What do you plan to do once you graduate from college? This is a question that I have always heard since kindergarten, just worded differently— what do you wish to be when you grow up? If five-year-old me could not answer it, what makes you think I know the answer now that I’m twenty-one? Graduating with a major in political science and a double minor in English and Hispanic/Latino studies should technically tell me what my future holds for me… right? If I’m majoring in this field, then I should have an idea of what I wish to do after graduation… right? I should have some plan… right?

The truth is, I still do not know what I want to do after graduating. I mean, I do know what I want to do but at the same time, I do not. My dream is to become an immigration lawyer; a dream that started after witnessing my family’s eyes darken with a new fear of life after receiving the phone call that my uncle had been deported. This dream then grew when my mother allowed me to experience my Latinidad and the struggles that came with it. My dream was then finalized when I was able to physically and largely advocate for the Latino community by painting a mural for the Humanizing Deportation Project, interviewing Latina street vendors, and later presenting my project, on the real dreams of street vendors, to a small crowd of people. In other words, my dream had always been to support and advocate for my family and the other families who have worked so hard to be where they are now but are still punished for simply wanting to experience the ‘American’ dream. 

Although it appears I do know what I want to do after graduating—going to law school to become an immigration lawyer—the reason why I said I do not know what I want to do after graduation is because I do not know if this opportunity will still be possible for me. For instance, the Hispanic National Bar Association (2024) states “…as of May 2024, Latina lawyers account for less than 3% of all lawyers in the United States.” Keep in mind, that this was before President Trump issued an executive order on ending Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. I fear that the, already, small chance I had of graduating as a lawyer will continue to grow smaller and smaller till it becomes almost impossible for me. I am unsure if I should immediately study and apply to law school, in hopes that I can even afford it, or should I jump straight into the political field and look for opportunities where I could continue advocating for the immigrant/migrant community? Whatever the answer is, it sounds easier said than done. 

I have a feeling that some people who read my post will argue and say that these are questions I should have thought about during my first year in college or that I should do both, go to school and work. But, as I said before, it is easier said than done. I apologize for thinking about how to graduate college first, rather than what I should do after graduating. While I am not saying that I did not believe I could graduate, I was afraid that I would not graduate well enough. In other words, I was already thinking about the future, just not the other future (if that makes sense).

So in all honesty, I do not know what I want to do after I graduate, but what I do know is I want to continue advocating for the Latino, immigrant/migrant, and minority communities. I want to give back to my community in any way possible, even if the question above remains unanswered (for now).

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