By Jerod Williams
On Oct 17, 2023. I attended the Let’s Paint event that was held in B100. Two events were held one after another; first was the Paint Sesh, then a seminar from Fatima Ademe where she told her story about the struggles of being an undocumented American and of her success that she found despite her struggle.
The paint session was first; here attendees were walked through an in-person tutorial that taught them how to paint a simple potted plant. The instructor carried the spirit of Bob Ross with him as he gently instructed the others to follow along, but despite being a tutorial, attendees were encouraged to deviate from his example and create their own potted plant. While some may see this as too much of a challenge, those who participated in the painting were able to craft beautiful pieces, each with their own unique variant on the original potted plant. Each just as beautiful as the original. Many people downplay their artistic ability, but the PaintSesh shows that we all have some artistic ability. Painting especially being a medium that most can jump into and produce something amazing.
Next was Fatima Ademe’s lecture about her story as an undocumented student. Her story is one of Rag’s to Riches, as an undocumented immigrant from Mexico. Fatima’s story speaks to the power of inspiration and the power that those with influence have on their followers. Fatima was motivated to attend Valley College despite all the voices telling her that she couldn’t. However, because of the inspiring words of one person she looked up to, she did go to Valley. She passionately recounted how when she was struggling throughout college, the teachers and professors went out of their way not only to feed her and other students but also to drive them back and forth from school to home. Valley College’s greatest strength is the opportunities it makes available to everyone, regardless of their status in society, and Fatima’s story, as a Valley College Alumni, is proof of that concept. Fatima ended her lecture, by encouraging students that no matter who they are or where they came from, they can succeed in life, and that Valley College is willing to aid them in any way possible
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