Tiger Balm

By: Konto Southisombath

It was a summer night, and I was ten years old. I sat on the living room floor, rubbing my mother’s tense shoulders and sore back. It must have been a particularly grueling day at the farm because the Tiger Balm, a topical pain reliever balm and Laotian household staple, was immediately brought out after dinner and put to good use. It was my job to make sure that the aches and pains born from my mother’s twelve plus hour workday in the fields didn’t seep into the next day. Even though I knew that doing this wasn’t much, I always made sure to do the best I could.

Despite the nightly shoulder rubs being a fairly regular occurrence, the heartbreak that came from seeing my mother in such a state knocked me out every time. On this particular night, I remember making the comment, “Ma, your shoulders are really tense tonight and you’ve been complaining about your back for a while now. Can’t you just take a break from the farm?”

My mother, my beautiful, stubborn, amazing, sharp-tongued firecracker of a mother, threw her head back and laughed. I’m not talking about the “wow, that’s a pretty funny joke” type of laugh you give after your friend says something witty. I’m talking head thrown back, tears in her eyes, needing to take a moment to catch her breath type of laugh.

After finally regaining her composure, she said to me, “Baby, the last time I had a break was when I was in your grandma’s tummy! Do you think your father and I put food on the table by taking breaks? We work hard for the sake of you and your siblings so that you can focus on school and not have to do what we’re doing when you get older…now put more pressure on the left side please.” And that was the end of that. In typical Southeast Asian mother fashion, a genuine and earnest question from my end got me a nice and fiery little lecture, but did I learn from this? No.

Over the years, variations of the same conversations would happen over and over again. Some responses I got were:

• “Don’t worry too much about me, and focus on school.”

• “Your father and I went through so much in order to come to America to provide better opportunities for you kids.”

• “Your education is so important. Your life would be so different if we were back in Laos.”

My personal favorite was, “Just work hard in school. I can get hit by a car and die, but I’d die happy knowing that my kids have a college degree.”

Ah, my mother and her flair for the dramatic. Jokes aside, I do recognize the sacrifices that my parents have had to make in order to ensure that their kids have a fighting chance in this country. They worked so hard to provide for us, and I will always be indebted to them for that.

The importance of education and how necessary it is for everyone has been instilled in me ever since I can remember. My parents have always been vocal about the privilege that comes with having the opportunity to learn, as well as the beauty of learning something new. This belief is largely held due to the fact that they weren’t awarded this freedom growing up in Laos.

My parents were the first in their family to have any sort of formal education. However, my father, being the eldest son of seven, stopped going to school in the sixth grade in order to work and provide for his family. My mother, in a relatively similar situation, had to stop going to school in the eighth grade. The act of sacrificing something important in order to ensure the well-being of the family is an arrangement that my parents know well. They had to flee their home country, which was decimated by war, and spent years in less than ideal refugee camps. They left everything they know and love to immigrate to a country whose culture is a complete 180 degree change from their own — these are just some of the major things that my parents have had to go through in order to ensure that my siblings and I don’t.

Very often, I find myself thinking about my role as an Education Advocate: how I got here, and  why I continue to do what I do. Interestingly enough, this also happens to be a relatively common ice breaker question in this field of work. Every time I’m asked this, I never know how to answer because there’s so much that goes into it. There’s no doubt that my dedication to racial equity and social justice, especially in education, stems from my experience as a low income, first-generation, WOC navigating a system not made for me. And that this personal experience is a huge driving force behind why I am so committed to supporting and advocating for folks who might find themselves in a similar situation.

But more than that, it also has to do with being able to come into the hopes, dreams, and prayers of not only my parents, but my grandparents, and their parents as well. Being able to say, from the bottom of my heart, that the difficulties and strife my forefathers have had to endure was not in vain is something I will forever take pride in.

And so now, every time I am met with the question, “Why do you do what you do?” I answer, with the heart, soul, and voice of my parents and our ancestors. “We do it for the ones we love.”

