Introduction

Hello, My name is Denise Suastegui. My major is Psychology and my minors are Natural Sciences and Spanish. I have moderate to severe asthma that can be triggered by seasonal allergies, and changes in weather. The cold is my main trigger so as the weather gets colder, you hear me let out the most cursed cough. It’s not COVID, but my lungs are just built to fail. I love anime and drawing. My career aspirations are to be a doctor, so I will be in school for a decade at least. A text that has left a lasting impression on me is “I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter” by Erika Sánchez. I felt so represented in that book. I had the similar or the exact same experiences that the character had. I could feel myself heal in a sense along with the character. I remember how the protagonist was seen as the rebellious daughter meanwhile her late sister was seen as this perfect angel who could do no wrong. Even as the protagonist uncovered scandalous secrets of her sister, it made me feel better about myself. I’m seen as a rebellious person or a family disappointment so seeing someone who my mother would embody as the perfect child is not so perfect. It made me feel better about myself, at least I have the courage to fully express who I am. I cried at the end cause it just hit me so hard and I felt so seen for once. I rarely get any proper representation in the media, and this book was a breath of fresh air.