The farewell speech 💚

The farewell speech 💚

Seven years ago, I walked through the gates of the City College of Angeles once more. But this time, not as a student searching for direction, but as someone ready to serve. I never imagined that returning to my alma mater would become one of the most meaningful journeys of my life.

I stepped into different roles, wore many hats, and poured my heart into the work. But beyond the tasks and titles, what truly mattered were the people. The quiet strength of our staff and teachers, the brilliance and drive of our students, the stories of my fellow alumni who continued to rise and give back, and the silent sacrifices of those who gave more than what was asked of them. These moments, these faces, these hearts—I will carry with me, always.

To work in the place that raised you is a gift. I was given the chance to come full circle. To give back to the very halls that once held my dreams. To walk beside young people as they began chasing their own.

There were hard days. There were quiet triumphs. There were stories shared in passing that ended up staying with me far longer than I expected. There was purpose. There was belonging. There was love.

And now, as I leave, I do so with deep gratitude.

Thank you, City College of Angeles, for allowing me to grow within your walls, for trusting me to be part of something bigger than myself, and for reminding me that the true measure of a life’s work is not in the position held but in the lives touched.

I carry with me your core values of excellence, resiliency, stewardship, and patrimony. I carry with me every student who dared to dream, every colleague who became family, every alumnus whose journey reminded me of the power of community and of what CCA truly is, an institution of hope, where hope resides and lives are transformed, and every moment that reminded me why I stayed for as long as I did.

And as I quietly turn the page to begin a new chapter, this time in a place touched by another kind of green, one that's paired with gold, I carry with me everything this beloved college has taught me, the values, the memories, the people. Always with gratitude. Always with heart.

And somewhere in the next chapter, I hope I continue to make you proud.

This isn’t really a goodbye, just a soft pause between chapters of the same journey. A journey that began here, shaped me here, and one I’ll continue to live out with purpose, wherever I go and whatever colors I may wear next.

Thank you, City College of Angeles. You will always be my home, my beginning, and my why. 💚💛