Student Stories: Cecilia Archuleta Diaz

Cecilia Archuleta Diaz

Hi, everyone. My name is Cecilia Archuleta Diaz. I came to this country from Mexico in 1986. At that time, I was 16 years old. At the beginning, it was difficult for me because the language barrier can limit your opportunities. But I overcame this obstacle with the help of ESL classes at LATC.

Thirty years later, I applied for my permanent residency, which I received in 2013. Soon after that, I got my certificate for In-Home Supportive Services. Things have been going very well since then. 

Then a good friend advised me to obtain my U.S. Citizenship. My knowledge of the history and government of the United States was zero. I needed to be prepared for my citizenship interview. So I enrolled in the Citizenship class with the lovely Ms. Nava. 

She insisted that I lose no time in submitting my application. I did so, and her way of teaching made it easy for us to learn. I did a lot of homework and practiced a lot, and also helped my classmates prepare for their interviews. Now I am proud to be a naturalized citizen of the United States. 

I know that my parents didn’t see me achieve my goal, because they passed on to a better life. And they knew the challenges one has to face in a foreign country without benefits. Although my children were born here, my challenge was to create a better future for them.

My next goal is to get my GED certificate. The future is very promising. And if I tell you I can do it, you can too. After all, we are in the United States of America, the land of opportunity. Like Cesar Chavez said: Si se puede!