I have been in the United States since 1997. Arriving at the age of 5, I had no say in the decision of coming or consciousness to the actions that I was committing. I did not know that visas expire, that time expires. I was enrolled in kindergarten, picked up the language and completed all of my studies graduating from Broad Ripple High School in Indianapolis. With great hope and work accomplished, I was accepted to IUPUI.

In high school I didn’t hide my status, my friends, teachers and people I associated with knew I was undocumented and a “Dreamer”. I always joked about it with my friends. I would bring it up to make fun of my status instead of being made fun of because of it; for me it was a coping mechanism that got me through some tough days. My senior year of high school when we had events like FAFSA night or classes where we would get to fill out scholarships I’d skip class and sometimes go to the bathroom and cry because I knew I could not be a part of that for the simple fact that I didn’t have a social security number. These situations just felt so uncomfortable and unfair. It made me feel horrible but it was what it was. Sometimes I wondered if my teachers ever even stopped to think that they were being insensitive against students like me doing these kinds of activities during class. Even during my first semester in college, when we were registering for the next semester, I couldn’t because I was not done paying for that current semester. That is due to the fact that I do not receive financial aid so I was paying out of pocket as I could. Completing my first year of college and being able to afford it on my own is something that I am very proud of. College takes a lot of self-motivation. Working an average of 32-hour weeks to afford college, any free time is dedicate to my studies. Apart from the financial load, I also take an active role in my family and provide any assistance they may need. And after all this load, I still have the will to continue my education. But all these obstacles do not discourage me. On the contrary, instead I feel invincible. They demonstrate my drive to complete this arduous journey.

SB590 aims to make a seemingly impossible goal even more difficult. It has made my immigration status even more of a reality, as it would deny instate tuition to students like me.
Though taking part in the Anti-SB590 and Pro-DREAM Act movement may add another task to an already full plate, I have realized that if I want change then we must all join in this action, that we should not be silenced and that we should all together fight for the cause. I now have the opportunity to be a part of a movement that I know will go far. The fact that the DREAM Act is still alive and in discussion proves that persistence is the key to success. WE WILL SUCCEED!!