Can sharing your story change your life?
For this Women of Color Rise episode, Analiza talks with Viridiana (Viri) Carrizales, CEO of ImmSchools. Born in Michoacán, Mexico, Viri didn’t realize she was poor until age 11. Her father decided to make the trek to the US for better schools for his four girls. A year later, Viri, her sisters, and mother followed, almost getting lost walking in the desert. In America, Viri’s challenges continued. Even after graduating high school with top honors, she could not go to college due to her undocumented status. Despite the risk, she contacted a newspaper who published her picture and story on the front page. Because of that story, one reader reached out and told her, “I’m an undocumented student in college. You can go to college, here’s how, here’s the law.”
Viri founded ImmSchools, a nonprofit that works with schools to create safe and welcoming classrooms for immigrant and undocumented students. While she gained her US citizenship through her husband, millions of other undocumented students remain in limbo, not able to contribute to the highest of their ability to our country, and at risk of deportation.
Despite the unfavorable political climate for passing laws to support the undocumented, Viri shares advice about what we can do to help:
-
Break stereotypes of the undocumented. Learn stories of those formerly undocumented and how their change of status are allowing them to contribute to the country as teachers, engineers, and leaders like Viri.
-
Vote. Support candidates with similar values.
-
Educate ourselves. The media’s misinformation prevents us from better understanding how undocumented children and people are being hurt.
-
Empathize. What would you do for your loved ones? For parents, what would you be willing to do for your child? If you were in a similar position, what would you do?
Consider supporting Viri and ImmSchools here.
Get full show notes and more information here: https://analizawolf.com/ep-64-share-your-story-to-change-your-life-viridiana-viri-carrizales-ceo-of-immschools