Konto (right) and her mom, Chanhsouk, in Seno, Laos.

Konto’s parents with friends at the Phanat Nikhom Refugee Camp in Thailand, 1990

Konto's parents experiencing Seattle snow for the first time.

Konto’s mom preparing seedlings for an upcoming harvest.

COVID-19: Students Weigh In

Anna, UW Tacoma

“I find myself no longer having a effective work and life balance. Due to having to work more and more hours on top of still valuing my education in the 2020 Spring quarter, my work seems to be taking up all free time outside of family obligations.

With this being a struggle that I face, it also presents another issue. I find myself lacking motivation to start even minor tasks. In less than a week, I will have another full course load for the 2020 Fall Quarter on top of working and that is a little daunting knowing my current state.

I do find that in light of the pandemic, many professors have been more open to being understanding of the different situations that arise and may inhibit a person from accessing material or even attending class on time. I know UWT has continued to make efforts so that the students on and off the campus feel safe, prioritized, and welcomed on campus. During the summer quarter, UW sent two free face masks to every student registered for classes this fall. These are the actions that show they care about students.”

Zinaida, Green River College

“For the positive side, I have a lot more free time to create my own schedule and do school work when it is most convenient for me. The negatives would be that I have a lot less motivation and a lot of times it becomes easy to fall behind. It has also made it fairly difficult to learn the harder material just because it is not in a classroom setting and do homework.

Then, there is the worry about having a stable place to participate in Zoom meetings and do homework with a strong internet connection. I feel with COVID-19, my grades seem to be lower than what they were before online learning began and I have little to no motivation to keep up with the work. I’m no longer at a point where I want to get good grades but more at a place where I’m okay with a low grade as long I’m passing.

Emery, Seattle Central College

“This has been so challenging especially for science courses because we don't have labs and moreover, sometimes internet connections at my place are bad. One thing that I like about it is that I don't have to commute from my place to school.”

Gloria, UW Seattle

“Learning during COVID-19 has been hard to focus on assignments because being around my house is distracting. It has been challenging because it is hard to talk to others about assignments and connecting with my teachers. I had an easier time to think because I was able to go to the library freely. The one thing that I do like about learning remotely is that all my assignments are formatted and I can quickly go and see.”

Joseph, UW Tacoma

"Like many people, the pandemic has forced me to transition from in-person to a fully online curriculum. Most of my classes became easier to access. Of course, that’s really only a luxury if you have stable access to the internet; more than a few classes have been stalled because someone had software or internet issues.

However, I’ve been lucky enough to have accommodating professors. Some online classes were restructured to be more self-paced, getting rid of requirements like attending a live lecture and replacing them with pre-recorded material.

All in all, the best advice I’d give is to be patient with yourself. It gets pretty mind-numbing spending a majority of your day staring at a computer screen and you’re going to deal with day-to-day technical issues. Giving yourself some mental breaks and time away from the screen will make the online education experience that much easier."

Now I Rise

By: Karen A. Gamez

We’re told to keep politics to ourselves, keep it out of the workplace. I’ve always wondered why. Why is it wrong or inappropriate to have important conversations? I’m not sure how some people manage to keep things separate. For marginalized communities - who have in large part been historically disenfranchised -  we can’t afford to not be involved. 

My identity as a Mexican undocumented woman is intrinsically and inherently political. I can’t just say, well, I won’t worry about politics and laws today. Not when there are constant attacks from the sitting president on my community and the higher courts are frequently deciding whether I have the same rights as others. 

We have to take the responsibility ourselves to educate our communities and bridge the gap between them and the black box we call our government. Voting and lobbying are two ways that we can engage. As students, educators, service providers, and community members, our engagement has huge impacts on education.

