I’m a Californian who moved to Texas for a shot at the American dream. I moved back after 2 ½ years, but I miss Texas.

• Kimberly Wilkerson is a lifelong Californian who moved to Austin in 2022.
• She preferred Texas’ politics and enjoyed the state’s nature.
• Wilkerson moved back to California earlier this year to be near family.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kimberly Wilkerson, a 46-year-old self-published author and entrepreneur who moved from Oakley, California, to Austin in 2022. She stayed 2 ½ years before moving back to California to be close to family.

I was born and raised in Northern California, mostly in the East Bay. I’m a single mother to one son, who is 20 years old.

I felt blessed in California that I could go to the snow, the beach, and the mountains. I could be in any climate that I wanted within a few hours.

Our culture in California is very diverse. Growing up, I had so many friends from all different places. California is a hub for information and innovation. And that’s so beautiful.

But I don’t agree with a lot of what California’s leadership has done, and I had grown frustrated by politics. Both sides have their rights and wrongs. It’s a big ugly mess.

I worked in the corporate world for a while in conjunction with tech. I was able to support both me and my son, and we were comfortable. But I became disabled and was on disability for quite a few years.

Around 2022, however, I was feeling better and got the blessings of my physicians to start working again. I knew I wouldn’t be able to remain in California once I started working because I only paid a portion of my rent and other costs due to my disability.

I knew I needed to create a new life for myself. I started writing again. It was just pouring out of me and before I knew it, I was like, “I’m writing a book!” I was gifted the money to self-publish.

That really started a new life for me. I wanted to build this new creative career for myself, so I was willing to do almost anything as far as jobs that would bring in income.

Both my son and I wanted to move out of California. I was offered a job to relocate to Texas. I took a job as a night auditor, basically the hotel manager, for a major hotel chain.

I wanted to be able to buy a home. So, we said, let’s do it. And we headed for Texas.

I was excited to move to Texas

I didn’t really have any anxiety. My son and I had been through a lot and needed a fresh start.

We moved to Austin originally. But as Austin continued to grow, we moved just north of the city. I’m seeing that happen a lot more. People have to spread out because parts of Texas are growing so fast.

The state is so much bigger than we give it credit for. You can drive for 50 miles and see nothing but emptiness and fields.

Once you get to Austin, though, it feels like you’re in a mini-California. I think a lot of people in the last few years have moved there and influenced the culture.

Within one year of being in Texas, I saw so much growth. It just throws everything out of whack.

But for the most part, everyone was beautiful and very welcoming to us. We were embraced in Texas.

The first question I was usually asked was, “What brings you here?” People want to know why you’re there and if you’re going to screw up their state.

My normal response was, “I know a lot of people from California have moved here, and I believe everybody has a different reason for it.”

I went to Texas to have the American dream. My main priority is to have a solid foundation to leave for my son and his future family. That’s it. I don’t need a lot. I just need my little part.

I think the Texans understood that about me. I have friends there now who are like family.

The nature in Texas is undeniably the most peaceful and beautiful I’ve encountered in my life thus far.

I also felt like Texas was offering politics that I was more in favor of than California.

I stayed in Texas for 2 ½ years

My mother was growing more ill. Her health had been declining since I left. I had a hope of moving my mother to Texas, but that wasn’t going to be possible. It was better for me to come back to California.

Having said that, I still want to go back.

It was a difficult decision to some degree. I came back at the end of July.

There has been good and bad. It’s been good to see friends and family, and I’ve done a lot of healing in my relationships here.

When I went back to my old church, they said, “We saved your seat; here it is.” It was really beautiful. I felt very welcomed.

I got to see my mom laugh last night, and it was so beautiful. A moment like that makes being here worth it.

But I hope to go back to Texas one day. I’m waiting for the next right thing, which ideally would be if I’m getting married. Then, whichever place my husband is most comfortable will be my home.