00:00:00.000 - 00:00:09.240

Ancestry, of course, as a woman. But pretty much Musa question when people ask me something like that, of course the first thing I think of

00:00:09.240 - 00:00:19.530

his race and ethnicity. Sure. Sure. We can. Again, key

00:00:19.530 - 00:00:27.890

tell us a little bit about your heritage. Okay. Well, I'm multiracial. I usually people ask me,

00:00:27.890 - 00:00:39.020

I say black, Italian, mexican. My father, his father is Mexican and his mother is a tiny gesture. Was born in Italy. Think evil villain.

00:00:39.020 - 00:00:49.360

She's five. On my mother's side. My, her mother is black. Cheese back to slavery routes, but she also has a Native American heritage.

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And her father is Jamaican. And I should just realize this. I know he's West Indian, but I only just found out

00:00:56.750 - 00:01:03.320

last year that he or she has to make into so I'm kind of learning more as they get older, but more and more about my heritage.

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Wow, so Afro Latina for us is really mix of every, everything that your parents and your grandparents are.

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From milk for Mozi says night from any one particular parent or lineage, but kind of accommodation influences from different both sides of my family.

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So how would you yourself define that? I was definitely interesting. Grown-up influencers are very different. Actually didn't grow up around my family.

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My grandfather, Mexican, him and my grandmother divorced when I was very little and he actually moved back to Texas

00:01:44.330 - 00:01:53.120

where his belt as a result seem again, it's Hill, who knows? About 13 way. And he actually became

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really sick with cancer and ended up passing away a few months later. So I didn't have a real issue and growing up. So something that I

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wish I could experience it, but I of course have no control over. So I didn't grow up around the Latino culture at all.

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You know the language and know how to cook. They had no connection with those relatives. So it's drawing aside influences when I was growing up

00:02:17.630 - 00:02:25.160

was my dad's Italians heart failure, which was huge. And of course my mom side of the black side of the family.

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So a family disconnect definitely influence, I guess your grasp of who you are? Absolutely. Just being multi-racial of the care was,

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of course, growing up. Being a teenage girl alone is enough of identity, challenge. And then of course be multi-racial.

00:02:45.500 - 00:02:53.180

Not sure where I fit in that spirit is alive. And then I do think I want to change anything per se, but I do think if I had

00:02:53.180 - 00:03:00.980

grown up with more of a connection, any sharp parts of my heritage and they go to the Edit better understanding an earlier age,

00:03:00.980 - 00:03:08.690

as opposed to having to kinda figure it out of my own income into an OEM on my own as an elderly to high school years and in college.

00:03:08.690 - 00:03:13.980

And even now, still at about staying there you want in a few days. And I'm still learning

00:03:13.980 - 00:03:21.830

to try and figure it out. So yeah, I do wish I had grown up, as I mentioned, around, doesn't remember what's your culture

00:03:21.830 - 00:03:30.070

because it's something that we're passionate about and I love. But it was missing and brought up to feel like,

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you know, certain things were missing. My experiences. So when would you see really began to search for

00:03:41.770 - 00:03:54.880

ethnic background or I didn't go. Well, technically, I guess you could say and I think it was Billy, seventh grade social studies.

00:03:54.880 - 00:04:02.470

We had project we already paper and about our own our own family history. So I actually spoke

00:04:02.470 - 00:04:09.700

with both my grandmothers, excuse me, to learn more. So that's where I learned where anyway, my grandma was wrong,

00:04:09.700 - 00:04:17.040

which I actually forgot. It says to look at a few forget, I do still have a schema which is five and their, and their story.

00:04:17.040 - 00:04:27.980

I learned about my grandma, my maternal grandmother, or ancestry back into slavery would say, well from now South and she has,

00:04:27.980 - 00:04:35.240

I think it's like a great, great grandmother was 100 percent Native American. So it was excited to learn new stuff that I just never

00:04:35.240 - 00:04:42.020

thought of before. But at the same time, this message before, the missing components because I there's no relationship with

00:04:42.020 - 00:04:49.850

my grandfather, both sides. So I only got to learn but half of my ancestry and heritage. But as I said,

00:04:49.850 - 00:04:57.290

that was kind of the technical first experience. But as I got it So later high school years where I really kinda became question.

00:04:57.290 - 00:05:06.100

Again, I guess internally you could say, you know, where I fit in who I am. I'm realizing I always knew that I was different.

00:05:06.100 - 00:05:14.030

Like the parent was black. My parent who's white, you know, what they look like? Anybody? I knew my grandfather, Maximilian,

00:05:14.030 - 00:05:21.680

conceptualize what Latino was because I lived in predominant white suburbs of islands. I didn't really know

00:05:21.680 - 00:05:28.010

any Spanish people at all. And I place a sudden you have a family around me. But as I have folded ears, of course,

00:05:28.010 - 00:05:35.240

my PI started to change and then hourly I built toward latino. A lot of times that anything else and have people

00:05:35.240 - 00:05:44.200

come up to me unfortunately, as as a Latino. That's why we're against question more. Okay, you know, where I fit in duet film,

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sometimes feeling like I had to choose one and never wanting to. I mean, of course now has an older, of course be comfortable embracing all of

00:05:52.220 - 00:06:02.840

them and wanting all aspects. But early on feeling I have to choose one. And then of course, college, she as well. For your noun clauses.

00:06:02.840 - 00:06:07.700

When I began to really learn more about the Latino culture through my involvement in student organizations

00:06:07.700 - 00:06:14.960

on campus and going, going dancing for the first time to assess the ranking. Experienced food and having

00:06:14.960 - 00:06:33.140

a lot of having for a lot of friends actually were Latino that I do now, before my life. Did any of your friends at

00:06:33.140 - 00:06:46.540

school ask you what your background? I think I've always been I and him so used to it from over the years that it doesn't faze me.

00:06:46.540 - 00:06:57.610

Not really in an elementary school. I don't think play a little bit middle school and then suddenly in high school.

00:06:57.610 - 00:07:04.550

But it was, it was kind of norm, you know, at that point in us. Question of expected, you don't expect people asked

00:07:04.550 - 00:07:17.180

me kinda don't even blink an eye when they do. So. Do you have any stories from work for various jobs

00:07:17.180 - 00:07:30.680

that she had where you fairly experienced a clash in your confusion? My first job was when I was in high school because it'll just an upscale

00:07:30.680 - 00:07:39.680

Canadian Club on the line. And as mentioned, that lived in predominantly white suburbs. When I was in high school, there was maybe

00:07:39.680 - 00:07:48.790

a handful of students were Spanish. I did just didn't really know. But when I went to work at this Peter Hall, the entire kitchen staff.

