Monica Cornejo

At six years old, I immigrated to the United States from Jalisco, Mexico. Since then, I’ve been residing in California where I obtained my Bachelor’s in Psychology and Master’s in Communication. Currently, I am pursing a doctorate in Communication at the University of California, Santa Barbara. My research focuses on the experiences of undocumented immigrants. As an undocumented immigrant, I hope that my research can help create resources and tools for other undocumented immigrants—not just those who are labeled as “DREAMers”, but for all. I hope that this research can help undocumented immigrants gain upward mobility and reduce the stressors that our statuses create in our daily lives. #UndocumentedandUnafraid #SiSePuede

For me, UndocuProfessional means being able to use our different experiences and gained knowledge to help our communities have better lives.

The two recommendations that I can give UndocuStudents are: (1) Don’t be afraid to network and ask for help. Others’ gained experiences and knowledge can be helpful as we navigate spaces that were meant to keep us out; and, (2) Don’t stop being positive and hopeful. Our hope, positivity, and resilience are capable of moving oceans and mountains.