I'm With Her

Election Day is tomorrow, and I couldn’t be more excited that we are so close to electing the first woman president of the United States. It’s been almost 100 years since women got the right to vote, and as a young Latina woman, I’m proud to see the progress being made.  

Hillary Clinton is one of the most hardworking women America has ever known. She has dedicated her life to serving others, especially those most vulnerable and marginalized by society. From working as a legal aid to poor children and children with disabilities at the Children’s Defense Fund, to reforming the state education system as First Lady of Arkansas, to establishing the Children’s Health Insurance Program as First Lady of the United States, to helping take out an enemy of our country as Secretary of State, to promoting global health and prosperity through the Clinton Foundation, to being a fierce advocate for women, children, working people, and people of color, Hillary is a fighter in all the right ways.  

Having said that, watching this campaign has been difficult for me, because I can’t help but feel the unwavering hostility and hate towards someone who to me is a role model. The truth is tampered with, and people buy-in to the idea that she is a liar and a criminal, even though reality says otherwise. Multiple reports on Benghazi found that it wasn’t Hillary’s fault, but she still took responsibility. The FBI has extensively investigated her emails, and she is cleared of wrongdoing. And yes, she has accepted money from Wall Street, just the same as many other politicians (Democrat and Republican). Has she made mistakes? Sure, just like any other human being, but I will argue that the good she’s done far outweighs any bad. People will say what they want about a woman they see as corrupt, dishonest, and nasty, but that is not the woman I see. And just as Hillary stands for me, I will stand for her.

I trust Hillary with my future America, because I want an America where women are paid the amount we deserve. I want an America where people of all colors and creeds are welcomed and celebrated, not rejected and bullied. I want an America that will place regulations on the sale of firearms to protect our families, and where the welfare of citizens is put before the interests of corporations. I want an America where a woman’s right to her body and a person’s right to marry who they love is protected. I want an America where everyone can make a decent wage, and where the wealth isn’t concentrated to the top 1%. I want an America where public college is tuition free, and where college grads will have the pressure of debt relieved. I want an America that protects our earth and its resources for future generations. But most importantly, I want an America where love trumps hate.

Friends, we have made so much progress, but there is still work to be done. And I believe it can be done, but we’ve got to get involved. We can’t sit by and expect things to happen for us, we have to take action. So, I ask you, who will be your champion? 

I’m with her. God bless.

Love,

Vanessa

Happy New Year!

Confidence: belief in oneself and one’s powers or abilities. 

Confidence is the basis of each of my New Year’s Resolutions. Why? Because something I learned over the past year is that believing in your own capabilities makes all the difference. The future can seem daunting because it’s so full of uncertainty, and no matter how much time and energy you put into planning, there are just some things that are completely out of your control. 

The good news? The most important thing is completely and 100% under your control. In fact, it’s up to you whether or not you will utilize it. Have you guessed what it is yet? You got it! CONFIDENCE. 

2015 is YOUR YEAR, and each day you wake up is your time to seize the moment and make your dreams a reality. Sure, it’s inevitable that people and things will try to get in your way, and they will make being confident in yourself tougher, but that’s life. And it builds character. And it makes overcoming those roadblocks all the more rewarding. When it comes down to it, the most important opinion someone can have of you is yourself. So make it a good one! Go into each day with a confidence that no person or circumstance can take away from you, and you will shine. 

Anyways, it’s been about a year now since I started “Steppin’ with Vanessa,” and I’d like to say thanks to everyone who’s been steppin’ along with me on this journey. I hope my posts have given you some good insight and just serve as refreshing reads during your week. Keep steppin’ with confidence into 2015, and make it your best year yet! God bless.

Love, 

Vanessa

Fall-ing in Love (With Life)

I absolutely love this time of the year. School is in full swing, friends are back in town, and there’s just a certain festivity in the air with all the holidays coming up. Recently, I’ve been pretty busy studying for my upcoming GRE, working on grad school apps, as well as maintaining my school work and leadership role in my club. However, I’m finding that everything is a lot easier to handle when you make time to simply enjoy yourself. 

In almost every single phone conversation I have with my grandma, she reminds me, “Sweetie, you need to have balance.” And she’s completely right. It can get overwhelming when you’re constantly thinking about what’s next and projecting yourself into future situations. So instead, I take everything one step at a time and remind myself the purpose of my actions. 

With Halloween coming up this Friday, I’m excited to dress up, be silly with friends, and have fun! Because regardless of how much stuff has to be done to prepare for the future, the present is happening right now, and I’m determined to make the most I can out of it. So let's go into this next week and season with the attitude of, "I'm going to accomplish my goals, and I'm also going to enjoy all the small things in life" - because those are some of the best. God bless. 

Love,

Vanessa

Granny

Tomorrow, it will be 2 years since she passed. 

