Dedication

“Moms and I held you tight before you left us you were right, in that orange house on Bryant Street you would die. I did my best to hold you tight after you lost sight. Sandrina told me you just wanted to tell me, take care of moms, Libit, Perla, and Bella, so I lit a purple vela. I pray to San Miguel at night for you to be alright, since you didn’t have a chance to say goodbye.” —Walking Stars

My pops wasn’t perfect, but his smile was. His bigger than life laugh, his desire to live life and have a good time was contagious. He loved to tell stories and jokes, to hear people laugh. It’s almost as if, all the pain and trauma he felt deep inside was alleviated by making other people around him smile.

Pop’s sacrificed daily to provide for his family. Two to three jobs at times. He commuted from Stockton to San Francisco, CA, to pay the mortgage and provide for us. Many times he worked seven days a week because overtime was vital to keep the lights on, a roof over our head, and a hot meal.

Pop’s was a union man. He served on the SEIU LOCAL 87 Executive Board as a multi term member. I was raised on a union picket line, I learned first hand the importance of advocacy for self and the greater community. My family benefited from the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that members fought in the streets of San Francisco to attain: dignified wages, safety on the job, and health benefits that ultimately, prolonged the life of my pops as he battled terminal cancer.

After he transitioned and became an ancestor, I felt that I needed to take a risk, to bet and invest on myself. I felt a deep sense of urgency to dream and fail BIG. No more fear, to fail forward to achieve my dreams. I hope you enjoy my blood and tears, my smile and laughter as they are all components of my historical victory. Thank you for reading and listening. Many blessings today and always. Peace.