From Undocumented to Professor: Claiming Her Place in the US – with Dr. Soledad Reyes de Barbosa

In this deeply personal conversation, Tatjana sits down with Soledad, who crossed the U.S.-Mexico border at four years old after the sudden loss of her father. For nearly two decades, she lived in the United States without legal status - growing up undocumented in the country she would come to call home. This episode tells the human story behind the label “living undocumented in the U.S.” Beyond politics and headlines, Soledad shares what it means to move through childhood and early adulthood with chronic uncertainty: the vigilance, the fear of being noticed, and the emotional weight of building a future while technically not allowed to belong. And yet, through relentless determination and a deep belief in education, she became the first in her family to earn a PhD in the life sciences. Today, she is a scientist, professor, and mother of two, raising the next generation with the stability she once lived without. A story about growing up invisible in a country where attention could mean deportation - and finding the courage to claim your place anyway.   You’ll Hear About Crossing the desert as a four-year-old child Losing her father and leaving Mexico Growing up undocumented in California Living in constant fear of deportation The hidden realities of education without legal status The emotional toll of invisibility Becoming the first in her family to earn a PhD Identity, belonging, and redefining what it means to be American Raising bilingual children and honoring cultural roots Motherhood, legacy, and resilience About My Guest At four years old, Dr. Soledad Reyes de Barbosa crossed the US-Mexico border with her mother and sisters after her father was killed in Mexico. She grew up undocumented in California, navigating fear, instability, and limited opportunities - yet never letting go of her dream of an education. As a child, she helped her mother sell homemade bread and tamales. As a teenager, she worked in her aunt’s taco truck. Without access to financial aid because of her legal status, she sold food at construction sites to pay for college. She became the first in her family to earn a PhD in the life sciences. Today, she is a UC Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellow, building her path toward becoming an Assistant Professor - and a proud mother of two incredibly resilient micro-preemies. Connect with Soledad: Instagram: www.instagram.com/nabora.reyes Facebook: Soledad Reyes --- The MITA Podcast: Website – https://www.tatjana-krajsic.com/the-mita-podcast Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/mita.podcast LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/tatjana-krajsic/   Produced by Between Tracks - https://www.betweentracks.com