When I first came to LINC, I had been looking online for years and didn't even know we had a Center. I had been raising my three sons by myself for ten years, still teaching the first 5, then subbing, then so happy to get a grant to teach sculpting to underserved teenagers in 2011. I still teach Art in a different after school program. I arrived at Pride by the Beach in 2014 because Kait Matthews, owner of Artbeat on Main Street, wanted someone to work the booth at Pride. I volunteered on the spot, this was my chance. Sue signed me up with LINC and invited me to her Halloween party. After the trick or treaters, I went, and it was so much fun!!! I went to every gathering thereafter. By July the long timers at LINC were bored and restless and shut it down while I was in Mexico with family!!! I called from Veracruz to complain, I'd been with them less than a year. It wasn't long before I turned my energies to protesting and canvassing for Bernie Sanders. I often saw Max and met Steve Burrell. Ten years later, Kay, aka. Big Mama, had been leading her latest iteration: Women's Discussion Group, and felt it was time to step away. Leaving a note that if nobody stepped up, it would end. Not wanting to let history repeat itself, I told my friend, Emily: "hey, if you help me when I need it, I will do this". Knowing I could never fill Kay's shoes, I stepped up anyway, and Emily has helped me. As a member of the Women's Council of Our Revolution NCSD, I went to many City Council meetings, but never spoke. Years later, hearing about an action about supporting our community against ICE in Oceanside, I went. Max was there encouraging us all to speak, he told me the community needed us. So I spoke finally, and continue. Sometimes wounds take years to heal, but it is important to get back in the saddle and ride. Even as I get older, I get stronger somehow, in ways that matter. María Livier puts cool stuff online and this one caught my eye, a quote by Audre Lorde: "When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid". I keep it close, read it often and it helps. People keep giving me opportunities and encouragement that help me to stretch and grow.

I didn't write much all through school, even college, much to the frustration of my professors at SFSU. I studied Art with an emphasis in sculpture, and Spanish. But as I travelled through Mexico and Guatemala, I drew a lot and got better at it. When I lived in Coatepec, Veracruz, I wrote to my parents and friends because I was lonely; I poured my heart out, and it helped. Later, I wrote story recipes, and found a writer's group to attend. The host wanted to step down, and because I was a member of Gallery 204 of Vista Art Foundation, I became host of Village Idiot's Literary Society, till 2014. I finished two sculptures that year, learned to make stained glass windows, made one for the church Community Service room, to pay them back for putting a new roof on the back of my house, then I stopped attending there. They didn't know it, but I was not welcome there, and it was time to get out. My friend and stained glass artist teacher, who had led me to join VAF, told me that I needed to get away from that destructive and damaging environment, and I did.

I remember a moment when I was a kid hanging out with friends, and a neighbor girl came by, pulled up her shirt to show off her li'l buds and was so happy and proud of herself. I thought she was cute, and wondered if anyone else thought so. Later, in Junior High, I wondered if I looked at the other girls because they had something I didn't or just because I liked them. Looking back, I know it was both. By high school I accepted that I was interested in girls, I still liked guys too. I didn't see a way forward on the girl thing till after high school. I mentioned it to a friend, but she graduated a year ahead of me. Later she reminded me of what I had told her. Not long after, I met somebody who I thought was amazing. And we did get together for a while. She's still a good friend of mine. Later, we each got married and had kids. Then in 2008, just before elections, I went to her wedding, she has been with her wife for many years now. My twins, Esteban and Carlos, are 33 years old, and living with me. It's a trip. I am a grandma too, Pablo, my son of 39 years, and Rebecca have two children: Benny is 3 years old and Bella is one and a half years old. They are adorable, smart and full of energy, as they should be. Life is good. They live in Oregon on a patch of forest. I love to go visit them. When they raised the nonbinary flag in San Diego, I went to the ceremony. Just in time to speak with them and get my picture under the flag. Sweet! This is the part of me, my difference, that I started feeling pretty early on, and consistently throughout my lifetime. I was forever trying to look normal so that I could keep my job and my husband. I ended up losing both, to my benefit. Most of my sculptures are of women, sculpted in stone or wood with mallet and chisels. I love that. Thank you for helping me along the way. I appreciate my community, and we're not done yet!