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My birth
My birth is significant to me because it brought me into this world. I was born to teenage parents (17 and 18 years old) who had just graduated from high school in Mexico. They came to the United States when they received their permanent residence visas and eventually became citizens. My first language was Spanish and we lived in a mobile home in a rural town until I graduated high school. Growing up in this humble home has made me proud of my accomplishments and the drive to further them. -
Pepito jokes
The very first joke I ever heard was a Pepito joke. These jokes are well known in Mexican culture and are especially popular with children. I remember visiting my cousins in Mexico every summer and I would look forward to their new jokes. This influenced me in a positive way because it opened my eyes to a new way of socializing. Moreover, it helped me to understand and develop humor and also exposed my creative side to create some jokes on my own. -
Birthdays
A birthday celebration in Mexican culture begins with singing the birthday song in Spanish, which is very long compared to the English version. Then together we all say to the birthday boy or girl, "mordida, mordida", which means for them to take a bite out of their cake. As they begin to bite their cake, someone behind them will push their face into the cake. This unique way of celebrating a birthday influenced my expectations of every birthday and represented true adoration by family. -
Tortillas
The cuisine in a household of Mexican culture descent always includes daily production and consumption of homemade tortillas. Tortillas are important in my culture because they are a tradition and a meal does not feel complete without them. But tortillas are much more than just food. It is in the process of making them that brings family members together and cherished conversations live on in our hearts forever. -
La Llorona
One of the most popular and eerie Mexican stories I heard growing up was the story of La Llorona. Around Halloween, my uncle would gather all the kids and we'd sit in front of him as he told us this scary story. As the story was ending, my aunt would jump out dressed like La Llorona and scare us. Although we were beyond scared, we wanted to hear more about this mysterious story. It influenced me to appreciate story time on a whole new level and to learn more about esoteric topics. -
Early childhood education
I grew up in a Spanish speaking home. My early childhood education greatly influenced me because it gave me the opportunity to learn English and begin communicating with other people besides my family. It also gave me the avenue to begin flourishing intellectually and ignite my curiosity about the subjects in class. I am thankful that my brother and I were close in age because we would play and talk during recess. It took me about two years to become fully fluent in English and make friends. -
My first friends
This picture captures the very first time I ever had friends by being part of a pee-wee football (Oilers) cheerleading team (I'm in the center of the back row). Even though I was not speaking English fluently yet, I did not feel judged by this group of girls because they also spoke Spanish; it allowed me to start building friendships. This experience influenced me to extend those social skills into the school setting by giving me the courage to communicate more and make more friends in class. -
Las Adelitas
As a young girl visiting my family in Mexico, I learned about "Las Adelitas" which were women who fought in the Mexican Revolution. Every year, young girls (like my cousin in this picture) dress up as an Adelita to honor those brave women soldiers. This event helped me to realize that women also obtained the capacity to be warriors just like men. It provided me with a sense of awe and empowerment as I listened to the story. This inspiring moment became a new beginning for my self-confidence. -
First time leader
My early years of being a pee-wee football cheerleader lead me to join the Jr. High Drill Team. I had a passion for dance, so being on this team meant a lot. I decided to try out for Captain and not only did I achieve in becoming Captain, I was chosen as Head Captain of this team (that's me, front/center). Having my classmates look up to me and follow my lead was a significant moment in my life. For me, this meant that I was capable of such responsibility and encouraged me to set a good example. -
Quinceaneras
In my culture, the celebratory conversations that occur from the moment a female baby is born are talks about her Quinceanera when she reaches her fifteenth birthday. A family knows to begin saving money for this wonderful occasion in their daughter's life. It is both a culturally important event as well as a rite of passage for the young girl on the cusp of womanhood. This anticipated event also serves to introduce the young woman to her community in this next phase of her life. -
High School graduate
This day was truly a very special day for me. I was so proud of myself for graduating with honors despite my early setback in the language barrier. I realized that I overcame other obstacles like my parents divorcing and living in an impoverished home with only one parent. It influenced me to set a good example for my younger siblings and be the first in my family to attend college. I was eager to see all that I could accomplish; soon I moved to Austin and began my new life as a college student. -
UT Austin graduate
Graduating from a university was a pivotal moment. It was a major accomplishment because I was the first one in my family to have a bachelor's degree. I overcame many challenges and I did them despite being female. After young women in my culture graduate from high school, they are not really expected to go to college. Instead, they begin working to help support their family or get married and start having children. This day influenced me to have higher expectations for myself and out of life. -
Catholic wedding
A Catholic wedding in my culture almost always includes mariachis. It has influenced me to believe that whenever there are mariachis playing, it must be a special event. The unique sound of their serenade brings family and friends together, establishing the importance of a ceremony. This day was significant for me because it established another crucial rite of passage. It was a bridge into another phase of my life and together with my husband, bestow family traditions upon our future children. -
Posadas
Every year around Christmas, the adults organize a posada and the children re-enact the nativity scene. We play music and sing songs and afterward, we eat food that everyone brought. In this picture, my youngest son played baby Jesus, and my older son and daughter are two of the angels. This interactive religious event is significant in keeping our Catholic faith strong. As a mother, it has influenced me to pass on this tradition and have them experience it just as I did as a child. -
Dia de los Muertos
In Mexican culture, it is customary to make an altar to honor our deceased family members. We place what were their favorite things to eat and drink on the altar in hopes that their spirit will enjoy them from the other side. Here we were honoring my uncle. This event made me think more in-depth about how one's soul can continue to live after death and how our choices in life can affect it. This has influenced me to continue strengthening my spiritual life and honor my Catholic faith. -
Virgen de Guadalupe
I grew up with the Virgen de Guadalupe very prominent in my life. We devote special adoration for her because she is Mexico's Virgin Mary per her apparition in Mexico City. It was common to have statues and prints of her throughout our home. It has influenced me to hold my religion close and introduce my children to her. Pictured is my daughter wearing a makeshift tilma made during her catechism class. It is a revered moment and I feel honored to raise all three of my children Catholic. -
Volunteering and representing
Working as an advisor in the financial aid office gave me the opportunity to volunteer at Univision during education week. My cultural, educational and professional background was a fitting platform for this event. It provided me with an outlet to reach out to the Hispanic community on a larger scale and inform them about financing a college education. This moment influenced me to do things out of my comfort zone (like being interviewed on live tv) for the sake of helping others.