00:07:48.790 - 00:07:55.940

All right. Let me correct that wasn't target itself, but majority kitchen staff at all levels, not just cooks or anything like that.

00:07:55.940 - 00:08:02.520

Also management and other leaders were Latino. And as I said, that's why and when in

00:08:02.520 - 00:08:09.770

my later high school years I started nose and how would the appearance is being Latino? So they knew I knew some

00:08:09.770 - 00:08:18.800

Spanish just from taking it and school throughout the years. And I feel they know what I was particularly somebody who had some of

00:08:18.800 - 00:08:26.030

that tradition that but I that was mixed. So they will speak in Spanish in front of me to each other, talking about me to

00:08:26.030 - 00:08:37.970

see how much I could understand request. This was mostly about doing this. So it was a little uncomfortable. Of course, for any instance,

00:08:37.970 - 00:08:43.490

when if somebody, you know, you know, they're talking about you doesn't matter what language it is. Let me accountable.

00:08:43.490 - 00:08:52.580

But then, you know, they're doing on purpose knowing that I knew what was going on, that makes sense. Settle as long because well,

00:08:52.580 - 00:08:58.160

but it was a funny experience too, but this was the first time I started realizing that. Okay.

00:08:58.160 - 00:09:06.830

Beers Latino I do at lithium heritage. What does that mean? And of course, having to deal with people coming up to me talking Spanish,

00:09:06.830 - 00:09:13.770

even if it's well, it can do. And I just don't speak Spanish fluently and app kind of having to explain to people.

00:09:13.770 - 00:09:21.340

And it's something again, I'm used to now, but I do still get that a lot. And just dealing with people, look at, you know,

00:09:21.340 - 00:09:30.200

they see in appearance, they did proceed with one thing, apology that way and it's because of that you just dust you just dust off.

00:09:30.200 - 00:09:35.170

You don't take seriously, you know, you know, you don't get insulted by it, but there's something you experience often

00:09:35.170 - 00:09:41.870

and always breaks the surface a little bit. Okay. How do you explain who you are, your background?

00:09:45.270 - 00:09:53.710

See you spoke about getting involved in student organizations. When you came into college, will kind of organizations that

00:09:53.710 - 00:10:02.300

you start going too? Well. My freshman year I joined the 4f0, lack of how good from Canvas

00:10:02.300 - 00:10:10.120

and run audition then I think goes, well, I'll say I was the only person of color. I think pretty much I

00:10:10.120 - 00:10:19.240

was one of maybe feel anything. And I got into the avatar group. And I was, we joke, I was talking because I

00:10:19.240 - 00:10:27.400

was the only person of color in and knock about group. And they used to joke about how I would I brought in the rhythm.

00:10:27.400 - 00:10:35.680

And it was fine to me. Like I said, it didn't insult me at all. I'd take it was just it was going to major. Let's say I bought the group,

00:10:35.680 - 00:10:41.990

was doing a little dance moves, so to speak, with who performed. And I also was my voice as long as saying so I

00:10:41.990 - 00:10:49.060

was basically speak in the group and I did percussion. I will even call it V bucks. Okay.

00:10:49.060 - 00:11:00.090

So that was my first group I joined. I was involved the NAACP. And again, being involved in certainly certain groups.

00:11:00.610 - 00:11:08.120

Even if it's something that you think of other people DO. A watery okay. At MRI, done my fitting with this group,

00:11:08.120 - 00:11:20.690

NWA CP and my black enough for this group. I was involved with that for about two years. And then I also joined all of which is the Latino student organization

00:11:20.690 - 00:11:26.390

on at same time, I had a friend that was involved. And let's think about for me it means for a little while,

00:11:26.390 - 00:11:32.390

but I felt it felt, I guess, to me a little bit because I felt I'm not Spanish enough for this group Island.

00:11:32.390 - 00:11:40.370

I don't speak Spanish fluently. I I don't I didn't grow up in the culture. I don't know the culture, etc. And of course it turned out, what's

00:11:40.370 - 00:11:48.380

the meaning is always embrace to go. And I became very quickly, quickly and my participation in the group. And then I actually ran

00:11:48.380 - 00:11:57.200

for the position of Vice President. Well, first or second vice president. And at the same time, I was because I wanted to be

00:11:57.200 - 00:12:05.360

president because of my, I felt you should create capabilities. But I did feel, and it didn't. This was from other people in the group

00:12:05.360 - 00:12:13.400

that I wasn't as bad to have the leadership role because traditionally and existence of that group, all the board members were Spanish,

00:12:13.400 - 00:12:26.030

but particularly leadership spoke Spanish. So I felt that was a deterrent. Aiming is nothing outspoken per se. That was kind of a

00:12:26.030 - 00:12:32.390

vibe that was put out there. And I'm happy ST. Now over the years now I'm back as advisor to 0 and the curve

00:12:32.390 - 00:12:39.230

that make up the boards multicultural, that they still are dealing with this stigmatism out there. That to be the Latino group,

00:12:39.230 - 00:12:44.570

you has to be in the TV, has to speak Spanish. Actually, their bodily came up with is just funny, is no Spanish.

00:12:44.570 - 00:12:50.690

No problem. To get to get the message out there that they there, Welcome everyone ends for anyone just

00:12:50.690 - 00:12:58.370

want to say that Latino culture is not just for people speak Spanish and do my group through my participation as a student.

00:12:58.370 - 00:13:07.310

And then of course here step. How did you get involved with dancing? I actually joke up and dance. It says before I walk, I'm checking,

00:13:07.310 - 00:13:17.300

I think Kennedy, 5PM of your time. But as far back as if you remember, when I was four, my mom bought me this warm-up health dance or

00:13:17.300 - 00:13:24.020

Alpha in I put on this dancing around the house. I took dance classes from the age of five to 14,

00:13:24.020 - 00:13:32.330

goes pretty much all Jazz. This ballet, I'm not back reasonable. So that's a jazz and I loved it. And I stopped when I

00:13:32.330 - 00:13:38.120

was in high school because I taught high school, I'd be busy, different things, but then I missed it.

00:13:38.120 - 00:13:45.590

And then of course, my teen years, I wanted to swimming clubs and going out dance clubs. When I was in college,

00:13:45.590 - 00:13:54.950

I took the SU-8 ballroom dance class one semester and I also took Sui data and specifically another semester. And then when I joined all group,

00:13:54.950 - 00:14:03.550

Ali used to have parties off campus on a monthly basis and they would they'd have faculty and staff attend as well students,

00:14:03.550 - 00:14:09.940

which I think was something that's about the culture. That Let's look. Latin dancing, Spanish dancing.

