To my first-generation comrades, Class of 2029

Welcome to the University of Arizona, and huge congratulations on making it here!

Three years ago, I was right where you are now, stepping onto this campus as the first in my family to go to college. I carried a mix of excitement, nerves, and way more questions than answers. I didn’t have a map, just hope. Hope that my family’s sacrifices would be worth it, and that I could build something better for those who come after me.

Just by being here, you’ve already achieved something huge. But I want to be real with you, the road ahead will be tough. You’ll come up against institutions built to uphold the status quo—systems that weren’t designed with us in mind. And if you’re a student of color, queer, disabled, or hold other marginalized identities, the weight of that challenge can feel even heavier. The university won’t always fight hard enough for us.

But you are not alone. Your story is one of resilience, of pushing through, of refusing to be defined by where you started. What you’re doing is bigger than a degree. You’re breaking cycles, opening doors, and carrying the dreams of your family and ancestors who made it possible for you to be here.

This moment demands more than our perseverance, it demands our resistance. We have to challenge what’s broken, push back, and yes, sometimes fight. Our right to education, to truth, to speak freely is under attack, and those attacks are only intensifying. Public education is under siege. Authoritarian forces are tightening their grip, and this administration has already shown us where it stands. No one is coming to save us. We are the ones who must carry the torch forward.

That fight will look different for each of us. My advice to you is to find your purpose, your community, your way to make change. Be bold. Be intentional.

And remember that your time here isn’t just about earning a degree, it’s about breaking barriers for those who come after you. There are people, students, allies, folks like me who are rooting for you, walking with you, and ready to fight alongside you to make this place better. You carry the hopes of your family, your ancestors, and everyone who was told they couldn’t.

We’ve already done what some said was impossible. Now, we must keep going.

With unshakable faith in our power, y mucho cariño,
Senator Eddie Barrón