Growing up, my family always made sure to raise us in Mexican culture. I was proud to have a culture of empathy and celebration. As I grew up and began my academic adventures, the role of culture in my life began to change.
When I was in elementary school, the school I attended had a predominantly white demographic and there was no place for me to bring my culture and express everything I was taught. I lost my sense of who I was and who I wanted to be. The loss of culture throughout my student life continued until I arrived at Chapman.
I have lived my life in two different ways. One was my personal life and the other was my academic life. In my personal life, I have always participated in Mexican traditions and loved hearing stories about life in Mexico from my grandparents. I remember spending many summers at my grandparents’ house and wanting to learn more about my culture. When I was in school, I didn’t have a community or people who understood my other half. My student life consisted of trying to prove myself through academic success. I still push myself to achieve every academic goal I can, but now I can be successful on my own.
When I arrived at Chapman, I had no idea what kind of people and community I would find. The transition from high school to college can be difficult in itself, but it’s even more difficult when you don’t have anyone to support you through the transition. The beginning of my college life was difficult, but then I found everything I was missing. Chapman combined my two lives into one and made it easy for me to live one life. I was looking for someone to make memories with and it was easy to find them. The Latinx Club and the Intercultural Center taught me that there is room for my culture in my studies. I finally regained my cultural identity.
Chapman embraces and encourages diversity across campus and in our classrooms. The diversity on campus has helped many students feel like they belong and has shown how Chapman can be a home away from home.