Last summer, Aliento selected 7 talented and brilliant students to make up the second cohort of Aliento’s Fellowship. Throughout the academic year, you have seen them be featured on our Aliento Voices, our social media, local and national news, and active members of the Aliento Team. The conclusion of this month will bring with it the end of their Fellowships with Aliento and, to honor their dedication to the organization, we will be featuring them on our blog. Here is one of the Aliento Fellows:

I am Araceli Lopez. I was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. I am a graduating Senior at Xavier College Preparatory High School.

I am one of three children, one being my twin sister and the other being my older sister. We live with my mother and are all very close. In my free time, I like to spend time with friends and family, go for runs/hike, drink boba/coffee, watch movies, listen to music, and create new memories!

1. How did you hear about Aliento, and why did you choose Aliento?

I first heard about Aliento in my sophomore year of high school when a friend of mine invited me to the EDUCATED AF campaign launch event at ASU. I immediately became intrigued when hearing what Aliento was about and their mission as an organization ready to help those who lack immigration status. I decided to choose Aliento because, from that day, I knew this organization focused on the well being of the undocumented and DACA community. Their energy was very positive, honest, and full of love.

As time passed, I decided to apply for the fellowship because I had been previously involved with them as a summer intern and had attended various events. I knew that I wanted to be a part of this community, in particular helping with the campaign fighting for in-state tuition for those who lack an immigration status. This became my passion because education has been something I have valued my entire life. My mother did not have the opportunity to attend high school because she came to the US, so she always emphasized to my sisters and I that education is essential to create a future and be successful.

I have been lucky enough to receive scholarships throughout my education and have the opportunity to pursue higher education. Seeing that some of my peers were not able to have this opportunity simply because they cannot provide certain documentation broke my heart. They have lived here for the majority of their life, have had similar experiences, and work as hard as we do to pursue their education, so the limitation of their pursuit of higher education is unfair and unethical. I knew something had to be done and seeing that Aliento provided an opportunity to advocate for this injustice immediately grasped my attention.

3. What are some of the things you’ve learned as a fellow? Why was it important?

As a fellow, I have learned various things that revolve around the importance of organization, communication, and hard work. These are important because the organization is key when it comes to planning an event; communication is essential to keep the team updated, receive advice, and provide feedback. Lastly, hard-work is important because I learned that staying dedicated to your responsibilities is crucial in following through with events; putting in your energy to what you do is what can make and break an event and although there might be some obstacles in the way, it is necessary to keep your head up and continue the journey forward.

4. What are some moments within the fellowship that you are most proud of?

Some of the moments I am most proud of that occurred within the fellowship are working with the fellows to get 300 students from 30 different schools to attend Education Day at the capitol, partnering with Advocacy Club to create events on campus, forming a connection with Xavier to allow more Xavier students involvement, and creating the EDUCATED AF > COVID-19, which was our last event as follows throughout the hardships of this pandemic

5. Besides Aliento, what else were you involved with at school? What did you?

Throughout high school, I was also involved in student council and diverse clubs, but one I took leadership in was Advocacy Club. I was able to invite Xavier students to partake in this club with Brophy. I worked with the club to spread awareness on social issues that occurred around the community. Some of these issues were on immigration with the DreamOn Campaign, homelessness with Hope for Hospitality in partnering with Andre House, and environmental issues our society faces.

6. Would you recommend the fellowship? Why?

I would truly recommend this fellowship to other students because it has been one of the best things that has happened to my senior year. This fellowship taught me ways to overcome obstacles and the importance of learning from mistakes to help you grow as an individual. Not only did I learn detailed information about the policy, logistics of creating events or information on DACA/undocumented students, but also about those personal stories within the community and how to form meaningful relationships among my peers. I was able to hear narratives from different members of my community which allowed me to create personal connections and grow in friendships. This fellowship augmented my passion for social justice and I am blessed to call Aliento my second family.

7. What’s next for you?

Today, I am getting ready to attend Barrett at Arizona State University in the fall. I will be majoring in Biological Sciences and will be a part of the Leadership Scholarship Program. I am excited to be a part of a new community and am looking forward to making connections as well as enhancing my involvement within the school and community as a whole.

Aliento Feature: Araceli Lopez