00:14:09.940 - 00:14:18.990

It's a bit is different than the hip hop or other types of dancing and it's more of an open environment. So it's okay if staff and students of

00:14:18.990 - 00:14:28.100

different ages and started dancing, bringing in learning a little bit of salsa. And I just, I loved it. And now as the years progressed in college

00:14:28.100 - 00:14:34.550

and I've gone up dancing and kind of picks up more and more. And then when the unfortunate have a good partner that can

00:14:34.550 - 00:14:42.980

lead well and teach you. So it's interesting because I didn't grow up. That's Latin dancing, at least Eddie, wherever I'm right here,

00:14:42.980 - 00:14:51.250

assassin or anything at all. But I do believe it's in my blood. It's kinda hard even with nature versus nurture per se.

00:14:51.250 - 00:14:59.480

I was taught by my family. I just want to have it just by doing it. I picked it up quickly. And I've even have people comment to me,

00:14:59.480 - 00:15:05.870

see me dance Spanish. They think I'm either Dominican and Puerto Rico to some because of how I dance. So I do think that's

00:15:05.870 - 00:15:14.730

something that's in my blood dancing period, but old Spanish dancing and other things. But it just love music. I love dancing and

00:15:14.740 - 00:15:29.990

it just makes me happy and everything. So you brought up the fact that I grew up with your grandparents or effects

00:15:29.990 - 00:15:43.250

of the Latino culture in your home. So would you mind sharing some of the impact? Both sets of my grandparents divorce. What it was before I was born or

00:15:43.250 - 00:15:54.630

SAT was when I was a baby. So my dad's father, who's Mexican, he moves away when I was back to Texas.

00:15:54.630 - 00:16:01.610

All Israel says what's out there and I never knew that before that. And just because of whatever relation my dad had

00:16:01.610 - 00:16:09.490

extreme elation my dad had with his father. I think delegate Christmas or birthday cards, but I didn't have any communication my grandfather whatsoever,

00:16:09.490 - 00:16:15.500

we don't want to I then went out to visit and my father did, but I, you know, we as a family visiting Texas.

00:16:15.500 - 00:16:23.060

So sadly enough, from the time I was eight, the next time I saw my grandfather was I believe it's about 1313 in eighth grade.

00:16:23.060 - 00:16:27.630

He's coming to New York for a visit for the first time he actually got sick on the plane. So you'll history from

00:16:27.630 - 00:16:37.880

getting off the plane in the wheelchair to the hospital. And he had cancer and had progressed. And he was in the hospital, I believe,

00:16:37.880 - 00:16:45.980

for almost two months during the summer between eighth, ninth grade, I believe it was, and then he passed away.

00:16:45.980 - 00:16:54.070

And so I got seem a couple times and I was thankful at least have that. And then when he passed away, all his relatives were taxes

00:16:54.070 - 00:17:03.020

came out to the view. And of course we have a week to week at our house afterwards. And romance and the Spanish in school.

00:17:03.020 - 00:17:06.390

And only been a couple of years at this point? I thought I did. Okay.

00:17:06.390 - 00:17:12.160

And being around my Mexican relatives from our standard, hear them speak Spanish. I was like there's like the first time I ever

00:17:12.160 - 00:17:20.550

heard anybody really speak Spanish, I was I guess you could say native to the language. Sounds like something like I understand.

00:17:20.550 - 00:17:27.840

You're saying it was nice to see them, but I unfortunately didn't have any time with them. I actually had a dance rehearsal,

00:17:27.840 - 00:17:32.690

dance recital that night. Hi. So I saw a couple of hours at my house and I

00:17:32.690 - 00:17:43.160

was about it and they all left. And as I haven't seen any of them since, I've asked my father to get some more information from his uncles,

00:17:43.160 - 00:17:49.160

especially as they're getting older because I know my grandmother was born in Texas, but I don't know where Mexico or from an AI

00:17:49.160 - 00:17:58.300

do that feel is a missing piece to not know where I'm from Philly and I would like to know what part of the country biases arise.

00:17:58.300 - 00:18:09.530

I don't know the story of when our belt is first came to the States, um, and so they will know what circumstances. But I definitely wasn't

00:18:09.530 - 00:18:15.440

any choice in my course. I can't fault anybody for it, but I do wish I had grown up learning. You'd have some teach me how

00:18:15.440 - 00:18:23.940

to cook Spanish, disservice. To teach me the language a bit and phrases or aspects of the culture and our our family heritage.

00:18:23.940 - 00:18:31.020

So its army and work my file hopefully learn some of those missing pieces now before it's too late.

00:18:31.020 - 00:18:37.670

But I do That's something that I did fields and absence. But it's an absence I didn't realize until I got older,

00:18:37.670 - 00:18:46.190

I would say in high school and definitely and I realized anymore as I got older that missing impact of head.

00:18:46.190 - 00:18:54.550

Like I said, of course I wouldn't change anything about my life growing up, but that's something I do. Do.

00:18:54.550 - 00:18:59.690

I do think that I would have turned out differently if I had a closer we had a close relationship or I should say

00:18:59.690 - 00:19:09.370

relational period with my Mexican Rawls is a Mexican culture. It's part of my heritage. When you do have children,

00:19:09.370 - 00:19:20.990

what aspects of for Latino heritage or ethnic identity which you want to bestow upon them. Let's focus on those.

00:19:20.990 - 00:19:25.460

Every girl says, especially your teenage years, that when she has her own challenged them, praise and completely

00:19:25.460 - 00:19:35.290

different than our parents. And I didn't really grow up, I think around on my cultural heritage. So I want to make sure that my children

00:19:35.290 - 00:19:40.870

are at least exposed to it so they can kind of know what it's about and figure it out on their own as they get older.

00:19:40.870 - 00:19:50.860

So what, what did they teach my children? Black history. So by then hopefully supply more about my Mexican heritage would be

00:19:50.860 - 00:19:56.950

able to share that with my children. The Italian heritage as well? No, because my grandma, as I mentioned, my grandmother came

00:19:56.950 - 00:20:06.400

over when she was a child. On the second iteration, Italian immigrant, very good segue. And then whatever my husband's background is,

00:20:06.400 - 00:20:14.370

which headstart be something completely different than my own, how that as well. But also different aspects I experienced growing up like religion.

00:20:14.370 - 00:20:22.400

By now, I'm agnostic. I grew up Christian. We sell the old Christian Holly's but to expose my children to that.

