After years and years of writing and procrastination, I finally happened. I became Dr. Jocelyn Gomez. I defended my dissertation May 4, 2021 through Zoom. Because of the pandemic, my committee chair moved to Spain and taught abroad, while the other two remained in New Mexico. Another committee member accepted a job in another institution but was able to follow through with her commitment to my committee. I am so thankful for all four committee members.

Although the dissertation defense was a year ago, I still had to do edits and submit paperwork to finalize my graduation process. But finally in July 2021, I received my degree. A little bit uneventful, but a relief to finish a project of this magnitude. However, it was not until today, a year later, that I feel like announcing it. It took a moment to believe it, to feel like I deserved it, or to share it with people I know. Only the few people that I was in contact with knew. My therapist saw this in me and encouraged me to refer to myself as Dr. Gomez, no matter what trivial task I was doing, or what I was saying to myself, I should refer to myself as Dr. Gomez. Take out the trash, Dr. Gomez. Don’t forget your purse, Dr. Gomez. Get it together, Dr. Gomez. Eventually, even my students said I should adopt the title. I had worked so hard for it, after all.

With some hesitation, I did. They were right, and as one of the few brown professors at the university I currently work in, I couldn’t deny them the opportunity to say they had at least one instructor, with a PhD, who was Latina. And here I am. Dr. Gomez, in the house.