Today was my first day in Tenochtitlan. While I was at the market buying food for myself, an old woman came up to me and asked me if I was a tourist. I said yes. She told me that she would take me to her house, and tell me all about the Aztec culture and the city, when I went to her house I saw a pregnant woman sitting on the couch. She looked up at me, then quickly looked down and ran out of the room.
Here, none of that is true. It has taken us 2 days to get to Saltillo, Mexico. It’ll take us another couple of days to get to Texas. We don’t have a final destination yet but Mami says we’ll figure it out when we get there. We are walking in big groups.
I was born on a Navy base in San Diego a little before two in the mourning. I am the youngest with two older sisters Shauna and Cassie. We basically lived two-thirds of our childhood on military bases stationed throughout the United States of America. My father being in the Navy meant we moved a lot I have lived in New Orleans, Pensacola, and San Diego and finally we settled in Tomball, Texas which is thirty minutes away from Houston. I went to a lot of different schools during my childhood an sometimes we would move before the year is up which made it difficult for me in school.
I would do anything, in order to survive. There would be no limit to what I would do to survive. I have always been known as the survivor. Lets just say I was all alone, no one, no one else in Laredo. There are no power lines that are working.
Coming to Cal was great for me because it was the first time I had found a real LGBTQ community. Growing up I always moved schools so most of my friendships were fleeting and upon settling for high school the Gay Straight Alliance club was extremely small so coming to Cal provided a great sense of community and belonging. The summer before my first fall semester, I took a few classes to get a feel for the campus which ended up coinciding with Obergefell v. Hodges and SF gay pride which is where I made a lot of friends. Whether it is going for drinks in the Castro, dressing up for the Folsom street fair or going to social events at Oscar Wilde, Cal has provided an amazing sense of acceptance and a safe space. During the spring semester, I preformed
Off to Tahoe One day when I was visiting Tahoe my mom called a family meeting and she said we were all as a family going to move to Incline Village. I started crying on the inside but on the outside I was showing much exitement. I felt really sad but I didn’t want to disappoint my mom so I never told her.
As I drive around Phoenix with my puppy best friends, Sophie and Paco, there is not a single worry in the world for us. Sophie, with her long, brown, sun kissed fur, bobs her head out the car window as she enjoys the fresh breeze flowing through her fur. Paco rests his little head on the window that is halfway rolled down, as his wet tongue absorbs the wind. On our weekly car rides, my best friends and I pass by a building that has signs with dogs and cats all over. This building is a shelter for animals that are not so fortunate like my two furry friends.
I quickly got into the vehicle, my husband sensed my urgency and drove away. “You okay?” He asked me. I lit a cigarette and said “Yeah.” As tears leaked down my cheeks and smoke billowed around me and out the window. Heading down the freeway I see the “Leaving Oceanside, CA” sign and my chest tightens.
was born in a small town in Texas known as Laredo. It was a poor city and was basically the border town to Mexico, it was always a mess, always hot, and only snowed once in 2002. Even though the city I was born in was harsh place, I had a great family that raised me well and taught me how to be respectful to my elders. Home was always different, every 2 to 3 years we always moved around so I really didn’t have many friends, until I moved to San Antonio is where I found a great home in 2007, the neighborhood was filled with nice people and each house actually had a lawn and not just broken cars or dried dirt in the front porches. The community was fantastic as well, the people and atmosphere we lived in when we moved to San Antonio was so much better than Laredo because people were actually nice to you and everyone didn’t look like they were going to cause trouble.
The new American hero (Just a quick look) Can you see the handsome young man sitting by my side, driving through the forest, behind the wheel of his decadent truck? Yes. I would trust him with my life (sip of vodka).
Then we went off and loaded our bags in the vans and we went off to Mexico. We drove for about 26 hours so about two days to get to Texas, where our dear friend Contardo lived. He is our very good friend and helps translate for us and is has been on mission trips for a very long time. Upon arrival he came out and greeted us and said “So how was the trip you guys alright?” “We then replied oh yea but just very tired” and he invited us in and treated us with some delicious fresh
Although the entire reenactment was impactful, I would say there were two points in the night that stood out to me. In complete improvisation, we decided to take a march around Commons in a single file line. Since no one else had any idea what was happening, it was quite embarrassing for them; they could see the watchful eyes and hear people whispers Why do they all have numbers? but they could not say a word, demonstrating their loss of power. Another meaningful moment of the night was the selection.
Some things you experience in life stick with you for a long time. A family trip I took to Durango, Colorado was one of those experiences for me. There are so many different things that made it so memorable for me. Waking up surrounded by trees, hearing the faint sound of water running from a nearby stream, and finishing this perfect setting were the mountains towering over it all. Durango Colorado has some of the most enjoyable surroundings I've ever experienced.
San Antonio It was five months after I realized that we were serious, five months and two days both of our families were getting together to go out of town to San, Antonio Texas. You have to take the time to realize it was both of our own families together who have hardly ever met, to be together for two days. Though I was nervous, it never scared me for the fact that it was her I was going to be with for two days. The day came, it was the mid-July up at six am ready to hit the road ready for this small getaway.
All start’s me on a sunny afternoon, my family and I are on a trip on the plane to Las Vegas. I invited my friend, Darlene and my niece, Kassi. Darlene and I are listening to music on my phone while Kassi is on her phone watching videos. Later on we get off the airplane a man guides us to the airport. My dad, meanwhile calls a taxi to take us to a hotel.
