Aliento Features: Miah Gomez
Tell us about yourself
I come from a mixed-status family and Hispanic heritage. I am a first-generation Mexican-American. I enjoy reading and writing poetry, playing piano, building Legos, and working on my car.
Why does the work we are doing matter to you?
The work at Aliento matters to me because it is long-term, transformational work that will benefit an entire community of people like my parents. It is a way of using my ability to vote to create real change for my community and loved ones who can’t all do the same.
The time I spent pushing for Prop 308 has bound an emotional connection to the passing of that proposition. However, another policy very important to me is occupational licenses for undocumented individuals. My father, who has created an entire construction business, found employees, and gathered a loyal clientele all apart from immigrating to the States by himself and learning English, has never been able to acquire appropriate licensing to grow his business larger and safely. I have friends that are students at different trade schools who aren’t able to acquire appropriate licenses even with the same credentials and schooling as other students.
What moments from the fellowship are you most proud of?
I am most proud of moments where I got to canvas and phone bank with Arizonians about a policy that they didn’t know existed and/or disagreed with. Through this, I had the chance to witness the possibility of a change of heart and mind. I learned that no matter how common a story may be or familiar a trauma may be, every experience is personal and unique because it will never be perceived in the same exact way as any other person. This is why storytelling is so important in this world, not only in advocacy but more simply, in all human relationships. Life is about continuously evolving. There is always something to learn from someone, even yourself, so keep speaking of your traumas through with others and with yourself and never let it define you. Instead, let it help others and yourself to grow.
How did the Prop 308 campaign impact you?
October 12th, 2019
At the age of 13, my father left his family, crossed an unsafe border, learned English, and worked underpaying jobs to give his children a better future.
When I turned 13, my father flew me out of state to visit one of my dream colleges.
He gave up his childhood so that I’d never have one like his. At 13, he thought of me and my future and sacrificed his own for it.
I wrote that freshman year when former President Trump initiated the zero-tolerance policy. Each time he’d drop me off at school could’ve been the last time I’d see him. On the more anxious days, I’d go to the restroom to cry or ride my bike home a little faster. I had classmates who dreaded not just their parent’s deportation but their own. I asked myself what the difference was between them and me, a Mexican American citizen? We both faced injustices of an unfair Naturalization process, and our entire lives have depended on a set of papers. I became president of the club Aliento and a fellow at the actual non-profit organization that advocates for undocumented and DACA students to prove there wasn’t a difference between us. During the passing of Prop 308, I advocated, protested, and canvassed, informing thousands of Arizona citizens. By telling my story, I changed hearts, minds, and votes. I asked voters to think of the futures of others, as my father thought of mine when making their decision on election day. We won!
Prop 308 has helped me realize that through sharing my personal experiences and learning from others, I can come to understand my own definition of life and where I fit in it, no matter who has told me I don’t. I learned in seeking perspective; you will find glimpses of understanding. By majoring in journalism and political science, I wish to provide perspective for people. With my hope and passion for writing, I’ll share valuable stories so that every one of us does not only think of ourselves each November eighth but others in tandem.
What’s next for you?
With every opportunity I have today as a first-generation American, I acknowledge that it came at the cost of at least one sacrifice my parents made in the past. My dreams have been wished for by more than just myself and have been worked for by not only my own efforts but generations before me. Because my dreams are also my parents' dreams, my ambition is shared with them as well. I am determined to accomplish all of them because my success is just as much mine as it is theirs.
I plan to major in political science and journalism at UH Manoa in the fall semester and continue learning how to advocate for important issues and prioritize my community. I plan to continue writing to provide perspective and listening to provide myself with it as well.
