Amazed

I want to extend my congratulations to each and everyone here who has shared their story. I have spent the past two hours carefully reading and shifting from sadness to happyness as I read.
I came here when I was fifteen from Mexico. I moved to NYC and lived there for five years. I have since lived in Chicago where, after five years without stepping in a classroom, I decided to obtain my GED. I then went to community college. After that, I finished my BA in social work and currently I am finishing my Masters in Social Work. My career of choice is linked to the same stories that are posted here. I too experience the sensation of being in "limbo" and feeling like it was all a "waste of time". I often experience sadness and frustration, but I keep a positive attitude, that's just nature's way of making up for human and socially created bureaucracies and technicalities, I guess.
My future continues to be unclear, as it was the moment I decided to continued with my schooling. While I attended community college I had help from a Latina woman, who made her quest to assist other Latinos in addition to her work duties. She helped and encouraged me to apply for small scholarships. I gathered my inspiration for social work from her example, and to this day I try to encourage and inspire others as she did with me.
After reading the previous post, I wonder if we are indeed creating the next phase of American history? When Frankokid wonders if would it be better or perhaps easier to try it out in another state, it reminds me of the "underground railroad" for the African Americans. Allow me to explain. After reading all these amazing stories I find that, as someone mentioned in another post, it is building character. Can we be that next generation that helps each other find a better future in another state, through sharing resources and networking??? Like African Americans in the North helping their brothers in the South, can we too lend a hand to those of us who have had better luck weaving and shaping our own American Dream. If things are bad in Arizona and other southern and western states, should people look to the North, knowing there will be a helping hand? I don't want to speak for everyone here in Chicago, I have been fortunate in my academic career obtaining whatever help I can get, but by the looks and sounds of it, it is somewhat easier than other states.

Thank you again to whoever created this space, and those who shared their stories. I emphatize and feel deeply connected to your stories. As a social worker, I will make the DREAM ACT a priority in my advocacy efforts. Do not give up becuase it is all worth it. Your children and your children's children will thank you.



"Say who are you that mumbles in the dark?
I am the poor white, fooled and pushed apart,
I am the Negro bearing slavery scars,
I am the red man driven from the land,
I am the immigrant clutching the HOPE I seek."
-----Langston Hughes

Welcome! We have a lot of DREAMer grad students on here. Make yourself at home.

maybe it's my hormones but you are making me cry, lol!
welcome to the one and only Dap our very own underground railroad.

hey welcome to DAP!

Its the hormones. Lol

welcome to dap!

hello! I just read your messaje and I agree with everything you said. I wounder if you can possibly post the scholarships in which you got help. I have been looking for scholarships bt all required social security #, which I lack of. Thank you!

Thaks all, Maria I will try to upload a list of scholarships in a word file, which were recommended to me by a school counselor here in Chicago. This list was given to me a couple of years ago, and maybe some of them need updates. Hopefully this can assist you and other, and let's just hope I can do this...

Thanks for the list, also visit this site, (it is listed for Latino students, however many of the scholarships are available to anyone).