When people mention turning points, they usually mention a near-death experience or even better, an influence. I have none of those clichés to fall back on. I do not have a tragic tale, I am not the product of a horrible childhood. I am what most would consider an average, Hispanic, female—the product of a middle class childhood. While many people have beautiful stories about turning points in their life, I have film. While other kids were playing with their Barbie dolls, or playing video games, I watched movies. I learned about who I am by watching Audrey Hepburn.
Growing up, I have always felt the absence of someone to whom I can relate, someone like me. I have always been the tall, lanky quiet girl in the corner, more interested in finding out the ending of “Moby Dick” than finding out who asked who to the winter dance. I longed to find someone like me, and found that in Audrey. Her character Jo (Funny Face), became my instant role model. She values intelligence over vanity, and reassured awkward, 12-year-old me, that I was okay the way I was, and that is what makes me extraordinary.
Holly Golightly was my hero. I dressed up as her three years in a row for Halloween, and practically memorized her iconic rendition of “Moon River”. Holly was so much more than a two dimensional character to me. Her carefree attitude and ability to reinvent herself serving as a guide for how I navigated the transition from middle school to high school. Holly taught me that I belong to myself, no man, or pre-conceived idea of how a woman should behave could influence me. Her over-the-top personality and glamorous persona is what prodded me to try to emulate at a time when being a gangly eighth grader needed her most.
In fact, through Princess Ann ("Roman Holiday"), I learned that a person can have endless riches and jewels, but happiness and love are valued above everything. Ann recognized a hollowness in her life, and searched for a deeper meaning to her anything but mundane life. This caused her to run away on a romantic adventure, which in turn, helped her find her true self in the process. It was a lesson that spoke volumes because I realized firsthand we make our own adventures. We don’t need makeup to reassure us we are beautiful. The cosmetic industry banks on our insecurities and tries to tell us what we need to be “new and improved.” We don’t have to wave flags or burn bras to get our point across. I have let my character—loud at times and quiet for others—speak about who I am: strong, determined and all woman.
