Ruxelys’ Story: The Life I Built Miles Away
I moved to the U.S. when I was 21 years old; moving away from home was the hardest and most exciting thing. The reasons why I decided to stay in the U.S were so many, but there were also a lot of dreams that drove me to make that decision.
I remember all the things I wanted to accomplish. I wanted to learn English, be able to work using English, communicate confidently, and truly grow in the language. Learning the language itself was not the hardest part. The hardest part was finding a job and finding someone who believed in my capabilities. I thought it was going to be easy, but honestly, I was not prepared for everything that was about to come.
In my journey, I have learned that there are not always many opportunities available to me. I can have so many dreams, but the truth is that it often gets hard before it gets easier.
I doubted my decision so many times, especially when I faced the reality that people whom I love the most were not around, they were not even in a 20-minute drive, or not even 30 miles away, they were thousands of miles away from me, at least 4 airplanes and 12 hours.
It was not easy to process that there was no going back, that I needed to keep going, and even when those people were so far away from me, they kept rooting for me and motivating me to keep going so that I could overcome any challenges I needed to face.
Those people are my family and friends who are always there for me. When things were turning dark, they were insisting that I needed to keep going because the light was about to come.
As an immigrant, I did things I was not ready for, but that did not stop me. When I started getting frustrated, I reminded myself of the dreams that motivated me to stay here.
I tried to take every opportunity I was given. I found so many “angels on earth” that God sent to guide me along the right path. There were many bumps and detours along that path, but little by little, it became easier to navigate. After some time, more people were by my side, guiding and walking with me, filling me with love, kindness, and compassion, always cheering for me.
Finally, after a long journey, I accomplished some of the dreams I once thought I would never achieve. I found a job where I was able to use all the skills I had worked so hard to learn, use English in my daily work, and I was also able to graduate in my second language, all while learning to live with being away from the people I love.
But honestly, this is not just about dreams or personal goals; it is about perseverance, learning how to keep going even when the road becomes bumpy or when life takes us in a different direction. It’s about discovering the strength I did not know I had.
This is for the immigrants who were once told they could not achieve their dreams just because this is not their home country. But today, after eight years of learning, struggling, growing, and refusing to give up, I can finally speak from a place of strength. I have learned that perseverance is not about never feeling tired or afraid; it is about moving forward even when you are. Along the way, I learned that giving love and helping others somehow heals parts of you that you did not even know were hurting.
So, let me tell you to persevere, find your people, give love, help others, and keep going. Believe me, one day it all will be worth it.
PEGASIS – “Song for Ruxelys”
“This project revived us in so many ways, not just emotionally, but also musically, stretching our idea of what a song is and really allowing Ruxelys’ experience to open our minds to exploration. Embracing the concepts of perseverance, self-acceptance, and positivity that we had talked about with Ruxelys, we allowed the song to morph itself into what it needed to be. Thank you for allowing us to hold such precious cargo.“
PEGASIS – Bio
Since its inception in 2018, Green Bay, Wisconsin-based band PEGASIS have allowed themselves the freedom to make musical art not tied down by labels or genres, something they call discord in synergy---consciously uniting seemingly opposing elements and textures.
With shimmering vocal harmonies, intricate guitar playing, tight arrangements, dynamic drumming, bumpin' bass, and bi-lingual lyrics,
PEGASIS provides lush soundscapes that captivate all types of listeners and makes the complex sound (and look) easy. Hopping between jazz, funk, r&b, pop, world, latin, and everything in between, PEGASIS gives their audiences a diverse and eclectic vibe, keeping them on the edge of their seats, because we also get bored so let's change it up a little.
Vocals - Rissel and Yaina Peguero Almonte
Keys - Rissel Peguero Almonte
Guitar - Matt Hillman
Bass - Tony Pesavento
Drums - Jeremy Seelig