May Alumni Spotlight: Kathryn Garcia Sorto, (John F. Kennedy High School)

In 2007, Kathryn Garcia Sorto’s parents made one of the most difficult decisions one can make: to move their family from their home country of El Salvador to the United States. Economic instability and safety concerns were at the root of their resolution, and they were determined to offer their children a more secure future. Kathryn states that she doesn’t remember her parents saying they were going to be moving permanently and regrets the goodbyes that were not shared with her friends. Despite the adversities she faced throughout her life, Kathryn persevered with the support of her community to dream the impossible and work towards her goals. She shares her story of here:

“It wasn’t easy making friends when I got here because I didn’t know the language, so I couldn’t begin to relate to my peers or understand the culture. It seemed like everything was different: the language, family life, education.

In El Salvador, the culture is a little bit more family-oriented and collective. You are supposed to leave the house when you get married but not before. There is more freedom here. I remember thinking, "People can get out of their house when they are 18?” I liked the idea at first because I liked the idea of being more autonomous. If you ask me now, I prefer living with family because of the culture I grew up in. There is no better way, but that is what works for me.

I think it is important for people who immigrate to a new country to learn from the new culture and try to see the value in cultural differences. Sometimes we become so attached to our own culture that we accept when something is toxic. For example, what if you are living at home but you have an unhealthy relationship with your family? I think it is important to have our own goals and dreams and know that if your family doesn’t support them you can change your circumstances.

It helped going to extracurricular activities in high school like Liberty’s Promise because it made it easier to feel part of a community. I was able to make more friends with people I otherwise wouldn’t have met because we were in different classes or grades.

I really enjoyed the guest speakers from Liberty’s Promise too. Because we were exposed to college resources and professionals, I began to understand skills are necessary for academic and professional success. Also, the resume workshops, opportunities to earn service hours, and help with finding and applying for scholarships were super helpful.

I would recommend Liberty’s Promise to other students because it opens your eyes to so many resources. Before joining, I didn’t know the difference between two and four year colleges or that certain careers existed. With the guest speakers physically standing in front of me and sharing their journey, I was able to visualize myself in their shoes and trust that I have options. Liberty’s Promise pushed me to not only want it but believe it for myself too.

My mom and my dad went to college in El Salvador, but it is a totally different educational system. When you step into a new academic arena, you need to learn the new norms of being a professional, how to apply to college, and what steps are needed to reach a certain career. Though college here was a different system and much more expensive, my parents always encouraged us to believe that our dreams were possible despite the restrictions. They said, “If you keep trying, you might actually get accepted into college and graduate all because you kept moving forward.”

After graduating high school in 2014, I went to college right after but it was a long journey. I ultimately graduated from the University of Maryland global campus in May of 2024, with a degree in social sciences. There were two semesters that I was not enrolled in school while pursuing my degree, and at some point I told someone, “I am so frustrated with college, I don't know if I can finish. It will probably take two years if I am going to get my degree”. She told me, “Time is going to pass either way and 2024 will come. Do you want to have your degree by the end of that time or not?” Evidently, I did.

I want to be able to work in social work and do work similar to that of Liberty’s Promise. They helped me and I want to help others as well!

I would say that persistence is key. Your path will not look like someone else’s path because you are not living their life, you’re living your life. Keep moving forward because the years are going to pass either way, but it is important to look back and remember where you come from.”

Thank you Kathryn for sharing your story. You have illustrated that putting one foot in front of the other, no matter how small the step is, will bring one closer to their goal. You have also shown that taking a break does not mean giving up nor losing momentum. We appreciate your candidness and are beyond grateful to have your story as a part of the Liberty’s Promise legacy.

Thank you to our community for your continuous support. Donate today to help us continue empowering youth to achieve their full potential.

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