Meet Patricia Figueroa of our CareersPLUS Program

Patricia Figueroa was born completely blind, but it never occurred to her to doubt her ability to do whatever she wanted to do. As a child in San Francisco, she had an orientation and mobility instructor, as well as a certified Teacher of the Visually Impaired.

“My parents always told me I could be whatever I want,” she said. “I never thought about not being able to do things I love.”

Always an outgoing child, she loved talking and never hesitated to talk to people.

“Even when I was still learning to talk, I would always walk into a room saying ‘hola!’”

Patricia, who turned 18 in August, moved to South Sacramento at age 10, and at age 14 she learned about our CareersPLUS Youth program.

“When I heard about CareersPLUS, I was like, I’m going,” she said. “It’s such a comfortable environment and it honestly feels like a family. That’s why I keep coming. It kind of wraps you like a security blanket. We all have something to talk about, common struggles, and I love the different guest speakers.”

While most of her friends are preparing to enter community college or the military, Patricia will be attending Sacramento State University this fall, entering as a political science major who is hoping to get involved in campus activism.

“I’m so excited, and I’m so nervous,” she said. “I hope that I can meet new people who are likeminded and passionate about issues like I am. I feel like my life is just starting.”

An activist for both animal rights and immigrant rights, Patricia hopes to use her degree to help immigrants, potentially through immigration law or working with immigrant children.

“I feel like CareersPLUS is giving me the tools I need and making me stronger to reach my goals,” she said. “The guest speakers have all been blind, so I feel like, well why can’t I do this then? I really appreciate how much they’ve made possible for me at Society. I’m going to keep supporting them. I’ll be there, you’ll see me!”