Circle de Luz

Opting Into Education April 15, 2008

As a 2^nd generation Puerto Rican woman I am deeply concerned with the statistics:

- 51% percent of Latinas get pregnant by the time they are twenty.
- 1/3 of Latinas between the ages of 9 and 15 who dropped out cited pregnancy or marriage as the reason.
- More than half of Latino children do not graduate from high school.

After all it was not that long ago that I too could have easily been part of these statistics. Having grown up in NYC, many of my friends, classmates and cousins were all part of the statistics above. Luckily, I had wonderful examples of strong, Puerto Rican women who despite their lack of education and opportunity were part of this sisterhood of women who heal and lead in the community. My grandmother, despite having only a 5^th grade education, getting pregnant when only 17 and coming from Puerto Rico to New York City in the 50’s by herself to make a better life for her and her young son, established her own business in her home in order to better provide for herself and her family. It was those examples I grew up with. I was taught to work hard, be responsible and ALWAYS give back. Unfortunately, I didn’t make the choice to pursue higher education, perhaps because I liked working and making money, perhaps because I didn’t know what I wanted to do when I “grew up”, but more likely because coming from a single parent household I didn’t know where I would get the money to go to school, and so, opted not to go at all. Everyday I struggle with that decision. I struggle with that decision especially when job opportunities are not within my reach because I “opted” not to pursue higher education. Despite my numerous other talents, I often cannot get passed the lack of higher education requirement.

When presented with the opportunity to be part of Circle de Luz, I was honored. Finally the opportunity to enable, to empower, and to mentor future generations of Latina girls who would one day come to the same cross roads. I look at my nieces, the daughters of close friends and at my own young son and know that the opportunities are limitless for them. Despite my lack of “higher education”, I have reached nominal success in my life, compared to many of the girls I grew up with. I moved out of the “projects”, have held pretty high paying jobs with Fortune 500 companies, have a wonderful husband and young son and yet I often reflect on what else I could have become or pursued if only I had just “opted” to go to college or if I had the money to pursue further education. Being part of Circle de Luz is my way of rectifying the decision I made 13 years ago to not pursue higher education by empowering other young Latina girls from the same background to pursue there dreams and to shoot for the stars!

— Jocelyn Negron-Rios, Circle de Luz Board Member