It Only Takes One Person
Kimberly's Story, In Her Own Words
Kimberly sharing at a recent Urban Ventures event
Kimberly Eras grew up in South Minneapolis, the daughter of first-generation immigrants. She recently stood up at an Urban Ventures gathering and shared her story with the room. These are her words, lightly edited.
I want to start with a simple idea: it only takes one person to break a cycle. Just one.
I am the daughter of first-generation immigrants. My parents came here in search of a better future. They worked hard and sacrificed deeply, but like many families, they faced constant obstacles. Still, they never stopped pushing forward. At one point, my mom made a decision that would change everything. She chose to trust. She joined a program called Siempre Padres through Urban Ventures. It was a space where parents came together to learn, to grow, and to understand what opportunities existed for their families. That decision, to show up, to trust, to learn alongside others, was the first step in breaking our cycle.
Through that program, she heard about an opportunity at Whittier Clinic, where professionals came in to talk about their careers. That's where I first heard about nursing, and something clicked. What started as exposure became passion. I knew I wanted to be a nurse, and I knew I needed to go to college for that to happen. But I didn't know what to do next, because nobody in my family had ever gone to college.
When you don't have an example to follow, it's hard. My parents were supportive, and they showed me how to work hard. But hard work only gets you so far when the path isn't clear. It was overwhelming, but it also gave me a chance to practice something my parents were learning at Urban Ventures: you don't have to know everything, but you do have to advocate for yourself. They helped me ask for support instead of thinking I had to do it on my own.
Kimberly in 2017, celebrating her scholarship
Through Urban Ventures, I applied for a full-tuition, need-based leadership scholarship. Out of roughly 400 applicants, only 40 were selected, and I was one of them.
But what changed my life wasn't just the scholarship. It was the community, the mentorship, and the people who walked alongside me through the scholarship program. Because the truth is, getting into college is one thing, and making it through is another. Yes, college was academically challenging, but for me, the greatest challenge was mental and emotional. I'll be honest: there were many moments when I questioned whether I truly belonged.
I struggled with imposter syndrome, and I found myself questioning everything. Am I smart enough? Am I capable of graduating? Can I actually become a nurse? I would come home crying every week, thinking I couldn't do it. And every week, my parents and my community spoke words of encouragement, telling me I could do it and that I was smart enough. They filled my confidence when I had none.
But those doubts don't just disappear. Even now, there are moments when I still have to push past them. What made the difference was the people who reminded me of my strength and resilience. My parents, my mentors, my friends, they all pushed me to do my best and always believed in me, sometimes before I could even believe in myself. That's what kept me going.
I've seen what happens without that support. I had a friend in a similar position, with similar potential and dreams, and a full-ride scholarship, just like me. But she didn't have that supportive community, and unfortunately, she didn't make it past her first semester. That reality stayed with me. Students like me don't just need financial assistance. We need people who believe in us, who guide us, and who remind us that we belong.
That's the difference Urban Ventures makes. Because of that support, I graduated as a first-generation college student with my Bachelor's in Nursing and a minor in Psychology, debt free. Not long after, I moved back into the community, this time as a homeowner. I bought my first house at 23 years old.
But this story isn't just about graduating college or buying a house. It's about breaking a cycle. I grew up in a community that people often talk about leaving. But what I see is something different. I see strength, resilience, and people who don't want handouts but opportunities. The reality is, when everyone around you is in the same position, it's hard to move forward, no matter how strong you are. That's why it takes one person. One person with access, one person with support, one person who is shown what's possible. And that one person creates a ripple effect.
Today, I live in South Minneapolis. I chose to buy my home there because I believe in my community. I believe in its potential. It's why I visit high schools to talk about my career, and it's also why I work in the community as an ER nurse at Children's Hospital, just up the street from Urban Ventures. I want my neighbors to see what it looks like when we break the cycle. I want to be part of that ripple effect for someone else.
In a world that has been telling our community, especially our immigrant community, that they don't have value and they don't belong, I want to be something else they can look at. I want my life to be proof that you do belong, that you are capable, and that you can keep pushing forward no matter what comes your way.
And my story is still being written. This fall, I will begin the next chapter of my academic career, as I was recently accepted into the Doctor of Nursing Practice program at the University of Minnesota. A few years ago, I wasn't even sure if I was cut out for college. A few years from now, I'll have a doctorate in nursing.
I'm not just doing it for me. I'm doing it because I know what's possible when even one person is given a chance. Urban Ventures creates those "one persons." My mom was one. I became one.
And with your support, there will be many more. Thank you.
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