Reflection: February, 2018

I've been working on several projects, that will continue to build on the work that my community
continues to strive for which is building stronger bridges within the community that surrounds
the school. I have spent my Friday's listening to the stories of several students of West High
School, many expressed concerns that they have teachers who have blatantly expressed
discriminatory remarks regarding their background. I've simply been an ear for them and I've
reminded them of their hard work and their efforts should not go unnoticed. I've also been
working with my team on the student advisory council otherwise known as SAC, we are
currently looking into starting a project surrounding Earth Day.

Moving onto identity, yes I have noticed and I’m cognizant about who I am in several spaces that
I occupy in my life. I’ve become a master at it, but is that ideal for me? Probably not, my
identity, the core of who I am isn’t always present. I hide that part of me just so that I can get the
work done, however, that core does influence all that I do. From sitting in the student fee boards,
to classes, and to the Thayne Center, Pedro from what I understand is an entity that has
experience devastating trauma, the Pedro that I know what’s to be fully expressive, I do what I
can to contain his emotions. At times my outer shell will break revealing frustration and sadness
for my situation or when I am in deep reflection of where I was and where I am, I also question
where I will go from here.

My identity is frail compared to those who have been built to succeed so yes my identity clashes
in spaces that promote bashing of the poor and disenfranchised because I am those people, I see
myself in everyone one of them. Struggling to survive in a system of separatists who think they
are better, my identity even though I am able to regulate them all, truly seeks for the abolition
and reform of our current system.