Mariafernanda Gonzalez

I was drawn to the OU Hispanic Royalty Pageant because of the immense impact it has on the Hispanic community on and off campus and how, most notably, it creates space for minoritized students. To have the opportunity to make a positive impact on a community that has provided me with so much in such a small period of time would be a privilege. One of the most impactful lessons I have learned in my time here is how to take up and own space when it was not created for you. As a community that is constantly growing, Hispanic/Latine students must keep pushing for equity. This pageant incites the motivation to create change and to discover places to grow—not only for current Latine students but for generations to come.

As crazy as it might sound, I still have not processed it. From the beginning, I convinced myself there was no way I would be selected as a participant and that there was no way I would ever be Hispanic Royalty until the moment I was crowned. As I stood on stage, the only thing going through my head were all of the sacrifices and work my parents had put in to get me to college; all of the immense support from my friends and communities; and all of the work I had poured into not only this process but my college career as a whole. As cheesy as it might sound, it truly takes a village. My accomplishments aren’t merely my own but my communities' as well.

The concept of being a first-generation college student is fairly new to me. I didn’t know the term and only recently found out I was a first-generation student. In fact, when applying for college, I never checked the first-generation student boxes because I simply didn’t know. However, when I found out, I began realizing that many of the struggles I had endured were embedded in the description of being a first-gen college student. Though I do acknowledge that this has presented more obstacles in my journey, I also am grateful for the experience. It has encouraged me to want to learn about as many resources as I can and disseminate that information to other students that are going through similar experiences.

For as long as I can remember, I consistently reached peak levels of happiness. However, that ended abruptly in 2014, when I watched my father, my hero, crumble before me as his body was taken from him by a stroke. The two-month period that followed this was accompanied by a newfound sense of being independent and of turning my 12-year-old mindset into that of an adult. My father’s accident accompanied by my involvement in a competitive dance program created a perfect cocktail for the deterioration of my mental health. As I continue to go through my college experience, I realized my peers were going through similar circumstances, especially those within the Latine community. Though there have been improvements in the Hispanic/Latine community, the conversation surrounding mental health often still has negative connotations. With my platform, I want others to know they are not alone in their struggles, that they are seen, heard, deserving, and most importantly, loved. Thus “Mentes Empoderadas” strives to incite conversation and raise awareness about mental health, especially in the Hispanic/Latine community.

Located on the third floor of the union, suite 370, is the Office of Student Life! Not only are the offices in this suite occupied by immensely knowledgeable individuals, but the environment curated by the office allows and encourages all students to be the best version of themselves. This office portrays college life in a nutshell. Students use this space to do homework, grab a snack on the way to class, receive life advice from Quy, the director, spend hours completing puzzles, take naps on the couch, or simply just mingle. This is a place on campus where I have felt welcomed time and time again.

I always had the dream to study out of state, until I spent an extended amount of time away from my family and realized that I was not made to endure long periods away from them. Then I encountered OU. With it being three hours away from home and having a vast amount of opportunities for career growth and personal growth, I knew OU was the right choice for me. The final selling factor was the beautiful campus. I would not change my experience for anything!