I originally wrote this piece back in November but I am re-posting because God keeps sending people into my life that continue to inspire me. I truly believe that timing is everything and this definitely feels like it’s gonna be my time! I am ready to leave my legacy!

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I like to think  of myself as a go-getter. I’m passionate, smart, and when I truly believe in something I go hard for it. I’ve always felt in my heart that I was put on this earth to do “something special” and not until recently did that “something special” become very clear to me.

Life has a funny way of putting things in your path that you may not have seen or thought of before or maybe it really just is God fulfilling your already written prophecy. Either way, I recently met someone who has made me start thinking differently about what I want my legacy to be. I know I’m probably too young to even begin thinking about a “legacy” but the thing about leaving legacies is that all of the things that you do on a daily basis is how people will remember you. I want people to remember me as someone who made a difference.

My new friend approached me with a great idea of giving back to our community by bringing awareness to an issue that hit close to home, especially as a NYC born and bred latina. I’m not really sure what prompted her to approach me, but like I said sometimes some things are just meant to be and God just waits for the perfect time to allow them to happen.

A recent study, Latino Youth in NYC, was published by the Community Service Society (CSS) in which they identified Latino youth, more specifically, Puerto Ricans, as being the most uneducated and disconnected from the workforce despite being native born New Yorkers. 

After reading the study I really wanted to be a part of what she wanted to do. I will not get into specifics about our plan until we have all of the details finalized but helping our people, especially kids, is something that really resonated with me. I now know that this is my “something special”.  I  will focus on helping young people achieve their dreams, whatever they may be.

I was lucky in that I had a great family support system. I had great teachers. I had people in my life that really wanted me to succeed. I think that today’s youth are missing some or all of these elements in their lives and it isn’t fair. More frequently than ever, you hear about federal and state governments cutting education budgets. Teachers don’t get the support or resources that they need and all at the cost of our children. The more I think about it the more passionate I become.

I am excited about the new endeavor and journey I am now on and I know that the sky is the limit and that we will PREVAIL. I am committed to making a difference because as I said in my FB status this morning “Change begins with one person having the courage to actually do something. Never under estimate the power that YOU have.” 

I will leave you with 2 quotes from one of my favorite books, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho:

“In order to find the treasure, you will have to follow the omens. God has prepared a path for everyone to follow. You just have to read the omens that he left you.”

“And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”

How do you want to be remembered? What will your legacy be?

 

Lazar Treschan, Policy Brief Latino Youth in New York City (Community Service Society, October 2010) (http://www.cssny.org/userimages/downloads/LatinoYouthinNYCOct2010.pdf)