Viva Latinx is celebration. Viva is life. It is “long live”. It is an expression of solidarity and support.
For Latinx Heritage Month, we asked some of our community members to share their stories and answer the question “How has your culture shaped you or impacted your daily life?”
I was born and raised in Managua, Nicaragua. My parents immigrated back in the early 90's to the states just like a lot of other families looking for a better future for their kids. My childhood is filled with great memories that I hold dear to my heart, from watching my grandma cook to playing soccer with my friends to family gatherings with my endless amount of uncles, aunts and cousins. I was 15 years old when I arrived in Sunnyvale, California. Wow, what a culture shock!
Not knowing English at school, meant doing double the homework, first in Spanish and then translating it to English. I was used to playing outside with my friends who were my neighbors back home, but here I didn't even know who lived across from our apartment. At school, the Spanish speaking kids had a different accent, most were Mexican, some Salvadorian and a few from South America. I had never been exposed to so many different cultures, and in the beginning, it was really hard adapting to this new life, but as I grew older I started appreciating the melting pot of cultures in the Bay Area. After highschool, I decided to attend the California Culinary Academy for Hospitality & Restaurant Management. The first 6 weeks of the program were in the kitchen, learning how to use a knife, how to make mother sauces, and the basics of cooking. This was by far my favorite part of school, it made me feel close to my grandma even though she was thousands of miles away. Fast forward 15 years, I now have two boys that are my pride and joy and I run the Beverage Program at Town Restaurant in San Carlos, CA.
LatinX / Latino(a) / Latine Heritage Month means we get to celebrate our own unique roots, our food, our music, our history and all the different countries and cultures that bring us together. Being Latino to me means I get to speak Spanish, the language I grew up speaking, and make lifetime connections with people I never thought I would. It means my music playlist goes from Salsa, merengue, reggaeton to Snoop, Dr. Dre, E-40, Boyz II men, New Edition then back to Bad bunny, Maluma, Luis Enrique, and at times a little banda and country. It means I get to enjoy Baho, Vigoron or Arroz a la Valenciana and other traditional dishes my mom cooks; a cheesy pupusa from my Salvadoran friend's mom or a delicious Mole Oaxaqueño that my Mexican friend brought from Puebla when he visited his grandma. At work, I get to play around with different flavors when creating a new cocktail, flavors inspired by childhood and flavors I've been exposed to in my adult life in the Latino Community. Being Latino means we have the responsibility to do better, to create a better future for our family, to take advantage of the opportunity our parents sacrificed so much to give us.
I was born and raised in Chile. I did my undergrad there and then I came to the States (to the Bay Area more specifically) to pursue a PhD. I always thought that I was going to go back to Chile after graduating but I never quite made it back, there was always something else to pursue or experience. That is why I never thought of myself as an immigrant until I met my wife and we formed a family. We have two wonderful daughters and we have been in San Carlos since 2015.
I have worked in the tech industry all my life (boring) and I have a strong passion for exercising and the outdoors.
How has your culture shaped you or impacted your daily life?
I experienced my culture through my parents, family and friends. I am incredibly proud of my parents and the efforts that they made to provide me with the opportunity to study (my parents didn’t finish high school). They were always there for me, they never asked for anything in return, and they didn’t ask for any favors (if you wanted something you needed to work for it). Those values have guided me through my career and they have allowed me to pursue my interests to the full extent of my capabilities.
What does Latinx Heritage Month mean to you?
A celebration of diversity and inclusion. A celebration of seeing each other as one big family without biases and stereotypes. Every heritage should have its month but there aren't enough months in the years. I guess I am lucky that there are enough Latinx people in the bay area to have our own month :)
What does being Latinx mean to you?
I never thought much about it until my daughters were born. They are so proud of their grandparents and that they can speak Spanish that now I feel much more in touch with my own heritage.
I guess being a Latinx means that we can all reach our goals given the right opportunities and a bit of luck. Most people immigrate because they are pursuing something or leaving something behind. I came because I felt that the US was a place where it didn’t matter what your last name was, where it didn’t matter if your parents had money or in what part of town they live. I was lucky to land in the bay area where diversity is celebrated and people from different backgrounds are welcome.
Latinx Heritage month is for me a time to appreciate values of dedication, hard work and perseverance, values I learned from my parents and were reinforced through my husband (also a Latinx). This is a time to celebrate and display even more our welcoming and warm Latin personality and to be proud of who we are. It is also a time to reflect, acknowledge and learn from the injustice and misjudgment sometimes we immigrants and other groups are exposed to in this country. A time to remind our future generations to be considerate and to be respectful of each other’s different cultures, beliefs and race.
