My uncle Vidal has probably the most influential role in my life. You can always find him with a smile on his face, deep brown eyes and jel on his fade(hairstyle). He is around 5”10, black hair, fair skin and facial hair designed on his cheekbone lines. He has piercings on both ears and dresses like a stereotypical black man. I characterize this person as prideful and strong with a big heart, I really look up to this cat(guy).

I was born and spent my toddler years in a two story house on 24 & Homan in Little Village, Chicago Il. I shared the house with my parents, mom’s three brothers, mom’s parents, and two dogs with all their puppies. I still have a picture of me holding up the puppy upside down, there were a lot, about 8 or 9. All of the puppies were cream color and one was black, I loved all our dogs but the black puppy was my favorite. I don't know why, maybe because it looked like the underdog or the black sheep of the bunch, well black puppy. My father worked for a company named Kubota engine company and worked for most of the day, so my uncle was my sitter, he was like 16 at the time. He was always inventing new games and new food to cook and eat. For example, I remember once we got salt crackers, ham and hot sauce and later saw a product named lunchables on the shelf at the grocery store. We used to joke that they saw us cooking through the window and they stole our idea, but I think they had invented it first and thats were he got his idea but that didn't stop him from ruining the magic. So yeah, my uncle vidal basically raised me, he was like a father. He was really creative with his games whether it where physical like building a little snow slide for me to slide down on a piece of cardboard to psychological games like loteria( a classic mexican card game), checkers, poker, paper airplanes, paper football and soccer to a different kind of battle ship with a paper and a pen.

By the time I was little, to my life right now, he has played a huge influence in my life. He has a big factor to the way I dress, my thinking, my habits and my taste. For example the way I dress, not so much anymore, but I still got this little flavor of the style. Like look at my shoes, their solid colors, you would never see me with like neon green high top nikes like I see a few kids out here wear, especially the jocs. My clothes too, you will never catch me with a fancy vest or khakis, always with jeans and a fresh shirt. I usually come in a outfit matching head to toe, I got that from him. And piercing my ears, haha my parents especially my dad rejected the idea; My dad’s reason behind it can come from two different origins; from protecting me to not look ghetto, so I wouldn't be taken as a rival gang member when we go visit my dads side of the family still in chicago and him just being machista(masculine).

All my life I felt like a son to him and still do, except for this one year we went and didn't talk for a year. To be honest I was depressed, I felt so miserable to hear people complain that “their father or brother died” and I couldn't say the same, all I could say was that, “yeah I used to have that figure in my life.” They'd replay with, “did they die too?” and I would say with a cracked voice, “No, that person didn't die, that man is still walking, he just acts like a stranger to me.” This hurt a lot; thinking, yeah that person in another kids life died, thats why he couldn't be there for them but no, mine still is alive but just doesn't speak to me and it crushed me when I realized that. But it was a massive lesson, I grew and matured so much during this time period and once again I owe it to him. We just made up last thanksgiving, he wanted to make things right and took the first step to tell me, I found that really cool. He also gave me a really really deep lesson that night that my actual father never gave me or brought up, he spoke to me about relationships and sex. To be honest I was alone before he had this conversation with me and had to developed my own views on women and how to treat them. Much of these tips I had learned from past relationships, but one tip or rule that stuck out to me was to “respect your girl, mijo.(my child)” Not that I wasn't, but I just liked the quote a lot. Because It’s true, there is no need to call a women names, if a women is going to be unfaithful, just let her go. Then he said something that my grandma used to tell all her kids but he said it in english, “Once a cheater always a cheater, so don't ever forgive someone who has hurt you in that way.” And then he said “Never call a woman a b**** no matter what they did. If they cheated just walk away and say, I loved you but I guess that wasn't enough for you. That leaves someone hanging on those words and it will replay in their head over and over.”

Many people love my uncle and many people judge him, but I think I have the best side of him as one of his kids. I love him as a father, big brother, uncle, godfather, you name it. He is a big factor to the person that makes me, me today; The 5”10, black hair, fair skin and facial hair designed on his cheekbone lines. He has piercings on both ears and dresses like a stereotypical black man.