Background Family

There is different division on my family, and this will show you a little it of where I came from. First of all I will start with my great grandmother form my mother side. My great grandmother name was was Maria Dominguez , she was form born in Spain, Madrid and around her 20's she went to El Paso Tx, just for traveling purposes and remain here,  which eventually she become U.S citizen.This actually makes sense of why my mom and my aunts are so white and have a really refine structure face. Later on, my great grandmother meet my Great grandfather, Francisco Aldama,he was form Chihuahua, Chihuahua, yet he live in Juarez due to work purposes, my grand mother doesn't quite remember  the exact reason besides that, just that it was due work. My great grandfather was 3 years older than my great mother. Their story of how they meet eventually was a little bit interesting, since it was  a similar way of how my grandmother Maria  Aldama Dominguez  meet my grandfather Jorge Rodriguez.My great grandmother would go to a restaurant that was in El Centro de Juarez, my great grandmother would go and eat there with her friends. The name of the restaurant was La Morena, they meet there since my great grandfather would work there which eventually he found a interest on my grandmother. Eventually over the time they got to know each other and they got married, and they remain living on Juarez, where they had a total of 10 kids which in one of them was my grandmother Maria Aldama Dominguez. My grandmother and her brothers were born in the U.S, in El Paso Tx to be more exact, yet as many other people, including me she was raise in Juarez. The reason of it is because my grandmother Maria, would like more Juarez and my great grandfather would agree to it which the both remain. Eventually they both live in Juarez in a Colonia, it was a very close community which everyone would know everyone it was actually pretty nice they way they make it sounds, everyday everyone saying good morning and supporting each other. It reminds me to the old movies where everyone knew everybody  and build a respectful community. That the type of  life my grandmother would in there, on the community there was a bakery which the business owner was my grandfather mother, Rosalina Rodriguez. Unfortunately, I don't know their background stories since my grandmother never have the opportunity to actually  meet her,, she just knew her due to the bakery but that would be  all, they didn't actually made a conversation. She died due to a car accident at a very  young age, 39. Based on my grandmother explanation my grandfather never like to talk about it since he was very close to her. Well, my grandmother doesn't get behind since, my grandfather died also very young at age 40, and my grandmother doesn't like to talk about him and my mother and aunts don't quite remember him since they were small. Well, my grandmother and my grandfather meet due to the bakery but they weren't actually close, they staring to go out when they were in their 20's and got marry at age 25. Where they had my mom, Ana Maria Aldama Dominguez, Rocio Aldama Dominguez and Rosa Aldama Dominguez, Jorge Aldama Dominguez they don't used my grandfather last name.  My mom and my aunts they were born in El Paso, which that the reason we are citizens, due to my grand mother.  From the side of my dad, the things are different, my grandfather Manuel Ernesto Flores Puga  is form Durango while my grandmother Angelica Renteria is form Juarez. My grandmother Tonia Puga is form Durango while my great grandfather Manuel Flores is form Ciudad Juarez, and he work in la Maquila, ones of his job he require to go to Durango where he meet my great grandmother Tonia Puga, he brought her with him to Juarez where they had my grandfather Manuel Ernesto Flores Puga. My grandfather is only child. The situation was different form my grandmother side, he parents both of them are from Juarez, and they marry at early age 19, yet my grandma never meet her father since he died before she was born. My grandma wasn't close to her mother Sandra, she was raise by her aunt Regina. My grandmother have other sisters, but they are half sisters since her mother remarry but even thought she have more sister she wasn't close to them . My grandfather and my grandmother meet through work, he work for the government in the Maquila, and my grandmother also work for the government, but she work for "El seguro Medico," which is health insurance in English, she  was a nurse. My grandfather is 4 years older than my grandmother and they got marry when she was 22 and my grandfather was 26 years old. They had 3 kids which one of them is my dad Jesus Manuel Flores, Laura Flores, Nancy Claudia Flores. Later on, my parents meet, my parents houses where not close yet not far it was like 8 or 10 minutes walking of distance and they meet due to similar friends since others colonials  will hang out with people form other Colonials. My parents meet each other, their love story it was really funny, since my mother was a really pretty women and my dad at that time he would consider the rich categories, eventually he wanted my mom but she was being a little sassy bitch, she would fall for anyone it was hard to get my mom attention, somehow my dad got it which to be honest I have no Idea how because, no offense I love my dad but honestly my mom could do better. Anyways, they got marry when they where 24 years old, and they had me and my four  sisters. Ana Karina Flores Aldama, Jaqueline Flores, Amerika Flores, Andrea Jessika Flores. The reason of why my family is citizen is thanks to my mom. I was born in El Paso TX, just like my sister  and my mom gave my dad his citizenship since my mom is a U.S citizen. Certainly, I am categorize Latina,just like my mom and my grandmother since we are U.S citizens yet we are Mexicans at the same time. Originally, so we need to thank my great grandmother Maria. This is the back ground of my family, well the information I was able to get since the people who knew the situation better are not longer with us and my family have quite lost their memories. but hopefully you guys get an idea of where I came from.

