I am one of eleven million undocumented immigrants living here in America I am
immigrants living here in America I am
immigrants living here in America I am one of eight hundred thousand daca
one of eight hundred thousand daca
one of eight hundred thousand daca recipients and I am one of one hundred
recipients and I am one of one hundred
recipients and I am one of one hundred undocumented students in medical school
undocumented students in medical school
undocumented students in medical school training to become a doctor though these
training to become a doctor though these
training to become a doctor though these numbers are the facts of my life they
numbers are the facts of my life they
numbers are the facts of my life they obscure the complexity of how I got here
obscure the complexity of how I got here
obscure the complexity of how I got here and what the future holds for me now one
and what the future holds for me now one
and what the future holds for me now one of the earliest memories I had after
of the earliest memories I had after
of the earliest memories I had after moving to America was of a cramped but
moving to America was of a cramped but
moving to America was of a cramped but cozy living room over five of a
cozy living room over five of a
cozy living room over five of a one-bedroom apartment where the five of
one-bedroom apartment where the five of
one-bedroom apartment where the five of us began a new chapter together we’re
us began a new chapter together we’re
us began a new chapter together we’re aren’t we aren’t going back to Thailand
aren’t we aren’t going back to Thailand
aren’t we aren’t going back to Thailand my parents told my brother sister and I
my parents told my brother sister and I
my parents told my brother sister and I we’re staying here in America as Robin
we’re staying here in America as Robin
we’re staying here in America as Robin Hood’s
Hood’s
Hood’s that’s the Thai saying for becoming
that’s the Thai saying for becoming
that’s the Thai saying for becoming undocumented for overstaying or tourist
undocumented for overstaying or tourist
undocumented for overstaying or tourist visas which were set to expire within a
visas which were set to expire within a
visas which were set to expire within a few months after an economic crash in
few months after an economic crash in
few months after an economic crash in Southeast Asia my parents found
Southeast Asia my parents found
Southeast Asia my parents found themselves rebuilding their lives once
themselves rebuilding their lives once
themselves rebuilding their lives once again and though we didn’t truly
again and though we didn’t truly
again and though we didn’t truly understand what being undocumented would
understand what being undocumented would
understand what being undocumented would have meant we knew that this is what we
have meant we knew that this is what we
have meant we knew that this is what we had to do as a family for a better
had to do as a family for a better
had to do as a family for a better future so my parents Scott work at local
future so my parents Scott work at local
future so my parents Scott work at local Thai restaurants right here in the Bay
Thai restaurants right here in the Bay
Thai restaurants right here in the Bay Area and they would come home late and I
Area and they would come home late and I
Area and they would come home late and I would wait up to say hi to them and as
would wait up to say hi to them and as
would wait up to say hi to them and as they entered the apartment I would run
they entered the apartment I would run
they entered the apartment I would run up to them and hug them put my arms
up to them and hug them put my arms
up to them and hug them put my arms around their waists before they could
around their waists before they could
around their waists before they could even take their aprons off and I would
even take their aprons off and I would
even take their aprons off and I would remember this
remember this
remember this the fish sauce and curry spices and let
the fish sauce and curry spices and let
the fish sauce and curry spices and let me tell you you don’t forget the smell
me tell you you don’t forget the smell
me tell you you don’t forget the smell of fish sauce and as I looked into their
of fish sauce and as I looked into their
of fish sauce and as I looked into their eyes and see they’re tired expressions
eyes and see they’re tired expressions
eyes and see they’re tired expressions after a hard day’s work I would ask them
after a hard day’s work I would ask them
after a hard day’s work I would ask them what can I do to help focus on your job
what can I do to help focus on your job
what can I do to help focus on your job they would say and my job as a young
they would say and my job as a young
they would say and my job as a young child there is it was to do well in
child there is it was to do well in
child there is it was to do well in school
school
school and we all looked to education as the
and we all looked to education as the
and we all looked to education as the key to success we all looked to
key to success we all looked to
key to success we all looked to education as a way to our American Dream
education as a way to our American Dream
education as a way to our American Dream and after witnessing everything that my
and after witnessing everything that my
and after witnessing everything that my parents were willing to sacrifice for
parents were willing to sacrifice for
parents were willing to sacrifice for the opportunities that they never had I
