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I am Michelle Angulo. I am an undocumented student. I was brought into the US when I was two years old. My father was the first one to immigrate from Sonora, Mexico to seek out a better job and my mom followed a few months later. As I was brought to the US at an earlier age, it was easier for me to integrate which is both a positive and negative. On one hand, I found myself easily slipping into the normalcy of the American culture when needed. But on the other hand, now that I am older, I feel that I don’t fit into either of my identities as either a Mexican or an American. This is an issue that most Mexican Americans face. But most Mexican Americans like me grow up with a family that supports us. I grew up with a mother and father that constantly worked; my mother even took me and my siblings around to do her rounds of selling makeup products. I spent a lot of my time observing and absorbing my mother’s incredible work ethic up close. Not to discredit my father either who works just as hard to the point that I don’t get to see him on a daily basis. Even if I struggle with my identity at times, I know at my core that I come from a hard working community.

Besides their hard work, my parents always encourage me to dream big. As I enter my senior year of high school, my parent’s push is just what I need. I keep myself optimistic for my future as I constantly discuss my choices with my parents who support me as well as the hope of my DACA application being processed soon. As the saying goes, if there’s a will there’s a way and I am willing to do anything to achieve my goals. I will face challenges on my way but there will always be challenges no matter what. My immigration status may add onto the challenges but I take it in stride.

In the world, there is nothing better than a helping hand. A helping hand is something everyone can give and anyone can receive. The best thing about a helping hand is that it can come in any form. From signing a petition that can help pass a legislation that will give more rights to immigrants such as myself to advocating for said rights. Even just helping another community member when it comes to sustaining themselves is an amazing feat. One never knows how much an offhand kind action can impact someone else’s life. I know that I want a part of being a helping hand and I know others can join me.

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My name is Santiago Flores. I am undocumented immigrant. I was brought to the United States when I was just one year old. I was born in Guerrero, Mexico and so were my parents. My parents told me that life was going to be hard due to the fact that we were undocumented. They also told me to try my best at school so that I would be successful and so that I would not have a bad job. I also wanted to be successful because I saw my dad work in landscaping and every day he would come tired from work and I really wanted to help him.

Now as a senior, I have applied for DACA and my goals are to graduate High School and pursue a higher education so I will be able to help my parents because they helped me in my lowest points. I also want to show that I am not the only one, that there are many more students, parents, and adults that want and want to be successful.

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My name is Víctor Pérez, I was born in Guatemala City on January 27, 2002, I emigrated to the United States in 2019 when I was about 17 years old. I have been living here for a short time and it was a bit difficult for me to adapt to this new place, especially learning English is a bit difficult. My parents always told me about the importance of studying and they try hard to give me a good education.
Now, I am here, trying to do my best to continue my studies for myself and my family, income and our legal situation are some obstacles that my parents are solving while my brother and I learn the language and prepare for the future in our new home.

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My name is America Castillo Durazo and I was born in Hermosillo, Sonora Mexico. When I was 11 years old my mom and my two younger sisters came to this country seeking for a better future with more opportunities and a better quality of life. Moving to the U.S meant starting from zero, far away from my family, friends, and home. I have to admit that this whole journey has been really hard and that there have been times where I feel hopeless and very different from the rest, mostly excluded. To me, being an immigrant is honorable, I’m not ashamed, I am proud of the things I’ve accomplished and for the things I‘ve overcame but within all these things there’s always a barrier, I’ll never be treated the same as others, much less have the same opportunities. We as dreamers suffer the exclusion from society when applying for scholarships, applying to universities, trying to get jobs, etc.. Now as a senior in high school the struggle is getting bigger and bigger I feel like im running out of options due to lack of funds for immigrant students that want to attend university. In behalf thousands of immigrant students in Arizona I would like to reach out to the government and demand an action for those who are not protected under DACA like myself. We should have the right to continue our education and at least have a little more help.

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Hi, my name is Aroldo. Story of myself is that sometimes I have such hard moments with myself. There are moments when I can’t control my emotions and they take me down. One of them is immigrations status but, there are some things that take out of those feelings and those are my goals, thinking about my future, thinking about why I came to the U.S for, thinking about if I don’t try and I  just give up. Would it be what my parents would have wanted for me? So, I think about what my parents have taught me.

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My name is Victor Garcia. I am undocumented. I came to the U.S when i was 9 years old. My parents came from Sinaloa, Mexico and they always taught me to put my effort into something that I really want and not just do it because other people want me to do it. I am closer to my mom but I love my dad so much and all the things he's taught me altho he's legally not my dad but I see him as my dad. He's always been there since I was little and never treated me differently than my brothers. I've noticed that altho he doesn't have an education he's always trying to get a better job or do better on his job and he's always taught me that. My mom has always encouraged me to bring out the best of me and I try to teach those things to my brothers when they are not here since I am taking care of them most of the day. My mom has always supported me in whatever i want to do for example if i would tell her that i want to take classes to play another instrument she will try to do everything she can so help me take those classes because she doesn't want me to feel what she felt when she was younger and my grandparents couldn't giver her those things she wanted.

Now, as a high school student I am worried that I won't be able to accomplish the things that I've always wanted because of my immigration status. I know I will struggle more to find scholarships for a better education but like my mom says “si se puede”. I want to be part of the undocummented community that is going through the struggle of getting a better education and accomplishing his dreams.

