I’m a DACA Recipient and a First-Generation College Graduate and I’m Nervous About What’s Next

It’s a day I’ll never forget: September 5, 2017, the first day of my senior year at NYU. It was the day the Trump administration…

Getting Into College Is Tough for First-Generation College Students, So I’m Making It a Little Easier

Without the support of my college counselor, I would not be where I am today. In my senior year of high school, I was a…

I’m a Cambodian Kid From Compton and Because of My Mom, I Graduated From College

As a young man growing up on the East Side of Compton, California, I never quite understood my place in my community or society. I…

I’m Celebrating First-Gens Because I Am One

We all know the journey to—and through—college isn’t easy. It can be especially difficult for first-generation students who are the first in their family to…

Separate But Equal Doesn’t Work, Except When We’re Talking Graduation Ceremonies

Dear White Elementary and High School Administrators: Did you see what happened at the University of Florida’s graduation ceremony on Saturday? Did you see that…

As a First-Generation College Student I Need a Lot More Than Financial Aid

I was reared and schooled in Detroit, where poverty and oppression eloquently danced while violence and crime serenaded the communities. The crime and oppression in…

For This Chicago Public Schools Graduate, It’s the Teachers Who Made the Difference

This morning, academics and civic leaders gathered in Chicago to dig in on research that shows Chicago’s public schools have done a remarkable job of…

Illinois Makes Paying For College Harder for Low-Income Students, But We Can Fix That

In 1991, I was admitted to Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. My mother worked as a telephone operator and didn’t have the money to pay…

I’m Tired and Pissed Off About Our Sorry Education System But I’m Still Fighting

I always thought I was super smart. Until I got to college. Even though I lived in Englewood, one of Chicago’s toughest neighborhoods, I attended…

Three Things You Should Think About When Choosing a School for Your Kid

I am a first-generation college graduate who wants my daughter to be successful. Growing up in the Englewood community in Chicago, I was exposed to…