I am a first-generation immigrant from Colombia, very proud to be first-generation to go to college and the only one to obtain a Doctorate degree in my family. I am the daughter of hard-working parents, who taught me since I was little that dedication was the key to success. As a result, I am a hardworking, very curious scientist and loving mother that thrives every day to be an example of tenacity and perseverance to my two daughters and to young female students embarking on a biomedical career. My goals and passions in life are: Improving the treatment of cancer disease through my research studies at UCSF (Betancur Lab); Providing opportunities to communities in disadvantage for obtaining higher education degrees in the biomedical field through UCSF PROPEL, a program I co-founded during the pandemic; Spending time with my family –salsa dancing with my husband, running and biking with the children–. Oh I also love taking long afternoon naps (but I have no time for such luxury since my teenage years).
Being Latinx means to me that I am part of a very diverse cultural group, but regardless of the country of origin, we have in common a beautiful language, we are resilient, passionate, and warm people, we are positive and have a good sense of humor (well, at least I like to think I do).
My culture has taught me to be caring for others and that to work towards improving our society, we need to start thinking we are all part of a big family, accept each other, with virtues and defects.
Latinx Heritage Month is a reminder and celebration of the critical contributions Latinos make to our community. The political climate and media do not portray our community in a positive light. It is through these celebrations where we find so many people that bring us pride and shine a bright light on our latino achievements.
I was born in Mexico, grew up in San Diego and have lived in San Carlos for over 20 years. I am a widowed mother of 2 fabulous teen boys. I have worked in the high technology field for over 25 years, most recently at Apple in Human Resources. I am an active Philanthropist contributing to our local San Carlos community through the San Carlos Educational Foundation, AYSO and The Parks and Recreation Foundation. My true passion is building and contributing to improving the Latinx community in California. I am a proud member of Latinas in Tech, Latino Giving Circles as part of the Latino Community Foundation, mentor/angel investor for Latino startups through Latino Startup Alliance and Stanford Latino Business Action Network
I am very conscious of my responsibility and proud of my heritage as it plays into my daily life. Latinx means more than food and culture. We have strong family and community bonds. Most importantly giving back to our collective world is at the core of our culture.
As a Latina, I grew up in the spirit of giving back to the community. This plays into my everyday life and how I can make an impact to help elevate our community. I do this in my daily work and organizations I am involved in. I want my boys to be proud of their Latino and Indian heritage.
I am a third generation Mexican-American, also known as a chicana. I've lived in San Carlos with my parents and siblings since I was born, in 2005. Unfortunately, almost all of my extended family lives in Southern California, in the area my grandmother's family settled in upon immigrating to the US. Now, I've known that I am Hispanx/Latinx/Chicanx since I was a little kid. I remember one time my parents were reminding me that I was Hispanic, and I got all confused. I said "... but wouldn't I be 'her-Spanish'? not 'his-Spanish'?" For a long time that was the extent of my connection to my Latinx identity and culture. But, as I grew up, I began to participate in our annual tamale making day, ask questions about my ancestors experiences, and learn how Latinx heritage impacts the core values of my extended family, who has been immersed in the culture, versus my own, who has been distanced from it. In the last two years especially, I've grown to appreciate how, despite the vast differences in experience and culture within the Latinx community, we still all come together to form just that, an everlasting community."
Hello, my name is Sebastian Ramirez Feune, and I am from San Carlos, California. I have recently moved from the Bay to Cambridge, MA, to study at Harvard University. In San Carlos, I was very active with the Youth Advisory Council and Community Foundation Racial Justice Committee.
Latinidad, or my identity as a Latino, is a very important aspect of who I am. From the music that I enjoy to the food that I eat to the clothes that I wear, I am constantly interacting with features of my vibrant heritage. At Harvard, I am planning on doing a secondary (minor) in Ethnicity, Migration, and Rights. My academic interests are largely influenced by my fascination with Latin America and the manner in which it is a true melting pot for different races and ethnicities. As I continue my studies, I proudly represent my heritage.
I was born in Mexico City and moved to the US when I was 10 years old. I grew up in San Diego, went to UCLA and worked in Finance for most of my career. I have a 4 and 6 year old (attends BA). We moved to San Carlos in 2013 and aside from living in Mexico City for 2 years, have been here ever since.
