Graduating at the top of her class from Garfield High School in East Los Angeles, Destiny Rivera dreams of becoming an immigration attorney to help her undocumented father and the community without immigration status.
If you can support Destiny with donations, visit their GoFundMe page: Empower a Future Attorney’s Journey.
“I would like to work for a while as an immigration lawyer, and once I have helped enough, go work for the governor or for the government, in an office where I could do even more,” says 18-year-old Destiny.
Destiny is the first to graduate from her small family, which consists of her mother and 15-year-old sister.
Her mother, Susana Carrillo, was born in Los Angeles to parents who emigrated from Mexico; her father, Pedro Pablo Rivera, is a construction worker of Honduran origin.
Destiny graduated with a 4.4 GPA and was the top student at her academy at Garfield High School.
“She is a unique, dedicated, noble girl, focused on what she wants to accomplish and doesn’t let any obstacle knock her down,” says Susana, Destiny’s mother.
She adds that she feels very blessed by God to see her daughter graduate from high school.
“The happiness I feel is something that money cannot buy. It cost us tears of blood, but I achieved it,” she says.
She trusts that she has always instilled in her two daughters her desire to be better than her and to study and prepare to be independent women.
“Let them take care of themselves, and not have to depend on a man.”
Following her graduation, Destiny has mixed feelings. “I’m happy, proud and excited, but at the same time sad that high school is over,” she says.
However, completing this stage in his studies is considered a step forward in what he wants to achieve.
At the end of September, he will begin studying political science at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
“I applied to 17 universities and was accepted by all of them, including UC Berkeley, but I chose ULCA because it is the university of my dreams. I have always wanted to go to UCLA since I was a child. It was one of my teachers, Mr. Perez, who told me about UCLA; and then when I visited it, I liked the campus and seeing that it is a community school.”
The young woman turned down a $20,000 scholarship offered by UC Berkeley to pursue her dream of attending UCLA.
“I am now looking for scholarships for UCLA, because even though I received some aid, I still have to pay $10,000 for the first year, and I made a promise to my mother that I would get scholarships to pay for my tuition,” she says.
She says that her desire to become an immigration lawyer was motivated by her father, an immigrant from Honduras.
“When I was little, I lived in fear of being deported. I remember that one time he was arrested while he was walking. The police spoke to him in English, but he didn’t understand,” she says.
But the motivation to go to university also comes from his mother.
“After she and my dad separated, I saw her sacrifices, and how she fought alone for her two daughters. Seeing her, I say that I can do it.”
He also says that he chose UCLA because he wanted to stay in Los Angeles, because his mother is a little sick.
“She has asthma and arthritis, and she already had a mini-stroke. So I prefer to be close to home, not six or seven hours away. The idea of not being able to be near my mom if something happens worries me.”
Despite all the challenges she faces, Destiny says she feels very blessed and motivated to learn.
“I have always liked having a challenge,” he says.
While she has been a very hard-working student, Destiny has been able to find balance.
“For four years, and since I was in the Middle School I was also a cheerleader. Sometimes we finished rehearsing late and I came home at ten at night to do homework.”
At the same time, there was space for volunteering in homeless shelters and toy distribution, and other social assistance activities.
“I am also actively involved in my church,” he reveals.
After graduating from UCLA, Destiny plans to attend Yale Law School to become an immigration and criminal justice attorney.
He reveals that his family is his greatest inspiration to become someone good.
“I feel very proud when I leave my room and see my mother and little sister, for whom I want to be an example.”