Send Rubi to college

Hi,

I am fundraising for a fantastic community organizer, leader and friend! Rubi is off to college with a full ride to Prescott College. While the scholarship covers her studies, it does not cover on-campus housing. Help me raise money so Rubi can stay on campus this fall.

Here is her story...

My immigration status in this country has made my life painful, violent, and terrorizing in so many ways. Although there’s still time until we win the fight of immigration reform, today I celebrate because I have won a fight. The right to my education.

Just three years ago, further education didn’t even feel like an option for me. I was told it wasn’t by my freshman high school counselor, and then it was reaffirmed at home by family members, and then it was reaffirmed again and again when I felt opportunities open up then slam shut on my face.

Further education was something I only dared to dream about. Not because I wasn’t worthy, not because I didn’t work hard enough, not because I wasn’t smart enough, but because there are systems in place in this country that submit me to silence when I want to scream. These systems make it possible for white supremacists in power (elected officials) to dehumanize me, to call us aliens, to call us illegals. This system makes it so easy for these people to overlook the undocumented students they represent, and pass a bill which charges them international rates if they chose to continue their education.

I won my first fight for my right to dream in 2020 when I got a full ride to Donnelly to finish my associates degree. I worked my ass off and had to sacrifice a lot of things, but I was doing it! I was living the dream! 2 months after School started I was kicked out of my house because of my family’s fear and lack of information on our rights in this country.

I went through a lot of housing displacements for months, I was working 13 hours shifts, and thought I was going to have to say goodbye to my dream. I thank God/the universe/my ancestors/the higher power for community, because I was able to find safe housing, therapy and a job that is so much more than just a job. I got the support I needed when things went down bad, and I did not have to say goodbye to my dream.

I graduated with my associate's this summer, and I am so excited to share and celebrate my next steps in this dream that I’m living.

I am living a dream. The dream. Not only did I win the right to my education, but I got options. I received two full rides to finish out my bachelor's degree; St. Mary’s University in Leavenworth, Kansas, and Prescott College in Prescott, Arizona.

I made a decision and I will be attending Prescott College in Prescott Arizona this Fall. I will be getting my associate's degree in Business management and hopefully my masters in community organizing/social justice. This is my dream come true, not only because I will be getting a degree, but because Prescott is social justice and learning-oriented school. I will be going on a 3-week backpacking trip in the Grand Canyon for my first class, (they do this as orientation for incoming students to build community and find yourself) and I’ll be getting college credit for it! I won’t be taking tests for finals, but rather be able to showcase what I learned through community projects. I’ll have very small class sizes where half of the time the class is out in the community doing the work! And so much more. I am so excited to be in that space, and excited to find myself outside of Kansas City.

I am thankful for community, because I would not be here had I not received all the support I have received. I am thankful for therapy because I would not be moving alone to another city if I hadn’t done healing work.

I am now fundraising because although I got a full ride for my education, my scholarship does not include housing. I would like to stay on campus as I have heard from multiple people the great benefits it has to offer. I want to be very intentional about building community and attending Prescott College community events. I am being so intentional about living simply and building a community that I am not even bringing my car this first semester. Any support you could give me is greatly, greatly appreciated! Thank you!