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I’m from education at the forefront, a bounty of books,

I’m from homemade, baked-with-love meals by the greatest self-taught cooks.

I’m from treating those around you with respect and working hard each day,

I’m from honoring commitments, whether big or small, and doing what you say.

I’m from a ceaseless beautiful weather report,

I’m from a flood of friendship and a sea of support.

All these experiences led me to AVID and over two million strong,

Together, we’ll keep helping that number rise—as sure as the day is long.

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I am from somewhere in the middle

I am from San Diego and Tijuana but not fully either one

I am from 7up del garrafon which was daddy swirling our water gallon so it had bubbles and tricking us into drinking water instead of soda

I am from road trips down the Baja coast, up the California coast, to Mazatlan, small moments where I could pick the music because my siblings were asleep

I am from siblings who turn back into kids any time we all come together, no matter how old we get, who tease but act like a second set of parents and protect me in any way they can

I am from Maria del Rosario Lizarraga Ceballos de Salas, because in Mexico your name changes to of your husband but my mom has always been the head of our household, my dad says so

I am from giant pots of birria, pozole or some other yumminess and cousins, tias & tios pulling up more chairs or moving the table outside so we all fit, there is always room for more

I am from take care of your family and god will take care of the rest

I am Salas, Lizarraga, Gutierrez, Ceballos, Cañedo and a lot more "hard to pronounce" names

I am from two cultures and I get to choose what shapes my future

I am the dreams of all my ancestors, 2 college degrees own my own home in San Diego and I am their worries too, when will she have kids of her own

I am from all the adventures I haven't quite gotten to yet

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I am from the last frontier, the land of promise, land of the midnight sun. Though I have been gone for most of my life, my heart is still there.  This is HOME.

I am from King crab and Tiger shrimp boils on the beach with fresh drawn butter, smoked salmon and crackers, and moose meat smothered in tomato gravy. I am homemade cinnamon rolls, current jelly, raspberry-rhubarb pie, pudding shots, and fireball.

I am from dark, cold nights in the winter racing the snow machines on the lake and long sunny days in the summer waterskiing and fishing at midnight. This is my church, nature’s church.  I am one with nature in all its beautiful glory.  The dancing northern lights, the majestic mountains and lakes.  The beautiful ocean with otters, puffins and whales oh my.

I am now of the busy city, but long for the quiet, serene beauty of my youth.  I am now mother of Kelsey, Zach and Jordan but miss my own who has been gone from earth, but not from far from my heart.

Traditions, books, and sayings of humor and love passed on through generations… “Can we have crepes for breakfast?”  “I brought you into this world.. I can take you out…”, “You are my sunshine…”  Good Night Moon,   “Love you to the Moon and Back”, Mama Do You Love Me…  all give bittersweet memories of days gone by.

Liz and Lyn, best of friends, have grown with me from youth til now, sharing in the cycles of our lives for good and bad.. always a text, call or car ride away.

Life is good, friends are strength, family is best, and memories of HOME keep me content.  I have been blessed.

~Laurie

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I am from rugged Western mountains, scorching Arizona deserts, and tall grass fields where Queen’s Ann Lace grew in the shade of tall trees. A child born of the East and West Coasts, needing the rugged and the soft to feel at home.

The public library was my refuge and books were my lifeline.

“Make a difference” and “Live a life of purpose” and “Leave the world a better place” were the mantras of my people.

Gathering around a table with too many people, not enough chairs, and more food than could ever be eaten. A table where laughter, tears, joy, and family lore were passed with the salt and pepper.

The first in my family to go to college. The first to get a degree before a wedding band. The first to balance a career and parenting. The weariness of explaining, traveling unknown roads without a map or guide wrapped tightly around too many firsts.

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I am from dirt roads and a dusty village beside clear, blue Caribbean sea, world famous luxury resorts, and oppressors immortalized as the pinnacle in comfort, affluence, and leisure. When your economy depends on hospitality you get famous for it.

From a land of "the good suffer for the bad" because our wealth was exchanged for religion and now we are Christians in name but not spirit.

