Talent is everywhere. Opportunity is not. A Scholar's Story
March 9, 2026
Dear Anaya's Village,
There is a story behind every first-generation college graduate, and most are never told. We believe these stories matter. Not because they are rare or dramatic, but because they happen quietly, every day.
Periodically, we will share one scholar’s journey in their own words, not about charity, but about mentorship, partnership, and what’s possible when no one has to figure it out alone.
We begin with Nelissa.
Sincerely,
Monica Kachru, Founder, Anaya Scholars
“When I came to Boston from Haiti at 12 years old, I didn’t speak any English. I had one year before high school. I remember thinking, just survive.”
Nelissa settled in Dorchester with her father, whose health was fragile. Navigating schools, hospitals, and paperwork in English felt overwhelming. Shortly after arriving in the U.S., Nelissa lost her mother in a tragic shooting while they were walking home from ESL class. No translator was provided. No one explained their rights.
“As a poor Haitian immigrant who didn’t speak English, it felt like my voice didn’t matter.”
In high school, Nelissa joined Upward Bound and learned about Anaya Scholars. For her, college wasn’t just about earning a degree.
“I didn’t just want to go to college. I wanted someone to tell me what to do when things went wrong.”
In 2021, she enrolled at Boston University, just as campuses reopened after COVID. Masks. Confusion. Class registration systems she didn’t understand. Then everything unraveled.
In one year, she suffered a concussion and broke her leg after falling from a bunk bed in the dark. She was terrified of losing her scholarship. Her mentor stepped in, helping her secure accommodations, stay enrolled, and move forward when everything felt like it was falling apart.
“She’s the reason I stayed in college. I owe her everything.”
As her father’s diabetes, kidney failure, and cancer worsened — diagnoses delayed by language barriers — Nelissa balanced caregiving, school, and financial strain. Some semesters she couldn’t work at all. Anaya helped cover essentials like heat and electricity.
“They cared about everything that could make me fall.”
At Boston University, Nelissa studied sociology and biology. She started pre-med, a dream her mother once had for her, but discovered a new calling.
“I don’t want to be the doctor in the room. I want to be the advocate.”
Today, at 22, Nelissa is a Boston University graduate. She works as a youth coordinator supporting justice-involved youth and is studying for the LSAT.
“Anaya Scholars taught me that asking for help is not a weakness—it’s a strength. Because of them, I can dream of becoming the advocate I once needed.”
Talent is everywhere. Opportunity is not.
We exist to close that gap.
