Short Story: Chataquoa Nicole Mason

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” A fairly basic question, but when pondered upon, utterly onerous to answer. At the mere age of seven, second grade Chataquoa Nicole Mason wrestled with this thought too, when asked by her teacher. The now 41 year old middle class citizen wasn’t raised with as much privilege and ease as most of us had. Tended to by teenage parents struggling with poverty, Mason was neglected of the luxuries some of her peers possessed, including food. After an incredibly burdensome childhood, and an even more strenuous teenage life, Mason made the life altering decision to relocate from living with her mother, step-father, brother, and half-sister in San Bernardino, California, to living with her grandmother in
Las Vegas. There, she began working in the food court of a casino, and thinking about her future. Later that year, Mason would board the flight to Washington D.C., headed for Howard University on a full merit scholarship. In addition to a small suitcase of personal belongings and a large suitcase full of desire and determination, all she had was $250. Following her college years, Mason worked on issues including violence against women, reproductive justice and economic security, and later became the executive director of the Center for Research and Policy in the Public Interest. Today, Mason has a released a second book, Born Bright: A Young Girl’s Journey from Nothing to Something in America. She is also a mother to fraternal twins, living in a predominantly white neighborhood.