00:20:22.400 - 00:20:29.240

And then when they're younger and as they get older and starts to make more of themselves again at the liberty to choose what it is,

00:20:29.240 - 00:20:35.600

the details right for themselves. But at least to give them the exposure, hopefully I won't be that the type parents enforce things on it.

00:20:35.600 - 00:20:42.080

But excuse me. But to give them exposure, you get an education outside of wherever it again,

00:20:42.080 - 00:20:48.560

school about who they are, where they're from. And hopefully to help them get through the process of going up and

00:20:48.560 - 00:20:54.350

discovering their own identity easier. I do think, of course, weight challenging times and there's more and more children are

00:20:54.350 - 00:21:02.000

multi-racial and multi-racial interracial couples. That it will be easier for them than it was when I was growing up by another cell,

00:21:02.000 - 00:21:09.410

the child, there will still be challenges. All of that can help guide that, do them easier then. Because I don't really feel I had

00:21:09.410 - 00:21:16.250

that guidance from my own parents growing up. It's not something we're going to talk to them about. So Tom and definitely

00:21:16.250 - 00:21:27.060

the food because I do like to cook and also the other food aspect and music, etc. Hello.

00:21:27.060 - 00:21:36.110

Good evening. My name is I don't know what to say. I always had that problem. Sound texts. Good evening.

00:21:36.110 - 00:21:47.860

My name is I don't know what to say. I always had that problem. Sound texts. Okay. Hello.

00:21:47.860 - 00:22:06.530

Hi. So my identity is formed. And how you, Andrew CGIAR? A silly question. How would you define yourself?

00:22:06.530 - 00:22:17.350

You basically, if anyone asked me, I usually I say multi-racial. I'm black, Italian, a Mexican, but I also have Native American heritage.

00:22:17.350 - 00:22:26.520

But I just choose a three prominent racial backgrounds, I guess you could say just based on numbers per se or percentage.

00:22:26.520 - 00:22:36.380

But to go more specifics, my mom is black and Native American. I actually just found out last year, about a year ago that her father

00:22:36.380 - 00:22:46.290

actually is of Jamaican heritage, something in my entire life. So learning new things every year, every day. My father is Mexican in Italian.

00:22:46.390 - 00:22:55.150

So and I consider I don't consider myself any one of those individual identities. I am the person

00:22:55.150 - 00:23:02.200

that I am is made up of all of them. So I'm not just black, I'm not just Spanish. You know, that vowels that have white heritage.

00:23:02.200 - 00:23:09.940

But unfortunately a lot of the questionnaires and things that are out there, whether it's government from

00:23:09.940 - 00:23:15.610

the university or just standard survey still make you define only one. And that's something I have a big issue

00:23:15.610 - 00:23:27.790

with because especially nowadays, a lot of people are not just racial identity. What role did your parents, your knowledge of your heritage?

00:23:27.790 - 00:23:37.820

Very interesting question. In many ways I feel like of course I'm like I say they didn't have a role,

00:23:37.820 - 00:23:42.620

but I don't feel it was something we really talked about when I was growing up. When I was little,

00:23:42.620 - 00:23:47.690

I knew one parent was black. One parent has white just by the colors than crayon box thing I guess you could say,

00:23:47.690 - 00:23:55.180

you know, I know it's different but it was just that was what my family was. I didn't think anything of it. As it got a little older

00:23:55.180 - 00:24:04.640

approach in middle school and high school age and growing up white suburbs. I was pretty much one of the very few minorities

00:24:04.640 - 00:24:11.690

in my school and then has got a low, although there were more minorities, as the school's blended was, I did start to have identity issues,

00:24:11.690 - 00:24:17.780

but for whatever reason, I don't know what it was. It's not something I approach my parents about to help me figure out.

00:24:17.780 - 00:24:24.230

I don't know if I could say gone back that I wish I had. But it just I don't know. It's just something we

00:24:24.230 - 00:24:32.180

didn't really talk about. Newest ever knew what my parents backgrounds were. But as in terms

00:24:32.180 - 00:24:40.140

of processing my own identity, how I felt about in trying to deal with it as I was growing up through teenage years. I know really approached my parents.

00:24:40.140 - 00:24:51.360

I did for a book report in middle school, ask my grandmother's particularly about my heritage for the purpose of a family history report.

00:24:51.360 - 00:25:01.330

But again, that wasn't about my own reflection of self. It was a project for a score. So and there was a lot of disconnect in

00:25:01.330 - 00:25:09.610

my family that has nothing to do with our cultural backgrounds above, my parents did not have close relationships with their father,

00:25:09.610 - 00:25:14.750

so I didn't know either. My grandfather is going up, So that was a missing gap, particularly the Latino side

00:25:14.750 - 00:25:21.130

because my grandfather moved away when I was eight, back to Texas where his relatives live. And I never grew up around a culture arts.

00:25:21.130 - 00:25:28.390

I didn't have it in my life at all. Not really something my father taught me about because he didn't grow up in that culture either,

00:25:28.390 - 00:25:33.940

even though he had one parent and time one parent, that was Mexican, he really did grow up in their culture either.

00:25:33.940 - 00:25:41.770

So he in a sense, at the time he couldn't pass on to me, so to speak because he wasn't around himself. So at at times I feel

00:25:41.770 - 00:25:49.100

it it's it's a missing piece. I'm not saying I necessarily have regrets per se, but I think of them as

00:25:49.100 - 00:25:54.790

a missing component on my childhood. When I do have my own children, I want to make sure that they do have understanding of who they are,

00:25:54.790 - 00:26:19.950

where they came from and their ancestral heritage. And why did you start figuring things out? We're still pursuing to kids know.

00:26:20.260 - 00:26:27.750

It's been a long process, I guess in stages. Like I said, first was when I initially realized that I was different.

00:26:27.750 - 00:26:33.440

And I think there's about middle school age and starting to have well, I mean, you have been a female

00:26:33.440 - 00:26:40.460

teenage preaching and females is you have a lot of issues with that and in securities. But then realizing I was

00:26:40.460 - 00:26:49.880

different and trying to figure out where I fit in and then having more minority students come to my school. Made me more aware of my own differences

00:26:49.880 - 00:26:55.130

because I didn't fit in with the white students necessarily. Whereas beforehand in our major school, I was pretty much one of

00:26:55.130 - 00:27:02.750

maybe three students in my class that were of color. So it was just accept it. Now somebody thought about, but

00:27:02.750 - 00:27:09.080

as there was more, a little bit more diversity in that school, it was still predominantly white, made me more aware of my own differences.