I was from a land where leaving is worth the struggle because "education is the one thing they can't take from you" and you can't get it there.

I am from a tight-knit community now turned to days and nights spent alone caring for myself while my parents worked to care for us all.

On Sunday's (mom's day off): gospel music (before church), R&B (after church), curry goat, jerk chicken, rice and peas, and fried plantain. Never understood why dad only ate the boniest cuts of meat. Years later he would tell me it was what he grew up with--and it felt wrong to eat better.

Being poor becomes a habit--it sticks to you. I get that.

Though I am from an affluent neighborhood due to the generosity of relatives.

Only black face in the crowd so you can always spot me. They'll ask: can you speak Jamaican? (They mean Patois.) Can I touch your hair? Do you smoke weed? We're in the sixth grade, Mike. And no, never have, never will.

Where I am from we work by discipline, not motivation. You can have interests, but we can't afford passion.

Have yet to see how that works out.

—Damian

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I am the youngest, the last to emerge, the last to chart a course.

I am the son of Arlene and Charles, authors, educators, generous souls.

I am from a long line – that mixed privilege with poverty. My great grandfather, a peddler who immigrated to this country from Lithuania, literally gave up his name – his identify – because he was told that he needed an American name. He roamed the streets looking for names on storefronts until he stumbled upon a general store named with a fitting name.  He remained a peddler for his life and his son was a traveling salesman who struggled throughout his life to make ends meet.

I am from the majority – a white, cisgender male born into privilege.

Potential. Expectations. Responsibility.

“You have so much potential.”

“Justice, justice, thou shall pursuit it.”

“Words matter.”

The words that mattered most were unspoken: make the world a better place, challenge conventional wisdom, all people matter, family comes first.

I am from the minority – a Jew who has lived places where no one had met yet alone known Jews before.  An outsider trying to fit in and not draw attention to the ways in which I was different. Uncomfortable. Embarrassed. Proud.

I am from traditions that can be measured in generations, centuries, millennium. Festival meals. Family gatherings. Familiar melodies and prayers.

“We are grateful for family and friends and what we mean and bring to one another.”

“Ties that connect us and bonds that unite us.”

I am from the big city, but no more. I am a wanderer, moving up by moving out. Tennessee. New Jersey. Long Beach. Boise. Palm Springs. Salem, OR.  Reporter. Editor. Publisher.

I am from San Diego now, a beautiful oasis, nestled by mountains and trails, surrounded by Palm trees and chirping birds.

I am from love.

“Be who you are. “

-- Steve

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By R. Robin Withers

I am from parochial education, preschool, elementary, jr. and high school because my mother believed as Malcolm X, “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.”

I am from many faith traditions.  Born and raised Baptist, A.M.E., and C.M.E. then finding my path and voice in ELCA and Episcopal beliefs and walks.

I am from the Curtis Park Projects, with cement stairs, linoleum floors, concrete sidewalks, and shared metal clothes lines. Community parties, front stoop gatherings with laughter and music late into the night.

I am from “Don’t let you mouth write a check your 🤬 can’t cash” and “Don’t let me have to tell you again.”

I am from haircuts on the new moon, never cut a baby boy’s hair before they can walk and braids, braids, braids on Saturday morning.

I am from summers of back door entrances, no counter service take away only, movie theaters where “colored must sit in balcony only” and be back on this side of the tracks before sundown.

I am from Classical, Jazz, Rhythm & Blues, Soul Train lines, Motown records, and only Gospel music played on the radio or record player on Sundays.

I am from greens, pig feet, chitterlings, black eyed peas with ham hocks and okra, holiday fruit salad, sweet potato pie, banana pudding and home-made hand churned ice cream.

I am from the Trail of Tears driven out and dispossessed, the Middle Passage stolen and sold. Gatherings around elders to hear the stories of struggle, survival, hope, faith, God, and grace.

I am from those who have through it all thrived.

I am from the wildest dreams of my ancestors, those spoken and unspoken.

I am.

