Last night was the night. A night that my club and I were looking forward to for months now. It was the night of the fourth annual Latinos United Banquet, and I had the honor of being the MC for the event. My club and I began to throw ideas around for this banquet back in February, back when I first joined the Latinos United club. It was my first time ever participating, or even attending, a banquet like this. So, I was not quite sure what to expect, but when I walked through the doors and saw the end result, it truly took my breath away. Every rose petal, battery powered candle, and carefully constructed program was strategically placed on the delicate lace runners that adorned each table. Every single detail of the banquet had to be carefully planned out, and I am so proud of my club for the hard work and perseverance they all put into the event.

We had really only been able to practice once in the auditorium where the event was held, so seeing how well my club members pull off their presentations amazed me and showcased how professional every one of them are. I have to admit, I did not have a lot of faith in myself, to say I did not feel confident enough to host the event is an understatement. I was also wearing a pair of heels so I had myself convinced that there would be at least one tumble down during the night! However, that pair of heels were far too fabulous to leave at home so I prepared myself to take that face plant like a champ! But once I saw everyone from my club looking so beautiful and handsome, it breathed life into me and gave me the confidence boost that I so desperately needed. I was also lucky enough to get a little pep talk from our advisor, Señora Levin, telling me to just be myself and have fun with. So, with that, I was ready to get this show on the road!

The clock struck six, it was now officially show time. There was still a low hummer of chattering amongst the audience as Rod Davis, one of the powerhouses of the school, stood to make his speech. I quickly made my way over to my according podium behind him, waiting anxiously for my turn to speak. His voice was powerful and he had the audience hanging on to every one of his words. I wanted to try my best to speak like he was, calm and collected. But I knew that was not going to happen with how many flips my stomach was doing at the moment. Up after him was our advisor, Sra. Levin, who was going to make opening remarks and introduce me. Then, to my horror, she picked up the microphone and it had stopped working. Earlier in the day it was working perfectly, of course, when we didn’t need it. But the issue was quickly resolved and we were soon on our merry way. She finished up talking then turned to me, and with a big smile across her face, handed me the microphone…