Harvesting Dreams by Erica Alfaro
"You can use your adversities as an excuse to stop or as a reason to keep moving forward." - Erica Alfaro
Dreams do come true, and this story proves it! In 2019, photographs of a young Hispanic girl, dressed in a graduation cap and gown, standing in a field with her farm worker mother and father, went viral and made headlines around the world. It was Erica Alfaro who, in celebration of having completed her master’s degree, decided to honor the sacrifices of her parents by taking her graduation pictures in the field where they had worked long hours to provide her with an education.
This is the testimony of a young woman who spent her childhood between Mexico and the United States, subjugated by a marked borderline and economic disparity. Someone who did not feel prepared to make a generational leap as big as the one that was to occur in herself and her family. This is the testimony of a girl who never believed she could achieve great goals, for she always felt she was less than a man. This girl was a teenage mother and a victim of domestic violence, who, after years of many adversities, managed to reinvent herself and become the woman she is today--someone who has achieved everything she thought was impossible. If you like success stories, then you will love this book!
March 20, 2025 - Book Discussion @ 12:50 - 1:50 pm
April 24, 2025 - Student Panel @ 12:50-1:50 pm
May 15, 2025 - Author Appearance @ 12:50-3:00 pm
All events will be held in CSS-217 (in person) and online via Zoom on the 3rd Thursday of the month.
Erica Alfaro was born in Fresno, CA but grew up in Tijuana, Mexico. She was 13 years old when her family returned to the United States. Erica struggled academically, became a teen mom, dropped out of high school, and lived many years of domestic abuse. After many adversities, Erica defied the odds and became the first woman in her family to obtain a formal education and a graduate degree. Education was Erica’s ticket out of poverty and the door to many opportunities.
Erica Alfaro is an award-winning author, educational advocate, and international keynote speaker. She received global recognition when her graduation pictures went viral and made headlines worldwide. Her story has been featured in major media outlets such as CNN, The Huffington Post, and Yahoo News. Erica received letters of recognition from the United States Assembly, Congress, Senate, and Vice President Kamala Harris. She has received multiple Latina and business leadership awards, including Constituent of the Month by the House of Representatives and 40 under 40 by Business Street. Erica's book Harvesting Dreams won the International Latino Book Award and the 7th Latino "Book into Movies" award. Her story was portrayed in Cronicas de Univision, a docuseries based on true stories.
In 2023, Erica was honored by the County of San Diego when they declared “Oct 5th as Erica Alfaro's Day," in addition to National City, Telemundo, and NBC recognizing her as a community leader by painting her image on a public mural.
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