En Mi’

I’ve been knocking En Mi’ by J Balvin since I heard it for the first time on Monday afternoon (7/6). Sorry, I know I may be late to this song given the album was released in 2018, but my friend Sebastian told me about it. I immediately asked him for a baby picture because I knew this was going to be my next blog post…

 Listening to this song (to be clear—originally, I had NO idea what J Balvin was saying), brought me back to one of my favorite memories with my brother from another mother, James.

It was years ago, but I was walking out of our apartment at the time, affectionately called La Catedral, when I overheard Work by Rihanna ft. Drake coming through the speakers in his bathroom. I smiled then, but I’m smiling even brighter now…*Note* Work is one of my favorite songs of all time…

A couple years ago, though more recent than the Work experience, I had a conversation with the former Head of Admissions at Hackley, the best decision I never made—my mother insisted that I apply there. Hackley changed my life. CM asked me which students I thought benefited most from having students on financial aid in the classroom. I thought this was a rather rudimentary question, with an obvious answer. I quickly responded: “The students on financial aid!” He paused momentarily, and then said something along the lines of: “No, the students paying full boat.”

Engaging with people of different viewpoints, perspectives, narratives, and/or race is essential for growth. The students paying full boat may have had access to opportunities that many students on financial aid didn’t, but without the array of perspectives provided by those that required aid to join the community, their experience would have been uniform and limited. While all students consumed the same course material inside the classroom, the real essence of my high school experience came during the moments shared between students outside the classroom. If the student body lacked texture, the whole educational experience would have lacked dexterity. And while I understand there are further nuances here, my takeaway is rooted in different perspectives, or more directly, in dialogue, in engagement. 

This conversation illuminated so much for me, showing me my own limitations in perspective. Given I had been the one receiving financial aid, I thought that package saved my life. And while yes, the financial aid did, it was eye-opening to hear from the Head of Admissions that my presence may have also made a similar difference for those that weren’t recipients of financial aid. Looking back, some of my best friends were made at Hackley, us having jokes that trace back over decades or sports memories of Brunswick bodying us in football (looking at you Rue and Will), or me playing sax with Largey through senior year, or us helping Parker become the swaggiest golf/ soccer player this side of the Mississippi. 

I say all that to say music has long served as a bridge, linking communities and cultures while also providing cultural context to the zeitgeist in which it is written, sung, or composed.

So, when Sebas shared En Mi’ with me, I was also reminded of his birthday party earlier this year; all his friends from different backgrounds, dancing to Reggaeton, Reggae, and Rap music at the Garret (NoLita). Now mind you, Sebas is a Medellin born, Stanford educated, legit sweater wearing, brilliant mind who run laps around me mentally. He is a young man that I admire and respect. I’ve learned a lot about and from him over the last couple years. Yet, happily listening to this song he shared with me (that reminded him of his culture) reminded me of Jimbo listening to music (that reminded me of my culture). 

If we weren’t in each other’s lives and willing to share, then we wouldn’t be listening to these songs. Listening to En Mi’ all week was the universe again showing me that at the end of the day we all want human connection. How much we want, or how much we engage others, well that’s on you old sport.

 And to be clear, I’m going on record of saying there is NO way James would be listening to Work if it wasn’t for me…And yes, I know many of you are thinking it may have randomly popped up on his playlist…but nah, that’s my boy. I know I’m with him even when I’m not next to him, that’s a real relationship. P.S. There’s more to this story, but it’s his story to tell. Just pray that James writes (see what I did there) “Body Bag Slack” one day…tell him I sent you. 

So now it’s time for me to get back to work, work, work, work, work…. Because as I’ve (re)learned from Sebas and James, it’s what you do and how you act when you don’t have to that determines who you are. Like the baby picture of Sebas at the top suggests: Ahora yo soy el capitán.