SAN ANTONIO — A Southwest ISD senior is making a difference in her school and community by her commitment to serve others.
It’s hard to imagine a senior in high school has already experienced so many challenges in life, but Tumaini Agnes just takes in it all in stride.
Tumaini said her family is from Africa and she grew up in a refugee camp.
“My family is actually from Eastern Africa and most specifically in Tanzania, and so growing up, it was just a lot of complications, and we grew up in war,” said Tumaini.
She said it took a long time for our her family to be accepted to come to the United States.
“When they took the leap of faith and finally got here, it was just a dream come true because all these amazing opportunities,” said Tumaini.
The Southwest Legacy High School senior said it’s her parents’ strength and fortitude that motivates her to overcome barriers.
“I always have someone who believes in me, who sacrificed so much. She sacrificed like leaving her whole family behind. And my dad, too,” said Tumaini.
When she arrived to the United States, Tumaini had to learn English quickly, and often has to translate for her parents.
“With her parents not having English as their first language, it has made her overcome that language barrier and put herself forth as the face of her family,” said Giovanna Espinoza, College Readiness Coach at Southwest Legacy High School.
Tumaini said she speaks three languages.
“I also kind of speak sign language because my brother, he's deaf,” she said.
Tumaini said she has a passion for service, and wants to be a voice for others, especially girls who grew up in Africa like she did.
“I feel like a lot of us get pushed down because of our language barrier, because of our culture barrier,” said Tumaini. “Especially as girls, we're told we're only supposed to stay in the kitchen and we're only told that we're supposed to just be housewives.”
Tumaini said she wants to be an example to others that anything is possible.
“I feel like it's my purpose in life to be a leader, to be a person that people can look up to,” she said.
Joseph Guidry is the Principal of Southwest Legacy HS, and said Tumaini has been motivating force since he has known her.
“What we want from our kids and making sure they're doing right for the community, doing the best that they can, showing people that they care. That's what she does,” said Guidry.
“This girl is a force of nature. She just has this ambition,” said Espinoza.
Those are just a few reasons Tumaini Agnes is a KENS 5 All-Star Student.
Oscar Salcedo with the UPS Store presented Tumaini with the All-Star award.
“I can see that people look up to me. And, just knowing that, that's what actually lifts me up, knowing that I'm actually making a difference to so many people,” said Tumaini.
Tumaini said she hopes to attend college at Oakwood University in Alabama, and study Communications.
She told KENS 5 that she aspires to be a news anchor and plans to be a self-published author.
“I definitely have a bright future ahead of me,” said Tumaini.