Since my return back to Texas from Vermont, I have had a lot more time to reflect on my transition and new experiences. I have found myself in various spaces where I am grateful and thankful for my UVM and HESA experience. This blog will hopefully act as a way for me to share with you my experiences with my re-entry process, as well as serve as a personal guide to others navigating the journey of what it means to be a social justice advocate. I also hope to use this blog as a way to inform and share stories that might lead you to have your own blog. Every now and I find myself triggered, inspired, motivated, or even moved to tears by a news article, quote, or picture shared by someone on Facebook. When this happens my very instinct is to share that very special moment, whether happy or not, with others and hope that you are moved or that a light bulb turns on because of my sharing. I believe social justice work is in the heart of everyone, it is up to the picture, the quote, the person, or whatever to bring it out of the individual no matter how small the passion or desire might be.
I entitled this blog "Seeking Justice in All the Wrong Places" because being a Tejana who left Texas and never gave up her pride for her state, despite its history and possibly wrong direction, I feel as if I might have taken a BIG chunk of the cake when I chose to take my allyship work to Texas. I know social justice work is not as visible or acknowledged in Texas, I know social justice work is tough to start with, but I have hope. I have hope that I will inspire at least one individual during my meetings, that I cause a shift in perspective during one program, or that I inspire students to continue their work in higher education. If I have done any of these things or more IN the state of Texas, then I have done my job.
I live in a state where racism, sexism, homophobia, etc. all manifest themselves in hard core microaggressions. But my training through UVM, HESA, and SJTI has prepared me to tackle these issues in, what I like to refer to as, profound ways. So with that said, I hope you are able to take inventory of your own life's lessons through my blog, my story telling, and my authentic self.
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