Welcome to Vogue

From New York to LA

"I hope your day treated you well," I say to all my children as we sit by the fire. "Oh mother, if I told you the shift I had today, you just wouldn't believe me," says my daughter Lilibeth. Lilibeth, like me, is a transgender woman. The only difference between us, that it was no longer the late 1980's, still, even now, in the twenty-first century people struggle to allow us our liberty, our right to choose for ourselves but don't let me bother you with details that jump too ahead of where I intend on taking you today.

For on this day, as I sit by the fire with all seven of my adopted children drinking hot chocolate and bonding with one another, I plan to tell you the story of my arrival to Los Angeles, California, and how I went from being a New Yorker and became an Angelina...

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Early in the morning I stood off of the bed, took my clothes, and head straight for the bathroom. If I had to explain what my emotions were, I think I would describe myself as an emotional wreck, this was goodbye, I had no plans of ever returning to New York and with just that, I had enough to be sad. Even though we didn't talk anymore, knowing I would never see my mamá, my papá, the people I grew up with, it was a sad thing.

And I know I shouldn't feel sad, but sometimes, you have to allow yourself to feel those emotions, to explore them, it's a healthier way of letting go and moving on, otherwise, it may take you longer, and cause you a lot of anger. This wasn't the end of my story, rather the beginning of a new chapter, a new book, one I hoped of filling the pages with love, happiness but most importantly pride. I had so many dreams and desires, hopefully, God willing, I would be able to accomplish them all.

When I got out of the shower, I got my clothes on quickly and started putting my wig on. I struggled with getting it to fit, maybe it was the anxiety, but Elenor, being the knowing mother that she was, knocked on the door "Marritza, my child, do you need any help?" I don't know how she did that, but every time one of her kids was in need, she would be there to help.

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"What are you talking about mother, you are just like her, whenever we are in need, be it the smallest of things, you are there to help us through it," said my son Ricchie. I look to him "I know I do that now, but when I first started, when I took Angelo in" Angelo was my first adoptive son, he was a bright light waiting to be turned on, but again, I'm getting ahead of myself. "When I first took him in, I had rules implemented, being the perfectionist that I am, but he needed more than just rules, he needed love, and even though I swore never to teach by fear and heartache, I made a decision similar to Elenor's, granted I learned from it, but I should've known better"

My children look at me as I clear my throat and take a sip from the hot chocolate, I grab Lilibeth's hand and squeeze it.

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She came into the bathroom and had me sit down on the toilet "come, sit, let me help you glue this on, we don't want you going out into the world giving your mother a bad name, let alone causing a bad first impression." I looked over to her and smiled at her "thank you Mother, for everything you have done for me" she continued to spread the glue around "It has been the greatest of honors to have you here with me." She squeezed my right cheek.

As we finished up, I stood from the toilet and followed her out of the bathroom, the rest of my siblings had their heads hanging out of their rooms. I turned to look at them all "I will miss you all so much" tears began running down my face, they all came to hug me.

After two minutes of standing there in silence, I cleaned myself up and grabbed my suitcases. Outside in the living room, Elenor waited with an envelope in her hand "take this and keep it with you. Inside you will find LuiG's contact, he is a good old friend of mine, he will be waiting for you" I interrupted her "waiting for me?" "Yes, I already arranged for you to stay with him a few weeks while you get the lay of the land, I don't want you sleeping on the streets ever again," she said to me and I replied "thank you, but you shouldn't have worried about it, you already have done so much for me"