Latina Smart Ambassador {Education & Culture}

Well, my time as a Latina Smart Ambassador is wrapping up, and I wanted to take some time to reflect on the experience. It was truly wonderful to get to be a part of something that is so positive and makes a difference in women’s lives by providing scholarships. I had the privilege, and I truly do consider it a privilege, to help judge the entries to select the top 20. Reading and viewing all those entries helped fuel the fire within me that I sometimes put out inadvertently. That spark for life, change, education and success that we neglect or ignore because it requires effort and work.

Well, Latina Smart reminded me that with effort and work, anything is possible. The women that entered the scholarship contest have that spark I mentioned above, and because of them the Latina culture will be better. We’ll have more opportunities, more awareness and more impact on people’s lives.

I know don’t write much about being Latina on these pages, but it’s not ever something I ever forget about. Culture is something that is important to me because my mom and grandma have always instilled that in me. My culture is something I think about when preparing holiday meals: I am so excited to get to eat tamales, bunuelos and pan de polvo in this next week! Delicious. My culture is also something I think about when I reflect on memories with my grandmother who passed away 5 years ago on Christmas Eve. The Latina culture is in my heart and soul, and I can’t thank Latina Smart enough for really helping me get down to my roots.

My mom, myself and my granny back in 2005.

Being an ambassador was just what I needed at a time when I felt down and uninspired. That spark is back, and sometimes when it flickers away for a moment, I think of all the women I’ve met through my Latina Smart ambassador journey and I feel alive again.

Thanks Latina Smart for the opportunity of a lifetime.

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