Featured Heroine: Laura Casas Frier,
Board, Foothill-DeAnza

Laura Casas Frier was born in Mexico, but came to the U.S. as a one-year old and was raised in the United States. Though she hadn’t thought of college as a possibity, she had a 10th grade teacher who told her, "You’re college material," and that made all the difference.

Family Background: "My parents migrated from Mexico to the U.S. so that we could have a better life. At one point we returned to Mexico so my Mother could be closer to her relatives. But she gave that up so we could get a good education in America."

Where I Grew Up: Van Nuys , CA

Pre College Education: Nobel Elementary School, Fulton Jr. High, Van Nuys High School

College Education: B.A. Political Science, CSU Northridge; J.D., University of Santa Clara School of Law

"Aha" Moment: "Mr. Lapin, my history teacher, pulled me aside and said, ‘Have you ever thought about college? You’re college material.’ That single act changed my life."

Biggest Challenge To get there: "When we returned to Mexico, I couldn’t qualify to go to school. My Spanish wasn’t developed enough. And the kids laughed at my (American) accent. We had to go back to the U.S. so I could get educated."

Biggest Challenge In College: "Money. I had to work twenty five hours a week, sometimes at two jobs, even with a full class load. It was sometimes overwhelming."

Favorite Mentor: "My Mother was inspirational—she gave us work books in Spanish so we could keep our language. She learned English, and even went to college with me so she could study to be a teacher."

Favorite Teacher: Mr. Lapin, because he believed in me and told me I was ‘college material.’ He helped me get into the right college prep classes, and even fought with the counselor who didn’t want to put me into the tougher classes."

Favorite Author: John Steinbeck, East of Eden. "I loved it."