Paving the Way Forward

Name: Hannah Bosun

Year: 3rd Year

Major: Public Policy

I am third year Public Policy major planning to minor in education. I transferred to UCR in the Fall quarter of 2017. I am currently the vice president of Transfer Outreach and Beyond where we visit our neighboring colleges and serve as student panelists by sharing our personal stories and providing motivation and help on how students who are in similar situations like us; undocumented, can serve and change their communities. I am also an ASUCR Senate intern where we serve the student body to create a better educational environment for our highly diverse student population. I am also an active member of PODER (Providing, Opportunities, Dreams, and Education in Riverside). At PODER, we make it our priority to ensure that every student gets to feel at home and have a platform where they can openly talk about issues that they face. Because of this group, I feel at home and blessed to have the opportunities I have at UCR, it is more than what others like me have had or could even think of having.

My time at UCR has helped me accept who I am, not because of the challenges I have gone through, but because of how far I have come despite those challenges. Here, the sky is the beginning. In the beginning, coming to UCR was just about me but today I realize I represent so many people. Today, I am here for myself, my family and my entire community to show them that they too have a chance to be all that they can be with no limitations.

I am a Nigerian African American immigrant student which means I have to always prove myself of my educational intelligence and benefits. I am also a mother and getting a job to support myself and my twin boys is a real hustle; plus, focusing on school to achieve a better education outcome is a great challenge. Many of the UCR students that are not migrant are right at home which means they have few costs, just students and can easily get part-time jobs. For me, there are places I can’t just demonstrate my rights. Also, the reformation of federal policies over immigration get me scared and full of fear every day I walk the street. I pray everyday that I don’t get judged by the cops because of my skin color, strong accent and hair texture. Aside from this, I study very hard to prove myself worthy of any benefit at school. Trust me the word easy is a great challenging word for me to use.

I am looking forward to a world where we are not limited by our race or origin; a world where my boys do not have to deal with challenges in education, employment or living standards because they are different. That way, I will know I was among those who created a solution and that my struggle was not for nothing.

#whotellsyourstory #immigrant #nigerian #asucr #PODER #transferstudent #transferoutreach