Please explain what you do for living.
I am a licensed massage therapist and massage therapy instructor.
How important in your identity is being Latino?
More important than I realized before moving to Pittsburgh. After moving here from Florida where Latino culture is predominant, I have come to deeply miss it here in Pittsburgh. It seems it's almost non existent, for example, it is hard to find specific grocery items, and speak in Spanish with people. I even miss just the sound of people speaking in Spanish in public around me.
Is there something that you particularly value of your nationality or being Latino?
I value the openness and sharing nature of Latino culture. Anyone can be a friend, or become part of the family.
Have you been treated differently because of being Latino (in the workplace, in public settings…etc.)?
If I have, it's probably only because of my appearance, since I don't really have an accent. It's mostly involving my very curvy figure, and so it often happens that what I'm wearing might look normal on someone else but revealing on me. So I do get looks because of that. Places I've worked, I've been told I have to wear baggier than normal clothes, to hide my figure.