I’M IIBA Stories: FABIOLA

The Immigration Institute of the Bay Area I’M IIBA campaign uplifts the true character and positive contributions of immigrants in the Bay Area. This week we highlight the inspirational story of Fabiola.

MEET FABIOLA

I’M FABIOLA

I was born in Jalisco, México, where I formed many beautiful memories during my childhood. One of my fondest memories was watching my mother pack my daily lunch for Kindergarten, which included her signature meal of salchichas con limón (sausages with lemon) with Yakult.

As a kid I was already a Nomadic soul, and my family and neighbors noticed my independence. They would often  send me to the little corner store to pick up the basic everyday necessities, and I happily always went to run their mandados (errands). 

I’M AN IMMIGRANT

Upon my arrival in the United States, my parents enrolled me into an elementary school to ensure that I could adjust quickly to this foreign environment. At age 7, I overcame my first hurdle: learning my very first English word, shoe. This word profoundly resonated with me because when I was a young child in the first grade, I did not quite know how to tie my shoes. One day these young girls in my grade approached me and walked me through the necessary steps to learn how to tie my shoes, as they constantly repeated the word shoe. 

I watched the sky with much curiosity in the United States, wondering if  they were different from “la luna, las estrellas, y el sol” that I once had known and grown quite fond of in México. As a young girl, my family and I resided in low-income apartments with a high crime rate and substance abuse;

We too eventually became victims of crime. Growing up in a home where alcohol was abused, my siblings and I witnessed the tragic stabbing of our father before our very own eyes. Shortly after,  my younger sister was shot by a stray bullet that landed in our home. All these events caused us trauma. For the longest time, I wanted to give in and allow my environment to mold me into someone that I was not. 

By high school, I took a hard look around and quickly discerned that a significant number of students in my area who also came from low-income and marginalized backgrounds did not go into higher education. Still, I maintained an aspiration of wanting to attend a higher education institution. But didn’t know how to navigate this complex process as an undocumented student. 

My high school counselor Mrs. Freeman and my mentor Mrs. Bennett, supported me in conducting research to discover how someone of my status as a DACA recipient could apply to university. My counselor and mentor were my inspiration, and they did not allow my environment to consume me and transform me into someone who I was not. They taught me that as a Mexican-American low-income woman, I did belong within the world of academia. With my counselor’s unwavering support, I was accepted into many universities; however, I chose to attend Cal State University, East Bay, on a full ride where I studied sociology and graduated with honors and became the first generation college graduate 

I’M A COUNSELOR

Immigrating from México, I felt like I was caught in this unique realm of learning to navigate the in-between, where I did not feel entirely from one place or the other. I chose to embrace living in this state of in-between and proudly represent both of my cultures, which have each contributed to shaping who I am as a person. 

I value helping those around me. As an immigrant, I understand firsthand what it felt like to struggle to find a sense of belonging due to cultural and language barriers. I discovered my passion for helping others during my time at California State University, East Bay, where I immersed myself in the study of sociology and developed a deeper understanding of the factors that shape an individual’s experiences within society. 

This work led me to become a substance abuse counselor at a detention facility. I am now able to support incarcerated individuals struggling with addiction by providing translation, rehabilitation, counseling services, and mental health services. This work is especially fulfilling because it gives me the opportunity to support individuals as they navigate the process of rebuilding their lives and heal their inner child to re-entering society.

I AM AN ADVENTUROUS PERSON

When I was a child, I was extremely scared to go to the airport and travel. As soon as I got my green card, I knew that I had to overcome this fear. When I boarded an airplane for the first time I felt like a bird spreading its wings, finally liberated and free to explore beyond what I had known. I’m a huge travel advocate, regularly visiting cities throughout the United States and countries around the world. I have even begun my own business as a travel consultant where I support individuals with various travel resources to make their travel experience much more easily accessible. 

I also really enjoy spending time with my family and mentoring the younger generation, as they are the next generation of leaders and changemakers. I hope to inspire them to pursue their goals as I was once inspired by my high school counselor. 

My mother and I were introduced to IIBA Attorney Juan Ortiz, who so graciously provided my family with clear and accessible immigration services, making the entire experience less stressful and seemingly easy to navigate. I have known about IIBA for about 10-13 years now, and I can confidently say that this is a tremendous program that prioritized bestowing me with kindness and guidance in a very difficult moment of my life. Thanks to IIBA, I started as DACA, got a work permit and a green card.

I am still actively involved with the IIBA, and I just recently finished the interview stage of my examination. I am now awaiting the opportunity to take and pass the civics exam to become a United States citizen. I am very honored and proud to be a part of the IIBA family because they have been such a great help since the very beginning of my immigration journey. 

I am so very grateful to have the opportunity to share my story with others, because I want others to know that although it may be a difficult journey, it is very possible to achieve all the endeavors an individual has envisioned for oneself. IIBA allowed me to be released from my constraints, where I was able to flourish and spread my wings; because of them, I am no longer afraid to travel and learn more about the unknown that exists within this world.