I owe my personal, professional, and educational trajectory to my parents, Norma and Terri, who gave up everything for my siblings and me. Their sacrifices and dreams are reflected in me, and it is because of our lived experience that I believe everyone is worthy of respect, dignity, justice, and opportunity.
I was born in Durango, MX and raised in Huntington Park, CA, a beautiful city – comunidad – in Southeast Los Angeles County. Growing up, I knew that my family and I were undocumented, and I first-hand felt the struggle and injustice of our lived experience. One night as a kid, I was sleeping when the police pulled my family over and took away our car because my parents didn’t have access to a driver’s license. One early morning as a teen, I was woken up from sleep when ICE banged on my uncle’s door and entered his home to deport him. Whenever I was sick, my mom would take care of me at home — gracias mami — because I didn’t have access to health insurance because of my status. And, as a young adult, even if I wanted to go straight into a four-year university, I couldn’t because of my lack of access to financial aid, work study, or loans as an undocumented student. And, throughout all my life, I saw my parents get up before sunrise to work in factories and under freeways only to be discriminated against because of their immigration status, language barrier, gender, and race. These experiences impacted me deeply, and combined with what I heard on the news, it was difficult to imagine a future in this country. So, as a kid and teen, I sat in school Failing my classes and getting D’s not thinking I would ever become anything or go to college.
However, my life changed when a high school teacher said to me: “You are not your circumstance.”
I understood that to mean that I could change my circumstances, be something, and define my own life.
From that moment on, I went from a Failing student to getting B’s and C’s, then straight A’s, and taking honors and AP classes. I took my GPA from a 1.9 to a 3.0. My mom, who didn’t get a chance to pursue anything higher than a middle school education in Mexico, took me by the hands after my high school graduation and enrolled me in college — East Los Angeles College. At this point, I was driven to succeed.
“Caminante, no hay puentes, se hace puentes al andar.”
(Voyager, there are no bridges, one builds them as one walks.)
― Gloria Anzaldua
When I started ELAC, I opened a brochure that said, “Start Here, Go Anywhere.” I took honors classes, worked multiple jobs at the same time, took the bus to and from school, and after two-ish years applied to UCLA, UC San Diego, UC Irvine, and UC Riverside. I got into all of them, but I had to go with my dream school: UCLA. Soon, I was off to join my Bruin family with some hard-earned $3,000 to pay my first quarter. My aunt called me while on the bus at 5 a.m. and she said, “De verdad lo estas haciendo, Diego!?” How I was going to pay for school after my first quarter I had no idea, but I didn’t work so hard just to get that far.
“When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.”
― Audre Lorde
In 2012, I became the first in my family to graduate from college: UCLA.
In 2013, I became the first in my family to pursue and eventually receive an advanced professional degree: Master of Business Administration.
A New Era
In September of 2024, I was admitted to USC’s Rossier School of Education Doctor of Education in Organizational Change and Leadership. I will began my doctoral program in January 2025.
About the program: The Doctor of Education in Organizational Change and Leadership program prepares leaders to lead systemic improvement and foster equitable practices and policies in organizations by applying research-based strategies. Organizational change is a complex process that requires skilled leadership and the tools to interrogate the systems of power that shape policies and practices and lead effective and innovative solutions. And I can’t wait to get started!
Soon, I will be Dr. Sepulveda-Soto, MBA, Ed.D