When Evelin Suarez Martinez wanted to apply to colleges in her senior year of high school, she didn’t know if it would be possible.
“As an undocumented student, I thought I might not be able to enroll in post-secondary institutions. But through my mentor, Herman Soto Acevedo, I learned college and financial aid were possible for me,” said Suarez Martinez.
Suarez Martinez chose to attend DVC, and also joined the Puente Learning Community.
“As a first-generation undocumented Latina, I was terrified because I didn’t have anyone close to me who had attended college, but I decided to give it a try,” said Suarez Martinez.
Suarez Martinez credits the support she received from the DVC DREAMers Alliance and the Puente program for helping her feel more comfortable, confident, and like she belonged at DVC.
“During my first semester, I didn’t know anyone who was undocumented, and I was scared to share my status. Receiving information and resources from the DREAMers Alliance and attending Puente classes taught by teachers who looked like me made me more interested in school,” said Suarez Martinez.
During her time at DVC, Suarez Martinez made numerous connections with students with shared backgrounds and experiences. She also developed a passion for helping students, volunteering for the DREAMers Alliance and serving as a peer counselor for the Puente Program while receiving stipends each semester from the Dream Act Service Grant.
“After earning my associate in arts in sociology from DVC, I plan to transfer to obtain a bachelor’s degree in Chicano Studies.” said Suarez Martinez.
While the support system for undocumented students in higher education is still in its beginning stages, DVC is making important inroads.
“The DVC DREAMers Alliance volunteers work year-round to create a safe and secure environment for undocumented students. The alliance hosts events that build community and create a support system for DREAMers,” said Juan Huerta Villicana, Volunteer Tri-Chair for the DREAMers Alliance and Department Chair for the Early Childhood Education Program at DVC.
Get Involved
“I joined the Associated Students of Diablo Valley College (ASDVC). Collaborating on projects and helping host events enabled me to meet a lot of students and make meaningful connections,” said Helena Suarez-Kaminska.
Suarez-Kaminska applied to four-year universities as a high school senior but was disappointed to not be accepted to her top choices, and to not be awarded enough financial aid to attend at that time.
“My sister inspired me to go to community college because she started at community college and then got into her dream school, so I looked into DVC. I’m now majoring in environmental science, and plan to transfer to earn my bachelor’s degree,” said Suarez-Kaminska.
Suarez-Kaminska found the more involved she became on campus, the more meaningful it was to see the progress she had made from her first year, and the more connected she felt within the DVC community.
“I have met students that have fallen behind in certain subjects or were overwhelmed with the college workload. It’s important to reach out in those moments to either professors or tutoring centers. What has made a significant difference for me as well as some of my peers is trying to be involved with DVC events and activities,” said Suarez-Kaminska.
Her Second Home
“There are many times I have felt left out of society, especially because of my legal status, but I had to get out of my comfort zone to find places where I belong,” said Glenda Navarro, an allied health major at DVC who plans to become a pediatric nurse.
Navarro recommends all students join at least one club, and notes that DVC makes it “almost impossible” to not join a club or program, given the numerous flyers on campus and links on the DVC website.
“As students and adults, we have to advocate for ourselves to find a place that we can call our second home,” said Navarro.
Navarro really enjoys the Puente program. She feels welcomed and supported and has made many friends.
“A quote we use is ‘Tu eres mi otro yo,’ which means ‘you are my other self.’ Puente has taught me so much more than that. They have helped bring out the good student that had been hiding in me for so many years,” said Navarro.
A Sacred Space
“Inclusion and belonging means to create sacred spaces where students feel heard, seen, and validated. Sacred space means there is a particular level of deference, respect and honor given to that physical location,” said Dr. Eric Handy, Interim Dean of Student Equity and Engagement.
Handy feels it imperative that DVC students have sacred spaces on campus where they can express their voice and have free thought.
“Some of our students find their home environment is not a safe space for them. This can be particularly true for DREAMers, students that are fluid with their gender, PRIDE students, students from low-income backgrounds, and historically underrepresented minority groups,” said Handy.
Handy feels the college needs to look beyond traditional institutional outcomes metrics.
“Success for these students is that they continue to show up. They visit one of our student centers or the PUMA Center or our new Inclusivity and Wellness Center and they see students and faculty who look like them. They utilize our available resources and that changes their perspective. That changes the trajectory of their lives,” said Handy.
Find Yourself Here
“Inclusion is about bringing students into the fold, welcoming them as part of the DVC community. Belonging goes beyond that – it’s where a student is more than just included, they feel that they belong here, that this place is for them. I hope all our students, including students from marginalized communities and communities historically underrepresented in higher education, feel that they belong at DVC,” said James Wilson, professor of English and LGBTQ Studies at DVC.
Wilson understands that sometimes students come to DVC without having had a place where they can fully be themselves.
“Queer and trans students may or may not be out at home, and they may or may not have a support network of friends to help them feel safe. It can be scary to own your own identity when you are not sure if you will be accepted by those around you,” said Wilson.
Wilson hopes that queer and trans students find a sense of safety and belonging at DVC, supported by the Community of Pride learning community, the Pride Student Association, and now the Inclusivity and Wellness Center.
“When students feel safe, they are more likely to not just succeed but thrive. If you know about Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, you know that safety is extremely basic. Belonging and love come right after safety. If we can help students feel safe and loved, we can help them succeed in reaching their goals,” said Wilson.
A New Sacred Space: The DVC Inclusivity and Wellness Center
The new Inclusivity & Wellness Center (IWC) is a collaborative effort with Associated Students of DVC (ASDVC), ensuring that DREAMers, LGBTQIA+ students, students from immigrant communities, historically underrepresented students, and students from low-income backgrounds have access to resources and support in a welcoming, sacred space.
“The center has a vibrant student-created mural with artistic representations of the DVC community. There are butterflies, a Black Power fist, different representations of DREAMers and the meaning of social justice. There are also glorious art pieces that have been dedicated to us from an artist that does social justice and DREAMers work,” said Handy.
Students can access important services and resources that are co-located together.
“The new health center space offers free wellness and support services. Cubicles serve as private spaces for DREAMers to receive free immigration legal services, and for PRIDE students to receive counseling and support. Students can also access financial literacy support from SparkPoint,” said Handy.
Handy notes that students were actively involved in planning the space.
“The center has a beautiful lounge area with movable furniture, enabling students to create the space they need. Overall, the center offers a cross-cultural space that exudes empathy and solidarity for all who enter,” said Handy.
Handy understands students need spaces and curriculum that help them see they aren’t alone in the world.
“In comfortable spaces, there’s an era of us, there’s a way we show up, the way we pour into each other. These spaces help students feel seen, heard, and that makes them continue to come back to school,” said Handy.
For more information, visit DVC Inclusivity and Wellness Center.
Learning Communities at DVC
Don’t go it alone! If you’d like to connect with other students and faculty who share your interests and concerns, you’ll want to join a learning community!
- Tembo Leaders: An African American Men’s Collective
- Early Childhood Education Professional Development Cohorts
- First Year Experience Program
- Linked Classes
- MESA Program
- Program for Adult Education (PACE)
- Community of Pride
- Puente Program
- Umoja Program
- Year Up Bay Area
To learn more, visit Learning Communities.
