Meet the Speakers

 

Dulce Guerrero

Dulce Guerrero is originally from Mexico and came to the United States at the age of two.

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Growing up, Dulce always knew she was undocumented and knew it was something she wasn’t supposed to speak about. She graduated at the top of her class, but had to drop out of a local community college because of the high cost of out-of-state tuition. With DACA, Dulce was able to apply for a scholarship through thedream.us and is able to attend Delaware State University where she studies political science.

 

Dulce currently coordinates the DREAMers’ lobby team at Delaware State University. The DSU lobby team fundraises money to travel to D.C. each month and meet with various members of Congress. During these meetings the DSU lobby team is able to share their stories and urge Congress to enact a permanent solution for DREAMers across the country. The DSU lobby team has visited over 200 offices over the course of the last four months.

 

Maria Fernanda Lima

Maria Fernanda Lima came to the United States from Brazil when she was just four years old. Her mother brought her and her sister so they could receive a better education and have more opportunities for success.

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After her parents separated, Maria witnessed her mother working hard to take care of the family. Once a head nurse, she was now cleaning houses for a living. Her mother never hid their status from Maria, but assured her and her sister not to worry.

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DACA presented opportunities for Maria to work to help her mother, but also to receive a higher education. With help from an Opportunity scholarship from thedream.us, Maria is now studying to be a nurse and eventually a nurse practitioner.

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Itzel Serrano

Itzel’s parents brought their four children to the United States from Mexico when Itzel was three months old. In their house, being an “illegal immigrant” caused a certain amount of fear of being exposed, but it was not hidden from Itzel.

 

Itzel’s parents worked hard as a maid and a landscaper, and with DACA, Itzel was quick to work as well, becoming a cashier at Chick-fil-a during high school. Though she excelled academically, it was not until thedream.us offered an Opportunity Scholarship to attend Delaware State University to study nursing that Itzel was able to go to college. Even with full scholarship offers, room and board costs were not expenses her family could afford and with DACA status, federal financial aid moneys are not available.

 

All of Itzel’s siblings worked to put themselves through school, and these achievements would not be possible without DACA.