Be Proud, You’re Just Getting Started
If I could sit down for coffee with 5-year-old me, he would probably be wearing a Power Rangers shirt, some Velcro shoes, and holding a cup of apple juice instead of coffee. I think back then I was shy but curious. I liked to listen before I talked, always watching what was going on around me. That part of me is still the same and I still take things in quietly, but now I know when to speak up. I’ve learned how to use my voice to stand up for myself and for others.
He would probably ask me a million questions. “How did you get to DC?” I’d tell him “It took a lot of hard work, support from our family, and believing in ourselves even when things didn’t feel possible. I got here by saying yes to opportunities and never forgetting where we came from.” Then he’d say, “Wait… you work in DC? Like the President?” “Not exactly like the President, but I do get to be in the same city, work in important spaces, and help make change for people like us.” He’d look up at me and ask, “how tall are you now?” Sadly, only five foot ten. I know we dreamed bigger, but we’ve learned to accept it. And finally, he’d ask the big one. “Did we ever get superpowers?” I’d smile and say not the flying or super strength kind, but we did get something even better. We have the power to speak up, to make things better, and to help others. That’s our version of superhero strength.
I’d tell him I look up to him. He was strong. He didn’t even realize how much he was already learning, already becoming someone who could push through anything. I’d tell him that Migrant and Seasonal Head Start wasn’t just preschool, it was the beginning of something bigger. As I sit in front of him I hope he enjoys all my favorite memories of being in head start. From tracing our names on worksheets, trying to speak English and Spanish, making friends with kids who came from the same background. I’d tell him that even back then, he was already on the right path.
I’d say one more thing before we finished our drinks. I’d tell him to stay proud of where he comes from and never forget that he belongs in every room he walks into. I’d tell him that one day he would make it all the way to the nation’s capital not as a visitor but as someone who is making a difference, and that he should keep going because I’m rooting for him.