As a first-generation immigrant from Cuba, I grew up in a home where neither of my parents spoke English or had a high school education. My dad worked two jobs as a janitor and garbage collector to support my mom, who raised my five brothers and me. My parents always wanted a better life for us than they had in Cuba. Because of this, they were the biggest advocates for our education. When I became the first in my family to graduate from college and then medical school, it provided me with the opportunity to become a doctor and live my life in service to others. In doing this, I didn’t just achieve my own American Dream. I also set the example for four of my brothers, who followed suit in pursuing their educational aspirations when they finished college and pursued graduate school.
I can attest that education has the …