This year, I have been blessed with the opportunity to visit my beloved Hialeah High School and share with students the amazing successes my creativity has allowed me to enjoy. It is a creativity that was developed and constantly encouraged by my teachers. But first, who am I? For some, I am the Hia leah rapper you saw on television. For others, I am someone who tells a story of inspiration, challenges, and rhythm. But to me, I am just a Cuban boy raised by a single mother in Miami who discovered a talent for dancing, all thanks to an amazing teacher at Henry H. Filer Middle School. September was Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, a time established to raise visibility, support affected families, and advocate for much-needed pediatric cancer research. Recognized globally by the gold ribbon of hope, this observance reminds us to stand with children battling this disease, and that is why I want to share my story with you now. It is a story of how, through pain, trauma, and the unknown, I was able to identify a new outlet that led me to where I am today. When I was 13 years old, I loved dancing. I entered a sixth-grade dance battle at Filer Middle School and won. The dance teacher, Ms. Sardo ran up to me and basically said, “I need this kid in my dance class.” She inspired me to represent my community in performances around the city. I had found my talent and my way to express myself. But just when I was honing my dancing skills, I faced what no 13-year-old should ever face: leukemia. At first, I didn’t even understand the medical gibberish the doctors were telling me. One day, I Googled what chemotherapy was, and on a car ride, I asked my mom, “Do I have cancer?” She looked at me and cried. When the chemo settled in, came a second blow. My muscles stopped working. My ability to dance was gone, and I was trapped in a body that was sick. I had a lot of darkness in me, feelings that a young kid should not feel. In the stillness of my body, I began putting pain to paper. I discovered rap as a way of putting rhythmical movement into words. My early approach was dark. When I was 14, I wrote a song called “Am I a Psycho,” where I talked about the toxic medicine in my bloody veins to express the reality of the doctors and the treatment. Luckily, my mom didn’t give up on me. She fought to bring some sense of normalcy to my life, utilizing school district resources for homeschooling so I could transition back into a regular routine. Eventually, I went back to Filer, where Ms. Sardo welcomed me back with open arms. I had found an alternative that kept me moving creatively, even when my body wasn’t cooperating. By the time I entered Hialeah High, I was recuperating rapidly and honing both forms of expression. I always say I probably rap better than I talk, and I probably dance better than I rap. During lunchtimes, I would freestyle by the gym wall. I was always in an environment of true encouragement. Years went by. I graduated and got a regular job to pay the bills, but that sense of encouragement from Miami-Dade County Public Schools carried on with me. I slowly let that form of expression out again on TikTok, which opened doors that took me all the way to “America’s Got Talent.” If you are a parent, an aunt, an abuelita, or a child who feels like your body isn’t cooperating, please know there are tools out there. Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) is your best choice to support your family during these difficult times. The District offers comprehensive resources for students facing a cancer diagnosis, including dedicated mental health screenings, counseling, and crisis intervention to help support a child’s emotional well-being. They also offer specialized educational options like the Homebound/Hospitalized Instructional Program (HHIP) through the Brucie Ball Educational Center, ensuring that medically vulnerable students can continue their education in a hospital setting, at home, or virtually. Find out what resources they can offer so you can continue to learn and be encouraged, regardless of what your body may be saying to you. In that process, I hope you discover a new path forward. I went through everything I did for a reason, and that is to use my story to inspire, motivate, and give people hope. Instead of focusing on the darkness, look at who is showing up for you right now. Keep believing in your dreams because your next chapter is waiting for you to create it. The post Finding my beat in Hialeah: How Miami-Dade Public Schools helped me turn pain into purpose appeared first on Miami’s Community News. ...read more read less