I’m Angela De Hoyos Hart, born in Mexico, raised in Austin, I am the privileged version of so many untold stories. Yes, my mom left her private psychology practice to work minimum wage when we fled here. In addition to her love and tenacity she brought with us her education, and passed both on to me. I had the privilege to be raised among international students in Austin’s 90’s bygone hey-days around the 40 acres. Cheap and abundant housing and knowing where to look meant I went to Austin’s elite public schools–Bryker Woods, Kealing, LASA (in its first year).
RELATED READING :: Meet Gretchen Pierce
Fast forward a few decades of complex identity and childhood, I’m living an amazing life. Before having my kiddos, I worked to open the same path to whomever I could with STEM mentoring programs at dual language schools and serving on Austin’s Planning Commission. Now between my fully-remote tech job, nursing my baby on-demand, wrestling a baby T. Rex into baths, and bed sharing at night every minute of my day is spoken for.
No one told me how hard this would be!
My family is a constant duality of chaos and peace, of joy and rage, of English and Spanish, purity and grime. Corey and I have a blended family that includes my dove of a teen stepdaughter, my alpha toddler son, and my smooshie baby girl living with my mom, an amazing au pair and our dog out in SW Austin’s exurbs.
How do we raise each other to fight good fights? To honor our struggle and use our unearned privilege? To be wild and free and kind? To watch enough TV and still create? When will we ever sleep again? How do I raise bilingual spawn who sing like the Von Traps? What comes after the dino phase? Will I ever stop fearing my son? Why do my babies have crazy food allergies? How long can I keep them off of Snapchat?
I can promise a lot of stumbles along the way, and many many tears. I have the highest expectations and fall short often. Sometimes we laugh it off as Mama Mala drags a giggling, wriggling mudball to the tub. Others I might just feel like a bad mom. Hopefully we’ll learn from both together.
