Please explain what you do for living.
I manage business operations for a local startup called BoXZY. We make an all-in-one 3D printer, laser engraver, and CNC mill - a true desktop makerspace!
How important in your identity is being Latino?
Being Latino has always been a very important yet conflicting part of my identity. To the outside world, I don't present any stereotypical Latino characteristics, so it's not something anyone knows about me unless I bring it up. Sometimes I feel weird bringing it up, but it's important to me so I do anyway. To my family, I'm very white. When I was born, my great-grandmother saw me and called me "gueralita." While the people in my life accept me and love me as I am, sometimes I feel like I'm in a weird cultural limbo.
Is there something that you particularly value of your nationality or being Latino?
My maternal grandmother is Mexican-American. Her grandparents and parents immigrated to the United States from Mexico in the early 20th century. Since then, our entire family has woven itself into the tapestry of United States history. Her father and uncles, who worked hard in the steel industry, were part of the indispensable immigrant workforce that laid the foundation for America's prosperity. They also laid a foundation for our family to grow and prosper. Today, we are diplomats, politicians, social workers, teachers, caregivers, and much, much more. I guess what I value most about our heritage is that it centers around family, education, and hard work.
Have you been treated differently because of being Latino (in the workplace, in public settings…etc.)?
Due to the fact that I present white, I've experienced white privilege my entire life and have not been treated any differently because of being Latino. I have experienced people making disparaging comments about Latinos in my presence because they didn't know I was at the time.