Author: marioenriquez

Never say good bye

We have been friends for not so long

we've learned to trust and shared our favorite songs

We've been together, we used to laugh and cry

we've been together, and you all have to fly.

I will never forget those sweet memories we have shared,

I will always treasure and I will always care,

every moment we have been together,

they are as precious as our mothers.

I wish to be strong, no hardships and  pains arrived

that blocked my feelings and or forever felt deprived,

for if I lose the inspiration you have shared,

I will write a thousand poems from my heart, you all will grow

You all taught me to love so incredibly fast that in my soul you will always stay.

True friends never say good bye

pure truth and love will never die

miles between us will be rough

carry the memories with you

the power of our friendship

will always carry you through

NEVER forget to follow your heart

because true friends won't ever be apart.

I cry

but I will see you soon

and never tell me "good bye"

I love you all.

-Aristides Hernandez

 

This last week went by faster than I wanted it to go in many ways. Getting to know this amazing individuals changed my perception of who I am and who I was supposed to be. Everyone in this program taught me something about who I am and about the greatness and peculiarity of life. I want to share some of what I learned from each of you.

Amy: You have shown me that laughter is the best medicine and that life is too short not to laugh at the obstacles that life throws us. Thank you for that, it has made me appreciate those rough times more because they have shaped me to become me.

Kelly: You are a living representation of balance between studies and having fun. You have shown me that it is possible to complete a three page essay and hang out with friends at the same time. I thank you for being a part of this program and one of my friends. “Do you want some celery?” - Kelly

Higinia: You have shown me how strong someone can be and how determined. You are definitely one of the most deserving people of a good life full of opportunities. I also admired your ability to express yourself and always tell the truth even if it was hard to hear it or say it. Throughout the program you continued to impressed me with the amazing things you say and how you just radiate strength with every person that crosses paths with you. “Good one, good one.” - Higinia

Yoshi : You have shown me that life is very real and that even when we may have different experiences and lifestyles that we should still make an effort to empathize, and connect with others. You also showed me how creativity can show up everywhere such as memes. “Professor X!” -Yoshi

Ricardo : Thank you for showing me that someone can be both serious and not so much. You have shown that having your life figured out doesn't always mean that you won't change and grow as a person. “Hello, my name is Ricardo.” - Richard

Daniel: Thank you for being an example of confidence, and letting me know how it doesn't matter what others say about you. It only matters what you think about yourself. You have helped me in ways you don't even understand. Also thank you for those makeovers, I enjoyed being part of that.

Nicolas: Thank you for showing me that people can constantly be there for you unconditionally. You also taught me that a person can understand themselves in a way that no one else will and that is better to keep your morals intact than keeping people's expectations of yourself unbroken. Cheers to breaking stereotypes and to not being classified. Because no one was ever meant to be placed in boxes of their “identity.” You give self-representation a new and stronger meaning. Thank you for having my back and for helping me through the good and bad. “Dancing is it’s own freedom no matter where you are.” - Nicolas Rios

Alex: Thank you for showing me how much a person can endure and that it is a good thing for someone to speak their mind and share what they believe in. You made it easier for me to participate and say what I believed. You have shown me that laughing and working also can happen at the same time, and that sometimes art is the best way to fight back. Thank you for being proud of being you! “Y’all play too much!” - Alex

Jayson: You showed me that the way we feel matters and that we are entitled to those ways of feeling. Thank you for being there and taking me to the doctor. Thank you for worrying and for helping. Also thank you for answering after 11 pm. You have shown me that people do care about their jobs and that individuals can create great ties among each other. Thank you for being my RA. There isn't one quote to capture who you are.

Karla, Leslie, and Isabella: Thank you for giving me the roommate experience and for showing me how different people can find commonalities amongst themselves. There aren't really quotes that represent you it is more of a collection of experiences.

Ruben: First off you are very smart, and you have shown me that expectations from others do not matter because they aren't you. Thank you for being willing to help me when I needed it. Continue filling out Sudokus, and don't ever compromise your intelligence and personality. “Sudokus are easy!” - Ruben.

