by The PATHfinder Club of Parkrose High

I come from households where I am afraid the people around me might not come home.
I come from silent treatment and quiet fights.
I come from a family of four.
I come from a place where fear will get you killed.
I come from a hardworking family with dysfunction and love.
I come from a home overlooking the beautiful sunrise that makes me wish every morning that I was in London.
I come from a house with unstable conditions and a cherry treehouse.
I come from the courage and strength of my immigrant abuela.
I come from a lot of thinking, 11 siblings with different moms.
I come from not knowing when to bite my tongue.
I come from fried chicken.
I come from fear that made me fierce.
I come from a struggling family.
I come from people who care.
I come from sitting alone at my home.
I come from years of wanting to get out.
I come from beautiful strong women who teach me life
lessons while smoking a Black & Mild.
I come from falling asleep to the sound of fighting parents.
I come from having a hard time picking the best product for my curly hair.
I come from hard work, love, anger, two worlds, ancestors who sacrificed for me to be here, broken dreams, poverty, struggle, success, Saturday drives with my dad.
I come from a crazy state.
I come from two suitcases, one backpack, and 25 cents.
I come from Portland.
I come from not feeling equal, I come from still being judged and despised!
We all come from somewhere.

This piece was published in our 2025 anthology, Home and Away, by Out of the Woods Press.