Lagrimas derraman, but I will not give up.

I am a passionate, hard-working, loyal, and a caring human, just as my parents taught me to be

Yo soy de carne y hueso, al igual que todos, también siento y sufro

I am not an object, ni mucho menos una mona de aparador, I too have a voice

I ask myself why some people are so cruel and don’t stop to think that their actions affect others 

I ask myself why my grandfather got killed, leaving my dad and his siblings at the age of 2; lonely and afraid of never getting to see their mother again as she had to work “en el otro lado” in order to feed them

I ask myself why there are people in higher positions and yet fail to help those in need

I fear to fail in life and disappointing my parents because they risked their life to give me the future they dreamed of but never had

Tengo miedo de no ser alguien en la vida y perderme en la tristeza de haber fracasado

Tengo miedo de vivir en el pasado y pensar en lo que pudo haber sido

I feel oppressed when teachers choose to pick their white brothers and sisters before choosing me just because im hispanic

I hate it when people are ignorant about issues that can potentially affect them as well

I hate it when people make assumptions about me because of what they see or a glimpse of my personality but little do they know that there is more to me than just a “spoiled girl”

I hate that Trump is so racist to the point where he hasn't dismissed the idea of building a wall that will separate my beloved Mexican people

I am the happiest when I am outdoors and with my family because they bring out the best of me

Me encantan los colores, los paisajes, y los olores de tierra mojada

I cry when I feel hopeless and broken inside because yet again; someone is too selfish to realize that the world doesn’t revolve around them

I cry at the realization that I can come home from school one day to find an empty house due to deportation, that even though they have worked this land for more than 20 years they aren’t considered worthy of living here

I cry when I remember the night before my great uncle died, when I saw the keys hanging from the door but was to scared to go outside and check and ik it's not my fault but I can't help but blame myself 

I cry when I am upset about a pointless battle because not all battles will be worth fighting for no matter how much pain and rage it causes me

I cry when I remember my little self cutting because I wished to take away the pain of not receiving the attention I wanted from my parents 

I cry when I look back to the days when I saw a faceless expression on my mother's face but never would've imagined that it was because someone harmed her, leaving a life-long scar in her life that she never got justice for simply because he was a “cop”

I cry when I realize that it isn’t my father's fault that he's not so affectionate with me because he never had parent figures that hugged a hello, kissed goodnight, and said how is your day

I envision a future of opportunities where everyone is equal no matter their race, ethnicity, sexuality, or color because anyone deserves a chance to spread their wings

I sacrifice myself to help others because I live for the smiles I receive in return when I give back to my community 

I sacrifice my personal time because I want to obtain a degree and make my parents proud

I never disappoint the people I love because they have given me their all and I know how much they rely on me to one day support them as they have all these years 

Nunca me dejaré desanimar aunque tenga que pelear las batallas más difíciles como la depresión y ansiedad, las que en veces me llevan a un lugar obscuro del que no encuentro salida

I dare to follow my dreams no matter what obstacles I’m faced with because I know I’m strong, I just need to push through

I can do anything I put my mind to because although I don’t always believe in myself, I know I have to fail in order to succeed 

¡I will never give up until I have the stars at my feet when I can see the light beyond my eyes as well as the smiles and teary eyes of my parents when I walk the stage, porque si se puede!