In 1995, with the Movimiento Estudiantil Latino school club, we organized a protest against the 187 Initiative, which seeked to cut off basic services like education and health resources for all immigrants that did not have permanent residence or citizenship status, such as me. To the peaceful protests, I took my sister María, who appears here with a white cap.

During our walk along the streets of Los Angeles, California, we demanded to have the 187 initiative dismissed. For people to vote against it. That initiative would affect thousands of immigrant teenagers like me, obstructing them from getting a university education. Mr. Chavez was our class teacher and the mentor in the Movimiento Estudiantil Latino students club.