This world is for all of us

When N was 12 years old, they said to their parents, “I’m not a Christian. I need to focus on science for a while. Can I not go to church anymore?”

Born in the South, N grew up surrounded by the conservative and Christian culture of the Bible Belt, largely influencing their rebellion against tradition later in life. As a half white, half Mestizx child, N felt pride in helping their classmates with their Spanish homework. But by sixth grade, N realized, “I’m not the same as everyone else, so I developed a lot of anti – let me see what the opposite of all of these things are.’

N investigated science and math to distance themself from the social problems associated with Christianity, eventually pursuing a personal approach to religion and finding consolation in polytheistic values and practices. While Jesus and the Christian god are not good exemplars of divinity for N, the possible existence of the divine in the natural world and its relation to goodness brings N hope instead.

In high school, N and other Hispanic students stuck together as they faced a culture of white superiority and the racist climate of the South during the mid-90s. N attributes part of their success in the STEM field to wanting to represent Hispanic people and other racial minorities. Despite today’s celebration of anti-racism, N explains that racism and white-centric culture have persisted throughout time and are still on display, even in their hometown in California.

Assigned male at birth and raised as a boy, this never felt right to N, who learned how to play a part and “not get beat up too much.” Although N’s experiences over time have helped them grow to be more comfortable in their skin, they explained their parents’ concern that happiness and safety come with conformity and assimilation.

N rejects this, saying that their identity has fueled their perspective on happiness and what the American Dream means to them. There is a superficial standard of success attained through financial stability, family, or social status, N explains. “There may be an expectation for you to conform, but there is another side of that freedom to live your life the way you want to and pursue other life choices.” The traditional American Dream of two kids and a white picket fence was never on N’s radar. Instead, N smiles as they talk about the freedom to find their own sources of happiness, like enjoying their home garden and volunteering for important causes.

“This world is for all of us. Just living feels like an accomplishment to me. In that sense, I feel like I’m living the American Dream.”

N is…

• 38 Years-Old
• Non-Binary
• White
• Latinx
• Polytheist
• Middle Class
• Bisexual