"I am the oldest of two, and came to the U.S. when I was about three years old. I remember my mom sending me to school my first day in Kinder in a uniform that we thought was required.. it wasn't. No one really wanted to hang out with me so I pretty much played by myself. Books soon became my soul retreat; I was made fun of for my accent as a kid, but how would I have known? At home, we spoke to each other only in Spanish and I couldn't adapt to speaking English so easily as I was expected to by others. I refrained from putting myself in the position to receive those comments so I spent all my time reading, instead. The time I spent filling this void of not being able to explore the world helped me gain a carefree, nonjudgmental attitude. As long as I like me, I am happy. Reading allowed me to explore different worlds of my own as I pleased.
I grew up in a trailer in a mobile park home center. We didn't have a lot of money when we first came to the States, but I never knew. My parents did everything they could for us and more. I remember my dad used to take me and my brother to McDonalds to buy Happy meals, but he never bought anything for himself.. Our entertainment was the 'Bambi' that lived around the farm in front of our trailer park; We would get bread and feed them.
My mom is my best friend and my dad truly resembles what a 'man' is. Our mom was so dedicated to being involved in our lives and making sure we had a good childhood, she was almost like a 'soccer mom'- that's how dedicated she was to us. She was loved by everyone around her, she was like everyone's second mom! I like her more than I like myself. And my dad? I admire him so much. He made something for himself out of nothing. He was an orphan, after his dad passed away his mom abandoned their family. He was on the streets as a child and started working at the age of seven. He came to the U.S. not knowing anything, and eh didn't only survive, but he thrived. Even having been through these hardships, it didn't make him 'hard', his life is so radiant and inspiring. And his laugh is the warmest thing there is. There's something about it that when you hear it, it makes you laugh, too; It's contagious, warm, and inviting- it makes you want to be around him.
I am unapologetic. I'm going to say that I'm 'white-passing'. This is because many people have said things around me that I guess they thought was okay because they either thought I was white or was so separate from my culture and heritage that it wouldn't bother me..These experiences have made me passionate about using my voice and using my privilege to stick up for others who can't speak up for themselves. I am not going to apologize about who I am, I will not apologize for speaking up about something that is not right, and I'm not going to filter myself or whitewash my culture when others find it 'uncomfortable'. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho helped me come to this conclusion. Everyone should read this book, it changed the way I saw everything. Following your dreams and purpose is the most important thing. I've learned that 'when you truly want something, the entire universe will conspire to make it happen' (Coelho)."
(Photo sent by interviewee)
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