LEISLI ARRIAGA VELAZQUEZ

I was born in Toluca, Mexico. I came to America in 1991 when I was 1-years-old. My parents carried me over La Frontera or the border through the Tecate desert. My mom told me the journey took two days. Due to my legal status at the time, I could not attend college. I almost lost my life due to a domestic violence gun shot. A few months later I got my permanent residency card good for 10 years. I started to attend Mount San Jacinto College where I started taking General Education classes. I am a mother of 2 children—a 12 year old boy and a 2 year old girl. It is not easy juggling being a single mother, student, student worker on campus, and waitress. My academic goal is to finish my Associate Degree in Science. Afterwards, I want to transfer to Loma Linda University for the nursing program. As a single mother, I have no one to depend on, so I must be a father and a mother. Thanks to programs such as EOPS I am able to put food on the table if I do not make enough that month, and I am able to continue going to school.