Life is an Illusion By Joselin Leon

My Reality Con Safos is Spanish for with safety, in Drink Cultura Jose Burciaga explains that people in Mexico put c/s on their personal belongings for example, there license plate on their cars. Some people would even put it on their stores or things they sale. This somehow ties into no matter what you think, this is my reality and you need to respect it (Drink Cultura Pg.7). C/S would be signed to my future and success, because what my future is important to me. The saying Con Safos can also mean I dont care what you think, Im still going to do what I want. So with that aspect in mind, Con Safos would be signed after my name when its on my very own building after Im a successful plastic surgeon. Because no matter what anyone thinks Im going to do whatever my body heart and soul aspire and what makes me happy. Which is what a lot of people should go by because people often do things that make other people happy rather than think for themselves every now and then. Hard workers with a family to provide to are usually victims in this particular situation. No time for themselves to relax or do special things for themselves. Con Safos can basically be signed to my future and success, considering its what I want to do. In this life its up to you to be successful or not, you can choose to make it in life it depends if you really want a good future. I believe anything is possible in this life, most of everything is an illusion. Some people have all the right tools to be successful some have to work harder to make it in life but we all have to have the will power and the want to succeed. The people born with a silver spoon are usually the ones with all the right tools to succeed. Being born with a silver spoon generally means that your family is wealthy and usually your parents or family want the best for you, so you sometimes get the better of everything or in this case a better education. People often misinterpret these people born with a silver spoon being Caucasian, but that isnt necessarily true. Anyone can be wealthy no matter what race or gender you are. But more back then and today my people struggle for freedom and jobs with no education whats so ever and not all but in my community kids are born into families

like these, who are poor and lack education. These kids born into a poor family struggle to succeed, because they dont usually have all the right resources. Which is why c/s would be signed after my success because I am the middle class kid, have everything I need with limited resources but I have the will power to succeed. I will succeed no matter my background or my parents background nor my culture. No matter what type of family I was born into because I have the will power to succeed. It is my job to set a positive atmosphere not only for myself but for my siblings and the people I love. My success also is important to my family in the future, to provide my kids with everything they need and much more. (556 words)

The Gun of Speech Being bilingual is a deadly weapon, to those who arent because it gives people who are pushing for success an upper hand in the job industry. Most of non-English speakers and immigrants have to go through a tedious process and practice for a certain amount of years to learn the English language but it has its benefits. Many studies have shown that English isnt the easiest language to learn. Learning the language is only half the problem, because for many people whose first language isnt English they might have a slight accent when trying to speak English. But no matter how hard it is learning a second language it will give people the chance to be successful. Have you ever gone to Home Depot and see poor immigrants looking for work? They are desperate, and are willing to do anything so that they can support their family. But with all that determination they could have a much better life, but since they dont know English this is as good as it gets for them. This is relevant in my family and other families that Im close with, finding a job and being uneducated is never easy. Knowing English can be the difference between living pay check to pay check or being your own boss. Though at this point in our lives speaking two languages might seem like something not worth doing for most teenagers. But we are young and dont see the future job benefits for being bilingual. Bilingual Americans have more job opportunities then those who arent. Even at McDonalds bilingual people get hired at a much higher rate. The reason for that is being a cashier means speaking to many people, and if you have good communication skills and your bilingual communicating to people becomes easier and you may earn more pay. That is an example of a minimum wage job, there are bigger and higher paying jobs that higher bilinguals at increasingly higher rates. For example nurses that are bilingual are at high demands. Being a bilingual nurse gets you more pay because you get to attend people who dont know English and those who do. My Mom has seen the job benefits of being bilingual first hand. My mother being a real estate agent and bilingual gives her a lot of clientele. Knowing both English and Spanish also having great communication skills people often feel very comfortable with her. This attracts

more costumers daily while having people show up at her office or simply people who were referred to her from previous clients. Being bilingual also pays well. Considering the fact that shes friendly and makes time for everyone. I would have never thought shed be so successful says my grandma, this is why having education and trying harder gets you farther in life.

