Student

Validating My Parents' Sacrifice: The Story of a First-Generation Mexican American Law Student

LUCIANA PEREZ

Estudiantes de primera generación de padres inmigrantes enfrentan desafíos únicos. Muchos de nosotros aprendemos a vivir con el miedo a la deportación. Igualmente, vivimos con la dificultad de dominar la barrera del idioma. Pero al mismo tiempo, estos son los desafíos que nos enseñan a luchar por la justicia para los demás y que nos moldean para ser quienes somos. Growing up with an undocumented parent always set me apart from everyone else. I was not a normal kid who went to elementary school, did homework, and asked my parents to sign my fieldtrip permission slip. I knew I was different because I had to take extra steps in every single endeavor. I would go to school and work with a Spanish assistant to learn English in kindergarten. While working on my homework at home, if I got stuck on something, there was no one in my house who could help because no one spoke English. And asking for my mom’s signature on a permission slip meant that I had to read the form, translate it for her, and fill it out. These are just a few of the challenges and nuances that most first-generation Latinx students are all too familiar with. For me, these challenges started early in my life and continued to follow me into adulthood and into law school. As a child, I feared that my mom would someday be deported and my family would be separated. My most memorable experience with this fear happened when I was about eight years old. My mom and I would go to the grocery store every Sunday after Mass. This Sunday in particular, my mom handed me a little black purse to carry and put some papers in. She told me it was not safe for her to leave the house that day because there were immigration raids in the area. She could be in danger if she were found to be undocumented. She proceeded to tell me that I was a U.S. citizen and that the papers inside the purse were my birth certificate and the grocery list for me to read to my dad. The level of fear and anxiety I felt when my dad and I returned from the store is something that I will never forget. As we drove up to our house, I looked for signs that everything was okay. I was afraid I would not find my mom or siblings in the house. I imagined what I would do if they were taken: would I still go to school or would I also go to Mexico? Thankfully, nothing happened that day, and my mom was safe. But I can remember thinking about that fear the next day when I was at school. I did not want to play at recess, eat my lunch, or learn any more English words. Everyone else seemed to be so normal, so unlike me. Another challenge first-generation students face is the language barrier. Because Spanish was my first language, learning English was an additional layer in my education and something that to this day I continue to develop. In my first year of law school, I struggled with reading comprehension. It took me longer to read and understand cases compared to others. It has taken me two years to learn how to make good use of the time I have on the weekend to work through my readings, outline, and study. And although I do not have a lot of extra time, I have continued to develop my

reading and writing skills by accepting every opportunity to do so. This is the second year that I am a part of a moot-court team, which has allowed me to improve my reading and writing skills while getting a glimpse of the appellate work I hope to do one day. The core of appellate advocacy is research and writing, and I know it is something I must continue to improve. I am confident that the endeavors I am a part of will undoubtedly pay off. When I was extended a judicial externship at the Court of Criminal Appeals this past summer, I was able to take yet another opportunity to improve my reading and writing. I was able to write a legal memo and draft a summary opinion for my supervising attorney. Seeing a copy of the order when it was sent out was one of the best moments in my law school career. I also volunteered at the Oklahoma County Public Defender's Office, where I was able to draft motions and attend court proceedings. These experiences have made me a better and more confident student. There is a level of imposter syndrome that all law students deal with, but when I speak to other first-generation law students, it is evident that our imposter syndrome is magnified by being the first people in our families to have reached this level of education. I am encouraged and inspired by Latinas, such as Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who have encountered adversity in the legal field and yet have reached incredible heights. Due to the challenges my parents faced as immigrants, I feel a duty to help others facing adversity. I believe most people go to law school to help others, but this is particularly true for first-generation students. In a way, I am vindicating my parents’ sacrifice of migrating to this country. I am righting the wrongs they experienced. I am deeply connected to social justice causes that remind me of the people I want to help. My parents, in their own way, sought justice for our family. They migrated to this country to provide a better life for my siblings and me. In turn, I plan to use my law degree to help others and make a positive impact on their lives. I have my circumstances and my immigrant parents to thank for this goal. I dedicate my fight for justice to my dad, Roberto Perez, who passed away May 21, 2021.