the opportunities that they never had I
the opportunities that they never had I channeled their work ethic into years of
channeled their work ethic into years of
channeled their work ethic into years of diligence I immersed myself in my
diligence I immersed myself in my
diligence I immersed myself in my studies I eventually learned and
studies I eventually learned and
studies I eventually learned and mastered the English language excelled
mastered the English language excelled
mastered the English language excelled in AP classes and graduated as
in AP classes and graduated as
in AP classes and graduated as highschool salutatorian all the while
highschool salutatorian all the while
highschool salutatorian all the while working 30 hours a week thank you thank
working 30 hours a week thank you thank
working 30 hours a week thank you thank you
you
you although while working 30 hours a week
although while working 30 hours a week
although while working 30 hours a week at our family’s Thai restaurant I apply
at our family’s Thai restaurant I apply
at our family’s Thai restaurant I apply to five u C’s for college I was accepted
to five u C’s for college I was accepted
to five u C’s for college I was accepted to all of them UC Davis in particular
to all of them UC Davis in particular
to all of them UC Davis in particular offered me a Regent scholarship which
offered me a Regent scholarship which
offered me a Regent scholarship which was the full tuition scholarship offered
was the full tuition scholarship offered
was the full tuition scholarship offered to an exceptional few I was relieved all
to an exceptional few I was relieved all
to an exceptional few I was relieved all of those days spent writing world
of those days spent writing world
of those days spent writing world history papers in the back room and
history papers in the back room and
history papers in the back room and running to the front when the restaurant
running to the front when the restaurant
running to the front when the restaurant was busy were worth it I could go to
was busy were worth it I could go to
was busy were worth it I could go to college and afford it because otherwise
college and afford it because otherwise
college and afford it because otherwise I was ineligible for any financial aid
I was ineligible for any financial aid
I was ineligible for any financial aid as
as
as undocumented student three months before
undocumented student three months before
undocumented student three months before the start of college I was called into
the start of college I was called into
the start of college I was called into the financial aid office they wanted to
the financial aid office they wanted to
the financial aid office they wanted to see proof of my citizenship and legal
see proof of my citizenship and legal
see proof of my citizenship and legal immigration status when I told them that
immigration status when I told them that
immigration status when I told them that I did not have a green card and I didn’t
I did not have a green card and I didn’t
I did not have a green card and I didn’t have a social security number the
have a social security number the
have a social security number the officer looked at me and said let us
officer looked at me and said let us
officer looked at me and said let us know when your status changes and just
know when your status changes and just
know when your status changes and just like that the scholarship offer was
like that the scholarship offer was
like that the scholarship offer was withdrawn the formula for the American
withdrawn the formula for the American
withdrawn the formula for the American Dream had failed me I listened to my
Dream had failed me I listened to my
Dream had failed me I listened to my parents I did my job
parents I did my job
parents I did my job I earned this scholarship opportunity
I earned this scholarship opportunity
I earned this scholarship opportunity and yet I came to find the fear American
and yet I came to find the fear American
and yet I came to find the fear American dream for me was the false promise and
dream for me was the false promise and
dream for me was the false promise and it was the first time that I came face
it was the first time that I came face
it was the first time that I came face to face with an institutional barrier
to face with an institutional barrier
to face with an institutional barrier created by my immigration status that I
created by my immigration status that I
created by my immigration status that I couldn’t face alone thankfully I have my
couldn’t face alone thankfully I have my
couldn’t face alone thankfully I have my family and they helped support me
family and they helped support me
family and they helped support me through the first year of college while
through the first year of college while
through the first year of college while I bussed tables and hunted for private
I bussed tables and hunted for private
I bussed tables and hunted for private scholarships oh by the way I ended up
scholarships oh by the way I ended up
scholarships oh by the way I ended up here at UC Berkeley
because it would have cost the same
because it would have cost the same anyways and we all know it is the
anyways and we all know it is the
anyways and we all know it is the weather school so but going up
weather school so but going up
weather school so but going up I actually was isolated and afraid of
I actually was isolated and afraid of
