Collective Me

Hey everybody!

This week we are choosing five items that represent our social identities (race, ethnicity, class, etc.).
The five items that I feel represent my past and my upbringing would be a rosary, a small house, a hammer, pizza, and a heart.
The rosary represents my faith, and the fact that my family's Catholic beliefs have played an integral role in my life.
The small house represents my humble beginnings in Oak Cliff. Although I did not come from much, my family's house was filled with a strong kind of love that one rarely finds.
The hammer stands for all of the hard work I have done in my life. Growing up with very little finances, I have had to work my whole life. Not only in school, but also in jobs, my work has taught me about people, about life, and about myself as well.
Pizza represents my family's Italian roots and heritage. We have a strong family that extends all across the country. Pizza stands for the food that unites us when we are brought together every Christmas, as way as a way to celebrate our heritage.
Lastly, the heart represents love. This includes both the love that I have been given by others as well as the love that I always try to show others. I feel that loving people is just about the most important thing you can do.

Thanks for reading!
-Ben