I never realized how strong and inspiring my grandmas were until I grew up and got to know more about what they have been through throughout their life.They are my motivation and inspiration of every day. Their life experiences and things they have faced make their stories and life even more interesting.

      My grandma Antonia Viorato to start is a very understanding and full of joy person, which is why I always go to her when I need someone to talk to. I am inspired by her for being so full of joy even after all the rough times shes faced. When she was a very young girl, she was always the mistreated one out of all her siblings. My great grandma had even kicked her out of the house several times. Antonia was kicked out and mistreated so much because her parents always thought that everything that went wrong in the house was her fault. Antonia prefered her grandparents and that made her mom upset but she had no other choice if her parents were always against her. Her mom never realized that she was at fault for Antonia being that way. Most of the time she'd spend her time at her grandmas house for this reason.

     Growing up Antonia was on her own besides having her grandma. When she migrated to the United States for the first time she went with a partner who was a male. They were separated or, better said, he left her when they were going up a hill and suddenly they got stuck, he found his way out and left her. Eventually, she got herself out and was able to cross and found a home where she got help and was able to call a family member. The lady who she got help from gave her food and my grandma out of fear only grabbed a little amount of food. Later, the lady had said that my grandma’s family would be sending someone to get her. My grandmother apart from being on her own most of the time she's also been put through a lot when it comes to men. For instance, the man she had her first kids with. This man always made my grandma feel unwanted, he was cruel. Always so serious, he would only show affection to his kids once in awhile. My grandma who clearly did not deserve this left him when their daughters were very young. There isn't much more to the story she has with him. My grandma doesn't really talk about him because he was never really there, so she didn't have much to say.

      A couple months later I believe my grandpa came along while my two aunts were still pretty young, my grandmother had three more kids with my grandpa. Unfortunately, he was only a good husband and father at the beginning he took his kids out to the beach,parks and walks he was always there to listen. At that moment he was more understanding than my grandma but, little by little he became worse.  He started yelling more, mistreated my aunts a couple times, always yelled at my uncle. My uncle and grandpa never seemed to get along very well. Once my grandpa and grandma's kids grew he became a pretty bad parent and husband. He would hit my grandma, called her names and she put up with it. The only time they would actually communicate was when they were watching their favorite soccer team play “Las Chivas De Guadalajara”, but that was occasionally. If it wasn't that then they were both drunk, my grandpa spent most of his times drunk. As of 3 years ago my grandpa left to Mexico for “a while” and never came back. It didn't make my grandma to upset, she did love him very much but she wasn't happy. For going through what she did and now at 69 still now finally being happy I look up to her very much.

    Ramona De La Cruz my grandma from my dad's side. She is the most hardworking person I know. Ever since she was a young girl she has always been told she must do what the man says, and till this day she lives by that. Some people may think thats nice, its nice in the way that she would do what she was told and did not hesitate. Its not that nice though, its actually unfortunate. In the ways that my grandpa takes advantage of that. He expects her to always clean after him and to listen to whatever it is he says. Basically when he’s around she has no voice. She herself has told her kids that she is afraid of my grandpa. I think to myself how could my uncles,aunts and dad sleep in peace knowing that their mother is afraid of their father. My grandpa is sick but that does not give him the right to be the way he is with my grandma. She puts up with that even though she isn't happy. She does it because that's what she was told to do and she knows without her my grandpa can't do much for himself. She is kind enough to still be there. My grandpa is another who mistreated all his kids. My grandma out of fear never said anything because she knew how my grandpa was. Apart from dealing with my grandpa and still putting a smile on her face, she is the most helpful person I know. In spanish we would say “acomedida” which means helps without being asked. That makes her such a wonderful person.

    I wish that I knew more about my grandma Ramona’s past I know I would look up to her more than I already do. I don't know as much as I wish because she's always isolated herself and been such a quiet person. I think the reason to her being this way is my grandpa. Since he’s always shut up and doesn't let her speak. I know there is some people that might think she's weak for not leaving my grandpa or at least speaking up. I know  she isn't though shes strong because she manages to stay and she puts others before herself all the time. That's why she's strong, because even though she should she doesn't put herself first.

  Due to what my grandmas have experienced I look at things differently. For one I definitely do not need a man in order to be happy. Secondly I may think I have it rough but I really don't. Thanks to my grandmothers I know to appreciate life and not take anything for granted. I do everything I do for them because they deserve that and more. They’ve impacted me in many ways and i’ll use all those as my own personal life lessons and as motivation