00:27:09.080 - 00:27:14.510

So do middle school, especially with the bug report, it got me thinking about okay, where where they came from.

00:27:14.510 - 00:27:22.910

But in high school in particular, I had a lot of times I think the word lot of issues, I guess for lack of better word,

00:27:22.910 - 00:27:28.640

of really having to, I guess, kind of identity crisis and try and fit where I figured it wasn't black

00:27:28.640 - 00:27:34.890

and ANOVA wasn't quite enough. High-school start to realize more of my Spanish heritage, something I never thought of before.

00:27:34.890 - 00:27:41.450

As I grew into high school, my parents look I look more Latino and people approach me as presuming I was

00:27:41.450 - 00:27:51.440

Latino and that's something I've never dealt with before. So that started came into my consciousness. And I think when I was in college,

00:27:51.440 - 00:27:58.400

I took several black American Studies classes. I minored in Spanish. And I think part of

00:27:58.400 - 00:28:04.670

it wasn't a conscious reason, but I think part of it was to compensate for the lack of knowing that about my culture,

00:28:04.670 - 00:28:12.200

my own heritage, growing up, and not knowing where I fit in. That I wanted to educate myself about those aspects of

00:28:12.200 - 00:28:21.470

who I am and where I came from. And then I was heavily involved in student organizations and I joined the NAACP at 1.

00:28:21.470 - 00:28:28.820

And then even still in my own mind on anything anyone did towards me, but still felt I didn't fit in or I

00:28:28.820 - 00:28:36.140

wasn't black and I was to be part of that. I was an all female are white acapella group. And then again, feeling out of place

00:28:36.140 - 00:28:46.940

because I was only person of color. And then I also join Allah, which was Latino student organization on campus my sophomore, sophomore year.

00:28:46.940 - 00:28:53.810

And I was very reserved for joining it because I felt that was in Spanish. Another felt because I didn't speak Spanish or so from what I

00:28:53.810 - 00:29:01.970

knew from taking classes and even ran for leadership position and still felt that I wasn't Spanish enough. But at the same time I got

00:29:01.970 - 00:29:08.120

to learn a lot more about the culture, particularly dancing, because I love to dance period. But around a group of friends

00:29:08.120 - 00:29:14.210

that were Spanish and we'd go out dancing a lot and got to learn and pick up on that. And I think it's a process I'm still

00:29:14.210 - 00:29:22.460

going through in stages. Like I mentioned, just find out last year I'm of Jamaican heritage, that something I knew. My graph goes from

00:29:22.460 - 00:29:33.260

the Caribbean somewhere about in nowhere. And embracing all parts of my heritage and still dealing with when people ask me question,

00:29:33.260 - 00:29:41.440

when am, you know, have an answer for all of them. Making people understand that I'm not one thing or another.

00:29:41.440 - 00:29:48.590

Who I am is comprised of everything. I have aspects of our different cultures in my myself, my personality, my habits,

00:29:48.590 - 00:29:54.800

et cetera, the things that I like and that I do. And I still feel I'm learning. I want to practice Spanish

00:29:54.800 - 00:30:01.130

more and speaking Spanish. I have my closest friends or Spanish. And that's something that I hold back on a little bit,

00:30:01.130 - 00:30:13.400

but want to get more comfortable with morning cooking, for example. And I've started my father from our Mexican side of the family.

00:30:13.400 - 00:30:20.870

We don't know I don't know where in Mexico we come from. And that's something I would like to learn sometime soon actually

00:30:20.870 - 00:30:31.850

before it gets too late to learn more about my own heritage. So it's a continuous process. So talk about scholarships and

00:30:31.850 - 00:30:41.150

how you used your steering. Yeah, I guess that was a real a real point of my life that made me really reflect on my own identity.

00:30:41.150 - 00:30:48.140

And kind of what's accepted was not accepted by society. And the way they look at you, my senior year of high school,

00:30:48.140 - 00:30:56.010

when I was applying to colleges, of course, I was applying for scholarships at the same time and I was a straight a student, but still was looking for

00:30:56.010 - 00:31:01.340

additional support to cover ground because my parents will lower middle-class. So we did okay.

00:31:01.340 - 00:31:06.020

But they didn't how might they didn't have anything saved up, disseminate college. So I applied for

00:31:06.020 - 00:31:15.050

academic scholarships by also apply for cultural scholarships and kinda apply for everything I could fit under a blow

00:31:15.050 - 00:31:22.900

for African-American scholarships. I found for Italian heritage scholarships, Latino scholarships, and Native American scholarships.

00:31:22.900 - 00:31:33.830

And in doing so at certain aspects, I felt I guess I kinda felt guilty. And then my mindset because I felt in my on my okay.

00:31:33.830 - 00:31:38.480

I'm do this because it's a part of my heritage by a certain percentage that meets the requirements.

00:31:38.480 - 00:31:46.190

But am I really that, you know, am I stealing from someone else who's 100% that heritage and maybe more deserving because

00:31:46.190 - 00:31:53.300

there are a 100 percent. If I won a certain scholarship where there was Native American or Latino per se or black,

00:31:53.300 - 00:32:00.960

the black scholarships would it would other people view me as not being enough of that? I didn't deserve to win the award.

00:32:00.960 - 00:32:08.960

Actually didn't win any awards, so it never had to deal with that issue. But it was something going through my mind as I was completing these scholarships.

00:32:08.960 - 00:32:19.360

And for example, a native America on a, on my mother's side, we have ancestry where her great grandmother, I believe, is a 100 percent

00:32:19.360 - 00:32:27.040

Native American, but it came down. I had approve it. I don't know if I had the ability to do that. And it's interesting because

00:32:27.040 - 00:32:34.600

working at a university now, that topic has come up that anyone specifically I know, but students who apply

00:32:34.600 - 00:32:41.020

for scholarships based on cultural heritage and may not identify as such. And other people within their culture

00:32:41.020 - 00:32:47.140

feeling that they're robbing them are there, that they're doing wrong because they don't identify as a certain culture. And I have mixed

00:32:47.140 - 00:32:55.510

feelings about that because of my own experiences and I wasn't trying to cheat the system. I am part of all those cultures are part of

00:32:55.510 - 00:33:02.650

who I am and I wasn't trying to cheat the system and do just to get money. But at the same time, I can understand both sides of the pictures.

00:33:02.650 - 00:33:08.140

So it was interesting experiences high school student and then again, be here now working any university and seen

00:33:08.140 - 00:33:15.860

it from the other end. And hearing both sides of the story. And install Azure, you know where, where, feel about that.

