“I came from a broken home. I really didn’t have guidance. My parents never really got along, and so me and my sister suffered in-between,” recalled Elisa Cardenas, who experienced homelessness at 17. Growing up, “I felt like I didn’t have a place in the world—an identity to actually call my own.” “I’ve been through a lot of life experiences that have kind of broken me down as a person, but I never lost hope, and I never lost any of my beliefs and be like those who had the guidance.” Despite not having guidance, Cardenas says “I always yearned to go to school and be somebody because I knew that was the key to be successful, and people will look at you in a better light.” Cardenas is half Peruvian and half Italian, a first-generation American, …show more content…
I felt like I was blessed to be given the opportunity to enter school despite my …show more content…
I chose to cover it.” When people are quick to judge based her her Niqab, Cardenas says she “always encourage people to seek knowledge. Question everything that you know, because if you don’t you could always be in the wrong. I encourage people to not only ask questions, but if you happen to be the one to ask, to read about it. Have an open dialogue with people that you’re curious about or that unsure of. Know truth, that’s what Islam tells us.” Cardenas is a full-time, active student at HCC. She is involved with the HCC Model U.N. organization, a member of the International Student Chamber of Commerce and a member of the STEM Club at Northwest. She was also just invited to join two honor societies: Phi Theta Kappa and The National Society of Collegiate Scholars. “It’s been really a unique experience being involved in those organizations, and it shapes your focus. Those types of organizations give me an opportunity to actually pinpoint what you want to do with yourself,” says Cardenas, “I’m excited to be a part of HCC, and I hope that people in the future are encouraged to get into those
As you walk down the street, you see posters and billboards surrounding that one person you think you may want to be. In a society that is filled to the brim with persuasion and propaganda, it is common that people forget who they are and become someone else. The desire of popularity causes misconceptions and a sense of self that is not sure of itself, leading to the question “Who am I?” Being yourself can come easier than you think just by recognizing that it is you. Not by being someone you see on the billboard, your friends, or who you see on television. Yourself is who you really are. In the story “Two Kinds” by Amy Tan, conflict between a mother and daughter causes identity and individualistic problems. A mother tries to relive her life through her daughter by pushing her to do things she may not be capable of doing. The mother believes that her daughter will have it all in America: success, fame, and wealth. The daughter loses herself and identity by focusing on becoming the person her
“I have lived every day of my life asking myself ‘is what I’m doing reflective of who I am? Or who I want to be?’ If not...”
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”
One student, Aesha, was homeless due to being physically abused by her child’s father, she spent 30 days in a temporary shelter and then was moved to an emergency assistance unit. She told The Progressive, “It was horrible’... ‘We slept on benches, and it was very crowded. I was so scared I sat on my bag and held onto the stroller day and night, from Friday to Monday.’” (635) Aesha and her son were eventually moved to a family shelter in Queens which presented problems of its own. The ordeal of being homeless had taken a toll on her and her studies. The Progressor has a quote by her saying, "I spend almost eight hours a day on the trains," she says. "I have to leave the shelter at 5:00 a.m. for the Bronx where my girlfriend watches my son for me. I get to her house around 7:00. Then I have to travel to school in Brook...
“To many of us, our beliefs are of fundamental importance. For me the teaching of Christ and my own personal accountability before God provide a framework in which I try to lead my life, I like so many of you, have drawn great comfort in difficult times from Christ’s words and example.”
