THIS IS DACA
Donation protected
UPDATE
Dear Friends, Family, and Neighborhoods,
Wow! There are no words to express our deepest gratitude to the 107 people who contributed to Miss Poulleth's GoFundMe campaign.
Together, over the course of fourteen days, we raised more than $10,000 toward Miss Poulleth’s education!
We will be ending Miss Poulleth's GoFundMe campaign on Sunday, March 18, 2018.
Thank you all so much for your support, your love, and your commitment to helping this remarkable young woman reach her dream to become a pediatric nurse.
Poulleth, Rachel and I are hopeful that with the connections we made through this process, Miss Poulleth will be able to begin her studies in the fall.
Again, thank you for your compassion.
Warmly,
Rachel Helton & Stacy Brink
This is What DACA Looks Like
My name is Poulleth Jimenez. I am 20 years old. I am a “Dreamer.”
I was born in Jalisco, Mexico. My mother was the top saleswoman for her company and my father had a salaried position in the Mexican government. I went to private school. I loved science, math, and reading, and I knew as a youngster I wanted a career in medicine.
When I was seven years old there was an incident in which someone tried to kidnap my older brother and hold him for ransom. Terrified, my parents decided it was no longer safe for us in Jalisco and we fled to the United States. My family settled in Charlotte, North Carolina.
In Charlotte, we did not immediately escape violence. Shortly after my family arrived, two armed robbers broke into our home. One robber had a gun and the other had a knife. They grabbed my brother, put the knife to his throat, and threatened to kill him if my mother or I made a sound. With a gun at our backs, the robbers locked us in our basement for three hours while my 15-year-old sister slept in her bedroom.
After the invasion, my parents applied for a U-Visa, which grants immigrants who are victims of violent crimes in the United States the right to live legally in the U.S., work, and eventually become citizens. Thirteen years later, my parents are still waiting to become United States citizens.
In 2012, I applied for DACA and I was granted a permit to legally work and study in the United States. I graduated from Myers Park High School in 2015, where I was an Honors student with an un-weighted GPA of 3.87. I worked two different jobs in high school to save for college and help support my parents who worked as custodians. It did not occur to me I would be ineligible for in-state tuition or federal financial aid to help pay for college because of my DACA status in North Carolina.
In November 2017, after nearly two years of saving for college, I applied to Queens University and was invited to attend. I was also awarded a partial scholarship. My goal is to become a pediatric nurse.
My parents were so proud of me. However, a month after I was accepted at Queens University, my mother and father were laid off from the jobs they had worked for ten years. With their loss of income, I could not possibly stop working my job in childcare at the Jewish Community Center, my job at a local shopping center, or my three babysitting jobs. I had to choose between working to pay for college or to support my family.
If I am able to meet my GoFundMe goal of $18,000, I will enroll at Queens University this August. It is my promise to you that I will work hard, graduate with my nursing degree, and continue to contribute to the vibrancy of the Charlotte community.
Thank you for your time, consideration, and compassion.
Sincerely,
Poulleth
Dear Friends, Family, and Neighborhoods,
Wow! There are no words to express our deepest gratitude to the 107 people who contributed to Miss Poulleth's GoFundMe campaign.
Together, over the course of fourteen days, we raised more than $10,000 toward Miss Poulleth’s education!
We will be ending Miss Poulleth's GoFundMe campaign on Sunday, March 18, 2018.
Thank you all so much for your support, your love, and your commitment to helping this remarkable young woman reach her dream to become a pediatric nurse.
Poulleth, Rachel and I are hopeful that with the connections we made through this process, Miss Poulleth will be able to begin her studies in the fall.
Again, thank you for your compassion.
Warmly,
Rachel Helton & Stacy Brink
This is What DACA Looks LikeMy name is Poulleth Jimenez. I am 20 years old. I am a “Dreamer.”
I was born in Jalisco, Mexico. My mother was the top saleswoman for her company and my father had a salaried position in the Mexican government. I went to private school. I loved science, math, and reading, and I knew as a youngster I wanted a career in medicine.
When I was seven years old there was an incident in which someone tried to kidnap my older brother and hold him for ransom. Terrified, my parents decided it was no longer safe for us in Jalisco and we fled to the United States. My family settled in Charlotte, North Carolina.
In Charlotte, we did not immediately escape violence. Shortly after my family arrived, two armed robbers broke into our home. One robber had a gun and the other had a knife. They grabbed my brother, put the knife to his throat, and threatened to kill him if my mother or I made a sound. With a gun at our backs, the robbers locked us in our basement for three hours while my 15-year-old sister slept in her bedroom.
After the invasion, my parents applied for a U-Visa, which grants immigrants who are victims of violent crimes in the United States the right to live legally in the U.S., work, and eventually become citizens. Thirteen years later, my parents are still waiting to become United States citizens.
In 2012, I applied for DACA and I was granted a permit to legally work and study in the United States. I graduated from Myers Park High School in 2015, where I was an Honors student with an un-weighted GPA of 3.87. I worked two different jobs in high school to save for college and help support my parents who worked as custodians. It did not occur to me I would be ineligible for in-state tuition or federal financial aid to help pay for college because of my DACA status in North Carolina.
In November 2017, after nearly two years of saving for college, I applied to Queens University and was invited to attend. I was also awarded a partial scholarship. My goal is to become a pediatric nurse.
My parents were so proud of me. However, a month after I was accepted at Queens University, my mother and father were laid off from the jobs they had worked for ten years. With their loss of income, I could not possibly stop working my job in childcare at the Jewish Community Center, my job at a local shopping center, or my three babysitting jobs. I had to choose between working to pay for college or to support my family.
If I am able to meet my GoFundMe goal of $18,000, I will enroll at Queens University this August. It is my promise to you that I will work hard, graduate with my nursing degree, and continue to contribute to the vibrancy of the Charlotte community.
Thank you for your time, consideration, and compassion.
Sincerely,
Poulleth
Organizer and beneficiary
Rachel Arnholt Helton
Organizer
Charlotte, NC
Poulleth Jimenez
Beneficiary