For our last Community Narrative before our graduating student highlights, we’re featuring Tere Islas (she/hers), a junior concentrating in Public Policy. Tere is currently at home with family in Chicago, IL.

How are you doing? How have you been adjusting to current transitions?

I’m in general trying to keep calm, but inside it’s like panic going on. I’ve been having a hard time sleeping and having my mind at ease. Being at home and concentrating on school is not ideal. My house is pretty small so private space is very limited. In the five minutes I was inside it’s like can you help with this or do this, so yeah it’s hard. I’m also happy I’m at home because my family needs help with a lot of different things. Earlier today, I was translating something for my godmother. I do feel like a resource here but it’s hard because I don’t have the same motivation or mindset as when I was at Brown.

I’ve been trying to really push and support the UPass thing, so it’s been really draining that there’s been a lack of support from the school. It took a toll to be out there telling your story. Besides that, I’ve been trying to keep things chill, watching Netflix and still trying to get some exercise in my backyard.

What’s giving you joy at the moment?

Honestly, food. My mom loves cooking. Now that she’s not working, she’s been cooking a lot. So the joy of food I guess and sharing it with everyone.

Also my cousin. I haven’t really talked to him in a while since he’s been doing his own thing. He’s in high school now, so actually talking now has been great. Being at Brown, I’m also missing up on my sister growing up. She’s in third grade right now so also helping with her homework. Even though we’re all in the struggle at least we’re in it together and supporting each other. I live in an apartment complex but all the apartments are family members so we’re all together. 

Can you describe a time this past semester when you felt connected to the folks around you?

I’m part of MEChA de Brown and that has been my community. Even before freshman year. They were the first ones I met at ADOCH. Just this past semester, we’ve been meeting about the Latinx Ivy League conference. It always felt like a safe space for me to express myself and come together to make events for the community. Most people in MEChA are my friends too and my community at Brown. We spend time together doing homework at the BCSC or the SciLi. I like the Rock but none of them like the Rock so we go to the SciLi. If it wasn’t for the U-FLi Center, I probably would never be at the SciLi.

Any content recommendations? (E.g. movies, music, books, podcasts, etc.)

Honestly I’ve been rereading a lot of books from my classes from last semester, like Criminal Courts. I don’t read as in depth as I wish I could during the semester, so what I’ve been doing is rereading Crook County. It’s about Crook County in Chicago and our mass incarceration problem. I wanted to reread it because it hits to home. 

On Netflix, La Casa De Papel. They just released another season but I still have to watch it. The only podcast I listen to on Spotify is Bitter Brown Femmes. I haven’t listened to it in a while but I probably will catch up. Thundercat and Frank Ocean also came out with new music.