I have a lot of pride in being a Latina. There are great elements of our culture like the strong focus on family, celebrations, generosity, great food, that I'm so grateful to have imparted on me from a young age. But I have often felt that I exist between the two cultures. That I don't fully fit in here but also when we moved back to Mexico, that I also didn't fit there either. Now, I make an effort to take the best of both cultures and have our family build our own culture by picking what resonates with us.
Latino History Month is not something that I have given much thought to. I've always thought more about my Mexican culture around the holidays that I traditionally celebrate like Dia de Los Muertos, Fiestas Patrias, Navidad. But now as a mom, I think it's a great opportunity for my kids to connect with their culture.
My name is Fernando S. Franco. I moved to San Francisco in 1963 and have been living in San Carlos since 1985. I am a proud father of six wonderful children all of which have built their lives and careers here in California and across the country.
[Latinx Heritage Month"] is a reminder of the opportunity I was given to find myself in this beautiful country and working hard for the opportunities that I've been given and that we can all have. My time in this country has allowed me to not only form a family, but start a business, Fernando the Neat, and grow it from nothing to what it is today. That has been a great satisfaction and life experience.
How has your culture shaped you or impacted your daily life?
Family is important to my culture and is of the utmost importance to me personally. Being able to build a family and give my children opportunities that I never had growing up in Mexico City has always been a major driver in my daily life. Educating my kids and passing on the importance of family – of always looking out for one another has been my biggest life success.
What does being Latinx mean to you?
It's a great source of pride. To many, immigrating from a foreign country at 16 can be seen as a bit of a challenge and even a disadvantage. I never viewed it that way. To me it was always about opportunity and making the best of everything. That's why I chose to learn a trade and dedicate myself to it all of which ultimately led me to start my painting business. Being new to a strange land with a language barrier wasn't easy, but I was fortunate enough to come across a number of generous and helpful people in my first few years here. I learned to quickly look past these obstacles and trust that I could make something of myself.
I’m a resident of San Carlos where I live with my youngest son. I was born in Mexico and my family immigrated to the United States when I was 8 years old. I have a large family that I am close to including 10 brothers and many nieces and nephews that live close by. I am a mom, a grandmother, an activist, and a passionate community organizer.
LatinX Heritage Month to me is an annual celebration of our history, culture and traditions. Our family celebrates Fiestas Patrias on September 16th which is Mexican Independence Day. This month is also a time to highlight the contributions that our LatinX and Hispanic communities have had on our society and to our history.
Latinx means to me to be proud of my heritage, my roots and my community, but it also means being aware of the struggles and hurdles that our families had to go through to get to where we are today. It is a time to reflect, to celebrate, to honor tradition and culture and to make sure that my children understand the importance of keeping our culture alive. It is also a time where the Latinx community can share with others our rich heritage so that they can better understand our history.
When we were growing up, we did not have a lot. My father and my mother worked hard to raise us, make sure that we had a roof over our heads, and that there was food on the table. I saw how hard they worked to take care of us. I also saw the traditions of our culture and the importance of carrying forward these traditions to my children and my grandchildren.
As someone who wants to make lives better for our community, I see the on-going struggles, challenges, and barriers to involvement and inclusion. It should not be this hard to have our collective voices heard. Breaking down the walls of exclusion is what drives me to do the community activities that I do.
I would also say that hard work, taking nothing for granted, celebrating family and traditions are other principles and values that guide me each day. I’m happy to say that my family and my Mexican culture have helped shape who I am today.
In 1975, my mom, dad and I moved from Colombia to Philadelphia where we were welcomed by a Quaker single mom named Marian who happily housed us for a time, helped my parents get settled in their new jobs as physicians, helped us all work on our English, and cared for me for years like I was her own granddaughter-- complete with homemade birthday cakes and abundant Thanksgivings. Her care packages of brownies travelled across the miles when we moved to California to work at Stanford (my parents) and eventually study at Stanford and UC Berkeley (me). For many years, Grandma Marian was the only "family" I had in the states. Fast forward 45 years, I now feel very lucky to live within the San Carlos/Redwood City community surrounded by more family-- just as caring, but now larger in number-- including my husband, son, daughter, mom, sister and her family, and a whole "school family" of talented colleagues, parents, and students at Sequoia High School where I work and volunteer.
