Higher education for indigenous students in Mexico

When she arrived at CDC two years ago one of the first things we noticed about one our new young women was that she burst into tears very easily. If she was happy, sad, surprised, startled, she would burst into tears. Our other students did give a little loving ribbing about her tendency towards tears. Because of this tendency she was not very willing to share her feelings during our group times and reading circles. She was embarrassed about her sensitivity.

We celebrated the holidays; she burst into tears. We talked about our childhood pain; she burst into tears listening to another stories. We celebrated her birthday; she burst into tears. We congratulated her on overcoming a fearful situation, she burst into tears. It was endearing on many levels; she evoked such empathy in the other students as they tried to console her and find the rood of her tears. We did not want to make it a joke, but we needed a bit of levity to help her from not spiraling into shame each time she cried.

Little by little the empathy, patience, caring of other students and staff at CDC helped her realize that it was okay to cry and as she was allowed to cry, she saw examples of other women in our group also free to express a greater range of emotions. What she found at the deep well of her crying was shame and anger that she could not express; she did not know how to express and had never been allowed to express.

Little by little she expressed herself more, allowed herself other emotions. And finally, after almost two years in our residential program she revealed to us the origins of her shame and is now in the process of healing. She told us that her healing began when no one told her to stop crying, no one told her that crying was weak, and no one told her that she had to isolate herself until she calmed down. We could be with her in her pain.

She continues with her college degree, she only has one semester left. She still cries more readily than most of our students, but she now has a greater range of emotions and has started to talk about the issues that she faced in her village that formed her and her reactions to the world. She does not think she would have continued with college without the support of CDC.

Thanks to your donations we at CDC can continue to walk with these young women as they face the challenges of college. We hope that you will continue to give to support our valiant young women.

We here at CDC want to wish you the blessing of this Holiday Season and a very Happy New Year.