Growing up I saw how hard my parents worked, always being stressed about money and not really having enough time to spend with family. From the experiences of my youth, I understood that there are many more people who must struggle harder than I can imagine. This led me to the raw conception that it would not be enough for me to find personal stability. I began to understand that my own future was tied to others who fight against the evils of capitalism around the world.

As I went through school, I found more and more inconsistencies in the standard telling of our shared history. Being exposed to labor history and lessons of genuine workers’ struggles lit a fire in my heart and gave direction to my mind.

Learning how the great benefits we enjoy today, from the weekend to civil rights, came from mass movements sharpened my motivation into a blade, cutting through the fantasies about the greatness of capitalism. Over the years of activism, workers’ actions, protests, and education, there have been numerous events and moments that have solidified my stance of being a socialist.