One of the most significant and transformative events in my life was being able to be a part of the WA State Real Hope Act passing in 2014. Thanks to an organization called LEAP (Latino/A Educational Achievement Project), I was able to travel to the state capitol to share my story and advocate for financial aid for undocumented students. After several years of trying, it finally passed in 2014. Many undocumented students like myself were able to access higher education because of this bill. We see its lasting effects at NWEA, as we work with many students that are eligible for and receive WASFA. All these efforts are so instrumental in shaping our education systems.

I envision a world where all individuals are able to access, afford, and navigate school systems and higher education (if they choose to, because it’s also entirely acceptable if they choose not to).

In my personal life, I’ve been working as an Advocacy Corps Organizer through the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) to lobby for immigration reform, and I've also been serving on the leadership team of Poder Comun, a group of badass Latinas working to increase voting education and resources in Spanish and to the broader Latino/a/x community. I’m also on the Seattle Immigrant and Refugee Commission. 

During these trying times, I want to be able to look back and think I did my best to positively change this world and our communities. As Angela Davis (someone who I wholeheartedly look up to) once said, “You have to act as if it were possible to radically transform the world. And you have to do it all the time”.

I urge you all to get out and vote. Lobby your representatives and senators for the change you want to see. Whatever action you can do, no matter how little, I encourage it. Never undermine yourself and the power and capacity you have to affect change.

Lastly, for those of you who have the opportunity and privilege to vote, please do so. You can still register to vote in person until today November 3rd. If you already registered and have a ballot, please submit it by 8pm today. To find a drop box, visit https://www.sos.wa.gov/elections/. You can also check the status of your ballot to make sure it was received at votewa.gov.

Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (left) and Karen (right)

Poder Comun at La Huerta in Kent

Governor Jay Inslee signing the WA State Real Hope Act in 2014 (Karen is right behind him!)

Coming Home

By: Nicollette Roe, Education Advocate

One of the first things I hear people mention when they think about Tacoma is the infamous “Tacoma Aroma.” A catchphrase coined in ode to that awful smell you get driving past the Tacoma Dome on I-5.

It took me years to consider googling where the smell comes from. Turns out, it’s a combination of factors, but mostly due to a hundred years of industrial development on the tide flats (#NoLNG).

The other thing Tacoma gets mentioned for is the incredibly beautiful high school, Stadium, overlooking Commencement Bay. The movie Ten Things I Hate About You was filmed there. That, or crime rates in the 80’s. Tacoma for me, though, is none of those things. Rather, Tacoma holds a very familial place in my heart.

My connection to this unceded Puyallup territory started way before I was the newest Education Advocate to officially work here. It started when my family immigrated here from Samoa beginning in the late 70’s. First came my grandma Fofoga who later brought over everyone from her mother (my great-grandma), to my grandma’s younger siblings, their kids, and my dad and his siblings. 

When my family came here, all of them lived in the Salishan community for quite some time. The Salishan community was Tacoma’s first public housing neighborhood. Below is an old picture of my great-grandma Fale at the Salishan house sitting with my second cousin, Raymond. Many immigrant families started out in this neighborhood; our story is not very different from others.

Having my family’s roots tied to Tacoma in this way, and being able to serve my community in the capacity of an Education Advocate, has been a feeling of coming home for me. 

Tacoma is special. It feels like a city in a small town and the PRIDE here is just TUH. You’ll know when you’re meeting someone from Tacoma - they’ll say it without you asking pretty soon!

Officially being here as an Education Advocate is a reminder to me that community is everything. Within our community we can get whatever we need done. I love being able to be loyal to those we serve and not to institutions. Doing this work in my community - in my home - is even better!

Nic’s latest family reunion photo of everyone who lived in Tacoma. Most are still there but some have spread out North and South regions. Nic not pictured here because surprise, surprise, she was running late…

Nic’s great-grandmother Fale (left) with her second cousin, Raymond at the Salishan house.

Nic’s first family photo in her new house in Central Tacoma, bought almost a year ago. Nicollette (left), her partner David, and daughter, Cora.