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My Days and Nights were a juxtaposition.

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I am from many homes throughout my life, much moving around from an early age, new people, new schools, new sights, sounds, cultures, and a sense of adventure of what the next place would bring.

I am from parents who grew up in poverty and were determined to succeed, achieve, and pushed their children to do the same, whose college graduation I attended, whose successes and honors I celebrated, and whose passing’s I still mourn.

I am from an Irish mother who equally bestowed love and harsh discipline on her children for their own good, who spoke in idioms, laughed a lot, yelled a lot, and was never without a book.  Though she is no longer here, I find myself using her language, saying such things as “long in the tooth,” “bitter pill to swallow,” “adding insult to injury,” “getting a taste of your own medicine,” “no spring chicken” and too many more sayings to recount.  These words roll off my tongue and seem to appear out of nowhere, to the amusement of some, but I know it is her.

I am from a military father who cherished law and order, obsessive neatness, and duty to family and country above all else, who cringed or worse at minor mistakes, but who was a rock during tragedies and could solve any problem, who loved his children tremendously but was afraid to show it and never said the words until later in life, who loved his wife above all else, stayed longer than he should have, and only left when she told him he could go, and she would be fine.  I still hear his voice in my head when times are tough saying, “Buck up!  You can get through this.”

I am from a Catholic family of children very close in age, who despite being my mortal enemies at times when growing up, are now my best friends, confidants, and support system, who do not live close to me and are desperately missed.

I am from people who love me.

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I am playing with the kids of the neighborhood. Hide and seek well past when the streetlights glow. Dirt paths out in the “Field” at the end of the street take you down to the “Sand Pits,” where the river trickles through my hometown. Riding bikes with no helmets, and in cars with no seatbelts.

I am linked to the past through music. Fleetwood Mac, Aerosmith, the Eagles and Yes filled the speakers of our 8-track as my sister and I sat cross legged on a throw rug, eating Fritos and Bean Dip.

I am from traditions. Christmas Eve was HUGE in my family, and there was usually 30+ people there. Our living room with its giant stone fireplace was where we all gathered. The kids acted out the Nativity. Then Santa (usually a dude from the church) would show up and hand out a gift to every kid. The food was incredible with everyone bringing their best dish to share. We always had a big Ham, homemade rolls, and some baked beans on Christmas Eve.

I am from a religious background. The community of the church is the one thing I miss now. The parties for every holiday, knowing families for generations, and supporting each other through rough patches. Almost every week we would have missionaries over for dinner.

I am from a dog family. We always had at least one, but at times there were a dozen puppies and the mom.

I am from wonderful homemade food. Dinner was usually Mexican food. Once we moved to San Diego, enchiladas, tacos, and burritos were staples in our home. My mom was a good cook, but really shined as a baker. Her caramel brownies were legendary.

I am from a family of eight, yet we provided a home to many other people. I can’t remember a time as a kid when there wasn’t someone else living with us. Hard work, making, building, fixing--all were revered in our home. Mom made clothing for my sister and me.

I am intentionally leaving out the negativity of my past here. Because if I re-organize my narrative I can let the pain go. And move on.
Jill

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I am from voices

that speak with an accent.

Dark skin and a haunting legacy.

I am from poor

at a private school.

Empty stomach,

empty wallet,

but they’ll never know.

I am from California sun.

Sand in the toes and sunburn.

Carefree days

free from working parents’ eyes.

I am from It-took-three-tries-to-get-in

but my first choice is where I studied.

I am from nights on the ground

with the stars overhead.

Hundreds of them (Nights).

Millions of them (Stars).

I am from living in my truck

because there is a leisure class

at both ends of the financial spectrum.

I am from the classroom

and student voices

seared on my soul.

Heart full.

I am from passion

and mission

and the world isn’t right

but we can help make its so.

I am from marriages

and fighting to be a father.

29 trips to Guatemala

but my children are with me

(home).

Fighting to be a husband.

Blending laugher and tears.

Struggle and success.

A family as I never imagined it could be

(Home again).

