Against Reality

Nancy is a full-time student, who also works full-time to pay for college.

She is also a dreamer/Dreamer, who wants to be a nurse in order to help others when most needed.

Additionally, she is a vegetarian and animal lover, who owns a cat and dog.

Congratulations to Nancy for winning runner-up in this years Black History Month essay contest.

Fighting for equality is essential to be part of the system. It is not enough to just wait for a change to happen. It takes much than that. When I first came here, to United States, I thought that I was a person, until I learned that I was an “immigrant.” I had to learn to survive and adapt to what was left for me because there were never multiple options. When I was thirteen I remember reading this quote: “Equality is the soul of liberty; there is, in fact, no liberty without it,” by Frances Wright. I first did not understand the meaning until years later, when I tried to find my first job. It really meant more then words. From that moment, I knew that I was not going to give up in life and or make my self-seen like I was not worth it. I agree with Bell Hooks who said that the best way to create an oppositional worldview is approach it creatively and positively.

I was brought to United States when I was going to be 12. I started school and everything was fine until one day; my uncle Chuy took me for the fist time to Downtown and as I was walking, observing the beautiful view, an old blue-eyed lady looked at me, and I thought she was about to greet me, but instead, she started yelling at me calling me “immigrant.” I did not know what that word meant on that time but the thing I realized was that she was mad at me just for smiling at her. That was the first time when I started realizing that I was not welcomed in this country that my mother called “ The country where your dreams come true.” She just didn’t specify that for those dreams to be possible I was going to have to walk against reality; the one that put me to work at early age to be able to pay for school and the same one that made me drop out of high school (even when my mother tried to stop me) to be able to help my mother to pay rent and bills because since my mother was immigrant, she was humiliated and was paid much less than the minimum. Today, I am about to graduate college and I have been facing difficulties since I have to pay everything out of my pocket because I’m still not considered part of the system, even when I received a job permit (DACA). It has not been easy but I been fighting against the system to make my dreams come true, be a nurse. I even have a 3.950 GPA which apparently is still not enough for the system but to me it is an accomplishment that means that I’m not being suppressed by this regimen of inequality.

I believe that for persons like me, who have scarce opportunities, the best thing to do is to better themselves. In that way, you are fighting against the limitations. I agree with hooks because I believe that the most effective technique to be part of this country, which denies me as her daughter, is to grow as a person. For example, since I started studying, I found myself surrounded by more opportunities than before, now, I’m a CNA and I can work in better places such as a hospital. That gave me the freedom to open more doors for my future and even knowledge about my rights. To my point of view I’m starting to be part of the system even when I know I am not.

Again, I am determined to reach my goal until the last consequences even when many barriers try to get me down. If I was only complaining about my situation and focusing only in the obstacles I would probably be unhappy and dehumanized by my own thoughts. Instead, “I believe I can fly” even when I have no wings. I agree with hooks’ statement not because I’m weak to fight, but because I’m brave enough to walk through adversity by wearing my determination shoes. And that…that is freedom…