Texas Valedictorian – “Oh, and I’m Undocumented”

In the earliest weeks of summer, congratulations are in the air for the next generation of students graduating from high school, and support is being given to those who choose to pursue a higher education. Graduation ceremonies seem to blend together until one comes across a figure like Mayte Lara Ibarra.

On June 3, at her own graduation from David Crockett High School in Austin, Texas, Lara stood before her peers delivering a commencement speech as that year’s valedictorian. She opened her address modestly, calling attention to her nervousness. “Wow,” she said. “I’m so honored to be standing before you all today … I thought long and hard about what to say to you.” She continued to speak on her trials and tribulations as a high school student and encouraged her listeners to look to the future without forgetting the past. “Look back with pride on a job well done … Look forward with excitement to what lies ahead,” she said in conclusion. “Celebrate this moment because it’s yours to enjoy. And remember: What is coming is better than what is gone.”

She sailed through her oration and smiled humbly as her fellow graduates and their families erupted in applause. However, her smile was hiding a heavy secret – one that she decided to reveal later that night on social media.

Mayte Lara Ibarra logged into her Twitter account the evening of her graduation and posted a picture of herself grinning in her gown, clutching a bouquet of flowers. It is her caption, however, that is provoking controversy:

Valedictorian, 4.5 GPA, full tuition paid for at UT, 13 cords/medals, nice legs, oh and I’m undocumented.

The wave of anger that has risen up in retaliation to less than 140 characters on a young girl’s Twitter account is horrific. Racist memes popped up, hatred was directly pointed at the recent graduate, and one especially malicious Twitter user claims to have reported Lara to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Countless strangers threaten to have Lara and her family deported. For the most part, these hateful individuals are infuriated that an undocumented individual “stole” a scholarship and a spot at a distinguished university from a legal citizen.

That’s not to say that Lara doesn’t have her own support system – many strangers have reached out in response to her tweet, offering their congratulations and thanking her for inspiring them in their own personal journeys.

Mayte quickly disabled her social media account and has expressed that she doesn’t want this type of attention by any means. When one friend congratulated her on her successes, the graduate replied, “Thank you! I want all this attention from strangers to stop though haha.” To another friend, she expressed that “it’s kinda scary and [I] want it to stop.”

In the hopes that the attention would cease, Lara tried to take back her comments on the local news. She claimed that the entire explosion was a “misunderstanding” and that she truly wasn’t undocumented – however, this provoked even more anger, this time from advocates of the undocumented. After realizing her mistake, Lara confessed that she told the truth: she is an undocumented citizen.

When she was two years old, she left Mexico and arrived in Austin thanks to the help of a law under the Obama administration known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). She came to America with the intent of being deferred for deportation. This can be renewed every two years. In an interview with The Statesman, she set the record straight.

“I do pay taxes, have a DACA which allows me to work and study here, and I have a social security number … sooner or later, it will open up that path so I can become a permanent resident from the country I was raised in and have lived my whole life.” She hopes that this publicity that has surrounded her story will lead to a greater acceptance for undocumented “aliens”. “One of the biggest hardships I’ve had to overcome was the stereotype of people like me,” she said. “Many people think that people like me can’t be successful. We have all the odds against us, and I think it’s important to highlight the fact that anything is possible, regardless of your status. I’ve accomplished things that most people wouldn’t think a person with my background could have, and I’m proud of that.”

Though Mayte Lara Ibarra has no plans to return to social media anytime soon, her story continues to inspire today’s youth, primarily those who struggle with the stereotype of being an immigrant. Lara has broken a mold, and hopefully, her bounds forward in her education will result in a greater acceptance for undocumented citizens who wish to pursue a greater education.

Featured Image via Wikimedia