Hispanic Heritage, My Parents, My Heroes
Family’s devotion and sacrifice taught daughter the importance of hard work and dedication
Devotion to family is an easy trait to find among Latino parents. When it comes to heroes, most of us would probably not think of our parents, yet when invited to write about a Hispanic hero that has inspired me, there was not a moments hesitation on my part to choose mine.
It was 1966 and I was 5 years old when my parents emigrated to the U.S. from Colombia. Both left everything behinda close family, career, lifelong friendships and the familiarity of home in pursuit of a brighter future for their four children. Forty-six years later Lucerito and Jaime remain an inseparable and dynamic duo.
The Meaning of Sacrifice
Winters in Brooklyn were torturous. Im sure during those first few cold months Mom shed tears that we never got to see. We had all our basic needs taken care of but not without a good amount of pain. My father worked three jobs in those early years while Mom stayed home to make sure we were taken care of. She missed family and the support system back home; it took a toll on her and she had two miscarriages early on. We experienced discrimination and alienation that hurt deeply and cemented wounds that would take years to mend. Many times they wanted to return to their motherland.
Books are revered by my parents and growing up around these treasures made a huge difference to me. I learned about worlds so foreign I could imagine them only in dreams. We also nurtured our Hispanic heritage by reading books in Spanish and by writing about it. We spoke only in Spanish while inside our home or around our parents. We learned about fairy tales, lyrics and poetry, and how to conjugate verbs.
In the background of my childhood rebellion and against my strongest inclinations, I became literate in the Spanish language at a time when all I wanted was to be like everyone else. I did not want to be Hispanic. I wanted to be an American, speak only English. My parents would have nothing of that and did everything in their power to make sure that my siblings and I would never forget where we came from. It was a hefty challenge but they prevailed. And for this I am deeply gratefulmore grateful than I can ever be about anything in my life.
I did not always appreciate their constant cajoling about the importance of knowing my culture and roots. I fought them and even became a closet Latina for many years. Thanks to their persistence and love, today I am proud of where I came from. Not only has my bilingual upbringing literally brightened my life but it has opened professional doors and made possible the creation of profitable ideas in my business. My Hispanic heritage rocks!
Shifting the Planet
Today we have in our family a PhD, two masters degrees, four bachelors degrees, three artists, a musician and two family-owned businesses.
But educating us kids was not the be all and end all for my parents. Although they retired many years ago they continue to reach out and teach the world. INSOPH, the Miami-based school they created about 10 years ago, teaches adolescents and adults about the art of living. The acronym stands for the Institute for Solving the Problems of Humanity. Daily they make a huge difference in the lives of the dozens of students fortunate enough to find out about them and go through their school every year. They are changing lives and shifting the planet.
Hard times, I believe, helped forge a family bond that today is unbreakable. When they recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, I was reminded of how rare it is to see a set of parents that have withstood the test of time and triumphed in a sea of seemingly impossible waves that often appear tsunami-like in size.
Time hasn’t changed my mind about who inspires me most. Dad turns 80 soon and Mom is 75, but youd think they are both in their early 60s. I learn from them about the power of wholesome nutrition and exercise for the body, mind and spirit. They keep physically active by walking and biking; mentally alive by teaching, reading, playing board games and being surrounded by young people. They take zero medications and are disease-free. They love to laugh, enjoy life to the fullest and make sure to spend lots of quality time with friends and family. They never tire of giving of themselves. It keeps them young and vibrant, which is expressed in the brilliance of their skin, the twinkle of their smile and the warmth of their souls. These are real life-size heroes!
