- I used to be an undocumented immigrant.
Now I get the opportunity to give back.
This is a door that's opened for me.
I was raised in America.
I don't remember Mexico.
My parents brought me over when I was two years old,
but I knew this was my home.
It was very scary, because just in the back of my mind
I could always feel someone looking over my shoulder.
I could get deported at any moment.
When I graduated from High School,
and I was applying to schools, and I got a full ride
but I wasn't able to get the scholarship
just because I wasn't an American citizen.
My step mom applied for me to get my green card,
and from there I had to go back to Mexico
to do the whole process.
My dad told me you'll be there for three months,
and you'll come back.
It turned out to be two years.
I didn't know how to call my parents.
Didn't have any money.
I didn't know when I was gonna be able
to come back to the states.
I got a job and they were paying me a dollar a day,
but with the money I would make I would support my grandma.
Every moment when I was there I was like,
I'm never coming back, I'm gonna get denied.
It was a dark place that I was in.
The happiest moment of my life was when I got my documents.
I cried, I cried tears of joy because this.
I dropped it off to the immigration officer,
and he said, "welcome to the United States."
I felt that I had a home again.
I made it, you know?
I just felt like this wolf in a cage,
just ready to start life and start living.
And I knew that I had to start over.
And starting over meant going back to community college.
I would think about when I was in class,
all the time, like I'm doing this for my baby brother.
I'm doing this for my mom and all her struggles.
For my parents, because they had never gone to college.
For all the times that they like cried,
for all the times that they like had no money,
and that's why I was like, you know what,
I'm good enough and I'm gonna do it.
When I walked across the stage it felt surreal.
This was something that I wanted my entire life,
and I was super proud of myself
'cause I was like, I did it.
It all just hit me when I was getting my diploma,
I was like, this is it.
This is a new phase in my life, maybe I can help my parents,
or maybe I can help people find their path,
and their way in this world.
The app that I'm developing is called Lavos.
It would help immigrant people assimilate
and learn the language quicker.
How do you ask questions to a police officer?
What are your rights?
What are the government services that are out there?
We could put it in the app.
It's something that I wish my parents had
because I feel like language allows people
to access opportunity.
I think that's the purpose of my life is give others
the opportunity to speak out and give them
the building blocks to fulfill their potential in life
because this is what I didn't have.
And this is what I wanted
to give to other people, is a voice.
Alright, where am I going?
Oh my God, hey.
Oh my God, like what's going on?
- We're just really proud of you,
and all that you've overcome,
and the person that you are now,
and the person that you're continuing to become.
And we know that this is just the beginning for you.
And we're just excited to continue on
with your journey, so we just wanted to gather around you,
give you love, just give you encouragement.
- It all just hit me at that point.
It's very overwhelming.
A lot of things have happened in each of these photos,
and it hits me hard.
- You're an inspiration to me.
Every time I look at you I can tell that nothings impossible
as long as you put in the effort.
- You've been nothing but a brother to me,
and I'm so lucky to have met someone like you
who radiates happiness.
- What you've overcome and how you've persevered.
And this is the start of something great for you.
- As your father I should have taught you about life,
about many things, but I think at the end of the day
you have taught me more than anybody else.
Let me tell you something.
I just wanna let you know that we got this for you.
There is no words for me to express
all the emotions that I have right now.
I hope that this is gonna be the beginning of everything.
- I used to be an undocumented immigrant,
now this is a new phase of my life.
I get the opportunity to give back to communities
that have given me so much.
It's up to you to take initiative.
It's up to you to be the trail blazer,
because no one's gonna do it for you.