00:33:15.860 - 00:33:29.330

But I know it's done easy. So why did you start getting high? Actually been deaths and before I could walk, as long as I can remember, it's just me.

00:33:29.330 - 00:33:35.600

And there's an interesting thing because there's nature versus nurture arguments and a lot of different areas.

00:33:35.600 - 00:33:40.580

And I think this is where the argument comes into play. I really believe dancing, is it my blow it mean with

00:33:40.580 - 00:33:46.670

all my African-American Latino heritage, Italian heritage, Native American heritage, or dancing is in my blood. I don't think there's

00:33:46.670 - 00:33:56.210

any way I could avoid it. So it's a dance class, but it was jazz. From the age of five to four keen. I stopped when I got to high school

00:33:56.210 - 00:34:02.900

because I still quality deaths quasi more hours wouldn't have the time. Wish I had continued. But I

00:34:02.900 - 00:34:13.370

like going out dancing, so like teen clubs. And of course, as I got older to dance clubs, I took a ballroom dance class one semester in college as a class credit.

00:34:13.370 - 00:34:24.320

And they took swing dance one semester. That I pay for it even just on my own. And taken belly dancing class. And I love music of a lot

00:34:24.320 - 00:34:30.200

different cultures and dance over larger culture so that they could just, I really think it's just something in my blood.

00:34:30.200 - 00:34:38.600

And I've had people say I've I never was taught to dance, salsa or anything like that from any one of my family.

00:34:38.600 - 00:34:47.540

I just learned by just going out and doing it at nightclubs and with groups of friends. And I've picked it up pretty easy and I've had people

00:34:47.540 - 00:34:52.750

tell me when they see me dance and neither think I'm Puerto Rican, Dominican, or something because of the way I dance.

00:34:52.750 - 00:35:03.230

And of course definitely think I'm purely Latino because of how ideas. And I kinda take that as a compliment. But again, it was something I grew up with.

00:35:03.230 - 00:35:10.860

It's something they're just kinda came into as a KML as it became older. So I do believe completely 100. We said that dancing is in my blood.

00:35:10.860 - 00:35:17.510

There's noise going avoid that. It's just always been a part of me dancing and music. And I can imagine that any other way.

00:35:17.510 - 00:35:24.500

It's one of my biggest passions. I need to have dancing and I need to have music in my life. And, and

00:35:24.500 - 00:35:31.460

they've been over multicultural heritage. I'm also appreciative of LR, different type of music. I don't my country could say that.

00:35:31.460 - 00:35:37.710

But like I said, I've done belly dancing and I have Persian, France, I love the Middle Eastern culture, Middle Eastern dancing.

00:35:37.710 - 00:35:46.550

I actually did it a Greek guy for two years and the Greek dancing I've done or that loves manage answer more than anything else,

00:35:46.550 - 00:35:52.560

of course, in hip hop and, but then also barroom and swing dancing. Lot of different styles and from different cultures.

00:35:52.560 - 00:36:03.710

And I think it's just I think it's an a, that's one of the greatest assets of cultures is the dancing and music. And it just brings so much happiness to me.

00:36:03.710 - 00:36:17.060

So I just slide, just love it. Do you worry about your boyfriend's parents perception of you? Student tapes?

00:36:17.060 - 00:36:26.070

Definitely. It was definitely showing when I was younger, I've been attracted to and David pretty much every color in the rainbow.

00:36:26.070 - 00:36:37.220

There's been nothing nothing standard. Yeah. Really? There's no style whatsoever. But I know like high school, I did a Tanga

00:36:37.220 - 00:36:42.980

and gone home to me in his parents for the first time. I was fine because my last name is Luna. My last name is Spanish, but it

00:36:42.980 - 00:36:49.730

also means the same in Italian. So they heard my name and thought I was Italian, which I am. But the My name comes from Spanish.

00:36:49.730 - 00:36:56.330

So when I went home to meet them and had dinner with them the first time, I was a little anxious.

00:36:56.330 - 00:37:03.400

And he's homie later that they thought I was hiring based on my name, but they did accept me. And I've asked to say I'm pretty surprised.

00:37:03.400 - 00:37:10.490

Now, why do I say surprise? But in my experience as the parents are bidding something on me. But again, going into

00:37:10.490 - 00:37:16.420

a situation and meet someone's parents were first time, you know, it's always know over again and feel out of place.

00:37:16.420 - 00:37:25.240

Particularly if it's, if it's a white boyfriend. And I think the most profit actually was my last serious boyfriend who was Greek.

00:37:25.240 - 00:37:34.190

Greek is a very different culture. They're very close-knit. And typically among many families in the culture,

00:37:34.190 - 00:37:42.020

they're not as welcoming to outsiders, so to speak. So I was really anxious when I met my ex is family for

00:37:42.020 - 00:37:49.390

the first time and also really surprised when the whole family embraced me, even though I heard discussions within the family about

00:37:49.390 - 00:37:55.780

other family members who David, they were white women. They dated or married, but they were not Greek.

00:37:55.780 - 00:38:04.400

And their feelings on that. So I feel, I feel out of place at the same time feeling welcomed by them because of their,

00:38:04.400 - 00:38:14.880

their culture and how different things are. But I do wonder, you know, of course when then comes down whoever it is, I'm going to end up with marrying, you know,

00:38:14.880 - 00:38:19.820

what they might be, you know, pretty much they're going to be something that's different for myself. Even if they have one aspect,

00:38:19.820 - 00:38:26.810

they're still going to be different for myself and what our children are going to be. But I think about it more as a joke of how

00:38:26.810 - 00:38:32.690

many different components my child will have because there's somebody made multiracial people out there and I have data multi

00:38:32.690 - 00:38:40.820

racial people as well that, you know, I can enable a child. It's like 6789, different backgrounds, but I think that's

00:38:40.820 - 00:38:53.300

actually pretty cool. So who knows? We'll see. If you do have children. How you teach about here.

00:38:53.300 - 00:39:01.160

My goal is to educate them gone up about all different aspects of their heritage. Just so they know who they are.

00:39:01.160 - 00:39:06.570

And part of it is going to be me having you'll learn a little bit more about my own heritage, people pass it on to them.

00:39:06.570 - 00:39:13.490

So one of my goals, of course, is to know where in Mexico my family comes from. I know my grandfather was born in Texas.

00:39:13.490 - 00:39:19.790

I don't know anything prior to that. I do know where that my grandmother was born in Italy, he came over and she

00:39:19.790 - 00:39:27.170

was five as an immigrant. And to be able to tell that story to my children. Don't know if I'll be able to find out,

00:39:27.170 - 00:39:38.980

but it would be nice to know what tribe or Native American heritage comes from. For my children to know that my mother's ancestors were slaves down south.

