Personal Narrative: My Life As An Art Director

On the day I took my first breath, it seems that I had already taken up more than one identity. I was born into a cultured and diverse family, as my mother is Italian and my father is Indian and African. My mom’s side of the family lives separately across Florida, participates in most American traditions, and values independence. On the other hand, my dad’s side of the family values cultural traditions and family time. Recipes of home cooked Indian food have been in our family for hundreds of years. Handmade Indian clothing brings me joy because they are original. Keeping traditions alive are important now that my family is integrated with western cultures. As Hannah Montana once said, “I’ve got the best of both worlds.”

I grew up wanting to be a doctor just because as a child,

My ultimate goal is to become an Art director; it combines my love of art and management.

My white skin fools many people into thinking I was born with a silver spoon in my mouth. But I did have my fair share of challenges. My father died when I was seven. While he was walking me to school I saw him collapse on the ground as he had a heart attack. This left my mom and me in very tough circumstances, physically, emotionally, and financially.

My mom fell into a deep depression a year after my father died. I believe this was because we were struggling financially. My mom had to choose between utilities; sometimes it came between water and electricity. I remember I had to bathe outside in a swimsuit and I wash my body with a hose. As a side effect to depression, my mom is now considered a hoarder. She keeps and collects useless items in hopes of future usage. She also keeps things as “memories.” I don’t have a room of my own or a place to study because of my mom’s illness, which is why I spend most of my days at the school