Turning Family Sacrifice into a Mission for Social Change

Written by: Dulce Ortiz 🇬🇹

Headshot of Ariana Tsegai. (Emelyn Gomez)

In a family of trailblazers, Ariana Tsegai was destined to accomplish her dreams. After her parents and two older siblings immigrated to the U.S. from Eritrea with no money or idea of what to do next, she knew she had big shoes to fill.

Coming from a low-income household, Tsegai struggled to have the academic and financial support that her classmates had. As an outlook, she would volunteer in political campaigns to find her community and understand how to help the people in it.

“I think it very much was me trying to prove my worth over the years. And it wasn't until I got into high school where I realized, ‘Hey, I wanna help people. I just don't really know how,’” she said.

After being accepted into UMD’s C.D. Mote, Jr. Incentive Awards Program, a prestigious full-ride program for low-income students, she took it as a sign to pursue the field she was interested in. She became the first in her family to pursue a higher education.

Passionate for change, she joined the university’s public policy major while minoring in education policy, equity and justice. At first, it was challenging to navigate the new environment. 

“I think once I was able to figure out why I'm in this major, what I want my career path to be, it made things more intentional, like me going to class didn’t just feel like it was the thing to pass time but something I could actually gain from,” she said.

She joined UMD’s Black Students in Public Policy to address issues targeting minorities, was a part of her school’s advisory council, which worked closely with their dean, and was part of the inaugural team at La Voz Latina. She also found passion in educating her peers on the history and beauty of Eritrean culture and on her diverse music taste.

Photo of the Tsegai Family. (Courtesy of Ariana Tsegai)

Tsegai often thinks back to the experiences that brought her down this path. From noticing the things in her school systems that disproportionately affected students like her to working firsthand with the community to identify meaningful policies, becoming a policy analyst or researcher after college felt like the right choice.

“If I could just be a small driving force in somebody's life to make a better change, that was always enough for me,” she stated. 

As she takes every opportunity thrown her way, she is a clear example of not letting barriers win.

“I think because so many people fought for me growing up, it's the only reason why I'm here today,” Tsegai concludes.

“Every second has been such a joy to watch you grow from our adorable little baby to a shining star! You shine brighter than the sun, which makes us rich in life, and we can’t wait to see what else you have in store!” - Ariana Tsegai’s family