Thoughts from a graduate: Sometimes 'good enough' isn't enough Thoughts from a graduate: Sometimes 'good enough' isn't enough (June 29, 2005)

By Adriana Huerta

Editor's Note: Adriana Huerta shared the thoughts below with her classmates as she graduated from Hillview Middle School in Menlo Park two weeks ago.

Some life lessons are those that are not always learned, but appreciated.

Why is that? Is a man who knows how to survive in a dangerous urban environment ignorant? Is a woman pregnant at a young age to be pitied? Is an old lady who begs for money and then uses it to buy drugs a horrible woman? Is a poor man who stole from a rich person harmful? Is one a murderer if he stabs someone to save another's life?

Well, let me tell how living in East Palo Alto helped me realize what is the key to my success, my education.

As a young girl the difference between the environment at home and school was unnoticeable. Yeah, I bragged that I lived in a tough and dangerous neighborhood because others at my school thought it fascinating and I liked the attention. Yet, in my opinion, living in East Palo Alto was not as bad as most people imagined. Life was fun, wild and crazy. I could do so many things others wouldn't have been able to experience. But my fun interfered with my awareness of what was occurring on a daily basis. I was surrounded by adversity and grief whether it was grief over the loss of someone's life or the adversity that came from the misfortune of living poorly.

My friends would brag about breaking the law and getting away with it, even though the police would catch them doing something illegal. They would brag about how their sister got in a fight or how their brother was shot, as if these events were warranted as some prize or award they could receive for being noble.

And, for some reason I was moved by their stories. I wished that I could live through the same life experience they had. But it wasn't until a few years later, when I reached the age of 11, when my dad told me of his experiences growing up in East Palo Alto that my perspective of life changed.

My dad shared with me his life experiences in East Palo Alto, where he lived an even more carefree life than my friends do now. Even though he felt misplaced in a nearly all-black community because he was a fair-skinned Mexican, he had so much fun and did so much, it was unbelievable.

But there was one thing that was different from my father's stories compared with those of my friends. Sprinkled among his reminiscences about his childhood, high school, and college years was his regret of never being able to finish college, never being able to finish what he started, and having to settle for less than what he wanted.

With his regret came his own words of wisdom. He asked me, "Do you want to live a life of regret or do you want to be someone, do something great? Do you want to be a person, a woman, who is not the stereotypical Mexican, living all day at home doing all the house cleaning, but one who is at the top? Someone who doesn't work at McDonald's, but owns her own business? Well, that's why I make you go to school. That's why I want you to finish school, especially college, so you can live a life of luxury, so you can take yourself above others. Your education is your key to your success."

This got me thinking, thinking about my accomplishments. What have I tried to do to make myself be at the top? I looked back and noticed that every time I tried to finish something, if it were homework or whatever, I would always say "it's good enough." As I thought about it, I began to realize where this "good enough" would take me. It sure wouldn't leave me with a life that would be good enough, a life that would complete my idea of "living the high life."

I then started to look back on all the stories that my friends told me. I started questioning their beliefs, and asked where that would lead them and what was the key to their success. I took a look around at my surroundings and noticed young ladies pregnant at such a young age, younger than 16, little boys riding on their bikes with blue or red bandannas across their faces, and disturbing looks across old people's faces as if tormented all their lives. I said to myself, "I don't want to live that way -- no I definitely do not!"

Then and there I made a decision not to just agree with the words of my father, but to put his wisdom into action. Thereafter, I became socially interactive; I was more confident in my work and I felt I was making true accomplishments and beginning to receive approval from not only my parents but from my teachers as well. I came to see that my race, my color, and the reputation of my hometown doesn't make me second-rate, and that I shouldn't do less than what others anticipate from me. Rather I should exceed further than what is expected from me.

I know people who are smart and talented at almost anything. They know how to stay away from trouble; they know to run like a bullet when they hear the sirens. They know when to duck and cover when they hear gunshots; they know when to act stupid when in trouble.

But I know that I am just as smart and just as good. I know how to read a book. I know how to research information. I know how to write. I know that my world is bigger than the reputation put on my hometown. I don't have to be a criminal to show my bravery and cleverness. I don't have to carry a gun to demonstrate my will. I will face racism and prejudice, but I won't let them keep me down because I am better than that and I will keep on growing and learning, despite my disadvantages and faults, and I will become even better and achieve my true dreams.

If you don't believe me, well watch, and you'll see.

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