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A woman reveals she's undocumented at her graduation speech and brings the house down.

After nearly six years in the U.S., Larissa Martinez opened up about her immigration status in the best way possible.

Larissa Martinez graduated valedictorian of her high school class. She had a 4.95 GPA, took 17 AP courses, and earned a full scholarship to Yale.

Photo via WFAA.


And as is tradition for valedictorians, Martinez put together a speech to be delivered during the school's graduation ceremony. When it came time to write her delivered remarks, however, Martinez veered from platitudes about following your dreams and never letting others stand in your way.

Instead, during her speech, she did something completely unexpected: She outed herself as an undocumented immigrant.

Up to that point, only 10 people at her high school knew about her undocumented status. Here she was, a heartwarming success story with a secret she hoped wouldn't mar how her classmates viewed her.


All GIFs via WFAA/McKinney ISD.

Her words clearly resonated with her classmates. She received a thunderous round of applause throughout her speech and a standing ovation at the end.

Martinez has been in the U.S. for nearly six years living with her mom and her sister.

The family fled her mother's abusive husband in Mexico City, hoping to start a new life in America. They never planned on being undocumented, and they tried to do it the "right" way. However, the U.S. immigration system is, sadly and frustratingly, broken. Seven years after applying for citizenship, her family's application still hadn't been processed.

"We are trying to do it the right way, but we don't know how," she told her classmates, asking them to look beyond how the media portrays immigrants, especially during this election season.

Her heartwarming message conveyed hope, calling on people to see immigrants as people, as part of America.

Because if you think about it, what makes her any less entitled to live here than the millions of other Americans whose families immigrated here? Most of us are American citizens by the pure luck of being born here. Why should her dreams be seen as less valid?


And being undocumented can make getting an education even harder, as many of those students struggle with fear of deportation.

A 2015 UCLA study of college students found that, as the result of looming concerns about being deported, many undocumented students struggle with anxiety.

About 29% of undocumented men and about 37% of undocumented women surveyed had an anxiety score above the clinical cutoff level. Those numbers are pretty extreme when you compare them to the rates of anxiety in others surveyed (4% for men and 9% for women).

Photo by WFAA.

She ends her speech with quite a mic drop.

"I ask for all of you to try to look beyond the way in which the media portrays us and the dehumanizing accusations that some politicians have made."

You can watch WFAA's report below, and you can view her whole speech here.


All images provided by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

Collins after being selected by Prudential Emerging Visionaries

True

A changemaker is anyone who takes creative action to solve an ongoing problem—be it in one’s own community or throughout the world.

And when it comes to creating positive change, enthusiasm and a fresh perspective can hold just as much power as years of experience. That’s why, every year, Prudential Emerging Visionaries celebrates young people for their innovative solutions to financial and societal challenges in their communities.

This national program awards 25 young leaders (ages 14-18) up to $15,000 to devote to their passion projects. Additionally, winners receive a trip to Prudential’s headquarters in Newark, New Jersey, where they receive coaching, skills development, and networking opportunities with mentors to help take their innovative solutions to the next level.

For 18-year-old Sydnie Collins, one of the 2023 winners, this meant being able to take her podcast, “Perfect Timing,” to the next level.

Since 2020, the Maryland-based teen has provided a safe platform that promotes youth positivity by giving young people the space to celebrate their achievements and combat mental health stigmas. The idea came during the height of Covid-19, when Collins recalled social media “becoming a dark space flooded with news,” which greatly affected her own anxiety and depression.

Knowing that she couldn’t be the only one feeling this way, “Perfect Timing” seemed like a valuable way to give back to her community. Over the course of 109 episodes, Collins has interviewed a wide range of guests—from other young influencers to celebrities, from innovators to nonprofit leaders—all to remind Gen Z that “their dreams are tangible.”

That mission statement has since evolved beyond creating inspiring content and has expanded to hosting events and speaking publicly at summits and workshops. One of Collins’ favorite moments so far has been raising $7,000 to take 200 underserved girls to see “The Little Mermaid” on its opening weekend, to “let them know they are enough” and that there’s an “older sister” in their corner.

Of course, as with most new projects, funding for “Perfect Timing” has come entirely out of Collins’ pocket. Thankfully, the funding she earned from being selected as a Prudential Emerging Visionary is going toward upgraded recording equipment, the support of expert producers, and skill-building classes to help her become a better host and public speaker. She’ll even be able to lease an office space that allows for a live audience.

Plus, after meeting with the 24 other Prudential Emerging Visionaries and her Prudential employee coach, who is helping her develop specific action steps to connect with her target audience, Collins has more confidence in a “grander path” for her work.

“I learned that my network could extend to multiple spaces beyond my realm of podcasting and journalism when industry leaders are willing to share their expertise, time, and financial support,” she told Upworthy. “It only takes one person to change, and two people to expand that change.”

Prudential Emerging Visionaries is currently seeking applicants for 2024. Winners may receive up to $15,000 in awards and an all-expenses-paid trip to Prudential’s headquarters with a parent or guardian, as well as ongoing coaching and skills development to grow their projects.

If you or someone you know between the ages of 14 -18 not only displays a bold vision for the future but is taking action to bring that vision to life, click here to learn more. Applications are due by Nov. 2, 2023.
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