Even though it’s been a while, I can still hear the vibrant sound of her voice and the lightheartedness of her laugh. I miss the smell of her making eggs and toast in the morning. I miss seeing her walk up the driveway after she’d get her hair done on a Saturday, in her little black sweater and carrying her big black purse. I miss eating her hearty beef stew she made so well. I miss feeling the softness of her hands as she’d hold mine and ask how I was. I miss hearing her tell me as we parted, “I love you, God bless you, sleep with the angels,” and blowing me a kiss with her finger. I think what I miss the most about her, though, is her hugs and kisses - she gave the best hugs and kisses. 

She always supported me through everything, she was one of my biggest cheerleaders. I loved seeing her show up to my dance shows and my 8th grade graduation. I loved being able to call her when I was away at school, to listen to her voice, and to tell her about the new adventures I was having. It made me so happy that I was making her proud. Even though she’s gone, I can still feel how much she loved me - how much she loves me. Although time may pass and memories may fade, that is something I will never forget - her love. I cherish every moment I was able to spend with my Great-Grandma Pat. She really was the best. God bless.

Love,

Vanessa

Happy 4th of July!

Hi everyone!

Sorry it’s been a while since I’ve made a post, hope you are enjoying summer and had a wonderful Fourth of July! As Americans, we live in an amazing country. Perfect? No, but we do have the ability to make our voices heard, stand up for what we believe in, and live the life that we choose. I love how there is no defining characteristic that makes a person “American,” because we truly are a melting pot of many different cultures. Through this great diversity, we learn more about where each other come from, and we accept one another for who we are. We create bonds with people who don’t look like us, talk like us, or think the same things. And I believe through those bonds, we are united in our shared values of freedom, justice, and opportunity for all. We need to always remember that.

Anyways, I’ve been having a super fun summer! A couple weeks ago, I visited Denver, aka “The Mile High City,” taking my state count up to 5. I also went to Vegas and played a little roulette, which went surprisingly well...and was most likely beginner’s luck. This week I got work done, caught up with old friends, celebrated my little brother’s birthday, and did some fireworks with my family - which is always a BLAST. Summer seriously is the perfect time (especially if you’re on break from school like me) to just enjoy yourself. Go to the beach, see a movie, take an airplane ride to somewhere new - the possibilities are endless. Just make sure to include the people you love in your adventures, take pics, and have fun! God bless.

Love,

Vanessa

I Believe I Can Fly

Hey everyone!

Want to hear something SUPER exciting?! I finally took my first plane ride today, and it was awesome! I’ll admit, the nerves did kick in when I was walking through that tunnel to get into the plane, but once I sat down, they faded away. As the plane started rolling, I immediately sat up in my seat and looked out the window as we came to the runway. My heart began to pick up speed as the plane did; it felt like I was going up a roller coaster! And then before I knew it, all the buildings were getting smaller and smaller, and I was soaring through the air with a huge smile on my face. For many of you who have done this before, it’s probably not a big deal. For me, however, this is something I’ve been wanting to do for such a long time, and I feel extremely happy and fulfilled. 

You may ask, where did my plane land? Well...I happen to be writing to you all from lovely Boston, Massachusetts! This town is so incredibly beautiful, and its rich history so profound for our country. The buildings are made of red brick with white windows, the Charles River is bustling with sailboats, and Cambridge Square is poppin’ with people. I even went to Harvard, and that was insanely cool considering it’s one of the most renowned universities in the country. Overall, I’ve been enjoying my time here with wonderful people, and I feel very blessed. Totally embracing this life experience. Sending my love from the east coast! God bless.

Love, 

Vanessa

For Jessica

Hey everyone!

Sorry I’ve been MIA for a couple weeks, I’ve been super busy. Today, however, deserves a blog post. You know how life has its ups and downs? Well this weekend has definitely been an emotional roller coaster.

Yesterday, a beautiful girl named Jessica passed away. This amazing person, my friend, had so much life in her. She exuded brightness and love. It was so unexpected to me; I hadn’t seen her in a while, and I didn’t know her health was failing her so quickly. It has been terribly difficult for me to comprehend why this happened. Although I may not know why she had to go so soon, I do know that her time here on earth was well spent. She touched so many lives through her sweet personality and endearing heart, and I think if one person can have that much of an effect on so many people, that’s a pretty profound life right there. I love you Jessica, thank you for your constant kindness and love for others. I know we will see each other again one day. 

As much as my heart ached yesterday, I was reminded of the preciousness of time, and of life. Crazy, unexpected things can happen, be it good or bad. The fact is that we just don’t know when, where, or under what circumstances events will occur that can ultimately alter the course of our journeys. That’s why I believe it is so important to never to take for granted what we have, especially the people we love who surround us. Each and every day we get is a gift, full of potential for us to be kind and make a difference. Life will throw us curveballs, but what’s important is that we keep our chins up, and keep steppin’. God bless.

Love,

Vanessa