Author: Mike Lazcano

“Life can always change, you need to adjust.” by one of the greatest rappers of the decade Drake. Education can bring many problems into someone’s life from social to academic and race. Coming from a Latino background of parents who were not able to achieve many things back home, they came here, so I can achieve everything they didn’t. It eventually built me into a humble, generous person and smart guy.

There are many challenges Latinos face in our world today, one being those who are privileged have to power over us. No being as fortunate as many other kids who were given everything to them. Throughout my middle school years, it was hard attempting to be like other kids at my school not having the same educational support as many other students would have. But having to find ways to get them. There were many white students and teachers I would attend, I was not a kid who would participate. I have always been reserved for myself. Math was not my favorite subject because I was afraid to participate. After all, maybe I just was not good at it. Sitting in the back was always a thing I did since they usually pick on the kids who sit in front. Not participating and that kid who was not white I was put on the spot by the teachers all the time. I once got upset and asked her why you pick on me a lot? She stood quiet and chose someone else. I knew it wasn’t because I was her favorite student. I would see how teachers would give so much assistance to my classmates. Not only that, but I would be confused. I had to find another teacher from the same department to help. I thought maybe because I was not good at the subject, I realized that it was more than that it had to do with my race. I know it was impossible to get along with every teacher and student or for them to like me, but I needed to learn how to manage them and be on their good side. Likewise, I eventually sometimes realize you need other people, especially in a bad environment to overcome situations and manage to be successful.

Choosing the right group of friends played a huge factor in my education. I did not have the appropriate friends who wanted to see the best of me but encouraged me to do bad things to please them or others. But doing these things to fit in with other groups or to be that “cool” kid at school. I accidentally shot a teacher with a friend’s B-B gun in the last week of school. We were not the best class. We were known to be troublemakers. I did it because I was encouraged. I know no one forces you to do anything I want to be cool. That kid, who was not scared to do anything, was over. I had thought it to become a bigger issue since anything that could harm a student or a staff was not allowed. The police were called up; they held every student around me and investigated who brought the gun in. All Parents were called up to the school for the following morning nothing much was done being that we had only a few days left, so I couldn’t face any repercussions. As the principal and cops were talking to me and my parents I realized who truly are my friends, the kid who came to school with the gun not stepping up and admitting it was his gun, although I had pulled the trigger but everyone was letting me fall into a deep hole. I told myself what if it were another scenario of me getting caught or what if they got caught? I would have stepped in even if it weren’t for them, but how could no one step in for me? I had to face the consequences on my own. I need to make mistakes in life to be able to learn from them. It eventually helped me become an honest guy. 

To come from an immigrant parent who came to this country to give me a better life wasn’t easy. They had to put food on our table and a roof over our head came with struggles. Not many can imagine how hard it can be not to have the economic support my parents did not get during that time. Being so blind as a young kid when you would ask for everything but not realizing if your parents had the money for it. When my mother came to this country it was very hard for her to adjust to the language, culture and the food luckily she had a sister so she moved in with her. After meeting my father of course he wasn’t the richest man in the world but like any other relationship comes with problems. My mother once told me they did not have the money to celebrate a birthday of mine, so they used quarters and exchanged them at the bank to be able to celebrate a birthday of mine.I faced racism throughout my school years. There has been a point in my life I didn’t want to go to school not because I was scared, but I was over it getting made fun of all because I come from a different background. I got into many fights growing up trying to defend myself. There was a certain point where i would find it funny and joke along with them to keep it going, so I would stop getting bothered. It made such an ambitious person to always fight for what I think it’s right, especially how I grew up knowing in life you need to earn things, nothing is handed to you. Hearing my parents stories give me this strive to be better and make them proud and hopefully return everything they do for me. 

Growing up somewhere you think you don’t belong can be very encouraging for someone to succeed. Believing that you can be like others or even better is motivating. Teachers will differentiate you by your race which can come with struggles. Many student’s voices are not heard because they’re seen less or many are scared to speak up. Negativity can be turned into positivity; you just have to adjust to it.