A Letter to Her

Abstract

Lauren Caylee Griego is an undergraduate student at CSULA studying English Literature and Language, but there’s more to her than her education. She is Chicana, a daughter, sister, cousin, and friend. Although she was a hardworking, diligent, and dedicated girl in all areas of her life during her younger years, she had failures. As an adolescent, Griego struggled to find meaning in herself and searched constantly for an explanation to help her better understand the negative, overwhelming challenges in her life and their relationship to more positive, uplifting experiences. Now, with a deeper awareness of the world and herself, Griego travels back in time to soothe the fears, anxieties, and emotions that once controlled her, painting a portrait of real adolescent emotions and thoughts. There is nothing that can stop a young Chicana woman from receiving what she wants and needs in this life, especially the knowledge that she is powerful and worthy of belonging. Exploring hard definitions of first-gen experiences alongside her own identity, Griego helps her younger self to finally discover the purpose of it all.