Postgraduate Study Abroad
Donation protected
This Fall 2017 I will be pursuing a Master’s Degree in Migration, Superdiversity and Policy at the University of Birmingham in England. The program explores the social, economic, and political impacts of international migration. More information can be found here: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/courses/taught/social-policy/migration-superdiversity-policy.aspx
Many of those who know me as a friend or as an acquaintance may not know my story, as I have tried to keep all these stories and memories to myself. But as actor Jackie Cruz stated in a recent interview, "I think it’s really important for people like us, people that come from immigrant families, to tell our stories just to know that we’re not alone."
My story is substantive to others. With great pride, I say that I am the daughter of Central American immigrants. I live in the duality of two cultures, two worlds. Growing up as a first-generation United States citizen, I became familiar with the storylines, experiences, and legal issues that affiliate themselves with the immigrant life. They have shaped my personality, character, and aspirations. My personal experiences, and those of my friends, family, and the others in the Latino community, have led me to feel personally tied to the issues of immigration in this country and other countries internationally. The struggle of being undocumented or unauthorized, or “illegal” is not as transparent as some may think. There are over 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S.; over 11 million individuals who are mothers and fathers, like my own. Each and every one of them has a story. Unfortunately, many remain silent; for fear that they will be deported. The way they are living is not freedom, and it is not representative of any democratic country.
At a young age, I became inescapably conscious of the ever-evolving lucha, the struggle, that exists amidst the Latino community. The reality was that there were other individuals, family, friends, and the larger community, who were experiencing what my family was experiencing. Little by little I became aware of the media’s discussion regarding immigration. Some touched upon immigration reform, while others interviewed politicians who were fixated on revoking the citizenship of U.S. born children whose parents were undocumented, which is legally unsound and unconstitutional. I was angry and frustrated over the politics that I was just beginning to understand, and the complexity of the U.S. immigration system. This became personal when my father was detained by Immigration and Customs enforcement. At the time I was initially applying for Master programs in early 2016, my father was being held in an Immigration and Customs detention facility. But as of recently, he was deported to El Salvador, after residing in the United States for 30 years. This challenge we have had since 2009 has inevitably followed me throughout my entire undergraduate career, and has ended 7 years later with unfortunately heart retching news. My fear is now a reality, and there is little that I can do about it. I feel everything and I feel nothing. Since my college graduation, I have been assisting my family both emotionally and financially. After much consideration, I have decided to pursue my passions. We have many paths we could travel; it is up to us to decide which way to go. For many, defeats and downfalls shatter dreams and aspirations, but for me, it is just one part of my journey, my path leads on. It is the foundation on which the rest of my story will be built.
I decided to create this page to raise funds to help pay for miscellaneous fees and accommodation. If you are able to donate, whether big or small, I am sincerely grateful for your generosity. But regardless of your donation, I appreciate that you took the time to read this all the way to the end.
Thank you!
Many of those who know me as a friend or as an acquaintance may not know my story, as I have tried to keep all these stories and memories to myself. But as actor Jackie Cruz stated in a recent interview, "I think it’s really important for people like us, people that come from immigrant families, to tell our stories just to know that we’re not alone."
My story is substantive to others. With great pride, I say that I am the daughter of Central American immigrants. I live in the duality of two cultures, two worlds. Growing up as a first-generation United States citizen, I became familiar with the storylines, experiences, and legal issues that affiliate themselves with the immigrant life. They have shaped my personality, character, and aspirations. My personal experiences, and those of my friends, family, and the others in the Latino community, have led me to feel personally tied to the issues of immigration in this country and other countries internationally. The struggle of being undocumented or unauthorized, or “illegal” is not as transparent as some may think. There are over 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S.; over 11 million individuals who are mothers and fathers, like my own. Each and every one of them has a story. Unfortunately, many remain silent; for fear that they will be deported. The way they are living is not freedom, and it is not representative of any democratic country.
At a young age, I became inescapably conscious of the ever-evolving lucha, the struggle, that exists amidst the Latino community. The reality was that there were other individuals, family, friends, and the larger community, who were experiencing what my family was experiencing. Little by little I became aware of the media’s discussion regarding immigration. Some touched upon immigration reform, while others interviewed politicians who were fixated on revoking the citizenship of U.S. born children whose parents were undocumented, which is legally unsound and unconstitutional. I was angry and frustrated over the politics that I was just beginning to understand, and the complexity of the U.S. immigration system. This became personal when my father was detained by Immigration and Customs enforcement. At the time I was initially applying for Master programs in early 2016, my father was being held in an Immigration and Customs detention facility. But as of recently, he was deported to El Salvador, after residing in the United States for 30 years. This challenge we have had since 2009 has inevitably followed me throughout my entire undergraduate career, and has ended 7 years later with unfortunately heart retching news. My fear is now a reality, and there is little that I can do about it. I feel everything and I feel nothing. Since my college graduation, I have been assisting my family both emotionally and financially. After much consideration, I have decided to pursue my passions. We have many paths we could travel; it is up to us to decide which way to go. For many, defeats and downfalls shatter dreams and aspirations, but for me, it is just one part of my journey, my path leads on. It is the foundation on which the rest of my story will be built.
I decided to create this page to raise funds to help pay for miscellaneous fees and accommodation. If you are able to donate, whether big or small, I am sincerely grateful for your generosity. But regardless of your donation, I appreciate that you took the time to read this all the way to the end.
Thank you!
Organizer
Leslie Molina
Organizer
New Windsor, NY