Bianca Espinoza ‘23 Beauty of Diversity - EnglishBianca Espinoza ‘23 Beauty of Diversity - English

PRISMS

The Beauty of Diversity

I am from East Oakland where diversity is everywhere And the smell of street vendors are comforting I am from a neighborhood where we support each other And look out for one another like family

I am from a Mexican immigrant family who came With nothing and believed family was everything I am from a family where my mom sacrificed everything in order to give me anything My family worked hard for us and taught us to never take Anything for granted

I am from a strong abuela who grabs my cheeks and smiles as she sleeps An abuela who taught me that it was okay to be unique I am from an abuela who supports me and tells me to make sure I stand my ground An abuela who grabs my chin and says, “Make me proud”

I am from an ethnicity where butterflies are a beautiful sign of migration Where monarch butterflies remind us of how we made it

I am from a Hispanic community where we bond over tacos and share our ancestors’ folktales

I am from a community that shares the same interests as me Where the elderly look at me and say, “You are our ancestors dream”

-Bianca Espinoza ‘23