Meet Our New AmeriCorps Team!

AmeriCorps members have long been an integral part of NWEA programming. As Academic Success Tutors, members provide students with intensive one-on-one tutoring in a wide variety of areas. Whether it’s editing a personal statement, prepping for the GED, or helping with college algebra, members are there to support students and provide critical capacity to NWEA’s team.

We’re so pleased to announce our incoming AmeriCorps members who have chosen NWEA as their service site for the year! Even as virtual tutoring becomes critical, our members are bringing the passion and the skills to help smooth out what’s sure to be an unusual academic year.

Meet Maddy

Maddy is originally from Ventura, California and just graduated from Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee with a bachelor’s in sociology and a minor in social work.  Maddy’s experience at community college helped reinforce her belief that education is a human right and that there is value in each individual path towards higher education, no matter how unconventional. Having spent the past four years working with youth, many of whom were low income students, Maddy is looking forward to continuing her efforts to fight against systemic barriers to postsecondary degrees with NWEA. She is passionate about providing support to students working towards their educational and career goals, especially those who are underrepresented and underserved.  In her free time, Maddy enjoys learning more about social justice issues, hiking, going to concerts (before covid), and spending time with friends.  She is excited to explore this new city and call Seattle home! 

Maddy

“I’m really excited to be working for such an inclusive organization and for all the opportunities to learn throughout the year!

I want to help my students be successful even in the face of challenges caused by COVID-19. I want to continue learning about social justice issues and strengthen my ability to advocate for others through this position.”

Meet Nat

Nat earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from Pitzer College, a member of the Claremont Colleges, in 2018. Since then, he's worked in selective college admission for two small liberal arts colleges. He's passionate about college access, trans/queer rights, and racial justice. In his free time, he enjoys biking, shinrin-yoku ("forest bathing"), playing with dogs, eating Vietnamese food, and reading.

Nat

“I’m looking forward to working one-on-one with students and forming meaningful relationships with them! I am excited to help them, in some small way, to reach their educational goals.”

Meet Roseline

Roseline is a Ghanaian-American lady that recently graduated from the University of Washington. She double-majored in law, societies and justice and American ethnic studies. She also triple-minored in Labor Studies, Human Rights, and Diversity. Her desire is to go to law school in the future to be a powerful attorney so that she can help construct a multicultural America. Her interest in serving with Northwest Education Access stems from her zeal to use education as a vehicle to combat any systemic barrier that makes students second-class citizens.

Roseline

“I want to empower students with educational resources so that I can combat prison to pipeline issues, institutionalized racism, prison industrial complex, collateral punishment with disenfranchisement from criminal record, redlining, resegregation of poor and rich schools based on race, etc.

Once we grant students keys towards educational success, we grant them a chance and their communities a chance to thrive in dynamic ways.”

From Friendships to Nonprofit Partnerships!

by: Savanna Willis, Education Advocate

Like most twenty-something year-olds, balancing work, school, and a social life can be a daunting task. Sometimes you need a wine night with the girls to reset.

Little did I know that my wine night would lead to a nonprofit collaboration.

Did I know my friend of almost twelve years was a business genius with a heart of gold? Absolutely! Did I think that would translate into her and her tech-savvy sorority sister founding a nonprofit? Or that their nonprofit would directly benefit and support my organization (NWEA) and causes that I feel strongly about? Not so much!

However, that’s exactly what happened. In the midst of a pandemic, my friends Alex and Gigi founded Provide Now.

As Washington natives, Alex and Gigi both attended University of Washington (UW). Alex graduated with a degree in Business Administration, and has worked in marketing and advertising for four years. She has established philanthropic programs within her own startup endeavors, and has personally raised over $70,000 in charitable giving over the last 10 years.

