Genesis Alejo

Capitalism in America has infected us with a “go, go, go” mentality. If we aren’t working hard or aren’t stressed, we feel unproductive and even useless.

Every time someone stopped me on campus to thank me for voicing issues facing first-generation students, I felt like I was doing something right.

I often wished I knew how to help my family and those in my community so that law enforcement wouldn’t take advantage of them.

Like I always said and still say to this day to myself and those around me, “You got to speak it into existence!” 

When the time came to start applying, I poured out my heart in essays and prayed I would get into UC Berkeley, as it had always been my dream school.

My job kept me on a productive routine and provided little time to think or worry about external issues, but COVID-19 has thrown my life into disarray.

It was inspiring to know that these young adults who looked like me and came from Oakland had managed to accomplish so much.

We need people who we can relate to on a personal level and share our experiences and feelings with; we need to feel understood by someone else.

Berkeley was never too far away from home, and even though I rarely visited, I didn’t think it would be that different from Oakland — but it was.

The kids and I were on the same boat; I understood that they felt unsafe with the presence of an authority who is supposed to make them feel safe.