Today we’d like to introduce you to Dannika Dugan-Montesano.
Hi Dannika, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was raised by a single mom and grew up in poverty, and I’ll never forget the feeling of shame when using food stamps or not being able to see a proper doctor because Medi-Cal wasn’t accepted. At 21, I found myself pregnant and alone after my boyfriend of nearly two years walked out the day I told him I was expecting. That heartbreak, on top of the emotional toll from an abusive relationship, sent me into a spiral. I lost my job, my apartment, and my car. I was completely at rock bottom: homeless, jobless, uneducated, and pregnant. In that moment of despair, I thought about my childhood and realized I was continuing the same cycle of poverty. I knew something had to change.
Thanks to the support of my aunt and uncle, they let me move in with them, but I knew that wasn’t enough. I relied on programs like Medi-Cal, CalFresh (food stamps), and CalWORKs (cash aid), and while I was grateful for these resources, I knew those were temporary solutions. I needed to create a future for myself and my daughter, so I turned to education. I enrolled at San Diego Miramar College just two weeks before giving birth. I’ll never forget writing an English paper in the hospital…I had a baby in one arm, laptop balanced in the other. It sounds funny now, but it shows how determined I was. I finished that semester with all As and realized how much I loved school. I went on to earn my associate degree, transferred to CSUSM where I earned my bachelor’s degree, and eventually earned my master’s degree at SDSU while simultaneously working at San Diego Miramar College. That’s when I knew—I wanted to be the counselor and give back to students like me.
Today, I’m a full-time counselor at Southwestern College, serving in the same CalWORKs program that once helped me. I’m also a doctoral student working toward my Ed.D. and a proud recipient of the Chrispeels Fellowship. I’ve since built a family, no longer rely on government assistance (welfare), and carry with me the deep memory of turning in those monthly documents just to survive. That experience drives everything I do. I’ve made it my life’s mission to uplift the voices of marginalized, underrepresented students in higher education, especially low-income, single parents like I once was. Earning my doctorate isn’t just a personal goal; it’s proof that no matter where you start, your dreams are valid, and your future can be rewritten.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has absolutely not been a smooth road. I struggled with imposter syndrome (and to be honest, I still do) and having to remind myself that I belong and that I am worthy of being in higher education institutions. I struggled with maintaining my mom and adult duties with my student duties. There were days that I had a paper due or a big exam but instead of writing or studying, I was taking care of a sick child. I struggled economically, with being dependent on welfare/government assistance. While I am grateful for the help and resources, there is a lot of paperwork involved with receiving those benefits (not to mention the stigma that surrounds being on welfare). I struggled with housing and never having a space of my own since my daughter and I shared a room for years. My credit was horrible because of the eviction and the car repossession so trying to purchase anything was extremely difficult. My daughter and I rode around in a unreliable and not safe car for the first few years of her life. I would just pray that the car wouldn’t break down on the way to school, work, or picking her up from daycare. I also felt isolated a lot of the times, feeling like there was nobody else at my higher education institution that was a single parent and felt like there was nobody I could turn to (not to mention the lack of representation of single parents in the school curriculum or on campus). It always felt like I was invisible and not seen on campus.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a college counselor in the CalWORKs program that serves a specialized population of students. I work with students who are receiving cash aid assistance from the county and are going to school to meet their welfare-to-work requirements and better themselves for them and their children. Most of the students that I work with are single parents, just like I was.
What sets me apart from other counselors is the fact that I once was a student in the CalWORKs program, just like them. I can connect with students on a deeper and personal level that not many people or counselors can. They get to see me, someone who was once in the same situation as they are and just trying to survive, in a rewarding and respected career. By me being the counselor for CalWORKs, they get to see hope of a better future.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
My mom and I lived with my grandparents on and off throughout my whole childhood. We shared a room and a bed for a lot of my childhood, but my favorite childhood memory was when my mom would get us a hotel for a night at Motel 6. She would pack up all of my toys and my bathing suit and we would go stay at the local Motel 6 for the night and I absolutely loved it. I got to eat snacks, watch TV, and sleep in a bed by myself! Now that I am older, I realize now that she did this because her and my grandmother were fighting and she wanted to get out of the house. But those nights are still my fondest memories.
Image Credits
Ashleigh Mitchell Photo
@ashleighmitchellphoto
