July 9th, 2011
By Elizabeth Flores
Growing up in South Central, I’ve witnessed people getting murdered in front of my face. Living in a neighborhood surrounded with gangs and drugs affected my self esteem because I have felt the need to be beyond cautious. For example, I try to avoid going places alone in order to feel protected. I also find that when I am in places outside of South Central I have to be cautious about people stereotyping me as a drop out student and being involved with gangs and drugs.
These stereotypes and the way people speak about my community had made me feel ashamed of where I come from. Things began to change when I saw people from my community succeeding. I became aware that I cannot please everyone and that my family is valuable. I have realized that the hardships my parents went through and are still experiencing were endured for my siblings and me. They lived in poverty and had no financial stability. They wanted to seek a better life for their children and give them the opportunities they did not have. My parents were unable to pursue higher education because they did not have the resources.
Eventually, my parents decided to immigrate to the U.S. for a better life. They landed jobs that were not their first choice but they had no other choice because they needed to support our family. While my parents immigrated with a visa, the process has still been difficult. While the situation has been getting better, it would have been devastating for my whole family if it had not improved. My older sibling would have never had the opportunity to attend a four year university.
In the past, I did not appreciate my family and was driven by what others thought. For example, on holidays I did not recognize the importance of being a part of small family. I was always wishing for my entire family to be united on holidays. Now, I value the importance of my family’s efforts to make me a better person and encourage me to pursue my dreams.
I will no longer care what other people think of me. I will keep my head up. I plan on obtaining a PhD. I will get there, it will be slow, but I will get there.
Become a Global Girl