I actually was isolated and afraid of the constant threat of deportation if
the constant threat of deportation if
the constant threat of deportation if anyone learned I was undocumented same
anyone learned I was undocumented same
anyone learned I was undocumented same for my family I remember holding my
for my family I remember holding my
for my family I remember holding my breath every time a police car drove by
breath every time a police car drove by
breath every time a police car drove by or I heard a siren in the second year of
or I heard a siren in the second year of
or I heard a siren in the second year of my college I met other undocumented
my college I met other undocumented
my college I met other undocumented folks other undocumented immigrants for
folks other undocumented immigrants for
folks other undocumented immigrants for the first time and it changed my life on
the first time and it changed my life on
the first time and it changed my life on a bright sunny day on a rooftop deck
a bright sunny day on a rooftop deck
a bright sunny day on a rooftop deck overlooking Lake Merritt my family and I
overlooking Lake Merritt my family and I
overlooking Lake Merritt my family and I arrived to a scholarship ceremony and we
arrived to a scholarship ceremony and we
arrived to a scholarship ceremony and we looked around and we saw other families
looked around and we saw other families
looked around and we saw other families there and we leaned to each other and
there and we leaned to each other and
there and we leaned to each other and whispered are all these other people
whispered are all these other people
whispered are all these other people undocumented too and later on the
undocumented too and later on the
undocumented too and later on the afternoon the reception would celebrate
afternoon the reception would celebrate
afternoon the reception would celebrate young scholars with our families by our
young scholars with our families by our
young scholars with our families by our side and I saw for the first time that
side and I saw for the first time that
side and I saw for the first time that being undocumented could be filled with
being undocumented could be filled with
being undocumented could be filled with so much joy so much support rather than
so much joy so much support rather than
so much joy so much support rather than the shame and the stigma and the
the shame and the stigma and the
the shame and the stigma and the positive energy that day was unlike
positive energy that day was unlike
positive energy that day was unlike anything I had ever before associated
anything I had ever before associated
anything I had ever before associated with being a documented that was in 2010
with being a documented that was in 2010
with being a documented that was in 2010 and that year was important because I
and that year was important because I
and that year was important because I would continue to go on this journey of
would continue to go on this journey of
would continue to go on this journey of redefining what it would mean to be an
redefining what it would mean to be an
redefining what it would mean to be an undocumented immigrant I enrolled in
undocumented immigrant I enrolled in
undocumented immigrant I enrolled in Professor Tyrone Hayes
Professor Tyrone Hayes
Professor Tyrone Hayes since class actually here at Berkeley
since class actually here at Berkeley
since class actually here at Berkeley intro to endocrinology and it was during
intro to endocrinology and it was during
intro to endocrinology and it was during that class that students protested the
that class that students protested the
that class that students protested the tuition hikes that were happening that
tuition hikes that were happening that
tuition hikes that were happening that year by having a UC walk out day while I
year by having a UC walk out day while I
year by having a UC walk out day while I was in solidarity I didn’t come to
was in solidarity I didn’t come to
was in solidarity I didn’t come to America to miss class and so I went to
America to miss class and so I went to
America to miss class and so I went to class but what professor Hayes did next
class but what professor Hayes did next
class but what professor Hayes did next would stay with me forever instead of
would stay with me forever instead of
would stay with me forever instead of lecturing he shared with us his story of
lecturing he shared with us his story of
lecturing he shared with us his story of being one of the few African American
being one of the few African American
being one of the few African American students an Ivy League institution he
students an Ivy League institution he
students an Ivy League institution he shared with us the importance of carving
shared with us the importance of carving
shared with us the importance of carving your own path when you are first so that
your own path when you are first so that
your own path when you are first so that others could be there too he put up iron
others could be there too he put up iron
others could be there too he put up iron signs words those who have the privilege
signs words those who have the privilege
signs words those who have the privilege to act do know have the duty to act and
to act do know have the duty to act and
to act do know have the duty to act and it was all a moment of clarity for me
it was all a moment of clarity for me
it was all a moment of clarity for me for years I’ve been watching
for years I’ve been watching
for years I’ve been watching undocumented youth speak up publicly
