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May 15, 2020 Update:
Thank you so much to everyone who has donated. It truly means a lot to me, and from the bottom of my heart I will be forever grateful. While I have received many generous donations, UC Riverside was still too unaffordable for the situation my family and I are in, but that doesn’t mean I won’t be going to college. I am proud to say that I have committed to San Francisco State University in hopes of being just as successful there. I am excited for this new chapter of my life, and I’m looking forward to being part of a supportive university community close to home. I would still welcome any donations to help pay for my tuition and supplies at SFSU. Thank you once again for all the help. God bless you all, Mistica.
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My name is Mistica Espinoza. I am currently a senior at Aragon High School, and this fall I hope to be an incoming freshman at UC Riverside; however, my family and I can’t afford it. I would appreciate donations of any amount in hopes of helping my dream become a reality. Here’s a little bit about me and my financial situation:
I come from immigrant parents, neither of whom finished grade school, much less went to college. We moved here from Mexico when I was just 6 months old. My parents, my younger sister, and I live in a one-bedroom home because it’s all we can afford with having only a father who works to support the family since our mother has had a series of health complications.
About two years ago, my dad got a job in construction, which has always been a passion of his. He has been making more money than he used to, but the cost of everything in the Bay Area has also increased. Because my dad makes a little bit more than he used to, I unfortunately no longer qualify for low-income reduced lunch and other programs and services that helped my family and me in the past. Now that college is in the picture, I know life will be even more stressful financially, and with only a father to provide income, college is a far stretch for us. I am working hard to apply to as many scholarships as I can, but I haven’t had much luck given my status as an undocumented student.
It is overwhelming and frustrating to think about not being able to attend the college you want because you don’t have the money to pay for it, and for me it is especially difficult since I am not able to work and save up money. My parents and I have worked so hard to get to where I am today and I am so grateful for all they’ve done, so it really pains me to think I might not be able to afford a four-year university.
I had always been told I needed to get good grades to get into college in order to get the job of my dreams and be happy, and that has provided endless motivation to keep my grades up and do my work to the best of my abilities to make sure that I succeed. I’m an A student but that doesn’t mean anything if I can’t afford college… money determines where I go to school and what my future will look like.
Money is THE biggest factor in determining which college I attend and whether I go to UC Riverside or a community college, as there are significant gaps in my financial aid package that my family cannot afford. I’m doing my best to make it a more manageable factor so I can get the education I deserve. With my hopes of getting a college degree in either Social Work, Teacher’s Education, and/or Spanish, I plan to give back to my community. I’m not sure which path I’ll go down yet, but I know I would like to do anything that allows me to be a mentor, advocate, and be a support system for others.
Knowing that both of my parents sacrificed their lives to create a better future for my sister and me inspires me to become a better person. I know that my status can prevent me from getting a job, owning a house, and many other things, but it won’t stop me from continuing my education. This is why I have dedicated so much of my time to school. I want to be able to help others like me and those who don’t know how to advocate for themselves or those who don’t know when they are being treated unfairly. I used to see the pressure as daunting, but now I see it more as a motivating factor. In the end, I know that my family just wants me to succeed and wishes they could do more to help.
UC Riverside has various resources for people like me who are undocumented students, and I hope I will be able to access and benefit from these with your help. It would be a blessing if I was able to get the college experience that I worked really hard for my entire life. I know that I will take advantage of the educational opportunities at UC Riverside and get a bachelor’s that will help me create bridges between English and Spanish speaking communities. I want to do everything I can to help this situation be less stressful for my family and my future. Any amount of contribution will be life-changing for me, and it will give me more motivation to work towards my dreams. UC Riverside is my dream school, and I would appreciate it if you could help make my dream come true. Anything and everything helps. God bless you.
Eternally grateful,
Mistica Espinoza
Thank you so much to everyone who has donated. It truly means a lot to me, and from the bottom of my heart I will be forever grateful. While I have received many generous donations, UC Riverside was still too unaffordable for the situation my family and I are in, but that doesn’t mean I won’t be going to college. I am proud to say that I have committed to San Francisco State University in hopes of being just as successful there. I am excited for this new chapter of my life, and I’m looking forward to being part of a supportive university community close to home. I would still welcome any donations to help pay for my tuition and supplies at SFSU. Thank you once again for all the help. God bless you all, Mistica.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My name is Mistica Espinoza. I am currently a senior at Aragon High School, and this fall I hope to be an incoming freshman at UC Riverside; however, my family and I can’t afford it. I would appreciate donations of any amount in hopes of helping my dream become a reality. Here’s a little bit about me and my financial situation:
I come from immigrant parents, neither of whom finished grade school, much less went to college. We moved here from Mexico when I was just 6 months old. My parents, my younger sister, and I live in a one-bedroom home because it’s all we can afford with having only a father who works to support the family since our mother has had a series of health complications.
About two years ago, my dad got a job in construction, which has always been a passion of his. He has been making more money than he used to, but the cost of everything in the Bay Area has also increased. Because my dad makes a little bit more than he used to, I unfortunately no longer qualify for low-income reduced lunch and other programs and services that helped my family and me in the past. Now that college is in the picture, I know life will be even more stressful financially, and with only a father to provide income, college is a far stretch for us. I am working hard to apply to as many scholarships as I can, but I haven’t had much luck given my status as an undocumented student.
It is overwhelming and frustrating to think about not being able to attend the college you want because you don’t have the money to pay for it, and for me it is especially difficult since I am not able to work and save up money. My parents and I have worked so hard to get to where I am today and I am so grateful for all they’ve done, so it really pains me to think I might not be able to afford a four-year university.
I had always been told I needed to get good grades to get into college in order to get the job of my dreams and be happy, and that has provided endless motivation to keep my grades up and do my work to the best of my abilities to make sure that I succeed. I’m an A student but that doesn’t mean anything if I can’t afford college… money determines where I go to school and what my future will look like.
Money is THE biggest factor in determining which college I attend and whether I go to UC Riverside or a community college, as there are significant gaps in my financial aid package that my family cannot afford. I’m doing my best to make it a more manageable factor so I can get the education I deserve. With my hopes of getting a college degree in either Social Work, Teacher’s Education, and/or Spanish, I plan to give back to my community. I’m not sure which path I’ll go down yet, but I know I would like to do anything that allows me to be a mentor, advocate, and be a support system for others.
Knowing that both of my parents sacrificed their lives to create a better future for my sister and me inspires me to become a better person. I know that my status can prevent me from getting a job, owning a house, and many other things, but it won’t stop me from continuing my education. This is why I have dedicated so much of my time to school. I want to be able to help others like me and those who don’t know how to advocate for themselves or those who don’t know when they are being treated unfairly. I used to see the pressure as daunting, but now I see it more as a motivating factor. In the end, I know that my family just wants me to succeed and wishes they could do more to help.
UC Riverside has various resources for people like me who are undocumented students, and I hope I will be able to access and benefit from these with your help. It would be a blessing if I was able to get the college experience that I worked really hard for my entire life. I know that I will take advantage of the educational opportunities at UC Riverside and get a bachelor’s that will help me create bridges between English and Spanish speaking communities. I want to do everything I can to help this situation be less stressful for my family and my future. Any amount of contribution will be life-changing for me, and it will give me more motivation to work towards my dreams. UC Riverside is my dream school, and I would appreciate it if you could help make my dream come true. Anything and everything helps. God bless you.
Eternally grateful,
Mistica Espinoza