I am from an ordinary life.

“Be good

to the part of this world

you touch.”

That is enough.

-Steve Elia

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I am from the land of sandy beaches, snowy mountains, and desert.

I am from a city where all of this was accessible within an hour's drive.

From wild Santa Ana winds combing through the brush, to relentless ocean waves crashing against sandstone formations.

Divorced parents, I had two houses but only one felt like home. Jamul; a suburb of San Diego.

The air was dry and smelled of sage brush and a spice that I could never put into words.

Our nearest neighbor, 2 miles away. My brother Kevin and I, dodging  rattlesnakes as we hopped from boulder to boulder on our property. We shot BB guns, collected quartz, and burnt huge piles of brush to protect our home from fires that threatened each year.

A childhood friend, Ashley and I would pretend we were forest princesses, and speak to animals. We never came home at the day's end without the reddish dirt under our nails or on our face.

Facing east-- we were the first to see the moon and sunrise. Every morning we would come down from "our hill" as we called it. Work for dad, school for us. Rounding our mountain road looking west over the city, we would see an ocean of clouds. Every night the marine layer blanketing all of San Diego.

This was the peaceful part of my childhood. My escape. My sanctuary. The second house has another story that isn't quite as sweet. That story is only known by family and those close to me.

-Kelly

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I am from La La Malinche and Cortes

I am from the long walk to the US.

I am from a woman with the spirit of a man, her husband.

I have moved FROM where they have laid the ground for me in order to show that the seed planted can grow even higher than expected.

I am on the ROAD LESS TRAVELED and it has made all the difference, even when it was rougher because of my own mistakes.

I am with my partner that has chosen to be with me. I am from that world that we have created together.

I am in and out of my four children. I and she have raised these humans to be FROM us, but heading TOWARD their own worlds. Together we make our own galaxy, celestial and eternal, with crossovers to all other systems including friends, family and society.

I am from. I am toward. I am here. I am there.

I AM.

-Marciano

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I am from a long county road. I am from a farm filled with animals, adventures, and chores. I am from rodeos and handmade clothes. I am from hardworking parents that never vacation.

I am from picnics, Jell-O salads, beef, and baked goods. I am from everyone helps, but women belong in the kitchen and men work outside. I am from work is most important.

I am from family that doesn’t get along, divorced parents, and severed relationships, but we all still get together because we are family. I am from drinking coffee all day and drop in visits. I am from disfunction at its finest.

Now, I am from friends are the family I choose, busy city streets, and taking vacations. I am from we all help, and our roles aren’t defined by our gender. I am from open and honest communication and respect. I am from my past doesn’t define my future.

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Carlsbad, New Mexico where I was a Cavekid mascot, Cavegirl gymnast, and Caveman High School graduate. The Caverns are there you know.

I am youngest of two sisters from two eccentric parents:
Dad was an athlete, chiropractor, musician, artist and introvert...
matched with mom, an entrepreneur, top realtor and extrovert!
Both independent and career focused, they showed me that with hard work and determination, you can live your dreams and always grow!

My college journey led me to Texas Tach and a summer at U of Hawaii gave me the taste for adventure. A marriage to the air force led me around the US, then international travel followed.

A long career working for a global school introduced me to extraordinary people from around the world who shared their food, tradition, and different cultures!

I now consider myself to be a global citizen, open to every unique person I meet, with curiosity about their life journeys, and a willingness to share my New Mexican heritage of tacos, burritos and hatch green chilies if they are open to tasting my cooking.

I AM Kristen or Kristina en espanol!

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I was brought up on the east coast, Maryland crab feasts and Philly cheesesteaks!

Lots of green grass, trees and space to play outside, riding bikes, swimming at the neighbors and kickball games.

Every holiday season the streets and driveways were festive and lined with luminaries, paper lunch bags filled with sand and a candle.

An older brother to constantly bicker with but when push came to shove, he would always have my back.

A house with one dog and one cat at all times, which left me with great listeners.

Playing sports was my passion; lacrosse, soccer, tennis and field hockey. Watching sports with my dad filled my bucket.