00:39:38.980 - 00:39:47.720

And of course, their surname came from they're asleep, slave family. And of course, whatever my husband may end up being,

00:39:47.720 - 00:39:56.270

which could be anything in the world pretty much where he comes from. With language. I would like my children

00:39:56.270 - 00:40:05.600

to be at least bilingual. But again, that's lies on me becoming more educated and speaking Spanish more. And again, overlaying with my husband may

00:40:05.600 - 00:40:12.710

speak to be able to share it with them. I do love to cook. I don't go because I'm by myself and there's really no because then

00:40:12.710 - 00:40:18.860

it's the same. They provide days. But I do love to cook and we'll be able to teach my children to cook for

00:40:18.860 - 00:40:27.450

my family and make different dishes. And that doesn't even have to be any. They were on heritage. With religion. I'm not religious myself.

00:40:27.450 - 00:40:36.860

But what I want at least expose myself to that nonetheless, I made them go to church all the time per se, but expose them to the religions out

00:40:36.860 - 00:40:43.670

there and the different beliefs as they're growing up. And as much as possible, I would hope leaving them free choice

00:40:43.670 - 00:40:51.160

to figure it out on their own. But hopefully I'm not the kind of parallel forces any anything on there. My child in regards to

00:40:51.160 - 00:40:58.250

certain beliefs and religion and things like that. I hope we can't say it'll actually have children.

00:40:58.250 - 00:41:09.070

But I'm hopeful because of, again, how many people are multicultural now? How many different interracial marriages there are more,

00:41:09.070 - 00:41:17.830

more accepted than it was 1520 years ago when I was growing up. That my children will have an easier path. But still I do ingest a big,

00:41:17.830 - 00:41:23.620

they'll still have some challenges and deal with their identity and belonging. And hopefully I can help them through

00:41:23.620 - 00:41:31.330

that path and be more conscious of that experience because of my own experiences than my parents may have been to

00:41:31.330 - 00:41:52.610

what I was struggling with growing up. So talk to us about your experience, work. They were speaking to whom you back in high school?

00:41:52.610 - 00:42:03.050

Yes. My one of my first experiences, again, I lives in pretty much predominate white suburbs. Know we had some students in my school

00:42:03.050 - 00:42:13.610

gone up and maybe like 123 Spanish students. So I'm adding web around that family. So I knew nothing about being in Spanish. And then my junior high school,

00:42:13.610 - 00:42:19.130

I got a job at a catering Hall. And pretty much where the entire kitchen staff and not just the cooks

00:42:19.130 - 00:42:29.250

are or the dishwashers, but even management. We're Spanish. And a lot of them born in, in Latin American countries,

00:42:29.250 - 00:42:36.500

which really hadn't, had, did not know anything about. So high schools when I realized that my parents,

00:42:36.500 - 00:42:44.990

I loved a lot more Latino than anything else. So when I came to work there, the men in particular would start to speak to me in Spanish because they knew

00:42:44.990 - 00:42:51.350

I understood some Spanish, so to speak to me in Spanish, or they would speak to each other in Spanish, talking about me to

00:42:51.350 - 00:43:00.140

see how much I pick up on. So being female, period, that's a little bit of an awkward situation. And then to know that

00:43:00.140 - 00:43:08.710

They're doing it on purpose to see how much it gets attacked. So it's a little awkward situation, but slightly amusing.

00:43:08.710 - 00:43:17.460

But it kind of a gimme me, wake up to us to understand or to begin to realize how other people view me.

00:43:17.460 - 00:43:25.070

Because I don't think that's something I was struggling to fit in and figure out where I fit in. But then so get realize, okay, this is,

00:43:25.070 - 00:43:29.330

I appear a certain way to people and this is how they perceive me and this is how they're going to approach me.

00:43:29.330 - 00:43:33.890

It's something I don't think I really thought about before. And that's when it really came to light that I

00:43:33.890 - 00:43:39.860

look there certain way. That's our approach. That's how people are going to judge me because there's certain way and how to

00:43:39.860 - 00:43:51.170

deal with those situations. So I don't cut the cards years I like I worked on campus as a tour guide and in the student center.

00:43:51.170 - 00:44:04.010

So I don't think any of that came up in those job experiences. But here at the university, It's interesting because I

00:44:04.010 - 00:44:09.890

primarily advise a Latino student organization, all of which I had been in as a student. And even still like when I

00:44:09.890 - 00:44:18.140

first came on board, I still had some of my own self as like the IT and security is about not being bashed enough,

00:44:18.140 - 00:44:29.510

not being speak in the language fluently, now been accepted by the students. When this position was created, the students wanted someone

00:44:29.510 - 00:44:38.780

to do a little bit more support than what the position actually was created. They were looking for someone overall for the entire campus to

00:44:38.780 - 00:44:43.590

support the Latino community. Whereas my position is, is more primarily through the activities office and

00:44:43.590 - 00:44:51.310

advising the student group. So I had some challenges when I first came on. But again, Start Live. It was self-inflicted

00:44:51.310 - 00:45:01.370

of MI up to caliber and my fitting in, am I going to be accepted by other people? So and of course that's definitely Pat come to pass.

00:45:01.370 - 00:45:09.830

I enjoy going to work with other organizations of all different ages, including other multicultural organizations here at the university.

00:45:09.830 - 00:45:22.550

So it's been a good experience. How would you define Africa? Would be for me when I think about, I guess in terms of other people,

00:45:22.550 - 00:45:31.760

dig about some thing about someone who has both African and Latino roots. And it could be one or two ways. One is, they could,

00:45:31.760 - 00:45:39.410

it could be someone from one country that has it in their heritage. Of course, a lot of Latin American countries have African heritage,

00:45:39.410 - 00:45:46.140

they have European heritage, their indigenous heritage. For myself, the Mexican side with family, at least in the past that might not,

00:45:46.140 - 00:45:54.650

it's indigenous heritage. And then I have my African heritage from the other side of my family. So to complete different cultures,

00:45:54.650 - 00:46:07.550

two completely different family backgrounds. And I've learned a lot about Latino culture over the years. And my closest girlfriends

00:46:07.550 - 00:46:19.180

actually are Latino heritage. And learn how much. Wow, what a broad scale it is to be Latino or Latina.

