The Story of Angelica Flores’ Triumph over Adversity

 Overcoming Hardship 

The Story of Angelica Flores’ Triumph over Adversity

Tehachapi, Calif. - Angelica Flores, an EPIC de Cesar Chavez alumni, is graduating this month from College of the Desert on the Dean’s List and Honor Roll. During her time at College of the Desert, she became a published author of several poems, received a scholarship from Democrat Women’s of the Desert, and is working toward becoming an English and and Spanish teacher with Farmworkers Institute of Education & Leadership Development - FIELD  

Ms. Flores was born in Jerez Zacatecas, Mexico. She moved to the US with her mother and sister in 1990 at the age of 9. She is the youngest of 16 children, however, 8 died at birth or due to complications at a young age. Her father was in the Bracero program, a manual labor program originally established in 1942. At 14 she began working to help the family, and when it became too difficult to keep up with school and work to help support her family, she dropped out of high school at 16. During this time, she was the primary caretaker of her father who had suffered a work injury. He passed away about a year later, and her mother became ill and developed a cough shortly prior to her father passing away. Angelica and her now-husband, took her mother to the hospital to discover she had stage four lung cancer. Five months after diagnosis, her mother also passed away leaving her to help take care of her siblings. Despite her parent’s dream for Angelica to get a degree, her pain and sadness prevented her from going back to school immediately. 

Now married to her middle school romance, with one son age 11, and one daughter age 9. She is both a student and full-time mom, and supports her husband’s maintenance job. She volunteers in the community, at her children's school and soccer programs, and with EPIC de Cesar Chavez High Schools. Angelica discovered her opportunity for education through EPIC when she was first signing her daughter up for school. She noticed a flyer about FIELD and EPIC programs, asked about them, and was encouraged to enroll. 

Angelica soon enrolled in classes at EPIC de Cesar Chavez High School which offers classes at 20 locations throughout the state of California. Accreditation by The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) substantiates and certifies that EPIC de Cesar Chavez High School is an educational institution where students like Angelica can receive a high quality education.  EPIC programs offer flexibility in scheduling and cater to working adults and families with language barriers, empowering Angelica with the opportunity to fulfill the promise she gave to her parents before they passed away of getting a high school diploma and ultimately putting her on the path to achieve a bachelor's degree. 

Angelica was able to receive her high school diploma from EPIC de Cesar Chavez High School after a year in 2018, went on to further her education at College of the Desert, and now upon graduating and being accepted to multiple top universities like UCLA, will soon be on the path to achieving her bachelors degree and fulfilling her promise to her parents. 

This summer, she will be working as an intern with FIELD, putting her on a pathway to become a teacher.  She shares the common core purpose of FIELD to empower the underserved to be self-sufficient,  helping her local community, and being a part of educating the 250,000 people FIELD hopes to serve by 2025. 

If you would like more information, please contact David Villarino at info@fieldinstitute.org.