In the summer of 2007, my family and I had made the move from Las Vegas, Nevada to California. We arrived without a plan nor a secure place to stay. Consequently, all of our belongings were placed in a storage, as we dwelled in numerous hotels over a period of several months until we were able to afford and move into an apartment. 

The cause for our move was a better education. Clark County, the district for all of Las Vegas, is known to be the worst school district in the nation out of all 50 states. My parents believed if we relocated, my sibling and I would have a better chance of receiving a higher education. A pull factor for coming to California was the fact it had some of the best school districts in the nation; My parents firmly believed that the higher rank of the school would give us a better future and further lower our chances of falling into poverty.  Another reason for our move to California was my parents’ attempt to keep my siblings and I out of trouble. 

One of the challenges my family faced was adapting to California’s high cost of living. We transitioned from a two story, three bedroom rented house in Nevada costing $1200 per month, to a two-bedroom apartment in Chino Hills, California costing $1800 per month. My parents sacrificed their jobs to move out here and had to rebuild their careers. Now attending California University State Fullerton, this image represents the better opportunities of education my parents gave me by their sacrifices, which allowed me to become a first-generation college student. 
 

– Dejanae Sturges

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