Prado.DRC.Jun.17.2022 For L1*1yan Pr o- rrla a o,
Ameri*candreamcame
ilyan Prado rode on College.She paid her ann
someones shout- way.She worked evenings
der as she and weekends to
crossed the deep pay the tuition at
waters of the Rio NCTC.
Grande at the In order to
age of d.Born in become legal
Guatemala City, residents,chil-
she, her parents dren brought here
and sister waded Olegally by their
across the river FO parents must
,nto the United Ramiro co
mplete all doc-
States. umentation before
You might say Valdez they become
she was a dreamer. responsible for _
But coming themselves at age
to America was just the 2t Lilyan managed to do -
beginning.Lilyan had to face this while studying at NCTC.
numerous obstacles in or- Ten days before her 21st
der to achieve her dreams. birthday.she obtained her
She encountered the first at green card
Borman Elementary School She transferred to Texas
here in Denton because Ulioman's University, where
she did not speak English. she studied to become
She was placed in English one of the people she most
as a second language(ESL) admired:a teacher.Upon
classes and studied hard graduation in 2003,she
intil she learned to speak began her career.Currently
English well. she works as an ESLibAin-
She then faced another goal specialist at Alexander Courtesy photo
obstacle when her mother Elementary School here in Lilyan Prado-Carrilo is an ESL/bilingual specialist at AI-
abandoned her and took Denton. exander Elementary School and a professional speaker.
ner little sister back to Gua- But she is also a profes-
ternala Her father raised her sional speaker,where she tration from the University hibert are sG;i raising the
alone, and she had to adjust addresses large groups of of North Texas in 2013. She two girls,age 13 and 9.
to his playing multiple roles underprivileged kids about served two terms in 20?9 Lilyan Prad0-Carrillo says
Mile she grew up an His- seeking higher education. and 2020 as president her hobbies are"people."
panic American And she helps parents of the Denton Chapter of She spends all her time
Then she attended Cal- assuage their guilt over not the League of United Latin working with organizations
noun Middle School,where being able to provide all American Citizens (LULAC). that help the underprry-
ner father encouraged her they want for their children Now,Lilyan is the deputy di- Oeged and poor to reach
to study hard.Finally,she She once spoke in 55 cities rector of District 3 of LULAC, their goals through edu-
raduated from Denton in 35 states in nine months! which encompasses all of cation and hard w-ork.And
Nigh School in 1998 She Lilyan continues to speak North Texas. she is not only a renowned
did all of this as an undoc- at conferences all over the After living in Denton speaker but also a shining
.imented immigrant and a country. all her life,having learned example of what she talks
minor.Lilyan gives credit to Her list of accomplish- English perfectly and easily about — that the American
ner advisers in the Upward ments is impressive.She passing the citizenship ex- dream is alive and we9 in
Bound program of the has been a national speak- arras, she pledged allegiance Denton.Texas.
Jniversity of North Texas for er for the Sallie Mae Fund. to the United States and
encouraging her to seek a She continues as a national became a full citizen R.1AHRU 1.UJOYhas boen
college education. speaker for Coolspeak, In 2008,she married a frequent guest cidunuriu in
However.since she was the nation's leading youth Albert Carrillo, who brought the DC1116r1 R"Ord thronkle
not a citizen she would engagement company.She three strapping boys into turd is a rehired a► a councdor,
have to pay international interned in 2001 for the the marriage.Lilyan took on 1k urlcomex feM1iiack turd
tuition at the universities in Congressional Hispanic the job of mom to the boys, suggestions Oa letters to the
towrt The cost-was prohib- Caucus Institute in Wash- and they added two girls ethJw-or cnnailed it)mad►int.
itive, so she atterded North ngton,D.C.Lilyan earned a to the family_The boys are ►ufik gXinW1.can.
Central Texas Community Master's of Public Adminis- all grown now,but she and