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BCAA Alumni Name: Jeffrey Acosta Class Year: 2018 Contact: Email: [email protected] Inspired By: Yvelisse Acosta – Mother WOW Challenge Nurturer. Strong-willed. Compassionate. Go-Getter. When thinking about the extraordinary women in my life who have served as role models, Yvelisse Acosta is synonymous. My mom. Born the only girl out of 6 kids in Dominican Republic, she was forced to grow up with thick skin to survive being raised around a “boys will be boys” household. She independently paved the way for herself and the rest of our family by taking a leap of faith. After completing high school in DR, she set out to take on the world. She packed a bag and moved to a new foreign language speaking country – the US. From the very beginning, my mom has fought for what she has wanted and never took “no” as an answer. Understanding very few words in English, she still took on a job as a waitress to cover her expenses. From her very first paycheck, she would send a portion of her earnings back to her parents in DR. Over the years, she never turned down family. Growing up in a 1-bedroom apartment in the Bronx, it didn’t matter if there wasn’t a bed to sleep on. From family to friends – if they came knocking on the door, there was space for them – even if it meant a pillow and a blanket on the floor. As I embark and reflect on my own journey at 25, I strive to reach the same level of accomplishments and compassion my mother has been able to. |