I’m an intern for a great up-and-coming organization, I have two kids and I’m currently working retail part-time.
When I embarked on a journey into college back in 2011, I did not imagine my life to turn out this way. But some clichés are needed clichés; everything happens for a reason.
For those of you who are dedicated readers (I’m talking to you 5 random people I don’t know and Kikan), you know that I evolv just as often e as this blog evolves. You also know that when I started college, I was very fragile. Going to USC—a beautifully passionate school that was heavily invested in American Football and all that comes with it—having dreams of being a successful reporter that follows the Mexican National Soccer team was nothing short of foreign. Add that with the fact that I came from a low-income school that did not have a school newspaper (a YouTube page for our news segments, yeah right), I was intimidated from the get-go. I didn’t know anything about journalism. I only knew writing and being able to express myself through words. Telling stories to inspire others and feeling that inspiration whenever I saw a player make his mark on the field, and inspiring others around me. I was fragile, intimidated and very unprepared.
But I kept going. I kept going because it was what I had to do. And what I needd to do if I ever wanted to make it anywhere. I half-assed my work sometimes when I was not passionate about it. Some of news packages and radio segments are still hard to watch and listen. Add that into the fact that I got pregnant both my sophomore AND senior year of college, and my work ethic (as well as my self-confidence) was not always at the level it was suppose to be.
But still, I kept going. And finally, I stumbled onto something. My digital journalism class my junior year where—for the first time in my whole undergraduate journey—I talked about my passion for soccer and what I wanted to do and the response was: “Cool.” One of my biggest issues is the need to feel validated. But having someone look at me with respect and awe rather than an alien (haha, yes, I see the pun) when it came to El Tri made me feel so happy and that much more secure about pursuing my goal.
So I started trying to do everything I can to mimic successful people that were doing what I wanted to do. Except there was one particular problem. I didn’t know ANYONE who was doing what I wanted to do. I knew the legends. Enrique Bermudez, Pablo Ramirez, and ‘El Profe’ Bracamontes. But was anyone doing what I wanted to do? Was there anyone that was a Mexican-American who loved the Mexican National Soccer team and was reporting on it? More importantly, was someone doing it in English?
Low and behold the advantages of technology and social media. After literally searching “Mexico soccer team” on twitter for people to follow, I came across Tom Marshall. What he was doing was writing about Mexico. Giving his opinion on the players and the team. And getting paid to do it! Slowly but surely that led me to more people like him. Cesar Hernandez. Andrea Canales. Wiso Vazquez. Nayib Moran. They were getting things published and read on news sites I always wanted to be a part of. Best of all, they had passion. They really genuinely love what they’re doing. When I found out they had their own YouTube show called “The Mexican Soccer Show,” I was sold. My respect just went through the roof for these people. Seeing them tweet out about news that I was following and seeing them post that they were at the games or in the press boxes for the Mexico games made me so envious but inspired.
Needless to say when the call for an intern for their show came out, I applied instantly. Long story short, I was given the job and have had an incredible time not only working on the social media, but also being able to engage with people who are fans of the show and follow the Mexican National team and the Liga MX religiously.
There is more to the Liga MX than just Club Amèrica and there is more to the national team than just the “stars.” So much stuff has been going on that this organization has made me pay attention to and has made me a much more dedicated observer and reporter to all things Mexico. From the Gold Cup, to the U17 World Cup and even paying attention to each Mexican soccer player eligible individually as club players and analyzing them to see how they fit into the national level for global competition. It is a journey I hope does not end anytime soon and that I continue to grow more and more as the months go by.
This internship is a fantastic opportunity and my dream for the first time in a long time does not seem crazy. Because I see others inspiring me to reach my goal. And I’ll get there. Baby steps.