Personal Essay Sample: Who Am I

Who am I? A question everyone has asked themselves at some point in their lives. While struggling with my self-image and confidence, I started putting on an act that has been going on for way too long. Throughout the time though,  I realized it was time to be myself and take pride in my culture and who I am. By accepting my flaws and learning self-love, I soon accepted and learned to love myself for who I was.

I was born in a small town called La Romana in the Dominican Republic. I then immigrated with both my parents and older sister to the United States of America at the age of two, where my parents went on to have two more children. Although my first language is considered to be Spanish, at the time I felt as if my Spanish would never be good enough. The only time I would speak Spanish would be if I was having a conversation with my mom. Other than that, my main language was and still is English.

When starting my first year of kindergarten in Orlando, Florida, where the majority of the people were white, I had no choice but to continuously speak English. I then started embracing American culture more than my own to the point where I forgot where I came from. I then came to dislike speaking Spanish or representing the Dominican flag. The stereotype that comes with being a Dominican is one I did not like. They are well known for being loud and obnoxious people, who always tend to start fights. I slowly started gaining a hatred towards the culture I once loved as I did not want to be referred back to the stereotype that also came along with it. 

After living in Florida for two years we moved to Providence, Rhode Island, where I was immediately hit with my culture. I was now surrounded by people of different cultures and diversity. People who weren't afraid to express who they were and where they came from. It was the first day of second grade where I met a group of kids who were from all different ethnicities. It was a whole new experience for me. The majority of the kids spoke Spanish, a language I once hated became one I use the most.

During the beginning of my high school years, I struggled with my self-image. I hated the way my face was shaped and the way my body was formed. That's when my interest in makeup developed. Being able to grab a brush and cover all of my flaws made me feel different. I noticed that Dominican women leaned toward bright and bold colors such as pink, blue and red the majority of the time, which drove me away from those specific colors. I hated the way they looked or the way they dressed. I tried my hardest to stay away from those exact things. Until I realized that's what makes them beautiful and different from everyone else. Those bright colors symbolize who we are and that we are not afraid to outshine everyone else.

After the change of scenery, I was finally able to develop myself into someone I love, someone who is not afraid to express who they are or where they come from. The self-image I once perceived myself as I was able to destroy and reconstruct. I am now a proud and loud Dominican who proudly embraces their flag. I promised myself to be who I am and not change for the likes of those around me.