Karen's Story
In search of a better life, Karen Lozano’s parents fled Cuauhtemoc, Chihuahua, Mexico when she was only three months old. They hoped to escape extreme poverty, violence, and the lack of job opportunities. “They left everything behind to give me and my brother a better life,” Karen says.
When they arrived in Denver, the Lozanos spent three years living in a one-bedroom apartment with Karen’s aunt and uncle, their three children, and two more uncles. When friends told them about better jobs in Summit County, they moved. Karen’s parents now work as housekeepers but have struggled to learn a new language, adjust to a new culture, work, and raise a family. Karen and her siblings act as translators for them. Karen’s younger sister goes to Upper Blue Elementary, her older brother studies at CMC, and Karen will be a senior at Summit High School next year. “We want a future like anyone else,” Karen says. “And my family wants to help this country.”
When President Obama created DACA in 2012, Karen, who is undocumented, knew that when she was old enough, she would be eligible for the program. She believed that once she had DACA, she’d feel like a normal citizen and be able to finally visit her grandparents and see where she was born. But on September 5, 2017, President Trump ended the application process for DACA. That day was also Karen's 15th birthday - the age you needed to be to apply for DACA. It is also the age for a quinceañera, a traditional coming of age celebration in Mexican culture. "Instead of celebrating my quinceañera, I was crying in my room, thinking that my whole future was ruined."
Karen became involved with Summit High School Mountain Dreamers so she can use her voice to fight injustice in a non-violent way. “We’re no different than other people,” she says. “Anyone would fight for a better life. Once I graduate from high school, I want to study to become either a teacher or a therapist.”
In the spirit of the human desire to create a good life, Karen says, “To this day, I have not given up hope.”
