At John Jay College, we know that our diversity is our strength. A vital component of that diversity comes from our proud immigrant community. Over 30 percent of the John Jay student population identifies as being an immigrant—a number that balloons if we consider students who are children of immigrants. In an effort to acknowledge, celebrate, and better understand the immigrant experience at John Jay, we’ve created this article series called “An Immigrant Story.” Here, we hope to share the rich, varied, and inspiring journeys of our students, faculty, staff, and alumni from our immigrant community.

One of the biggest lessons Reem Hamaida ’23 has learned from her father is an unwavering dedication to reach for your dreams—no matter what obstacles you find on the way. “My dad left for the U.S. in hopes of finding a job and financially providing for his family, who he had to leave behind in Egypt—not just me, but also my mom, sister, his siblings and their families. He was financially supporting all of us,” says Hamaida, welling up with pride. “Here was this man, whose dream was to be a professional soccer player, choosing to put family over everything.” The Political Science and Philosophy double major has been taking every opportunity made available to her at John Jay—Model U.N., APPLE Corps, and Diversity Prelaw Pipeline Program—in hopes of reaching her law school dreams. Originally from El-Beheira Governorate, Egypt, Hamaida now wants to diversify the legal profession in America, help other immigrants, and become a prosecutor one day.

Elaborating on her father’s journey, Hamaida explains the struggles he went through to provide for his family from a distance. “My dad came to New York and was able to find a job as a street food vendor, where he worked 18 hours a day on his feet. He didn’t really have a home and he didn’t want to spend any of the money he made, so he sometimes slept on benches in subway stations. All the money he made went to us in Egypt; it went to putting us and his siblings through school so that we could get the education he never had, and into savings so he could bring us here,” says Hamaida. “It was through my dad’s hard work and his incredible sacrifice that I’m here, pursuing my degree at John Jay, and preparing myself for law school. I respect him so much.”   

Acclimating to a New Country
Reflecting on her early youth in Egypt, Hamaida recalls how easygoing life felt, and the vital role education played. “While my dad was in America, he wanted to give us the best education possible in Egypt, so he paid for us to go to a bilingual school, where we learned Arabic and British English. Every morning my mom, who really was the center of our world, would prepare us for school, put on our uniforms, pack our lunch and get us on the bus. Then, after school, she would spend hours reading to us and helping us with homework. It was so wonderfully simple.” But wanting more for his kids, her dad requested the family join him in the U.S. “My parents both had great ambition, but it was cut short for them, and like many immigrants, they saw America as this place where you can do anything if you just work hard enough,” she says. “They wanted everything for us.”

Immigrating to the U.S. when she was seven years old, Hamaida vividly remembers the mixed feelings she had about entering a new school. “I really hated the transition process. I felt scared and so alone. I went into my class and didn’t know how to talk to anybody. I knew my British English but refused to talk. I didn’t want to be wrong, and a lot of times I felt wrong,” she says, adding that she joined the English as a Second Language (ESL) program to help her learn the language. “I remember telling my dad, ‘I don’t have any friends here. Can we go back to Egypt?’ And he cried. He truly was trying his best. And while the process was hard at first, I’ve grown to love it here. It’s turned out great, and I’m really happy.”

Finding Guidance at John Jay
Recognizing that academic support programs have always served her well, Hamaida wanted to go to a college where she knew she could get guidance. “I had a friend who went to John Jay and suggested I apply to the College and its APPLE Corps program. The minute I learned I would get a dedicated academic advisor, who I could talk to and count on to help me navigate my John Jay journey, I was all in,” she says. Through her time in APPLE Corps, she’s lined up experiential learning and service corps opportunities, enabling her to implement what she’s learned in the classroom in a real-world setting. She also became aware of the College’s Writing Center through the program. “As an immigrant, I’ve always had a bit of trouble with my writing, especially when you compare it to a student who was born here. But because I know I’m at a disadvantage, I seek out support systems that can help me improve and set me up for success in other ways. In this case, I go to the Writing Center. I do my work a week in advance and get guidance on revisions. At the start, my work may have a lot of mistakes and not be as good as someone else’s, but by the end of the process, my work is better, and my skills are improved. It’s a win-win.”

Hamaida isn’t just supported by the programs at the College, but also by John Jay faculty who are dedicated to helping our students reach their full potential. “I’ve had such incredible professors here, including Professor Jodie Roure, Professor Andrew Sidman, and Professor Greg Donaldson. These professors are there for you. They will go above and beyond for you, and that is so rare to find. That’s why John Jay, to me, is a gem,” she says. “Every John Jay professor I have gives their time freely. They just want to help you; they genuinely want to see their students excel and go to the next level.” One example that comes to mind for Hamaida involves Donaldson’s New York Times Talk. “While my mom read to me back in Egypt, when we moved here, she wouldn’t read to me in English. She was afraid her mispronouncing a word would lead to me saying the word wrong in class. In College, you have to read so much, so I’m playing a lot of catch up,” she says. “Professor Donaldson told me, ‘Do you want to get to places in life? If so, read. Read the New York Times. Do you want to go to law school? Read the books a cis white man would read before going to law school. Words can be your power.’ I go to his Times Talk regularly, and I always learn so much. We read the articles, pick words that we don’t know, and he helps define them for us, showing us how to use them. He’s just so real with students that the experience really empowers you.”

Dreaming of a Career in Law
While graduation is two years away, it’s clear that Hamaida appreciates what she’s gained at the College so far. “When I walked into John Jay, I immediately felt welcomed and that’s the beauty of being in an HSI/MSI. We all look different and come from different communities, but everyone around you has a similar story. Looking around, you realize you’re not the odd one out like you would be at a PWI [predominantly white institution], and that gives you a sense of assurance. You feel seen. You feel worthy,” she says, looking ahead to her future. “I feel like John Jay has already set me up for success. Halfway through my undergraduate experience, I’m already gaining the skills, knowledge, and confidence I need to get into law school. While I know the path to becoming a lawyer won’t be easy, as most law schools are PWIs, I know I’ll take my John Jay experience and use that to motivate me forward. My ultimate goal is to help diversify the legal system. I want to spark that interest in others. My parents brought me to this country because they wanted me to pursue my dreams. Now it’s up to me to put in the work and accomplish them. I’m taking that mandate to heart and I’m running with it.”