How Being a Volunteer Child Advocate Has Impacted Me

Written by Liza Rivera

I joined the Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights as a volunteer Child Advocate because as a Mexican immigrant, I feel both a kinship and a responsibility towards immigrant children. Growing up as an immigrant child in the United States, I felt privileged and hopeful about my future, but I also felt fearful and uncertain. Both of my parents were undocumented at the time, so I found myself scared of what the future might hold. Nevertheless, I was fortunate to have my parents with me. That is not the case for unaccompanied children who come to our borders alone, hoping to find home and safety here.

I began my volunteer advocacy with the Young Center because I saw a young, vulnerable population in need. After a year of doing this work, my perspective has changed. I find myself constantly inspired by the children I signed up to help. Don’t get me wrong; this vulnerable population still needs our support. More than ever, they need us to elevate their voices and advocate for their best interests. They need us to assist and represent them in an immigration system not built to protect them, but they do not need us to rescue them.

Through the Young Center, I have had the privilege of working with some of the most fearless children on the planet, and this is coming from a former high school principal. Most of these children, out of their sheer determination to survive, make weeks- or months-long journeys to our borders, often without the support of caring adults.

Upon meeting these brave children and hearing their stories, it’s no surprise that I find so few of them have been asked what they want to be when they grow up. Most of the time, I see a blank expression, or the fear of uncertainty in their eyes. They don’t even know where they are going to be tomorrow, or the following week, let alone 5-10 years from now. It is not safe for them to dream just yet. However, once we find children a safe place they can call “home,” I see hope arise within them.

The children we work with at the Young Center are some of the most courageous, most resilient, and strongest human beings, capable of changing the landscape of our world, so by helping them, we help build our future.