Hello, my name is Karla Núñez Pérez, and I am super excited to be part of SAF this summer. My family and I are from Guerrero, Mexico. We immigrated to North Carolina when I was very young. Since a very young age, I knew I wanted to attend college, something my parents did not have the privilege of doing in our home country. As an undocumented student, however, my dreams of reaching higher education were slim. If it were not for my counselor at my early college high school and TheDream.US, I would not be able to hold two bachelor's degrees today. I owe my accomplishments to them, my friends, and my family.
Being an immigrant in this country is difficult, especially being undocumented. I was fortunate to attend undergrad in the capital of the US, Washington, DC, which allowed me to work closely with organizations that aim at amplifying the voices of the Latine community and immigrants. As a member of United We Dream, I became involved in immigrant rights advocacy in the DMV area. I had the incredible opportunity to intern with organizations such as the National Hispanic Medical Association, the Latino Student Fund, and UnidosUS. I mentored a cohort of undocumented high school students on college and career readiness. Today, three of my students are attending university and living their dreams!
In terms of my dreams, the COVID-19 pandemic solidified my desire to pursue a degree in public health. Since I was little, I have always been in awe of the health field. For the longest time, I thought I wanted to be a doctor, but after discovering the site of blood made me light-headed, that idea went down the drain. I love health and policy and soon found a passion for public health, which merged those two fields quite well. During the pandemic, I lost my abuelito in Mexico. Sadly man-made borders did not allow my family, especially my mom, to grieve. To this day, my family continues to care for what seems to be an eternal wound. My abuelito’s experiences accessing care and my family's lack of healthcare access as immigrants have fueled my desire to pursue a career in public health. This fall, I plan to apply to a public health graduate program focusing on health policy and advocacy. I am eager to continue expanding my knowledge of health inequities and brainstorm innovative solutions.
For me, SAF is a huge opportunity to learn about issues that directly impact my community. My parents have worked as farm workers since we immigrated. Applying to SAF meant working directly with the community that watched me grow and become who I am today. It meant advocating for the rights of my parents, aunts, and uncles. Completing my undergraduate degree in DC was impactful as I experienced lobbying, policy writing, and advocacy. Although that work is meaningful, I did miss the local and community-based aspects. I know this level of work will take a toll on my mental health. For that reason, a priority of mine is to focus on my overall well-being. I aim to give myself grace and use writing as a tool to process my feelings. I also hope living in Morganton this summer will push me to take advantage of the beautiful outdoors with my roommate, Sarah.
I am excited to see where this opportunity takes me and all I will learn!
Written by Karla Núñez Pérez, ITF student 2024