Gigi graduated with a degree in informatics and has worked in information security for seven years with a focus in data security, web application security, development, identity, fraud analysis, and management. During their time at UW, Alex and Gigi formed a friendship that blossomed into a wonderful partnership. Together they co-founded Provide Now, with Alex Taylor serving as the COO, and Gigi Gillies serving as the CEO.

Provide Now is a Seattle-based nonprofit marketplace that allows donors to purchase materials and supplies needed by local charitable organizations. Provide Now’s mission is to provide our community with the resources necessary to thrive, but not just any resources. Alex and Gigi strive to source their resources from vendors that are women, BIPOC-owned, locally-owned, or made domestically. While it’s not always possible depending on the items needed and sourcing available, their goal remains in sharp focus.

That’s what Provide Now is all about: helping a community through the power of community. Alex and Gigi work to do good by positively reinforcing donorship in order to help new generations build a strong and consistent relationship with philanthropy.

Provide Now has been instrumental in helping NWEA directly support students by providing critical supplies that students need to continue their educational paths. With that I say THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart to my friends who so strongly support me and the organization I work for.

Gigi and Alex, thank you for all of the good you do, all of the relationships you grow. Thank you not just for being in NWEA’s corner, but for standing behind all of the charitable organizations you support, and the greater King County community!

“Never start a business to ‘make money’, start a business to make a difference!”

-Marie Forleo

Savanna (left) and Alex (right) heading to a Sweet Sixteen Denim and Diamonds Party

Alex (left) and Gigi (right) at the beginning of their freshman year at UW.

The wine group and Alex’s wedding party

Gigi (left) and Alex (right) at undergrad

Savanna (left) and Gigi (right) at Alex’s wedding

Change My Life for Good

My name is Nahúm, and I am 33 years old. I am from a little town in the rural México, where the only ones who have a reliable paycheck are the doctors, the teachers, and the municipality workers. I come from a low-income family who struggled to provide us food and give us an education.  Both of my parents do not have an education, so they barely know how to read and write. While my father dedicated his life to harvesting corn in the fields, my mother dedicated hers to being a housewife and taking care of me and my siblings. I am so proud of my parents because they always kept us together as a family.

Back in Mexico, I completed high school, but I never got to attend college due to a lack of resources and employment. In those days, I always wanted to continue my studies, but that seemed to be a forgotten dream. It was because of these struggles that I bravely decided to immigrate alone to the United States at the age of 21 with no support. I ended up in Seattle and have been living here for about 12 years. Since moving to Seattle, I have lived alone and away from family. Maybe it is not that I already got used to the idea of living alone but rather to the realization that life is not perfect. Since I was young when I left home in search of new opportunities, I did not fully anticipate how much not knowing English and not having a Social Security Number would be a barrier. After I arrived here, I got a job in Auburn at McDonald’s, which helped me to meet my basic needs for a few years while living in Federal Way, and I used the bus to commute to Auburn. One day, a very nice and respectful old coworker told me:

“If you really want to do something in your life, leave this place, get an education, and look for a better job. Look at me, I have been working here for more than 20 years, and nothing has changed for good for me.”

Since that moment, I knew I had to do something different, so I moved to Seattle and continued to work at a different McDonalds. Here, I was determined to get back to school. I registered at Seattle Central College, and I completed my ESL and GED Diploma. However, when I hit the college level, I did not have an ID. I had already tried many times to get one, but I was always denied, so I just gave up for a few years, ending frustrated, disappointed, and sad. After I finished my ESL and GED, and because I did not have an ID, I completed my college degree online from the National Autonomous University of Mexico. In fact, I even got to take two semesters for a Bachelors’s degree in Political Sciences, which helped me improve my Spanish. Then, I returned to Seattle Central College and completed my AA Degree during the winter quarter of 2020.

