I sit in front of this college essay and yet, so many memories flood through my mind. Mi Tierra, as my Mamá Caro would call it, is not Mexico itself, but the land where I was raised. Snow or rain in Colorado, I will never forget the sweet sunny days in Delano, California. In my head I can hear the boys laughing and see them running like a pack of hyenas. The tall California palm trees are everywhere; and I can feel the warm blanket of summer.

My life in Colorado is not so different, I have my parents and my brother, but I don’t see the boys, who are grown men now. My grandma has died, but I can still see her curly hair, wrinkled skin, and her light complexion. The sun comes on warm days, but soon my days of a Cali girl will fade away. Many of my goals involve where I come from. I want to help the poor, assist the elderly, to pass my classes’ one step at a time, graduate high school, and even help my little brother with his homework.

My neighborhood is filled with nice people that like to do things on their own. For my community work I go to a nearby suburb called Commerce City. There I spent time with a group called Commerce City Stars. We spend time helping other pre-teens and teens with their problems, and show them they can live their lives with out sex, drugs, and alcohol. Also, because this program is sponsored by my church, I help with the local food bank on Tuesdays over the summer. My abuelita always taught me to help who need help. When ever I see a hungry family it breaks my heart to see them in such poor conditions. To make a difference, I want to give food and shelter to everyone who’s in need; because not only do the poor need a home, but the people who are running through an economic crisis. This is my goal for my community to grow and become a better place.

Mexican-American. A pocha in between nopales, I was always the little dark girl who always tried to fit in. I didn’t learn English ‘till I was in third grade. I wasn’t made fun of or ridiculed by others, because I had other Chicanos who understood how I felt. Third grade was a difficult year for me, on top of learning English I had to adapt to my new environment. My new school was Monterrey Elementary, like all other new kids I was scared and lonely. Luckily I made friends in no time, and my house was big enough for all four of us. My cousin’s always told me that no matter how hard life gets, keep moving forward and nothing can stand in your way. Of course whenever I think of them, I can see them messing around and taking care of their only primita.

Though I don’t visit California any more, my world is filled with many memories. No one can take the life lessons I have learned. To receive the gift of knowledge and assistance, is very important to me and my family, because a Catholic family like us, like to give the world what God gives us.