growing up undocumented came with a lot of shame to me when I was younger. My parents always reminded me the fact that I had to hide my status to everyone because they could deport me any time. when conversations of traveling came about I would make up fantasy's because I never experience the enjoyment of traveling. I remember moments in my youth where I had wished I was white because I wanted to feel that I belong in this country. I am the oldest of my siblings so I always had eyes looking at me and pressure on my shoulders. My biggest fear is failing to set an example to my brothers. I had to grow up fast in my house hold due to all the violence's in and out my home. Nobody's perfect is a saying people say but I had to understand that for its true nature. My parents problems with each other made me be the main caretaker of my brothers where I had to work since fifteen year's old. I know my brothers look up to me and my parents hope I'll be the one to change our life's. Two bedrooms one bathroom fourteen people is what I have been use to all my life, my dad has been working for eighteen years and he has never had home to his name. That will change in my generation because with all this pressure that is on me I am bound to become a diamond. I want change in my life, and I am hungry for this change I am ready to put blood sweat, and tears for this change. My name is Isaac Velazquez and I will no longer be ashamed of my ethnicity in this country because being brought here at six years old I have made this country my home. I do this for my parents that never completed high school, I do this for my brother's to show them it is possible in our family to achieve greatness, I do this for my future children who can grow up better than I did. My life and my families life will change forever because I am a first gen college student and that is the only reason I need to be passionate about being a first gen student. help me achieve my dream to change not only my life but the peoples perception that are in my situation because I am not alone in this. My future is becoming a therapist and start my own clinic that will be available all around the world because we all need help no matter our circumstance or ethnicity. I needed answers as a kid and now that I'm a young growing adult I will provide them to the next generation that needs them.

growing up undocumented came with a lot of shame to me when I was younger. My parents always reminded me the fact that I had to hide my status to everyone because they could deport me any time. when conversations of traveling came about I would make up fantasy's because I never experience the enjoyment of traveling. I remember moments in my youth where I had wished I was white because I wanted to feel that I belong in this country. I am the oldest of my siblings so I always had eyes looking at me and pressure on my shoulders. My biggest fear is failing to set an example to my brothers. I had to grow up fast in my house hold due to all the violence's in and out my home. Nobody's perfect is a saying people say but I had to understand that for its true nature. My parents problems with each other made me be the main caretaker of my brothers where I had to work since fifteen year's old. I know my brothers look up to me and my parents hope I'll be the one to change our life's. Two bedrooms one bathroom fourteen people is what I have been use to all my life, my dad has been working for eighteen years and he has never had home to his name. That will change in my generation because with all this pressure that is on me I am bound to become a diamond. I want change in my life, and I am hungry for this change I am ready to put blood sweat, and tears for this change. My name is Isaac Velazquez and I will no longer be ashamed of my ethnicity in this country because being brought here at six years old I have made this country my home. I do this for my parents that never completed high school, I do this for my brother's to show them it is possible in our family to achieve greatness, I do this for my future children who can grow up better than I did. My life and my families life will change forever because I am a first gen college student and that is the only reason I need to be passionate about being a first gen student. help me achieve my dream to change not only my life but the peoples perception that are in my situation because I am not alone in this. My future is becoming a therapist and start my own clinic that will be available all around the world because we all need help no matter our circumstance or ethnicity. I needed answers as a kid and now that I'm a young growing adult I will provide them to the next generation that needs them.

