Kenia Alejandra Calderon often thinks about what her life would be like if she still lived in El Salvador.
The 21-year-old Des Moines woman doesn’t know what she would be doing or where her family would be living. She doesn’t even know if all of her family members would still be alive.
Calderon does know she and her family would be affected by the gangs that run the streets of El Salvador, she said.
“I try to imagine what our reality would be if we were still back home; I know it would not be a good one,” Calderon said.
The Drake University student expects to spend 2015 making a difference in Iowa — helping other young immigrants in the United States pursue opportunities in higher education.
“I’m trying to tell them that as long as you try, you can make anything happen,” Calderon said. “They just need to have a little bit of hope.”
Read the full article on The Des Moines Register’s website.
Katherine Klingseis 