Sandra from Poland

Her parents came to the United States when she was in grade school. “It was very hard being separated from them, particularly my mother,” she said. But when it came time to join her parents in the U.S., when she was 13, Sandra was more than hesitant. “I did not want to go,” she said. “It was so hard to give everything we owned away, to say goodbye to my friends, to leave our home, and to leave our two dogs behind.”

When she boarded a plane with her brother, she was terrified. After she arrived in the United States, Sandra didn’t leave the house for several months. “I was scared even to cross the street – something might happen.”

But slowly she ventured out, making small journeys at first. She went to the nearby grocery store, and started to practice the names of foods. Another milestone was taking the subway. But soon she was riding uptown and downtown just for the fun of it.

School took a little more time. She first went to a Polish school where she felt very comfortable, but felt that she wasn’t learning enough English. She started at the International School in 9th grade.

She began to thrive. “I learned so much, and became much more independent,” she said. She was also able to indulge in her great love – soccer.

Then came the movie. “I never thought I would be in a movie,” she said. “I didn’t think that much about it after a while. I would forget that I had the microphone on and that they were filming.” And after seeing herself in some footage, “I thought about it and I realized that I wanted to be heard and that I wanted others to see what we immigrants go through,” she said.

As with Brandon, the directors of I LEARN AMERICA – Jean Michel Dissard and Gitte Peng – contacted KIND and asked if it could help Sandra. KIND matched Sandra with a pro bono attorney at Nixon Peabody. “Tushna [Gamadia] made me feel very comfortable with the process and everything,” Sandra said. “I knew I could call her when I needed.”

Nixon Peabody helped Sandra gain Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which temporarily protects Sandra from deportation. It does not give her any form of status, however.

Sandra stressed how difficult the process was. “I know it’s not easy for kids to go through this,” she said. “I know many don’t want to talk because they’re scared or sad. I would tell other kids in my situation not to wait for an opportunity but to ask for help and not lose their chance. I got through this. I would tell them that they can get through tough things if they don’t give up.”

Sandra hopes that the film will teach people about the challenges immigrants face. “I want to help those who have struggled – with migration, with being in a new community, with school – to get through the experience. Not many people understand how hard it is to be an immigrant and who we are.”

Sandra is in her first year of Borough of Manhattan Community College and wants to work in computer technology and multimedia, but also find a way to keep her connection to her beloved soccer.

Sandra particularly appreciates one thing about the United States. “Here, I am free to be who I am. I could not be myself in Poland. People don’t care that I cut my hair like a boy or wear big clothes. I could not do this Poland. I feel very comfortable here and with myself. I am very happy to be in this country because I feel free for the first time.”