00:46:19.180 - 00:46:25.350

We know there's Latino is that look way could pass for white. There's lots. He knows that look black. And people think are bad

00:46:25.350 - 00:46:33.920

black and there's everything in between. And within the Latino culture itself and each country. There's differences just like there are

00:46:33.920 - 00:46:41.510

here in the United States. So nicer for me. You know, the Latino heritage site and the African side is

00:46:41.510 - 00:46:50.090

from two different two completely different sides of the family. So I think regardless, whoever, wherever anyone's from,

00:46:50.090 - 00:46:58.180

you know, it definitely is about embracing both are all aspects of who you are. You know, if your Afro Latina,

00:46:58.180 - 00:47:06.790

to embrace your African roots and what, how it impacts your, your culture over the years. I mean, that guy

00:47:06.790 - 00:47:15.230

got the culture to where it is today. And there's influences and food and music and dancing, as well as of course,

00:47:15.230 - 00:47:22.220

the overall physical appearance. So, and I think a lot of people outside those cultures don't understand

00:47:22.220 - 00:47:30.470

that and are quick to make presumptions or classify people based on their appearance one way or another. And that's something that

00:47:30.470 - 00:47:36.440

will take some time. I don't think we could say we could ever overcome it, but it's something that we still

00:47:36.440 - 00:47:43.880

do need to overcome dealing with these and outward appearance and how people perceive us and how people approach us.

00:47:43.880 - 00:47:58.340

How did the disconnect or influence your grasp on identity? As elaborate of a question about our layers and

00:47:58.340 - 00:48:09.380

that both sets of my grandparents divorce one before I was born and one was very, very young. And aside from those factors,

00:48:09.380 - 00:48:17.810

because of other family issues, both my parents didn't have a close relationship with their fathers. So my dad, dynamic oscillation,

00:48:17.810 - 00:48:24.230

his father whose max again. And I remember that he moved away when I was eight. My remote gone his house,

00:48:24.230 - 00:48:29.960

his apartment actually when he was packing up and we had a little goodbye party, and he moved to taxes where

00:48:29.960 - 00:48:39.950

all his family lives. And I know my grandfather was most Kenyan. I remember seeing him when I was younger and pictures and stuff,

00:48:39.950 - 00:48:45.170

but I never really knew anything about him or what he was about. And we really at least I didn't have

00:48:45.170 - 00:48:49.940

any communication with him. I mean, I think I may have gotten birthday cards and Christmas cards, but never really taught him on

00:48:49.940 - 00:48:55.790

the phone as a child. I'm not sure what the extent of my father's relation was with him. I know he visited him maybe once or

00:48:55.790 - 00:49:03.260

twice, but that was about it. We as a family, never went out to taxes to visit family. So the next encounter

00:49:03.260 - 00:49:11.150

I haven't my graph from the time I was eight was when I was believed their team. And he was flying back to New York for a visit for

00:49:11.150 - 00:49:17.720

the first time and got sick on a plane and turn out he had cancer. So you went from the plane to the hospital and state of

00:49:17.720 - 00:49:25.790

the hassle or two months until he passed. So we did go visit him several times in the hospital and I I do am I I'm thankful at least I have that

00:49:25.790 - 00:49:32.270

that short timespan to have my graph with a back-end life and get to see him. Of course, I was too young

00:49:32.270 - 00:49:39.110

and wasn't much of a relationship built, wasn't time for talking about anything because of my age and his illness and everything.

00:49:39.110 - 00:49:51.830

But at least I got to see him again. So wow. So when he passed, all his family came out from Texas and that's the first time I ever

00:49:51.830 - 00:49:59.210

seen them like they're met me when I was a baby. But of course I don't remember that. And that

00:49:59.210 - 00:50:06.350

was my first and actually only encounter with that family and all these Mexican relatives being in my house.

00:50:06.350 - 00:50:11.660

And I had taken Spanish in school for a couple of years and I thought I was okay. Speaking it until they

00:50:11.660 - 00:50:19.970

said something to me and I was like, well, so here the culture authentically see what they look like. But again, with my

00:50:19.970 - 00:50:27.530

young age and I actually had to leave my house early for a dance recital. I didn't get to spend anytime we have any discussion with them.

00:50:27.530 - 00:50:34.330

So I basically didn't get to learn any then all about my Mexican heritage and my Latino culture from my family.

00:50:34.330 - 00:50:41.570

And of course, I had no control over that, but I do I do wish that that's something I could have had in my life.

00:50:41.570 - 00:50:47.000

Of course, if I had my life, it would have shaped me a little bit differently. And ANOVA been better or

00:50:47.000 - 00:50:55.100

worse than that because they either way, but we'll have shaped me differently. To learn. I wish I could learn about cooking because I

00:50:55.100 - 00:51:03.960

do love to cook and to learn how to make certain dishes from a family and not have to learn to buy recipe as I'm older.

00:51:03.960 - 00:51:13.270

The music and the language, and I do wish I had some of that in my life growing up. But my goal now at least is to learn from my,

00:51:13.270 - 00:51:18.880

from my father, from his uncles that are still while they're still alive, were in Mexico. We came from, you know, how

00:51:18.880 - 00:51:28.320

how we came to get to this country. I don't know how we got from Mexico to Texas. I just knew I know is my graph. I was born in taxes.

00:51:28.690 - 00:51:34.640

And just to learn a little bit where we came from, you know, that is, I think that is a Big Bang, especially when you're only looking

00:51:34.640 - 00:51:44.720

to generations back. You're not even talking about years, a 100 years ago or 200 years ago, hurricanes, maybe only two generations back,

00:51:44.720 - 00:51:54.050

not knowing the story of your family. Another thing I don't know is my last name is Luna. It used to be de Luna. I don't know what point that was changed,

00:51:54.050 - 00:51:59.480

it was dropped or if there's anything else that was a part of my name is typical. A lot of Latino families where they have

00:51:59.480 - 00:52:05.960

both the maternal and paternal surnames. You know? I don't know where they have. I just didn't know it was mentioned at some point to

00:52:05.960 - 00:52:14.720

me over the past 10, 15 years. So I think there's a huge factor in one hand, you can look at numbers. I'm a quarter Latino,

00:52:14.720 - 00:52:23.420

25 percent of the case may be. That's probably not even technical. You add up everything that I'm a part of. But I do feel it's, you know,

00:52:23.420 - 00:52:30.980

with my interests that I've come to have and the people I'm surrounded by and my passion and things like that,

00:52:30.980 - 00:52:38.630

that Latino culture make does make up a big part of who I am, but it is also a big missing piece. So as the years progress ahead,

00:52:38.630 - 00:52:45.840

I do hope to learn more about myself and that heritage. Please impact on my life. So.