I am from "family first", I am from love, I am who I am partly because of where I am from.

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I am from the Cooneys

Growing up laughing and playing, safe in our cul da sac with all the other neighbor boys and girls.

Two working parents that strived to provide for my sister and I. Mom was in college still, dad would make yellow food night (craft mac n cheese, corn and apple sauce) still love it today!

Pool days, splashing and enjoying the San Diego weather, with a golden tan all year long! Never wanting to come in for dinner, just having too much fun with not one worry!

Older sister that showed me the way and taught me how to step out of my comfort zone, learning to love myself and accept my traits and embrace them.

Now I am married, with my own family and children. Living on the same street I grow up on, watching my kids now laugh, bike and play with not one worry, besides "What's for Dinner"

I love my life!

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I was born in the east and raised in the west by parents from the South. I am from two divorces, two names, and a two-person family. I am from latch-key quiet houses. I am from western liberal whiteness within a southern family tree.

I am from used cars and handmade quilts. I am from biscuits and hot, humid summers. I am from generations of hard working women. I am from "get an education and make your own money." I am from teachers who came before me.

I am from 26 years of marriage - a partnership of opposites - with sons who make my heart sing. I am from a small family that turned into a large one in a classroom with a decade's worth of AVID kids, from a classroom we built into a community.

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I am from a beach town where we would walk to school every morning with our neighbors and friends and spend every summer day near the ocean eating sandwiches and playing in the ocean.

I am from traveling with my grandmother, my best friend, along the pacific crest trail in one summer, eating seafood from the Pacific Northwest down to Baja California.

I am from an absent father and a hardworking mother, doing everything she can to raise us well and provide us opportunities that she did not have.

I am from classic Betty Crocker dishes, meatloaf and beef stroganoff, ambrosia, ham and bean soup, all made with love and hard work to fill our bellies.

I am from having an older sister whose footsteps I can follow, a beacon of light, someone I admire.

I am from my extended family, the family I made, whose unconditional love, acceptance, and goodwill helped me get to where I am today.

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The crashing waves and sea breeze of the pacific, sand so soft it fills the bodies pours and rejuvenates the energy of many.
I'm from a land where the sun shines strong, but the fog overwhelms, a place where the sun lays itself to rest every evening in its own natural water bed.
I'm from a family who understands that all we have is each other, that our time on this great earth is limited and that energy is all around us.
I'm from a belief that god does not need a church, is not an icon, but is found in the beauty of life.
Parents that understood the importance of me finding my beliefs, never being fed or indoctrinated by what they believed.
From individuals that valued difference, culture and travel to places viewed by many as undesirable.

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Where I'm from the gravel streets have no names and you can see every constellation in the night sky. If you stand on a tuna can you can see for miles and miles unless a dirt storm blows the tumbleweeds in, which will undoubtedly be accompanied by the smell of manure.

Where I'm from , football and basketball games are a religious experience and the aroma of popcorn and nacho cheese combined with sweat and dirt are a luxury. Friday nights are the heartbeat of the town and the stands will be full no matter win or lose.

Where I'm from being called Shelby and Sharla before landing on my name is the norm because every teacher had the joy of teaching three Morrison girls. You spend your first day of Kindergarten and the last day of your senior year in the same school building.

Where I'm from you can walk for miles and miles for fun and end up right where you started. No one is a stranger and no secret survives.

Where I'm from the rattlesnakes make annual playground visits, tarantulas cover the muddy roads, and the moon lights up the haystacks. This is home.

-Sherri Williams

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From the mountains to the sea there is no place I'd rather be.   From a silent summit to the crashing shore, who could ask for anything more...
The fellowship of neighbors and the barbque meals we share are a far cry from the PB&J and tuna sandwiches I was raised on.
I've learned many "words" - from Latin to Greek, Hebrew to Lithuanian, and Spanglish to English but I am happy to say my chosen Language is "wordless" and allows us to connect through the heart.
I have long believed that we as humans are comprised of 3 parts that are important to keep balanced; physical, mental and spiritual.  To that end I practice a daily one hour martial art (Qi Gong) that incorporates balancing those 3 parts.

