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Latinas’ ‘Impossible’ Dreams Get Boost : Education: College students and professionals encourage girls in junior high school who face obstacles in realizing their ambitions.

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TIMES STAFF WRITER

Isela Palomares, 16, of Pacoima dreams of becoming a doctor. Her parents, Mexican immigrants, support her goal but caution that it may be impossible. They don’t have the money to pay for a college education.

“They like the idea of me wanting to become a doctor but they don’t think I can make it because of the money,” Isela said. Their skepticism often discourages her. Sometimes, she said quietly, “I think it’s impossible.”

For Isela, financial constraints may deter her from obtaining a college education. For other Latinas it may be peer pressure. Or lack of parental support. Or inadequate information from counselors about college opportunities.

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But a group of Cal State Northridge students--the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers--wanted to encourage the young women from their community to pursue their ambitions. On Friday, they held a daylong conference for more than 200 Latina junior high school students to deliver a simple message: Higher education is possible.

“We have to figure out how to make our dreams come true even when we are in conditions that don’t work for us,” Antonia Darder, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, told the group. “Every one of us has dreams.”

Darder, who was born in Puerto Rico, moved with her mother to East Los Angeles as a child. She was married at 16, was a mother of three at 20 and was divorced at 22. She then worked her way through college and eventually obtained a doctorate in educational philosophy from Claremont College.

“Latina women are strong--incredibly strong,” she said.

At the CSUN conference, university administrator Ludim Seja told the girls that “it’s only through education that we will be able to make a difference in our community.” Latina college students and professionals shared their own struggles, and the girls toured the CSUN campus.

The participants were all ninth-graders at one of four San Fernando Valley junior high schools--Byrd, Olive View, Porter and Van Nuys. For many, Spanish is their first language. Some were selected by teachers to attend because of their potential for future success. Others are troubled students who teachers felt could benefit from a dose of inspiration.

Many of the girls said they were moved by the women speakers.

“I love this. I love the way they are speaking. It encourages us to go out into the world,” said Columbian-born Erica Jaramillo, 14.

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Erica said that she wants be a mortician, and was moved to consider the profession because she helped prepare the body of her aunt for burial. But she said she does not know how to proceed. “I don’t know what classes to take sometimes.”

“Sometimes we need a little extra support because we don’t really have anybody we can talk to,” said Trini Reyes, a ninth-grader at Van Nuys Junior High who said her Mexican-born parents don’t always approve of her American dream of attending college. “Back there, women are supposed to stay at home. It’s kind of hard for them to adjust to this.”

Nora De La Luz, 15, thinks about college in vague terms. Among some of her friends, school isn’t in fashion. “Some of your friends don’t want you to go to college. They think that if you do, you are a nerd.”

Maricela Duran, from Byrd Junior High, said she has trouble finding time to study. Daughters are expected to help out around the house, she said. Often when Maricela tells her mother she must instead do her homework, she is told, “Do it later.”

During the program, the girls were exhorted to avoid gangs and drugs and to walk away from provocations to fight.

“You know what really hurts me, “ said Gloria Espinoza, a counselor from San Fernando’s Centro de Amistad. “Raza killing raza.

Irma Avelar, 16, of Pacoima, who dropped out of the eighth grade when she was 14, is familiar with the toll that gangs can take. Irma said that when she wasn’t getting along with her mother, her gang friends were a substitute family.

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But after about a year, she grew disenchanted with the gang lifestyle. She had watched friends die of drug overdoses or in drive-by shootings. Others had babies. She knew she wanted something better.

“If I ruin my life because I don’t get along with my mother it’s still my life that’s ruined,” said Irma, who is now back in school at San Fernando Junior High. “I want to be something.”

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