So if you want to have a more successful life consider the fact that being bilingual can help. Even if you think that a second language is extremely hard to learn, push through it because it has its advantages. Such as giving you a better future, the job benefits and the way it helped my Mom. So take the upper hand and become a bilingual speaker! (534 words)

The Great Man A great man once said I have a dream. But my question is do you have a dream? That great man was and is Martin Luther King Jr. Though there is many reasons why he is great, the reason I seem to believe stands out above the rest is that he influenced the lives of both African Americans and even those who arent. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr always stood up for what he believed in and made sure that his voice was heard. Martin Luther King has been a phenomenal role model in my life. I was raised most my life by an African American family and through that I learned many things. Like I had previously mentioned he always stood up for what he believed in. I as well share that thought because no one should tell you how to live your life, if anything I learned to do what I feel is right. Another way this great man has influenced my life is through this quote from him we must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools. In my life I have seen much racism and what it ends up leading in to is violence but when we put our differences of color aside we very much alike, and if we learn to get along with each other then this world would be a much better place. Martin Luther King had a stupendous amount of influence over African Americans. He wanted to live in a place where not only would there be no racism toward people of darker skin complexion but also equality for all. What started out as his dream ended up as a reality. He led the Montgomery Bus Boycott which refused that any black person give up their seat for anyone without a rational reason. He was also responsible for the March on Washington. That speech had such influential power that it was on of the main reasons the African-American Civil Rights Movement was such a success. Not only did Martin Luther King Jr influence the lives of African Americans but Americans in general. He had such a powerful influence that he was not only but into the books but he earned a Nobel Peace Prize. It wasnt an easy road for Martin Luther King but through all his struggles came faith. Faith that some day Racism would end. Sadly Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated or killed do to what I like to believe was a hate crime.

He was a great man and he will forever live on not only in the hearts of African Americans but the entire United States. Due to the fact that I was raised my African Americans what Martin Luther King did plays a big role in my life because what he went through my close family has went through and their ancestors went through it as well. Thanks to his influences African Americans are now allowed to sit in the front and have the same equality as everyone else in America. Although racism still exists, Martin Luther King Jr made it so that many Americans can get along and see past the color of each others skin. (548 words)

Tradition vs. The World Mexican/ Latinos are culturally divided from most Americans, statistics have shown that 1 in 5 people in the U.S are Mexican/ Latino. This race is found all over the place and are highly populated. Most of them being hard workers and surviving on minimum wage but also with limited education, those people are mostly the ones who are immigrants from Mexico. Myself being Mexican I feel as if the history of the Mexican people and the country is important to the way I look and where my roots came from. The fact of the matter is that my people stick together through thick and thin no matter what. Most Mexicans share a lot of the same traits and looks. A stereotype of a typical Mexican would be dark skin, jet black hair, dark brown hair, and a funny accent. But is that all were really seen as? A lot of Mexicans/ Latinos live by many traditions and take pride in where they came from. One big tradition that most Mexicans do is cook tamales, posole, vierra, and ponche on Christmas. Christmas always consists of a huge gathering with bottles of tequila or Jose Quervo with loud Mexican movies, theres always a whole bunch of little kids running around and parents sitting together talking about the past and good memories. Another big tradition/ Holiday that Mexicans participate in would be Cinco de Mayo which in English is the 5th of May, this day is celebrated in remembrance of Mexico conquering the French when they invaded the Puebla at the Mexican forts of Loreto and Guadalupe. This Holiday is celebrated with traditional food, music, and customs similar to Mexico. Where I live a lot of Mexican/ Latinos get together and celebrate with a big parade traditional dances and music. Some Mexicans/ Latinos take this holiday very serious because it signifies where they came from. A lot of Mexicans and Latinos take part in their culture and food is a big part. Another stereotype towards Mexicans is all we eat is tortillas and beans, yes in every Mexican house there are tortillas and there always are beans but thats not all we eat. One big traditional food that everyone knows about is Tacos, their little yet very delicious and filling. Being Mexican/ Latino food and the way its cook is always a big role. In a

very Mexican household the dinner is made once the dad gets home and the house is clean and smells like fabuloso and the family is catered to by the mom or the woman in the house. I feel as if Mexicans play a big role in certain areas in the world because somewhere like Alaska there might not be a lot of Mexicans but here in Stockton you see a lot of Mexicans / Latinos with really big important jobs and jobs such as working In the field getting paid by the hour whatever it may be no matter what we stay together. A lot Mexicans / Latinos take pride in their culture, their roots and where they came from. (513 words)