Young immigrant woman comes to the USA with only $300 and a cleaning job: today she is head of NASA missions
How many times have we heard the saying "dreams can come true"? For many people, it can seem that their destinies are already determined from the moment of their birth. For example, we might think that those coming from poor families are predestined to be poor themselves, but, in reality, this is not necessarily the case. If you have a dream and a lot of willpower, you can achieve results that seem impossible. Diana Trujillo, a woman who emigrated to the United States in 2000 (at the age of 17) to pursue her ambitions, definitely knows what it means to reach for one's dream. The young Colombian woman only had $ 300 in her pocket and could not speak any English when she arrived in America. But what she did have was a burning desire to fulfill her dream of working for the NASA space agency. Certainly, this would not be an easy goal for a foreign woman with a minimum education and very little money or resources to attain. Diana, however, did not give up, and 20 years later she is thrilled to have reached her goals!
It could be difficult for one to believe that a young, foreign woman, lacking English language skills and who worked as a domestic cleaner to support herself in America, could fulfill her dreams of working for NASA. Of course, nothing was easy for Diana, but her tenacity and determination helped her to persevere, even in the most challenging of moments. Her early days in the USA were not easy. Diana had 3 different jobs - mainly cleaning - and she earned very little. With the money she earned, the young woman had to support herself, study and financially help her mother in Colombia.
It was very difficult for Diana, but she slowly learned English and with the money she saved and a scholarship award, she managed to enroll at the University of Florida. Her college career got off to a good start and, after achieving a number of top results, Diana applied for an internship at the NASA Academy. From then on, Diana began her steady climb to success without stopping: "Once I decided what I wanted to do in my life, I believed it was possible to achieve. I studied and worked hard, following the famous Hispanic work ethic." 20 years after arrving in America, Diana's situation has radically changed for the better and this has been possible only thanks to her strength and endurance. Diana is now a NASA employee and is in charge of many project missions. In 2021 she led the engineering team responsible for the robotic arm on the "Perseverance" rover, - and who could better represent "perseverance" as well as she?
In addition to cultivating her passion for space, however, Diana also had another reason for wanting to emigrate to the United States: "I wanted my parents and relatives, especially the men in my family, to recognize that women can add value and show them that we count."
What can we say? Diana is a very determined woman who has achieved her goals and can be considered a shining example for all those who are also reaching for their dreams!
