Dublin graduate Georgina Chacon and her family came to the U.S. not knowing English, and Chacon faced barriers to getting a higher education. Despite those obstacles, she’s built a successful professional career for herself, and continues to further her education on the side.
“We came so far along, and we never gave up,” she said. “We would never just [quit] when they told us no. We always keep pushing. We educated ourselves as much as we could, and we still are — we're still learning.”
Chacon was born in Chihuahua, Mexico, and came to the U.S. with her parents in the second grade. Her family started out living in Amarillo, where Chacon enrolled in English classes as a second language. When she started high school, her family wanted a safer environment for their daughters, so they moved to Dublin.
By this time Chacon was fluent in English and excited for the fresh start. In Dublin, Chacon found the atmosphere more welcoming, and loved attending her classes. “Everything was lighter, everything wasn’t as stressful, and I enjoyed going to school,” she said.
Chacon and her family were neighbors with now high school principal Norma Briseño, and the girls became friends. Chacon and Norma were the same age, and when they graduated and Norma decided to go to Ranger College, she offered to take Chacon with her.
“So we went, we enrolled, and we both got excited,” says Chacon. “But then during the first week, they pulled me out of the class and told me I couldn't come to college anymore because I did not have a valid ID. To me it was one of those big brick walls — I was so frustrated. I really wanted to go to school.”
By the time her documents and visa were resolved, it was 1997. Norma followed up and encouraged her to return to school. But by this time, her life had already changed. She had married her husband Martin Contreras, and was pregnant with her first child.
That year, Chacon decided to move back to Amarillo, where there were more job opportunities. She was able to take some college hours at Amarillo College, but trying to balance classes with raising her children was difficult.
She enrolled in a program that would pay for her training to become a correctional officer, and she enrolled and even won an award for her outstanding work while she was doing her training. Once she finished, Chacon went on to work at a state maximum security prison in Amarillo.
“Working as a correctional officer was difficult,” she said. “Just being a female was seen as a sign of weakness. I had to earn respect and be persistent.” Over time, she learned from the sergeants, captains, and lieutenants who trained her, eventually becoming the first female bilingual sergeant at the facility in her second year.
In her second year on the job, she became the only woman sergeant at her facility. But after two-and-a-half years working at the prison, Chacon found herself frustrated about the low pay. She and her family decided to move to the DFW area, and Chacon found a job at a dentist's office.
She started out working the front desk, and later had the chance to become a dental assistant. She had no experience in the field, but the dentist she worked with, Dr. Scott Peterson, taught her how to do the work.
In 2019, Chacon made another career change. Her younger sister, Imelda, was a mortgage loan officer at Prosperity Bank in Fort Worth. She encouraged Chacon to apply, and soon the two sisters were working together. Chacon is currently a junior mortgage loan officer, and enjoys the work.
The job can be very stressful. “We’re working with realtors, underwriters, so many people, but helping people get into a home is the rewarding part,” she said.
Chacon remembers when she was young, and her dad was trying to buy a house for the family. “We used to go with him, and sometimes he would be told no, but they never actually told him [how he could make it work],” she said.
Now, she and her sister are able to help people understand how they can achieve their dream of owning a home. “I always loved helping people,” says Chacon. “If I have to move somewhere else to do something different, I’ll probably still stay in real estate.”
Alongside her career, Chacon continues to take part-time college classes working toward a business degree. In her free time, she enjoys sewing, decorating, and spending time with family. She and her husband live in Burleson and raised three children, Martin, 22, Marisa, 26, and Melissa, 27. Martin and Marisa are both active-duty military and currently attending Tarleton studying business and accounting, and Melissa is a professional welder and training to be an insurance agent. She has one granddaughter, Alexa, 7.
Throughout her life, Chacon says her parents inspired her with their determination. They arrived in the U.S. “with nothing in their hands” and started from scratch. Her mother, Elida, still lives nearby, and her father Socorro passed away in 2023.
“We never gave up, and our kids had a different childhood than we did,” she said. “Our kids were more blessed in a way. I think we did pretty good. My parents would say, ‘I can't believe you guys. We came from nothing. Look at you guys now.’” Chacon encourages Dublin graduates to stay positive and keep working towards their goals. “If you ever feel like you can’t do it, just know you can,” she said. “If you put your feet on the ground, you can build something.”
Where are they now chronicles what Dublin graduates have done since high school. If you have any suggestions for other grads, email publisher@dublincitizen.com.