“Y fui toda en mí como fue en mí la vida…”
By: Julia de Burgos
22-year-old former student body president, senator and student body representative Naysha Marie Alcalá Loaiza has been a woman of many facets and controversy in her mere 5 years as a student at UPRM. She has been no stranger to any of us: we saw her during last semester’s student assemblies, around campus; She even made her debut on radio during last semester’s 72-day student strike, #LaGranHuelga2017!
But even though she’s recognized, we have yet to know the real story behind this amazing Wonder Woman Colegial.
Naysha began showing her passion for serving others ever since she was a prepa. As a member of a committee focused on student services. She later on became a representative of the Social Science Department, and Senator of the Arts Faculty while simultaneously being the secretary for the Consejo General de Estudiantes (CGE).
Ultimately, she became the first female president of the CGE in the last decade: “It was and has always been my north to help others, especially students. Ever since I was sworn as president of CGE, it has been my goal to be accessible in order to help as many people as I can.”
“I believe that even though it was a tough year I rose up to the challenge thanks to all the people who believed in and helped me throughout the process… my family for the never ending support, and specially my friends who were by my side from the very beginning.”
But even though she embraces her superpower of helping others, Alcalá’s true passion lies in the influence women have had in politics:“Those movements that are controlled by male chauvinism right now,” she recalled, while saying that it has been her emphasis during her entire bachelor’s career to highlight the importance of women in order to incentivize others, like herself, to strive for greatness.
One of the many women that have inspired her has been Julia de Burgos with her poem Yo misma fui mi ruta, because Alcalá believes that Burgos incarnates “the sense of empowerment that women should always aspire to have.”
“Y fui toda en mí como fue en mí la vida…”
Yo quise ser como los hombres quisieron que yo fuese:
un intento de vida;
un juego al escondite con mi ser.
Pero yo estaba hecha de presentes;
cuando ya los heraldos me anunciaban
en el regio desfile de los troncos viejos,
se me torció el deseo de seguir a los hombres,
y el homenaje se quedó esperándome.
”Yo misma fui mi ruta” by Julia de Burgos
And because women are a daily example of achievement, Alcalá encourages all those who wish to excel to give their best and face all challenges head-on, because we are unique beings who, with lots of love and patience, can accomplish anything we want in life.
Naysha remains a student at the UPRM, graciously awaiting her graduation next May, but even though her days inside the CGE have come to an end, she wishes everyone to know that if you need help, in any way, she’s more than willing to help you!