Connie Guerrero

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.