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I'm from the desert,
From a long line of ancestors who crossed borders before they were marked,
From scorpions glistening in the dark and stars falling from the sky.

I'm from a small family with many Tias, Tios, even cousins I've never met.

I'm from a small family where books covered walls and tables,
Where stories were shared every day,
Where Winnie the Pooh played with Eloise, and the Cat in the Hat was Babar's best friend.

I am from a small family who treasures travel. From camping trips in a bright orange VW van,
From hikes across mountains, okay, really big  hills,
Idles at museums and strolls through gardens.

I'm from baking eggs on the sidewalk and cruising empty lots on longboards.

I'm from holiday tamale making and maple syrup collecting.

I'm from comptines and croissants with baby giggles.
Laughter in the morning and cuddles at night.

I'm from quiet seaside walks in Brittany,
And lunch that lasts until dinner.

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I am from 4 generations of Californians.
Where enjoying long summer beach days was essential.

I am from a  male-dominant home, where sports was everything....I spent a lot of time with my grandparents.

I am from a long line of amazing cooks, where recipes were handed down from generation to generation.

I am from a family where college was a must, but I was the only one to graduate.

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homes from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean and many in between.

I am from casseroles, canned vegetables and Jello.

I'm from swing sets in the backyard, bike rides in the neighborhood and fire flies made into pretty rings.

I'm from huge family picnics where my dozens of aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents always treated me the same as my parents biological child.

I am from a family of hard work, do it yourself and don't complain about it.

I'm from be yourself around celebrities, they are just regular people.

I'm from get good grades and of course you are going to college.

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I am from a place that Jeanne, Myron, Gloria, and Don began, and that Susan and Greg added to;

Where we ate dinner with my grandparents on weeknights and savored my Grandma’s cooking, like round steak and gravy, pork and sauerkraut, and corned beef and cabbage;

Where you’d hear the sound of my Mom’s squeaky Toyota 4-Runner pulling into the driveway, right before dinnertime;

Where aunts would tell you, “It’s none of your business what other people think of you;”

Where adventures big and small were around every corner, like walking up to the local middle school on the weekends with my Dad, Aunt and Uncle; or packing up my grandparent’s Ford Escort, our cross-country traveling machine, and driving to Georgia;

Where English was spoken growing up, but new languages like Spanish, were added into my world over time as my family circle got bigger;

Where now, the neighborhood block party in the summer is an August highlight;

Where a childhood of arts and crafts led to an adulthood with a craft shed constantly cluttered with great ideas and projects-to-be.

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I am from a shiny Korean Chest, brought back from the war by my great-grandfather, with a million tiny drawers that held my mom’s sewing and our fancy dinner napkins.

I am from accordions and guitars reverberating off the canyon walls, that echoed like the flicker of the campfires as folk songs pierced the night in drunken French, German and Spanish tongues.

I am from playing hide in seek in the backyards of my entire neighborhood, sweaty from the summer heat, kids on bikes, free to roam the streets past dark.

I am from Jenny, Taco, Raven, Issica, Aurelia, Veronica, Grandma, DeDe, Dune-ja, and Tai-Tai

I am from “Wash your face, brush your hair, and don’t bug Grandma” on Thursday nights when she came to babysit so my parents could go to their Agni Yoga meeting, practice mediation, eastern mysticism, and attempt to make up for their alcoholism, abuse, and neglect.

I am from posole, enchiladas, sauerkraut and sausage, fried okra, and spaghetti, where the smell of roasting green chile signals the fall, and Thanksgiving plates were a trip around the world.

I am from nightly family dinner, leaving places cleaner than you found them, and taking care of others.

I am from English, Spanglish, French, Spanish, German, and Italian, all flavored with a New Mexican "moach".

I am a survivor, raised by Jekyll and Hyde, thankful to know better and do better.

