Edgardo Soto, 20, is a BC student whose journey to be where he is today has been far from easy. However, his story resonates with many students at BC.

“The main reason I started coming to BC is because I was undocumented, and it was cheaper for me to come here,” said Soto.

Soto arrived to the U.S. in 2003 at the age of 8 with his family from Sinaloa, Mexico. He lived in Bakersfield without proper documentation for 11 years.

In January 2015, Soto traveled to Ciudad Juárez in Mexico to apply for residency. He has since then been a legal resident of the U.S.

When asked about his experience in Juárez, Soto said, “ I was kind of scared because a lot of people said, ‘Oh there’s a lot of violence in Ciudad Juárez,’ …but in reality, there wasn’t. I didn’t see any violence. I didn’t see any shootings. I didn’t see any death.”

Soto shared his fear of deportation with The Rip, and said that traveling out of state would always reignite such fear.

“You don’t know if there’s an immigration checkpoint. I’d think, ‘I could probably get deported.’ Most likely I could, and that’s a scary thought. I’m used to the style of living here.

All my family is here, so what would I do in Mexico?” said Soto.

Now that he is a resident, Soto travels out of state whenever possible.

Soto is a business administration major with a focus in accounting. He is currently the student instructor leader for managerial accounting at BC.

“I really enjoy it. I really enjoy having other students come to me for help… I really like the discussions that go on. I’m teaching them, and they’re teaching me. It’s a win-win. We both learn,” said Soto about his experience as an SI leader.

Soto hopes to someday work for an accounting firm, as well as run a nonprofit organization.

He was recently conditionally accepted to Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo and is still waiting to hear back from other schools.

Aside from working as an SI, Soto has worked in the fields every summer since his junior year in high school.

“I do enjoy my summers, but the thing is I have to work,” Soto said.

When asked what advice he would give to students who have lived through similar experiences, Soto said, “It can be very disheartening to have to go through all those steps… don’t give up. It sounds so cliché, but that’s the only thing you can do. Move forward.”