Convivir Colorado: Marlene's First Generation Dreams

This story product comes from CEC awardee Convivir Colorado. Convivir is dedicated to supporting the positive mental health development of immigrant youth in Colorado. Academics have long tried to quantify the importance of grit, resilience, and perseverance especially as it often served as the way “out of poverty” for most underserved communities. For many of our immigrant communities, this hope has driven them to leave their country of origin in search of something better.

Our first-generation youth grow up with the hope that their parents have instilled in them from a young age. They dream of a better future not only for them but for their families. Marlene’s story exemplifies how her parents' hopes and dreams have also been planted in her. It showcases how her parents' migration has impacted her well-being, education, and dreams. She highlights how her education has been affected but also makes a point to emphasize that these struggles give her hope to fulfill hers and her family’s dreams through her education.

This hope is a driving force as she pushes forward in Adams County, where their scores on social determinants of health are lower in almost all categories when compared to Denver County. In fact, the average family income in the Federal Heights neighborhood is an annual $38k with 62% people of color.