undocumented youth speak up publicly
undocumented youth speak up publicly while people like my parents were
while people like my parents were
while people like my parents were working day in and day out how could I
working day in and day out how could I
working day in and day out how could I sit here in this lecture hall and do
sit here in this lecture hall and do
sit here in this lecture hall and do nothing
nothing
nothing no it was my duty to speak up about
no it was my duty to speak up about
no it was my duty to speak up about being undocumented to influence the very
being undocumented to influence the very
being undocumented to influence the very policies that affected my communities
policies that affected my communities
policies that affected my communities and so I became deeply involved
and so I became deeply involved
and so I became deeply involved immigrant rights activism I vote about
immigrant rights activism I vote about
immigrant rights activism I vote about my immigration story I testified at the
my immigration story I testified at the
my immigration story I testified at the State Capitol and in support of in-state
State Capitol and in support of in-state
State Capitol and in support of in-state financial aid here in California and to
financial aid here in California and to
financial aid here in California and to limit ice and police collaboration and I
limit ice and police collaboration and I
limit ice and police collaboration and I learned through all of that that if we
learned through all of that that if we
learned through all of that that if we come together as a community even as
come together as a community even as
come together as a community even as undocumented immigrants
undocumented immigrants
undocumented immigrants we could reclaim our agency and in 2012
we could reclaim our agency and in 2012
we could reclaim our agency and in 2012 two years later I graduated with honors
two years later I graduated with honors
two years later I graduated with honors from Berkeley and molecular and cell
from Berkeley and molecular and cell
from Berkeley and molecular and cell biology thank you now by this point I
biology thank you now by this point I
biology thank you now by this point I knew that I wanted to become a doctor
knew that I wanted to become a doctor
knew that I wanted to become a doctor from personal experiences of having very
from personal experiences of having very
from personal experiences of having very little or no access to health care I
little or no access to health care I
little or no access to health care I wanted to become a physician who would
wanted to become a physician who would
wanted to become a physician who would change policies and influence the status
change policies and influence the status
change policies and influence the status quo of how healthcare was delivered and
quo of how healthcare was delivered and
quo of how healthcare was delivered and thereby impacting uninsured low-income
thereby impacting uninsured low-income
thereby impacting uninsured low-income homeless immigrant communities the very
homeless immigrant communities the very
homeless immigrant communities the very same I was a part of and have worked
same I was a part of and have worked
same I was a part of and have worked with yet there were so many unanswered
with yet there were so many unanswered
with yet there were so many unanswered questions is it even possible for me to
questions is it even possible for me to
questions is it even possible for me to go to med school how would I do it and
go to med school how would I do it and
go to med school how would I do it and at that point I always used to joke that
at that point I always used to joke that
at that point I always used to joke that undocumented medical students were like
undocumented medical students were like
undocumented medical students were like unicorns because we would ask around and
unicorns because we would ask around and
unicorns because we would ask around and somebody would say that I had heard of
somebody would say that I had heard of
somebody would say that I had heard of someone that had known of somebody that
someone that had known of somebody that
someone that had known of somebody that went to med school but no one could
went to med school but no one could
went to med school but no one could actually ever find the person and I just
actually ever find the person and I just
actually ever find the person and I just thought they simply didn’t exist and
thought they simply didn’t exist and
thought they simply didn’t exist and that was when I co-founded pre-health
that was when I co-founded pre-health
that was when I co-founded pre-health dreamers an organization with a mission
dreamers an organization with a mission
dreamers an organization with a mission of supporting and document immigrant
of supporting and document immigrant
of supporting and document immigrant students in their health and science
students in their health and science
students in their health and science careers with my colleagues Denise Rojas
careers with my colleagues Denise Rojas
careers with my colleagues Denise Rojas and angel ku and what began as a quest
and angel ku and what began as a quest
and angel ku and what began as a quest to find a unicorn became a community
to find a unicorn became a community
to find a unicorn became a community around the nation that engaged in peer
around the nation that engaged in peer
around the nation that engaged in peer advising in resource sharing and in
