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- My name
is Tamika Narvaez-Payne,

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and I am a student at
Bakersfield College.

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Trying to leave
an abusive relationship

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after I had my children,

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I was shot in the back. In a
four-year period, I was shot,

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had my throat slit, my son died,
and my girls were abducted.

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When life throws you punches,
you have to keep on going.

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I moved to Bakersfield in 2007
and decided to start over.

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Went for a job I totally
deserved,

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and they told me I didn't
have a degree,

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and I couldn't have the job.

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That very day that I
left that interview,

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I walked onto the campus of BC.

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If you are someone with children

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or you're looking
for employment

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or you're somebody who has low-
income issues,

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you get directed
in those avenues.

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I felt loved and I felt accepted
and I felt supported

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from the moment that I walked
onto the campus.

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Every resource that our campus
makes available,

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I have used over and above
probably what they wanted me to.

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As a mother of eight children,

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there would be no way to
accommodate getting my child

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to a childcare place.

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My childcare facility
is on campus.

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That's an asset.

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That's something that allows me
to be successful.

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Online learning, what
I loved about it

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was I could still live
my life as a mom.

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If kids need
to be picked up early,

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I didn't have to leave
the class.

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The best thing I found out about
the Bakersfield College

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is the AA would transfer.

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Mine would be communication,
and I have a few colleges

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that I would like to pursue.

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I want to fight for policy and I
want to fight to make a change

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in this world.