06/15/2025
To the one I love, admire, and annoy—Selene, mi amor,
You earned your Master's in Special Education, and I’m still catching my breath. We launched Kilo D'Cofi right as you were starting grad school—and you didn’t flinch. You didn’t back down. Not once.
I’ve watched you carry dreams heavier than most could imagine. As an unDACAmented student, you navigated systems that weren’t made for you, in a country that too often sees us as a threat before it sees our humanity. And still, you moved forward. One degree at a time. You started at community college. Got your AA. Earned your Bachelor's at Dominguez Hills. And now—your Master's from Portland State University. That’s not just resilience, that’s resistance. That's love in motion.
Even after years of living here, you weren’t considered a “resident.” We had to pay out-of-state tuition—because paperwork mattered more than presence. And still, you kept going. I remember the nights you came home exhausted, the weight of it all in your eyes, and still—you chose to show up the next day. For your students. For our comunidad. For us.
When we dreamed up Kilo D'Cofi, it wasn’t just a business. It was a love letter to where we come from. And you’ve poured just as much of yourself into it as you have into your studies. With grace. With ganas.
And now, you are part of the 8%—the small, but mighty percentage of Latinas in this country who hold a Master’s degree. Eight percent. That number doesn’t reflect your brilliance. It reflects the barriers. The borders. The bu****it our people have to overcome just to exist, let alone succeed.
In a moment when ICE is once again terrorizing immigrant families—when just being Latina, being undocumented, being visible, feels dangerous—you’ve done something revolutionary: You’ve moved with joy. You’ve led with care. You’ve chosen to build.
You’re not just part of the 8%. You’re part of the resistance.
To every Latina out there chasing her dream—¡Felicidades! To the ones still grinding—keep going, we see you. And to Selene—mi compañera, mi corazón—te amo. You are my favorite kind of Linguine 🤎
—Carlos
