Supporting Material – Arlington Dream Chapters

2016 Dream Chapter videos have received more than 88,000 views on YouTube!

8,270 views UTA’s Tobi Fawehinmi Making Dreams a Reality at Paralympic Games

Tobi Fawehinmi continues to live his American Dream in Arlington and beyond, with stellar track and field accomplishments at The University of Texas at Arlington and with Team USA at the

Paralympic Games.

Fawehinmi, the son of a single mother from Nigeria, was born with shoulder dystocia. However, his disability is rarely on the forefront of his mind while competing.

“I’m an athlete, not an athlete with a disability,” Fawehinmi said. “When I look at myself in the mirror, that’s the only time I recognize that I have a disability.”

Fawehinmi, a junior track and field jumper at UT Arlington, was selected for the 2016 U.S. Paralympic Track and Field Team and is currently in Rio ready to compete. OF ARLINGTON, TEXAS ARLINGTON, OF

This is Fawehinmi’s second time to compete in the Paralympic Games. He finished fifth in the triple jump and 10th in the long jump at the 2012 London Games. CITY 1

11,240 views Making Repairs for the Rangers & Residents, Local Tailor Embodies American Dream

For more than 25 years, Aman Li has been making repairs for Arlington residents as owner of Lee’s Tailor Couture, located at 1828 E Abram St, Arlington, TX 76010.

Li is a true embodiment of the American Dream. He continues to work in the building that he and his family purchased back in 1982 after emigrating to the U.S. from Hong Kong.

His relationship with the Texas Rangers began when former outfielder Rubén Sierra began taking in his personal clothing for repairs at Lee’s Tailor Couture in the late 1980s. By1991, Li was responsible for the team’s uniform repairs.

This season, the Texas Rangers clinched another AL West title and a postseason berth. Aman Li has done his part by making sure the team has looked sharp in Arlington and ballparks across Major League Baseball.

Li has been making emergency repairs for the Rangers for more than 20 years. The turnaround time is quick, but Li has never missed a deadline.

The Arlington business owner tells us he makes repairs for more than 400 jerseys, pants, caps and OF ARLINGTON, TEXAS ARLINGTON, OF

gloves each season.

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1,219 views From Argentina to Arlington, Officer Natalia Aumedes Embodies American Dream

After making her way from Argentina to the United States at age nine, Arlington Police Officer Natalia Aumedes is truly alive with the American Dream.

Aumedes has previously served in the military and has gone through both SWAT training and sniper training with the Arlington Police Department. She prides herself in being a knowledgeable officer in multiple areas.

“I try to make sure I’m knowledgeable in every area,” Aumedes said. “I want to be the best of the best.”

Officer Aumedes is very active and involved in the community and makes it her goal to improve community relations with Arlington citizens of all backgrounds and the Police Department.

She frequently volunteers at the soup kitchen at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, located at 2024 S Collins St, Arlington, TX 76010.

Aumedes is also an integral part of the Hispanic Citizens Police Academy, an 11-week course that highlights the different aspects of the police department including 911, investigations,

tactics, traffic and many other areas. TEXAS ARLINGTON, OF

“The American Dream to me means having the opportunity to be who you want to be,” CITY Aumedes said. “I love everything that comes with the City. Being able to better myself, being able to give my children a better life. I have obtained all of that in the City of Arlington.” 3

Dr. Mark Pellegrino Dreaming Big with Cancer Research at UTA

Dr. Mark Pellegrino continues to dream big with his biology research and has many important new research projects planned at The University of Texas at Arlington.

Pellegrino’s studies on mitochondrial stress are of growing interest because of the implications for multiple conditions such as cancer, Parkinson’s disease and bacterial infections.

Earlier this year, the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas awarded The University of Texas at Arlington an $823,067 grant to recruit star cell biology researcher Mark Pellegrino from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York.

Dr. Pellegrino began as an assistant professor at UT Arlington in August 2016 for the start of the fall semester. He is an internationally recognized biologist whose discovery that mitochondria are an important activator of innate immunity was published in Nature in 2014.

Pellegrino joins UTA as the school is expanding its focus on research that advances health and the human condition. Construction is scheduled to begin this fall on a $125 million Science and Engineering Innovation and Research building with 200,000 square feet of teaching and research space that will enable enhanced activity in the health sciences. OF ARLINGTON, TEXAS ARLINGTON, OF

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10,481 views All-Star Guard Skylar Diggins Living Her Dream in the WNBA

All-Star guard Skylar Diggins is one of the most popular players in the WNBA and continues to live her American Dream right here in Arlington as a member of the Dallas Wings.

The Wings moved to College Park Center at The University of Texas at Arlington for the team’s inaugural season, debuting in The American Dream City on May 21, 2016.

A three-time All-American at Notre Dame, Diggins led the Fighting Irish to the NCAA title game as a sophomore and junior. She also earned Big East Player of the Year honors her junior and senior seasons.

Diggins was drafted third overall in the 2013 WNBA Draft and earned first-team All-WNBA honors in her second season in 2014. She was also recognized as the league’s Most Improved Player in 2014.

Born and raised in South Bend, Indiana, Diggins recently released a new book for kids titled The Middle School Rules of Skylar Diggins as told by author Sean Jensen. Her fianceé, Daniel Smith (who also attended Notre Dame), created the illustrations for the book.

The book guides readers through important life lessons and how Skylar Diggins overcame

adversity throughout her childhood. The book opens with the moment Diggins got her first TEXAS ARLINGTON, OF basketball hoop at three-years-old all the way to her final high school championship game. CITY Diggins continues to be a strong role model for young athletes across the country, giving back to the community and the Metroplex at basketball camps, YMCAs and area schools. 5