2020 Recipients: Please click on one of the following names to read their inspirational story!

• Yulisa Alonso Zamora
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    From the very first breath I took when I came into this world I was loved by the most incredible parents. Coming from a Hispanic family and having parents who immigrated into the United States, is by far the thing that has kept me motivated to achieve my goals. The stories of my parents when they were crossing the border continues to give me chills; they went through a tremendous amount of physical and mental pain, it astonishes me how brave and tough they are. I look up to them, and I want to be just like them -- brave, bold, courageous, and fearless; because I know what I’m capable of. My parents immigrated into the United States to provide us an opportunity to live a better life. I come from a large family where giving up has never been the answer; four brothers and three sisters. We want to prove to everyone that it is possible to adapt and live the American dream. I am extremely lucky to say that I am a proud Latino living in the land of opportunities. I want to make my parents proud and show to them that their efforts did not go unnoticed.

• Samantha Angel
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    My parents were both born in Mexico, and they moved to the US with the dream of providing a better life for their family. I grew up speaking Spanish, a reminder from my parents of my heritage and culture. I noticed that while there was a large Latinx community in my area, there were not many teachers that looked like me. There also was a lack of resources for families and children that were coming to the US from South America and Mexico.

    I want to be part of the solution to this lack of support, which is why I hope to become an early childhood education teacher. Young children need to know that they are supported from the first day they walk in the door, regardless of their background, or cultural identity, or race. I have served as a nanny for four years and also helped create a Cultural Ambassador program at my school, which pairs bilingual students with newcomers from Mexico and South America. Both of these experiences have begun to prepare me for my career. I want to ensure that more Latinx students see themselves represented in their teachers, and I want to be their advocate.

• Matilde Arias
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    I am the daughter of two hard-working respectful Mexican immigrants. Being that one parent doesn't have the proper documentation to live in the U.S., makes it difficult to go through life when parental information is required, especially for school and legal documents. Being unable to apply for citizenship makes me dread the inevitable. Family Separation. My heritage is part of my story, my morals, and my views. I come from a culture where the Macho mentality is abundant. This fuels my drive to become an educated woman who knows her worth and stands firmly by her morals. Throughout high school, I have focused on building the skills necessary to make my goals a reality. By taking rigorous AP courses as well as being involved within my community. I am the current Associated Student Body President at school. I volunteer my time with The Buddy Program, a mentoring program for elementary kids, as well as various activities through my leadership class. My proudest accomplishment was pioneering the “Paint Your Space” project at Eagle Point High School. Seniors now have the opportunity to personalize their parking spot to their liking. Over the past four years, I have developed my leadership skills which have helped discover what I want to pursue as a career, becoming a politician, working specifically in Congressional Procedures and Policies. My educational journey will continue at George Fox University, where I’ll obtain my degree in Political Science and later my master's in Public Administration. I intend to pass on the “ Si se puede ” mentality to future generations to come.

• Jesus Cortez Garcia
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    My parents are from Michoacán, from a small ranch that is near “El Arroyo Colorado”. Because of where they’re from, it's easy to identify that my parents come from a low-income household. Only after my parents had been married for three months, they immigrated to the U.S. Initially they wanted a better life and they knew that staying in their hometown would mean they would face the same conditions as their ancestors. They wanted a change in their lives but also wanted to offer that change to their offspring. My parents didn't want history to repeat itself.

    A wise man once mentioned, “Education is access to resources.'' and similar phrases as those from my parents had been stuck within me. In high school, academics became my sturdy pillar of knowledge, wisdom, and challenge. Knowing that Education is access to opportunity and a better life in the eyes of the Latinx community.

    After completing a Bachelors in Nursing along with a minor in Spanish, I will pursue a career in Nursing where I can help families in the Rogue Valley. I want to build a sense of comfort and accessibility in my community.

• Yanet Hernandez Cobian
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    I belong to many communities, the Hispanic community, the brown-haired community, the bilingual community, I come from two hard-working parents that have illegally entered the United States exposed to the many dangers, risking it all with my brother, four years old in their arms, to escape a land of scarcity, low education, and high crime to provide for their children.

    October 29, 2017, my mother passed away after a battle of cancer in Mexico. With hesitation, my father and I decided to return to the USA to resume my education, solely due to how much my mother emphasized the importance of it. I hope to one day repay my father for his sacrifices, and honor my mother's words, with my educational success.

