Mariangel Jumps into The USA Top 100 Girls Aged 11.

Mariangel is an 11-year-old aspiring chess champion living in a Manhattan shelter. Nearly 1 year ago, her family arrived in NYC on a bus from the southern border. She was introduced to chess & now boasts a rating of 862, ranking her Top 100 for all girls 11 in the USA.

Her Story…

We are a family of five with Mariangel being our youngest. In 2016, we formed a non-profit association called ACADESURCOL (Association of Displaced Farmers from Southern Colombia) to provide advisory services to those who have been displaced due to the armed conflict in Colombia.

We helped people carry out all the necessary procedures related to their displacement and held meetings to encourage young people to join different government programs and avoid violent groups. My husband provided legal advice for free, and we did all of this work with love, motivated by the desire to help those who have suffered due to the armed conflict.

During a trip to advise displaced families and young people in another city, we were stopped by two motorcycles carrying armed individuals. The driver of the taxi we were in pulled over to the side of the road, and the armed individuals asked for me by name. I didn't respond, and neither did the others who were with us. They threatened to kill us all if we didn't reveal who Alexandra was, so I answered that it was me. I was terrified, shaking all over, and unable to move.

The armed individuals took me away from my husband and threatened us with guns while insulting me and forcing me to kneel. They knew everything about me and my family, including where my children went to school and what activities they participated in. They warned me to leave the country and never help or advise anyone again, or they would kill me and my family. After a few hours, we were picked up by the taxi and returned to our city, Neiva Huila. We were being watched, and I told my children not to go out and ask anyone why. I didn't want to tell them anything to avoid causing them more fear and anxiety.

I didn't eat or sleep for two days, but my husband convinced me to file a complaint with the prosecutor. Although I was scared, I agreed to do it for our safety. I felt like everyone was a suspect, and I didn't know who was watching me. We decided to leave the country, because we felt the United States would protect our rights. We didn't have visas, but we needed to leave Colombia immediately. We traveled to Mexico, and from there we crossed the US border on our own in the Fall of 2022.

I told my older children that we needed to travel because we were in danger, but I didn't explain more. I told Mariangel that we were going on vacation to Mexico, but she didn't want to go because she didn't want to miss her school and swimming classes. While in Mexico, we heard many comments about how to cross the border, but we were confused and afraid. Eventually, we got lost in the desert for six hours, and Mariangel hit her forehead on a thorn-covered stick, causing a cut and a bump. We were exhausted and in pain, but we kept going until we found a place where we could get help.

Unfortunately, the treatment we received from immigration officials was traumatic. Mariangel still thought we were on vacation, and she offered her hand to the immigration officer, believing we were going to a nice place. But, the reality was quite different, and it has been painful for my entire family to go through all of this.

They took us to a temporary shelter where we stayed for a day. My husband, Mariangel, and I were allowed to stay at the shelter, but my other two children were detained because of their age. We went from one shelter to another, hoping to reunite with our other two children. However, after eight long days, we found out that they were being held in detention centers. My anxiety and distress only increased. We were instructed by authorities in Texas that we must travel to New York, by bus. Before boarding the bus, the authorities confiscated what few belongings we still had. We were also forced to leave behind our two older children. When we finally arrived to New York, a volunteer at the Port Authority bus terminal gave us an address to seek shelter.

We were eventually transferred to a hotel near Times Square, where we still reside. Fortunately Mariangel was able to enroll in public school and has fallen in love with her school. Although I was relieved by Mariangel’s ability to enroll in school I fell ill for three weeks and was unable to get out of bed due to severe headaches from all the stress, anxiety, and pain that we had been through. I am grateful that my other two children were eventually released after a month of detention. Currently, we are all together at the hotel. Mariangel is happy and busy studying at her new school and playing chess. Despite her limited knowledge of the dangers of Colombia, she is an incredibly resilient girl who manages to keep us all happy and focused on the present.

Back in Colombia, Mariangel was well-loved by her teachers and classmates, not just for her grades, but also for her sense of responsibility, kindness, and most importantly, her enthusiasm and dedication in everything she did. She participated in swimming lessons and was a member of a music group, where she played her favorite instruments. She loved being a part of these groups.

"I am Mariangel, and I am 11 years old. Mathematics is my favorite subject, even though it can be tough at times. I also love making music and swimming. My dream is to become a surgeon and to help many people. I also aspire to become a chess instructor. Chess has brought me so much joy, and I had never played it before. I am a hardworking and responsible student who strives to be respectful and kind. My goal is to attend school every day, study hard, and learn something new every day to become an excellent student."

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/nonprofit-helps-migrant-children-with-chess/

https://gothamist.com/news/migrant-student-finds-strength-in-nyc-school-chess-program

https://www.insideedition.com/media/videos/south-american-migrant-kids-excel-with-gift-of-chess-program-in-new-york-city-81398

https://nypost.com/2023/03/30/chess-class-makes-meaningful-moves/