                                                              Transgender Impact
         Everyone was born differently, either from personality of everyone has different traits yet in the end we are the same in one thing, the human race. Not matter what we are in the end we are all humans which we should all have respect form one and other. In the movie, A Girl Like Me: The Gwen Araujo Story present a lot of strong things such as someone feeling pressure not only to express themselves towards other people but also in front of their parents. Also, having the fear of being judge and not being able to be accepted towards the society. Which they will need to also have to deal with the abuse and the mistreatment of others since they will attack something that they are not used to or they don't know. Gwen suffer form all of that and sadly due to all those things it lead to his dead for being a "freak" yet what is actually can consider be a freak, I mean he/she was a human not matter what his sex preference was. Gwen wasn't  able to be himself in front  of  the people he should be supported by which is his mother. In the Mexican culture in the past the women must serve the husbands and the men is supposed to be the man of the house. When Gwen mother separate he become the man of the house even if it wasn't his option. Its kind of  frustrating since he didn't still meet the age of an adult  and he had to deal with a huge responsibility.
       He wasn't even able to be free since he was also in the pressure of not being able to express himself. He wasn't able to act, dress of put stuff of his liking since not only his mother didn't accept it but also the society didn't accepted it. He eventually ask for help to organizations and he made a really good friend to depend on where he would feel welcome yet the society being ignorant and dumb didn't approve it. Lets have in consideration that Gwen didn't cause any harm to anyone yet other will harm him. They will used hurtful things and stuff. In the end, the way he was lead him to his death, he was killed just to be himself which its wrong, no one should be scared or feel threat and specially not be killed just for being who they are
        This not only happen to Gwen it happen to every kid who are Transgender they suffer things that they should suffer. To a extend where they don't even let them enter to restroom or certain places just for who they are, having Solomon told you to no go to the man restroom just because you like the things that the society categorize like "only for women" it depressing, everyone is free to dress and be who they are regardless their gender or how they considered themselves.
        This video on the bottom will show some struggles that transgender people have to face just for being who they are:
    https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/as-transgender-teens-struggle-heres-how-one-kentucky-school-leads-the-way
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvZ1urU-uw4
  This people, and I will write it again PEOPLE, HUMANS being not things, freaks, or objects, are having difficult to reveal themselves. Lets understand that  form most of the people is their genetics, its a situation when they are a men or a women but they have the mind of a men or a women. For other it might be because they like it but it dosent matter the reason, they are people and they should be respected and feel secure.
   Some ways that the society can make a change to accept them its to understand them. This is a new generation and they will grow either if the people like it or not. Some ways to understand them is to call them by the names they which to be called. Not feel or make the things awkward around them like if they are not humans. Use student-specified pronouns,  Consider the necessity of transgender-inclusive facilities, Pull from transgender resources, Educate yourself, Protect your students’ safety and privacy,  Remember that transgender students are more than their gender identity, Be patient with yourself. This are important since their identity is how exactly they identify themselves, in a way that is their actual sex. Educating people about transgender and have knowledge is very important since you are able to understand how they are, and what they feel in a certain way. It might take time but that how they are and we need to learn to accepted them, they are people and even if they are not exactly one certain "sex" it doesn't matter. This is a new evolution and they are just like everyone else, so helping them feel secure is a really nice way to be able to see how amazing they are regardless their sex or identity.
   

Citations
  Jensagirl. (2010, April 30). Retrieved November 1, 2019
        , from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9b5XMLP3ek.
  News, G. (2012, November 14). Retrieved November 1, 2019, from                 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvZ1urU-uw4.

  NewsHour, P. B. S. (2016, June 8). Retrieved November 1, 2019, from    https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/as-transgender-teens-struggle-heres-how-one-kentucky-school-leads-the-way.
   Lippens, A. F., & Arnim, E. (2019, October 10). 8 ways to make classrooms welcoming to transgender students. Retrieved from https://eab.com/insights/daily-briefing/academic-affairs/8-ways-to-make-classrooms-welcoming-to-transgender-students/.

               This image represent a lot, for some people it might mean nothing or they won't understand at the meaning at all but the things is this, for someone who was born in not only one culture but two its says a lot. The image is already powerful enough by just showing a women, but not just a simple women. it seems like a fighter based on the expression of her face and someone who is proud of whatever she is. In her hand she holds a hearth and on each arm a flag. The United States Flag on the right side of her arm while the Mexico flag on the left side of the arm. This says a lot cause she is a women who is proud of being what is consider a Latina and a Chicana. Someone who is not form the american culture but also part of the Mexican culture and she holds those two characteristics that defines her into her hearth and she is proud no matter what.

