My name is Marlon Aristy, an MSA senator for the Student Government Association, treasurer of the Latino Student Organization and a dual-major in political science and international studies with a minor in Spanish. I am a proud Dominican Afro-Latino male and son of two immigrant parents who have sacrificed so much for me to be here.

My first language was Spanish. As a kid growing up in the town of Mechanicsburg, I quickly knew I was different by the way I looked, spoke and interacted with others. I was not overly social, but I made sure to talk to people and make friends.

I lived, and am living, a trouble-free life thanks to my parents. I played baseball from the age of 8, all the way until my senior year of high school, I was captain of the football team my senior year, and a four-sport high honors athlete.

All of my accomplishments are sentimental to me. I worked hard to reach this point in life. I do not have many regrets, and I am confident in my ability to make choices and be myself, something I have learned to do quite recently.

However, there is one thing I do constantly reflect on. Throughout my life, I conformed. I wanted to fit in and show that I can be just like everyone else around me. I quickly learned the American way of life. I quickly learned of racial barriers, and throughout my life these experiences have shaped who I am.

The cost of conforming has left me seemingly foreign to my own culture. A couple years ago, if you would have asked me what Black History Month means to me, I would have told you a simple answer. It means understanding the difficulties Black people went through so that those that live on in the next generation can share these stories. It is to remember the difficulties they experienced physically, emotionally, and mentally.

My time here at Shippensburg, although a short one, has been extremely educational. Not only in the classroom, but outside as well.

Diversity is such a beautiful, influential and often overlooked reality. When people can speak like you, understand your cultural roots and share differences, cultural diffusion can thrive and prosper. I can learn my country’s language and share it amongst my friends without worrying about judgment. I can proudly make memories with people that understand how important my cultural roots are. I can be a part of an organization where I feel comfortable. I can leave behind the worries of being stared at at the grocery store or being followed around the Nike store due to the color of my skin or the way I speak.

Today, if you ask me what Black History Month means I would give you a different meaning. It means paying tribute for all those that paved the way for me, a colored American student, to have the opportunities I have today. It means understanding that we are a long way from where we need to be. It means expressing the beauty of another culture. Not only black culture but all cultures of color. Expressing that no matter what difficulties we face, what discrimination occurs in our daily lives or the inequalities we may face, we stand as one.

We as people of color live today for a better future tomorrow. We strive to gain an education today to overcome the racial disparities of the workforce. We continue to be the best individuals we can be so that our community can grow and prosper. We speak against the inequalities we face today to empower the lives of the future. To surpass the expectations set for us based on the color of our skin. 

We march on to show that society is a long way from accepting a colored person in a position of power. We learn from the people who sacrificed everything to give us the life we have today in order to continue the fight against racism.

The color of my skin will never stop me from achieving my goals. That is what Black History Month is. It is a time to recognize that the people of color, no matter where we are, are unified. We will continue to stand together.

It is a reminder that no matter how difficult the road may be or how long the march continues, we will not stop. I have no more shame in accepting the fact that I am different. Different is beautiful. I am a proud Dominican. I am a proud person of color. Nothing will ever change that.

Black History Month will forever continue to be a staple in my life. A time for me to enjoy the diversity of the world, of America. A time to come together and share the stories we were told by our parents, teachers, and mentors, so that one day we can tell our kids.

The voices of the past will inspire lives of the future. Each and every day. Black History Month is diversity, and diversity is many things. To me, however, diversity is powerful. It is unification, and above all else, it is one of the world’s most beautiful qualities when understood and shared amongst the people.

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