Pedro Adams, Intake Specialist
What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you?
Hispanic Heritage Month is a reminder of our history, traditions, and values which are the foundation of our culture.
How do you celebrate your heritage?
My favorite way to celebrate is to share traditional Hispanic meals with loved ones and reminisce on memories, and share stories while enjoying each other’s company.
What message would you like to send to the Hispanic community during this month of celebration and reflection?
Times get tough but we get tougher. Be proud of your culture, be proud of your name, and be proud to be you because you are worth it.
Avina Maldonado, Senior Case Manager
What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you?
For me, celebrating Hispanic Heritage month is by honoring, educating, and getting involved in Latin American cultures.
Taking vacations to central and south American countries has been a great way for me to get immersed in their culture. Specifically, it has given me the opportunity to enjoy and appreciate the people, gastronomy, and overall, way of living.
How do you celebrate your heritage?
In Costa Rica, I enrolled in Spanish classes where I was able to stay with a Tico family who only spoke Spanish and graciously made me several Costa Rican dishes to enjoy. This really elevated my experience to interact with the locals in their native language and enjoy their culture. After leaving Costa Rica, I continued my Spanish learning journey by taking weekly virtual Spanish classes via italki with my instructor who’s from Guadalajara, Mexico. She has taught me quite a bit about Mexican culture from their gastronomy to their slang/dialect. Taking what Spanish I’ve learned this past year gave me the opportunity to connect with Peruvian locals at a higher level while traveling to Peru recently.
What message would you like to send to the Hispanic community during this month of celebration and reflection?
My message to the Hispanic community would be to ignite the flame and keep it lit in terms of connecting with their heritage. Some examples would be taking time to learn Spanish via italki or Duolingo, getting connected with native Spanish speakers virtually such as the HelloTalk app, researching and implementing Latin dishes, and when possible, traveling to Latin American countries to get plugged in and fully immersed! It goes a long way to communicate with Spanish speakers in their native language and explore Latin American countries – you can learn and appreciate so much more than you ever possibly can from a Google search on these topics.
Davina Maldonado, Office Manager
Hispanic Heritage Month means that I am honoring the many accomplishments and contributions made by my family, ancestors, and many more amongst the community. My great-grandparents are originally from Mexico and were looked down on for not being able to speak English when they came to America. This ultimately led to the Spanish language not being passed down in my family. I honor my great-grandparents by taking the time to learn Spanish.
How do you celebrate your heritage?
By continuing to learn more about my heritage, learning Spanish, and spending time with my loved ones over some delicious food (preferably enchiladas!) and music. Many of the traditions and cultural practices were not passed down, so I spend time trying to expand my knowledge of these things.
What message would you like to send to the Hispanic community during this month of celebration and reflection?
Take pride in who you are and where you came from. Remain grateful for those who have paved the way for us and if you do not know much about your heritage, don’t be ashamed, take the time to learn.