                Is also powerful in the way of her being a women since just for that she is already facing problems in the society since the women has always been considered weak but she doesn't only face that. She also face the fact that she isn't American, she is also a Mexican which she face racism and injustices. She is not only being judge for being a women but also for her origins and culture. Yet, it seems in the painting that she doesn't care what other says, for her that type of people are just like ants which I love the expression of her face cause for her you are inferior because she is proud of what she is. She is not scared to show it, she is proud and no one will tell her the otherwise. 

           The flags represent the two things that defines her and what she is proud of since she shows it with security. The heart being stab shows that she face struggles either, racism, injustice,  or not equality  ect. The knifes will represent those struggles but the fact that she holds her heart in her hand and lift it up like if she didn't care how many stabs she receives she will hold in her heart and be proud of the things that represents her and that are apart of her no matter what. Which the heart being hold being shows in that position between the two flags represents a strong impact, since she doesn't hide anything and is shown by her clothes style that the culture Chicano embrace and by having a necklace of La Virgen De La Guadlupe.

This is what the painting means for me, such a strong meaning but at the same time inspiration, since she is showing that no matter what people sees on you or what label you categorize, you should never show shame or weakness. You will stand proud just like the women in the painting and be strong and brave. Never change what you hold deeply in your heart and dont let the fact of being a women change that,women are powerful  creatures.Is an inspiration for those people that feel ashamed or decriminalize, and show them that no matter how many time the people, life, society stabs you, always stand strong and proud and don't hide what you are or feel what you are. Embrace it just like the women on the painting which that the reason that I considered this painting so powerful not because the women is the one who is presented but also because the way she express and portrait the feelings while she is just a painting.

There was 6 women who I considered that were presented in the same way like this painting on the park.

My identity

Who I am,

 That a question that everyone ask to themselves once in a while, even at this moment I really dont know who really I am, but this are the things that I can assure that are part of me.

I am a human, that the term or name that was given in order to identify  our "race",

I am a Female which that the sex I fall under when if was born,

I am Kimberly Flores, that the name my parents decide to give me when I was in the womb of my mother, 

 I am a daughter, of two couple that had been marry over 25 years and counting , Ana Maria Flores Aldama born in El Paso Tx but grew up in Ciudad Juarez, and Jesus Manuel Flores Renteria who was born and rise in Ciudad Juarez but become a U.S Citizen. 

I am a the granddaughter of Maria Aldama, Dominguez the mother of my mother, and Angelica Renteria y Erazno Manuel Flores the parents of my dad.

I am a sister of 2 older ones and 2 younger one, Ana Karina Flores, Jacqueline Flores, Amerika Flores and Andrea Jessika Flores.

I am also an aunt  of a beautiful little girl, Angelika Ann Marie Flores HillHouse.

 I am a friend as well, of very interesting people 
I am a friend who has being defined has helpful, generous and responsible. 

I was born in El Paso which that what makes me fall under the " White" category  

but my roots are from Mexico which that is what would make me an "Hispanic". 

These two different categories of two different worlds but yet 

 that are neighbors, this makes hard for me to belong to a classification. 

I don't belong to just one, I belong to a new category, a new world that was born due to these two categories, which is a Latina or Chicana. 

My first language is Spanish 

Second language is English  

Which that makes me a bilingual  

I am a strong person who survive in a way the laughs of other due to my accent, even tho I was capable to speak more than one language, I would still feel less. I am a person who once fear to speak due to the fact that didn't wanted to be bully by others, I am the person who handle nicknames such as "beaner" or handle comments such as "go back to Mexico", even  if was born and grew in the U.S. 

  

I am a person who once feel that didn't belong anywhere but also, I am a person who dominate those feelings and become to a fighter. I am a fighter when its need to be. I am proudly a Latina/ Chicana who not only celebrates "5 de Mayo" or "16 de septiembre" but also celebrates 4 of July. 

I am a person who grew in a Hispanic environment and received a lot of love. 

I am a person who loves its family and works hard to see them proud. 

I am a person who learn to value education and trough that I learn to value different types of personalities, cultures and points of view. 

I am a person who has expectations to learn and to seek for new opportunities. 

I am a person who graduate form an Early College high school at age 18, 

I am a person who didn’t knew English, which self-steam was attacked into a person who already got its associate degree at age 18. 

I am a person who believes in fairness and have a view of accept everyone no matter their differences 

A person who is willing to give in order to improve someone life. 

These characteristics lead me to seek a career in Political Science with the purposed to help those that don’t have a voice. 

I am a person who hopes to have a successful future and once show the world how capable I am. 

I am someone who has a brown skin, which is also could be named, “Morena”, that put me into a certain level of stereotype of the society, 

Yes, I am someone different, but everyone is different in a way  

I am someone who has hope and determination, which with all the qualities and classification I fall under. I will always hold a bright future; these is who I am.