ABOUT The project & me
Mine is a story of history, identity, and desire.
​
When tasked to think about what I wanted my capstone project to discuss, I immediately thought of my grandfather. My paternal grandfather graduated from the University of Michigan in 1963. He lived in Ann Arbor for four years, six months of which he was accompanied by my paternal grandmother as they had just gotten married. 33 years later, in 1996, my own father graduated from U-M, where he met his lifelong friends and made memories that have, quite literally, lasted him a lifetime.
My own time in Ann Arbor has been spent trying to trace back my father's and grandfather's steps in attempts to ensure that my experience here is as holistic and complete as possible. When I first stepped foot on campus in August 2022, I made an interminable amount of bucket lists covering everything I wanted to do before my own graduation from U-M in May 2026. Now, my graduation is only a few months away, and I have spent most of my time this semester lamenting what I have yet to say goodbye to. In the midst of these complicated feelings, I began thinking about why I'm even a student at Michigan in the first place and how I've become who I am at Michigan today. Thus, my capstone project was born.
​
I like to think of myself as a mosaic, made up of the different people and places that have contributed to the overall composition of my being. I have always been infatuated by stories of love, care, and familiarity. How magical is it that we get to recognize each other in the people we love? How wonderful is it that we're all halves of a whole?
In this project, I've decided to explore my cultural identities — Puerto Rican and Dominican — through the lenses of memory, family, and literature. You will encounter personal narratives, photographs, and quotes from time stones of cultural literature. Above all, you will encounter me, where I come from, who I am, and the people that have led me here.
Thank you to my parents for sending me most of the pictures I included in this assignment, and thank you to Camila and Vikki, my workshop team, to my WRITING 420 instructor, Julie Babcock, and to Megan Behrend, my consultant, for helping me bring this project to life.
​
I hope you enjoy reading me.