Dr. Labio is an assistant professor in the Department of Art, Communication, Design, and Media at Southwestern Community College and lives in Chula Vista.
If someone had told me 30 years ago that I would become a full-time professor, sharing my knowledge and shaping the future, I would have laughed wryly. My early life was more about survival than potential, especially as a first-generation college student with immigrant Filipino parents. Their journey to America was fueled by opportunities and dreams for a better future for me and my sisters.
As I grew up, I felt the weight of these expectations and yet rebelled against them. I was labeled a troublemaker early on and wore it with a false sense of pride. It was natural to run away from problems, whether it was from home, from responsibilities, or from oneself. Drugs, alcohol, and quick money through various endeavors became everyday easy solutions.
Then came the terrible awakening. At the age of 25, in the midst of all the turmoil, I contracted sepsis and my heart literally failed. Open heart surgery forced me to face my own mortality, but it didn't change my trajectory. By the time I turned 30, I was sentenced to 40 months in a California state prison.
Just a few weeks after being released from prison, I discovered I was pregnant. It was scary. I wasn't ready. But the thought of becoming a mother also gave me hope that life could be different, that I could be someone to look up to instead of running away.
When Nico was four months old, I reluctantly took the scary step down a new path. I attended Southwestern Community College. Life had a way of testing my patience. The same week I received my acceptance letter to San Diego State University, I found out I was pregnant with my second child, Raelynn. Every step was a challenge, balancing textbooks and diapers, lectures and lullabies. But with each challenge I grew, more determined, more capable, more myself, and who I was becoming. I don't want it to seem like this was easy. It wasn't. I was on every government support scheme. CalFresh, Cash Aid, Medi-Cal, WIC, financial aid, and work-study only paid part of the bill. It was difficult. There were days when I spent half a day at the welfare office to make sure I received support on time.
I earned my associate's degree, my bachelor's degree, my master's degree, and most recently, my Ph.D., and didn't stop. Graduated from the University of San Diego. Each degree was more than just a piece of paper. It was proof of my resilience and a tribute to everyone who doubted me, including myself.
Today I stand in front of a classroom at Southwestern Community College. This is exactly where my academic journey began. I am no longer just a survivor, but a guide, mentor, and professor. My past, full of tainted identities and difficult moments, now serves as the basis for my teachings, not as a blemish but as a badge of honor.
My doctoral thesis, Embracing Chaos, explored how growth emerges from disorder and unpredictability. It parallels my life journey and reflects how accepting one's flaws and challenges can lead to a richer path. This study demonstrated that disruption, which we often fear, can be a catalyst for personal transformation and resilience.
Southwestern Community College was more than just an educational institution. That was where I found my chosen family within the CHAI Employee Resource Group. The CHAI Employee Resource Group is dedicated to fostering supportive spaces for community building, providing support to students, raising awareness of the Asian and Pacific Islander community, and fostering development that fosters personal and academic growth. We are working to create an environment. This is how I give back to the community. So I was given a second chance and then a fighting chance to change the narrative. This community has not only accepted me; It fostered a sense of belonging that encompassed my entire journey and changed my perspective on what is possible and “what's next.”
Now, as a professor at Southwestern Community College, I teach with empathy and experience, and am especially passionate about the Rising Scholars program for formerly incarcerated students. I show my students that their past does not determine their future and encourage them to turn challenges into opportunities. I am living proof that anyone can achieve greatness with determination, support, and the ability to find and embrace a community.