advising in resource sharing and in
advising in resource sharing and in advocacy
we pictured to ourselves and asked what
we pictured to ourselves and asked what if and document students could be
if and document students could be
if and document students could be considered equally in their admissions
considered equally in their admissions
considered equally in their admissions to graduate and professional schools
to graduate and professional schools
to graduate and professional schools what if institutions would recognize
what if institutions would recognize
what if institutions would recognize that our lived experiences leave us well
that our lived experiences leave us well
that our lived experiences leave us well equipped to provide exceptional health
equipped to provide exceptional health
equipped to provide exceptional health care and change the systems that have
care and change the systems that have
care and change the systems that have kept us out what if we could recreate
kept us out what if we could recreate
kept us out what if we could recreate that positive energy that I had felt on
that positive energy that I had felt on
that positive energy that I had felt on that rooftop that day at that ceremony
that rooftop that day at that ceremony
that rooftop that day at that ceremony and the more we believed it the more
and the more we believed it the more
and the more we believed it the more schools we apply to the more hearts we
schools we apply to the more hearts we
schools we apply to the more hearts we engage the more champions we found and
engage the more champions we found and
engage the more champions we found and the more policies we changed and six
the more policies we changed and six
the more policies we changed and six years later I am now one of 100 and
years later I am now one of 100 and
years later I am now one of 100 and documented medical students around the
documented medical students around the
documented medical students around the country
[Applause]
[Applause] when I first gone to UCSF I made sure to
when I first gone to UCSF I made sure to
when I first gone to UCSF I made sure to share my story far and wide because I
share my story far and wide because I
share my story far and wide because I wanted every single undocumented student
wanted every single undocumented student
wanted every single undocumented student to know that it was possible and that
to know that it was possible and that
to know that it was possible and that they are not alone
they are not alone
they are not alone and luckily along the way I was able to
and luckily along the way I was able to
and luckily along the way I was able to have everybody that has helped me to
have everybody that has helped me to
have everybody that has helped me to that point be with me I am one of eleven
that point be with me I am one of eleven
that point be with me I am one of eleven million I am one of eight hundred
million I am one of eight hundred
million I am one of eight hundred thousand I’m one of one hundred we’ve
thousand I’m one of one hundred we’ve
thousand I’m one of one hundred we’ve been for the past year in a chapter of
been for the past year in a chapter of
been for the past year in a chapter of crises everyday as an undocumented
crises everyday as an undocumented
crises everyday as an undocumented policies and politics attempt to define
policies and politics attempt to define
policies and politics attempt to define my world the 2016 election wondering
my world the 2016 election wondering
my world the 2016 election wondering which executive order would rescind anka
which executive order would rescind anka
which executive order would rescind anka whether or not Congress will or will not
whether or not Congress will or will not
whether or not Congress will or will not do something these are all examples of
do something these are all examples of
do something these are all examples of that reality but everybody here today
that reality but everybody here today
that reality but everybody here today may not have been undocumented but we
may not have been undocumented but we
may not have been undocumented but we are all a part of a community that has
are all a part of a community that has
are all a part of a community that has faced injustice that have experienced
faced injustice that have experienced
faced injustice that have experienced our rights being questioned and
our rights being questioned and
our rights being questioned and experienced health inequities and so we
experienced health inequities and so we
experienced health inequities and so we must remember that crises are also
must remember that crises are also
must remember that crises are also opportunities we could give up turn the
opportunities we could give up turn the
opportunities we could give up turn the other way or we could take no for an
other way or we could take no for an
other way or we could take no for an answer and use our agency for change so
answer and use our agency for change so
answer and use our agency for change so the question today is how are we all
the question today is how are we all
the question today is how are we all going to engage in the policies and
going to engage in the policies and
going to engage in the policies and politics that allow people like me to
politics that allow people like me to
politics that allow people like me to become American thank you
become American thank you
become American thank you you
”
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