the yes! effect - can one word change the world? yes!

It wasn’t until I was in 8th grade, that my English teacher saw something special in me, and took me under her wing. She invested her time in me and mentored me, and before I knew it I was on the public speaking team. My first public speech was one that I wrote on the topic of prejudice, and I delivered it with strength and conviction that people didn’t expect from a little Filipino girl. I took first place for that speech, and when they announced my name, my teacher threw her arms in the air and screamed for me. She helped me do things that I didn’t think that I could do, and I won that award because of her belief in me.

One of my favorite roles I play today is inspiring young children. Just last week I visited a class of fifth-graders. To see their eyes and how they smile when I tell them what I do is incredible. When they see me in the newspapers, and on the news, it reinforces to them that they can be anything they want to be as long as they believe in themselves. I believe that education is the only way we are going to move forward as a society. It’s the most important thing to give our children.

As a very young student in Cuba, I remember the enormous turnover of elementary schoolteachers, as many as 16 in one year, due to the dire conditions in that profession. My family, however, refused to let this affect the level of my education. Encouraging me to read and explore, I remember my godmother, a math teacher, spending time with me after school, going over lessons with me. It was this perseverance that helped me build character, and made me who I am today.

To help make ends meet, I worked at a small Mexican restaurant. I started as a cashier, but soon I was a hostess and then a waitress. We had a lot of regulars, and as I brought them their food I would tell them about my dreams of being on TV. I received my first big break through a patron, who offered to introduce me to a program director at a small radio station. After I interviewed, I was offered the position. It was a huge opportunity for me, but at $2 an hour, I had to keep working at the restaurant, all while going to school.

Whenever I can, I enjoy using my talents to help kids pursue their dreams. I recently traveled to Minneapolis to support artbuddies.org, an organization that brings designers and artists together with underserved kids one on one. I painted a mural with groups of third, fourth and fifth-graders and had a chance to talk with all of them about the possibilities of creating a life filled with art and design. I believe this experience resonated with them, and hopefully encouraged them to look at the world around them in a different way.