Education is the Key & Univision’s Es El Momento Campaign

I can’t remember a time during my childhood that I ever disliked attending school. I loved the atmosphere. The sense of community. I was a curious child and my needs were nourished being in school and learning every day. I was heavily involved in school activities and vividly remember a talent show in which I participated in. I practiced Whitney Houston’s Greatest Love of All for weeks before the talent show. I remember my older sisters helping me make sure I breathed correctly and sung the notes until the end. I remember standing on stage in my school auditorium surrounded by friends and teachers, and of course my mom right on the side of the stage singing along with me.

I gave birth to my daughter after I had already completed a year of college. After I had her I didn’t have any immediate plans on going back to school, but it was always in the back of my head. When I began job searching when my daughter was 6 months old I quickly learned that I would never make the type of money to live a comfortable life without education myself and obtaining a degree. I was still passionate about school, so I eagerly enrolled in local college and changed majors to something that was more in tune with my passions.

I’ve always been pretty insatiable about learning. I always crave more. This instability caused me to transfer two years ago to one of the area’s top universities in my area to finish out my studies. Now as a senior, I am eagerly anticipating graduating this September, and am looking back at all my hard work and sacrifice knowing that I have gained so much from choosing to pursue a college education.

There were many times in the past and even now when I want to give up. I’m a single mom, I work full time, and I’m a fulltime student. I often think maybe a college degree won’t mean anything, that it’s a waste of time. Then I look at my daughter, and I remember that I’m not just doing this for me. I’m doing this for my daughter and both of our futures. I don’t want to just be part of this world. I want to make change; I want to help enact change. I want to make a life advocating for those that that are overlooked, invisible, and too often forgotten. I cannot do so without education myself and getting real life experience. This is what has pushed me when I have felt like giving up. Just 6 months away from my graduation, I am an overloaded with a lust for life and learning and excited about all that I will be able to do with all that I have learned when I graduate. 

Being part of the LATISM community[half Colombian], I was so thrilled to hear about the Univision’s Es El Momento [The Moment is Now] campaign that launched in early 2010. It’s a comprehensive, multi-year national education initiative in partnership with the ill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the U.S. Department of Education, educators and civic and community leaders from around the world. The Es El Momento initiative is aimed at improving academic achievement among K-12 Hispanic students with a specific focus on high school graduation and college readiness.

According to research, the high school graduation rate for Hispanic students is 55% compared to 69% for their non-Hispanic peers. In addition, only 34% of young people graduated high school ready to succeed in a four-year college and that number drops to 20% for Hispanic young people. Hispanic parents face two key barriers: access and awareness of the academic preparation/requirements needed for college and financial preparation.

Es El Momentum is a crucial resource necessary to ensure that Hispanic youth are equipped with all the necessary tools to succeed and reach their dreams and goals. The statistics are disappointing, but wonderful programs like Es El Momentum are supporting our minority youth and setting up the necessary bridges to ensure that regardless of your circumstances our youth can and will achieve.


This is a sponsored post on behalf of LATISM. All opinions, ideas and thoughts are my own.

life purpose

What’s your life purpose?

Have you ever thought about your purpose in life? I took a class last year that helped me think about this quite complex question. Through the following exercise we were able to help understand what our purpose was.

I often find myself drifting. I’m overworked and so always stressing that I forget to think about my goals. I’m just moving through the motions of life, almost like a robot. It’s not something I’m proud of, but at least I acknowledge it. This exercise was huge for me. I mean in my head I knew what I wanted to do when I grow up, I knew what group of people I want to help, and I know that I want to change the world.

But seeing the words on paper. Reading it out loud…it then suddenly came to life. It gave me goosebumps.

My life came to life.

Here are the steps, and be sure to take your time when coming up with the answer. and know that there is no right answer. This is YOUR life purpose.

1. List two of your unique personal traits

2. List one or two ways you enjoy expressing those qualities when interacting with others

3. Assume the world is perfect right now. What does the world look like? How is everyone interacting with everyone else? What does it feel like? Write your answer in a statement, in the present tense, describing the ultimate condition, the perfect world as you see it and feel it. Remember, a perfect world is a fun place to live.

4. Combine the prior three subdivisions into a single statement.

My combined statement is:

My purpose is to use my determination and diligence to inspire and motivate others to support each other, love freely, and become a part of their community.

So have fun with this exercise, and let me know what you come up with!!

cheer up sunshine

A couple of months ago I was feeling pretty down on myself. Wasn’t feeling like I was doing all that I could to be the best me, the best mom, the best woman I could be. I felt alone, felt like no one understood me…I didn’t even understand myself. So I reached out to my friends. And I asked them if there is one piece of advice you could give me what would it be? The responses I got are below:

-Live, Laugh, Learn 

-Be brave enough to be true to yourself and love yourself more than you ever thought possible.

-Live, love, laugh, and don’t let anyone kill your happiness!

-Learn to relax

-Stay strong, remember each choice you make holds not only your future walk in life but also respects your daughter life choices. Children learn by following.

-Wake up every morning appreciating something because we aren’t guaranteed a tomorrow

-Don’t give a F what other people think of you

-Love Solana and give her everything you wish you had and wanted

-Stay focused, the light is at the end of the tunnel

-Stop procrastinating and do your homework

-Always keep your glow

-Live, love, and laugh to the fullest, letting no one and nothing keep you down

I was overwhelmed by the responses I received from my friends and family and I was so glad they took the time to respond. I was so down on myself and feeling so negative that I wasn’t able to see all the goodness in and around me. As a young single mom, I feel like I’m racing to catch up most of the time. Like I’m so much further behind other 24 year olds. I have a child, I mean, I’m not dead! My daughter is happy and healthy and a ray of sunlight in my life and in the life of those we love.

I adore her and she looks up to me. Just the other day she told me when she was older she wanted to cut her hair off when she gets older so she could be 'pretty just like mommy'. And me, well I’m fighting the fight because that’s all I know how to do. I'm taking damn good care of my daughter, working, and putting myself through school. And you know what, I'm damn proud of myself.