Violet Needs Your Help

To My Community,

My name is Violet and I need you! Being a former foster youth and first-generation
undocumented student ignites my soul. I am determined to break cycles and make a bigger
impact in the world by pursuing a career in the legal system. I graduated from San Jose Community College in May 2022, and earned my Associates Degrees in Liberal Studies, Criminal Justice, and Sociology.  I’m continuing my studies now at University of California, Santa Cruz where I’m pursuing a B.A. degree in Legal Studies. While living in San Jose, I’ve gone to Santa Cruz on mini vacations and day trips on the weekends with family, but I’ve never stayed for more than a few days. This is a big step in my life, and in reaching my dreams. To transport myself and continue to work on my aspirations, I bought a car back in 2020. Due to my limited resources as a full-time student, I bought an inexpensive used car with the hopes that I’d get my dream car once I graduate college. All I needed this car to do was get me through my final years of college, but the car didn’t have the same commitment to me that I have to
college. This car has taken a huge toll on me as it’s in the shop on a regular basis, resulting in financial barriers as well as challenges managing everyday commitments (such as school and work).

As I’m struggling to reach my goals, I am beginning to drown in debt. I’ve always worked full time prior to starting at UCSC, but I decided to reduce my hours to part time in the hopes that I could dive into my studies and take full advantage of my education. Recently, however, I was forced to pick up an additional seasonal position to help me pay for my car repairs and was laid-off after 6 weeks of seasonal work. In addition to being laid-off, during this stressful time of trying to balance school and find part-time work, I was a victim of a mugging at gunpoint. After another day of long hours and exhaustion, I found myself at gun point outside my banks ATM, being forced to give the little money that I had managed to save. So many fears went through my mind, “What if I am killed?” “How will I have enough money to even survive the next couple months or year?” “How can this be happening?”. Being forced to give what money I had left was devastating and tore me up inside.

I feel like every time I try to succeed, or see the light to a brighter future, I get knocked down again. My car is currently in the shop, and I’m in this never-ending cycle of paying for repairs, only to have it break down weeks or days later.  I’m seeking help to pay for another car, help me replenish the little savings that I had for college, and honestly some assistance that can help me for a while until I deal with the trauma I am dealing with due to this mugging. I am afraid to work at this point and I am trying to find a job on campus at this moment. As a former foster youth, I struggle with asking for assistance, but I’m not sure what else I can do at this point, Razing the Bar is helping but they only have so many financial resources they offer.  Please help me not be another statistic. 

I sincerely need you,
Violet