growing up undocumented came with a lot of shame to me when I was younger. My parents always reminded me the fact that I had to hide my status to everyone because they could deport me any time. when conversations of traveling came about I would make up fantasy's because I never experience the enjoyment of traveling. I remember moments in my youth where I had wished I was white because I wanted to feel that I belong in this country. I am the oldest of my siblings so I always had eyes looking at me and pressure on my shoulders. My biggest fear is failing to set an example to my brothers. I had to grow up fast in my house hold due to all the violence's in and out my home. Nobody's perfect is a saying people say but I had to understand that for its true nature. My parents problems with each other made me be the main caretaker of my brothers where I had to work since fifteen year's old. I know my brothers look up to me and my parents hope I'll be the one to change our life's. Two bedrooms one bathroom fourteen people is what I have been use to all my life, my dad has been working for eighteen years and he has never had home to his name. That will change in my generation because with all this pressure that is on me I am bound to become a diamond. I want change in my life, and I am hungry for this change I am ready to put blood sweat, and tears for this change. My name is Isaac Velazquez and I will no longer be ashamed of my ethnicity in this country because being brought here at six years old I have made this country my home. I do this for my parents that never completed high school, I do this for my brother's to show them it is possible in our family to achieve greatness, I do this for my future children who can grow up better than I did. My life and my families life will change forever because I am a first gen college student and that is the only reason I need to be passionate about being a first gen student. help me achieve my dream to change not only my life but the peoples perception that are in my situation because I am not alone in this. My future is becoming a therapist and start my own clinic that will be available all around the world because we all need help no matter our circumstance or ethnicity. I needed answers as a kid and now that I'm a young growing adult I will provide them to the next generation that needs them.

growing up undocumented came with a lot of shame to me when I was younger. My parents always reminded me the fact that I had to hide my status to everyone because they could deport me any time. when conversations of traveling came about I would make up fantasy's because I never experience the enjoyment of traveling. I remember moments in my youth where I had wished I was white because I wanted to feel that I belong in this country. I am the oldest of my siblings so I always had eyes looking at me and pressure on my shoulders. My biggest fear is failing to set an example to my brothers. I had to grow up fast in my house hold due to all the violence's in and out my home. Nobody's perfect is a saying people say but I had to understand that for its true nature. My parents problems with each other made me be the main caretaker of my brothers where I had to work since fifteen year's old. I know my brothers look up to me and my parents hope I'll be the one to change our life's. Two bedrooms one bathroom fourteen people is what I have been use to all my life, my dad has been working for eighteen years and he has never had home to his name. That will change in my generation because with all this pressure that is on me I am bound to become a diamond. I want change in my life, and I am hungry for this change I am ready to put blood sweat, and tears for this change. My name is Isaac Velazquez and I will no longer be ashamed of my ethnicity in this country because being brought here at six years old I have made this country my home. I do this for my parents that never completed high school, I do this for my brother's to show them it is possible in our family to achieve greatness, I do this for my future children who can grow up better than I did. My life and my families life will change forever because I am a first gen college student and that is the only reason I need to be passionate about being a first gen student. help me achieve my dream to change not only my life but the peoples perception that are in my situation because I am not alone in this. My future is becoming a therapist and start my own clinic that will be available all around the world because we all need help no matter our circumstance or ethnicity. I needed answers as a kid and now that I'm a young growing adult I will provide them to the next generation that needs them.

growing up undocumented came with a lot of shame to me when I was younger. My parents always reminded me the fact that I had to hide my status to everyone because they could deport me any time. when conversations of traveling came about I would make up fantasy's because I never experience the enjoyment of traveling. I remember moments in my youth where I had wished I was white because I wanted to feel that I belong in this country. I am the oldest of my siblings so I always had eyes looking at me and pressure on my shoulders. My biggest fear is failing to set an example to my brothers. I had to grow up fast in my house hold due to all the violence's in and out my home. Nobody's perfect is a saying people say but I had to understand that for its true nature. My parents problems with each other made me be the main caretaker of my brothers where I had to work since fifteen year's old. I know my brothers look up to me and my parents hope I'll be the one to change our life's. Two bedrooms one bathroom fourteen people is what I have been use to all my life, my dad has been working for eighteen years and he has never had home to his name. That will change in my generation because with all this pressure that is on me I am bound to become a diamond. I want change in my life, and I am hungry for this change I am ready to put blood sweat, and tears for this change. My name is Isaac Velazquez and I will no longer be ashamed of my ethnicity in this country because being brought here at six years old I have made this country my home. I do this for my parents that never completed high school, I do this for my brother's to show them it is possible in our family to achieve greatness, I do this for my future children who can grow up better than I did. My life and my families life will change forever because I am a first gen college student hopefully overseas and that is the only reason I need to be passionate about being a first gen student. help me achieve my dream to change not only my life but the peoples perception that are in my situation because I am not alone in this. My future is becoming a therapist and start my own clinic that will be available all around the world because we all need help no matter our circumstance or ethnicity. I needed answers as a kid and now that I'm a young growing adult I will provide them to the next generation that needs them.