Aristides: You showed me how language barriers cannot and should not stop anyone from accomplishing what they set their minds to doing. You made people smile and laugh, and you were always kind. Thank you for being there willing to help! “Hello ladies!”

- Aristides

Raul: Thank you for always smiling. You were quiet but yet your presence was strong. It really shows how someone can affect their environment by being around others. Continue your dreams of becoming a politician and don't forget about your experience here in the program and your experience with all of us Caminos people.

Sam: Thank you for always being nice to everyone. You helped me realize that there are still good and kind-hearted people in this world. Thank you for always being happy and for always seeing the good in people.

Mario: Thank you for being so dedicated to helping us and making everything possible. You have shown me that when you do something you love, well it will still be hard work and you'll probably have coffee but it will be very rewarding to do so. And that no matter what you will always be there to help us in any way. Thank you for everything you did including providing us with a safe space.

Dr. Vaquera: Thank you for investing so much time into this program and for believing on us. You showed me that it is important to own who we are and how we classify ourselves. Because no one can determine who we are but us. Thank you for always being willing to help us and to adapt to accommodate our needs. I appreciate how involved you were and how willing you were to improve the program and get great results out of it.

Bernardita: Thank you for all the time you've spent with us, crafting our stories carefully and giving us tips on how to present. I thank you for showing me that the way we write is also a way to fight back against injustice. You have shown me that composure is more powerful than pride and entitlement. And that by wording ourselves carefully, we can change hearts and then minds.

And so you see. Saying goodbye is never easy but it does make us hope for the future. When we become Governors, members of Congress, CEO’S, major investors, inventors, Doctors, Lawyers, among other careers. Goodbyes then becomes a see you later. And I cannot wait for the reunion. I am forever thankful for this opportunity and for the amazing friendships I made along the way. I will hold on to all this memories and remember the lessons I learned throughout my time in Caminos al Futuro. I am very happy that I was around so many intelligent, strong minded, driven, funny, confident, and devoted people who were also humble and had their feet grounded. Caminos al Futuro has, without a doubt, been the most eye opening experience I have endured.

–Priscilla Carranco

Just like the second week, week three flew by only because we did so much. On Monday, we visited the World Bank and learned about how it functioned and about its aim to help better the world by ending poverty. We also had dinner that night as a family with our cohort, as well as Dr. Vaquera and Mario. The dinner was a nice way to start the last week as it would be one of the last times our group would be together without worrying about our projects or how little time we had left. We sat back and enjoyed our time there, as one big family.

On Thursday we attended the CHLI (Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute) conference and heard members of Congress speak, and were able to meet Latino leaders in the private sector who work for companies like Ford and Accenture, as well as those in the public sector who work in nonprofits. That same night, we had dinner with our parents, who came to see all the work we had done in these three weeks we had spent without them. It was really nice to see our parents after such a long time, and for them to be able to see all the time and effort we placed into our Community Action Projects (CAPs). We all had dinner together and parted ways, as the group had to pack up that same night for our trip back home the next day, and make our final preparations for our CAP presentations the next morning.

On Friday, our last day, we presented our CAPs to people we had met in the three weeks prior, and to our parents. Afterwards, we had lunch and ate one last time together, and had a graduation ceremony for our cohort. We said our goodbyes to one another, and to Jayson our resident advisor who helped us whenever we had questions or issues at our dorms in the Mount Vernon Campus, to Mario who worked vigorously to coordinate the amazing program, and to Dr. Vaquera who directed the institute which made this program possible. Even though we all parted ways, none of us will forget the time we spent together and the amazing experiences that we had at GWU.

–Raul Morones

This third week of the Caminos programming I think has been the most impactful. This would be the week that we all as a cohort focus in on our Community Action Projects (CAP). At this point, the heat is on and everyone is feeling the pressure. Even while we are working on our projects and prepping them for public presentation, we are continuing our class and event scheduling, and making the last moments last.

Looking back now, it all feels like a blur, or a something indistinguishable in your mind; a feeling of love, community, belonging, and learning. That last week we worked late nights and were early to rise for the next morning.

On Thursday, we visited the CHLI (Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute) Leadership Conference. Everyone had woken up early that morning after spending the night making memories and working on their CAPs. Alexandra, Daniel, Priscilla, and I had taken an Uber over to the Rayburn Congressional Office building to accommodate for Priscilla’s being in a wheel chair that was fought for and earned. The four of us had arrived an hour earlier than everyone else and an hour earlier than the beginning of the conference.

We rolled in and through security, and Priscilla got the high honor of using a wheel chair lift at the Congressional house that would later forsake her on her way out. Wheeling through the marble halls, spirits high but bodies weary we go exploring to find the dining hall. One floor down, through a tunnel, up another elevator and through another hall we find the dining hall which was luckily empty for the early morning.

Sitting there with an overly caffeinated iced latte and heavy eyes I began to think. It was amazing that after so many years of work and study that I was sitting in that dining hall for a second time. Each time being on the hill seems to me like a further solidification of a Las Vegas boy’s dreams of a life in the country’s capital. A querer es a poder, and I’m not lacking the want by any means. I am thankful for each moment that brings me closer to those generational goals and aspirations that so many before me have sacrificed for on my behalf.

-Nicolas Rios

The third week of the Caminos al Futuro program was bittersweet as we felt the end looming yet continued to enrich our experiences and deepen our friendships through a variety of lectures, discussions, and workshops.  This week’s extensive hands on learning experiences granted us the opportunity to directly network with and learn from Latino professionals in fields ranging anywhere from coding to policy.  The continual combination of guidance and challenging independence allowed us all to develop crucial skills that we can take with us not just academically but also professionally.

This week’s activities really widened the scope of our learning experience as we learned beyond the established themes of Latino trends and identity and into the necessity of building capital in the Latino community through exposure to practical skills such as learning the fundamentals of the computer language, Python, through Jupyter.  Similarly this week’s activities, particularly the CHLI conference, familiarized us with the diversity of political rhetoric at Capitol Hill through exposure to differing perspectives- ultimately allowing us to learn how to more effectively reconcile differences professionally and adapt to different environments both in college and in our future careers.

The program’s ability to foster an environment of empowerment facilitated the development of our community action projects.  Many of this week’s final learning concepts allowed us to be better equipped to place the finishing touches on our Community Action Projects- particularly the story telling and advocacy workshop which enabled us to personalize our struggles individually and ultimately within our communities.  Although the third week marked the end of our Caminos al Futuro program, I really enjoyed this particular week as it was when the work on our CAP projects culminated and it was the week that the extent of our learning experience became even more apparent.  I am really grateful for the dedication of Mario and Dr. Vaquera in developing such a meaningful program for us and also to Mr. and Mrs. Cisneros for investing in the our generation of the Latino community.  I look forward to strengthening the network that we built these past three weeks throughout the rest of our academic and professional lives.

–Isabella Canava

This week has been the busiest, but also the most exciting and insightful. From meeting with Congressman Ruben Kihuen (Nevada), the first formerly undocumented representative, to setting off the smoke alarm because I burned popcorn, this week will forever stay with me. Every single day was amazing and unique, but the most memorable was Saturday evening in Georgetown.

Four of my friends and I decided we wanted to watch the sunset. However, all unfamiliar with the area, we were really unsure of where to go. We asked the RAs and they suggested the Kennedy Center rooftop. We took the 7:30 shuttle to Foggy Bottom, but we had to run all the way to the center because sundown was at 8:06 and the shuttle dropped us off at 8:40. Once we got there we had no idea what elevator we could use because most were only for authorized personnel. Once at the top we all just took in the amazing skyline of D.C. and the overlooking of the Potomac River.

In the moments that the sun set and we were all taking “aesthetic” photos, a million emotions ran through my body. All the times I missed California went away, because I realized D.C. is the place I want to be. It is the heart of politics and amazing schools. In that moment I imagined my future and that of my family, who has sacrificed so much for me to be where I am today. All those sleepless nights I spent studying for tests and perfecting projects, all those early morning club meetings my mom would take me to and the tears when I felt like the world was on my shoulders disappeared. I know that in a year I want to call D.C. home, so I can give back to those who helped me along the way.

–Alexandra Retana

July 11, 2017

After walking in the sun for what seemed like an hour, we approached the marble building that held the highest court of the land, the Supreme Court of the United States. I stared up the white stone walls of the building in awe at its marvelous stature. For years, I have been obsessed with studying the structure of the national government and I was thankful to have finally visited one of the most important buildings in our country. When we immediately passed security, we went to the second floor through a set of marble steps. We suddenly turned a corner and gazed at the high mineral ceilings decorated with sculpted flowers and patterns. Columns on both sides of the room protruded 50 feet, demonstrating the power that this building held. My jaw immediately dropped as I admired the room. I felt inspired to stand in the same place that past and current Justices, lawyers, and activists have stood. The feeling of being there was overwhelming. In this moment I realized that this feeling is inherent throughout all of D.C., and that this is where I want to live in the near future. This was one of my favorite visits so far.

My second week in D.C. was one of the most tiring yet empowering weeks I have had in awhile. Despite the week flying by, every single day was packed with over eight hours of lectures, discussions, and site-seeing. We visited the Supreme Court, Capitol Hill, and met with Congressmen that had once been in our own shoes. While each of these visits were memorable, my personal favorite was the LGBT+ panel on Wednesday night. After being served Mediterranean food and making the usual introductions, Caminos participated in a two hour long session with four queer Latinx men. They described their experiences growing up in a community that emphasizes ideas such as masculinity and religion, as well as offered advice to everyone in the room, whether an ally or queer themselves. Sitting in a room that was so respectful and attentive overwhelmed me with emotion. Coming from Nashville, despite the growing population of Latinx, I had never been able to experience an atmosphere so welcoming until then. I also had never gotten the chance to talk so personally to other Latinx that identify as queer, and who understood that specific intersectionality so well.

This week with Caminos only solidified my love for the program and the people who run it. While I participate (and lead) in some Latinx clubs/organizations (both in my school and in the larger community), Caminos is unique in which the teachers both respect and sincerely value the input of their students. Earlier in this program students asked to specifically talk about both gender and sexuality. While both needs were met, the manner in which the ladder was met was so genuine, as they were able to add that panel to the syllabus so last minute. I am excited for my final week in D.C. but also scared, as I do not believe I will be as challenged and understood as I was with Caminos anytime soon.

Before even coming, I was deciding whether or not I should even take that risk of doing a pre-college program. Yet, I decided to come upon an unknown journey which really opened my mind to the sensitivity of the experiences the latino community faces our my country. It's incredible how ignorant people are and me to all the disparities and challenges Latinos face. I'm really glad I came here because I've been motivated to find out more about the Latino community all over the country. Besides that, I have made many memories with the members of Caminos and the staff here is amazing! Everyone is really cool with one another and very funny. It didn't take long for my roommates to become comfortable with one another. We all have different personalities so it’s never boring, Daniel with his ice breaking jokes, Aristides with his funny sounds and Ricardo who is super cool especially since he has a second degree black belt in Karate.

Getting off of the plane and searching for my luggage in a place I have never been was very scary for me. Walking through the airport was even scarier because there were so many people walking past me. Also, having to wait for about 30 minutes to receive my luggage was long and boring. When we walked out the doors of the airport, hot and humid air slapped me in the face and it was and is still hard to adjust to the weather. Finally arriving at George Washington University, five Californians-- Kelly, Alexandra, Raul, Leslie, and I-- were waiting in the lobby exploring the college to find out that everyone in the Pre-College Program was gone and already eating at the barbecue.

Then we were expected to speak to a whole bunch of new people that I don’t even know, and it was extremely awkward for me because I am not one to speak to new people.  After, walking to my room for the first time, it was great because it was clean, I got my own room and then walking into the restroom I find the toilet paper holder broken and a whole in the wall, which was quite interesting. Such an interesting first day filled with meeting new people and finishing the first day of  the college life.

–Daniel Castaneda