#HigherEdTogether
Published in
8 min readMar 1, 2017
Our Mission
In a time when opposition is the only thing our political society can agree upon, it is our goal to unite under our collective identities that stem from our educational institutions. We the People must stand together if, on nothing else, the platform of knowledge and enlightenment. In the wake of post-truth society, it is the decision of the people to use history and hard facts to fight back against the misinformation presented relentlessly to our present society. By using our parrhesiatic speech to speak our truths to those in charge of our education and government, our goal is to bring awareness to those who will be most effected by the Trump regime. Our dissent for education must band together so that we can continue to better our institutions that influence the betterment of our future thinkers.
Our Foundation
- My name is and Danielle Rodriguez-Donovan began my educational career at a Catholic elementary school, and then relocated to Rancho Cucamonga to attend a public junior high, then public high school. After high school, I continued on to Chaffey Community College to complete my general education. Two years after my transformative experience at a public community college, I continued on and will graduate with my Bachelors in Gender and Sexuality Studies from University of California, Riverside. After one year of studying for my GRE, I plan to pursue a PhD in Sociology so I can become an inspirational professor like those before me who ignited my passion for education in the first place. The reason I must think critically about our new Education Secretary is because I reject the idea that students of all genders can not feel safe and free of sexual assault on their campuses because of negligent country leaders. I can not continue my strive for a knowledgeable future without taking into account the safety of my students as well as myself. I am #HigherEdTogether
- My name is Desiree Lopez and my educational career began in the Catholic elementary school called Dolores Mission, located in East Los Angeles. After being relocated in the 6th grade to Chino Hills, I attended Townsend Junior high, then Chino Hills High School. After not being admitted to any of my “dream schools”, I decided to attend community college last minute. Because of my last minute decision to attend community college, I was not able to sign up for many classes, so I attended both Chaffey Community College and Riverside City College for my first 2 semesters. 2 and half years later, I graduated from Riverside City College with my Associates degree in Sociology, then transferred to UCR. After graduation this Spring, I will have completed my undergraduate years and obtain my Bachelors degree in Sociology. I am currently awaiting decision notices from Law Schools throughout California, as it is my next step in my academic career to accomplish my goal and dream of being an attorney. I like to share my academic story because not only do I serve as an example that a first-generation college student from a low-income background can attend college, but also to show that just because you attend a community college instead of a 4 year University right away, it does not mean that you or your education are any less. Whether it be attending a community college, Cal State, Private University, or UC, we are all pursuing to work hard and have an academic career. No matter which route we take, it all ends with the same common goal of having a higher education. #HigherEdTogether
- My name is Kenady Jackson and my educational career began at a Catholic elementary school called St. Leo the Great. From there, I went to a Catholic high school, Saint Mary’s, in Berkeley, CA. Throughout the majority of my educational career, I attended private Catholic schools because the public schools in my area did not satisfy my parents’ expectations. Many of them have low graduation rates and students were extremely violent. As a result, my parents financially burden themselves by putting my siblings and I in private schools. I am currently a freshman at the University of California, Riverside and I am pursing a degree in psychology. Our new secretary of education, Betsy DeVos, plans on cutting free lunch programs. Coming from a family who financially struggled to pay tuition and rent, programs at school that gave student lunch at a reduced cost was extremely helpful. I am firmly against reducing funding towards lunch programs because many children will be left without hungy. On the other hand, my twin brother decided to attend a junior college in Sacramento. Initially, my parents were devastated that he was not attending a four year university because they believed sending us to private school was a waste of money. Now however, they are extremely supportive of his decision and happy that he is seeking higher education. My brother and I are both reaching towards higher education despite the different roads to we took to get here. #HigherEdTogether
- My name is Tori Nino, and my educational career began at a Catholic elementary school called St. Matthias. It is located in a somewhat rural area called Huntington Park, California. After completing 8th grade, I attended St. Joseph High School, in Lakewood, CA. I am currently a third year sociology major at the University of California, Riverside. I hope to graduate next winter, and there on attend graduate school to pursue a master’s degree in social work. I am particularly interested in counseling adolescents in rehabilitation centers who have been diagnosed with mental disorders. I am sharing my story because I am a first-generation college student. Although I attended private school, my elementary school was not exactly financially stable. We had outdated textbooks, and we were fortunate if we received new yard equipment annually. I oppose Betsy DeVos as the Secretary of Education because those children who do not come from wealthy backgrounds will ultimately suffer. The education system is extremely flawed and does not receive much funding to improve its conditions. With DeVos as secretary, she will only cut funding even further and failing schools will deteriorate even more. She does not understand the lower class, nor does she care what the consequences of her actions will be. #HigherEdTogether
- My name is Brandon Ulloa. My education started in a small town surrounded by agriculture called Mecca in the Eastern Coachella Valley. This is where I attended Mecca Elementary School. After that, I went to Toro Canyon Middle School and then finally Desert Mirage High School. All of these three institutions serve the children of primarily migrant students holding a student population of over 95% Latino. Migrant students are those who move around often following the crop cycles of California. Other students are those who recently arrived to the United States with their parents seeking a better future for themselves through hard work and education. After I received my high school diploma i attended our valley’s local community college, College of the Desert. Here I earned my AA in sociology within two year while simultaneously playing soccer for the school. Then right after, I transferred to UC Riverside where I will be graduating next quarter in June with a BA in Sociology. With this degree I plan on returning to my valley and with high hopes of making situations better for the generations to come. I am an outlier case where I was able to eventually get my degree within the four year margin, however this is not possible for all the youth in my valley. Thus making it my mission to create change and upwards movement of the people in my eastern valley. #HigherEdTogether
- My name is Leslie Tarango and my education career began at a public elementary school called Greenville. It is located in a rural place in Santa Ana, California. I then attended a public middle school called Mac Arthur School still located in Santa Ana, California and completing my 8th grade I attended a public high school called Segerstrom high school in Santa Ana, California. I am now attending University of California Riverside which is a public university where I am a second year student hoping to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and later on apply to medical schools. I am planning to become a doctor and with my Spanish be able to help parents and families who can understand English and are not able to communicate with the doctors about their health or the health of their love ones. When I was younger I remember that when my brother and I would go to the doctors my mother didn’t understand what the doctors were saying and most of the times she needed a translator to be able to understand the doctor. Since my parents are in the low working class our insurance was medical which is public insurance for low class families and many of the clinics I attended, always had little to no funding for translators and lots of material. This is why I oppose trump as president because he wants to take away public health care, funding for public education and benefits that help the low working class. Yet with my education I will be able to give back to my community by helping in the public benefits that is given and to help those in need of my assistance. The public system taught me that working together not agnologing the difference in social class can help make my life better but everyone’s life better as well. #HigherEd #UnitED #EduUnity
