[il Padrino Ute]

My reality is what I made.

My parents were both educators until I was 12 when my dad decided to get his general contractor's license and went into business for himself. He and mom worked hard to provide food and shelter for the kids. By the time I graduated high school, my dad's business was doing great, but he did all of us kids a favor and didn't buy us what we wanted or offer to pay for school. My parents decided that we would be better off if we did it ourselves.

Fortunately, I had worked my ass of in baseball to be good enough to play in exchange for my education.

Everything I have, I've done on my own. I bought my own home on my own credit. I did what had to be done.

I'll be honest that I never thought about me being white as the reason behind my ability to get where I am, because I don't play that game. I believe that anyone can succeed if they are willing to do what it takes. Some may have to work harder than others, but the key is the willingness to do it.

Perhaps to you it is sickening that I believe people deserve what they get, but I don't worry about that. Why is it sickening to think people can succeed if they want to succeed? Why do they have to have a safety net to fail?