I was a little surprised by my score of 74 given my history, but it makes sense when one takes into account how my various privileges and disadvantages have intersected and created the woman I am today.

I’ve survived abuse, addiction, sexual assault, domestic violence, single parenthood, and navigated the world with very little familial support. Somehow, in spite of only having a G.E.D. Much of this can be attributed to the milieu of wonderful individuals who saw something in me that I didn’t recognize myself. I think that this is one of the things that people don’t realize: that an investment in someone who hasn’t figured everything out (and could still be considered “messy”) is one of the most loving acts possible. The myriad of people who have stood by me when I kept making serious mistakes as a young woman eventually helped me find my path.

However, I would remiss to not admit that due to various privileges that I have had access to people and resources that others with my exact same background would never come in contact with. In fact, the American Dream test reinforced what I have come to know is a universal truth: that while the trajectory of our lives can be altered for good or ill in the blink of an eye, our past absolutely does not have to dictate our future.