My name is Tony Ortuno, and I am currently studying to attain my Bachelors Degree in Political Science at California State University, Long Beach. My journey in pursuit of higher education began at Santa Ana Community College, where I met amazing DREAMers and allies. Through out my journey, I constantly struggled to find a means to pay for college, but have been deeply fortunate to have worked, received scholarships and parental aid. My most recent experience was this past summer, where I worked two part time jobs in order to pay off my fall tuition fees.
As a fourth year college student, my graduation day is rapidly approaching, which means I will not see the automatic benefits of AB 131. Although the bill won’t take effect until after my graduation date, there will always be students, current or incoming, in the educational system who are in need of AB 131. The struggle will continue and as a future graduate, I will continue advocating for our rights in our community.