The BC SAGA (Sexual and Gender Acceptance) club hosted a webinar with guest speaker Daniela Walkover, a former BC graduate, on March 3.

Walkover graduated from BC in 2014 and is a member of the LGBTQ community as a cisgender lesbian. During the webinar she spoke about her life journey as a Dreamer and being a part of the LGBTQ community. 

“I had to come out twice,” Walkover explained.

Walkover was undocumented until 2012 when the DREAM (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien minors) Act became available. According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) website, the DREAM Act is a bill that was passed to allow children who were brought to the U.S. undocumented and enrolled in school to become legal citizens.

When continuing her education, Walkover was slowly running out of money. “America runs on loans, so let’s get a loan,” she joked. However, because she is a Dreamer, she was not eligible for state or federal loans even today, Walkover explained.

Walkover explained the pathway to her career as a probation program specialist within the juvenile programs unit and expressed how the beginning was nerve-racking. She spoke about how some people would question why she was applying for an internship with the Kern County Probation Department because she was not the average applicant that is a U.S. citizen since birth. 

Walkover said that she had a sense of shame and embarrassment when stating to others that she was a Dreamer. However, she noted that if she would not have continued through the questioning and the process to enter into the internship, that she would have missed a great opportunity and her future career.

Walkover expressed how others would tell her that she was too much or too extra at times due to her outgoing personality. 

“If people say ‘you’re too much,’ say ‘thank you’ and move on,” she stated. “Continue to be unapologetically yourself in every aspect of your life.” Walkover gave a message and stated how it is alright to be yourself even if one person may not like you because someone else will.

The BC SAGA club concluded the meeting by giving an overview of their agenda and a few key points about the semester. Helen Acosta, professor and department chair of Communication, shared a few points how to relieve stress during the spring semester. Staying organized, exercise, staying positive, stop procrastinating, take it one step at a time, practice self-care, stay hydrated, and start eating healthy were tips mentioned to help with stress levels throughout the semester.