Undocu-Week Student Stories: Gladys As part of Undocu-Week, we’ve asked Undocumented Students to share their stories and explain what it means to have support from our allies. Today we’re sharing the story of Gladys Cortez. In my life I have had the pleasure to be mentored and supported by people who even if they didn’t understand by first hand experience, acknowledged the differences in my struggles as an undocumented person and did what they had in their power to make it a little easier for me. I don’t mean by giving me money or free material things, but by giving me advise, sharing with me information they thought might help me, or just listening to my story. That is what an ally is to me. Without the support from allies, It would not have been as easy to have the courage to tell my story, to learn to be okay with my status and how it has shaped me as a person. They, as much as my fellow undocumented folks, are a part of my community, my family.
As part of Undocu-Week, we’ve asked Undocumented Students to share their stories and explain what it means to have support from our allies. Today we’re sharing the story of Gladys Cortez. In my life I have had the pleasure to be mentored and supported by people who even if they didn’t understand by first hand experience, acknowledged the differences in my struggles as an undocumented person and did what they had in their power to make it a little easier for me. I don’t mean by giving me money or free material things, but by giving me advise, sharing with me information they thought might help me, or just listening to my story. That is what an ally is to me. Without the support from allies, It would not have been as easy to have the courage to tell my story, to learn to be okay with my status and how it has shaped me as a person. They, as much as my fellow undocumented folks, are a part of my community, my family.