Hispanic Heritage Month: My Evolving Identity

Patricia Cuadra, Media Planner

Being Hispanic or Latino in the US means having an evolving sense of identity. I was born and raised in Nicaragua, a Latino country located in Central America, and decided to move to the US to make my “Dream Come True.” It was challenging because Spanish is my first language and I only knew basic English. I was able to learn and speak English fluently and achieved my dream of getting my bachelor’s degree from a well-known university in Florida, the University of Florida. Being Latino/Hispanic and living here in the US is almost like being in two worlds.

There are many stories to tell, but my culture, food and family are the core pillars that make my race unique. I love being in the US and sharing my ethnicity with other people – some of whom don’t know where Nicaragua is – and showing them the beauty of our Latino countries. We have good food, most of the population is very nice and welcoming, and we have always a phrase or word to use for anything.

One of the stories I will always remember is when I was pursuing my bachelor’s degree and presenting in class, my Spanish accent in English was very noticeable. The professor stopped me and said, “We don’t understand, I’ll read the speech you have to the class.” He grabbed the speech I had prepared and read it in front of everyone. I felt horrible, and nervous about the situation. However, this story out of the millions of other stories made me who I am today. I’m proud to be a Latino/Hispanic woman who speaks English, Spanish and (almost) French. That experience made me stronger and passionate to not be ashamed of who I am, and where I come from.

I’m here to advocate for my culture, share my roots and show the world how amazing we all can be if we let our culture merge with others. We all can make an incredible world – full of culture and good vibes!

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