My high school diploma is white. It shows that I completed all my levels. It has my name on it, along with the name of my high school in the Dominican Republic and my year of graduation. My high school diploma is not just a piece of paper; it is very significant for me. I am a Dominican girl who moved to New York 2 years ago. I finished high school in my country and I am now attending college in Brooklyn. It was difficult for me to adapt, but when my mom told me that we were going to live in New York, she also said: “All I want you to do is go to college, finish it and be happy with the major that you choose. I want you to get a better life than I had”. I know this is my mother’s dream, so I am trying my best to make it happen, for her and for myself. My high school diploma is the proof that I did it once, and I can do it again. It gives me both pride and courage.

– Viannel Herrera

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