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“I wrote 'Into the Light' as a way to both educate and to help people understand how deeply Military Sexual Trauma (MST) affects those of us who experience it while serving. For me as a Latina, Vanessa Guillén’s murder in April 2020 was the catalyst for repressed memories of MST and catapulted me on a journey of healing and action. The poem was first shared publicly on the one year anniversary of Vanessa’s murder. It is important that we never forget. I hope my poem provides some insight in order to affect much needed change within the military. The public should clearly understand the complex issues surrounding MST so that they can advocate for true transformational change. A year since Vanessa was murdered and we are still awaiting that level of change.”
– Colonel Carrington Firmin
In times of crisis, we often look to leaders, role models, and heroes for inspiration. The continuing absence of appropriate Hispanic representation at senior levels within the U.S. military is indeed a crisis.
Throughout my career my actions were guided by two simple principles: do the best job you can at the job you currently have and always take good care of others, particularly your subordinates
A story of part of my family. The story of many families that named their daughters Esperanza. A hope that in the new world they would find happiness, free from European pandemics and wars, and destined to find a bounty of opportunities.
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“I wrote 'Into the Light' as a way to both educate and to help people understand how deeply Military Sexual Trauma (MST) affects those of us who experience it while serving. For me as a Latina, Vanessa Guillén’s murder in April 2020 was the catalyst for repressed memories of MST and catapulted me on a journey of healing and action. The poem was first shared publicly on the one year anniversary of Vanessa’s murder. It is important that we never forget. I hope my poem provides some insight in order to affect much needed change within the military. The public should clearly understand the complex issues surrounding MST so that they can advocate for true transformational change. A year since Vanessa was murdered and we are still awaiting that level of change.” 
