Redefining Resilience and Hope: La Lucha Continúa!

Abstract

During the COVID-19 pandemic, I redefined resilience and hope in my life. Graduate school was challenging enough for a young bisexual Latina. Writing a dissertation and managing my many roles and responsibilities from my kitchen table made me doubt the purpose of my doctoral degree, ambitions, and goals. What was the purpose of writing a dissertation when people were dying from COVID-19, fighting against racial injustices, and facing a presidential election? I was left feeling immense anger and hopelessness. As I held these feelings, I simultaneously thought of my own family and asked myself, when would I feel the warmth of my mother’s cheeks and my father’s embrace, reminding me of their unconditional love? Despite the pain and loss, I embraced my resilience, found healthy ways to cope with adversity, felt more connected to my family, and achieved my professional goal of becoming a psychologist.