Designing a Dream: Dulce's Story

Dulce at the National Kitchen & Bath Association’s Kitchen & Bath Industry Show in Las Vegas, NV.

Dulce left her home in Querétaro, Mexico, to join her sister in the United States in 2005. She quickly enrolled in English classes at Sequoia Adult School to increase opportunities in her new home. As she settled into her new life, Dulce became a single mother and temporarily returned to Mexico to provide the best life for her daughter.

In Mexico, Dulce worked as an insurance agent to provide for her new family. She bought a house and quickly grew frustrated with how poorly designed it was. Dulce knew she wanted to make the space functional and beautiful between working and raising her daughter, so she began a renovation project. Unbeknownst to her, this project would change her life forever. 

In 2018, she returned to the United States to enhance her daughter’s prospects. To make ends meet, Dulce worked multiple jobs, including restaurant work, nannying, child care at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Redwood City, and housecleaning, and pursued further education at Cañada College. There, her former Sequoia Adult School ESL teacher and Upward Scholars founder, Elizabeth Weal, invited her to join the Upward Scholars program. 

Since joining Upward Scholars, Dulce has actively participated in English Conversation Clubs and enlisted a tutor to further her language proficiency. She is incredibly grateful for the Safety Net Fund and grocery gift card support she received since the start of the pandemic. She says, “Because of Upward Scholars, I completed my studies. You pushed me not to quit until I got my degree and became the professional I wanted to be.” 

Her renovation project in Mexico and the encouragement from our community to continue her education helped Dulce realize her true calling: creating spaces that are beautiful, functional, and tailored to the user’s unique needs and desires. Dulce found immense joy in the creativity that interior design offered, so she embarked on a journey to study interior design with the support of Upward Scholars.

In Spring 2023, Dulce graduated magna cum laude from Cañada College with an associate’s degree in Interior Design. She is currently working in home staging in San Carlos and is actively seeking opportunities that allow her to use her interior design studies and passion in the real world. After gaining more experience, Dulce dreams of owning her own interior design firm and helping people create usable spaces they love.