My Hispanic roots are a strength, not a weakness

At age ten, my family and I migrated to the United States from Juarez, Mexico. Despite the language and social obstacles I faced in moving to Tucson, I was determined to succeed academically. I have come a long way from the Spanish monolingual ten-year-old I was when first arriving to the U.S. However, two personal characteristics that continue to define who I am today are my work ethic and perseverance.

As I started my new school in Arizona, I did not have many friends. Many of them knew each other from the previous year and hung out with each other. But I never felt alone, as I had my twin sister by my side.  Since we didn’t have a big social life, we focused on our academics. We both made sure to do our homework every day and practice our violin, and it quickly started to pay off. During our second semester of 5th grade, we both received an award for academic excellence and realized that was our strength.

Although my family and I have been living in Tucson, Arizona for almost thirteen years, my family values have not changed. My parents always made sure we preserved our traditions and language because these qualities are what define me as an individual. Before I started college, my parents worried about me and my sister because they understood the challenges Hispanic students faced. However, despite their apprehensions, neither of my parents tried to limit our talents or perseverance.

On the contrary, although they were fearful my sister and I would not have the same tools to succeed as others, they encouraged us to pursue higher education. My father would constantly say, “No sean estudiantes invisibles,” meaning, “Do not be invisible students.” He encouraged us to participate in class, get to know our professors and seek leadership opportunities on campus. Thankfully, I was very blessed to accomplish all of this and more, as I receive multiple scholarships that paid for my tuition, which has helped me to graduate debt-free.

It can be challenging as a Hispanic college student to stay true to your roots because you want to fit in and not look so different. However, throughout my years as an undergraduate student, I have sought leadership positions that have allowed me to stand out as a minority student. Many minority students do not fully support the term “minority,” but I have embraced it. It is not because I see myself as any less of a student, but because as a minority student, I believe we have opportunities allowing us to compete against a fair pool of applicants.

I have taken advantage of every opportunity possible to positively represent my Hispanic community. I participated in the Minority Health Disparities Summer Research Program and I was the Diversity Director for the Associated Students of the University of Arizona. Having a bicultural advantage has allowed me to perform well in both of these areas and many more.

My life has consisted of many transitions, from the migrating to the United States at age ten, to becoming the first one in my family to graduate from college here. Soon, I will embrace another transition, as I got accepted to the doctor of audiology graduate program at UA. As time goes on, I will continue to encounter transitions, but my resilience has allowed me to face these transitions with strength and a positive attitude.