"Claudio Cabrera: The Weight of Time and Place" by Amber Gardner

The experiences we face in life shape us into the people we turn out to be. Within two brief years, a young man can develop into a full fledged adult; as is the case of Claudio Cabrera, a college student with a richly cultured background and an inspirational success story.

When Cabrera was a young boy his everyday surroundings lept out of the pages of a European picture book. Buildings adorned with mosaic-covered sculptures and rich brass statues were his usual scenery. Gothic mansions, outdoor cafés, and cathedrals marked elegant narrow streets and winding paths.

"Everything isn't as big as in Manhattan," says Cabrera, who describes his childhood homeland close to Madrid, Spain as slow paced and architecturally very old -- a vast contrast from his current living situation in Washington Heights. "You don't feel like a midget walking around,” he jokes.

Cabrera, who for three years lived with his mother, father and younger sister, moved back to the United States when he was eight years old. Now 22, he reflects upon his experience in Spain as a notable piece of his youth and a place he hopes to return to in the future.

"When you're younger, you don't really know the semantics of everything like government, policies and things like that," Cabrera contemplates, addressing his plans to visit and possibly relocate to Spain. "I figure Spain has its good and its bad just like over here." Cabrera seems somewhat hesitant to settle on where he will ultimately live until he has a more mature and modernized view of everyday life in Spain.

Dressed in a neutral vertically striped shirt, loose fitting blue jeans and black leather loafers; Cabrera appears well groomed, and at ease. His voice is subdued, and he rarely shows excitement or any animated gestures, aside from frequent clasping and unclasping of his hands. Cabrera, who is studying for a B.A in journalism at Brooklyn College, was exposed to a first-rate education system in Spain – one which his mother, Maritza Cabrera, considers a significant factor in his overall scholastic development. “I feel Claudio’s first few years of school really molded him,” she says.

Maritza also attributes her son’s schooling in Spain as a strengthening test of character. “It was kind of hard for Claudio because at the time Spain didn't have a lot of, if any, African American children in school -- so he was treated stereotypically by many teachers,” Maritza Cabrera acknowledges that Cabrera was never aware of the reason for why he was treated unfairly nor did he allow teachers prejudice to hinder his studies or his state of mind. Her son’s pure and tranquil composure as an outsider both impressed and awed her. Claudio, himself, claims that he had no knowledge of being taught differently, only that he was given extra attention to by teachers. He wasn’t certain whether this recognition was positive or negative or if it was distinctively because of his skin color.

Much of Cabrera’s time in Spain was devoted to exploring soccer stadiums, museums, and ancient castles in different cities like Barcelona. He found the most joy though, participating in various soccer teams. “[Soccer] was his favorite sport at the time,” his mother reveals. “Till he moved to America and fell in love with basketball.”

Cabrera had visions in his youth of one day becoming a professional basketball player. These childhood aspirations derailed when he injured his knee during a game and was required to undergo two bouts of surgery.

“Claudio always had dreams of becoming an athlete and when that looked more and more unattainable, I did wonder what was next,” his mother says. Shattered dreams of once being an athlete led to a lack of focus in Cabrera's high school studies and he, regrettably, “fooled around” in his most crucial junior year at the Bronx Mount Saint Michael Academy. When asked to name the biggest obstacle in his life, Cabrera pauses before calmly uttering, "myself."

Cabrera speaks candidly about his past mistakes, and regards his regrets as a symbol of growth – and a lifelong learning process. "I had to put an extra year into school when I should be graduating this year," he admits. "Throughout life, I've been my biggest setback. I've been my own worst enemy," Cabrera then quickly adds, "But during the last couple years, I've been correcting that." In time, Cabrera has discovered that stress is merely apart of life and that challenging situations are to be taken in stride. "I know everything happens for a reason," he optimistically declares.

This statement is a fitting motto for Cabrera's forced shift in career planning. In 2002, he enrolled in classes at Westchester Community College -- a school that stimulated his concentration in schoolwork and the concept of a new profession. "A lot of teachers told me that my writing ability was impressive," he says, referring to his stumble upon an unexpected talent. "I wasn't really into it but I just ran with what they were saying."

Cabrera wholeheartedly dedicated himself to writing as he began to explore the fast paced world of journalism, a form of writing that he admittedly learned to love. His high energy in athletics served as an advantage in reporting. "I like to take on a lot of assignments. I'm always keeping myself busy," he says, remaining composedly arched forward in his seat. "Sometimes I may overdo it, but I think overdoing it is good in a sense," he elaborates, "because when you're a journalist dealing with deadlines, it helps to be able to do as much assignments as you can."

To pay for daily living expenses, Cabrera works at a law-firm. His long-term career goal, however, has little to do with clerical work. Cabrera is currently crafting his journalistic potential and gaining experience in the field by writing for Harlem based newspaper, The New York Amsterdam News and HipHopSite.com, whose slogan is, "It Aint Where Ya From, Its Where Ya @" He hopes to one day write for a mainstream entertainment-oriented magazine such as Rolling Stone or Sports Illustrated.

He also looks forward to an upcoming trip to his father’s homeland, the Dominican Republic, and a hopeful return to the culture-rich streets of Madrid. Accepting of life’s pace, Cabrera does not let himself become discouraged when faced with uncertainties. “Everybody grows at different rates,” he says. “And I’m here now so this is what I’m meant to do. I’m kind of happy where I’m at.” The weight of time and place has certainly played a major role in Cabrera’s life. His ever-changing surroundings have provided much preparation, hurdles and opportunities, all which have shaped him into the motivated and driven person that he is today.

“Claudio has changed a lot in the two years we have been together,” Jeannine Brisard, Cabrera’s girlfriend, says of him. Brisard deems Cabrera's most important traits as humor, pride, stubbornness and a family oriented outlook on life. But it is her admiration for Cabrera’s increasing diligence and hard work, which really stands out. “He has matured. He takes life more serious, knows that you need to work to achieve things and can't just depend on faith or simply luck.”

Maritza Cabrera is also enthused in Cabrera’s development and success, especially upon his forthcoming graduation and recent job offers in journalism. “Claudio grew up in a middle class household,” she says. “Despite it being situated in not the greatest of neighborhoods, he managed to stay away from all the ills and make it this far and close to graduating,” With motherly charm, she adds, “I'm very proud of him,”

Claudio Cabrera remains humble about his achievements and defeated demons. The greatest advice given to him: “that anything is possible”, could be a cliché but the idea bears a sense of reason in a life strained with challenges. “No matter what environment you come from, there will be a lot of obstacles – setbacks, so to say,” Cabrera brightly simplifies this assertion, “With determination, you can overcome anything.”