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Emmanuel Lara
Professor Taylor
English 100
2 September 2014
Journal: Who are you?
Who are you? A question that is asked the least compared to those of: what are you doing
with your life? What is your purpose? What is your passion? Etc.
An individual who comes from a low income family and community, an individual who
was denied of his dream school, an individual who wishes to achieve many great things but just
cant seem to catch an opportunity to triumph; that is who I am. Raised in a community where
gangs and drugs seem to triumph and take many lives of adolescents. A community where
teenage pregnancies are almost a social norm, that is Boyle Heights. I for one did not want to fall
into those standards and ever since I was a child I have wanted to help my parents receive not
only their papers for citizenship but a better opportunity to live in this country. If I was able to
not fall into the path as those around me (drug usage, gang recruitment, drug dealing, etc.), then
what can possibly stop me from achieving my goals.
My motivation has always been to help my family, and to one day be able to fend for
myself and be able to satisfy the needs and wants of my own family. I would not see them having
to take public transportation when they can have their own ride to school. I would love to see my
own kids not have worry about paying for books and for a higher education. One event has made
me go through this realization, and event is seeing how my father works almost 12 hours just

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trying to put not only food on the table but also pay rent and my education. This man has told me
about how in the place where he was raised he wasnt able to pursue an education. He had to
migrate to the United States just to be able to help his mother with extra cash. He saw that in this
place there a chance to pursue yours dreams. He always told me: those who wish to pursue their
dreams and want to study can do it here in America.
I have seen poverty in other places. Although I am low income and did not come to this
realization till last year; I always thought of myself as lucky and part of the middle class due to
the images of starvation in other places, being able to have at the very least a computer and
certain other luxuries such as a TV and internet and consoles to play videogames. I thought that
if it was enough to satisfy my needs, then it was enough to be classified as part of the middle
class.
During my middle school years I joined an organization in which I was able to run
marathons and did not have to pay one cent. I also received free running shoes, shoes that cost
about $100-$80 dollars for free. I really did not care about what I got for free but I enjoyed
having learned many things from my peers and coaches. My first marathon inspired me to never
give up, many people usually talk about hitting some sort of mental wall when running such a
distance but I never hit that wall. I just kept pushing myself for the sake of family and friends
who would be with me at the finish line. I remember finishing the marathon, then going out to
eat and falling into a deep slumber, later to be woken up by a friend and realizing how sore my
legs where. This feeling of pride, of having achieved something, of knowing there were people
who also enjoyed doing the same things then motivated me to stay in the club. Even in my high
school years I was still part of the club I learned many things from my coach, we had bond, a
bond that was not merely of a teacher and student but more of family. I learned that through

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strong dedication you can achieve many things and that is what I thought and continued to
believe during my high school years.
I thought that with hard work, determination, and having joined about 10-13 clubs over
my 4 years in high school I would be able to go to the school of my dreams. My unweighted
GPA was a 4.0. I had taken AP courses, although I did pass many of exams I still learned a lot
from the courses and teachers. I took all the AP courses I could but my school didnt offer much
since it had just started about a year before I entered. My teachers were there as support. I could
rely on anyone of them. Whether this was because the school was small, only composed of about
130 students; or because I got along with many of my teachers, I still had a connection. Sure, I
was not able to attend the school of my dream even though I was supposed to be guaranteed to at
least one UC due to my class rank, I persevered and attended a Community College in order to
seek a second opportunity to attend it by transferring out. I was accepted to all four Cal States
that I applied to, one even gave me honor classes, but because I was misinformed by a
counselors advice/information, I was not able to attend. This helped me to understand not to
believe everything one tells you, but to do some research to confirm what they have stated/
claimed.
To summarize it all I got to the place I am today thanks to my hard work and
determination, my parents, my coach and friend, my teachers, and through perseverance. I
learned: that in order to get somewhere you must put in effort and truly want something, you
must not trust everything someone tells you but do your own research, and that
teachers/professors are there for support if you by any chance happen to need it. I have
overcome: 5 marathons, a letdown of not being able to attend the school of my dreams, my

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community which is in a way a trap hole so that no one can exit but always remain in not only
poverty but addiction, and I will overcome my ongoing obstacles and get a proper education.