2018 Recipients: Please click on one of the following names to read their inspirational story.

• Daniel Zamores
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    I was fortunate to grow up in a fairly stable family, not a lot on the table, but enough to carry me through. As a child, my dad immigrated to the United States several times in order to provide for our family. Eventually he decided to bring us to the United States in search of a better and more fulfilling life and to be together as a family in one place. I was eleven when we immigrated from Jalisco to Camarillo, CA. Six years later, we moved to Medford, OR.

    Growing up in a rural area, I was exposed to people earning a life through agriculture and construction or by immigrating “al Norte” to the United States. I attended school while I was in Mexico, but I never saw school as a path to earn a living. It was not until my junior year in high school that I realized that college was an option for me and that college would provide me the best opportunities in life.

    Attending college has opened my mind even more and has provided me explanations as to why things have worked out the way they have. The simple statement, “input equals output” explains the success I have had so far. I had to put a lot of effort into the things I did in order to get the opportunities I have and to keep the support of my family and other people that have invested in my education.

    My future goals are to go to physical therapy school and to inspire young Latinos to recognize the platforms they have in order to find meaning in their life.

• David Barrera
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    I come from two very hard-working immigrant parents who quit school in the third grade to help work for their families. My parents immigrated to the United States in hope of providing their children with a better life as well as more educational opportunities. Growing up as the youngest of six children, I was initially sheltered from the struggle of my parents to make ends meet. My dad was gone for weeks or even months working in the forest, while my mother stayed home working and taking care of five children. My father suffered an injury to his shoulder after working in the forest for so long and after carrying a huge wooden pole. He had to have surgery and was out of work for months. My oldest brother took responsibility and worked to help provide for the family while my dad could not work. Later my older sister, Leticia, become a nurse and my brother, Adrian, is currently pursuing his degree in marketing. Realizing the hard work from both my parents and my siblings has inspired me to pursue my passion and dreams of aviation. In pursuing my dreams I have challenged myself both mentally and physically during high school taking various AP and honors classes, as well as playing soccer and working out in the fields during the summer to help my family pay the bills.

    As a Latino, I aspire to break the misconception of white engineers and diversify the engineering field. I will attend Oregon State University to pursue a career in aeronautical engineering. At OSU my major will consist of a mechanical degree accompanied by an aeronautical degree minor. After OSU I plan to earn a Masters in aeronautical engineering. During my Masters, I will strive to obtain an internship or make connections with Boeing to prove my worth as an exceptional potential employee. I will inspire those in the community to follow their passion as I have done and empower the minorities to be able to accomplish anything they set their mind to. My parent's mentality and their determination to continue is what made them successful in their ambitions to provide their children with a better life and to be in the pursuit of happiness.

• Eduardo Murillo
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    Being the son of Mexican immigrants, I quickly learned that my education was the most valuable opportunity provided to me. My parents emigrated from Mexico in hope of a better future for their children. My father, Eduardo Murillo, comes from Higera, Michoacan and my mother, Norma Zambrano, comes from Degollado, Jalisco. Both of my parents have spent the past twenty-five years working as agricultural workers. They sacrifice so much in order for my siblings and I to prosper. Neither of my parents were fortunate enough to receive a high school education; however, that did not stop them from inspiring their children to go beyond. My siblings include Yareli, the oldest, Mario, the second youngest, and Priscila, the youngest. Accomplishing my parent’s greatest aspiration has been the most impactful aspect of my life. Being one of two family members to be accepted into a four-year university has been a life changing experience for my family.

    Growing up in the small town of Malin, a farming community in Southern Oregon, I learned the value of hard work and effort through my community’s values and compassion for one another. These values have shaped the person I am today and have provided my family with life changing opportunities. I plan to further my education through college by attending Lewis and Clark College in the fall. However, for me, the reason to go to college is not to leave my community behind. My goal is to attend college so that I can return to my small community and help others who do not have the option to do the same. I plan to go into the medical field so that I can open up a small clinic in my hometown to help the members of my community. My biggest accomplishment will be paying it forward to those that have given so much to me. Thanks to my Latino heritage and the grace of God, I will be able to persevere and accomplish great things in the future.