    I view my Latin heritage with honor and integrity. We will do what it takes to relieve ourselves of barriers or burdens endured. From a young age, we learn to not be afraid to start over. Here in the US, we have animated and shaped the nation. The Latino population has grown, it is important to fill that achievement gap of also growing the rate of college Hispanic students. To honor immigrant parents who have risked it all for their children to accomplish better things.

• Andrea Katrina Malakar-Hernandez
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    Among 655 students at my high school, I am one of a handful of minorities. I am the product of two minorities, two immigrants. My mother, an immigrant from Mexico, and my father, from Nepal, met in college where they hoped to expand their education. Through the years and the jobs before their careers, they made connections and planted their roots in Klamath Falls. From educators to employers, Southern Oregon started my parent's humble beginnings and is why they instilled the values of service and community into us children. These values, my diverse cultural background, and interest for science have inspired me to pursue a career as a medical scientist. Growing up in a rural town, I do not hear of prestigious fields like this or of the cultural programs offered in bigger cities. Luckily, Oregon State University, my intended college, offers a vast range of opportunities and allows students like me to connect with our roots. Attending this university and pursuing this career will not only fulfill my education, but allow me to bring the same cultural opportunities and big-city professionals to rural areas like mine and expand the Latino resources in the Klamath County.

• Sergio Mendoza
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    Born in California, but raised in Oregon, I would look back on my life now and not really know how to explain it effectively. Going back to my childhood memories, I remembered being afraid of just about anything and everything. Everything from my neighbor’s dog running towards me to the scary things I would watch on my small box tv. I remember constantly experiencing nightmares that would keep me from wanting to go to sleep every night, but I would always be comforted by being surrounded by my mountain of stuffed animals and the feeling of my cat’s fluffy tail in my face. I loved waking up the next morning and be right back to being the adventurous kid I was.

    Thinking back to all that now, I feel like I’ve grown as a person in so many amazing aspects, but kept being consistent in many of the positive personality traits that I developed as a kid. I guess it makes sense when you really get to know who I am. If I learned anything from all my years growing up, it would be this: experiences shape who you become, even if they might be scary. Learn from them.

• Jennifer Moctezuma
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    Coming from two hard working immigrant parents with a burning desire to see my siblings and I succeed in our education, is the biggest motivation that keeps me going. The many sacrifices that they have done: leaving their beautiful state of Guerrero, family, and memories to pursue “The American Dream.” Their stories about struggle have made me eager to accomplish everything they did not get to do, since they only received education until the 6th grade. What they have given to me is far more than I have imagined, and is what makes me proud of my roots.

    The topic of Mental Health goes unnoticed by my community. We have been taught that mental health is non-existent or is a form of laziness. I want to change this stereotype. I have first hand seen the lack of resources within my community about bringing awareness to the importance of prioritizing one's-self. The lack of bilingual School Counselors drives me to become a School Counselor, and major in Sociology. I want to be able to help the community that has given me the opportunity to succeed and pass it onto the younger generations so they have the chance to achieve their dreams.

• Maria Serna Rodriguez
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    I was only a frightened child, filled with confusion and even hate for my Latinx culture. I would sit in my room praying to god that I could be “white”, so my family could be free from the pain--my family experienced the death that no family should ever go through: my uncle who was a police officer was kidnapped and murdered in Mexico by a cartel. With my father not being present in my early childhood and my mother working endless hours at Jack In the Box, I was raised by my grandmother, who taught me more about my own culture and more about the beauty of my first language, Spanish. It took me many years to find my way back to a love of my culture, but I think my love and respect for my heritage is only stronger for the struggle. This love of my heritage helped me see strengths like the importance of family, community, and hard work, all incredible attributes that I see in my family. In their honor, I will attend Linfield University to become a nurse, and return to my own community to make a difference in the lives of others.

• Armando Tellez
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    I come from an immigrant family, the third child out of four. Growing up, my parents talked to me about the obstacles they endured to come to the United States in search for a better life, and how important my education is because of that sacrifice. When my sister passed away suddenly, it would have been easy and maybe even understandable for me to give up on school. A few days after the accident, I decided to use the situation as motivation to finish the school year strong and eventually ended the school year with straight A’s. Out of tragedy, I was still able to hold onto my core values of education and family. I plan to attend the University of Oregon to major in Philosophy with a minor in legal studies. Then, go to law school to become a lawyer. I am honored to be bilingual and I believe this gift will help me expand my platform and help many other people out there. My goal is to primarily focus on helping those in my community who don’t have the financial means for legal services. My greatest deed would be giving back to the people who have supported me.

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