My name is Naomi Salazar, and I was raised in a border city named Calexico. I am the eldest out of three sisters, and the daughter of my mother- the inspiration behind so much of what I do. I’ve always found solace in academics and continue to indulge in being a student in higher education, even four years after my acceptance into UCI. On campus, I’ve filled my days with the Psychology B.S. major requirements, working for undergraduate housing, program planning for the Latinx Resource Center, and getting to know the people who have brightened my time here. I had the privilege of being immersed in my culture because the border was within the eye-view of my front yard. So, to me being, learning, and thinking about Mexico was about moving forward (into that front yard). Moving away from home and being exposed to a sense of diversity foreign to me has forced me to think and evaluate my identity, and so much of what I’ve uncovered makes me yearn for simplicity that is unattainable if we want much-needed change. My writing seeks personal clarity within these emotions resulting from grander, more complex systems and ideas surrounding me.