On Wednesday, Sept. 18, Rio Salado College hosted a panel discussion for Hispanic Heritage Month called Inspiring Change: Latinx Professionals in Higher Education. The panel featured a mix of Rio Salado students and staff alongside guest educators from other institutions.
Reina Ferrufino, Rio Salado College's Chief Program Officer of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging, got the event started by introducing college president Kate Smith. Smith spoke to the importance of empathy and embracing each other and showing appreciation for our differences.
"We're really looking forward to hearing more of who you are, what your journeys have been, what your stories are, and what your paths have looked like," Smith said. "It's such a gift that you're willing to share that with all of us."
Ferrufino kicked off the discussion by asking the panelists to share the paths that led to their current positions. Rio Hondo College's Dr. Russell Castañeda-Calleros talked about being inspired by the example of his father, a hard-working meter reader who dug holes and did underground work for the gas company but still took the time to go to college in his off time because he wanted to learn more. Rio Salado Student Services Specialist David Ayon and UC San Jose City College’s Enrique Velasco talked about how they were given a stark choice by their families: go to work or go to school. The influence of family and community had a strong effect on the other panelists as well.
The panel then moved on to a discussion centered around heritage and how culture has shaped their identities and approach to work. Indiana University Northwest’s chief of staff and interim vice chancellor Dr. Amy Diaz spoke to the joy she feels in living in a Mexican neighborhood and being able to hear Spanish whenever she walks outside.
“I can see people that look like me,” Diaz said. “It’s a community that is filled with beautiful murals.”
She also highlighted the importance of asserting her identity through small “acts of defiance” like wearing mariposa earrings in her professional headshots.
“That’s my identity, that’s who I am,” Diaz said. “And I bring it to work. I’m not going to apologize for it.”
Rio Salado’s Lulu Maldonado, who grew up in a primarily Anglo neighborhood, talked about how important it is to make her Spanish-speaking students feel comfortable by communicating with them in their shared language. Velasco chimed in to point out how taboo this used to be- that when they were growing up as students they would get in trouble if they spoke Spanish in class or at work. Reflecting on those experiences, Velasco said that's why he and his wife are so focused on speaking Spanish around their child so the language can continue to live on and be relevant to the next generation.
Castañeda-Calleros brought up the importance of finding mentors in your community in every stage of your development, that even when you’ve “made it” you can benefit from the wisdom and guidance of others.
“I feel like they’re all in my corner, sort of like when you’re a boxer in a ring and you have the person in the corner giving you a massage and whispering in your ear ‘you got this, you can do this’,” Castañeda-Calleros said.
Diaz reflected on the importance of cultural legacies and seeing oneself as a continuation of centuries of historical progress and processes.
“I like the idea of being reminded that my ancestors jumped through hoops in order to get to where I’m at today,” she said. “I’m standing on their shoulders.”
For UC San Diego’s Beto Vasquez, who has worked with formerly incarcerated students, he’s seen firsthand how critical it is to keep one's eye on the future.
"It's important for folks to understand that it's not about where you come from, it's where you go. It's not where you start, it's where you finish."
As the conversation winded down with more reflections on family and the importance of giving back to the communities the panelists all came from, Ayon brought up the hot topic of imposter syndrome.
“It’s been hard for me to feel comfortable within the culture, not knowing Spanish- I felt like I wasn’t a part of it because I didn’t know it that well,” Ayon said, who’s made efforts to hone his language skills. “It took me a while to realize that it’ll come at my own pace…”
Ayon reflected on how his own struggles helped him find common ground with other students who haven’t learned Spanish yet.
“I have learned to be more open about it. I want to make sure there’s always room for improvement, that there’s always room to learn about it”
Watch The Event:
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Article by Austin Brietta