Killing Them With Success

Written by: Emely Gonzalez 🇸🇻

Headshot of Estephany Sanchez. (Emelyn Gomez)

“Mija, lo hiciste” are the words she hopes to hear from her parents upon graduation.

Estephany Sanchez, a double major in criminology and criminal justice and information science, keeps these words close to her as graduation approaches.

As a first-generation student, Sanchez has faced many challenges and unsolved questions about what comes next.

“My parents didn't go to college. My sisters didn't go to college. So where can I go to learn more information about grad school or learn more information about what to do after college?” she said.

These questions felt familiar to the ones she had as an incoming freshman in regards to finding her people.

“Coming here, I was scared of that, but I was able to find that small community where I'm like, ‘Oh, I could just talk about my family and my culture,” she said.

As Sanchez discovered different organizations on campus, she was able to break out of her shell through the Latina sorority, Lambda Theta Alpha.

“I feel like through that is where I kind of got my confidence, because… we put up a lot of events where I had to force myself to be a speaker, be the attention of the room, and that's where I learned that sometimes it's okay to be the center of attention,” she said. 

Over time, those moments helped shift the way she spoke to herself.

“It's okay to be the one to know the answer and raise your hand and answer. It's okay to outshine sometimes. I don't always have to be that scared Hispanic little girl in the back of the class,” she said.

Photo of the Sanchez Family. (Courtesy of Estephany Sanchez)

Sanchez ultimately realized that her worries are her biggest strengths.

“We just all doubt ourselves so much that I just wish people, especially people in our community, would just give themselves some grace and just know that being Hispanic and in college is already an accomplishment in itself,” she said. 

To her, being considered first-generation is more than just an accomplishment. It represents hope for her family, a belief that change is possible and that something beautiful can come from being the first in her family to attend college.

For her, identity is something to celebrate, not hide.

“My identity is always going to be a Hispanic, Mexican girl with immigrant parents and I love that,” she said.

As Sanchez looks ahead to this new chapter filled with opportunities, she holds onto a goal that has continued to motivate her: responding to doubt or obstacles not with anger, but with achievement.

“Kill them with success,” said Sanchez.

“El que no arriesga no gana.” - Estephany Sanchez’s family