By Mariana Gutiérrez
I get there at 7:30 in the morning with my dog, Lola. She loves walking in that park so much and playing around as much as she can. I had to stop for a few minutes to admire the trees and the leaves on the floor after a rainy night.
It was perfect. I could smell the moisture in the air and feel the breeze on my face. And for a minute, I remembered those chilly mornings in my country when I had to wake up so early to go to school.
My dad used to drive me before he went to work. I remember it like it was yesterday…, wearing my school uniform, trying to have everything as it was supposed to be: ironed skirt, polished shoes, and the sweater in order.
And I think that’s how I grew up, thinking that everything must be “perfect” and in a specific way.
Of course, that mindset made me confront reality so many times, especially when I emigrated. Since then, I like to compare myself with trees and their facets. I believe that as a migrant, we have the possibility to adapt ourselves to every circumstance, and that’s our superpower!
Being so far from home, or from what used to be home, is something that not everyone can handle. Adapting yourself to a new culture, new traditions, new kinds of food, different weather, and sometimes a completely different way to joke around can be the biggest challenges for some of us.
But just like the trees, even in those cold and dark winters, they are still standing. Maybe they lose some leaves on their way, or sometimes they look like they are dying…, but they continue.
New York is not an easy city. Not for nothing Frank Sinatra said, “If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere.”
This city has given me the biggest headaches I’ve ever had, making me think so many times about coming back and quitting. But honestly, once you become a New Yorker, no matter who you are, if you believe in yourself and your dream, NY will always be the place for you.
There is always a way, an opportunity to be different. And just like the trees, even after the worst cold winter, they always bloom. Sometimes it takes more time, more water, or more patience.
Don’t forget your superpower.
Mariana is from Mexico and has been passionate about social causes since a young age, including climate issues. Through this project, and by connecting it with the migrant experience, she explored how both worlds intersect and influence each other.