Lessons from the Family Tree

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Whizdee Dolbrus

 

I come from Haitian heritage, where I’m 

Taught that fun’s only had at church, 

school, or home, a lesson passed down 

for generations.

 

I come from immigrants, who began

their American Dream fitting eleven people

in a dodgy one-bedroom apartment on

the banks of Asbury Park, NJ.

 

I come from a father who worked odd

jobs to make ends meet for my siblings

before me, learning English as he went

along, so that I may one day hear his story.

 

I come from a mother who sings in the morning, 

and prays at night while working two

jobs to ensure the burdens she faced

will never be my own.

 

I come from a family who demands

I become better than they ever were,

unaware of how difficult I find it

to surpass the ones who taught me

the definition of strength.

 

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Whizdee Dolbrus graduated in 2024 and majored in criminal justice with a minor in political science. She is from Ocean Township, New Jersey where she likes to sing and listen to music. She hopes to go to law school and become a lawyer with a specialization in criminal law or juvenile justice.