Thoughts from MY Intersection

For me, this is probably one of the most challenging things to write about at this time of divide. The conversations regarding this topic have been approached more politically than humane. I invite you, as St. Benedict writes in the first words of his Rule to "Listen with the ear of your heart." I hope that after reading this, your love for me does not change and that you seek to understand where I am coming from, than to try and persuade me, debate with me, or belittle me. I do not speak for other LGBTQ+ members or speak for the other faithful LGBTQ+ members, but I firmly believe that my story is not one hundred percent unique. To a certain extent, it resonates with many members of the LGBTQ+. They were turned or have turned away because of how they identify. In my most recent blog about the women in my life, you learned about my aunt. She taught me how to pray the rosary in Ilokano, Tagalog, and English. I was raised in a Catholic home. We had an altar that held crucifixes,...

It sounds silly to think that a simple word break down could be such a mind-blowing discovery, but it happens; listen. The scene is the first day of Keri Graham's class in the Fall of 2017: History of American Women. We were doing self-introductions: Name, Year, Pronouns, and why you are taking this class. The class was pre-dominantly women, I'd say about 99% of the class. I sat in my seat and thought about why I was taking this class. I needed it for my minor: Gender and Identity Studies (GIS). But why be here, right now? It hit me, I am here because men write history, but this class was different. It was about women; History of American Women. With my English hat on, I honed my focus on the class title's bookends: History and Women. In my previous GIS classes, I heard about gender inequality, gender inequity, and that men write history books and tell the stories. When you break down the word history, you hear something almost eerie to think about: History...history...his-...

First-generation college student or first-gen is a term used a lot recently in higher education and secondary schools in the United States. A first-gen is a first in their immediate family or part of the first generation in their immediate family to attend college. This means that their parents do not have post-secondary education or Associate's or Bachelor's degrees. As more and more students enter post-secondary education, the count for first-generation college students is also increasing. The most recent survey I found was from 2015-2016, with first-gens making up 56% of the country's college students (National Postsecondary Student Aid). This exact definition does not necessarily fit me because my mom has a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from Mariano Marcos State University in the Philippines. However, I firmly believe that I am a first-gen because I share the experiences that other first gens go through pre-college and in college. The experiences of a first-generat...