Isa Ferrera

Letter from a Fearless Latina Woman!

My name is Isa Ferrera, I am a Latina woman, a Honduran woman, an immigrant, a daughter, a friend, a sister, a lawyer, and a FEARLESS WOMAN. I grew up surrounded by fears; fear of playing in the park, of going out at night, of wanting more, of dreaming, of being a woman, fear of going out of the house alone. It is like growing up in a golden cage which I called home. I grew up in a country dominated by men and surrounded by injustices, hunger, and abuse. But I also grew up surrounded by strong, intelligent, and enterprising women who are not afraid, forging me into what I am today – a fearless woman being ME. I come from generations of women who have fought against mental and physical abuse, gender discrimination, and other injustices this world prepared for us. I have broken many stigmas and stereotypes typical of a Honduran woman of my age. I am not married, and I do not have children, and there is nothing wrong with that. I have a family whom I love, I have friends whom I love, I have a university degree, a master’s degree and soon I will obtain another degree. All because of having the option of deciding what I want to do with my life. I chose a hard road from which I have demanded more and more of myself, wanting to create a path for the generations that come behind me; so that they can have the option of becoming who they want to be. We must never feel that we have a predetermined role to play in our lives, because we can be whatever we want.

I was born and raised in Puerto Cortes, Honduras. From a very young age, I witnessed violent acts in front of my eyes which awoke a thirst for justice within me. The world is a very complex place because human beings are of a complex nature. Moreover, when faced with adverse situations where we feel no hope of change it is up to us to make this world a better place. When I graduated from high school, I had to make one of the hardest decisions of my life; what will I study? Who do I want to be? That is when I made the decision to study law and specialize in criminal law, human rights, environmental law, and immigration law. After I graduated from the Autonomous National University of Honduras (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras) I worked as a public defender in Puerto Cortes for a short time. There was a strong woman in charge of my office, and she taught me the challenges we face as women in the professional field.  For a woman in my country and in my profession, it is twice as hard to establish a professional career than it is for a man. When I would introduce myself professionally, the first questions they would ask was: how did you obtain your job? What are the skills you were required to have for this position? Or, are you not too young to be a lawyer? Questioning my capabilities rather than accepting my abilities.

Penn State Law opened doors for me in the fall semester of 2016, and it was an unique experience. I became the first Honduran student to be admitted to the Penn State Law’s LL.M. program, a master’s degree in law. My areas of concentration were environmental law and immigration law. I went from studying in San Pedro Sula better known as the “Murder Capital” of the world, to live in State College “Happy Valley”.

I love my country and I am proud of being Honduran, but it definitely prepared me to face the world. I grew up deprived of a very fundamental right; the right to live freely, securely, and in peace. Sadly, it took me a long time to get accustomed to a safe environment where I could be free. I recall that the instinct of survival was very strong when I first moved to Happy Valley, and that feeling of unsafety still presents to me at times. That feeling did not stay in Honduras; it has become part of who I am. Upon arriving in Happy Valley I was always alert and aware of my surroundings due to my past experiences in Honduras. These feelings still come back to me at times since they have become part of who I am. I feel very grateful to live in a community that is inclusive and provides me a lot of support and respect. A community which allowed me to be the immigrant Latina woman that I am with a strong and loud voice. I have been able to share my history, my roots, and culture to show that we are more than just a stereotype.

During my master’s program, I was admitted into CIRC (Center for Immigrants’ Rights Clinic) at Penn State Law (https://pennstatelaw.psu.edu/practice-skills/clinics/center-immigrants-rights) under the supervision of Professor Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia. There, not only did I learn how to become a better professional, but I also had the opportunity to represent detained families in their credible fear interviews. Most of the detained families at a detention center were Latinxs making it a very personal. This was an experience full of emotions because I witnessed children from 18 months old to 16 years old next to their parents in circumstances which they never thought they would find themselves in. As a Latina immigrant woman in the middle of the emotions and tears that I felt in such a scenario, it gave me a immeasurable strength that goes beyond all emotions motivated to change someone’s life. Our team worked tirelessly to defend the rights of every family we met, and it was one of the most beautiful acts that a human being can witness. ‘Compassion’ for those in need. Moments like that bring back to me a sense hope in humanity.

In 2017, Stephen G. Barnes, Penn State Law Assistant Dean of Graduate and International Programs (GIP) said: “Isa, you are the first admitted student from Honduras, but we do not want you to be the last”. Behind these powerful words, he offered me a position as Penn State Law Latin American Program Director (https://pennstatelaw.psu.edu/virtual-open-house-llm-applicants). I have taken this position with great responsibility, but also with the support of the most hardworking and caring team which I call “the GIP Familia”. We have developed scholarship programs and academic exchanges for students in around eight Latin American countries. The LL.M. program changed my life, it taught me how to see the world with different lenses in which I must not fear of being vocal about who I am.

We have signed MOU’S (Memorandums of Understanding) with academic, governmental, and non-governmental institutions, bar associations, and law firms. This has helped more than 60 Latinxs students to obtain admission into our LL.M. Master of Laws program. My work makes me happy because I have the opportunity to help someone like me and tell them YOU CAN DO IT. The immense effort that the Penn State Law “GIP” Graduate and International Programs team accomplishes every year with students of nearly 34 nationalities is the definition of “world peace”. Although we come from different religious, and cultural backgrounds all together; we find refuge in “Happy Valley” that receives us with love and inclusion.

Trying to help others in any possible way, is my humble contribution to make this world a better place. In the process of becoming and embracing who I really am, I have had many moments of pain, fragility, and weakness. In these moments the women in my life have taken care of me, healed my wounds, and given me the encouragement needed to achieve what they could not accomplish. Having their support strengthen me to move forward so that new generations, like my 15-year-old sister, can go further from where I have been able to reach. That way, we can continue to pass on a legacy of change and revolution. The revolutionary and rebellious women whom I admire are the ones that nurtured and raised me as the FEARLESS WOMAN that I am. My grandmother, mother, aunt, sister, friends, and colleagues. In short, my message is one of empowerment to all women to keep giving each other support and strength, to keep fighting and breaking barriers of gender inequalities. Together we can make this world a better place.

The Revolution Starts with You!