Voice
editor in chief bids farewell to friends, staff
Gabriel Cruz
Editor in Chief
The Voice
‘When you expect nothing, and
you get everything, that’s destiny.’ – Blood in, Blood out
Five and a half years ago, as
a senior in high school, after being terminated from ever attending high
school, a certain individual from the high school faculty approached me and
left me with some parting words… “Good luck in life, because you will never
amount to anything.”
For that reason, I did not
expect anything out of life. I did not know what I wanted; I did not know what
I was going to do. I did not expect to come to college, since it is stereotyped
by society that Latinos never will graduate from high school, let alone attend
college.
Here I am
now, five and a half years later, writing my last column as Editor in
Chief of a student college newspaper. Journalism has offered my life so much. I
encourage those who wish to have the best education to take several journalism
classes. A Journalism students is the type of
individual who must learn a little about everything in life, a true renaissance
individual of our time. They must have knowledge in history, politics,
economics, arts, athletics, make opinions based on facts, learn how to
socialize with a variety of people, but most important, learn about the “human experience.”
Now as it is time for me to
step aside for the next loyal leader of the Voice, Larry Gulliford. He has all
my confidence that he will rise above the standards, which many of the editors
have set. I know he will continue to provide news, which will stimulate
intellectual and emotional conversations among the students of
As I leave, I part with many
thanks to some people who have a special place in mi Corazon, my heart.
My mother who persuaded me to
enroll in college instead of the military, my younger brother Max, who is
currently proselyting in the Dominican Republic, but who also spent much time
waiting long nights and early mornings keeping my dinner warm and making sure I
got home safely after working on the paper later (or early) just to make sure I
made deadline.
My five
Journalism mentors, Larry Bohlender, Kate O’Hehir,
Phil Mateer and Julie Knapp. I also highly thank Ian Newman, formerly of
SUNY-Rockland Community College (NY) who taught me what the purpose of what a
Journalist and Journalism is truly about.
Dr. René Diaz-Lefebvre, Paul
Romo, Joseph Bednorz, David Miller, David Rodriguez, Jose Mendoza, Father
Sharp, Brother Cuthbertson, my best friend Jim Lugo who I met on this campus
and the rest of the guys from D.I.,” for all their academic or spiritual
guidance they have provided me during my times as an Editor.
Marcos Anthony Sanchez and
Fernando Alcaraz at SMU 2 in Florence, Zenia Miramontes in Perryville, and
Ramsey Muñiz in Leavenworth, though they are locked up in prison, they all
continue to encourage me not to quit in my studies and succumb to the negative
influences of society.
The last person I want to
thank is my friend, my role model Jimmy Santiago Baca for inspiring me with his
words and his “extraordinary personal transformation.” His “personal spirit in
overcoming the most brutal adversity” made me truly believe that I can truly
gain everything I want in life.