Our quest to find out who we are is fuelled by the need and longing to find meaningful relationships and a place on earth to which we truly belong. Good morning/ Afternoon Miss Smotlak and class. The common theme of belonging is prominently portrayed through an individual’s interactions with others and the world around them, which can enrich or limit their experience of belonging. Despite having a significant relationship an individual can still feel disconnected to wider society. Despite our greatest effort sometimes a positive resolution is not always possible and individual’s sense of belonging is thwarted. Due to the idea of belonging being such an natural human need it can be seen in texts such as , american actor, filmmaker and political activist Sean Penn’s film ‘Into the Wild’ (2007) illustrating these themes through the true story of Chris Mccandleuss, who grows up in the wealthy Virginia suburbs of Washington D.C only to reject the ways of society and sets of on a lonely journey across the country in order to find out who he is and
Other factors include inadequate income supports, displacement, physical and mental illness, job loss, child abuse, domestic violence etc. According to NLCHP (National Law Center on Houselessness and Poverty), more than 90% homeless women are victims of domestic violence which results in their escaping from their homes. Most homeless children are on the streets because they have been forced by circumstances that make them to think that they are safer there than in any home they once knew.”
“It’s a blessed thing that in every stage in every age some one has had the individuality and courage enough to stand by his own convictions.” The part of me that sums up my identity best is not the adjectives given by family, or the faults I find in myself. My identity is my desire to better myself, and my passion for children. My identity is who I want to be and what I do to accomplish my goals My identity is the feelings and emotions I pour into my journal every day, and the way I feel when I do something right. My identity is not what others thing of me or what I think of myself after a bad day. My identity is the love and confidence I have in myslef, and the beauty inside.
In Conclusion, Both authors has struggled with self identity and/or confidence growing up; but they did not let negativity ruin the path to success and becoming comfortable within the skin their
Looking back on the short 14 years of my life, I realize that my sense of identity and belonging has changed and will continue to change as I grow up. One’s concept of belonging can easily conform to when and where someone is. After all, this is what makes us, us. Coming to terms with who you are is a lengthy task, as well as a difficult one. Often, there are people that will tell you to just be like everyone else. It’s difficult to follow the whole “BE YOURSELF” ideology when no one likes individuality. Creating a sense of belonging is difficult when you are the individual that no one likes. Life just becomes so much harder when you try to label everyone them tell them where they belong. Identity and belonging go hand in hand. when you know
The information provided by the National Homeless Coalition (2009) regarding “why are people homeless” confirmed my notion that the increasing struggles in our economy has resulted in an increase in homelessness. The surprising factor that I neglected to visualize was the impact it had on children and families. When people think about the homeless, they often envision older adults on the streets. It is too painful to imagine that children are on the streets without food, water, or shelter. One family that I had the chance to work together with was with a mother and her three children. She had two daughters, ages 11 and 9 and a boy who was 2 years old. She is currently without a job and lives with her mother temporarily. She is one of the fortunate ones that have family members supporting her, but there were other stories of families living in cars and streets because of no support.
Growing up, I was given the freedom to choose who I wanted to be, to decide what I wanted to do. I grew up with many different opportunities and chances to try out new things. A simple life I led as a child, sheltered and loved by all, but I was oblivious to reality, lost in my own “perfect” world. Yet as I grew up and began to surpass the age of imaginary worlds, the idea of “perfection” had begun to fade and reality began to settle in. Like a splash of cold water, I went from a childish mindset to an adult’s. Child hood play was a thing of the past and responsibility became the norm.
Williams, Reginald. The Voices of Single Parent Mothers who are Homeless in Regard to Their
In my opinion, I am very lucky to have had a roof over my head for my entire life, so far. My parents are what I consider to be very hard working people and I believe myself to be lucky for having them always pay the bills and provide not only a house for me to live in, but also the life that I have become accustomed too. By no means is my family incredibly wealthy, but in my opinion and in comparison to the women in the article “Fear, Romance and Transience in the Lives of Homeless Women”, my family is significantly better off. This article focuses on the lives of three women who are homeless and explores their struggles and triumphs of the life that they live.
In Erikson’s Identity vs. Role Confusion stage, I thought, “Who am I?” countless times like many other adolescents. I occupied much of my time trying to construct a firm identity of myself, which I now realized did more harm than good. Letting myself explore different interests would have helped me find my identity than me trying to fake some firm identity.