Valedictorian discloses undocumented status in graduation speech

"Undocumented immigrants are people too."

McKinney Boyd High School's 2016 valedictorian, Larissa Martinez, stayed away from clichés in her graduation speech. Instead, she shared with the crowd that she is an undocumented immigrant.

"Let me be frank. I am not going to stand up here and give you the traditional Hallmark version of a valedictorian speech," Martinez said in her speech. "I am one of the 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the shadows of the United States."

Local news station WFAA 8 ABC interviewed the young woman and her mother, Deyanira Contreras.

According to WFAA 8, Martinez took 17 AP classes, graduated with a 4.95 GPA, and received a full-ride to Yale, which she will be attending this fall. 

She did all this sharing a bed with her mother and younger sister in a one-bedroom apartment in McKinney, Texas. Martinez put in an application for citizenship seven years ago, and is still waiting for it to go through.

In 2010, Contreras and her daughters left their abusive and alcoholic father and relocated to Texas. 

"School became my safe haven," Martinez told the audience. "I always had knowledge at my fingertips...I also realized that may be the only way I might be able to help my family."

"After all of these years, I have finally mustered up the courage to stand before you and share a struggle I have had to deal with each and every day," Martinez said. 

She received a standing ovation from the crowd.

"I am living proof that beating the system is possible," she said.

Here is her speech:

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