Although it has been a long journey with ups and downs, I was finally able to achieve my goal of earning my college education. I am so happy and enthusiastic about continuing to move forward by transferring to the University of Washington for the upcoming fall quarter. I am planning to take steps towards a Master’s degree in international studies because I love social sciences. Once I complete my Master’s degree, I hope to work as a teacher. Thanks to getting an education, I have learned not only to speak and write in English but also in Spanish and French. I am so proud to be the first one in my family to get a college education.

Getting to this point in my life has not been easy. Because I am an undocumented student, I do not have access to employment, scholarships, or state and federal resources. In this sense, the SEA scholarship has been of great support in helping me accomplish my educational goals and meet my living expenses; otherwise, I would have dropped college a while ago. The SEA scholarship helps me pay for books, rent, food, utilities, phone service, and other related personal needs. This has really made a great difference in my life. Similarly, I would like to thank my Education Advocate, Hansell,  the staff he works with, and in general the SEA Organization for the great support. Hansell has always been very supportive to me in proving me the scholarly tools and the financial resources needed so that I can stay focus on my education.

When life throws a curveball

My name is Kentrice and I came from Arkansas for high school. I did not want to come here. I was afraid of change. I thought I had all my friends I needed back home, even family. I had big eyes on the city once me and my family arrived in Seattle. The city is HUGE! A small country gal could not fathom the thought of having a successful life here. Where do I start?

Things don’t always work out in life how we expect. My parents couldn’t work out their differences and I was stuck in the middle. Do I go back home, where there are no opportunities or do I stay here and make my life better? It wasn’t an easy choice leaving my mother back home, but I know there’s a purpose for me here to make something of myself. Look at me, making life decisions that will change my life forever. Well, at least I thought it was the right decision. 

Later that year, my father lost his home and could no longer afford to take care of me. Once again, I had to stop my teenage life to make another huge decision. Either I can go to foster care, or go home. I went back to Arkansas for my junior year of high school and immediately discovered there was no home for me anywhere. My heart was broken. I am tired. What do you do when life throws a curveball? You’re supposed to keep your eye on the ball, but how? 

I was homeless with my mother until I was 17, sleeping from pillow to post, trying to make it to school on time. I didn’t make it to school several times and people took notice. Once again, I’m in this cycle of survival and foster care. Child Protective Services bought me a one way ticket back to Seattle live with my dad. 

I was really upset once I got back to WA to only find out that my father was not responsible enough to take care of me. During this time, I felt that homelessness was a trend in my life. I could not settle down and focus on school because I did not know where I would sleep that night, let alone eat a meal. My senior year at Rainier Beach High School is when my life was filled with purpose and hope for my future. I met Jeff Corey from SEA through my school’s program. 

I was relieved that there is hope for underprivileged students. I first met with Jeff in spring 2012. I was scared that if I told him I really needed help and support, that he couldn’t really help. I was afraid to tell my truth because I felt like my problems were too much and no program would stand by my side. I have the most amazing mentor in Jeff that any youth could ask for. Jeff opened his arms to me, Kentrice, and built a bond that will last forever. Not only did Jeff welcome me to SEA, he provided me with resources and networks to continue school and find housing. 

I stopped school after high school to try and find a stable place to live. Jeff connected me with housing, and from there I branched out to different resources. He helped me find a room in the University District, somewhere I could afford and work. I stopped talking to Jeff for a while I focused on stabilizing my life. One day, I decided I really needed to go back to school to change my life. Jeff still had the same phone number! I was so shocked and relieved to know that SEA will still stay with me. I was so happy because Jeff was still the same and he still welcomed me back in. He helped me progress in college. 

He helped me with tutoring, mentoring, financial aid, everything! There were so many struggles at Seattle Central. As I was attending, I challenged myself to pursue a degree that not only was beneficial, but was challenging. I worked for a business degree. Jeff stuck with me throughout my three years at Seattle Central, even when I failed math class. He helped me get a tutor and study, and I passed the class with a 3.5! 