growing up undocumented came with a lot of shame to me when I was younger. My parents always reminded me the fact that I had to hide my status to everyone because they could deport me any time. when conversations of traveling came about I would make up fantasy's because I never experience the enjoyment of traveling. I remember moments in my youth where I had wished I was white because I wanted to feel that I belong in this country. I am the oldest of my siblings so I always had eyes looking at me and pressure on my shoulders. My biggest fear is failing to set an example to my brothers. I had to grow up fast in my house hold due to all the violence's in and out my home. Nobody's perfect is a saying people say but I had to understand that for its true nature. My parents problems with each other made me be the main caretaker of my brothers where I had to work since fifteen year's old. I know my brothers look up to me and my parents hope I'll be the one to change our life's. Two bedrooms one bathroom fourteen people is what I have been use to all my life, my dad has been working for eighteen years and he has never had home to his name. That will change in my generation because with all this pressure that is on me I am bound to become a diamond. I want change in my life, and I am hungry for this change I am ready to put blood sweat, and tears for this change. My name is Isaac Velazquez and I will no longer be ashamed of my ethnicity in this country because being brought here at six years old I have made this country my home. I do this for my parents that never completed high school, I do this for my brother's to show them it is possible in our family to achieve greatness, I do this for my future children who can grow up better than I did. My life and my families life will change forever because I am a first gen college student and that is the only reason I need to be passionate about being a first gen student. help me achieve my dream to change not only my life but the peoples perception that are in my situation because I am not alone in this. My future is becoming a therapist and start my own clinic that will be available all around the world because we all need help no matter our circumstance or ethnicity. I needed answers as a kid and now that I'm a young growing adult I will provide them to the next generation that needs them.

Future therapist who owns clinics all around the world is my long life dream. I will never be one to turn down help, because I can't do all of this alone. ACHE will help me achieve my dream by laying down the foundation and steps to get to my desire degree of PHD in psychology. I didn't grow up fortunate to have such aspirations in my youth but now I strive for greatness. I grew up as the oldest of my siblings so I'm use to the pressure of leading and supporting others. I couldn't afford being a kid in my adolescent years where I had to work and do school since fifteen years old to help my father support our family. Troubled neighborhoods creates troubled youth which I was but was found by a non-profit organization called Reality Changers that helps such people to reach academic excellence. They offered community service opportunity's which I participated every time. Free mentoring and tutoring was available in the program which I took regularly. ninety absences, seventy tardiness, and a 0.56 GPA was my school years in high school but with my dedication, help from Reality Changers, and help from all my mentors I was able to graduate high school with a 2.1 GPA. I am now going to be a first gen college student majoring in psychology and part of a club called HUBU ( Hermanos Unidos Brothers United). ACHE will be part of the journey to achieve my long life dream. I am a Hispanic young male trying to pursue psychology in mental heath care in a culture where talking about your problems is practically nonexistent. My passion is to help provide mental health care not only in my culture but to all around the world. While I try to achieve this goal I will try to help the changing perspective of kids who were in my situation that it is possible to achieve greatness in our trouble youth.

Two bedroom, one bathroom, and fourteenth people has always been my situation in my household. I'm use to fighting for my life due to the lingering danger in my neighborhood. Being hungry was a common problem in my youth which has turned to the definition of my driving ambition. When you grow up in low income households you tend to develop a chip on your shoulder that will make you face any challenge that is thrown at you. Little brothers looking up to me, and both parents depending on me to be the one to switch our situation is the type of pressure that will make me a diamond. My life's goal is to purse my passion for psychology to tend kids with trouble households that need a role model to show them that is possible to strive for greatness even in the darkest situation. My name is Isaac Velazquez and I will be that light in the tunnel to give the future generations ambition and aspersions.

