GFLI students at MIT are trailblazers, forging new paths that significantly alter not only their own futures but also the destinies of their families and communities. The journeys of GFLIers at MIT create a rich and vibrant tapestry of intersectionality where diverse backgrounds converge to craft unique stories. GFLI@MIT serves as a safe space where every first-generation, low-income voice is heard, every background is welcomed, every experience is valued, every individual is empowered, and our identity is celebrated. In this space, we don’t just belong at MIT; we transform it.

Having a community like GFLI is so important to the journey that many academics take through grad school. The community that we build together is the support that allows many GFLI students to feel comfortable at a university like MIT where many come from either legacy backgrounds or generations of college education. GFLI@MIT means a space to build connections, be around those with similar backgrounds as me, and maximize potential. GFLI@MIT means represenation for those who making it to graduate school is sometimes only a dream and very rarely a reality.

Every voice at MIT brings an important and unique perspective. Our first generation graduate students work past significant barriers and boundaries unseen to most, while bringing forth new ideas, providing key insights, and giving back to our communities using the potential and power of their scholarship.

Having a community of people who "get it", those who understand what its like to navigate higher ed without many resources but also intrinsically hold the desire to make the path easier for those coming after us, is critical for the retention of FLI students in academia. The GFLI identity is so unique as it breeds such resilient changemakers and is incredibly diverse, overlapping with many other backgrounds. Having a community that can embrace that commonality, celebrate the intersectionality, and uplift eachother is really the strength of GFLI@MIT.