My name is Sonia Gomez and I support AB 131. I am the youngest and first in my family to attend college. I’m proud to say that without the help of my family, countless professors and other people in my life, I wouldn’t be where I am right now. Not being able to have access to any kind of aid or financial aid, being blocked from being a part of associations/groups, whose purpose is to help you pay for your books and supplies, having no access to grants, not being able to enroll as a full time student because we have to work in order to pay for school, are just some of the numerous obstacles I’ve encountered during my college years.
All these obstacles haven’t stopped me. I’ve just been accepted to Cal Poly Pomona as a Business Administration major, where I will pursue my career as a Database Administrator. One thing that I have always known, is that I will never give up on my studies, no matter how long it would take me to finish or how many more obstacles I encounter on my way. Thanks to people that made AB131 possible, I can now say that those obstacles that I listed, are out of the way and I can now concentrate solely in school. Enroll as a full time student like I always wanted and thus set an example to those who are still in the shadows. I want to help them overcome their fears, so that they can pursue a better life and attain an education, because where there’s a will, there’s a way.