It took me 18 years18 years of living here and there in the U.S.To begin to love who I amWhere I come fromTo not be embarrassedTo love my peopleTo embrace being LatinaTo understand being ChicanaAnd in 18 yearsI have become someone 14 year old me would have admiredAnd 18 years in the future19 year old me will admire who I have become at 37.