Making dreams a reality: Rocío’s story

My name is Rocío. I am a College Success Foundation and UW Alum. Over the years, I have been highly involved with CSF programs such as HERO, and I have served on the CSF Alumni Board. I continue to stay involved with CSF, as they have become my extended family. And like family, we stay together and grow together.

Nothing has ever stopped me from going after my dreams. I am currently executive director and co-founder of I AM Empowerment LLC, a transformational leadership organization established in 2016. As an undocumented entrepreneur, I inspire others to believe in themselves. I strive to help womxn find self-empowerment and advance racial equity through grassroots mobilization. I strive to help other undocumented individuals make their dreams come true and set themselves up for success. 

Gaining inner power and a sense of freedom

Being undocumented motivated me to start a business. Owning a business has allowed me to continue to be financially secure with or without a work permit. This has given me an inner power and sense of freedom in a situation that used to make me feel powerless and limited. 

I am currently attending the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) and pursuing a master’s degree in Education Leadership, Organizations, and Entrepreneurship (ELOE). I am excited about expanding my knowledge and growing my network to make my dreams a reality. Studying ELOE at HGSE is the next step in my life.

As I continue to grow as a successful Latina immigrant, I will be opening a scholarship foundation to help support students like me get into any college they choose to attend. I do not want money to be the deciding factor when it comes to attending the college of their dreams.

Rewriting the American Dream

As a DACA recipient, I hold a level of privilege that millions of other immigrants do not. I have a work authorization card that has allowed me to step into roles and positions I would not have been able to without it. 

In addition, by becoming a business owner, I have created a path for myself that has allowed me to have control of my life circumstances. As I learned early on in life, the American Dream isn’t for everyone. It was not written for someone like me and my background, but I wrote my own version of the American Dream. Rewritten as the Undocumented Immigrant Dream.

I am grateful that CSF advocated for low-income students and supported undocumented students during a time when no one else was.

The CSF scholarship I received was my “golden ticket” to higher education. I had one chance and one scholarship opportunity to get my Bachelor’s degree. I was given the chance to find my purpose, and now I get to help others find theirs. CSF contributed beyond funding by opening doors to opportunities I’m able to take advantage of today.

At every point in my life, I have found a way to excel. I have excelled in spaces I am “not supposed to be in.” I was not supposed to apply to Harvard, and I’m not supposed to be at Harvard. But I am.

I want to continue to build a more equitable educational system. I want to grow my professional network by becoming part of an innovative and transformative leadership team that wants to create positive change with me. I want to grow my community of people with a growth mindset and transformative spirit. HGSE will help me get there — I have so much to learn!

This is my next stage. I am prepared to be challenged; to continue to put all my effort into making my dreams happen. To continue to learn to change the world.