I belive that one of the best qualities you can have is to forgive and forget, but I believe Mami has always taken it too far when it comes to men. From my father to my sisters’ dads, Mami has demonstrated the incapability to say no when those men constantly disrespect and betray her. I believe that she got her first taste of lying and disappointing men with my dad, a selfish man who didn’t care about anyone but himself. I think he broke my mom, she had a lot of goals she wanted to achieve beside him but sadly that wasn’t his plan. He already had a family, and he made it clear that we were not a part of it. Her second disappointment came from my sister’s dad. He was the worst of all of them, from the lying to the cheating to the disrespect. I could see how bad he made her feel, yet she always turned a blind eye and acted as if nothing were happening. It was killing me to see her get treated this way. She would do anything for him and yet he still treated her like she was worthless. But you know what the worst part was? She stayed there and had a baby with him. I’ve never looked down on Mami, she's my biggest role model, but that was tested with him. I felt like she was letting him have one up on her. Mami has always been a strong woman, but during this time, she acted the exact opposite way. Seeing her relying so much on him hurt me, and to a certain extent, made me think that she was not all the good I thought she was. Her third partner is a perfect example that nothing’s perfect. While being a really good human being, there are also times when he gets drunk and becomes violent. I never believe the saying “love blinds you”, but with Mami, it has proven true. Their new baby has brought a lot of tension and at the same time happiness. I love my sister and appreciate her being here, but her arrival has made me realize that what Mami is scared of is being alone. Mami’s relationships have taught me a lot. I've learned about myself through her process and while I might not agree with many things she has accepted. From her, I've learned about what I want and don't want for my future. I know that kids are not for me. I've put people before me all my life, from my mom to my sisters, and I think it's time for me to be about myself and take care of my wants such as my education and the things that will truly make me happy. Mami is my everything and I believe that she is an amazing human being. Everything I have done is for her. I want her to feel proud of all the hard work I’ve put in, and the milestones I’m meeting, I was able to accomplish all these things thanks to her and all her hard work and love, but also because of all the things she has made me go through and the challenges she has put in my way, from handling her relationships to taking care of her kids. I’m a first-generation high school graduate and now an upcoming first-generation college student.

I was raised by a Dominican single mother. That in itself tells you a lot. I was under the constant care of my Mami, who no matter what was always there for me, for the school events, for the doctor visits, for every breakfast, lunch, and dinner. While living in the Dominican Republic, I was babied by Mami, the next-door neighbor, and my other relatives. I remember as a little girl being picked up for school by my uncle on his motorcycle, stopping at a bakery for a huge empanada filled with eggs and cheese, and a passion fruit juice with oatmeal. The most important thing in my world is my family. Since I was a little girl I have always implemented the idea that family is the most important thing in life. We are supposed to be there for each other no matter what. I was always the one getting taken care of, but when I came to the United States at just ten years old I started being the one taking care of others. When I came to the United States, I was going to school, which meant that I was supposed to learn English fast and become a translator for my mom who knew not even one bit of English. I was also expected to take care of my five-year-old sister while my single mom worked. By doing all of this I helped my family keep afloat. I understood that we were all going through a tough time both financially and emotionally, and I pulled through and did all the best I could. Although this time was extremely hard for me as a young person growing and learning about myself, I feel proud of myself and how I helped my family keep pushing because I knew that my mom and my sister needed me to be the rock for a while. Later, when we moved to Boston I was hit with another challenge: work and the arrival of a baby sister. When I turned 15, I started working right away. I was going to school and then right after school, going to work. On the days I had no work, I had to take care of my sister. I had no break, which started to feel tiring. I started to feel like I couldn’t do it all, but I kept on pushing and working harder for my family. After a couple of months, I was given the news that my mom was having a baby. I was extremely happy of course, but in the back of my mind there was a recurring question: Am I going to have to take care of another child? Don't get it wrong, I love my sisters, they are the light to my eyes and everything I do is for my family, especially for those two little angels, but I needed something for myself. In this way, I contributed to the world by helping raise two strong independent young girls who will always speak up for themselves and fight for their rights. Through taking care of my family, I have contributed to the world by showing a perfect example of how even though there might be times when we feel like giving up, there’s always a reward at the end of the tunnel, and if you keep working hard you will get the reward and it will all be worth it.