Personal Narrative: My Identity

I left everything behind and refused to go back. I left the one thing I wanted the most, but found the one thing I needed, freedom. My dark cloud of regret was behind me as I entered my salvation, Amsterdam. I entered the gates of Amsterdam and saw a multitude of smiling faces and entered the light. I had no recollection of how I got there, but I knew he wasn’t here I could feel it. I was finally free and I walked through the golden gates knowing I could start over.

At the age of 14, I moved from Atlanta to Las Vegas, then to Los Angeles. Atlanta was the place I grew up in, the place where I developed my personal identity, the place where I established lasting relationships, and the place I never wanted to leave. During my move, I lost every aspect that defined who I was as I my new peers shunned and isolated me due to by my “distinct lifestyle and characteristics In comparison to my brothers, I was never given the opportunity to receive the “typical” high school experience that is often seen on movies, as I was often alienated in my new setting. I attended two different high schools in two different states, allowing me never to fully establish long-lasting relationships that my mother and my brothers attained during their high school

One aspect of my identity that has shaped my life experience and the way I see the world is my race. I am an African- American who has Nigerian descent from both parents. Growing up African American is hard for many of us, but we always come together to help each other out. We get judged for our skin color, religion, sexuality, and economic status. When I was younger, I always thought about what other people would say about me and how I looked. Even though it was hard seeing how other races portrayed my race, I have learned to embrace my skin color and not let anybody judge me. The society believes that African Americans are lazy, uneducated, and violent. Things people say about me and my race only make me want to prove myself to them that I am proud of my race and would never change myself for anybody.

Mothers describe motherhood like a cliff: It’s like a leap of faith that no one knows if she’ll be able to survive. The moment my obstetrician entered the room with a big smile on her face and stated that she had some great news for me; my heart instantly dropped. She raised her hands in the air and said, "You and Anthony are pregnant!" After staring at her in complete disbelief, I started crying. I was told to schedule an ultrasound and sure enough I was seven weeks pregnant. After leaving the office, I instantly had the selfish sensation of wanting more time to prepare myself. Now that I’m pregnant with my first child, I keep hearing about all the things I’ll never do again: sleep four solid hours, wear a bikini, travel,

Who am i? I am an individual who has achieved many goals despite a childhood and adolecense with much adversity. I grew up I Santa Clarita, California my child hood was realativley normal . My grandmother mary died, when I was 7 and my mother started drinking heavily . By the time I was 11 she was a raging alcoholic and was depressed most of the time. I was helpless, at the same time my father became a drug addict. As a result of her alcoholism my mother contacted cirrhosis and when I was 13 she passed away. I was devastated and too young to lose my mother.

These items are not just stuff that you eat or drink,to me they are memories who represent who I am.I use to live with my grandparents when I was little. They always made ramen on the weekends. I will always eat with my cousin and we will always get full. Sometimes my parents and other family members come to eat with us but not all the time. I feel like it brought our family together.Coffee doesn't really sound like its apart of my identity but it is. The reason why is because I started drinking coffee last year that year i was at a different school. When i drink coffee i start to remember the good times i had last year. I had a lot of good moments last year. I always buy coffee after school then i get on the bus and that was always the best part of my days i when i drink coffee i remember going into that bus and how i made a new friend on that bus.

How does one define their identity? What are the most important things in life to you? Many cannot answer this question. It’s a problem many people face and try to find a solution to. Everyone is born into different cultures, families and even communities, but how we define our identity is from our personal attributes, our skills and abilities that we possess and even our interests and hobbies. If there’s something about you that you believe defines you in a big way, this could be considered your identity. Our identities are a complex interworking of genetics, our cultural and familial upbringing, spirituality, social circles, personal choice and taste, our community, as well as many other traits. I have an identity that specifically pertains to me. It’s been forming ever since the day I’ve been born and

I always knew my identity was one that speaks that I am very compassionate towards others and have great patience, but it wasn’t until the impact of one little girl that made me realize I hold the interest in wanting to give back to the community by helping others who are incapable of helping themselves.

This is the stage when you form your own individual identity and separate from the oppression based system of hierarchy. This is the stage I developed through the help of my mother. Even when I was bad she would install the power of knowledge in me. She always installed on me that I had to go to college. I went through this stage when I stopped associating with my high school friends. I notice that they had nothing going on with their lives and were dragging me down with bad influence. Once I decided to go to college I stopped all contact with them. Going to college changed my perception on life. I know that with the proper education I can be anybody I want to be and I can have an equal chance in society. I stopped feeling like I was oppressed

I just need to look around me to guess that most people, if not all of them, suffer through some sort of identity crisis, whether it is psychological, social, sexual, or another. But that knowledge doesn’t really help me answer that deceptively simple question: “How would you describe yourself?” Probably the most honest answer I have for you today is some long version of “I don’t know.” I am trying to find some answers to that question, though, and that’s something pretty new for me.

When meeting new people, that is the most common question I receive. My tan complexion and my facial features would lead someone to believe that I am Filipino but the kinky curly hair that sits atop of my head would lead someone to believe otherwise. So the question remains: what am I?

Their is a choice in life to be oneself or to follow in the footsteps of someone who has already succeeded. I believe that it is best to travel on your own paths than walk on one that is worn out because you will find your own identity and you're your own differentiator.

In this essay, I will be talking about some of my characteristics and answering the question of who am I?

“Sweetheart I have always been identified for being a mother, sister, and a daughter, but never as me. In the midst of managing family, I was never able to build my own identity,” said my grandma who got married right after high school.

When i was looking at my transcript and remembering the courses and the teachers, i found out that my transcript say a lot about who i am. It mainly reflects how i think.