When I hear the cheer "Viva Latinx!," my heart fills with hope that we as a community are deepening our appreciation and understanding of the Latin American diaspora-- it's complex breadth and depth of beauty, culture, stories, struggles and successes. "Viva" reminds me that, despite our differences, all Latinx families want the same thing as everyone else: a long life full of good health, kindness and joy, and the opportunity to pursue goals with passion, humor and grace, surrounded by the caring support of family (in all the forms family can take). That has guided me in my collaborative work over the past years teaching and facilitating art, cooking and enrichment classes, creating the organic edible schoolyard at Arroyo School, and organizing volunteers, fundraising and support for teachers, families and students at Sequoia High School. I am deeply grateful for the people who have supported me on my journey, cheering, "Viva! You can do this! Si se puede. And I'm here to help!" If someone has helped you towards your goals, and you're ready to pay that forward, please reach out! We'd love to welcome you at Sequoia: elisa@atlashs.org
My name is Miriam Peirano I was born in Argentina. It wasn't until I was an immigrant that I made a choice to reconnect and to celebrate my origines. After being here in the Bay Area for a few years I started taking tango clases and I became an active member of "Argentinos in the Bay Area", a group that connects argentineans with argentinians business and services. Also it has a social component that helps us to get together for some "asados" and fun events. I met wonderful, successful and fun people at those events, all immigrants that have a similar history like mine. After that, I became more interested in actively bringing back to life some customs I used to practice at my house growing up.
This month means a time of reflection, reconnection and celebration of my hispanic culture. I usually listen to latin podcasts or read a book from amazing writers like Cortazar, Garcia Marques or Borges to name a few. I connect deeply to my roots by listen tango music from Gardel; if I close my eyes I can picture my mom and dad dancing together at some "Milongas"
Being Latinx means to understand the happiness that life offers us at any given moment. Latinx community is well known for being hard workers and still we always find the time for a spontaneous get together! There is a deep understanding when we are in community and we carry our friend's troubles as if they were ours as we do with their accomplishments. LatinX means love, hugs and besos :) We are all a big family!
Being a latina has helped me to better understand other people from different cultures. Having to adapt constantly, I can understand diversity and bring more empathy when I am meeting some from another country or culture. The impact I see in my life is that I celebrate differences! I love to learn about new food, rituals and customs from all over the world!
I was born in Los Ángeles to immigrant parents from El Salvador. My husband, Scott, and two children, Alana (19) and Isaac (21), moved to our home in San Carlos from Albany NY in 2004. I’m a professor at Menlo College teaching Spanish Language and Culture and soon to be teaching a Wine Education course. I also work for InterExchange, a cultural exchange company that offers work/school study abroad programs to teenagers and young adults. As a local cultural coordinator, I support au pairs from around the world who are working with local families.
The most important part of the Latinx cultura to me is the strong connection within our familias. Witnessing the sacrifices my single madre made to work two jobs in the pursuit of a better life has been the inspiration for my academic achievements. Despite the hardships of raising three kids, not speaking any English, and caring for her own madre she continued to instill the celebrated tenets of our cultura like dancing to música salsa and cooking delicious homemade comida. I am proud of the great pasión, strength, unity and leadership taught to me by the women in my familia. It has helped me to navigate a higher education sistema that often fails poor and underrepresented comunidades. I am proud to be part of la comunidad Latinx because no matter what happens in our daily life, we make time to celebrate it with love, dancing, friends, familia, laughter and lots of delicious comida.
I wanted to be an educator from the momento I stepped into my fourth grade classroom and met my first Latina teacher. I experienced many challenges and moments of self doubt, but there were always teachers and profesores throughout my academic career keeping me on track telling me that the teaching profesión needed me to share my cultura, my language, and my historia with future estudiantes. I attended UCSB where an amazing Latina profesora introduced me to the man who may have had the most impacto diversifying teaching in this country with his Institute for the Recruitment of Teachers programa, Kelly Wise. He recruited low income minority college students for a free summer instituto where he taught us how to present ourselves both in person and through the application process to grad schools and inspired us with guest speakers and workshops on the need for more diversidad in teaching in colleges and universidades. This programa enabled me to earn a full scholarship to Tufts University where I received my Master’s in Teaching degree. I did what no Latina in my family had done before and left mi familia to study across the country much to the dismay of many of those in my familia who didn’t agree with women leaving a home without being married. I love teaching Español and sharing my heritage with those who want to learn more about my cultura. Not having family nearby has been difficult not just for me but for my children. I was thankful to see how they flourished and celebrated the fact that they are biracial when they went to Sequoia High School. I have been so proud to see my children embrace their Salvadorian roots and Latinx cultura.
