Raising money for UCLA

My name is Janeth and I am undocumented. I was born in Districto Federal, Mexico and was brought to the U.S at the age of 1. I have zero memories of my home country so I feel like the U.S is my only home. My earliest memories are of me and my siblings playing outside this small apartment we had in South Central for a few months until we finally moved into another apartment in South East LA.

Growing up I never knew I was undocumented and school was all I focused on. I was always a good student since kindergarden and throughout elementary and middle school. 8th grade they had a trip to Washington D.C and I was so excited because I was chosen to go. We fundraised by selling chocolates and I remember my mom sitting me down and saying I shouldn’t go because I didn’t have a passport. Then she told me I couldn’t get a CA I.D which was a requirement to bring. That is the first time it hit me that I was undocumented and was very limited but it didn’t end there.

The following year I entered high school and went to an orientation for freshman with my mom. It was the usual information: Grades, classes, and then they started talking about COLLEGE. College has always been my goal and I remember always picturing myself in a dorm and going to the best university. They talked about what classes to take and they talked about the cost. My mom understood that I didn’t qualify for financial aid and worried about how she would send me to college. I remember the walk home like it was yesterday she told me that I should go to community college and I should start working. I was a kid and very immature so I did what made sense to me: I gave up. I did do my work in class but I didn’t do enough then sophomore year I started ditching school and doing nothing out in the streets with my friends at the time. I was going no where with my life I thought I didn’t want to go to college anymore and I thought I was ok with just living on bare minimum.

I was wrong though, the day my moms boyfriend left her and the children he had with her my mom had to work to take care of my 2 brothers, myself and my other 2 sisters. She struggled in her job and everything she made went to bills. I saw the look on her face when I would bring bad grades home and I knew it hurter her. We came into this country for a better life, hell mu mom crossed when she was pregnant!! I knew I had to work harder. I had to make my mom proud. I got involved with this organization called Communities for a Better Environment and I became more aware on social and environmental issues in my community. I learned about community and unity and people have the power. My senior year I got one of two internships for the youth program I was so happy because my life was becoming stable. I was getting good grades and had amazing friends and was working on something I loved. Throughout that experience I’ve branched out to other people with similar situations as me and I’ve learned that I’m not alone. I love how communities come together as one and I know we won’t give up until we are given our rights.

I didn’t come into this country by choice and yet this is my home. I got accepted to UCLA and I’m determined to go and graduate at the top of my class with a major in Environmental Science and a minor in Woman Studies.