growing up undocumented came with a lot of shame to me when I was younger. My parents always reminded me the fact that I had to hide my status to everyone because they could deport me any time. when conversations of traveling came about I would make up fantasy's because I never experience the enjoyment of traveling. I remember moments in my youth where I had wished I was white because I wanted to feel that I belong in this country. I am the oldest of my siblings so I always had eyes looking at me and pressure on my shoulders. My biggest fear is failing to set an example to my brothers. I had to grow up fast in my house hold due to all the violence's in and out my home. Nobody's perfect is a saying people say but I had to understand that for its true nature. My parents problems with each other made me be the main caretaker of my brothers where I had to work since fifteen year's old. I know my brothers look up to me and my parents hope I'll be the one to change our life's. Two bedrooms one bathroom fourteen people is what I have been use to all my life, my dad has been working for eighteen years and he has never had home to his name. That will change in my generation because with all this pressure that is on me I am bound to become a diamond. I want change in my life, and I am hungry for this change I am ready to put blood sweat, and tears for this change. My name is Isaac Velazquez and I will no longer be ashamed of my ethnicity in this country because being brought here at six years old I have made this country my home. I do this for my parents that never completed high school, I do this for my brother's to show them it is possible in our family to achieve greatness, I do this for my future children who can grow up better than I did. My life and my families life will change forever because I am a first gen college student and that is the only reason I need to be passionate about being a first gen student. help me achieve my dream to change not only my life but the peoples perception that are in my situation because I am not alone in this. My future is becoming a therapist and start my own clinic that will be available all around the world because we all need help no matter our circumstance or ethnicity. I needed answers as a kid and now that I'm a young growing adult I will provide them to the next generation that needs them.

Home is such a simple word yet we forget how difficult it is to achieve a home. The feeling of belonging has always been a struggle for me due to the fact of how my parents drill into my head that I must never tell anyone that I don't belong in this country. Being born in a different country has always brought shame to me because of fear of judgement that people would think I don't belong. I use to wish I was White because In my head I had no place I could called home. The beautiful dream is that of comfortability free of judgment, prosperity and Shelter. We all have our own circumstance that divides our needs but we all share the same dream of being happy. Most problems in life have simple solution's but we tend to complicate our own life's. As long we can feel wanted and safe we are living the American dream. I dream of equality to all kids who have been in my situation that need inspersions that could motivate and show them that it is possible to achieve greatness even in there situation. I choose to make that my American dream as it will bring joy , and a feeling of completion to my life. I am Isaac Velazquez and I am living the American dream. I will no longer have shame of my ethnicity or have the feeling of not Belonging in this country. I was brought here at six years old and I have made this country my home. I belong in this country as much as the person reading my essay, as the person crossing the street , as the person driving down the street. I am the American dream being a first generation college student is the American dream. A young man crossing a country to give his family a fighting chance to a better life is the American dream. America is founded on the dream of a better life. These are the foundation that this country was founded on so how can anyone say I am not the American dream? I will share this American dream to the whole world because this dream does not stop in America. I'm just one of many dreamers that wish to better themselves and there family's future for generations. I ask for your help to achieve my goal of showing the future generations that it is possible to dream big in there situation.

growing up undocumented came with a lot of shame to me when I was younger. My parents always reminded me the fact that I had to hide my status to everyone because they could deport me any time. when conversations of traveling came about I would make up fantasy's because I never experience the enjoyment of traveling. I remember moments in my youth where I had wished I was white because I wanted to feel that I belong in this country. I am the oldest of my siblings so I always had eyes looking at me and pressure on my shoulders. My biggest fear is failing to set an example to my brothers. I had to grow up fast in my house hold due to all the violence's in and out my home. Nobody's perfect is a saying people say but I had to understand that for its true nature. My parents problems with each other made me be the main caretaker of my brothers where I had to work since fifteen year's old. I know my brothers look up to me and my parents hope I'll be the one to change our life's. Two bedrooms one bathroom fourteen people is what I have been use to all my life, my dad has been working for eighteen years and he has never had home to his name. That will change in my generation because with all this pressure that is on me I am bound to become a diamond. I want change in my life, and I am hungry for this change I am ready to put blood sweat, and tears for this change. My name is Isaac Velazquez and I will no longer be ashamed of my ethnicity in this country because being brought here at six years old I have made this country my home. I do this for my parents that never completed high school, I do this for my brother's to show them it is possible in our family to achieve greatness, I do this for my future children who can grow up better than I did. My life and my families life will change forever because I am a first gen college student and that is the only reason I need to be passionate about being a first gen student. help me achieve my dream to change not only my life but the peoples perception that are in my situation because I am not alone in this.