• Gadibel Ortiz Madera
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    My parents have risked their lives for me, have used their last penny on me, and left their education and family behind to provide a better life for me. They are my inspiration and I owe them the opportunities I have had because of their actions, which is why I try to have the best grades, to have an impact in my school and community, and to act with grace and humility.

    I have attended the Phoenix-Talent school district all my life and the impact my school has had on me has lead me to volunteer at my preschool, Southern Oregon Head Start. There, I interact with young children who may have the similar childhood I had with immigrant parents.

    My dad has always worked hard to keep a roof over our heads and our stomachs full, by working in the most labor-intensive jobs. Though there might be rain, sun or snow, he will be found in the orchards doing his best to provide for his family. My mom has stayed home with my siblings and I to feed us, support us and take care of us so we can have someone to look forward to when we come home from school. I am very fortunate to have her presence. My dad only attended school until sixth grade and for four years has studied long and hard to receive his GED. My mom earned her high school diploma and even taught in a school back in Mexico, but left that job for a chance of a better life for herself and her future children.

    My father’s dedication to get out of the orchards and into a better work environment has sparked my dedication to do anything possible to be enrolled in Linfield College as a first generation student. My parents’ selflessness, compassion and love for me have inspired me to one day become a pediatric nurse practitioner, to help my community with the same compassion and love they have for me

• Jorge Salazar
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    I was born in Ashland, Oregon but raised in Chapalilla, Nayarit. As a kid who grew up with no queer representation, my childhood was full of bad memories, humiliation, and homophobia. Coming from a place where toxic masculinity is embedded within the ideologies brought by colonizers, I always knew that I was different. My classmates would remind me of my differences every day. They would express their toxic masculinity and make me feel less of a person.

    It was not until I started to not only educate myself, along with having my mother as my only support, that I started to understand why education is power. While all my classmates would play outside during recess, I would study to participate in state competitions. While they were being homophobic, I would educate myself and my family to be better members of society. While people thought I was a virus to society, I have been accomplishing goal after goal in order to not show them, but also myself, that being able to acquire a higher education is a blessing. A blessing that I need to take care of and nurture so in the future I can taste the fruits of success.

    As a Latinx Queer activist, education is and has been a huge component of my evolution of not only accepting who I am but also understanding the intersections that all my identities have. I am attending Southern Oregon University, working towards Computer Science and Spanish degrees. I am excited about what the future has for me, and to inspire future Latinx generations who feel like they do not fit in, and to be the queer role model that I never had.

• Laura Curiel
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    My passion in life is helping others, and this passion has guided my educational journey. Ever since I was little, my parents told me that my only chore was to focus on being successful in school, and I have adopted this mantra as my own. I have set goals and challenged myself along my journey, and my final goal is to graduate from college. As a Latina, I want to demonstrate that we are not afraid of hard work. We embody perseverance and determination, and we accomplish our goals. I want to dispel stereotypes about Latinos and show that we are here to leave a positive footprint in the United States. My education is a tribute to my ancestors who came before me. I plan to take advantage of my education and attend OIT to fulfill my dream of becoming an Ultrasound technician. As a sonographer, I will continue to serve my community. Because I am bilingual, I will be able to help the Hispanic community gain a better understanding about their health. I will be the first person in my family to graduate from college and have a professional career in the United States.