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I'm from a place among the islands
Where life flows like the wind
cool and free

I'm from a place where pineapple ash
fills the air and enriches the soil
Where the sounds of Ukulele's help
soothe a long days toil

I'm from a place where friends become O'hana after a single sharing of a meal
Where stories of Kamehameha on the Pali is where you'll feel
His Majesty

I recall my trek to school
barefoot, shorts, and t-shirt
Sleeping grass with prickly thorns
these are the things I recall

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I’m from a home that began in the projects but from one that I now own. I am from a Southern Baptist African American Mom from rural Creedmoor. and a multi-racial Episcopal Father from the mountain town of Morganton.

I’m from a home with many different depictions of the Cross because if you can grow with parents from two different denominations in the south and manage equity and diversity of faith worship and still be a believer, then you have truly learned to love.

I'm from a home filled with the sounds of laughter, Old Skool R&B and Gospel, and the televisions blaring with sit coms, documentaries, and sports events.

I'm from a  neighborhood where I live peacefully in a community that is rich in cultural diversity and where most of the residents are even older and quieter than I am.

I'm from families with ties that are blood, extended, fraternal, church, professional, within social circles, and communities interwoven to help me truly love. ie. Mom, Darrel, Denise, Miles, Mya, Justin, Stephanie, Jacob and Jackson…

I'm from “Take one day at a time,” “CYA,” and “Not my monkey, not my circus”.

I'm from a home with the smells of Fried chicken, Barbeque ribs, Collards and corn bread, Fried fish on Fridays, and a glazed pound cake that will make you smack yo’ mama!

I'm from giving thanks prayerfully in all things and from having an appreciation of mutual kindness and respect.

I'm from Durham, Fayetteville, Raleigh, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and North Carolina Central University.

I'm from a place where the King’s English, Ebonics and vulgarity are spoken masterfully as required by the rules of survival and codeswitching.

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I'm from a city far, far away from where I live today in a whole other country. Although I never really knew my biological father, my mom always gave me enough love to represent them both.

I'm from a long line of independent women who are opinionated, passionate, and strong-willed; and who love with all their hearts and would give up the shirts on their back to protect you.

I go to sleep at night after saying goodnight to Buster and wake up saying good morning to him as his ashes sit by my bedside where it's been for almost 8 years...not a single day goes by that I don't think of him.

I'm from a household filled with love and shenanigans.

I'm lucky to be in a friendly neighborhood and very lucky to live near my sister.  My dearest friends are in Arizona.

I'm from the thought of "everything happens for a reason' and to appreciate what I have. I hold ethics in high regard for doing the right thing.

# data[].attributes.body
I'm from the country ... having caught frogs in the pond down the hill - having cows occasionally show up in the yard

I'm from a semi-nurtured place where affection wasn't shared, creating in me a strength in nurturing others

I'm from a place where emotion was viewed as weakness

I'm from a place where we sat at a table to eat and if the rotary dial phone rang, it was not answered - we were at dinner

I'm from a place where hard work was emphasized

I'm from a place where extended family was our only circle of friends for many years

I'm from a place where faith was an integral part of the weekly routine

I'm from a place where I've been able to grow and appreciate much much more and understand the world in a much better place with authentic friendships

I'm from a place where we were raised to do right

# data[].attributes.body
I'm from oak burning in a steel BBQ 1/2 drum pit with seasoned tri-tip sizzling on the steel grate.

I'm from menudo on Sundays at Ama's where loud conversations from tios y primos fill the small kitchen; and where the scent of warm homemade tortillas filled the small room.

I'm from quiet early morning wake-up calls from my Dad who whispered, "Brownie, do you want to go hunting with me?"

I'm from a time when the best part of my week was going to work with my Dad in the oil fields - taking samples of oil in small glass viles and watching them spin quickly in the machine.

I'm from the glory days listening to Vin Scully as names like Steve Garvey, Steve Sax and Fernando Valenzuela were cheered on at Dodger Stadium.

I'm from a simple time and place where God and family were at the center of every celebration and guided every path; where we were poor....but rich with love.