DURING the course of the heated and contentious debate about immigration reform, we have heard how many of our kababayans, who are already US citizens or green card holders characterize Pinoys without legal papers in America as law breakers, leeches sucking up taxpayers’ money, lazy, selfish, pabigat sa America, etc.
This stereotyping is also among the many reasons why many Fil-Ams do not even support the DREAM Act, a legislation that will provide legal status to young undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as young kids, with their “illegal” status not being a fault of their own.
But the story of one such undocumented youth quashes any negative labels given to undocumented immigrants, especially young people who call America their home.
Let me share with you the story of AV David, as we reported on Balitang America’s The Filipino Champion segment.
AV David is one of the mentors whom young adults turn to in the Filipino Community Center in San Francisco, to guide them on applications for college and financial aid.
Twenty-three year old David is the youth coordinator in the center. David told Balitang America that she understands what these young Filipinos are going through.
She has led a tough life as well. She and her two brothers were raised by a single mother, who was once an undocumented immigrant.
David intimated: “I would go with her to clean hotels and houses. It’s a tough job.”
Seeing her mother’s sacrifices pushed David to do well in school.
She was not concerned about boys, hanging out with friends, getting trendy clothes and make-up, nor having a car.
She was laser-focused on her goal: to excel in school and to be able to earn a college degree.
Through hard work and determination, David became the first Filipino to become valedictorian at Westmoor High School in Daly City, California.
She got accepted into Stanford University on a full scholarship, where she studied environmental engineering.
Before graduating last year, she received a special achievement award for her active work in the community.
David was a community co-chair of Stanford’s Pilipino American Student Union. She is also a treasurer for the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns, an organization that fights for immigrant rights and abused workers.
“It’s very empowering to, collectively with others, make change in the community,” said David.
With her Stanford college diploma and impressive resume, David could have applied for a high-paying job after college.
She could have afforded all the material things that her heart desires, after growing up poor and undocumented in America.
Instead, David chose to pay her good fortune forward by helping other young Filipinos achieve their best potentials in life.
With her unconventional life choices, David has become a beacon of hope and inspiration among other young Filipinos, who are dreaming of a better life in America.
The Fil-Ams she mentors said: “To have someone like her who inspires and guides us to a better path, it’s good…. If she can do it, we can do it too.”
For David, the true meaning of success means going above and beyond for other people.
As she shared on Balitang America: “At the end of the day, you know you’ve done your best to serve the community.”
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Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos
