Why Do I Have to Change How I Talk to Sound ‘Professional’?
The first time I realized I was code-switching, I was making an appointment over the phone to get eyelash extensions. I was in the living room on the couch with my 14-year-old niece. My voice became higher, more gentle. I also purposely avoided saying certain words that would emphasize my New York accent such as […]
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Leaving Venezuela
I grew up in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela. My house was surrounded by a garden full of orchids and a parrot who called out my name. I often sat there and thought, I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. One of my favorite sights is Caracas at night; the city lights look like they […]
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We Work the Hardest and Suffer the Most
Living in a worldwide pandemic is not easy for anybody. For me, one of the harshest truths I’ve learned during this time is how our economic system underserves some communities, revealing unfair treatment toward those most in need. In recent months, I have gained a better understanding of how society attends to people of different […]
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Silent No Longer
Names have been changed. Four years ago, my family spent Christmas with my aunt in Dallas. One afternoon, we walked into a boutique at the mall. Rows of trendy clothes caught my eye. “Let’s get you something nice,” my grandma said. I was excitedly picking through the shelves, talking to my grandmother in Spanish, when […]
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