September 17, 2025- Wenley Jean Pierre had a cold impression of Boston when he arrived on a plane from Haiti in May 2023.

Understandable, since he had just traveled over 1,000 miles from his home on the hot, tropical island. He had never before been on a plane, let alone travel to the United States.

It was the start of his new journey toward more opportunity.

“When [migrants] come here, sometimes you don’t know anything, you don’t know any people. But I just said ‘I’m going to do it anyway, no matter the outcome’,” Pierre said.

Today, he’s on his way to earning a college degree at the University of Massachusetts Boston, with help from First Literacy of Boston.