[Raquel] "My parents always tell me to focus on my education because that's something
nobody can take away from me, and I keep that very present all the time.
Because I know that once I graduate, it's not just a milestone for myself, but it's
something for them also."
[Interviewer] "How does it feel that your family is not able to be here?"
[Raquel] "I'm ... I feel sad, and I would really like them to be here because it just feels
like something's missing.
So I feel that's why it hasn't hit me yet.
Because I know that, yeah, I'll stand here, and I'll walk the stage,
but at the end of the day,
they're not going to be here. And that's the main reason why I'm doing this.
It's for myself, too, but I think that
they don't know to what extent they inspire me.
I wish they saw all of this.
Like I went all those years, and I
would go to Michigan, and I learned to
just let it be because I know that
there's sacrifices that have to be done.
And I understand, and we talked
about it, and I said it's fine. It's fine
because they know how hard I've worked
for it, and they know that this
is for them. So I know that at the end of
the day, they won't be here, but it's for them."
[Interviewer] "What would you say if, you know, they were here?"
[Raquel] "You know, well, I would tell them how much
it meant for me for them to be here,
and how this is something that ... that it's
... that they have motivated me
throughout the..."
[Raquel] "Hey, girl!"
"Hey, Noah."
[Raquel] "I feel so much better.
It's awesome; now I feel ready to graduate."
[Annoucer] "Raquel Perez"
