Name: Angélica María Tirado
Age: 29

Location: El Paso, Texas

Profession: Education (Teacher and Softball Coach)

Roots: Mexican-American

Languages: English and Spanish

What does it mean to you to be Latina?

Being Latina means to me that I encompass pride for my family, and myself, love of culture, and a desire to see my people achieve. One of the main reasons that I love teaching in El Paso, where 99% of my students are Mexican and Mexican-American, is that I can instill in them the love for their heritage and the desire to fulfill their dreams.

Name:
Sonia Carranza

Age:
29

Location:
Central Valley (California)

Profession:
Registered Health Inspector/ Lead Inspector Assessor

Roots:
Mexico. Parents are from Guanajuato

Languages:
English and Spanish

What does it mean to you to be Latino/a?
It’s all about the culture. We have a big united family with all day gatherings every Sunday at my mom’s house. It also means to believe in Santos, Reyes Magos, brujas and lloronas.

What does your work consist of?
I conduct inspections at public water systems, food facilities and pools, also respond to sewage, mosquito, and trash complaints. I am also responsible for conducting lead investigations for children who have elevated blood lead levels throughout the county. Unfortunately most of the cases are Latino/Spanish speaking. The lead contamination is mostly due to lead based paint which is found in many homes that are in bad condition.

What health concerns affect the Latino community?
Some of the health problems that come to mind are diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Well, the first two are a result of the third.

Politics: (Example: middle ground, far right, far left, etc.)
left

In your opinion, are Latinos united or divided as a group?
I think it's a combination of the two in the sense that Latinos are united along nationality lines and at the same time that's what divides us.

Favorite musical style:
Mostly Rock en Español and Alternative music.

Favorite TV Shows:
Gilmore Girls.

Favorite artists in any genre:
Julieta Venegas, Mana, Juanes, and Ricardo Arjona.

Favorite brand names:
Lucky Brand Jeans and anything worth buying at Ross and Marshall’s.

Who have been or are your role models?
My Parents (jefecitos) have been my role models. They managed a family of 13 kids working as farmworkers. Their fortitude inspired us to do well in education. I'm proud to say that there are six college graduates in my family.

Age:
28

Location:
Ozone Park, Queens, NYC

Profession:
Student

Name: Iván Vargas-Gatica

Age: 32

Coupled?: Yes

Location: San Francisco, CA

Profession: Graphic Designer

Roots: Chilean

Name:
Laureano Ruiz

Age:
33

Location:
Houston, Texas

Profession:
IT Consulting

Roots:
Mexican heritage, born and raised in Mexico.

Age:
25

Location:
Rego Park, New York

Profession:
Pre-School Teacher

Name:
Monica Chavez

Age:
28

Location:
San Francisco, CA

Profession:
Student Services

Roots:
Mexican-American born in San Francisco. Mom and Dad
from Mexico (Jalisco and Guanajuato, respectively)

Languages:
English and Spanish.

What does it mean to you to be Latino?
Being Latino means being proud and knowledgable of the
fact that you are part of something greater than you.
It means being connected to millions of people inside
and outside the US. It's a duality, the American me
and the Latino me.

Will there ever be a Latino president? Is that important? Why?
Eventually, but not in my lifetime. I think we'll have to wait for a
women to become president first and I don't mean on TV. It took
until the 1920's for women to be able to even vote so we've got a
ways to go. I thinks it's important to get someone who can do the
job well. If that person were Latino then it would be that much
better.