Arriving at Harvard as a first-year Chicana from California, I felt lost. I had no idea how one class would transform my first semester and identity.

Starting college can feel like entering a completely different world, especially when you’re far from home and trying to find where you belong. As a first-year Chicana at Harvard, I found myself in this exact position—lost and disconnected. My culture and background have always formed an important part of my identity, but I wasn’t sure how to bring that into my college experience.

When I came across Latinx Studies through Literature and Visual Arts, I wasn’t expecting to be so excited about a class, but it completely blew me away. This course wasn’t just about reading texts and analyzing art—it was about exploring the history, struggles, and achievements of the Latinx diaspora in the United States in ways I’d never imagined.

Every week, we dove into a new unit and were introduced to powerful Latinx voices—from Gloria Anzaldúa’s poems about identity in Borderlands to Piri Thomas’ raw storytelling about identity and systemic injustice in Down These Mean Streets. These readings made me reflect on my place in the world and my roots. These stories showcased the lived experiences of Chicanos, Puerto Ricans, and Central and South Americans, revealing how these stories into a bigger cultural and political landscape. It felt like I was discovering and connecting different pieces of a large puzzle, helping me understand the history and culture of Latinx communities in the United States.

While I enjoyed the readings, I also loved exploring different artwork! Artists such as Yreina D. Cervantez and Firelei Báez brought the concepts we learned about to life in inspiring and vibrant ways. Báez’s captivating portraits of Afro-Latinx figures and Cervantez’s portrayal of Indigenous womanhood challenged me to think about the intersectionality of identities—especially within the context of cultural pride and resistance.

The best part of this course was that we approached things from a global perspective. We didn’t just look at the U.S.; we looked at how the history of Latina America, from imperialism to migration, shaped the Latinx experience today. We dove into everything from the Chicano Movement to the impact of NAFTA on the border. To me, this wasn’t just about learning—this was about understanding my history and how these issues still affect my community today.

By the end of the semester, I had not only enriched myself with so much knowledge but also found a great community on campus. This class gave me the tools to reflect, learn, and celebrate what it means to be Latinx in the United States. I learned how the Latinx community is evolving in the U.S. and how I fit into this greater narrative. It gave me the language and the context to express my own experiences and to feel empowered by the struggles and achievements of my people. What started as a search for connection ended up being a journey of self-discovery, and I’m excited to continue learning and growing as a Latinx student at Harvard!