“From the core of my soul, I thank every person that is part of The Live Your Dream Awards. You’ve awarded me with much more than you think. I’ve been awarded with motivation, faith in good people existing, witnessing pure generosity, kindness, understanding, a little more confidence, and the proof that winning a scholarship award is possible.”
-DELANA
Delana, the 2023 Live Your Dream Awards recipient from SI/Oxnard, CA (Camino Real Region), has maintained straight A’s throughout college despite not stepping foot in a classroom in over 15 years. She is pursuing her dream of becoming a writer at Oxnard College. Her passion and dreams of writing had been buried under depression and emotional wounds that she never expected to heal. Delana was given the opportunity to go back to school through a program and knew this would be a chance to turn her family’s lives around and make her children proud. Pushing through the fear, she was armed with confidence and a supportive system of counselors beside her.
Delana grew up not knowing her parents, and the family she did have only added to her wounds. She has three children, and she states that the biggest challenge of her life is being everything they deserve. She reflects that finding the courage to begin school again while battling depression has been well worth facing all her fears. Becoming a writer is her goal and it is where her passion lies. She intends to be a speechwriter for the people who have ideas that can change the world, but find it hard to make their voices heard.
“This award was truly a blessing. It is the sole reason I have a reliable source of transportation and I couldn’t be more grateful.”
-Delana
Delana is pushing through semesters with no intentions of breaking a straight-A streak. She echoes that she is truly living her dream and showing her kids exactly how powerful education can be if you’re willing to work. Thanks to the Live Your Dream Awards, Delana has the tools to continue to rewrite her future in the pursuit of her dreams.