2024: Love Yours

It was a sold-out crowd at Madison Square Garden.

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of his album "2014 Forest Hills Drive", North Carolina artist J. Cole delivered a one-night-only performance of the album at Madison Square Garden. After waiting for hours to catch his rehearsal show, and again waiting to purchase one of the 2,014 $1 tickets available to the big show, I was caught in something like a dream. The same way Cole was reminiscing on stage, I was present in New York City reflecting on my journey — the path from my childhood in Mexico, through my teenage years in Orlando, to my second childhood in North Carolina.

Looking back 10 years ago, 2014 marked the beginning of many things

In 2014, I started a new restaurant job — a back-of-the-house cook at a barbeque place near my Orlando home. As I reflected on that time, I remembered it was the same place where my dad spent countless nights washing dishes just a few years earlier. Every shift reminded me of my parents’ efforts to provide for our family. I always showed up to work with my speaker and my iPod, loaded with 16GB of music ranging from The Beatles to Jay-Z, and everything in between. Those were fun times! Those shifts represented the past, defined the present, and shaped the path for the future. One day, a coworker asked if I had listened to the new J. Cole album. I hadn’t. And I’m glad he put me on.

In 2014, I started community college—six years after graduating high school. Two core memories from my first semester at Valencia stand out: the unexpected public praise received from my English professor for my essay “The Dream Deferred”, and listening to “Sky Full of Stars” under the 6:00 AM skies on my way to class. Something came over me as I looked up to the same moon that watched over me and my family as we journeyed to the US many years ago. That same moon now saw me living the deferred dream I had been waiting and preparing for. And now that I live in Harlem - the neighborhood that inspired the poem that inspired me to write the essay. The words "The Dream is Now" echo stronger than ever.

In 2014, I attended my first concert — Billy Joel in Orlando on New Year’s Eve! His performance of "Always a Woman" and "Souvenir" were my favorite moments. I dreamed of watching him live at MSG on some fateful day. While that hasn’t happened yet, seeing J. Cole perform at the same venue ranks just as high in my book. (But I still want to see the piano man himself) ?

You Came a Long Way

Ten years later, I live in New York City — the city of contrasts — where every street pushes and pulls me. Physically, I’ve been rebuilding and healing from a complete ACL tear in December 2022 and ACL surgery in 2023. Months of physical therapy have tested my patience and resilience. Mentally, I’ve been committing to regular counseling sessions to help me “show up better” for my family, friends, teammates, and the LíDER Fellows I continue supporting in North Carolina. These steps haven’t always been easy but music and art make the process manageable. Professionally, I look forward to the end of my two-year rotational program and the future ahead. I once learned: "You can do anything for two years". The work, the setbacks, and the wins continue to shape me into someone less of a work in progress - but is still true to the kid riding the early morning bus listening to his iPod, watching people get on and off, and dreaming of the future with optimism and joy.

As the year ends, and reflections flash by in small moments, I’ve found joy in looking back at the journey since 2014. Here’s what I’m proud of:

• Earned my Associate's Degree (2015), Bachelor's Degree (2017), and MBA (2023)
• Scholarships received from HHSFMO, ALPFA, and TheDream.US
• Traveled to three countries thanks to AP: Mexico (2016), Iceland (2022), and Rwanda (2023).
• Received recognition: 20 in their 20s, TEDx Speaker, Best and Brightest MBAs, Core Value Awards for Orgullo and Impact
• Launched LíDER: Carolina Leadership Institute in 2021, now working with the annual third cohort of undergraduate students and preparing for our second trip to Washington, DC in 2025.
• First-ever weeklong family trip from Orlando to NYC in 2024
• Successfully renewed DACA every two years since 2013.

2024 has been a year of healing and growth. It was fitting to finish the year with an unforgettable and reflective experience. I’m still learning, and there’s beauty in the struggle. ?Sí!