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This is a portrait photo I took of my mom on her birthday earlier this month. 7/5/25. 

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I decided that I would make this final project about my marvelous migrant mother, who came to the United States in search of the American Dream. Her story, like many of the women we discussed in this class, are profound and important in order to understand the struggles that marginalized women face against Western institutions and ideologies. According to Audre Lorde, "our children cannot dream unless they live, they cannot live unless they are nourished, and who else will feed them the real food without which their dreams will be no different from ours?" (Poetry is Not a Luxury). Lorde makes it known that action and change needs to occur in order to allow the generations that come after us the opportunity to succeed without the oppressive systems in society. My mother's resilience and bravery is the reason I stand here today; living, dreaming, sharing a bit of the person she is and the experiences that helped shape her.

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This photo shows my mom cooking my favorite pasta with ground beef and spaghetti noodles--- a classic but also a timeless and tasty dish that reminds me of her.

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From the moment I breathed air, my mom's hands always made sure I was taken care of. When she first arrived to America she worked part-time at an Italian restaurant to make ends meet. She worked hard to be able to send money back to her family in Mexico. Oftentimes, she'll make different kinds of pasta and sometimes when she's cooking she'll reminisce about that time in her life and how difficult it was to navigate the culture here in America as a teenager. She has taught me so much while cooking and has given me advice that I'll always carry with me. Her hands don't just make meals though--- they wipe tears, help fix broken hearts, but most importantly they tell endless stories of survival and care. Think of it as a kind of love and poetry that doesn't need any words.

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This is a photo of my mom attending school in Mexico. She told me that they had to wear uniforms and always have their hair slicked back. 

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My mother came to the United States at a very young age. In Mexico, she tells me she loved school so much that she was always at the top of her class. So when she moved over here to the states she continued her academic journey by attending High School in California. She describes some of the racism and stereotypes she faced while going to school. Teachers and peers often underestimated her simply because she couldn't speak English all that well. My mother's experience was similar to Lorgia Garcia Pena's experience in school. When Pena states, "White eyes do not want to know us, they do not bother to learn our language, the language which reflects us, our culture, our spirit," I couldn't help but think of my mom and how helpless she must have felt when no one bothered to help her--- she had to figure it out all on her own. I admire my mom's perseverance for doing the best with what she was given. She tells me that she was never able to finish school because she had to work in order to support her siblings and parents. Their newfound life was just too difficult to navigate at the time. Nonetheless, without my mom I would not be here today, pursuing a higher education... my dream but more than anything my mom's too.

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This is the necklace my mother received during her Baptism. 

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My Mexican mother is a woman of religious faith--- she actually reads the bible every other Sunday at our local Catholic Church. Growing up she always made sure that my siblings and I were in tune with our faith, so she made sure we all had our sacraments done by the age of 18: Baptism, Communion, and Confirmation. In turn, I am a very religious person because of this and couldn't be more grateful that my mom instilled this faith in me.

Typically, when one completes a sacrament the Godparents give you a necklace or bracelet with a Saint, Jesus, Mary, or God. For my confirmation I received a Virgin Mary necklace that I have not taken off since the day I got it. It' very sentimental and is a reminder of who I am no matter where I go. In this picture I'm holding my mom's own necklace that she received the day of her Baptism. After all these years and moving to America she still held on to this necklace as a reminder of her faith and above all... hope. Hope that she carried across borders. Audre Lorde says that when we become more in tune with our own non-European ways of living, we begin to respect the hidden parts of ourselves where great strength and wisdom come from. For my mother, coming to a country with nothing but a dream of a better life and beliefs that were far different than hers, she held on to her faith regardless. In a world with different ideas and beliefs, she stayed true to her own inner voice, and was able to build a life for not only herself, but her family as well. Per Lorde's words, my mother's strength and power came from deep insider her and her faith.

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My mom and dad wearing my graduation regalia as a reminder of their hard work and strength.

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As a Mexican-American and first-generation college graduate, I have often felt similar to Lorgia Garcia Pena when being in spaces that are dominated by white people. It's easy to label yourself as "the one." The one minority, the one who doesn't exactly fit in. My pursuit of a higher education was difficult as I'd often have white men undermine my work ethic. What kept me going was my mom and dad. Their strength and stories were my motivation. I would always say to myself that my mom didn't go through everything she did for me to give up. I was able to walk during the 2025 commencement ceremony back in June, while taking a couple summer classes to raise my cumulative GPA for a master's program I plan to apply to. After this course, I am officially done with UCR. It's a bittersweet moment, but I couldn't have done this without my mom especially (love you dad lol). She was my guidepost throughout these past four years and I recognize that everything I've accomplished up until this point is just as much hers as it is mine. Thank you ma for everything. If there's anything I want to be in this world, I hope I'm half as strong a woman like you.