Jeff is my number one supporter through the good and the bad, and he’s incredibly relatable. With his help, I finally got to walk at graduation with my Associate’s in Business! I want to continue serving on SEA’s Student Advisory Board. I’d like to attend UW Foster School of Business.

Who is NWEA's Executive Director?

After a thoughtful search, we are incredibly excited to announce that Laura DiZazzo has accepted the Executive Director position at Seattle Education Access to begin on July 8, 2019.

Laura has been an ardent supporter of SEA since 2008. In that time, Laura has acted as a program partner at two colleges and served as a member of our board of directors – and now we’re thrilled to have her as our leader!

Laura’s professional and personal achievements reveal a resilient, focused visionary with an unwavering commitment to the most diverse and historically marginalized students on our college campuses. As Laura stated, “We, as a society, are missing out on too many brilliant minds due to intergenerational cycles of poverty, systemic racism, and other structural bias. Without organizations like SEA working for social and racial justice, our post-secondary education system will continue to sell hope, but deliver inequity.”

Professionally, Laura’s dense resume includes many accomplishments as a non-profit and educational leader. Since 2012, Laura has worked in partnership with SEA as the Dean of Instruction for Basic and Transitional Studies at Seattle Central College.  Her work included collaboration with SEA to establish a high school reengagement program at Seattle Central College, Learning Center Seattle. During her tenure as Dean, Laura worked tirelessly to lead her department in serving 2,500 non-traditional students annually in the areas of adult basic education, English as a second language, GED completion, high school completion, and more. Between 2007 and 2012, Laura worked in partnership with SEA as the Dean of Instruction for Language, Academic Skills, and Wellness at Green River College.  While at Green River College, Laura expanded the community presence of basic skills programs across South King County and established the high school reengagement program and SEA partner site, iGrad.

Personally, her story reflects that of many SEA students. Due to the barriers she faced, Laura is acutely aware that statistically she should be in a very different place. Guidance from individuals outside of her family who helped her to explore college opportunities changed the trajectory of her life. As she explained, “I believe that the model of combining authentic relationships with funding and other post-secondary education supports changes lives – it did for me.”

Laura’s breadth of experience working with non-traditional students, expertise in organizational growth management, and deep institutional knowledge of SEA, paired with her personal experiences accessing higher education, makes her a spectacular fit as our next Executive Director. We are confident that Laura’s talents, leadership, and skills will shape SEA’s trajectory for years to come.

We are excited about how SEA will continue to grow, learn, and reflect with Laura’s leadership—and continuing SEA’s commitment to always centering the voices of those who are at the core of our mission.

Breaking Through Barriers

Growing up, I always wanted to become a doctor in healthcare. That vision stayed with me when I moved to Seattle. It became a motivator when facing the challenges that come with being a foreigner to new country. However, that vision became a shadow of itself the moment my father told me that he will no longer be able to financially support my education. An uprising devastated my country, and my family lost all we had.

Here I was, in this country that was not my country, without financial support and no one to go to for help. I learned that I had to change my status in order to avoid eviction from the country if I wanted to stay here to pursue my education. Truly, I was not sure if SEA could help. Everywhere I went, schools would say I could not enroll unless my asylum was granted, which means that it could probably happen in the next five years or never.

My first meeting with my Education Advocate was one of the most unexpected moments of my life. She told me there could be a way for me to go back to school if I completed the GED. I still don’t know how to describe how I felt after that moment. Excitement? Hope? That I was finally going to go back to school, that I might still have another chance to see my dream come true? I was in tears and I remembered her taking some time to let me pull myself together before we continued to discuss a plan. My Education Advocate found me a tutor and I completed the GED within 3 months. I enrolled to North Seattle College to complete my Associate’s in Science the following winter. After two years at North Seattle College, I graduated and applied to University of Washington where I am now working on a Bachelor’s in Psychology.

SEA has restored my vision and my entire life. To the Education Advocates, thank you so much for always being there for the students you work with. I am forever grateful to SEA for the person I am becoming.