I have faced hardship in my life. My life has also been full of rich, bold, and positive life-changing decisions. My path, as difficult as it has been at times, is mine. When I reflect on the challenges of my childhood, the city I grew up in, and the painful experiences that shaped me, I cannot ignore the privilege I have that helped me get where I am today.
Anyone can do what I do. I am not exceptional (not that what I am doing is exceptional either). Not everyone’s circumstances allow them to. This is what inspires me as an anthropologist. I am want to examine the way we live that grants opportunity to some but not others. I want to imagine ways to change this, to level the playing field, and to grant more opportunities to those who do not have them.
Instances of Privilege in My Life
This is by no means a comprehensive list. I am sure there are more areas where different elements of my identity and other life circumstances are instances of privilege. This is a starting point. This also indicates areas I am interested in eventually exploring in the future.
Quitting my Job to Pursue a Master’s Degree
Two years ago, I applied to master’s programs, expecting not to get in since I had been out of school for five years. I somehow got into the KU Leuven master’s program in social and cultural anthropology program.
Jesse and I discussed what this would look like in our life together. We concluded that I would have less free time because I would be both studying and working full time. I spoke to my employer to see if there was any kind of flexible option they could offer me so I could continue working while studying.
I was open to options of reducing my weekly hours, increasing my teleworking hours, or anything else they might suggest instead. Each of my suggestions were based on existing arrangements for other colleagues’ circumstances. Although, these were not related to continuing their education.
After a few weeks of discussion, my employer told me there were no options. I would need to choose between the job and a master’s degree. Recognizing that I did not want to make a career out of editing texts about toilets, wastewater, and urinals—no offense to the friend and former colleague of mine who worked with those on a daily basis—it was an easy decision. We calculated when I would need to formally resign and began making our preparations.
This is an example of privilege. Jesse does not make an exorbitant salary. He made enough money to support us for up to a couple of months while I searched for a job. Financially, we would be fine. This allowed me to make the shift without fear.
Most people do not have this kind of flexibility. Our lifestyle in Brussels was not very expensive. Other than ourselves and paying rent, our only responsibilities were Igneous and Sed, a recent and accidental addition to our family that summer.
The Unequal Effects of a Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic was briefly called an equalizer. We know that is not true. In the face of record job loss, unequal risk based on race and employment, and limited assistance easing the burden, the pandemic has affected households differently.
I have struggled to find a job, which we were not anticipating. However, I do not have to worry, financially. Once again, Jesse’s salary is enough to support us.
We are also fortunate that he can work remotely: there are many jobs where this is not a possibility. We are also privileged because we have computers and can afford adequate internet connections that allow him to work and allow me to continue following my courses online.
Jesse’s ability to continue working, his salary, and his ability to work remotely is a privilege that many people do not have. In the US, where I am from, and Belgium, where we are residents, are experiencing record job loss and challenges accessing unemployment benefits. His, and by extension my, financial stability during this time is something I recognize not everyone has.
Being jobless during a pandemic without having to worry about my financial situation means I have more time to focus on whatever I want. Even though one of those things is finding a job. I have the time to dedicate towards studying, writing, and maybe actually learning Italian. This does not mean being in a pandemic is easy for me; it isn’t. I am telling you this to be transparent about how I am able to spend my time working on so many different things that you may not be able to.
Having Access to Education
College in America is expensive. The end.
But really. College in America is expensive. I went the less expensive route of starting at a community college where I qualified for a Board of Governors (BOG) Fee Waiver. Now, it appears to be a California College Promise Grant. As a self-supporting student, this was instrumental in funding my education. The program, when I used it, waived the cost of my credit hours. If I remember correctly, I only had to pay the enrollment fee. I paid between $20 and $30 a semester to go to school for a year and a half before transferring to a four-year university.
Completing my lower-level university requirements at a community college saved me tens of thousands of dollars in tuition. When I started at UCSB, tuition for California residents was $4,800 a quarter (paid three times a year). I received decent financial aid but had to take out a couple of subsidized and subsidized loans and one private loan. I also worked two jobs while in school: one on campus and one off-campus.
When I graduated, a family member paid off half of my student loan debt. This left me with the $14,000 private loan to pay off—which I am still paying and will be for the next ten years or so.
College in California’s transfer system, at least when I was a student is a great way to save money. I am fortunate in several areas when it comes to accessing education:
- I was able to become financially independent at a young age and was not required to work to support anyone but myself.
- I was able to save money through the community college system and found additional ways to reduce my expenses like renting rooms with family members and the fee waiver program.
- I received decent financial aid that covered the majority of my tuition. Most of the loans just went towards really poor spending habits on clothes.
- A family member paid off half of my college debt.
I had limited financial obstacles to attending college. This is not true for a lot of Americans.
My Early Education
I was fortunate that I received the level of education I did that allowed me to excel in my math and science classes. In first grade, I passed the California GATE test (Gifted and Talented Education). The following year, I was one of six second graders placed in a second and third-grade combination class.
Being part of this program and placed in a class with students a year older than me gave me a head start on my peers for the following year. Every class I was in after that was an accelerated, honors, advanced, or GATE class.
The anthropologist in me now wonders if it was a natural intelligence that set me apart from some of my other peers, or if there were structural and identity factors at play.
I wonder if my father had not challenged me intellectually every night before I went to sleep for as long as I lived with him if I would have done so well.
I wonder if attending a school in a whiter district instead of the neighborhood school my mother and her brothers attended with a Hispanic-dominant demographic did not provide me with better resources, better-paid teachers, and more opportunities.
I wonder if elements of my appearance did not play on unconscious biases of my early childhood teachers about what a good student looks like:
- Despite being Mexican-American, I am very white.
- I was quiet and mostly non-disruptive, meaning girls–who are raised to behave in this way, would be ideal candidates.
I am not an expert on the subject of structural racism in education, but it is an area I am becoming more interested in. I cannot say definitively that this was at play in my education. I also cannot exclude it. This is what worries me.
Conclusion
These factors have allowed me to be where I am today. I am living in Europe, completing a master’s degree, studying languages, and dedicating time to my dream. I have worked hard to get to this point. I am not saying that was not a factor. But I acknowledge that I would not be here without privilege.
My hope is to find ways to break down barriers for others. To level the playing field. It is why I want to be an anthropologist, but it is also what I want to eventually use this website for.
I cannot recognize all of the privilege in my life. It takes being able to see what it looks like not to have it to recognize it, which makes it difficult to identify. But an important part is being willing to take the step back so you can identify it for what it is. It is a key component in providing equal opportunities to everyone.