantly, a DREAM Act support group which we just started. I am fortunate enough to have state financial aid, one grant and a scholarship which along with my parent's monetary help, have allowed me to continue my education. Going to a university in which 71% of the students are white, has been quite a culture shock since I come from a diverse neighborhood. Like many DREAMers, often, I encounter many obstacles.
With one year left until graduation, I am very hopeful that the DREAM Act and or CIR will pass. I want to continue on to graduate school, but I will no longer be able to afford school if my status does not change. The financial aid I currently receive is only for graduate school and my family and I are running out of funds.
I blog today, not because I want to brag, but because I know there are other DREAMers out there like me, which are struggling. I write to encourage all of those students to keep pursing their dreams. The life of a DREAMer is anything but easy, but we must persevere.
~DREAM Agent CC
My dad was reading the "Al Dia" newspaper for March 17th, 2010 and came upon a column that talked about an increase in the number of undocumented students that are going to college in Texas. According to the newspaper and their source, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, there are 569 undocumented students at the University of Texas at Austin, 304 at Texas A&M University, 304 at the University of North Texas, 315 at the University of Texas at Arlington, 192 at the University of Texas at Dallas, 65 at the Texas Woman's University, 279 at the Collin County Community College District, 772 in Tarrant County and 1,717 at the Dallas County Community College District. According to the newspaper, undocumented students make up 1% of the student population, but when I see the number of students who are affected like me, it gives me hope and makes me feel like I am not alone. And in fact, we are not alone. Every year thousands and thousands of undocumented students graduate from high school and some have the privilege of attending college. This isn't enough though, we need change and we need it now. Best of luck to all those attending the march in Washington D.C. this weekend, I wish I could march along with you all.
