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itzel romero
Brenda
I am a sister from the Alpha Zeta chapter at UNLV. Tau class initiated in Fall of 2016.
I am 23 years old and I am a DACA recipient.
How old were you when you came to the United States, and do you remember much of your home country? I came to the United States when I was two years old. Since I was so young when I immigrated here, I don’t have any memories of my own of Mexico other than the stories my mother tells me.
How did you find out that you were undocumented?
Growing up, “being mojado/a” was a term I heard often and la migra was my family’s equivalent of el cucuy , but I didn’t quite understand what that all meant until I was in high school. That was when I realized that being Undocumented meant not being able to have the privilege of driving legally or applying to college; even taking field trips out of the state were out of the question for me due to my parents fear of me being deported.
What do you prefer to be referred by?
I identify as Undocumented because throughout the last couple of years, my community has reclaimed that term and has made it synonymous with resilient and fearless.
How has the announcement about DACA being appeal changed your life? How does it make you feel?
Currently, I am fortunate enough that my DACA is still valid for another 2 years, but that does not take away the feeling of uncertainty and fear that I have everyday that goes by. Although I am sadden and angry that this administration decided to appeal DACA, I think it made many of us realize that the fight continues and that our work as activists does not stop until we have actual laws in place to protect our community.
The Emerald | Fall 2017