Congratulations to Arlene Abundis, a Citrus College alumna whose debut picture book, "Into the Mighty Sea," was recently published by HarperCollins.

The story of a girl who sees her world through colors that represent her emotional state, "Into the Mighty Sea" was inspired by Arlene's personal journey with social anxiety. It follows main character Mariel, a young Cuban American who draws and paints to calm her big feelings, as she sails through a big sea of color after her brother rips up her art.

"As a child who was severely bullied in school, books were at times my only friends and a vehicle to escape my reality," Arlene explains. "I longed to see a protagonist who symbolized my unique cultural experience."

Although Arlene has always loved books, she says becoming an author wasn't part of her original plan. Instead, she got married right after graduating from Sierra Vista High School in 2003. She then worked as a bank teller for several years before enrolling at Citrus College in 2006.

"I always loved school and really wanted to be a teacher, so I enrolled in college with my husband's support," she said. "I attended Citrus College for two years, where I majored in early childhood development and obtained my certificate to teach preschool."

After earning her certificate, Arlene became a preschool teacher. However, she soon put her career on hold to become a full-time caregiver for her children. She joyfully served in this role for the next 10 years before returning to Citrus College in 2017.

"I initially went back to school to finish up my child development degree so that I could return to teaching," she said. "But while taking a children's literature class, I started a blog that connected motherhood and children's books. Something so powerful ignited within me and a dream was born: penning my own stories with a desire to not only see my culture and childhood experiences represented in traditional publishing, but to also heal my wounds of never quite belonging."

Of course, Arlene's journey to publication has not been without its challenges.

"Writing is hard, and the road to traditional publishing is even more difficult," she said. "Determination, tenacity, persistence and patience are only a few requirements in this profession. You also need to learn to see rejection as a source of fuel to propel your creativity rather than stifling it. Persevering through the process while not getting discouraged is key." Arlene's hard work paid off. "Into the Mighty Sea" was published in June 2024 and has received rave reviews.

"My work as a children's author honors resilience through mental and emotional health," she said. "I write for kids who long to belong. I want my books to be a mirror that can help make sense of broken pieces, while also finding the beauty in them – like a kaleidoscope."

"I am proud of the fact that I not only became the first in my family to write a children's book, I was also the first in my family to start therapy and heal generational trauma due to oppression, migration and diaspora," Arlene added.

The entire Citrus College community is proud of you too, Arlene! It was an honor to be part of your journey.