I am a true believer in people. Call it ignorance, na’veté or just blindness, I truly do think that people have the capacity to do good.

One of the main reasons why I chose to major in journalism is because of my passion to inform people. In order for people to succeed and do good things, they need to be informed of their surroundings and how they can be successful as well as benefit those around them.

Sadly, this task is often brought to a screeching halt due to our negligence to see beyond our comfort zone. Oftentimes we are such an ethnocentric society that we tend to view one culture as superior to another. We are more worried about justifying our actions and customs that sometimes we do not stop and enjoy what other people have to offer.

As you read this article, look around you. On this campus, we enjoy a plethora of people, each equipped with their own customs, traditions and stories to unveil. Take a closer look and see how different each person is. Look at that girl sitting on that bench, taking a sip of coffee, and wonder how her story can benefit your own. Look even further to that group of friends laughing the afternoon away in a language that might differ from your own. Don’t look at it as negative, but rather, as different. Stop and think how this language can help you better understand and appreciate your own.

As far as my own story goes, I am the daughter of two mexican immigrants that have struggled to teach me my heritage in a country that’s becoming more homogenized by the second. I truly do live by the hyphen; I am not Mexican or American, but both. I do not, however, fall into the stereotypes that my society has built for my culture; I cringe at the bare sound of the word Chicana due to its condescending tone. My parents always taught me that diversity was key, and that falling under a label that society has put upon me was not the way to define my persona. I am simply Ivette, and I happen to be none other than Mexican-American. My race does not nor will it ever define me; I define myself through my own intelligence, merits and actions.

Other than being a Mexican-American student, I am also blessed to be a sister to three siblings, a daughter to two parents, as well as friend and coworker to many. I love the sound of music, and because of it I have acquired an interest to play the saxophone, piano and guitar over a period of 10 years. I live my life day by day in the company of my family and friends and have a blast doing so.

My story will continue on with whoever is reading this article, as well as those that read my work in the future. It is my drive and dedication that will take me to new heights and influence the lives of those that will allow me to do so. Thanks to my previous hurdles, I will be able to take on whatever my story has in store for the future.

This issue is dedicated to the different people of Fresno City College. Doing a multicultural issue is so much more than highlighting different races; it’s the cultural aspect that each of us carries every day as we walk onto campus. Every person at FCC is more than just a student; we can also be sisters, brothers, mothers, fathers, coworkers, friends, catholics, atheists, gays, straight, rich or poor. It’s these cultural differences which surpass race that makes us the unique individuals that compose this campus in its entirety, and most of all, that gives us the substance to create our own stories to share.

Here are our stories, from our staff to you. Hopefully, one of these stories can help you realize how difficult or how easy you have it, and how you can better understand how to become a better person.

I truly believe you can.