For two of FIU Law’s recent graduates the road to commencement was a winding and long one. Thirty-five year old Viviana Acosta Sanchez and Yanglier Suarez Lopez, 38, are older than the average law student, had to learn a new language and had to adjust to a new life away from everything and everyone they knew.
Both are Cuban born and raised. Each earned a law degree from the University of Havana Law School. Acosta worked as a prosecutor and Suarez was in-house counsel for a corporation before leaving it all behind to make their way to a new life in the United States.
Acosta was lucky. Her mother won the lottery which allowed the family the opportunity to leave Cuba together. Suarez’ story was different – he left through Mexico where he had to cross the border. Both are U.S. citizens.
Even though they were educated and working professionals back in Cuba, they gave up those titles when they arrived in Miami. Despite the hope of having a new start, if they wanted a chance for any kind of future in the U.S. the first thing they needed to do was to learn English.
Acosta took an English proficiency course at FIU, while Suarez studied English as a second language at Miami Dade College. Both took and passed the TOEFL exam.
“I am just a dreamer who went from learning English by singing and writing songs to being an FIU Law Review staff member. This accomplishment amazes me when I think about it.” Acosta remarked.
During his time studying English, Suarez learned about a program which offered foreigners with a bachelor’s degree the opportunity to get a teaching certification. Within a year, he was teaching Spanish and Social Studies at South Dade Regional High School.
“Being a teacher has been one of the most gratifying experiences in my life. It is very rewarding when my former students approach me at FIU and still remember me,” he said.
Being back in school and pressed to provide a better future for her family inspired Acosta to return to her legal roots – something that had been gnawing at her. She always knew that she wanted to be a lawyer and even made that declaration to her mom when she was just seven years old. With hard work and lots of “heart” she went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 2010 all while working at two jobs: a full-time job as a legal assistant for a law firm and a part-time job as an assistant manager at Kinkos. At her undergraduate commencement ceremony, FIU President Mark B. Rosenberg recognized her as a World’s Ahead honoree.
As a full-time high school teacher, Suarez wanted to “move up” within his profession. In order to do so he went on to earn a master’s degree in Latin American Studies from FIU. It was during this time that he was encouraged to go to law school.
Once they officially became FIU Law students and their paths finally brought them together they immediately became fast friends. They understood each other, and the obstacles they had to face were made less daunting because they had each other to lean on.
“We studied in Spanish at all times and explained the rules of law while yelling at each other – in typical Cuban fashion!” Suarez explained.
For both, the struggle to read and comprehend English wasn’t easy. “We always carried a dictionary,” Acosta explained. “It was a constant struggle – not just having to learn the law, but the language, too. We had to study twice as hard and we lived with the fear that we were going to fail.”
But fail they didn’t. Ever.
Both earned magna cum laude honors, numerous scholarships and Acosta received the Faculty Recognition Award for her exceptional leadership, service and commitment to FIU Law and the community-at-large.
Acosta got involved with FIU Law’s Immigration Clinic where she was able to relate to clients on a deep and personal level. Clinical Assistant Professor & Director of FIU Law’s Clinical Programs Juan Gomez boasts about Acosta’s abilities. “Viviana will be a great judge one day,” he shared. She was an extraordinary student who took care of her colleagues, her clients and the school. She would come early to set up and stay late to clean up!”
They both recognized the importance of finding each other during their time at law school. They relied on one another to study and to get through the stresses of writing papers, but it was the nuisances of the American culture that was most amusing to them.
“We didn’t grow up watching or listening to the same shows or music that our classmates did so when a classmate joked about something and the class laughed, we laughed because we had no idea what was so funny – it was our little secret!,” Acosta said.
Future goals are the only thing that separates their personal journeys. Acosta hopes to make a career in immigration law and advocate for those seeking asylum. For Suarez, who misses the classroom, his dream is to get back into teaching and hopes that becoming an adjunct law professor is in his future.