Little Bird, big impact
Stonewall’s Little Bird Scholarship is changing LGBTQ immigrant and refugee lives
Anna Rosenthal received a Stonewall scholarship as an undocumented undergrad student at Columbia University. Nearly a decade later, she founded the Little Bird Scholarship at Stonewall to help others facing the same challenges.
Since 2014, Stonewall has housed the country’s largest scholarship for undocumented LGBTQI students. The Little Bird Scholarship (formerly known as the Levin-Goffe Scholarship) makes an immeasurable difference in the lives of immigrant and refugee students. Removing barriers in access to higher education for some of our community’s most vulnerable students, the scholarship has made over $200,000 in grants. More than just financial support, this program shows students who lack resources and support that our community cares about their education and well-being.
In 2019, a New York City college student named Jose became the tenth student to receive this scholarship. Read on to learn what the scholarship has meant to him in his own words. Note: some details have been anonymized to protect Jose’s privacy.
I was born to two young parents in El Salvador, where I spent the first twelve years of my life. Living in a country torn by crime and poverty, my parents struggled to make a living. The lack of employment and educational opportunities pushed my parents to make the difficult decision to immigrate to the US. Like many other immigrants, we faced arduous beginnings – unable to speak English, we had only a few pieces of clothing in our bags, and only a few dollars in our pockets. My parents did not make enough to afford an apartment, forcing us all to share a small bedroom. Many times, we were forced to find alternative ways to pay for basic expenses. My Dad and I started to collect empty plastic bottles and cans to exchange for cash. We were a great team, but not every day was great. Sometimes we made enough to pay for most of our groceries and other times we were forced to leave some items we could not afford. Times were tough, but we never gave up. My parents taught me to appreciate what little we had and to give to others anything we could spare – a philosophy that I have practiced since my childhood and will continue to practice throughout my life.
From a very young age, I understood my parents’ struggles and how hard they worked to provide for me and my brother. Upon graduating high school, I took on a food service job to lift some of the pressure off my parents, yet my dream was to attend university and pursue a bachelor’s degree. Being undocumented meant that I was ineligible for financial aid, scholarships, or loans. Forced to cover all the costs on my own, I took on a second job as a waiter to afford tuition and transportation costs. On one occasion, I was left with fifteen dollars in my pocket and had to make the difficult decision on whether I would buy lunch or a train ticket back home.
Receiving the scholarship from Stonewall Community Foundation in 2019 made a huge impact in my personal and professional life. Thanks to the scholarship, I was able to immerse myself more in my college experience, move from a full-time job to part-time, improve my grades, and graduate Cum Laude from college. This scholarship also introduced me to an amazing group of individuals who have supported and helped me and a community that has accepted me for who I am.
As a current Master of Public Health student in Epidemiology and Biostatistics, I am helping my communities through research and policies that tackle issues such as healthcare inequities and mental health in LGBTQ+ and immigrant communities. The fight for a more inclusive society and a world where everyone has equal opportunities is far from over. I believe I have a part to play in this fight and thanks to the help of Stonewall, I am one step closer to achieving that goal.
When we set students like Jose up for success, the benefits extend far beyond the individual. Yes, these scholarships are life-changing on a personal level, but they also create ripple effects that are felt throughout our entire community. Jose, along with more than a dozen other Little Bird scholars, are already using their gifts to give back to the LGBTQ community, and we couldn’t be more proud to have played a role in their incredible journeys.
Stonewall funds critical work that advances our dream of collective liberation and improves the everyday lives of LGBTQ people. Your gift plays a definitive role in making progress possible.