Undocumment kids and adults should get the same treatment that everyone else gets. Not just because we weren't born here doesn't mean we deserve to get treated differently. I know that if a current citizen of the U.S were to be in the situation that us undocummented people go thru they would think the same way as us. I just want people to realize that we just want a better future and to be a better person and not cause any harm to other people like all those negative misconceptions make us look.

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My name is Ingris Velasquez. I am a undocumented immigrant. I was brought to the US when I was 6 months old. I came in with a Visa. My parents migrated from Choix, Sinaloa. Ever since I started school they have always encouraged me and my older siblings to do school and to try and get scholarships since we weren't going to be able to have the same rights as non- immigrants. Seeing my dad be the only one who works in my household and on  top of that he's working in the sun has encouraged me to do better.

Now as a senior in high school, I have seen myself struggle but I am 1 step closer to accomplishing what I want in life and making my parents happy. My parents were not financially stable and had to raise 4 kids so we all decided to migrate to the US and have a better education and live under a better economy. I have always hated the fact that I could only do a limited amount of things without being told by my parents to be careful on what I did because I wasn't a citizen from the United States. Now that I am waiting on my DACA I think I have more options than what I had before.

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Story of Self

My name is Diana Mendoza. I am undocumented. My mother brought me (Two years old at the time) to the United States to join my father, who had already made it through before us. We came from Tamaulipas, Mexico. Ever since I was young, my parents always reminded me how important education is. They’ve always said that that is the sole reason for going to the U.S. They wanted their children to grow up in a place with many opportunities to be successful.

The Arizona heat is enough to instantly melt ice cream. My father works as a landscaper, and he is always working under that sizzling heat. I feel guilty, terrible that he is working in such conditions. That’s when I finally understood their value. They wanted me to use those years of education to land a job where it does not have me burning under the bright sun. A job that pays well for the skills I have learned throughout many years of school.

Ever since that day I made that connection, I challenged myself with advanced classes and aim for a spot at a university in the near future someday. Us undocumented folks are hardworking and hope for a much more affordable secondary education to continue the path towards great success.

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My name is Esveidy Rodriguez Melendez. I was brought to the United States in 2007 meaning I was 3 years old. My parents sacrificed being with their family in order to give me a better life. I was told continually at a young age to keep secret the fact that I was undocumented from school. At the time, I didn’t think much of it and saw nothing wrong with saying where I was from so I told my whole class. Later that school year, I was threatened by one of my class members that he would tell his dad to call ICE so they could take me and my family. I begged him so much and I went home crying. You see, as a child, I always watched the news in which I knew who they were, I knew my parents would be upset. Though most importantly, I felt guilty because if I listened to my dad, I wouldn’t have to fear that we would be taken back. Yet I didn’t understand why people didn’t like us.

I recently applied for DACA after it was closed for a while. I knew this was a big step into my life and was excited that now I had an advantage for higher education. But now I see that it wouldn’t be as easy as I thought it would be because there are still people trying to stop it.

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My name is Jorge Catalan. I was born in Chilpancingo Guerrero, Mexico. I am a undocumented immigrant. I was brought into the US when I was 1 ½ years old. My parents brought me to the US to have a better future and not experience what they went through. My dad works every day in a roofing company, you can only imagine how difficult it gets sometimes to get the job done in this 110 degree weather. My mom works cleaning building’s These buildings don't have ac yet because they're brand new. So she also suffers in the heat. My parents have always inculcated the idea of being big in life and to always study for a better life, then the ones they had growing up.

I'm currently a senior and My goal right now is to graduate highschool and complete the goal my parents have long wished for their son. I'm also in the process of DACA right now. My first form declined because of not enough evidence. Hopefully this upcoming form does not get declined and I become apart of DACA. This will help give me the confidence I need to succeed in life.

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My name is Ana Arellano, I was born in Sinaloa, Mexico on August 14th, 2004. I migrated to the United States in 2009 when I was about 5 years old. Through life living here, I was always told to be grateful of what I had and not be selfish or jealous of others. I was told I had better opportunities than other family members, while this holds true I still could not hold back jealousy. Jealousy for the people born here with privileges I could only dream of, privileges I would not receive even though this is the place I was raised in and can only remember.

Now as a Senior in Highschool, I still hold the same perspective. From not getting the same economic help, to losing the opportunity to go travel the world for having achieved something. My immigration status holds me back to the full potential I could possibly reach. I will always stand jealous of those who could apply to a program while I had to sit back and hold tears for the basic reason that I was not a citizen.

I am not alone, many like me who experienced the same feeling live in the United States in fear. With the help of others, this could all change. Undocumented immigrants could live in a world where nothing holds them back. With your help, by doing just a small act of signing a petition or protesting you could be helping someone like me achieve their dreams.

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My name is Vasthy Lamadrid. I am a DACA recipient. I was brought into the U.S when I was 8 years old. My parents migrated from Jalisco, Mexico and they continuously told my younger siblings and me how important it was to pursue higher education and pursue a career that would inspire me. My parents did not want me to work jobs that didn’t make me happy. Growing up and seeing my dad paint houses out in the sun and seeing my mom cleans homes pushed me to strive to be the best student I could because I wanted to attend university.

Now, as a college graduate that struggled to find scholarship opportunities as a former undocumented student and now DACAmented, I am fighting so that other students can have the same opportunities that I have now. Because education creates generational change.

It is important to get informed about immigration issues. Undocumented youth and DACamented youth deserve an immigration reform and the legislation now so that they can freely pursue higher education.