I refuse to downplay my intelligence... to make you comfortable with your ignorance

Tuesday, May 5, 2026

Crying my eyes out with excitement "Cinco De Mayo" is HERE!!!
The only day I become a LATINO!!! All Week!!!
Do NOT Call Me Today #Drinking

THERE ARE SO MANY WONDERFUL MEXICAN RESTURAUNTS IN MY COMMUNITY THIS IS GOING TO BE SO HARD FOR ME TO PICK ONE

Mi Ranchito Restaurant SF Sahara Ave

Cinco de Mayo Reflections: Culture, Survival, and Rebuilding From the Ground Up

Happy Cinco de Mayo.

For me, this day has always been more than a celebration. It’s a reminder of love, culture, resilience, and the people who helped shape who I am even when they didn’t realize it at the time.

Growing up, my childhood neighbors were the Ochoa family from Mexico. Their home became a second home to me. After school, while waiting for my family to get off work, I would spend my afternoons there under the care of Maria Ochoa the mother of my childhood friend, Teresa.

Maria didn’t just watch me she taught me.

Her cooking was unforgettable. To this day, I’m particular about my food because I know what real, made-with-love meals taste like. But beyond the kitchen, she instilled something even deeper in me: discipline, responsibility, and pride in maintaining a home.

She would assign chores, and somehow, I always ended up cleaning the bathroom.

At the time, I didn’t realize it, but those moments planted the seed for what would later become my cleaning business. What felt like simple household responsibilities became the foundation for Maid 2 Order. My business wasn’t born from an idea it was born from experience, consistency, and lessons passed down in a home that welcomed me as their own.

My Spanish may be limited, but my love and respect for the culture is not. It shows up in the food I cook, the memories I hold onto, and even the excitement I felt just last week making guacamole maybe a little too much of it. I joke about not wanting to gain weight, but the truth is, I enjoy every moment of learning and recreating the flavors that meant so much to me growing up.

And today, instead of cooking, I’m treating myself. I’ll be ordering from one of my favorite Mexican restaurants here in Las Vegas Bonito Michoacan, Culichi Town, or Lindo Michoacan. It feels right to support and enjoy the culture that has given me so much.

But life hasn’t been just memories and celebration.

There has been loss.

The most painful loss wasn’t property or material things it was Devonte’s urn. His remains were priceless. Everything else can be replaced, but that cannot. That kind of loss stays with you in a way words can’t fully explain.

It has also been two years since I’ve had stable housing. Two years of rebuilding, adjusting, surviving, and pushing forward when it would have been easier to give up. At the same time, I’ve been working to rebuild my business, organize my life, and keep my mind focused despite everything happening around me.

There have been people who judged me, laughed at me, accused me, and tried to tear me down many of them without knowing the truth. That part has been one of the hardest. Not the struggle itself, but the way people responded to it.

What hurts most is when the same people you’ve shown up for, supported, and helped are the ones who want to see you fail.

But I’ve made a decision.

I’m not going to revisit those people. I’m not going to carry the weight of their opinions. And I’m not going to stop being who God called me to be.

My children were never abused or neglected. My parental rights were never revoked. I fought for four years for my children and that fight speaks louder than any accusation ever could.

Today, I’m in a new apartment. I’m grateful. I’m humble. I’m thankful.

I’ve invested in a work-from-home setup because I have opportunities in front of me that require preparation. I’m building again intentionally this time. Maid 2 Order is being rebuilt from the ground up. My catering business is set to launch in August 2026. And I’m working toward creating passive income streams, including building a fleet so my income doesn’t depend solely on my time.

This is not just survival anymore this is strategy.

This is rebuilding with purpose.

I’ve always been a writer. I’ve kept diaries for years. My letters, my experiences, my truth they’ve all contributed to something bigger than me. “Diary of Esther” is not just a story; it’s a reflection of faith, endurance, and standing firm in truth, even when it’s uncomfortable.

There are chapters of my life that I don’t need to revisit not because they didn’t matter, but because I’ve already learned what I needed from them.

Now, I’m focused on what’s ahead.

So today, as I celebrate Cinco de Mayo, I’m not just celebrating culture I’m honoring the people who poured into me, the lessons that shaped me, and the strength it takes to keep going when life doesn’t go as planned.

I’m still here.

I’m still building.

And I’m just getting started.