From time to time, Ear Hustle 411 reaches out to the community and point out a rising star.  We got a letter form a young lady by the name of Juliet Doris who by the Grace of God has managed to receive not one but two degrees.

Her story is like that of so many African-American young women who got pregnant at an early age and then society decides to throw them to the wolves by giving up on them and advising them that their lives are over.

These young women would often here thing like, “your life is ruined, why didn’t you have an abortion and finish school or girl you’re stupid you will never accomplish anything with those kids.

Not so fast,  Juliet Doris is one to reckon with although she had three children, she managed to stay in school and have proved all her naysayers wrong.

Check out the letter she wrote to Ear Hustle 411 and join us in congratulating her on her graduation from UCLA and receiving her Master of Social Welfare- Candidate 2015.

Hello,

           

            My name is Juliet Doris and I would really love just a small portion of your time to share a few things with you.

As an African American Double Bruin Womyn class of 2013 & 2105, entering into the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) as a single parenting and transfer student of three children.   I felt as if we were and still are underrepresented.

I am part of various origination’s that involves parenting and transfer students, in addition to sitting on many panels and speaking at high schools in order to advocate for this population.

I know when I transferred to UCLA in 2010, I felt embarrassed and ashamed of being single and parenting student but with that said, I was able to create and find a community within certain spaces on campus such as Community Programs Office (CPO), Student Opportunity and Transfer Program (STOMP), Bruin Resource Center (BRC) and the Academic Advancement Program (AAP) that helped embrace the parent, Woman, and student that I am today.

 

            However, today, they are still so many students that have similar situations and feel the same way I once felt.

I was able to overcome these obstacles and transitioned into the Master of Social Work program at UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs.

I felt honored as a candidate for earning my Master of Social Work to represent this underrepresented demographic of student’s.  This past Sunday, as the graduate student speaker at UCLAs Afrikan Graduation.

 The theme was, “Why Black Graduate Lives Matter” and I strongly feel as if this in an event that is also worthy of coverage in addition to exposure.

 

On a more inspirational note, there is so much more to me that I would like to share.

My son that I had at 17 years old is currently enrolled in the Vice Provost Initiative for pre-College Scholars (VIPS) program at UCLA. This program ensures that African Americans are UC eligible across the board.  When I had him at 17, there were so many people including High School counselors who told me that my life was over or I would never amount to anything.

Ha! I do not have a woe is me or I am a victim of my circumstances story; I want to share how I’ve managed to overcome the adversity that I have encountered.

I know that I am not the first nor will I be the last; however, I do want my young sister’s to know that with God, hard work, and dedication, they can find their way out!