Defying Statistics

Name: Erika Perez

Major: Masters Student in Public Policy

When I had Nathan at the age of 16, I was immediately labeled as a statistic. As a young teen parent, everyone assumed that I had no further opportunities to make it or be successful in life. People looked at me differently, treated me differently, and I was constantly told, “ You’re not going to be able to do it” or “Are you even going to graduate?” My family turned their backs on me, telling me that I had failed them. The negativity I received that surrounded me left me feeling more hopeless and alone than ever. I was trapped in a toxic environment where I was looked down upon, and gradually I began to internalize the negativity and question my capabilities.

During this time, I found comfort, support, and motivation through my close friends, who really allowed me to step back and approach the situation from a bigger perspective. I realized that everything I did from that point on, everything that I achieved and fought for would be for my son. I promised myself that I would graduate high school and that I would walk across the stage with my college diploma in the coming years. I wanted a bright and successful future for my son.

Upon graduating high school, I decided that attending a community college would provide greater flexibility to balance my full-time job, school, and my child. Being a big believer in finding alternative routes, I sought for resources that would support me personally, mentally, and physically. On top of my friends, I was introduced to organizations such AltaMed Youth Services, a community program for teen parents and Puente, an outreach program for first generation students on learning how to utilize resources around you to reach success. Prior to transferring to UCR, I reached out to R’Kids and the Women’s Resource Center, all of which provided much guidance and support. Through these organizations, I met with various student-parents and was really able to grasp and see how they balanced both school and their child; and hearing others going through similar struggles really gave me that extra boost and motivation that I needed.

The jump from my community college to UCR was arduous, mainly because of the fast-paced quarter system and the fact that Nathan and I were in a new environment. The transition from a semester to a quarter made everything go way faster, and on top of that, I had no car so Nathan and I had to rely on public transportation every day to go to his school, to UCR, and back to where we were living. But the biggest challenge that I faced was time management and trying to balance academics, work, and my child. I wanted to give Nathan 100% of my focus, but I was trying my best to focus on myself also in terms of graduating and on my future. Sleepless nights became a norm because I would take care of Nathan, put him to sleep, and then focus on my studies.

Today, Nathan often attends my upper division classes with me when I cannot find a babysitter; and he will sit and jot down the notes that my professor projected. I try to get him involved in various extracurricular activities as much as I can to help him develop well-rounded skills and interests. He has developed good studying habits and knows to work on his homework as soon as he gets home from school. I have learned to sacrifice much of my free time, and realized that you cannot always do it all.

R’Kids and the Women’s Resource Center provided so much support, and when I have important events to attend, other student parents are always willing to help babysit Nathan. I want to be a role model for him, and him seeing me work hard and dedicating my time and focus into my studies is a small step towards a bigger picture. I know how to balance school and Nathan efficiently and as a passionate student advocate, I want to ensure that he and other young adolescents receive the proper education that they deserve.

Nathan has inspired me to be my own advocate and has taught me to be patient, kind, and to learn to give by heart. I told myself that I would finish my degree, and here I am today a current Graduate Student in the Master of Public Policy Program. I look forward to working in Education Policy and being able to contribute to the success of others. I stuck to my promise, and that is my success. There was so many times where I wanted to give up and drop the ball -- but Nathan kept me going. I have learned to transition challenging moments into something better. Go out and seek guidance. We often think that we know everything, but we don’t.

If you truly want something, go and get it; use those “no’s” as a drive to push yourself. Run your own race at your own pace and never let anyone or anything stand in your way. I’m here today, and I have used the negativity as an incentive to reach success. Being at UCR is my success story. I am not a statistic. Si se pudo!

#studentparent #mastersstudent #whotellsyourstory