• Luciana Tellez
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    As the daughter of immigrant parents, I have been working hard to obtain a high GPA. My mother and father never gave up on their goal of providing their children with better opportunities for the future. This is why I have always worked diligently in school, to help take the financial burden off my parents. They have always taught us to be humble and advised us to try our best in school, in order to be someone in life. My parents also taught me the value of giving back, something I always endeavor to do. Volunteer experiences have helped me to serve my community and prepare me for my career, and it is an amazing feeling to help others. My dream is to be a health and fitness expert for my Latino community. I want to show them that health is more than just looks. My passion for exercise and health has developed my self-control, my confidence, and most importantly, it has given me a sense of identity. I would use my skills as a bilingual, bicultural nutritionist to help close the gap in quality healthcare, ensuring that everyone--regardless of their background--can access their right to health and happiness.

• Margarita Duran Espino
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    My mother is a Tarahumara lioness. Her love for her children is fierce and firm. Every day I watch as she cares for our family with a heart full of patience and compassion. She has taught me many things, but most importantly, how a young woman is to carry herself: with dignity and poise. My mother is a mujer- tall and powerful. I look up to her for she inspires me to be compassionate and strong.

    My father is a warrior. His Aztec roots run deep. We share specific core values: hard work, diligence, and persistence. He carved out a life for us by working long hours. He would leave before I would wake up in the morning and return as I was getting ready for bed. My father is a caballero. He inspires me to do whatever it takes to succeed.

    My parents lead their family by example. Newly wed, they emigrated from Mexico and immersed themselves in a life unknown; a freezing pool of language barriers, culture shock, and toil. Every day I remind myself how I have come so far. It is because of them. Daily, I honor their struggle by embracing their sacrifices and not losing sight of my purpose. I am the dream of a Tarahumara lioness and an Aztec warrior

• Mauricio Paz
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    My story begins with my birth on a “z” shaped road in Los Tepames, Michoacán, Mexico. A few weeks after my birth, my dad came to the United States to seek a better life for his newly formed family, and managed to earn enough money to bring my mom and me to California. Mid-way through kindergarten, we traveled north because of the economic opportunity in the agricultural sector. My parents were able to acquire jobs after arriving to Oregon, and since then, my parents have worked in many different jobs, making Oregon our permanent home.

    Sophomore year I tore my ACL and it was a financial burden in my family. $10,000 of my mom’s hard-earned money was spent to pay for the expenses of my surgery. As a DACA recipient, I was able to work as a field worker in the vineyards with my mom to help with the financial burden. Although the days were hot and I worked long hours, I was encouraged every day to get up and go to work because of the gratitude I had for my mom’s sacrifice. With the money I earned, I was able to help my family.

    I plan on attending the private school of University of Portland and pursuing my Masters of Science in nursing to become a Nurse Practitioner. After completion, I will come back to the Rogue Valley and work with my community; I was inspired to do so by my ACL surgery. Although the nurses were great, a language barrier was between them and my parents. A computer was used to contact a Spanish-speaking doctor to inform my parents of the pre-surgery procedure that I was about to undergo. I recognize that there is a lack of bilingual and bicultural nurses and FNPs in the Rogue Valley and as the Latinx population increases, I want to make sure they have proper communication over their health concerns. Lastly, I want to be a role model to not only my siblings, but to also other fellow Dreamers by demonstrating that anything is possible when we set our mind to it.

• Rafael Neri Lopez
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    From the start of kindergarten, my parents always told me, “Try your hardest in your academics so you can accomplish all your goals.” They always wanted a better life for me and are the main influencers of who I am now as an individual. Throughout the years, my family and I hit various tribulations that affected everyone as a whole. Instead of it bringing me down, it only motivated me to work harder. Knowing that my effort is going to pay off in the long run, I set the determination of a new life ahead of me.

    In high school, I became an active member in extracurricular activities such as Future Business Leaders of America, Honor Society, and leadership groups. Along with that, I have been a volunteer for the March of Dimes organization and the American Red Cross. In the future, I plan on going to OIT to major in Radiologic Sciences. I aspire to help Latinos and other minority communities by providing them a voice to communicate their health needs. By accomplishing my goals, my family and I will be able to start a new chapter in our lives.

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