Growing up as a young Latina girl in a border town city in Texas I was shy, quiet, and anxious about speaking out in front of others. When I was teenager, I never ever imagined that I would be an advocate and passionate about making a difference in the legislative system. Back then if someone would have told me that I would one day become an advocate, I probably would not have believed them. However, I was a different person then and it took me a long time to find my voice and understand how powerful it is. When I was younger, I didn’t see many Latina women in politics, I usually only saw Caucasian men in politics and working in the legislative system. Not having a role model that looked like me in the Texas legislature only added to the notion that this was not possible for someone like me. I found my voice and realized that I could make a difference when I was going to college and facing some difficult challenges that changed my life.

While I was attending Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) for my undergrad degree in social work, I realized not only that I loved social justice, but that I enjoyed advocacy and helping others. During my senior year at OLLU I became pregnant and the relationship with my boyfriend did not work out and we ended up breaking up shortly after my son was born. This was difficult for me because I had no support system due to a history of trauma within my family and no one to turn to. With no structural support available I ended up becoming a homeless single mother with nowhere to go, but thankfully a local nonprofit organization with a shelter allowed me to stay there while I finished my last year of school. While I lived at the shelter, I ended up working part-time, attending my classes in the evening, completing my internship hours during the day, all while raising my son and being a parent. It was difficult balancing all of it, but through a program that helped me with childcare while I was living at the shelter and going to school, I was able to succeed in graduating with my degree. During this time, I realized just how significant childcare and supportive services were for student parents to succeed in college. Unfortunately, today there are still so many issues with the childcare system and many parents are still unable to obtain safe, quality, affordable childcare.

Once I graduated my life slowly improved and I was able to get a better job and move out of the shelter, but I realized something important that would change me. If I was ever to make a difference within the system for myself and others, I would need to take issues like childcare to the legislature where changes can be made at a macro level. After this I made it my mission to speak out on important issues like childcare, healthcare, disability rights, immigration, and human rights. My son who was diagnosed with autism is also one of my reasons for continuing to advocate at the legislative level, I want to always ensure that he and other individuals and families living with autism have access to supportive services, protections, and equal rights. I now know the power of speaking out for what I believe in. I will never again remain quiet when it comes to advocating for what is right, because if we remain silent nothing will ever change.

I hope that through sharing my story this empowers other BIPOC women to use their voice and take part in the Texas legislative system. It is extremely important to have more diversity in the Texas legislative process because we need more representation across all identities of race, gender, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status. We also particularly need more BIPOC women in leadership roles because it has a tangible effect on different issues in our democracy that are not being fully represented in our state. This also plays a significant role in how young BIPOC girls will be influenced, if they do not see others that look like them in politics or leadership roles, they will most likely not believe they can do it, and that message is far from true.

I’ve learned throughout my journey that everyone can make a positive difference in the world simply by using their voice to stand up for what is right. If you have a personal story that is significant to an issue that needs to be changed, then share your story. Always remember that your voice is powerful, and it is the best tool you can use as an advocate and agent of change.