Let's Get Erika to Berkeley Law!
Donation protected
Dear friends and family,
As most of you know I will be embarking on a new journey at UC Berkeley School of Law this fall. It has taken a lot of time and hard work to get to this point and I know I could not have done it without your support, thank you! As the daughter of hard-working immigrants, the first in my family to attend and graduate from college, and the product of California’s Central Valley, I feel very privileged and grateful for the opportunity to attend this elite institution.
Some of you may not know, but I cancelled my admission to UC Berkeley after my high school graduation because I could not afford to attend. It is not very often that we get second chances, so I am ready to work hard and make the most out of these next three years. I have been dreaming about becoming an attorney since I was a child and I cannot believe I am only a few years away from accomplishing this dream.
As a student at San Jose State University I had the opportunity to spend a semester learning about the immigration consequences of criminal convictions. Countless individuals from my hometown are detained and deported on a monthly basis, many of them without even having a trial for violations as small as a broken tail light. I believe it is an injustice to deport a noncitizen without affording him or her counsel and I am hopeful that a degree from UC Berkeley School of Law will help me rectify these injustices.
However, achieving my childhood dream comes at a hefty price ($48,654.50 in tuition and fees per academic year), so I am currently in the process of finding ways to finance my legal education. I have been offered grants and scholarships by the university, but I have been notified that I will not be eligible for institutional loans.
As an undocumented student I am not eligible for federal financial aid and as a law student I am not allowed to work during my first semester, so I am relying on scholarships, university grants, private loans, and the generosity of my community to make this dream a reality. Your contribution, no matter how small, will bring me closer to my goal of becoming an attorney. If you cannot contribute financially that is okay, you can still help by sharing my page with your friends and family; every share and penny count!
It has taken a village to get me to where I am today and although I know it will take a lot more work to get me through law school, I am confident that together we can do it.
With love,
Erika
As most of you know I will be embarking on a new journey at UC Berkeley School of Law this fall. It has taken a lot of time and hard work to get to this point and I know I could not have done it without your support, thank you! As the daughter of hard-working immigrants, the first in my family to attend and graduate from college, and the product of California’s Central Valley, I feel very privileged and grateful for the opportunity to attend this elite institution.
Some of you may not know, but I cancelled my admission to UC Berkeley after my high school graduation because I could not afford to attend. It is not very often that we get second chances, so I am ready to work hard and make the most out of these next three years. I have been dreaming about becoming an attorney since I was a child and I cannot believe I am only a few years away from accomplishing this dream.
As a student at San Jose State University I had the opportunity to spend a semester learning about the immigration consequences of criminal convictions. Countless individuals from my hometown are detained and deported on a monthly basis, many of them without even having a trial for violations as small as a broken tail light. I believe it is an injustice to deport a noncitizen without affording him or her counsel and I am hopeful that a degree from UC Berkeley School of Law will help me rectify these injustices.
However, achieving my childhood dream comes at a hefty price ($48,654.50 in tuition and fees per academic year), so I am currently in the process of finding ways to finance my legal education. I have been offered grants and scholarships by the university, but I have been notified that I will not be eligible for institutional loans.
As an undocumented student I am not eligible for federal financial aid and as a law student I am not allowed to work during my first semester, so I am relying on scholarships, university grants, private loans, and the generosity of my community to make this dream a reality. Your contribution, no matter how small, will bring me closer to my goal of becoming an attorney. If you cannot contribute financially that is okay, you can still help by sharing my page with your friends and family; every share and penny count!
It has taken a village to get me to where I am today and although I know it will take a lot more work to get me through law school, I am confident that together we can do it.
With love,
Erika
Organizer
Erika Hernandez
Organizer
San Jose, CA
