Facing Discrimination
Caroline Martinez
English 101 CRN: 4144
Aug. 10, 2010
Facing Discrimination
I was eight years old when my father abandoned my pregnant mother. She had four children to provide for and awaiting another; she acquired zero work skills while being a stay at home mom, which is a requirement for those looking to join the work force. She had no money and was obligated to live off of what friends and family could spare. It’s amazing how the discrimination of others impale mothers from moving on in life. I learned early on in life that being discriminated upon will either make me or break me.
Growing up I thought that our humble and modest life style was a normal life. However, it was in junior high school that I was rudely awakened to a cruel reality; my classmates made fun of me. I was the ugly duckling always sporting last season’s hand-me-downs. I seldom had money for class field trips and when I did attend a trip I had no spending money like everyone else seemed to have. At the end of the day, however, having money and things didn’t matter to me. Mother managed to keep us together and that’s what mattered most. I will always remember my mothers words; “don’t ever let anyone tell you what you can or can’t do, if you have a dream follow it until you fulfill it,” she said. At the age of fourteen, I decided to audition for La-Guardia High School of the Performing Arts. I will never forget the lady at the front desk and how her eyes pierced through me like a fierce beast studying her prey. As I reflected on mothers’ encouraging words, the beast rudely yelled out my number and said, “Are you going in there dressed like that? Good luck, you’ll need it!" She then directed me to the auditorium where, by God’s amazing grace, I found favor with the judges and made it into La-Guardia High School of the Performing Arts. That victory was short lived due to my mother’s decision to relocate us for safety reasons.
I was part of the concrete jungle and the
English 101 CRN: 4144
Aug. 10, 2010
Facing Discrimination
I was eight years old when my father abandoned my pregnant mother. She had four children to provide for and awaiting another; she acquired zero work skills while being a stay at home mom, which is a requirement for those looking to join the work force. She had no money and was obligated to live off of what friends and family could spare. It’s amazing how the discrimination of others impale mothers from moving on in life. I learned early on in life that being discriminated upon will either make me or break me.
Growing up I thought that our humble and modest life style was a normal life. However, it was in junior high school that I was rudely awakened to a cruel reality; my classmates made fun of me. I was the ugly duckling always sporting last season’s hand-me-downs. I seldom had money for class field trips and when I did attend a trip I had no spending money like everyone else seemed to have. At the end of the day, however, having money and things didn’t matter to me. Mother managed to keep us together and that’s what mattered most. I will always remember my mothers words; “don’t ever let anyone tell you what you can or can’t do, if you have a dream follow it until you fulfill it,” she said. At the age of fourteen, I decided to audition for La-Guardia High School of the Performing Arts. I will never forget the lady at the front desk and how her eyes pierced through me like a fierce beast studying her prey. As I reflected on mothers’ encouraging words, the beast rudely yelled out my number and said, “Are you going in there dressed like that? Good luck, you’ll need it!" She then directed me to the auditorium where, by God’s amazing grace, I found favor with the judges and made it into La-Guardia High School of the Performing Arts. That victory was short lived due to my mother’s decision to relocate us for safety reasons.
I was part of the concrete jungle and the