What does being an immigrant mean to you?

“An immigrant is a person who is willing to move their roots from one place to another. They are willing to start over in a new place from everything they know to something totally foreign. “

What was the most important thing to you that you had to leave behind (if any) in your home country?

“My family. I went from seeing my extended family every day to seeing my family at most twice a year. Colombia is a country that puts family at its highest value so leaving them was the hardest thing to leave. “

What would you say was an important part of keeping your culture alive when you sought refuge in another country?

“Speaking Spanish. Spanish was something I could pass down through generations that really helped preserve my family’s culture and gave my kids a connection to their family in Colombia.”

What is it like seeing your country in headlines struggling from a faraway perspective? 

“It’s really conflicting because on hand I want to be there helping my family and contributing to society but on another hand, I thank god every day that I get to live in a calm and safe country without the worry of struggling in my home. “