All my life i have lived in the same neighborhood in Chicago. I always thought my neighborhood was bad when i was little. There was many violence and not to mention a gang banger living across the street from me. I would say i heard a couple shootings at night and seen this one crime right in front of my eyes. I remember seeing this one lady walking down the street and this guy pops out of know were and just pushed her. He ran like hell and took her bag with him. As i got older it got safe.

My parents are from Mexico and they wished to have a better life here. My parents have kept some traditions. We all eat certain meals at certain times. There is a special tradition when a girl turns 15 years old. This tradition is called quinceanera. My mom did it to my sister a long time ago. My parents have said that Chicago has changed a lot. There are more people from different ethnicities now more then ever. Racism has calmed down a little too, they would say.

Daniel Esquinca