Strong
A generational story of discipline, sacrifice, & my mother’s relentless pursuit for a better life
My grand parents’ wedding day, 1970
My mother grew up in Santiago City, Dominican Republic. Her father was a CEO of a tobacco company and a clothing manufacturing company with twenty-five industrial sewing machines. Both companies distributed products to stores all across the Dominican Republic. He spent most of his time traveling. My mother worked from home and dedicated her time to her children.
My mother and uncle, 1977.
My grandmother kept my mother and uncle under a strict and traditional parenting philosophy and made sure they attended the most prestigious private school in Santiago City. Discipline was non-negotiable, manners were carefully monitored, and expectations were set high from an early age. Education was not simply encouraged. Tt was treated as both a privilege and a duty, a reflection of family values and social standing. In her household, structure and reputation mattered just as much as academic success.
My grand parents and my mother as a newborn, 1975
My mother always dreamed of having a big home with three children. However, her sheltered childhood did not favor her. On the contrary, it prevented her from learning certain ways of life that could have helped her make better mating choices. She fell in love with my father, who worked for my grandfather at the time. My grandparents did not approve. However, nothing could stop my father from seeking her and my mother wanted to live her dreams with him.
My mother married my father when she was only seventeen. My father’s shortcomings left her as a struggling single mother of three children. While our conditions began to take a toll on my mother’s well-being, she began to brainstorm migrating to the United States to make those dreams possible. She began to imagine a life where she could give her children everything they needed. A life considered foolproof. Planned so well that nothing could go wrong.
My mother in NYC, 2002
After making it to New York City, my mother worked herself to the bone so we had everything we needed. She spent two years eating once per day and saving every cent she could to create the stable life we eventually had. Her determination was impeccable and unwavering like a bull. Nothing and no one could stop her from accomplishing everything for her children.
My mother in her wedding reception, 2023
Through my mother, I learned that struggle serves as a transformative force in our primal instincts to climb out of a conflict, propelling us toward remarkable innovation to accomplish success. When we find ourselves confronted with obstacles, whether these are personal, professional, or societal, it is in those moments that the seeds of innovation are sown. It is within the crucible of difficulties that our resilience is tested, our imaginations sparked, and our capacity for innovation unleashed. Indeed, it is through straining against the weight of adversity that we kindle the fire of progress and forge new paths toward a brighter future.
On vacation in the Dominican Republic 2023
Through the sheer determination to overcome her challenges, to rise above the adversities that she faced, my mother was driven to explore new avenues, adopt fresh perspectives, and devise creative solutions. Struggle compelled her to stretch beyond her comfort zone, pushing the boundaries of what she once believed possible, and in doing so, unlocked the door to innovation and success.
