Stories from the people who make up our community.
#HumansofDukeSanford is an Instagram project that collects the Sanford memories from our students, faculty and staff.
Jeremy Carballo Pineda, Undergrad
"I crossed the border when I was three years old - involuntarily and unconsciously. I am undocumented, illegal, an alien. Yet, I have been made American in the fullest sense. I pledged allegiance to the US flag from kindergarten to my senior year in high school - more than a decade of falsely believing that “liberty and justice for all” was a reality. I learned English better than my mother tongue, Spanish. I chased the American Dream, as it was the only hope I had for a better life. I was interpolated into the 'model minority.'"
Sumetrice Porter, Staff
“I was a first-generation college student and so my father worked in a factory and his brother worked in factories and they were in unions at one time. They felt like the unions were really giving them a voice. So I wanted to do something where I can help staff, help people, and help them navigate organizational politics and their day to day work. But, I didn’t know what that was called..."
Myra Parsonnet and Raffi Wineburg, MPP
Myra: "We worked at the same company in Boston helping homeowners go solar."
Raffi: "I was there first and when Myra came to interview, I said, “Wow I really like that interviewee…” (laughter) After the two-week training period, we were walking to the train station after dark, about to go to separate trains, and I said, 'Hey we work together but I really like you and we should go out.'
Myra: I said, 'Is that allowed?'"
Tell Us Your Story
Want to tell us your story, or do you want to suggest someone for us to feature? Email us: ssppduke@gmail.com