MISSION POSSIBLE: Maria, Maria

Today is a really special day. It was the day that my God sister, cousin, and best friend Maria Mora graced the grounds of this Earth. She just turned 22. Maria has been a close part of my life since the day I was born. We are not blood related, but we became sisters under the word of God when my mother baptized her.

Besides all of our personal experiences together, all the ups and downs, Maria has made a huge music influence in my life. You know how it will be typical to have an actual, successful artist as your idol, well Maria is one of my music idols. She is two years older than me and even though I grew up quicker than her, I was giving her all the advice and tips, little does she know all the influence that she has laid on me. Oh my gosh, I'm getting teary eyed. Zamn! Now I'm crying. That shit happened quick. It is just a beautiful feeling. I cry at new age, but never from a death. Last year I was fortunate enough to see my sister graduate from the International Academy of Design & Technology with her bachelor's degree in Fine Arts in Audio Production.

I was so proud of my sister for going this far. I remember her first year of college, her mother asked me, "Do you think that what she is studying is what she really wants?" YES. I always believe that Maria knows what she was doing at the time and still is. I thought it was dope that she stayed at home but did not take the traditional route and settle with a low key degree. Fuck that! Maria dug deep into the bottom of her heart and pulled out what she had the most passion for ... music. She had been a part of the band since middle school until high school as a clarinet player and in color guard (the flag dancers). But I understood how her mammy was feeling, the economy was and still is not too sweet to go into a such a large and competitive field. But fuck that too! There is no competition for those who are one of a kind and Maria Mora is something I have never ran into before. And by any means, I know that she can and will achieve all of her goals and succeed as a professional.

This one memory in particular; I had Maria pick me up from my P.O. Yeah, I said that. My face was dirty because I felt so petty calling my angelic sister to come rescue me from this awful place. While on the phone she told me she just got fired from her job, which made my face even more dirty. I felt like shit. On our way home, she was telling me what her former boss had told her. That Maria should look into building her own movement, be her own boss, call the shots. I told her that I will hold her and any of her dreams down. I'm into the music industry as well and together I know that we can develop something grand, something 2045. Right then and there she got a call from a new job telling her that she had just been hired. Like no lie! She just got booted from her last job and already she gets a toot from the next job. I forgot all about my problems and I just felt so holy. THANK YA JESUS!

Maria and I have similar music taste except that hers is less ratchet than mine. Majority of the songs she listens to reflects her personality like a mirror. Mad chill, low key, but when shit hits the fan high key, fucking cool. Maria has influenced me to keep moving forward with my movement. To network with as many people as I can, big or small. She influenced me to do the best in everything that I do so that I too can graduate and make her proud of me.

I fucking love you. Happy birthday.