When my abuela was young, she had a dream,

She dreamed of a future where her children wouldn’t be called stupid by their teachers for painting purple jacaranda trees,

She dreamed of her children not toiling as gardeners all day but working as scholars,

She dreamed of a better future for her family.

When my abuela was young, she worked hard,

She worked at the swap meet every weekend to earn money for a house for her family,

She cleaned grandiose houses where she would be called names and made fun of, in order to keep food on the table,

She made sure that her kids spoke their native language and worked just as hard as she did for their family.

When my mother was young, she also had a dream,

She dreamed of her children going to school without fear of being attacked by gangs,

She dreamed of getting an education, of going to college,

She dreamed of a better future for her family.

When my mother was young, she also worked hard, 

She scrubbed toilets and cleaned bathrooms in order to go to college,

She studied and learned with students and teachers who doubted her and made fun of who she was,

She made sure her kids knew where they came from and work just as hard as she did.

Today, I am young, a product of their dreams, 

I dream of making my family proud, 

I dream of taking advantage of the opportunities those before me never had, 

I dream of a better future for my family. 

While I am young, I will work as hard as my predecessors have and continue to do,

I will continue to learn and study, while learning things they never learned, 

I will occupy spaces and be present in places, they never thought of being in, 

I will strive to honor my mother, abuela, and all who come before me by not forgetting where I come from and working just as hard as they did. 

They had a dream, 

They worked hard, 

I became a product of their dreams, 

I will work to honor their dreams.