Page 131 - Unforgettable Memories in Life_Neat

Lakeside Junior High School 129

Where my mom grew up.

Wendy Ayon

By Marlon Mancia

I was born on February 18, 1982. I'm 40 years old and was born and raised in El

Salvador. I came to the United States at the age of 9 years old. I went to school in LA, but I got

myself into a little bit of trouble, so my parents decided to move from LA to Arkansas. I grew up

in Arkansas, and I'm a mother of five kids. I work as a sales representative. I travel to different

states to make sales. On the weekends, I spend time with my kids and cook for them as part of

family time.

Before coming to Arkansas, I lived In Los Angeles where there were gangs. They tried to

jump me in by forcing me to be in their gang. They wanted me in their gang because they had

seen me fight multiple times. They thought I was a good fighter and I could be one of them. But I

only fought when I needed to protect myself. People thought I was in a gang because of the way

I dressed, so I would get jumped. I always came out not that bruised or anything like that ‘cause

I would fight back, but parents would see how bruised I was when I came back home. Then they